On a Wing (Voit) and a Prayer (Britton)...

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Patrick McDermott)

Yanks Use Unlikely Heroes to Thwart the O’s…

When the lineup was posted prior to the game, Luke Voit’s name at first base was about as exciting as getting teeth pulled despite Greg Bird’s struggles with the bat. After the game was over, Voit had ensured he could be the beneficiary of more playing time at Bird’s expense.  His two home runs were huge. The first tied the game in the early stages and the latter provided the necessary insurance for the win. The muscled kid from St Louis came up big for the Pinstripes with 4 RBI’s in the 7-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles.  

Zach Britton picked up his first save for the Yankees, his fifth of the year. He was treated rudely by former teammate Chris Davis who blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the tenth, but thanks to Voit’s two-run shot after the Yankees had taken a one-run lead in the top of the tenth, Britton withstood the Davis home run trot to preserve the win. Things might have looked differently had Britton not gotten Trey Mancini, the batter before Davis, to hit into a double play. Whatever it takes, it was a win and the Yankees finally have a winning season record against the O’s at 7-6.  

Photo Credit: Associated Press

The Orioles got on the board first. After the Yankees had threatened in the top of the first inning (but failed), the O’s grabbed the early lead with a two-run single by Chris Davis in the bottom of the inning off Yankees starter CC Sabathia. Davis entered the game batting .163 on the season but apparently Yankees pitching didn’t get the memo.

Orioles starter Alex Cobb, who has enjoyed a resurgent second half following a 2-12 record leading up to the All-Star Game, was tough on the Yankees lineup. After escaping the first inning scoring opportunity, he blanked the Yankees over the  next two innings, allowing just a couple of meaningless walks. It looked like he was going to have his way in the top of the fourth inning when he struck out Miguel Andujar to start the frame. Neil Walker singled to center, but Gleyber Torres flied out to right for the second out. Up to the plate strolled Luke Voit who had hit into a double play in the second inning for his first at-bat. Voit crushed the Cobb offering over the wall in left center to tie the game at two. It looked weird to see Chasen Shreve’s #45 circling the bases.  

CC Sabathia got the Yankees through six innings with the game knotted at two. The ball was turned over to David Robertson for the seventh but unfortunately he ran into a bit of bad luck. The first hitter, John Andreoli (a recent cast-off from the Seattle Mariners), reached base on a fielding error by interim shortstop Gleyber Torres (the ball rolled up his arm off his wrist and dropped into shallow left field). Torres was in pain but stayed in the game. D-Rob was able to retire the next two hitters but then Jonathan Villar, the former Milwaukee Brewer, took Robertson deep to left center, giving the O’s a 4-2 lead. I hate to say it, but I don’t really see the Yankees re-signing D-Rob, one of my favorite Yankees over the years, after the season.  

The Yankees answered in the top of the eighth. With only one out, they loaded the bases against two Orioles relievers. The third O’s pitcher of the inning, Mychal Givens, came in to face Gleyber Torres and was greeted with a two-run single to right. The O’s had a play at the plate for the second runner, Miguel Andujar, on a strong throw by Adam Jones, but the ball came loose on the collision at home. Papa was safe and the game was tied again. The Yanks re-loaded the bases after Luke Voit had struck out for the second out, but Ronald Torreyes left the runners stranded with a pop out to first.

Dellin Betances, sporting yellow shoes, pitched the bottom of the eighth. He got into a little trouble with a couple of singles but was able to get out of the inning with a couple of swinging strikeouts.

The Yankees had a chance in the ninth when Brett Gardner opened the inning with a single, but after Giancarlo Stanton flied out, Aaron Hicks hit the ball directly into Chris Davis’ glove, standing on first base, for an inning-ending double play. Three up and three down for Chad Green in the bottom of the ninth, and it was off to extra innings we went.

