Yanks sign Severino to 4 year, $40MM extension.

The Yankees avoided arbitration with Luis Severino by signing him to a 4 yr. $40MM extension.

It will be interesting to see who has a bounce-back year this year. The Yanks won 100 games last year despite Gardner hitting .236, Sanchez .186 and Bird .199. Imagine if they would have been their normal selves.

Speaking of Gardner, will he lead off this year or bat 9th? There is a case for Aaron Hicks leading off. The only problem is, on a team so righty-leaning, Hicks’ switch-hitting bat may be needed in the middle of the lineup.

But according to a recent article (I believe NY Post?) here are some interesting numbers from Hicks last year. .248-27-79, 11 SB, drew 90 walks.

In the three places where he had 100 or more plate appearances in 2018,

Batting first .276-11-21
3rd .222-6-19
6th .223-5-20.

Hmmm… interesting. And Hicks is more likely to lead off a game with a HR than Gardy.

We’ll see.

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Ex-Yanks’ coach Down dies at 68.

One-time Yanks’ hitting coach Rick Down passed away Saturday Jan. 5th at the age of 68.

Seahawks’ QB Russell Wilson will once again visit and work out with the Yanks in spring training. It’s expected he’ll get an at bat in an exhibition game. It’s more a publicity thing than anything else.

The Phillies hired a former mentor of Manny Machado in an effort to lure the slugger to Philadelphia.

Rumors are that Machado wants Stanton-like money or more. If that is the case, good luck with that, because the Yanks won’t go there. If Machado really wants to come to NY, it’s going to be on the Yankees’ terms.

Update: The Yanks and Greg Bird agreed to a 1 yr., $1.2 MM deal. A raise from $582K, but you can’t really say he deserved it.

 

What will Yanks infield look like in 2019?

The NY Post reports that if Troy Tulowitzki proves himself capable, and even if the Yanks do land Manny Machado, that Tulo would be at SS (and what happens when Didi comes back?) and that Machado would be at 3B (meaning what happens with Andujar?)

Would Andujar move to 1B (meaning what happens to Voit and Bird?) or would he DH (meaning Stanton to LF and Gardner joins Ellsbury as backup outfielders, with Clint Frazier apparently headed to AAA since Frazier missed most of last year with an injury.)

Now I’ve also heard that if Tulo is the SS, and they land Machado and Machado is at 3B, that Andujar could be traded for a starter (Corey Kluber?). But with a rotation currently set as Severino, Paxton, Tanaka, Happ and CC, who would go? And remember, Sonny Gray is still on this team as of now, too.

From the NY Post and Joel Sherman (who also is with the MLB Network):

The Yankees reached an agreement with Tulowitzki with the plan, if healthy, to play him at shortstop even if they end up signing Manny Machado…

Tulowitzki had looked so good in a workout — athletic and lively in the Yankees’ estimation — about half the major league teams were looking to sign him for the low-risk, high-reward possibilities.

That Tulowitzki picked the Yankees without the assurance of 500-plus plate appearances exemplifies just how motivated he is to play for them. Tulowitzki wore No. 2 with the Rockies and Blue Jays as an homage to his idol, Derek Jeter, and — at 34 — decided if not now, when would he ever be a Yankee?

Both ex-Toronto Manager John Gibbons and MLB Network’s Dan O’Dowd said they believe Tulowitzki is healthy now. Their concerns were if he could maintain his health and how quickly and to what level his offense would return. As far as defense, both said they thought it would still be special. Gibbons said Tulowitzki took infield during batting practice while the Blue Jays were in Oakland in the second half and “he looked great. I have no doubt about his defense if he is healthy.

“If he gets to it, you are freaking out. He will make the backhand play as well as anyone I’ve ever seen. His off-balanced throws will be on the money. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

As far as offense, O’Dowd said because Tulowitzki’s power is to right-center, Yankee Stadium plays to his strengths.

“It is as good a move as you can make,” Gibbons said of the Yankees’ signing of Tulowitzki. “You have almost nothing to lose and if he stays healthy, you have one of the best shortstops of all time.”

Stay tuned. What happens with the infield is bound to be interesting.

 

 

Game 161. Yanks win 100, Stanton gets 100, and Yanks set a couple records.

In the next to last regular season game, the Yanks (100-61) beat Boston 8-5 for their 100th win of the season. It is the first time since 2009 that the Yanks have won 100 games in a season.

In so doing, they hit 2 HR which set a new single season record by HR by a team in a season.

Since Gleyber Torres, in the 9 spot, hit the HR for the new record, it meant that each spot in the lineup 1 through 9 contributed 20 or more HR, another MLB record.

Not only that, Miguel Andujar hit 2 doubles in the game, giving him 46 on the year, setting a new record for a Yankees’ rookie, breaking that of Joe DiMaggio in 1936.

