Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox 9/28

Bet he stole that guitar from his High School too.... piece of sh*t

Here we go again ladies and gentleman with the penultimate game in the Red Sox and Yankees rivalry in 2016. Another season of intense matchups between these two historic teams is set to come to a close tomorrow night with the Yankees honoring David Ortiz’s final trip to the Bronx. Tonight though the team honors the great rookies and players they currently have by kicking the heads in of the Red Sox. On the field of course, not literally. In the matchup tonight the New York Yankees will send Bryan Mitchell to the mound looking to remain dominant again after a fantastic start last time out while the Red Sox will counter with who I called earlier “Mr. Steal Yo Laptop” Clay Buchholz. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV.

Time to spoil David Ortiz’s going away party this week. Go Yankees!

USA Today’s Weekly MLB Power Rankings

It’s hard to believe that this is already the last week of the 2016 regular season in Major League Baseball. The postseason starts next week and these power rankings will soon go from weekly to hibernation unfortunately here on the blog. I enjoy doing them and I think you guys enjoy reading them, the views on the material say that anyway, but it’s just one of those things that happens unfortunately. Baseball comes to an end and we are all left sitting out the window like Lou Gehrig watching winter go by depressingly while we wait for more baseball next spring. Enough with the deep chatter though, let’s see what these rankings look like for the final week of the regular season.

The New York Yankees had another rough week this week but thankfully it did not show much in the standings as the Baby Bombers finished the week 15^th overall, exactly where they were last week. That is going to be a common theme throughout these rankings this week, very little to no movement whatsoever.

The Top Five did change though as the Chicago Cubs remained at the top spot followed by this week’s biggest rise the Boston Red Sox who climbed two spots to the #2 position in the rankings. The Washington Nationals are 3^rd overall after clinching the National League East Division followed by the #4 Texas Rangers and the #5 Los Angeles Dodgers who knocked the Cleveland Indians to the 6^th position and out of the Top 5 for the first time in a long time this season.

The five worst teams in the rankings are the #26 San Diego Padres, the #27 Cincinnati Reds, the #28 Atlanta Braves (not a typo), the #29 Arizona Diamondbacks who were also the biggest fall of the week after dropping two spots and the #30 Minnesota Twins.

To round out the American League East Division the Red Sox finished 2^nd overall, the Toronto Blue Jays finished 7^th, the Baltimore Orioles finished 8^th, the Yankees 15^th and the Tampa Bay Rays 25^th overall once again.

Playoff baseball. Get ready. 

2016 MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winners

Unfortunately not a single member of the Yankees won a Gold Glove Award for Minor League Baseball this season but here is the official press release anyway from MiLB.com. Enjoy. 

Minor League Baseball Names 2016 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® Winners     

   

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Minor League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., today announced Minor League Baseball’s recipients of the 2016 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® for defensive excellence at their positions. The honorees were selected among qualifying players from the 10 domestic-based, full-season Minor Leagues. Each player will receive his own Rawlings Gold Glove Award, modeled after the iconic award given to Major League Baseball’s top defensive players, during the 2017 season. 

“Congratulations to the nine outstanding Minor League Baseball players who deservedly won the 2016 Rawlings Gold Glove Award®,” said Mike Thompson, executive vice president of marketing for St. Louis-based Rawlings. “Minor League Baseball is and will always continue to be a great partner of Rawlings, and we knew the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® would be a popular goal for many young players when we rekindled the Minor League award platform back in 2011.” 

“These nine players were truly the finest in the field this summer and it is my pleasure to honor them with a Rawlings Gold Glove Award®,” said Minor League Baseball President & CEO Pat O’Conner. “These players displayed extraordinary skills at their positions this season, and on behalf of Minor League Baseball, I congratulate them on this outstanding accomplishment.”    

First baseman Matt Skole posted a .999 fielding percentage in 97 games with Syracuse. A sixth-year pro out of Georgia Tech University, Skole made only one error in 874 chances at first base. Skole, 27, was selected by Washington in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.  

Birmingham second baseman Joey DeMichele is the only repeat winner from 2015, as he registered a .990 fielding percentage in 122 games for the Barons in 2016. The fifth-year pro out of Arizona State University recorded 579 total chances and was a part of 88 double plays. DeMichele, 25, was selected by the White Sox in the third round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.   

Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej recorded a .991 fielding percentage in 105 games for the Blue Wahoos. Vincej, 25, who had 423 total chances and turned 54 double plays, was the only shortstop with a fielding percentage north of .985. Vincej was selected by Cincinnati in the 37th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Pepperdine University.   

