This Day In New York Yankees History 9/6: George Fires Gene Michael & Releases The Alou Brothers

George Steinbrenner bought the struggling New York Yankees franchise in 1973 for a meager $10 million and eventually turned the team into a perennial winner. Along the way George went through a lot of players, a ton of personnel, and more than his fair share of managers. On this day in 1981 The Boss made the "most agonizing" decision he ever made during his tenure as the Yankees owner when he fired manager Gene Michael and replaced him with Bob Lemon.

Michael announced in a press conference that he could no longer tolerate Steinbrenner's constant threats of dismissal which angered Steinbrenner. George demanded an apology and when Michael refused he was let go as the manager of the New York Yankees.

Also on this day in 1973 both of the Alou Brothers were released from the Yankees squad. Felipe Alou was sold to the Montreal Expos while Matty Alou was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Looking at 2019

Howdy Folks as many of you know I’ve been posting what is known as Fan Time, where I’ve been asking fans what additions they would make this coming offseason. Today I give my Opinions on what next years line up and 25 man roster should look like. Now I know there will be some people to agree with me and some that will lead to some backlash, I welcome it all and would love to hear your comments.  

Most people would jump right into the starting lineup, me I’ll start with bench and work from there. Now I am not 100% opposed to a 8 man bullpen but don’t think it’s necessary, that coupled with the vision I have for the everyday lineup I chose to go with a 4 man bench.  

The first man named here is Arguably one of the most respected Yankee in the club house. 

Brett Gardner Gardner is the longest tendered Yankee, and is well liked by his teammate and fans. However in my opinion he is no longer the everyday answer in LF. He is still a hell of a defender but his Offense has taken a hit. In order to keep up with the BoSox the Yankees need more from their everyday players. I am not ready to just give up on Brett altogether thus he becomes my 4th OF.  

Austin RomineRomine proved this year he can step up and at least handle the everyday job if needed. Austin knows the pitching staff can fill in for Sanchez when needed and is pretty sound Defensively. No reason to rock any boats here, just stick with the known.   

Greg BirdAs I wrote in another post Birds combined numbers over his 3 years are pretty decent for only playing 170 games. 37 home runs in the time frame of games played is actually pretty good. Only wish this was over the course of 1 season not 3. However like Gardner I am banking on more from my everyday players thus while not giving up on Bird he winds up on the bench.   

Ronald Torreyes I Know he has no pop! But anyone that can come off the bench and hit for a .300 avg whether it’s one game here or there, or a extended period of time when a regular is hurt is enough to earn a spot on me team. Plus everyone loves Toe!!! 

Not to exciting of a bench but a solid one nonetheless. Moving on it’s time we address the bullpen. The Yankees have and have had one of the best pens in the game for some time now I have no plans of that changing. With the 4 man bench I’ll be going with 7 relievers.  

Closer 

Aroldis ChapmanChapman despite pitching with a bum leg most of the summer is one of the best in the game and I see no reason he is not the closer for 2019. This man throws some serious gas 104mph :), anyway as long as his health is good Chapman is my man in the 9th. 

Setup Men 

Dellin BetancesWhile he has had his ups and downs Dellin once again struck out 100s batters out of the pen. When he is on Betances is one of the games best relievers and earns his spot on this team.   

Andrew Miller He'll be older, but Miller can be viewed like Randy Johnson: a tall, lanky lefty who throws a fastball and slider and could dominate well into his 40s. Miller has had some shoulder issues this year, but I think that will be a one year type thing. Andrew has AL East experience as well as playoff experience and I think he would return to all star form once again wearing pinstripes. Plus his willingness to pitch in any role without any complaint makes him an attractive option. 

Middle Relief 

David Robertson David like most relievers has had his ups and downs this season. However like most of the players I have named he has shown the ability to handle not only the AL East but the responsibility of being a Yankee. 

Chad Green Green has become one of Baseballs best middle relievers the game has to offer. He throws gas and commands respect when on the mound. Green can arguably be a closer on at least half the teams in the majors, having him slated for 6th inning duty is a very strong weapon, it’s almost not fair to the other teams. 