In the first, Gardner reached on an error and two outs later, scored on a double by Stanton.

Boston tied it in the bottom of the second.

To the fourth. Didi singles and after an out, Bird doubles in Didi. After another out, Torres hits a HR (24) to make it 4-0. Torres’ HR, #265 on the season for the Yanks, sets the all-time record of HR by one team in one season. They weren’t and are not done.

Boston gets a run in the fourth, 4-2 Yanks after 4.

The Yanks get three in the fifth. Hicks and Stanton single, and after an out, Andujar doubles in two. After another out, Romine singles, 7-2 Yankees.

Stanton homers (38) in the seventh. It’s also RBI #100. Some jerk (hope you are reading this, asshole) throws the ball back and hits Stanton as he is rounding the bases. No harm, no foul, but what an asshole. He was kicked out, deservedly so.

Ugly eighth as Kahnle gives up a run. 8-3.

Ugly ninth with Holder before Chapman closes it out. Give up 2 runs, cut it to 8-5. Then Chappy.

McCutchen 2 hits.
Stanton 3 hits, HR (Yankees HR #266), 2 RBI.  RBI #100
Andujar 2 hits, (2 doubles) 2 RBI. Passes Joe D. for most doubles by a Yankees’ rookie in one season.
Bird 2 hits, RBI
Torres HR (he broke the record with HR #265, also set record of every position in lineup, 1-9, giving 20 or more HR) and 2 RBI

German 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 3 K.   5.57
Tarpley 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.   3.68
Lynn (W, 10-10, 4.77 Min/NYY) 3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 4 K.
Gray 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K.  4.90
Kahnle 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W,  0 K.  6.56
Holder 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K.   Gave up 1 HR.   3.14
Chapman (S, 32)  2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.    2.45

CC suspended first 5 games of next year for what happened Thursday. He is appealing. So if he retires (he is 38), what are they going to do, put him on house arrest?

Game 146. Yanks don’t get a hit until 8th in 3-1 loss. WC lead down to 1 game.

Some people are blaming Aaron Boone. It isn’t Aaron Boone. Boone isn’t the reason Giancarlo Stanton’s batting average has dropped 20-25 points in the past few weeks, and he isn’t the reason Sanchez and Bird are hitting under .200.

The players have to look in the mirror.

Maybe hitting coach Marcus Thames shares some blame but it is the players who need to get it done.

The good news tonight is that Luis Severino started to resemble again the Severino we saw at the beginning of the year.

The bad news is that the Yanks (90-56) didn’t get a hit until the eighth inning, and that any chance the Yanks might pull the game out late was flushed away by David Robertson.

The last time the Yanks were no-hit was in 2003, but it took six pitchers by Houston to do it after starter Roy Oswalt left with an injury. The last time a single pitcher no-hit the Yanks was almost sixty years ago to the day, 9-20-1958, by Hoyt Wilhelm of Baltimore.

Entering the bottom of the sixth, there was one hit in the whole game, and that was by the Twins.

Severino gave up a run in the sixth.

Robertson gave up two in the seventh.

Meanwhile, the Yanks were getting no-hit. With one out in the eighth, Voit walked, Bird doubled and the no-hitter and shutout were both gone.

But that was it. Andujar got a hit in the ninth, but two hits all game. Very tired bats.

Sad to say, but Stanton looks tired and lost right now. Down to .264.

The failures of Sanchez (.186) and Bird (.196) aren’t on Boone right now. The only thing Boone can do is drop them in the lineup or not play them at all. He cannot hit for them.

They have to look at themselves in the mirror and get pissed off at what they are seeing.

The Yanks’ lead for the top WC spot is down to just one game because Oakland beat the Bad News Bears (AKA the 41-104 Baltimore Orioles) tonight. If the Yanks have to rely on a 41-104 team to help them out…. well, you get the picture. Get things done yourself.

Severino (L, 17-8, 3.46) 5 2/ 3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 W, 5 K.
Robertson 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K.  2.98. Poor job keeping the Yanks in the game.
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  3.71 (Balt/NYY).

Chance Adams up from SWB.

 

Game 139. Yanks offense wakes up late in 5-1 win. Voit homers again.

The Yankees’ offense woke up late in a huge 5-1 win over Oakland late Tuesday night. The win means the 87-52 Yanks are 4 1/2 games up on Oakland for the top wild card spot instead of just 2 1/2 up.

They are still 8 1/2 back of Boston in the AL East with just 23 games to go. Let’s face it, the division race is over. The tragic # for Boston clinching the division is 15.

The Yanks magic # for clinching the top wild card spot is 19. They are 10 up on Seattle for the final wild card spot, and the magic # for the Yanks reaching the playoffs is 14.

J.A. Happ pitched superbly but had nothing to show for it. He gave up a solo HR in the second, but that was it.

