Yankees Potential Trade Partners: Los Angeles Dodgers

The New York Yankees need starting pitching and pitching of any kind this winter if the team wants to compete for a playoff spot again in 2017. As we look at a list of potential trade partners for the team I wanted to focus on that first before I start thinking about any potential additions to the offense or the bench because pitching wins championships and pitching is what the Yankees lack most. The team has a ton of depth, don’t get me wrong, but the team lacks that starting rotation that can scare teams in a best-of-five or best-of-seven series in October. Could the Los Angeles Dodgers be of some help to the Yankees in this department?

The Dodgers have a lot of good-to-great pitchers but their problem is they haven’t been able to rely on many of them as much as they could have wanted due to injury. Clayton Kershaw battled a bad back this season and when the team was eliminated from the postseason they did so without three of their more high-paid pitchers in Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-jin Ryu. Would any of the three be dangled this winter in trades and would the Yankees be interested?

The last thing the Yankees need is another injury-prone or risk in their starting rotation but with the free agent market as barren as it’s ever been the team might be able to use that logic and acquire one of these guys for less than their values because of the injury. Ryu has two years left and $14 million on his contract with McCarthy, a former Yankee who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, has two years and $20 million remaining on his deal. Kazmir has a larger deal but can opt out this season leaving two years and $32 million on the table. Interesting.

Honestly I don’t believe the Yankees would be interested in Ryu and I personally don’t put much stock into what McCarthy did while with the Yankees a few seasons back but Kazmir is an interesting option if he decides to opt out this winter. Kazmir pitched poorly with the Dodgers last season and for much of this season while he also missed a month with a neck injury and many inside the Dodgers organization have speculated that Kazmir may want to leave the team. How it all works out will decide it all though. If Kazmir opts out the Dodgers could offer him a qualifying offer which means, assuming he rejects it and all signs seem to point to that he would, he would be linked to draft pick compensation. I’m not comfortable with giving up a draft pick that early in the first round for Kazmir but if he stays and doesn’t opt out I’d love to have him and his salary for a smaller prospect package.

We’re monitoring this one closely. Stay tuned. Kazmir has three days from the end of the World Series to opt out. 

Quick Hit: Yankees to Renovate Yankee Stadium, Add Social Gatherings

Good morning ladies and gentleman and Happy Wednesday to all. This news is a couple days old but in case you missed it I wanted to touch on it for a minute. Renovations are coming to the new Yankee Stadium and, as shocking as this is to say, it is coming at the expense of capacity in the stadium. You mean Hal Steinbrenner and company actually listened to their fans and sacrificed empty seats that they “could” sell to make the fans happy? Say it ain’t so.

The Yankees will see Yankee Stadium’s capacity reduced by 2,100 seats so that they can bring in seven new social gathering spaces in the stadium. A children’s zone with an artificial surface and mini baseball field will be created in the right field upper deck and playground equipment will be included as well as a replica World Series trophy as well as open-air spaces added to the left and the right of the restaurant in center field. This alone will add a new family dynamic to the stadium while also removing obstructions from the bleacher seats. You can even charge your phones in this open-air space. Always a plus.

Bars, sports lounges and other amenities will be added and it looks like a bunch of other cool stuff. Things like this make me happy, when the organization actually listens to the fans. Plus removing obstructed seats never hurt either. Good job Yankees. Good job indeed. 

This Day In New York Yankees History 10/26: Don Zimmer Retires

On this day in 2003 Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer resigns from the position. The reason given was George Steinbrenner, which is enough said in that department no? Zimmer would join the Tampa Bay Rays as a Senior Baseball Adviser for the 2004 season.

Joe Torre would become the fifth manager in World Series history to win four World Series championships on this day in 2000 as well joining Casey Stengel (7), Joe McCarthy (7), Connie Mack (5), and Walter Alston(4). The Yankees would win their fourth World Series in five seasons on this day when they beat the Mets 4-2. This would be the Yankees 26th championship in their storied history. Luis Sojo had a ninth inning two out hit off Mets pitcher and former Yankee Al Leiter to win the series after Mariano Rivera closed the door. On this day in 2000 Derek Jeter became the first player to ever win the All Star Game MVP and the World Series MVP in the same season. Jeter finished the World Series with a .409 average and had nine hits including two doubles, a triple, and two home runs. The Yankees beat the Mets in the Subway World Series in five games.

Also on this day in 1999 Chad Curtis hit a home run leading off the 10th inning in Game 3 of the World Series with the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees would take a commanding 3-0 lead and would finish off the sweep the next day. Curtis would become only the 11th player in World Series history to end a game with a home run.

Also on this day in 1996 the Commissioner's Trophy finally came back to where it belongs in the Bronx for the first time since the 1978 season as the Yankees beat the Braves in Game 6 to capture the title. This will be the first of four titles in five years under Joe Torre and the Cour Four.

Finally on this day in 1950 Phil Rizzuto would win the American League MVP as a member of the New York Yankees. Scooter would take home 16 of the 23 first place votes beating out Boston's Billy Goodman for the award. Just as an FYI on what stat line got you the MVP award back in 1950 Rizzuto finished the season with a .324 batting average with seven home runs and 66 RBI's.

World Series Game One Thread: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians 10/25

Here we go ladies and gentleman. World Series 2016 time between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians, get excited and get pumped. Both teams will look to end respective World Series droughts tonight with the beginning of the series. Who takes it home? Is it Game One starter Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians or is it the Chicago Cubs and their ace Jon Lester? Only one way to find out, tune in tonight at 8:08 pm ET on FOX.