Jonathan Holder While he has slowed down a tad, Holder has had a break out 2018. There is something to be said for being able to handle the pressures of playing in NY, especially for the Bronx Bombers. So once again I am staying in house and Holder makes my 25 man roster.    

Long Man/6th Starter ......TBDHere is where things get interesting. Seeing as I have 3 lefties in my starting rotation. (Hint hint). The guy filling this spot on my time needs to be able to step into the rotation when I right is needed and well to keep the starters fresh from time to time. This role can hopefully be filled form within the farm system and I’ll look to Chance Adams, Domingo Acevedo, Domingo German, and maybe a few more. I’ll wait till spring training to make that choice. With a solid bench and the best pen in the sport, we will now look to the starting rotation. I for one don’t think Clayton Kershaw will opt out and even if he does I will be passing on one of the Majors best pitchers (No Disrespect). Also I’d be hard pressed to think the Giants make Maddison Bumgarner available so I’ll take the realistic approach here.  

The Rotation

Luis SeverinoThe Yankees Ace has proven himself time and time again. If not for a snag in the road and a few bad outings in a row Sevy may have won the CY Young. Either way I’m happy with what I’ve seen and Severino is my man. 

Patrick Corbin The much need #2 starter for me is Corbin. I’ve always liked his guy since his rookie year and by the looks of it 2018 was his break out year. With his age and talent Corbin is the free agent I’m reeling in.  

Masahiro TanakaTanaka is here, he is not going anywhere and honestly is alright as a number 3 starter. Great some days, ok others, and very once in while is a dud but can’t ask for much more.  

JA Happ Keep it plain and simple earned his pinstripes. Resign him line him up as the 4th starter and let’s go.  

Justus SheffieldPlain and simple it is time! (Lol I seem to like that line) Let’s see what we have in the young left hander. Sheff has all the tools to be a solid 2-3 starter in the league and having him as your 5th starter puts you ahead of the pack.  

Looking good so far? Anyways now it is time for the moment everyone has been waiting for my starting 9. I’ve gone back and forth here for a while, who plays where, who bats were etc. 

This line up should be the best of recent memory and would carry the Yankees as they continue to build the next Great Dynasty. 

1. Aaron Hicks CF Hicks remains the starting center fielder and is now the every day leading hitter. Hicks has some speed, plays a good CF, and has shown some pop. Thus adds some balance this team will definitely need.   

2. Aaron Judge RF Even with the wrist injury Aaron Judge is still the beat in the Yankees Drum. Loved by the Fans, the front office, media, and Fans there is no way I pass on Judge and his monster bat. 

3. Bryce Harper LFBryce being a Yankees is his dream. Imagine Harper’s back with that short right field porch. Can you say Home Runs, Major Promotions, and most of all Monument Park Bound! Bold predictions? Yes Yes Indeed! But don’t be fooled this is all Destiny.  

4. Giancarlo Stanton DH While the other All Star Yankees were injured Stanton was mashing and playing 80 plus games in a row. Proving he belongs in the Bronx and on this team.  

5. Manny Machado 3B Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love Miguel Andujar, we just need better defense at the hot corner. Besides Manny may just be the best 3rd baseman in the game today. To keep pace with Boston we need to field the best team possible and like Harper, Machado has made it known he prefers to play in the Bronx. Cashman let’s make it happen. 

6. Didi Gregorius SS Didi’s bat gets better with each passing year. His defense has been top 5 in the AL easily. Sir Didi has taken over for Jeter seamlessly and is my choice to keep manning the position. Plus his left handed bat is much needed in this lineup. 

7. Gray Sanchez C Wow!! Can you imagine a lineup where Gary is batting seventh? Gary batting 7th is more of splitting lefties and righties didn’t balance to the top/middle of this order. This lineup is looking scary already.  

