AAA SWB to get new manager in 2020. Also, one-time (briefly) Yankee Bobby Mitchell dies.

AAA SWB will be getting a new manager in 2020 as Jay Bell is leaving the Yankees organization to pursue major league coaching jobs.

Bell managed A+ Tampa in 2017, moved up to AA Trenton in 2018 and AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (SWB) last year.

Each of his teams finished in first place in their division (per the NY Post article).

Bell is known for scoring the winning run when Luis Gonzalez’ broken-bat bloop single beat the Yanks in the 2001 WS.

---

OF Bobby Mitchell has died at the age of 75. Mitchell was with the Yanks (10 games, 1970) and Brewers (1971, 1973-1975). In 273 MLB games, he hit .235 with 21 HR and an OPS+ of 100. He was 5 for 22 as a Yankee, 2 doubles, 4 RBI.

 

Yankees looking for new manager at AAA SWB.

From the NY Post:

The Yankees didn’t renew the contract of Bobby Mitchell, their manager of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Cashman confirmed. The Times Leader of Scranton first reported the news.

Game 40. SSS. Stanton, Severino, Sizzling. Yanks win 6-2, hit quarter-pole at 28-12.

So we hit the quarter pole and the Yanks are at 28-12 (unfortunately, so is Boston). You can do the math. We don’t expect both teams to end up at 112-50, but winning the division means so much more. You don’t want to go, say, 103-59 but NOT win the division and find yourself playing in that sudden-death, one-game only, wild card game.

Luis Severino didn’t have his great stuff today, labored a bit, but still pitched six innings of one-run ball. Hopefully he keeps this up all year and gets the CYA at the end of the year.

He got the offensive support from Giancarlo Stanton, who went 4 for 4 with 3 RBI.

In the first inning, Gardner singled, Judge doubled and Didi walked. Bases loaded, no one out for Stanton, who singled in two. After a DP, Hicks singled in a run to make it 3-0 and with Seve on the mound, you knew it would be enough.

The A’s got a run in the top of the fifth but Stanton got it right back in the bottom of the fifth with his tenth HR of the season.

In the seventh, Judge walked, and with one out, Stanton doubled. After a walk to Sanchez, Hicks’ force out made it 5-1 Yanks.

In the eighth, Andujar singled and with two out advanced on a WP. Judge singled him in to make it 6-1.

The A’s got a HR off of Shreve in the ninth, but the final score was 6-2 Yankees.

Gardner 2 hits.
Judge 2 hits, walk, rbi.
Stanton 4 for 4, HR, 3 RBI.
Hicks 2 RBI
Andujar 2 hits.

Severino (W, 6-1, 2.14) 6 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 W, 7 K.
Green (H, 5) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.45
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 5.00. Developed a blister.
Shreve 1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.52

Robbie Cano for Seattle will be out 2 months. HBP, broken finger.

Chase Headley DFA’d by SD after starting the year .115. Bryan Mitchell has stunk for them, too.

The Yanks are off Monday. Two-game series in Washington Tues. and Wed. Tough series. Tanaka vs. Gonzalez, and CC vs. Scherzer. Hoping for a split.

The Yanks then travel to KC and Texas, both teams are bad, hoping for 4 or 5 out of 6 there.

 

 

s

SWB staff set. Yanks’ ticket sales WAY up.

The Yanks’ AAA affiliate has their coaching staff set for 2018. Major changes.

Manager: Bobby Mitchell
Hitting coach: Phil Plantier
Pitching coach: Tommy Phelps
Bullpen coach: Doug Davis
Defensive coach: Travis Chapman

Mitchell was with the Dodgers and Twins 1980-1983. OF. 202 MLB games. Batted & threw Lefty. .243-3-43. OPS+ 77.

Plantier: OF, Batted L, Threw R. Boston 1990-1992, SD, 1993-1994; Houston 1995; Back to SD 1995. Oakland 1996. San Diego yet again, and St. Louis 1997.

