Strike Out Cancer with the Tampa Yankees

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Seattle Mariners 6/3

What do you know a west coast game that’s not lit by the midnight moon here on the east coast, what a concept. The New York Yankees will face off with the Seattle Mariners for the third and final time this series this afternoon inside Safeco Field with Masahiro Tanaka and Taijuan Walker facing off in the contest. The game will be played at 3:40 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV.

The Yankees are coming home so get your Yankees tickets now by clicking the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog to secure your seats without paying all those bulky fees and pricey shipping costs. Through our partnership with Ticket Monster we can offer you cheap seats, no fees, free shipping and a discount on top of it all just for being a Greedy Pinstripes reader. If you can’t make it out to the Bronx then no problem simply jump on Twitter (@GreedyStripes) and/or the comments section of the site and chat with us during the game, it’s almost like being there live anyway.

That’s enough out of me, it’s #TANAKADAY. Go Yankees!

Mr. October to Represent Yankees at Draft

The Major League Baseball First Year Player's Draft is about a week away now and the New York Yankees have three picks in the first two rounds of the draft this season. Who the Yankees will or wont take are up for debate as there are about 1,000,000 mock drafts already and not one of them are the same for whatever reason but who will be there representing the team has finally been announced. This season the Yankees will send Mr. October Reggie Jackson and Troy Afenir to the draft to represent the team for those big picks.

We all know about the history behind Jackson and the Yankees, the whole three home run World Series game, the Bronx is burning etc. but some may not know Afenir. Afenir has worked in the team's amateur scouting department for many years now which may or may not be a good thing for the Yankees. The team does seem to love those big build California born pitchers in the draft and at one time, and he may still but I cannot confirm or deny, Afenir scouted the southern California area for the team.

What this means to the draft on MLB Network is very little but it's still a cool little tidbit I figured I'd bring to you this morning. Enjoy your day.

What Players Need To Stand Up?

          I'm happy that the Yankees are currently in 1st place in the American League East. But, a 28-25 record is not something to be happy about. A lot of players need to stand up and pull their weight around.

CC Sabathia is 2-7 with a 5.45 ERA, that obviously needs to change. Five years ago, CC big name big pitcher, and 20 Game winner. Arguably the best Starting Pitcher in the American League. Now he has lost his dominating fastball and the last two seasons his ERA has gone up a lot. I believe that he can get his act together and turn it around and have a winning season.

Didi Gregorius has struggled a little bit this season, Combine April and May Gregorius hit 2 homers, drove in 11 runs, 32 hits, and is hitting .219. Last night he got two hits against the Mariners, which is a good sign. I believe that if he plays 155 games this season he will have great numbers, and his fielding will get better. The Yankees and every other team in the MLB need a hard hitting and great defensive SS.

Stephen Drew has been a disappointment so far this year. He is hitting for .168, 5 homeruns, and 16 RBIS in 48 games this season. When he was playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks he was a very productive ball player. However, injuries have been a problem for him the last few years. But he's 32 that's still young and he has a lot of baseball left in him.

Garrett Jones has had three 20 or more homerun seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees brought him in for more power. So far, he has only homered once, but he has only appeared in 26 games. If Garrett Jones plays 130-140 games for the Yankees this season, he will hit 20 or more homeruns. Last night he hit the game leading 3 Run homer for the Yankees in the 11th inning, so maybe he starting up a hot streak.

Chase Headley drove in 115 RBIS in 2012 which led the NL. But the guy hasn't been the same since then. In San Diego he really didn't have that much protection in the lineup. But now he in New York with more protection in the batting lineup than he had in San Diego. So far he has homered 6 times, and drove in 24 RBIS, At this rate he will hit 18 homeruns, and drive in 72 runs. Those numbers are pretty good but we want the 2012 Chase Headley instead.

Adam Warren has had his ups and downs in the bullpen between 2012 and 2014 for the Yankees. But now he is in the Starting Rotation. 2015 is Warren's chance to prove that he belongs in the Yankees Starting Rotation. But, he has had a lot of games this year that he has struggled. He gives up a lot of runs and hits. But he doesn't walk that many batters so that is a really good sign. He is projected to go 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA the rest of the season. lets hope that he proves us wrong.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Seattle Mariners 6/3

The New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners will finish out their three game set this week inside Safeco Field this afternoon. The Yankees will activate Masahiro Tanaka off the disabled list in time for the start and will move Chris Capuano to the bullpen while the Mariners will send Taijuan Walker to the mound looking to oppose him. The game will be played at 3:40 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV.

• Tanaka is making his first start since being placed on the disabled list with a bout with wrist tendinitis and a mild forearm strain. The injury cost him the better part of a month but have no fear Yankees family it’s Tanaka Day once again.

• Walker is coming off his best start of his career where he threw eight shutout innings against the Cleveland Indians. Walker struck out eight batters tying a career high.

The Yankees will finish their seven game road trip before traveling back home to Yankee Stadium on Friday night when the team plays host to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Yankees are off tomorrow so it’s always good to end a road trip and go into an off day with a victory so let’s hope New York gets one this afternoon in Seattle. Go Yankees!

My Plan to Insert Masahiro Tanaka & Fix the Pen Simultaneously

UPDATE: This was posted before Joe Girardi announced Capuano was going to the bullpen. Let's see if the rest of the prediction comes in true.

