Yankees No Longer Pursuing Rusney Castillo

According to NorthJersey.com, the Yankees are no longer in the hunt for Rusney Castillo, as his asking price of around $10 million a year is apparently too rich for the Yankees.

Although the idea that it's too much money doesn't sit well with me, I'm not at all upset about not signing the Cuban 2B/OF.

For one, he's not Yasiel Puig or Jose Abreu. Castillo is not a "can't miss" prospect. And yes, I said "prospect", because until you play in Major League Baseball, that's all you are. And while the aforementioned Puig and Abreu could have been considered "top" prospects, Rusney Castillo is a second-tier prospect at best.

Another reason I'm not sad by this news is because of youngsters like Rob Refsnyder and Tyler Austin. Those two guys, who are among the better prospects in the Yankees organization, could very well man 2B and RF in the near future.

It's never a good thing to miss out on even a decent prospect, but the Yankees taking themselves out of the Rusney Castillo sweepstakes is not a head-scratcher.

Reminder: Metal Detectors Installed In Bronx Tonight

Just a friendly reminder to all you fans heading out to the ball park tonight as the Yankees host the Houston Astros you may want to leave a little earlier than you normally would. Tonight the Yankees will have metal detectors installed at the entrances to Yankee Stadium as Major League Baseball attempts to get all 30 stadiums to install them. All 30 teams must have these installed by Opening Day for the 2015 season and the Yankees are going to comply starting tonight so leave a few minutes early and expect some delays when entering the stadium.

I moved from the Bronx to Atlanta, Georgia so whenever I go to a ball game I have to go to Turner Field and they have metal detectors and honestly it delays you all of a minute if you get there early enough. It’s your normal routine, put your wallet, cell phone, keys, etc. in the tray and walk through. If you beep the guy with the wand scans your belt buckle and you go on your merry way.

You can decline to go through the metal detector but the guy with the wand will have to scan you before being allowed into the stadium. Unfortunately it’s a necessary evil of the society and world we live in today but it’s hard, in my opinion anyway, to complain about being safer. I bring my wife and my children to these ball games so any added security that isn’t overly inconvenient and border lining on illegal is okay with me.

If you don’t have your tickets yet for tonight’s game besure to CLICK HERE on the blog and we can hook you up. In honor of DerekJeter’s final season we won’t be charging any kind of fees or any kind ofshipping costs all season long. Get your tickets here.

Go Yankees!

David Phelps May Be On His Way Back

Right at two weeks ago the New York Yankees learned the news that they would be without starting pitcher David Phelps for at least a month. The original plan was to let Phelps rest his elbow for two weeks to try and get the inflammation out of it before beginning a throwing program. Yesterday was two weeks for Phelps and the Yankees seem ready to re-evaluate him and move on to the next step in his rehabilitation.

Phelps may start throwing as early as this week and will likely have to throw for two weeks, presumably including a rehab start or two, before returning to the Yankees rotation. Whatever gets Chris Capuano out of the rotation I am all for. Get well soon David.

ICYMI: Derek Jeter's Head Turned Into A Corn Field

This is kind of cool, mainly because Fall is easily my favorite season and I love corn fields. 

It says "Von Thun Farms Thanks #2 Captain Clutch Magic 98.3"

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/19: Wade Boggs the Knuckelballer

Only three times in major league history have we witnessed three sacrifice flies in one inning and we were treated with the Yankees doing it twice during the 2000 season.One of the rarities happened on a warm night in the Bronx when Jorge Posada, Scott Brosius and Clay Bellinger each had sacrifice flies in one inning. Earlier in the season on June 29, 2000 Jose Vizcaino, Tino Martinez, and Bernie Williams also accomplished the feat.

In case you were wondering the first trio to ever accomplish the feat was the Chicago White Sox teammates Juan Pizarro, Nellie Fox, and Al Smith who accomplished this on July 1, 1962.

Finally on this day in 1997 Wade Boggs made his major league pitching debut throwing 16 knuckleballs and one fastball in a 12-4 Yankees loss to the Angels. Boggs would throw a scoreless eight inning giving up not hits, walking a batter, and striking out Todd Greene to end the inning.