8. Miguel Andjuar 1BWhile there will be days Bird will be at 1st. Andjuar proved with this rookie year he can hit at the major league level, and he is a doubles magnet. Andjuar deserves to stick around and play so 1st base it is. Don’t get me wrong depending on match ups and other guys needing days off he can also see time at 3rd and the Dh spot but should be in the every day lineup. Might even say a few games with Harper at 1st all depends on who’s pitching, who’s healthy etc. I know it may be crazy for a number of reasons trying the position change but I’m going for it.  

9. Gleyber Torres 2B Torres like Andjuar has shown his potential was not to be taken lightly. While a injury and poor play upon return may have cost him the AL Rookie of the year, Torres has been coming on strong once again and is proving that all his hype was the real deal. That being said Torres remains my 2nd Baseman for 2019.  

Well there you have it. From top to bottom this team should be able to hold pace with the hated BoSox, and strong Astro teams. I know I may be Greedy adding Harper and Machado but hey it’s all with the goal of winning the World Series. Players of there caliber don’t come around often but when they do you need to strike. Especially at their young ages, so as always Let’s G⚾️ Yankees!!!  Make it Happen!!!! 

James C Palma is a writer for The Greedy Pinstripes and can be reached by email at JamesCPalma@Yahoo.Com or on Twitter @JamesCPalma

 

Getting the Most Out of Two Hits...

Photo Credit: The New York Post (Paul J Bereswill)

Yanks Beat Tigers, 2-1…

Normally, I’d be very bummed the Yankees were only able to get two hits off Tigers pitching on Saturday but thanks to Masahiro Tanaka, that’s all the offense he needed en route to the one-run victory.

The way the game started, it looked like Tanaka was going to need significantly more offense than he eventually required. The Tigers scored first with a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Victor Martinez. It looked like they might get more with only one out, but Tanaka worked himself out of trouble by striking out Niko Goodrum and getting Ronny Rodriguez to fly out to left.

Andrew McCutchen led off the bottom of the first for his first appearance as a New York Yankee. It is so weird seeing Cutch in Pinstripes. It’s great, don’t get me wrong, but is still a strange sight. When I think of Cutch, I think of the long dreadlocks and the beard but now both are nothing but a distant memory. I do have to say that the beardless look makes him look younger. It wasn’t the best of times for the former NL MVP as he struck out looking in his Yankees debut at-bat. He finished the game without a hit, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. However, McCutchen was not the only Yankee hitter to struggle against Tigers starter Daniel Norris. Through four innings, Norris held the Yankees hitless and had faced the minimum of twelve batters.  

Photo Credit: AP (Bill  Kostroun)

Miguel Andujar finally became the first Yankee baserunner when he walked to lead off the fifth inning. Gary Sanchez had first shot to move Andujar but he flied out to left. Next up, Gleyber Torres. The Rookie of the Year candidate made the most of his opportunity with the first Yankees hit of the game, a homer to left, which gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. After walking the next batter, Luke Voit, Norris left the game with an apparent injury (later diagnosed as a leg cramp) but the Yankees didn’t fare any  better against the Tigers bullpen.  

Photo Credit: AP (Bill Kostroun)

The only other hit by the Yankees was an infield single by Aaron Hicks in the sixth inning but he was erased on an inning-ending double play.

Tanaka navigated his way through the biggest challenge in the seventh inning. Tigers catcher Grayson Greiner led off with a double to right field. JaCoby Jones followed with a single, moving Greiner to third. Jones subsequently stole second to give the Tigers two runners in scoring position with no outs. I would have pulled Tanaka at that point but manager Aaron Boone stayed with his right-hander and was rewarded. A ground out and two strikeouts left the two Detroit runners stranded and the Yankees still holding the slim one-run advantage.

Tanaka didn’t return but it was a great start. He evaded potential big innings for the Tigers in the first and seventh, finishing with seven hits scattered over seven innings. He limited the Tigers to the isolated first inning run, walking one and striking out six on 96 pitches. With the continued struggles of Luis Severino, Tanaka is pitching like a guy who wants the ball for the inevitable single-game elimination Wild Card playoff.  