Plantier was 8th in ROY in 1991, hitting .331-11-35, OPS+ 178 in just 53 games with Boston. He hit .240-34-100, OPS+ 122 for the 1993 Padres.  In 610 MLB games, he hit .243 w/91 HR, OPS+ 104. 162 g. average, .243-24-78.

Phelps: Lefty pitcher. FL and Milw. 2003-2005. 75 games, 11 starts. 4-5, 4.34. ERA+ 97.

Davis: C, 3B. From Bloomsburg, PA. 1989 Angels, 1992 Rangers. 7 MLB games. 1 for 13.

Chapman: 3B. 2003 Phillies. 1 at bat.

The addition of Giancarlo Stanton has energized the fan base. Ticket sales are up 550,000 over last year at this time.

From MLBTR.com:

The Yankees have signed right-hander David Hale to a minor league contract, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo reports (Twitter link).  Hale posted a 3.30 ERA over 87 1/3 IP for the Braves as a reliever and occasional starter in 2014, but his performance suffered after a trade to Colorado that offseason.  The ground-ball specialist struggled to a 6.09 ERA over 78 1/3 IP (mostly as a starter) that year and then tossed only two MLB innings in 2016.  Hale has since pitched in the Orioles’ and Dodgers’ farm systems.

 

 

$alary dump. Yanks trade Headley and Mitchell to SD.

The Yankees created more salary cap space by trading Chase Headley and Bryan Mitchell to SD for OF Jabari Blash.

Blash, 28, a righty bat, has played in 99 MLB games, going .200-8-21, OPS+ 79. Don’t expect him in the bigs as he is behind Judge, Stanton, Hicks, Gardner and Ellsbury, not to mention Clint Frazier and Billy McKinney.

This was a move to free up $$. Headley hit .273-12-61 with the Yanks in 2017, OPS + 100 (league average). In three full and another part of a fourth year with the Yanks, his OPS+ was 96, a tick below league average. In the last four years, he’s averaged .257-12-56, OPS+ 95, a tick below league average.

Now that the Yanks have dealt Castro and Headley, there are holes at 2B and 3B. Do the Yankees now bring back Todd Frazier?

Or do they take the $$ saved in dealing Castro and Headley and use it all on pitching?

They can go strictly “Minimum Wage” and use Gleyber Torres at 2B and Miguel Andujar at 3B. Two rookies, if they don’t want to go after Todd Frazier.

Rumors are they are kicking the tires on Manny Machado. I don’t see it happening. Machado is a free agent after 2018 and could cost a boatload of prospects. It’s also rumored he wants to leave 3B and go back to SS. That isn’t happening with the Yankees, not with Didi at SS.

But something is brewing. Whether it be 3B, 2B or a starting pitcher. More moves are coming.

The Yanks are said to be interested in the Tigers’ Michael Fulmer (2016 ROY), Partick Corbin of Arizona and Danny Duffy of KC, in addition to the Pirates’ Gerrit Cole.

CC, of course could be coming back, too.

As for Bryan Mitchell, I had a gut feeling he would be dealt this offseason and I feel the same way about Luis Cessa. There are just younger players with greater upside who are passing these guys by. In 48 games as a Yankee, Mitchell was 2-6, 4.94.

 

Ohtani turns down Yanks.

Shohei Ohtani has told the Yanks not to bother sending out a contingent to meet with him face to face.

Apparently he wants a small market, West Coast team.

You can presume that eliminates the Dodgers and Angels as well. I am thinking Seattle, here.

Hey, it is a loss, but if someone doesn’t want to play in NY, then don’t pursue him. No more Randy Johnson’s here, OK?

As the saying goes, if you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. If you feel you can’t handle NY, then best the Yankees NOT sign you.

Granted, he is a talent, but….

So the Yankees move on. No Ohtani. So as far as filling out the rotation goes, there are still options.

Re-sign CC to a 1-yr. deal (he is 38 next summer). NO to a 2-yr. deal.

Sign Alex Cobb.

Sign Lance Lynn.

Sign none of the above and trust that Chance Adams is ready.