Masahiro Tanaka comes off the bullpen this afternoon to face off against Taijuan Walker and the Seattle Mariners after spending the better part of a month on the disabled list with some wrist tendinitis and a mild forearm strain. With the activation off the disabled list pending the Yankees will have to make a few roster decisions before this afternoon’s game including how the team will clear the 25 man roster spot and also who Tanaka will bump from the starting rotation. The Yankees probably have a plan and there is a 50-50 shot that this plan will blow up in their face entirely but just in case there was any indecision left by the club I, as usual, have a plan as well. For that plan you will have to keep on reading…

Now before I get too involved in this plan I will warn you that this will not be a popular plan among Yankees fans and I will lose anywhere from 10-50 followers on Twitter (@GreedyStripes my shameless plug) because of it but I think it works best for THIS team and how this team is currently situated. It’s probably not what I would necessarily do by any means but I think it is more so what should happen for at least a small band aid on this team’s current situation.

When the Yankees activate Tanaka off the disabled list they need to designate Chris Capuano to the bullpen as the long man and leave Adam Warren in the starting rotation for now. The team would then, unfortunately and as much as it pains me to say it, send down Jacob Lindgren to the minor leagues to get some more regular work since it seems obvious that Joe Girardi is not going to use him consistently and you would then move Esmil Rogers into the right handed relief pitcher role that David Carpenter currently employs. Rogers is not great by any means but he is better than Carpenter giving you an immediate upgrade while also getting an upgrade in the rotation with Tanaka over Capuano. Warren stays in the rotation until Ivan Nova is deemed ready to pitch after recovering from Tommy John surgery and everyone but Lindgren, and myself, are happy.

The team could always, and honestly should, designate Carpenter for assignment and subsequently stash him in Triple-A if he goes unclaimed, and he would, or the team could always DFA Capuano but neither of those scenarios seem likely. Losing Capuano now is not a huge deal as there will be a million of him, statistically speaking, on the free agent market and trade market in the very, very immediate future while Carpenter could be replaced right now by Chris Martin in the bullpen. The Yankees have lots of options here it’s just whether they make the right decision or the wrong decision, and for that we must all stay tuned. 

TGP Daily Poll: Jacoby Ellsbury Returns in June

The New York Yankees have been extremely mum when it comes to the health and status of Jacoby Ellsbury and his knee leaving no timetable for his return. I believe we have to see Ellsbury return before June ends, right?

Vote in our prediction poll on Knoda.com

Weekly Check In: Gary Sanchez

With Greg Bird still on the shelf for the Yankees we will once again change gears here and catch up with Yankees catching prospect Gary Sanchez. El Gary Sanchez was once the premier talent in the Yankees organization before the team began stockpiling international free agents, high ceiling high school pitchers and a plethora of college players in the draft but that does not take away what he has done and what he means to the Yankees organization. He may be the Yankees top catcher in their entire system right now and could be primed for a call up to the major leagues in two or so seasons.

Sanchez is hitting bombs in the minor leagues and working on his defense day in and day out and if you take a look at the stat line alone you can see that his hard work, dedication and the fact that he is somewhat out of the Yankees prospects spotlight that everything is working out for the best. 

Year	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	AA	37	162	20	39	6	6	22	4	11	35	.264	.321	.426	.747

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

RiverDogs to Host Youth Baseball Camp June 17-19

CHARLESTON, SC - The Charleston RiverDogs will hold one, three-day youth baseball camp presented by Kickin’ Chicken at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park from June 17-19 with a hitting clinic held on July 10.

The camp is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, and is for all children ages 6-13. The cost is $150 for camp and $50 for the hitting clinic and includes a RiverDogs goodie bag with water bottle, a camp T-shirt, lunch and a ticket to the RiverDogs’ game for each evening.

“Spending the day on the field at The Joe with future New York Yankees will create memories and friendships these campers will never forget,” said Melissa Azevedo, the RiverDogs Vice President of Special Events.

Participants are divided into separate age groups and have the opportunity to learn hitting, fielding, pitching, base running, bunting and agility.

In addition to receiving evaluations from the RiverDogs’ players and coaches -- who serve as instructors -- campers can get autographs during designated times and will also take home a photo with a RiverDogs player. At the conclusion of camp and the hitting clinic, there will be an awards ceremony on the field prior to the first pitch of that night’s RiverDogs game.

Space is limited. For more information or to register please contact Kristen Wolfe at (843) 723-7241 or visit www.rileyparkevents.com

This Day in New York Yankees History 6/3: Jeter Becomes the Captain

On this day in 2003 Derek was relieved of any other name he was ever given in his walk in life and officially became The Captain of the New York Yankees. Jeter was named the 11th Yankee Captain in their storied history at age 28. Jeter joins Hal Chase (1912), Roger Peckinpaugh (1914-1921), Babe Ruth (whopping six days in 1922), Everett Scott (1922), Lou Gehrig (1935-1941), Thurman Munson (1976-1979), Graig Nettles (1982-1984), Willie Randolph and Ron Guidry (1986-1989), and Don Mattingly (1991-1995).

Also on this day in 1998 Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez makes his major league debut and gets the victory in a 7-1 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Hernandez escaped from Cuba just six months ago on a boat and allowed only one run on five hits in seven innings for the Yankees.

Also on this day in 1932 Tony Lazzeri hit a grand slam to complete the natural cycle. Lazzeri hit the single, double, triple, and home run in sequential order to complete the rare feat. No one talks about this though after Gehrig went off with the plate.

Finally on this day in 1932 Lou Gehrig became the first player to hit four home runs in one game in the 20th century. Gehrig barely missed a fifth in Philadelphia on this day while the Yankees hammer out a major league record 50 total bases in a 20-13 victory.