Reno third baseman Carlos Rivero posted a .987 fielding percentage in 110 games at the hot corner for the Aces. Rivero made just two fielding errors in 234 chances. Rivero, 28, was originally signed by the Cleveland Indians as an international free agent on May 30, 2005 out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. 

Myrtle Beach left fielder Charcer Burks recorded a .991 fielding percentage in 104 games for the Pelicans. The fourth-year pro had 214 chances and recorded seven assists. Burks, 21, was a ninth round pick of the Cubs in the 2013 First-Year Player draft out of William B. Travis High School in Richmond, Texas. 

Akron RubberDucks center fielder Greg Allen recorded a .994 fielding percentage in 128 games as he made two errors in 332 chances. Allen, who split the season between Class-A Lynchburg and Double-A Akron, also posted a career-high 15 outfield assists. Allen, 23, was selected by Cleveland in the sixth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of San Diego State University. 

Right fielder Mike Gerber split the season between Class-A Lakeland and Double-A Erie, but was perfect in 118 games in the field, recording 251 chances and six assists without committing an error. Gerber, 24, was selected by Detroit in the 15th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Creighton University. 

High Desert backstop Jose Trevino posted a .998 fielding percentage in 100 games behind the plate for the California League champion Mavericks. Trevino posted 102 assists and a whopping 950 total chances (no other catcher in the top 25 in fielding percentage had more than 780 total chances) and threw out 47 of 98 potential base stealers. Trevino, 23, was selected by Texas in the sixth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Oral Roberts University. 

Pitcher James Naile posted a perfect fielding percentage on 48 chances over 156.2 innings pitched in his 28 games (26 starts) for Class-A Beloit, Class-A Stockton, Double-A Midland and Triple-A Nashville. Naile, a second-year pro out of the University of Alabama-Birmingham, was Oakland’s 20th round choice in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. 

To be eligible to receive the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, players must have participated in one of the 10 domestic-based, fullseason leagues, and shown outstanding defensive skills. The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® was re-introduced to Minor League Baseball in 2011 after an almost 50-year hiatus.  

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox 9/28

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will continue their three-game set tonight in the Bronx with Game Two of the series. Rivalry renewed, I just wish it meant more for the Yankees in the grand scheme of things. Oh well, I’m not getting down about it and I’m still rooting for my squad through all 162 games regardless of whether the standings tell me to or not. In tonight’s matchup the Yankees will send Bryan Mitchell to the mound who will look to build on a great start last time out while the Red Sox counter with “Mr. Steal Yo Laptop” Clay Buchholz. Enjoy.

Mitchell will make his fifth start of the season tonight and while the previous four have been a mixed bag of results his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays was masterful. Mitchell allowed three runs, although only one of them were earned, in six innings of work. That one run though, thanks to the Yankees offense, was just enough to take the loss unfortunately.

Buchholz also is coming into this start fresh off a great start, maybe the best start of his season, against the Baltimore Orioles where he gave up just one run in seven innings. The Red Sox have taken the victory in each of the last four games Buchholz has pitched in and have also won seven of his last eight starts down the stretch. Clutch. Just not tonight clutch.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on WPIX Channel 11 and MLB TV. It’s really a shame that both teams couldn’t be more involved in the postseason this year. How I long for the years in the early and mid-2000’s where these two teams were both powerhouses at the same time and met year after year in the ALCS. As much as I hated it back then, especially in and after 2004, I think I miss it again. There’s always next year Cubs Yankees fans. Go Yankees!

Final Review on 2016 Yankees Draft

The 2016 Minor League Baseball season is officially over. The championships have been won, the games have been played and the rookies that were drafted this June can now be evaluated. When the 2016 MLB First Year Players Draft was all said and done I thought the Yankees had initially done well with their picks of Blake Rutherford, Nick Solak and others but now with half a season under their belts will I change my mind? Not likely but let’s find out.

Blake Rutherford, and call me bias if you want to, was the biggest steal of the MLB Draft. Rutherford was once thought of as first overall talent and he did nothing to make anyone believe any different in 2016. Rutherford fell because of signability concerns and the Yankees got him signed. It’s as simple as that. Rutherford is already considered to be a Top 50 prospect in all of baseball by many lists published online including Minor League Ball’s John Sickels and for good reason.