From there, it was up to the Yankees bullpen. Jonathan Holder took the eighth, and to my surprise, Dellin Betances got the call in the ninth. Personally, I would not be comfortable with Betances as my closer (he proved to me long ago that he is better in setup) but Boone showed confidence in Betances, who was only two games removed from the disaster on Thursday night when he gave up two ninth inning home runs to blow the first game of the series to the Tigers. This time, there were no late game heroics for the Tigers. Betances struck out the first batter, Jeimer Candelario, for his 100th strikeout of the season (the fifth consecutive season he has hit the milestone, a record for a reliever). The Tigers did get a runner on base but he didn’t go anywhere. A couple of ground outs and it was game over. A save for Betances, his second of the season, and a win for Tanaka (10-5) and the Yankees.  

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Rich Schultz)

The Boston Red Sox won (6-1 over the Chicago White Sox) so the Yankees (86-50) remain 7 1/2 games behind the AL East leaders. The Yankees did pick up a game in the Wild Card standings over the Oakland A’s. The Athletics lost to the Seattle Mariners and slid 5 1/2 games behind the Yankees. The M’s, ten games behind the Yankees, trail the A’s by 4 1/2 games.

Like Andrew McCutchen, Gary Sanchez took an ‘O-fer’ this game. He was 0-for-4. He almost beat out an infield hit in the second inning but instant replay sent him to the bench. His season batting average dropped to .185 but then again, he wasn’t alone in his search for a hit in this game.

The Yankees conclude their four-game series with Detroit today at 1:05 pm ET. Lance Lynn (8-9, 4.84 ERA) gets the call against Detroit’s talented lefty, Matthew Boyd (8-12, 4.22 ERA). The Yankees will be managed by Bench Coach Josh Bard since Manager Aaron Boone gets the day off, thanks to a one-game suspension for the catching instruction he gave to the home plate umpire on Friday night. Giancarlo Stanton also gets a much-needed day off. Gary Sanchez will slide into the DH role. Sanchy, please feel free to mix in a hit or two…or three.

Saturday, with the expansion of rosters, was a busy day for the home team. Shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, acquired Friday night, was added to the active roster and assigned #29, in addition to the activation of Gary Sanchez off the 10-day DL. Shortstop Tyler Wade and RHP Luis Cessa were recalled from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and the Yankees purchased the contract of LHP Stephen Tarpley from SWB. Tarpley was assigned #71 and will be making his Major League debut whenever he gets the call from Aaron Boone (or if today, Bard). To make room for Tarpley, the Yankees designated outfielder Shane Robinson for assignment. It remains to be seen if LHP Justus Sheffield will get the call or pinch-runner extraordinaire Quintin Berry for that matter. For either of those guys to be added, someone will have to be voted off the island.  A.J. Cole, you might want to start packing your bags, Dude.  

This morning, the Yankees recalled RHP Jonathan Loaisiga from Double-A Trenton.  

When the Yankees acquired Andrew McCutchen, I knew immediately that it would be a reunion with a long-time teammate (Neil Walker) but I had forgotten that Adeiny Hechavarria was the starting shortstop for the Miami Marlins for a few years before his subsequent stops in Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh. So, he had his own little reunion with Giancarlo Stanton.  

Despite the Thursday night disaster, the Yankees have a chance to take the series today with the Tigers. With a cross-country flight to the Bay Area awaiting them, it would be great for the team to take a winning feeling with them.  

Go Yankees!

Now Batting, Number 24, Gary Sanchez...

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Adam Hunger)

Starting the New Month with Reinforcements…

It’s September 1st and it is truly a new day, a new month for the New York Yankees today. I am very excited to see the addition of one player today. Yes, Andrew McCutchen is a Yankee and so is, very unexpectedly, Adeiny Hechavarria, but the player I am talking about is Gary Sanchez. I know this has not been the best of seasons for the Yankees catcher and he’s missed significant time with several DL stints but by all indications, he’s in his best shape of the year and is ready to help the Yankees in the push for October.  