I hear about Bryan Mitchell as a #5 starter. I just don’t have faith in that, and think Mitchell will be moved. Just a gut feeling. I also don’t have faith in Luis Cessa there.

But a disappointment. But now to move on and fill out the rotation.

I don’t see Darvish or Arrietta. The Yanks want to get under the cap. Darvish and Arrietta won’t help them do that.

 

 

Game 155. Judge hits 2 HR, but Yanks fall, 9-5.

I don’t think Jaime Garcia or Bryan Mitchell would have made the postseason roster anyway, but neither helped themselves in a 9-5 Yankees’ loss on Sunday.

The loss put the Yanks 5 back of Boston in the AL East with 7 to go, and basically assured the Red Sox the division. The Yanks’ magic # to host the wild card game remains at 2.

Toronto got one in the first, one in the second, and knocked out Garcia with three in the third. Garcia gave up a HR to the first batter he faced.

Didi singled in a run to make it 5-1 in the fourth.

Toronto came back with four in the bottom of the fourth to make it 9-1.

Aaron Judge hit his first HR of the game (47) in the top of the sixth to cut it to 9-2.

Greg Bird doubled in a run later in the inning to make it 9-3.

Judge hit his second HR (48) of the game, a 2-run shot, to make it 9-5.

Judge is now one HR behind Mark McGwire’s 1987 rookie record of 49 in a season.

Hated the tribute Toronto gave Jose Bautista. Hated his bat flipping, and question how someone so mediocre until he became 29 all of a sudden went from a mediocre 15 HR a year guy to hitting 50+ at the age of 29. Loved when Odor popped him one. Just saying….

Judge 2 HR, 3 RBI
Castro 2 hits
Didi RBI
Bird RBI

Garcia (L, 5-10, 4.41) 2 1/3 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 3 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Holder 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.43
Mitchell 1/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 2 W, 0 K. 5.79
Heller 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.17
Gallegos 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 5.12
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.97

Game 149. Yanks lose, 6-4. Didi Ties Yanks SS HR record.

Didi Gregorius hit his 24th HR of the season, tying the Yankees’ record for HR in a season by a Yankees’ SS, set in 1999 by Derek Jeter, but the Yanks lost to Baltimore Sunday, 6-4.

The loss keeps the Yanks (82-67) 3 games back of Boston for the AL East with 13 games to go. The tragic # for losing out on the division is 11.

The Yanks are still up on the top wild card spot by four games over the Twins. The Yanks’ magic # for clinching the top wild card spot and that sudden-death wild card game at home is 10. With games against the Twins tomorrow (Monday), Tuesday and Wednesday, the Yanks can decrease that number significantly. The magic # for making the playoffs at all, (wild card game on the road) is 8.

By the way, Gary Sanchez has the most HR in a season by someone who was primarily a catcher for the Yankees with 31 but he does NOT have the most HR by a Yankees’ catcher in a season. Yogi Berra (both 1952 and 1956) hit 30, and ALL were as a catcher, none at PH or at another position. Jorge Posada’s 30 in 2003? All were hit as a catcher, none as DH, 1B or PH or another position Not all of Sanchez’ 31 this year were as a catcher. 25 are at C, 1 at 1B, 5 at DH.

Sonny Gray didn’t have it. He gave up a run in the top of the second, and Didi tied it with his HR in the bottom of the frame.

Baltimore got one in the third, but the killer came in the fourth when Gray gave up a 3-run HR to Tim Beckham.

Baltimore got a run in the fifth off of Bryan Mitchell to make it 6-1.

Matt Holliday doubled in two in the sixth to cut it to 6-3.

A Castro SF in the eighth made it 6-4.

Buck Showalter made an odd move in the ninth. With a man on third and two out, he intentionally walked Aaron Judge to set up a force. But in doing so, he put the tying run on first and the winning run at the plate in Gary Sanchez. Sanchez struck out to end the game.

Castro had 2 hits.
Didi HR.
Holliday 2 RBI.