For a long time, it appeared as if that would be enough for the A’s to win 1-0. The Yanks didn’t get a baserunner until the fifth (via an error), and didn’t get their first hit until two out in the sixth, and after getting that hit, Gleyber Torres was picked off of first.

In the seventh, Gardner and Stanton singled, then McCutchen and Hicks walked to tie the game. But with the bases loaded and no one out, the Yanks couldn’t tack on any more runs.

Luke Voit homered to lead off the top of the eighth. It proved to be the game-winning hit. It’s Voit’s 8th HR of the season and 7th as a Yankee. It’s safe to say that Greg Bird has lost his job for now. Voit hit it off of Fernando Rodney, who can aim that bow and arrow act at himself for giving up the HR.

After Voit’s HR, Torres walked and was forced at second by Gardner. After the slumping Stanton struck out for out #2, McCutchen walked and Hicks singled in a run. 3-1.

In the ninth, Adeiny Hechevarria, in the game for defense, homered. It’s his fifth of the year and first as a Yankee. Sanchez singled, Walker walked, and after two out and a WP, Gardner singled for the final of 5-1.

Gardner 2 hits, RBI
Hicks 2 RBI
Hechevarria solo HR
Voit solo GW HR

Happ 6 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 5 K.  3.90  Gave up 1 HR.
Robertson (W, 8-3, 2.85) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Britton (H, 7) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.94 (Balt/NYY)
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  2.50

 

Game 137. Pitching disappoints in 11-7 loss.

I was up at the Stadium to see the pitching disappoint in a 11-7 loss to the Tigers on Sunday.

Giancarlo Stanton was given the day off. He didn’t PH in situations that may have called for it. After the game the Yanks brought up Jonathan Loaisiga, who’ll join them in Oakland, as the Yanks now start a west coast swing.

Lance Lynn was awful, and in the second inning I was wondering already why no one was warming up. It was obvious from the start he had nothing. He gave up a run in the first, and another in the second, and was finally pulled by manager-for-the-day Josh Bard in the fourth. Aaron Boone was serving a suspension for his antics and ejection on Friday night.

The Yanks did get two runs in the bottom of the first to go up 2-1. Aaron Hicks homered (24), Miguel Andujar doubled and Gary Sanchez singled. But as mentioned, Detroit tied it in the second and scored five in the fourth. I would have had Sonny Gray warming up in the second already. Not that Gray has had a great year (he hasn’t) but if Lynn needs to be pulled that early, you need someone to provide length. Instead, Lynn gave up three runs in the fourth, and was pulled with two outs and a man on. Instead of going to Gray right away (I guess Bard wanted Gray to start an inning, not come into the middle of one), Bard went to Tommy Kahnle for one out. Wrong. Kahnle’s first pitch was hit for a two-run HR and the Tigers now had five runs in the inning and a 7-2 lead. Kahnle struck out the next guy to close the inning but the damage was done.

Luke Voit homered (6) in the bottom of the fourth to make it 7-3. He has 5 HR with the Yanks.

Gray kept the Yanks in the game, going four innings, giving up one run on a HR.

In the bottom of the eighth, down 8-3, the Yanks almost came back to take the lead. McCutchen led off the inning with a HBP and Hicks walked. Andujar singled to make it 8-4 and Sanchez hit into a force out. Torres walked to load the bases but Voit struck out. Neil Walker PH and got an infield single to make it 8-5. Greg Bird PH and just missed a grand slam that would have put the Yanks up 9-8. The ball was caught at the fence.

Stephen Tarpley made his MLB debut and gave up 3 runs in the top of the ninth to the Tigers.

In the ninth, with two out, Hicks walked, Andujar singled. Sanchez walked to load the bases. Torres singled in 2 runs to cut it to 11-7 but Voit struck out to end it.

Not a good day when your best pitcher was Sonny Gray out of the bullpen.

The loss puts the Yanks at 86-51, keeps them 7 1/2 back of Boston in the AL East with 25 games to go. The tragic # for Boston winning the East is 18.

The Yanks are 4 1/2 up on Oakland for the top wild card spot and the magic # for that is 21.

The Yanks are 10 up on Seattle for the last wild card spot. The magic # to just get into the playoffs is 16.

Hicks solo HR (24)
Andujar 3 hits, RBI
Torres 2 RBI
Voit 2 hits, HR, RBI
Walker 1 for 1, PH, RBI

Lynn (L, 8-10, 5.10 (Min/NYY)) 3 2/3 IP, 6 R, 9 H, 1 W, 6 K.  Gave up 1 HR.
Kahnle 1/3 IP 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  6.06
Gray 4 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 3 K.  4.96  Gave up 1 HR .
Tarpley 1 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 W, 1 K.  27.00   MLB DEBUT