I try to leave my bias out of posts like this but this is history…. GO CUBBIES!

My 2016 World Series Predictions

The pitching matchups are in, the lineups have been set and the contenders are ready. Who wins the World Series? Do the Cleveland Indians bring home their first World Series title since 1948 in their first trip to the Fall Classic in 19-years or are the Cubs, who are scoffing at the Indians 58-year wait as they read this, finally set to make history and reverse the curse?

Every bone in my body wants to go with the Cubs and who am I to resist my gut feeling. The Cubs are going to do it. It may take four games, it may take seven games or anything in between but I think the Cubs do it. They might make it interesting and they may add a little drama and flair to the whole experience like the Boston Red Sox did in 2004 with the 3-0 come-from-behind victory against the Yankees but the Chicago Cubs get it done.

Theo Epstein will forever go down in history as the man who broke every curse in Major League Baseball. Hey the Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009. That’s close to being a curse, isn’t it?

Cubs in 7. Also isn’t it ironic that the two closers in this World Series were both Yankees a few months ago? Do we get a World Series ring or something for trading them away? I think we should. Just saying. 

World Series 2016: Corey Kluber vs. Cubs Offense

Jon Lester and the Cleveland offense had their fair share of trash talking this morning when we looked at what Michael Brantley and company had done against Lester in their career's so it's only fair that we take a look at what Corey Kluber has been able to muster up in a small sample size against the explosive offense of the Chicago Cubs. All stats are courtesy of ESPN.com.

World Series Game One Preview: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians 10/25

Here we go ladies and gentleman, the 2016 World Series kicks off tonight inside Progressive Field with the Cleveland Indians playing host to the Chicago Cubs. Who had these two teams reaching the World Series in 2016 before the season? I had the Cubs but I don’t think many outside the Ohio area had Cleveland in the World Series before the season began. If you did, kudos to you. Tonight it all begins. Will the Cleveland Indians win their first World Series since 1948 or will the Chicago Cubs finally break the Curse of the Billy Goat? Let’s find out. The starting pitchers for tonight’s Fall Classic opener will be Jon Lester for the Cubs and Corey Kluber for the Indians.

Lester is no stranger to the postseason or the World Series and will bring his 2.50 career postseason ERA with him into the start tonight. Lester has seen Cleveland plenty as a member of the Boston Red Sox and has a career 7-1 record against them with a 3.03 ERA, these are not those same Indians though.

Kluber takes the mound for the first World Series game in Cleveland Indians history since their loss to the Florida Marlins in 1997. Kluber has not been shy about his first postseason appearances this year posting a 0.98 ERA in three games including two shutouts so it’s unlikely that the bright lights bother him too much at home tonight for the Indians.

The game will be played at 8:08 pm ET inside Progressive Field and can be seen on FOX. Tune in to watch.

Position by Position Breakdown for the 2016 World Series

It’s the World Series Game One day so we’re going to focus a lot on the head-to-head matchups and comparisons between these two teams before the game tonight. I wanted to take the opportunity of a slow news day in Yankee land and take advantage of the beginning of the World Series to take a position-by-position look at these two teams to see who, in my opinion, gets the edge at every position. All this and 15 bucks can get you a beer tonight inside Progressive Field but it’s still fun to look at anyway. Let’s get to it.

Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians

First Base:

Anthony Rizzo vs. Mike Napoli

Second Base:

Ben Zobrist vs. Jason Kipnis

Shortstop:

Addison Russel vs. Francisco Lindor

Third Base:

Kris Bryant vs. Jose Ramirez

Left Field:

Jorge Soler vs. Rajai Davis 

Center Field:

Dexter Fowler vs. Tyler Naquin

Right Field:

Jason Heyward vs. Lonnie Chisenhall

Catcher:

Miguel Montero vs. Roberto Perez

Bench:

Chris Coghlan, Albert Almora Jr., Javier Baez, Tommy La Stella, David Ross and Wilson Contreras 

vs.

Brandon Guyer, Coco Crisp, Michael Martinez, Carlos Santana, Chris Gimenez and Yan Gomes. 

(Can I say push? Both are pretty solid in my opinion but Javier Baez is the tiebreaker for me)

Starting Pitching:

John Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey 

vs. 

Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin and Mike Clevinger

Bullpen:

Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop, Aroldis Chapman, Justin Grimm, Travis Wood and Mike Montgomery

vs. 

Andrew Miller, Bryan Shaw, Dan Otero, Jeff Manship, Cody Allen and some guy named Andrew Miller.

BOLDED player gets advantage in my opinion *

World Series 2016: Jon Lester vs. the Indians Offense

Jon Lester gets the ball in Game One for the Chicago Cubs against a tough Cleveland Indians offense. Who has the upper hand on paper tonight? Let's find out. All stats and photos courtesy of ESPN.com

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/25: 2009 Yankees Reach World Series

On this day in 2009 the Yankees would win their 40th American League pennant in their storied history with a victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This will end a six year drought in the World Series for the Yankees as they would take on the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 Fall Classic. This would be the Yankees first World Series win since their victory over the Mets in the 2000 Subway World Series.

On this day in 2000 Mike Piazza, yes I know a member of the Mets, became the first player in World Series history to hit a home run in both Shea Stadium and Yankees Stadium. Piazza hit the home run off of Yankees starter Denny Neagle in a 3-2 Mets loss in Game 4.


On this day in 1939 Joe DiMaggio would win his first MVP award of his career. DiMaggio beat out Jimmy Foxx and Bob Feller easily for the American League award with 15 of the 24 first place votes. DiMaggio would also win the award in 1941 and 1947 as well.