The Yanks struck out 14X.

Gray hasn’t been getting run support, but he has himself to blame for this one.

Gray (L, 9-11, 3.38) 4 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 2 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Mitchell 3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 4 K. 4.73.
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.04
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.54

With Garcia going on Monday, and Chad Green rested, don’t be surprised to see a quick hook from Girardi.

 

 

Game 146. Yanks Blast O’s, 13-5.

The Yanks hit three three-run HRs, two by Aaron Judge and one by Todd Frazier, to blast Baltimore tonight, 13-5. Gary Sanchez added a solo blast.

With the 2 HR tonight, 11 of Judge’s 43 HR this year have been hit against the Orioles.

The win enables the 80-66 Yanks to stay 3 back of Boston in the AL East with 16 to go. They remain 3 up on the Twins for the top wild card spot and are up 5 1/2 over the Angels for a playoff spot. The Angels are playing as I write this.

The Yanks got six in the first. Ellsbury and Judge singled and Sanchez doubled a run home. Holliday an RBI groundout. Headley RBI single, 3–0. Gregorius single, and Todd Frazier 3-run HR (25) 6-0 Yankees.

Tanaka gave up a HR in the top of the fourth but Judge hit a 3-run HR (42) in the bottom of the fourth.

Top of the sixth, Tanaka gives up another dinger, 9-2.

Bottom of the sixth. Yankees put it to 13-2 on back-to-back HR by Judge (3-run HR, #43) and Sanchez (31).

Baltimore got two garbage runs in the eighth and another in the ninth, 13-5.

Judge 3 hits, 2 HR, 6 RBI.
Sanchez 2 hits, HR, 2 RBI.
Todd Frazier 2 hits, HR, 3 RBI
Clint Frazier 2 hits.

Tanaka (W, 12-11, 4.73) 7 IP, 2 R, 8 H, 2 W, 8 K. gave up 2 hr.
Mitchell 1 IP 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.91
Gallegos 1 IP, 1 R,  1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 6.19

Game 140. Yanks can’t hold early lead, lose 11-5.

The Yanks got off to 4-0 and 5-1 leads, but the pitching couldn’t hold it. in a 11-5 loss to Texas.

The loss drops the Yanks to 4 1/2 back of Boston, 75-65, with 22 games left in the year. The division would be nice, but realistically, the Yanks have to think about retaining the top wild card spot so that that do-or-die game is played at home.

Speaking of “home”, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s games against the Rays have been moved to a “neutral” site”: Citi Field in Queens, because of Hurricane Irma striking Florida. The Yanks will bat first and will be in the road grays, but….

As for tonight, Tanaka was lousy and maybe Girardi stuck with him too long.

The Yanks got four in the second. Holliday singled, Didi reached on an error. Headley singled to load the bases. Ellsbury singled for one run, Frazier was HBP for another. Sanchez later singled in two. Up 4-0.

Tanaka gave back one run on a monster HR.

Didi HR’d in the top of the third (21) to make it 5-1 Yanks, but everything went downhill from there.

Texas got 2 in the third off of Tanaka to cut it to 5-3. At this point, my leash on Tanaka would have been VERY SHORT.

Texas got four in the fifth to take a 7-5 lead. After a single and double to start the inning, I probably would have pulled Tanaka then. Instead, single, WP, double before he was pulled.

A 4-run inning put Texas up 7-5, and four in seventh made it 11-5.

After going up 5-1, the Yanks’ offense went dormant.

Sanchez, first game back from the 3-game suspension, 2 hits, 2 RBI.
Didi solo HR.

Tanaka (L 11-11, 4.82) 4 + Ip, 7 r, 8 H, 0 W, 7 K. Gave up 1 Hr.
Kahnle 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.73
Shreve 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 3.38
Smith 0 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K. 7.64.

A “give up” move when inserting him. Smith may have had nice numbers at SWB, but so far has not proven himself MLB ready.

Heller 2/3 iP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.25
Mitchell 1 1/3 0 R, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.45