With former Yankees prospect Cody Carroll pitching, Neil Walker homered to right center with one out to give the Yankees their first lead of the game. Neil, please accept my apology for any disparaging words I may have used about you earlier in the season. Gleyber Torres followed with a walk. He stole second and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the O’s catcher. Luke Voit, who obviously enjoyed the fourth inning home run, decided to re-live the experience with another two-run blast, this time to right center.  

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Patrick Semansky)

The Yankees took the three-run lead into the bottom of the tenth, bringing in former Orioles closer Zach Britton to finish off his ex-teammates. Adam Jones singled to right to open the inning for the Orioles, but Trey Mancini, in the midst of a down year for him, grounded into a double play. So Chris Davis came to the plate with the bases empty and two outs. His homer to center, traveling 430 feet, cut the Yanks’ lead to two. Fortunately, Tim Beckham grounded out to first to end the game. It was a struggle but the Yankees persevered to pull out the victory. Britton walked off the Orioles mound with another save in his illustrious Camden Yards career, but the first in opposing gear. 

The win, the Yankees’ 80th of the year, helped them to cut the gap to 8 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox dropped a 10-3 game to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees are just the second team in MLB to reach 80 wins, but of course the Red Sox became the first to 90 earlier this week. The Yankees hold a four-game lead on the Oakland A’s in the Wild Card standings and eight games over Adam Warren and the Seattle Mariners.  

Nice job by CC Sabathia, fresh off the 10-day DL, to give the Yankees some length after the first inning difficulties. He mixed in a couple of eight-pitch innings. He may not have gotten the decision but he put his team in position for the win. As they say, wins are a worthless statistic to prove a pitcher’s worth. The Yankees would not have won this game without CC’s strong performance.

Gary Sanchez began a rehab assignment in Florida (Gulf Coast League) today so it sounds like we’ll be getting one of the wounded soldiers back soon. Sanchez will move up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after today’s game before rejoins the team, hopefully next week. I really hope that El Gary brings some of the hustle I’ve seen with the rehab workout videos. We could really use the pre-2018 version of Sanchez for the regular season’s final month.  

The Yankees and the Orioles play two today. RHP Luis Cessa has been called up as the 26th man for the day/night double-header. The first game, at 1:00 pm ET, features J.A. Happ (14-6, 3.84 ERA) against Jimmy Yacabonis (0-1, 6.75 ERA). Luke Voit hit his last Triple A homer, prior to his call-up, against Yacabonis. Sure enough, on the lineup just posted for today’s game, Voit is playing first base. The second game, 7:05 pm ET, will pit the beleaguered Sonny Gray (9-8, 5.34 ERA) against Andrew Cashner (4-11, 4.84 ERA). Despite his record, Cashner always seems to pitch well against the Yankees. If Gray wants to pitch any meaningful games for the Yankees down the stretch, he needs to show up tonight. No pressure. Somehow I suspect he’ll fail miserably to maintain his grip on the Sonny Gray Sucks! tag line. Sonny, dammit, prove me wrong.

Hopefully last night’s win provides some momentum for the Yankees against the pesky O’s. Why win just one game, when you can take two?  Let’s do this. Go Yankees!

Five Yankees Related Movies for Your Upcoming Weekend

The weekend is here and if you’re like me you’re just getting off of work. What will you do for the rest of this weekend? Do you have any plans? If so, leave them below in the comments section. If not here are a few Yankees related movies that you could watch while waiting on the Yankees game. Or, you know, you could always come chat with us on Twitter by sending @GreedyStripes a tweet. That’s always an option as well. On to the movies!!


“The Babe” is obviously a movie about Babe Ruth, the Yankees legend, but this movie covers it all. His time with the Boston Red Sox, the purchase from the New York Yankees, his time with the Braves, etc. It’s definitely an interesting one to watch.


The Pride of the Yankees is a movie covering the life and playing career of Lou Gehrig. I’m sure everyone knew that by now but how can you not watch this movie if you see it on television? Also, how can you not get goosebumps when Gehrig “considers himself… the luckiest man…. On the face of this Earth?”