Jeter Will Remain Yanks' Shortstop Despite Recent Successes of Prado and Drew

Derek Jeter will continue being the Yankees' starting shortstop despite the recent successes of fellow infielders Martin Prado and Stephen Drew. 

In the last two games of this weekend's series in St. Petersburg, as you probably remember, the defensively-average Jeter DH'd in place of Carlos Beltran, who had finally gotten healthy enough to play right field in an act that also moved Prado to second base.

No, at this point nothing about #2's near future is technically guaranteed, but since Joe Girardi did say the following quote shortly after yesterday's win over the Rays it definitely seems likely that the 40-year-old will stay at his usual position. 

“That’s not a discussion that I really want to have right now,” Girardi unsurprisingly told Chad Jennings of The Journal News. “With Carlos being able to play the outfield, I can obviously do some different things. But Jeet’s my shortstop.”

Now if you've watched any contests lately, it's undeniable that Prado and Drew are better options when it comes to using a glove, with the former's many great plays against the Rays Sunday clear signs of that statement's truth.

Nonetheless, due to Jeter's well-known reputation as The Captain something like half-benching him probably wouldn't sit well with a good amount of Yanks fans, even if doing so likely would improve the team.

Yankees Off Day Movie Recommendation: Road Trip

It's a Yankees off day and New York is using the day to travel home to Yankee Stadium, road trip! It's also 2:00 pm ET and you're probably looking to slack off at work so why not watch a full length movie right here on the blog? Today's movie is Road Trip! This movie is probably not safe for work so definitely be sure to wear some headphones. Enjoy the movie and enjoy the off day Yankees family, we will be back to work tomorrow.

Andrew Bailey Will Not Pitch For NY In 2014

The New York Yankees signed Andrew Bailey to a minor league deal this February with an option for the 2015 season as the right hander attempted to come back from a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. The Yankees felt confident that Bailey could return this season, even if it was just in September, to audition for his roster spot next season. Unfortunately that will not be the case as Bailey has had multiple setbacks in his rehab program this season.

Bailey has been out since he had a torn shoulder capsule in his shoulder in July of 2013. Manager Joe Girardi would not specify on what kind of set backs Bailey has had and would not speculate on his 2015 option. Bailey could really help the Yankees bullpen next season and could really make the pen a strength in 2015 with David Robertson (if he re-signs), Dellin Betances, Shawn Kelley, and Adam Warren.

Yankees Off Day Walk Up Music Recommendation

It feels like the Yankees just had an off day not three games ago and we did one of these, probably a good reason for that I guess. Anyway, today we highlight Martin Prado's walk up music: "You Belong To Me" by Nick Fiorucci. I have never heard this song before today, enjoy.

So Much Talent Being Wasted In Scranton

The Yankees offense continues to struggle while there is so much talent just being wasted in Triple-A right now. The Scranton Wilkes Barre RailRiders offense may be better than the big league club's offense right now. I continue to beat the drum and I continue to ask the question, why are these guys still sitting in the minor leagues while guys like Ichiro Suzuki and Stephen Drew continue to make outs in the Bronx?

Name	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Zoilo Almonte#	25	89	393	368	45	103	17	1	17	66	6	3	23	87	.280	.323	.470	.793
Taylor Dugas*	24	44	158	137	13	43	5	1	0	14	2	2	15	23	.314	.391	.365	.756
Ramon Flores*	22	53	230	199	27	52	16	3	5	19	3	2	29	38	.261	.352	.447	.799
Adonis Garcia	29	80	345	320	53	103	18	3	9	44	11	3	17	48	.322	.357	.481	.838
J.R. Murphy	23	43	167	153	14	36	8	0	4	21	0	0	11	38	.235	.283	.366	.649
Ronnier Mustelier	29	13	53	51	4	16	3	0	0	3	1	0	2	9	.314	.340	.373	.712
Jose Pirela	24	116	522	480	80	146	19	9	8	51	12	7	34	64	.304	.352	.431	.783
Rob Refsnyder	23	61	269	233	41	70	15	1	8	29	3	4	32	51	.300	.388	.476	.864
Kyle Roller*	26	88	374	322	53	91	19	3	15	44	0	0	44	105	.283	.380	.500	.880
Zelous Wheeler	27	79	325	295	48	88	25	0	9	38	1	0	24	58	.298	.363	.475	.838

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table