Photo Credit: AP (Noah K Murray)

For all of the Yankees problems, they still have the second best record in Major League Baseball. It’s unfortunate that the team with the best record resides in the AL East but it is what it is. While the pesky Oakland A’s are only 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the Wild Card standings, the Seattle Mariners, armed with the addition of Robinson Cano from his 80-game suspension a few weeks ago, have fallen off the pace and sit ten games behind the Yanks. Barring a total collapse (unlikely), the Yankees are headed for the Wild Card game.  

While the Yankees picked up a game on the Boston Red Sox last night and are just 7 1/2 games out, the realistic view is that we are headed for a one-game Wild Card playoff game at Yankee Stadium against the A’s. We need Gary Sanchez to play like we know he can. Forget his stats from earlier this year. This is a new season, and based on the effort he put into his rehab, I think El Gary “gets it” and is ready to contribute. This is certainly not an indictment of Austin Romine who has done a fine job. But Romine is simply not the player Sanchez is and never will be. So, welcome back, Gary, we’re glad to have you.  

I thought Bryan Van Dusen wrote a great piece the other day about the Yankees’ acquisition of outfielder Andrew McCutchen. It’s hard for me to write anything about the arrival of Cutch that hasn’t already been said. Suffice it to say, I was surprised about the trade. I had gone to bed Thursday night immediately after the game so I didn’t hear the news of the trade until the next morning. Bryan said his reaction to the trade was “oh no” and I have to admit that I had a similar reaction. My biggest fear was the luxury tax threshold, but it was a non-issue as the Giants included cash and the Yankees had the room under the threshold to fit the one-time NL MVP. The biggest frustration about the deal is that the Yankees waited more than a month to get outfield help after the injury to Aaron Judge. Sure, they originally expected Judge back in three weeks but it was tough to live a month with Shane Robinson’s name frequently written into the lineup card in right during the month of August.  

McCutchen’s here now and will start his first game for the Yankees later today. Like Sanchez, I am glad he is here and the Yankees lineup will certainly have a much different look today.  

I think McCutchen will be revitalized by the insertion into a pennant chase. His old team, the San Francisco Giants, weren’t out of it. In fact, they were closer to first place in their division than the Yankees are, but the truth was the .500 Giants were not going to be playing October baseball. Cutch will also benefit from the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium. But as his spray chart for 2018 shows, Cutch has the ability to use the entire field and will enjoy using the dimensions of Yankee Stadium to his full advantage. 

Credit: FanGraphs.com

I was on record saying I wanted Curtis Granderson. Nevertheless, I admit that McCutchen is a much better option. The Grandy Man did get moved yesterday, joining the Milwaukee Brewers, but his ineffectiveness last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers in their failed quest to win the World Series did stick with me. Therefore, I am glad McCutchen is a Yankee and Granderson is not.  

I know this is just my dislike for Jacoby Ellsbury kicking in, but I think the Yankees should have ripped #22 off his back to give the number to McCutchen. Instead, Cutch will inherit Tyler Austin’s old #26. I wonder if Chris Austin, Tyler’s dad, will have anything to say, considering he probably feels his son’s number should be hanging in Monument Park. Granted, McCutchen’s Yankee career will probably not extend beyond this year but he is far more deserving of 22 than Ellsbury is. I know that Ellsbury is a Yankee as long as insurance is covering his salary, but I can’t wait for the day when he is Yankee no more.

I had wondered if the Yankees would make any more acquisitions prior to the waiver trading deadline last night but I was still surprised to hear the Yankees had acquired former Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria from the Pittsburgh Pirates. I guess you can never have too many former Pirates on the roster. I thought if any move was made, it would have been for another reliever. Hechavarria is mostly known for his glove so I get the reasons to bring him to the Bronx, but the loser, to me, appears to be Tyler Wade. Hechavarria is not much of a hitter, but he used to drive me nuts with the occasional base knocks against the Yankees at the worst possible times while he was a Ray. 