I also really like the Nick Solak pick although some didn’t. Some thought he was simply signed and drafted because the Yankees could save money on their slot recommendation with him to give to Rutherford. While that is true that doesn’t mean Solak was an empty pick either by any means. Solak proved that in his pro debut in Staten Island posting a .321/.421/.421 with a 155 wRC+ and eight stolen bases, 30 walks and just 39 strikeouts. I also like the Dom Thompson-Williams pick because many experts had the outfielder going in the third round. The Yankees stole him in the fifth round and the Brett Gardner comparisons began almost immediately.

The one thing the Yankees needed more than anything though was pitching and they drafted a few key arms to look out for including closer/reliever Brooks Kriske. Kriske may be moved from closer to starter a la Chance Adams but either way his arm is strong and the talent is there. Taylor Widener is another arm I see a lot of potential in after reading up on him from his years at South Carolina. Widener finished the season with a 3-0 record, 0.47 ERA, 1.50 FIP and an insane 13.9 K/9 strikeout ratio in 38.1 innings in his professional debut. Widener, another reliever, will get his chance to showcase his 97 MPH fastball, slider and secondary pitches in the rotation once again a la Chance Adams in 2017 and could turn out to be a special arm for the Yankees in the future.

All this without mentioning High School pick Nolan Martinez. New York did well for themselves this draft and the final stat lines this season prove that. Now’s the hard part, development. 

Scoreboard Watching for September 28th

AL East Race:

Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees

Baltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles

AL Wild Card Race: 

Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Indians

Seattle Mariners @ Houston Astros

Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners

New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

Kansas City Royals  vs. Minnesota Twins

National League Wild Card: 

New York Mets @ Miami Marlins

San Francisco Giants vs. Colorado Rockies

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs

This Day In New York Yankees History 9/28: Moose FINALLY Wins #20

Mike Mussina had pitched many stellar seasons both in Baltimore with the Orioles and in New York with the Yankees but never won 20 games in a single season, until this day in 2008. On the last day of the 2008 season Mussina would improve his record to 20-9 becoming the oldest player in major league history to win 20 games for the first time. It took Mussina 18 seasons to win 20 games when he threw six shutout innings against the Red Sox in Fenway Park in a Yankees 6-2 victory.

Also on this day in 2005 Alex Rodriguez broke the Yankees All-Time record for home runs in a single season by a right handed batter when he slugged his 47th home run of the season. DiMaggio hit 46 home runs in 1937 and Alex passed him as the Yankees beat the Orioles 2-1.

Also on this day in 1955 Elston Howard, in his first World Series at bat, hit a two run home run off the Dodgers right hander Don Newcombe. This marks the first time that a black batter hit a home run off a black pitcher in the history of the World Series.

Finally on this day in 1947 the Yankees held their first Old Timers Day on the final day of the season. General Manager Larry MacPhail came up with the idea along with public relations director Red Paterson as an idea to honor the ailing Yankees legend Babe Ruth.

Yanks Launch Three Longballs, Lead to 6-4 Victory In Sox Series Opener

On A cloudy night in the Bronx, the Yankees bashed their way into a game one win against the rival Red Sox. Getting the start for New York was rookie right-hander Luis Sessa, who pitched very well but was saddled with a no decision as his bullpen let him down once again. Getting the call and the loss for Boston was ace David Price, falling to 17-9 while raising his ERA to 4.04 in an outing that saw him get hit early and often against a team that he has historically not had much success.

It didn't take long for the Yankees to jump on the ace Price, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. After a Brett Gardner led off the night with a strikeout. Jacoby Ellsbury laced a single into centerfield. The next batter Gary Sanchez crushed a first-pitch fastball from Price deep into the Red Sox bullpen in left-center for his 20th homer in just 51 games, tying an MLB record for quickest to 20 and giving New York a 2-0 lead. With the longball, Sanchez also became the 104th player this season to collect 20 or more homeruns, a new MLB record that bested the 103 mark set in 1999.

They put up their third run of the game on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Austin Romine and Tyler Austin started the frame with back-to-back singles, Jacoby Ellsbury lined a one-out single into right field that scored Romine to extend the Yankees lead to three.