At one point this season when I listed my Top 10 favorite baseball related movies I caught flak for not including the Yankees-themed movie “61*” so you best believe I am including it here. This movie covers the single-season home run chase in 1961 by Roger Maris, who hits 61 passing Babe Ruth who hit 60 home runs in a single season in less games (hence the asterisk), and teammate Mickey Mantle. I absolutely love this movie and I love Barry Pepper as an actor so this one I have watched at least 50 – 100 times already in my lifetime.


Finally you have “The Scout” which has Brendan Fraser as a pitcher for the Yankees. This movie covers it all, not only the game on the field but Fraser adapting to life in the big city and life in the big leagues after not coming through the system in the traditional sort like most pitchers. This is a great movie and one of my absolute all-time favorites, check it out. It has George Costanza for crying out loud, how could it be bad?

Hello… Let’s Play Two

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. Happy Saturday, and a huge welcome to the weekend for you all. What better way is there than to spend a Saturday than playing baseball? Spending your Saturday playing two games, much like the Yankees will do today in their day/night doubleheader with the Baltimore Orioles. On paper that’s a good thing for the struggling Yankees, but recently the team has struggled against Baltimore and their Triple-A lineup for whatever reason. Oh well, no stress can be had on a Saturday, so I won’t lose sleep about it.

Win both games and let’s at least make this damn thing interesting heading down the stretch. We don’t have to win it, we just have to let Boston know that they were in a pennant race and become the hottest team heading into October. It can be done with this roster, so do it. Simple.

Hey you. I love you, good morning.

This Day In New York Yankees History 8/25: Three Grand Slams In One Game

Never in the history of Major League Baseball had one team hit three grand slams in one game before the New York Yankees accomplished the feat in 2011. The Yankees would beat the Oakland Athletics 22-9 with Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson all going deep with the bases loaded in Yankee Stadium.

Also on this day in 1996 Mickey Mantle joined Miller Huggins, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig as Yankees greats that have a monument in Monument Park. Mantle died of liver cancer last year and is the first new monument to be dedicated by the team in 47 years.

Also on this day in 1968 Yankees outfielder Rocky Colavito pitched 2.1 innings of relief giving up just one hit in a victory for the Yankees 6-5 over the Tigers. The Yankees outfielder, who also hit a home run in the game, will be the last position player to get a win by pitching until Colorado Rockies Brent Mayne would win a game in the year 2000.

Finally on this day in 1956 the Yankees general manager George Weiss and manager Casey Stengel hold a closed door meeting with shortstop Phil Rizzuto. The meeting discussed who should be let go since the team had acquired Enos Slaughter off waivers from the Atheltics. Rizzuto made several suggestions on who he thought who should be released from the Yankees before Weiss informed Scooter that he would be the player to be let go. Shady.

Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 8/24

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. In the first game of the three-game set this weekend the Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Alex Cobb for the Orioles. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Oriole Park and Camden Yards and can be seen on the YES Network locally and on MASN if you are in the Baltimore area. 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 Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, give Buck Showalter a reason to cry tonight, and go Yankees!!

For Those Fans Who Say Joe Girardi > Aaron Boone

We’re back, and we are as controversial as ever as we continue to right wrongs and correct a lot of misinformation that gets passed around via Yankees fans and Yankees “fans” alike. Last week we analyzed the reason and history behind the luxury tax threshold in Major League Baseball and used our findings to determine whether the Yankees would be better off, worse off, or about the same today if George Steinbrenner were running the team as opposed to having Hal Steinbrenner run the team, and we are going to look to do something similar today with first year rookie manager Aaron Boone and his predecessor, Joe Girardi. Would the 2018 Yankees, a team on pace to win 100 games, be better off, worse off, or about the same with Joe Girardi at the helm this season? Let’s analyze.

We have to remember that Aaron Boone is a rookie manager with no managerial or coaching experience anywhere within baseball before taking the job with the New York Yankees. If that is a problem to some, it is not a problem with me to be honest, then that blame should be on Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner as well as the coaching staff that they approved and assembled around Boone, and the blame should not be on Boone himself. Anyway, Girardi was not a rookie manager in his first year in the Bronx and was not foreign to the idea of playing under the watchful eyes of Yankees fans and the media in New York, he played here and won World Series championships here in New York, but even with that experience under his belt his first season, 2008, did not go exactly according to plan.