I thought Wade would get the call up today as rosters expand and provide support at short behind Gleyber Torres while Didi Gregorius is on the mend. Maybe it still happens, but there’s nothing wrong with bringing a strong defensive option into the mix. To make room for Hechavarria, the Yankees designated minor league reliever Ryan Bollinger for assignment. The surprise here is that Bollinger’s spot was not used for Justus Sheffield. But if the Yankees do subsequently decide to bring up Top Sheff sometime this month, I have no problem waving goodbye to A.J. Cole. At this point, my guess is that we won’t see Sheffield at all this month and he’ll arrive in Spring Training next year for his first real opportunity to pull on the famed Pinstripes.  

There was a part of me that wanted the Yankees to acquire Josh Donaldson from the Toronto Blue Jays for the stretch run.  He ended up in Cleveland but that’s okay. The guy hasn’t played since May and his remaining salary, without any help from the Blue Jays, would have been problematic. If he can prove he is finally healthy, the Indians made a great move. But the risk, a high one, is that he is not able to make it back to full strength.  Better the Indians play the odds than the Yankees. I’d just hate to be playing the seventh game of a playoff series in Cleveland with the game tied and Donaldson at bat in the bottom of the ninth. I guess we’ll just worry about that if/when the time comes.

The Yankees did play a game yesterday and they won. After being no-hit for the majority of the game by the Detroit Tigers and Jordan Zimmerman, the Yankees used the long ball to overcome the Tigers. With goose eggs still showing on the scoreboard for the Yankees in the bottom of the sixth and three runs in for the Tigers, Austin Romine led off and reached base on an error. After Ronald Torreyes took Romine’s place at first on a fielder’s choice that erased the lead runner, Brett Gardner, whose slump was one reason the Yankees acquired McCutchen, homered to right for the Yankees’ first hit. Giancarlo Stanton flied out for the second out (even Stanton’s fly balls draw ‘oohs and ahs’ from the Yankee Stadium crowd), but Aaron Hicks and Miguel Andujar followed with back-to-back, or as John Sterling says, belly-to-belly home runs. The Yankees had a 4-3 lead. 

It was a little unsettling when the Tigers came back to tie the game at four on Mikie Mahtook’s RBI single in the seventh inning. Worse yet when the Tigers took a one-run lead in the eighth on a sacrifice fly. It was starting to feel like the Yankees were going to lose another close one to the lowly Tigers.  

In the bottom of the eighth, with the bases loaded and two outs, Gleyber Torres lined a sharp single to left that bounced up and off the left fielder to score two runs. 6-5, Yankees. Luke Voit advanced to third and Gleyber took second on the late throw in to the plate. Neil Walker was intentionally walked which re-loaded the bases. Austin Romine reached base on an infield hit which scored Voit and the Yankees had the same lead, 7-5, heading into the ninth that they held the night before when the Tigers belted two home runs off Dellin Betances to win 8-7. This time, it was David Robertson in for the ninth and not Betances. I was starting to sweat bullets when the Tigers had two men on base and only one out but D-Rob rose to the challenge and struck out the last two hitters to end the game. Yankees win! The Yankees win!

Prior to the game, the YES Network analysts talked about how Luis Severino struggles in the mid-innings and this game was no exception. The fifth inning has been his bugaboo and he yielded two runs on three hits in the inning last night. Sevy needs to get this figured out sooner rather than later. It was a no-decision for Sevy, who had ten strikeouts in six innings, so he’ll have to wait for his eighteenth win. The victory went to Zach Britton (2-0) who hardly looked invincible during his outing, giving up three hits and the Tigers’ final run in an inning and a third.  

But setting aside the dramatic comeback homers or the go-ahead Gleyber Day Weekend hit, the play of the game was a non-play. It was the eruption of manager Aaron Boone onto the field after the Tigers had scored their third run in the top of the fifth to argue balls and strikes with the home plate umpire. His characterization of the Tigers catcher at the plate was an all-time classic (up there with the best of Billy Martin). 