The Red Sox responded with two runs in the top of the sixth, but it could've been a lot worse had it not been for Sessa's impressive escapability. Andrew Benintendi started the rally with an infield single that bounced in front of Sessa, advancing to second base on a throwing error by the rookie pitcher. The next batter Dustin Pedroia smacked a single to centerfield that scored Benintendi to put the Red Sox on the board at 3-1. After Xander Bogarts followed up with a line drive double to right, Sessa got the lifetime .307 hitter against the Yankees David Ortiz to strike out for out number one. Mookie Betts then followed up with a ground out to short, scoring Pedroia and pulling Boston to within one. But, Sessa got out of it by striking out last week's Yankee killer Hanley Ramirez to end the threat and the frame.

Didi Gregorius became the 105th player to hit 20 or more homeruns this season when he blasted HIS 20th shot of the year, a solo blast to right in the bottom of the sixth to push the Yankees back out by two.

Even though Sessa left the game for Tommy Layne in the seventh, all of his prior work was for not as the Sox came back to tie it against their old teammate Layne. Aaron Hill came on to pinch-hit for Brock Holt to lead off the inning and proceeded to launch a solo homerun to left field that made it a 4-3 ballgame. Jackie Bradley Jr. kept the offensive pressure on by driving a single to right, advancing to second on a bunt by Sandy Leon. Dustin Pedroia struck again, this time with a two-out single that beat the shift down the right field line to score Bradley Jr. and tie the game at four apiece. Blake Parker then came on in relief and proceeded to get Ortiz to ground out to short to prevent any further damage.

But the game didn't stay tied for long as the Yankees came back to retake the lead in the bottom of the inning, knocking Price out in the process. Romine led off the seventh with a single to right; scoring when the next batter Tyler Austin blasted his fourth longball of the season, an opposite-field two-run shot to right that put the Bombers back on top by a 6-4 score. After a Gardner single and an Ellsbury line out, Price was pulled for right-handed side-winding Brad Ziegler. The deadline acquisition from the Diamondbacks proceeded to get Gary Sanchez to ground out into an inning ending double-play.

With all the well-documented recent struggles of Delin Betances, the Yanks decided to send Tyler Clippard to close out the game in the ninth. After getting Leon to strike out to begin the frame, Benintendi laced a double down the right field line. Pedroia followed up with a walk, representing the tying run at first base with one out. But, Clippard tight-roped out of it by getting Bogarts to pop out to short and then got Ortiz to strike out to end the ballgame. The win guarantees that the Yankees will finish the season at at least .500 and prevented the Red Sox from celebrating a division championship in Yankee Stadium.

The Pinstripers will try to keep it rolling tomorrow night as they square off against Boston in game two of the three game set, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM/EST.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox 9/27

Here we go ladies and gentleman, rivalry renewed once again and one last time this season. Tonight the New York Yankees and Yankee Stadium play host to the retiring David Ortiz and his Boston Red Sox. Before we honor the long-time Red Sox DH and Yankees killer in the Bronx we have two more games that the team can play spoiler in so let’s see if the Baby Bombers are up to the task. In the game tonight the Yankees will send rookie starter Luis Cessa to the mound to square off against savvy veteran David Price for the Red Sox. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network, ESPN2 and MLB TV.

It’s time to play spoiler. Go Yankees!

Also if you want to see David Ortiz’s final game in the Bronx click the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog. Alright, Go Yankees for real this time. 

Expect Another Quiet Offseason for New York

Last offseason the New York Yankees did the least New York Yankees thing they could have done, they signed the same amount of Major League free agents as I’ve gotten hits in Major League Baseball. Zero. The Yankees were quiet although they did make trades for Aroldis Chapman and Starlin Castro and you know what? We, as fans, could be in for an equally as long and quiet offseason this winter as well.

The New York Yankees have plans of getting under the luxury tax threshold, and FYI it is expected to go up around or above $200 million when the new collective bargaining agreement is all said and done this winter, either this season or next leaving the possibility of signing many free agents unlikely. This is especially true when you consider that Ivan Nova, yes that Ivan Nova, may be the best starting pitcher available and is already asking for $70 million across a five-year deal.

Remember the 2013 Yankees that let like 672 home runs, exaggeration but only a slight one, go in the offseason only to replace them with Chris Stewart and Kevin Youkilis? Well we may be heading towards that route again except this time the Yankees youth will take center stage. With Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez finally coming off the books this may be the Yankees final chance to strike and get under the cap before super free agents like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper hit the open market, presumably.

As it stands right now the Yankees only have $95 million committed to players for the 2018 season and $57 million for the 2019 season not counting arbitration eligible players so this time around the possibility of getting under the cap is a real one. It’s only a real one though if the team stays off the free agent board, and I think that they will. Unfortunately.