In 2008 the Yankees missed the postseason for the first time since the 1993 season with Joe Girardi at the helm, and to add salt in the wound it was the final season of the old Yankee Stadium as well. Now, one could argue that Boone has a much better roster than Girardi had at his disposal in 2008, but I cannot say I fully agree with it. Does Boone have a younger team? Sure. A more versatile team? Probably. A better team though? That’s questionable, given and assuming health and all that. Girardi had Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Jason Giambi, Robinson Cano, Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, Brett Gardner, 20-game winner Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, a good version of Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson, Phil Coke, and a slew of other players that were at-minimum serviceable MLB-caliber players. Sure, the Yankees had a lot of injuries that season, but if that isn’t an excuse for Boone than it isn’t an excuse for Girardi either. Also, sure, Boone does himself no favors with his pitching and in-game decisions, but does anyone remember Joe Girardi’s binder and the subsequent memes and Twitter accounts that have popped up since making such a mockery of the same problem that Girardi had as well?

Want to know a difference? While Boone is on pace to win right at 100 games this season in his rookie season and make the postseason in the American League, Joe Girardi led the Yankees to an 89-73 record, a third-place finish, and to a nice place on their couches during October for the first time of Derek Jeter’s illustrious career. Of course, Girardi got better as the years went on, but then again so did his teams, so I find it truly remarkable and irresponsible to say that this current team would be better under Girardi than they are under Boone. Boone didn’t injure the players and he damn sure didn’t make many of them underperform. Now should Boone ever bring AJ Cole into a game ever again? No. But did Girardi have his favorites and do the same damn thing? Absolutely, and probably more so than Boone. And let’s be real, Brian Cashman and Larry Rothschild are calling more of these pitching change calls than we will ever admit or want to think about.

The team is fine, and Aaron Boone is a fine manager. Joe Girardi was a fine manager. They both had great things about them and they both had things that made me want to break any screen that I watched the game on. That’s baseball, and that’s especially baseball in New York. Deal with it.

Justus Sheffield is Coming…

The New York Yankees made a big move down in Triple-A this week that all but signals one important fact for the team and one of its prospects. The Yankees shifted their top pitching prospect and top prospect overall Justus Sheffield to the bullpen down in Scranton, all but signaling the fact that the Yankees plan to use the left-hander out of their Major League bullpen here sometime in 2018.

Tuesday night Sheffield made his first bullpen appearance for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and allowed just two hits with no walks and two strikeouts over two innings pitched. Aaron Boone was quoted as saying “He’ll get a couple outings under his belt down there and play a part with us in our pen (in September).”

In 2018 Sheffield has posted a combined 6-6 record with a 2.52 ERA in 22 games, 20 starts, at both Double-A Trenton and at Triple-A with the RailRiders. Sheffield has struck out 118 batters to just 50 walks surrendered in 110.2 combined innings pitched. While at Triple-A this season Sheffield has limited left-handed batters to just a .160 batting average against, which could signal how the Yankees plan to use him next month in the bullpen.  

With Aroldis Chapman now on the disabled list with knee tendinitis the time is now for Justus Sheffield. Your move, Brian Cashman.

ICYMI: 2019 Schedule

In case you missed it, the 2019 MLB schedule has been released, so it is officially time to start making your Yankees plans for next season! Below I will list the entire Yankees schedule, but I will also hit some of the high points and notable dates on the schedule as well.

March 28, 30-31 vs. Orioles

Opening Day baseball in the Bronx with the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. I wonder who will be starting these three games for the Yankees. Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, and maybe Patrick Corbin?