Photo Credit: AP (Bill Kostroun)

The Yankee hitters certainly came alive after Boone’s performance, which resulted in his ejection, so say what you will, it served as motivation for the home team. I loved seeing that fire from Boonie. Josh Bard managed the remainder of the game in Boone’s absence.

August is over, September has begun. Let’s start this day with a win for the new guy in right and the returnee behind the plate. Go Yankees!

Hello… September & New Opportunities

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Also, a big welcome to the weekend and the Labor Day holiday on Monday. We need it, and we deserve it. I will definitely appreciate the day off next week because I am starting a new position with my current company on Tuesday. I won’t lie, I am not excited about it, but I am thinking (hoping) that this the more of the fear of the unknown and less of a sign of what is to come. I will remain cautiously optimistic and do my best, as always, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was nervous.

September call ups begin today, will we see Justus Sheffield?

And September 1^st marks one more day with the love of my life. How lucky am I? More than I could ever put into words, but my gratefulness surely matches my luck, I promise you that. I love you Kari!

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/1: September Call Up Day

Surprisingly not much has happened on September call ups day in New York Yankees history but one bit of notable news happened on this day in 1931 when Lou Gehrig continued to hit grand slams. Gehrig's bases loaded blast would be his third in four days as the Yankees would beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 at Yankee Stadium.

Also on this day in 1947 the Giants would break the 1936 Yankees record for most home runs hit in one season by a team. The New York Giants would break the record with the 185 team home runs and would finish the season with 221.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers 8/31

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers. In the second game of this four-game weekend set in the Bronx the Yankees will send Luis Severino out to the mound to face off with Jordan Zimmermann of the Tigers. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the team all season long. Enjoy the game, Sevy goes for 18, and go Yankees!!

The Addition Of Andrew McCutchen Means So Much More

You've likely already read dozens of people's takes on the trade for Andrew McCutchen, so you're either reading this because you're bored or because you actually care what I think.

Either way, thank you. So here goes...

My first reaction to seeing the trade was something like "oh no".

That's not because I think McCutchen is bad. On the contrary, I think he makes a good addition to the team. Andrew may not be a Most Valuable Player award candidate anymore, but he's still an above average hitter (OPS+ of 110 this season). And while I think he's a bit overrated defensively, as I've heard some say go as far as to say he's a "great" outfielder, McCutchen will not hurt you with his glove (-0.9 UZR/150 as a right fielder this season).

See, with Judge returning, I saw the addition of another outfielder being unnecessary. Especially since that would mean the Yankees may have to give up something decent in a trade (for the record, thankfully that's not true as the organization has plenty of pitching as good as, or better than, Juan De Paula, and I don't see Avelino being anything more than a bench piece in MLB). Sure, Shane Robinson is far from ideal, but he's not single-handedly responsible for the Yankees losing the series to the White Sox. In fact, the Yankees are 13-7 in games that Shane started since August 1st, which is a better winning percentage than the Yankees have for the season (.650 to .627).

The big thing I take away from this deal is that Aaron Judge may be further away from returning than we hoped. To be honest, this could mean Judge doesn't return at all this season. Even though the Yankees have shown us that they can win without Aaron in the lineup, that doesn't mean the loss of Judge for the rest of the season wouldn't be a huge blow. Frankly, there's no way any team, in any sport, can lose their best player and be as good.

Just add Judge's return to the large list of things we Yankees fans hope...

1. Giancarlo Stanton keeps tearing the cover off the ball. By the way, I'm so glad #300 is out of the way, as milestones such as that have to get into a players head.

2. Luis Severino turns things around. Oh, check out this article.

3. Didi and Sanchez return strong from their injuries.

4. J.A. Happ is more like the pitcher we saw in his first five starts with the Yankees, rather than the guy we saw last night.

5. Aroldis Chapman returns and is able to continue dominating the way he was before he went on the DL.

6. Luke Voit and/or Neil Walker can provide some stability at first base, something Greg Bird hasn't been able to do there all season.