April 1-3 vs. Tigers
April 4-7 at Orioles
April 8-10 at Astros
April 12-14 vs. White Sox
April 16-17 vs. Red Sox
April 18-21 vs. Royals
April 22-25 at Angels
April 26-28 at Giants
April 30-May 1 at Diamondbacks

Interleague play will happen with the National League West this season. The Yankees will make the trip to Dodger Stadium again, which is always fun.

May 3-5 vs. Twins
May 6-9 vs. Mariners
May 10-12 at Rays
May 13-15 vs. Orioles
May 17-19 vs. Rays
May 20-23 at Orioles
May 24-26 at Royals
May 27-29 vs. Padres
May 30-June 2 vs. Red Sox

First five times the rivalry is renewed it is inside Yankee Stadium? Huh.

June 4-6 at Blue Jays
June 7-9 at Indians
June 10-11 vs. Mets

Subway Series Part 1

June 13-16 at White Sox
June 17-19 vs. Rays
June 20-23 vs. Astros
June 24 vs Blue Jays
June 29 Red Sox at London
June 30 Red Sox at London

Rivalry renewed, over crumpets and tea?

July 2-3 at Mets

Subway Series Part 2

July 4-7 at Rays
July 12-14 vs. Blue Jays
July 15-18 vs. Rays
July 19-21 vs. Rockies
July 22-24 at Twins
July 25-28 at Red Sox
July 30-31 vs. Diamondbacks
Aug. 2-4 vs. Red Sox
Aug. 5-7 at Orioles
Aug. 8-11 at Blue Jays
Aug. 12-14 vs. Orioles
Aug. 15-18 vs. Indians
Aug. 20-22 at Athletics
Aug. 23-25 at Dodgers
Aug. 26-28 at Mariners
Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at Athletics

Man, the last West Coast road trip of the season comes at the end of August and into September? That is rough for the Bombers.

Sept. 2-4 vs. Rangers
Sept. 6-9 at Red Sox
Sept. 10-12 at Tigers
Sept. 13-15 at Blue Jays
Sept. 17-19 vs. Angels
Sept. 20-22 vs. Blue Jays
Sept. 24-25 at Rays
Sept. 27-29 at Rangers

The final three games of the season, hopefully the Yankees have already locked up the division crown and are resting regulars by this point… stay tuned.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 8/24

The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles will begin a three-game weekend set tonight in Baltimore with a matchup of two veteran arms for each respective team. In the start tonight the Yankees will welcome back CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with Alex Cobb, the long time Tampa Bay Rays pitcher, for the Orioles. Let’s get to it here inside Camden Yards.

Sabathia will be activated off the disabled list to make the start tonight in Baltimore after missing the last two starts due to right knee inflammation. CC pitched well before heading to the disabled list on August 12, pitching six scoreless innings while allowing just one hit against the Texas Rangers. Didn’t seem like the knee was bothering him then, huh? #ConspiracyTheory

Cobb has pitched well lately for Baltimore posting a 1.55 ERA over his last four starts. Cobb has also been good against the Yankees this season allowing just one run over six innings of work in his only start against the Bronx Bombers on August 1^st.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Oriole Park and Camden Yards and can be seen on the YES Network locally and on MASN if you are in the Baltimore area. 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, for the love of God please beat the worst team in the American League and go Yankees!!

Hello… Maybe Pedro Martinez Was Right?

Good morning Yankees family and welcome back to the blog. You know, maybe Pedro Martinez was right. If you don’t know what I am talking about, Pedro Martinez was quoted recently as saying, to paraphrase, that the Yankees cannot use the injury bug as an excuse for their play lately and their free fall in the standings. Pedro went on to say that there was no hustle and energy with this team, and you know what? He hit the nail on the head, and he is absolutely correct.

Attitude reflects leadership. If the team is lackadaisical that is on them, but if they are lackadaisical and get away with it… well that is on Aaron Boone. And if the team is lackadaisical and gets away with it and nothing is said to Aaron Boone, well then that’s on Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner. I can keep going, but the bottom line is this. August 24, 2018… someone needs to wake “tf” up. That is all.

Hey you, I love you. I woke up next to you, so today will be a good day.