7. Andrew McCutchen gets fired up playing for a real contender and is closer to the player he was last year with the Pirates, when he had an OPS+ of 123.

8...

yeah, I'm going to stop there. I'm starting to get really depressed.


Although Twitter, like Facebook, can be full of some really stupid junk, it's a good place to chat and get some up-to-the-minute information. You can chat with me @BryanVanDusen. 

The Best Moves the Yankees Can Make Today?

(WRITTEN BEFORE THE YANKEES ACQUIRED ANDREW MCCUTCHEN)

Call me Phil Hughes, because I have potentially an unpopular opinion. Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are… just kidding. I was joking about Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, but not joking about having an unpopular decision about what the Yankees could potentially do today before the August 31^st trade deadline. In a word, I think the Yankees should do nothing before the deadline. Riot gear is on, let me have it. Really though, do the Yankees really NEED to do anything? No, they don’t. Not in my opinion anyway. Would it be nice to add a lesser depth piece like Curtis Granderson? Sure. And does Curtis Granderson make the most sense for the team right now? Damn right, I said as much this week and I am not flipflopping on that. Does the team NEED to though? No, not really.

You know what the best moves the Yankees can make before the trade deadline are and the moves that they can make into the month of September? Activating Gary Sanchez off the disabled list giving the Yankees a huge upgrade offensively and in controlling the opposing team’s running game over Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka. You know what other move the team can make? Activating Didi Gregorius off the disabled list adding better defense at shortstop and a left-handed middle-of-the-order type hitter to the lineup that can break up all the right-handed bats and add balance and depth to the roster. You want a third roster move? Activate Aroldis Chapman off the disabled list and immediately improve the bullpen allowing everyone to take a step back and slide into their natural roles with the club. You want one final move? Eventually activate Aaron Judge off the disabled list and get Shane Robinson the hell off of my team and do it now.

I know this isn’t the sexy answer, or even the greedy answer, to the Yankees plan to navigate the August 31^st trading deadline, but it may be the smartest in my opinion. I am far from conceding the division, but I am also not making the need to win it as large as many other fans. The Red Sox won the division last year and the Yankees won the first Wild Card, both of which will likely happen here in 2018 as well, yet it was Boston who were sitting on their couches watching the Yankees play in the ALCS against the Houston Astros and not the other way around. Do I want anything to do with the one-game playoff game? Hell no, nobody does, but that doesn’t mean I am afraid of it. Not with a consistent starter like JA Happ starting, this explosive offense, the presumably crazy crowd inside Yankee Stadium, and what could be one of the best bullpens in the game behind them.

I’m not conceding the division, but I am damn sure not afraid of the Wild Card Game either. Bring it on and bring back my Yankees healthy and ready to go. It isn’t always the best team that wins in October, sometimes it is the hottest team, the freshest team, the healthiest team, and the deepest team… and that could be the New York Yankees if they just stick to the plan and stand pat at the trade deadline today.

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers 8/31

The Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees will continue their four-game weekend set tonight with the second game of the series in the Bronx. In the start tonight the Yankees will send Luis Severino out to the mound to face off with Jordan Zimmermann. The Yankees starting rotation, not to look too far ahead, is set up nicely to have Happ (last night’s starter) pitch the AL Wild Card Game if it came to that with tonight’s starter, Severino, pitching a potential Game One of the ALDS. I like it, so let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Severino has won each of his last two starts and has shown at least glimpses of being able to fix what has ailed the right-hander for much of the second half of the season. In Severino’s last start the righty allowed three runs, two of them earned, across 5.2 innings en route to his MLB-leading 17^th victory of the season.

Zimmermann has also struggled since the All-Star break this season posting a 2-5 record with a 5.50 ERA. Let’s hope tonight does not mark his magical turnaround this season. Zimmermann may see the Yankees as just what the doctor ordered judging by his career 3-1 record against the Bombers with a 3.09 ERA.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

Enjoy the game, play every game from here on out like it is a playoff game, and go Yankees!!