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.

 

 

Yanks trade Prado and Phelps to Marlins

When the Yanks re-signed Chase Headley, it appeared their infield was set. Teixeira at first, Prado at second, Gregorious/Ryan at SS and Headley at 3B.

Not so fast.

On Friday, the Yanks traded Martin Prado and pitcher David Phelps to the Miami Marlins.

Prado was picked up by the Yanks in mid-season of 2014, and hit .316-7-16 in 37 games. Phelps went 5-5, 4.38 as a spot starter/long reliever in 2014.

In return, the Yanks got the following:

RHP Nathan Eovaldi, 24, who went 6-14, 4.37 (ERA+ 87) in 2014 for the Marlins. For his career, he is 15-35, 4.07, ERA+ 95. His 162 g. average is 6-15, 4.07. Not impressive, but he throws 96, is young and is a project for pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Upside is there, will he reach it? As of now, the Yanks #4 starter (when Nova returns, he’ll probably drop to #5, behind Nova. As of now, Capuano is the #5).

1b/of Garrett Jones, .246-15-53 in 2014 for the Marlins. OPS+ 98. Lefty hitter, and 33 years old. Can fill in at 1B for Teix, RF for Beltran or DH for A-Rod. 162 game average: .253-22-73, OPS+ 108. Has pop for the porch. Spent 2009-2013 with the Pirates. Has hit 20+HR 3x in his career, 15 or more each season 2009-2014.

Prospect Domingo German, 22, RHP. 9-3, 2.48 in A ball in 2014. 20-10, 2.33 in his minor league career.

It was thought that Prado would be the Yanks’ 3B in 2014, then 2B when Headley re-signed. His versatility (he can also play corner OF) will be missed. As for Phelps, it appears the Yanks like Eovaldi’s upside and experience over Phelps as far as a rotation spot is concerned.

Unless a deal is made, it looks like the second base job will be up for grabs between two rookies. They are:

Jose Pirela, 25, righty bat. Hit 8 for 24 (.333, with one double and two triples) in seven games with the Yanks last year after hitting .305-10-60 with 15 SB at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Rob Refsnyder, 23, righty bat who spent 2014 between AA/AAA, hitting a combined .318-14-63.

Refsnyder, a converted OF, is said to have a MLB-ready bat, but it’s his defense that scouts are questioning.

With Digregorious (24) at SS, one of the two listed above (Pirela/Refsnyder) at 2B, and Eovaldi as a #4 starter, it appears that even though none have done much, if anything, in the majors yet, that the Yanks are focusing on youth with potential upside. I do see, on other blogs, some complaining about their stats so far in their careers. It should be stated to these people to look at the ages. If (and yes, if is a big word) they reach potential (and potential means you haven’t done it yet), the Yanks have some players under team control financially whose best years are AHEAD of them, rather than (as they have often done) have players NOT under team control who are costing too much money whose best years are BEHIND them (Beltran, A-Rod, CC, Teixeira….).

In another move, the Yanks DFA’d Preston Claiborne, RHP, 26, who went 3-0, 3.00 for the Yanks last year when they gave cash considerations to the Mets for RHP Gonzalez Germen. Germen went 0-0, 4.75 for the Mets in 2014 and is 27 years old.  He is 1-2, 4.31 (ERA+ 83) in 54 MLB games.

 

 

 

 

 

Game 162. Yanks win season/Jeter’s finale, 9-5.

The Yankees got off to a 9-0 lead and held on to win the season finale—also the last game of Derek Jeter’s career—9-5 on Sunday.

With the win, the Yankees ended the season at 84-78 and all alone in second place in the AL East (Toronto lost to Baltimore in their season finale and finished 83-79). The Yankees finished 12 back of Baltimore in the division, and 4 out of the final wild card spot.

In 2013, the Yanks finished tied for 3rd, but with 85 wins. So this year they finished better in the division, but with one less win. It was their worst record since 1992.

With the offseason moves (and lots of spending) on Ellsbury, McCann, Beltran, Tanaka, as well as the returns of Jeter and Teixeira, it was a disappointing season after a hopeful offseason.

Derek Jeter got an RBI infield single on a Baltimore chop in his last at bat to retire with 3465 hits (sixth all-time) and a .310 lifetime batting average. It was his 50th RBI of the season. He had lined to SS in the first. He was pinch-run for after his hit and finished his final game 1 for 2. His final season: .256-4-50 with 10 SB in 12 attempts. OPS+ 75.

The Yanks got four in the third on a two-run triple by Ichiro, Jeter’s single, and a SF by Teixeira.

They got five in the seventh on a two-run double by Jose Pirela, single by John Ryan Murphy, double by Austin Romine and single by Chase Headley.

Meanwhile, Michael Pineda was cruising. After he was pulled, the bullpen made things a bit sloppy by giving up five to Boston in the bottom of the seventh.

Pineda had an ERA of 1.89 this year. Too bad he only started 13 games and the Yanks didn’t give him much run support.

Pineda (W, 5-5, 1.89) 6 1/3, 1 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 10 K.

Rogers 1/3 IP, 4 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 1 HBP, 1 K. Overall ERA 5.72.

Warren 1 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 2.97.

Phelps 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 4.38.

The postseason now begins for 10 teams. In the AL Oakland (who barely held on to make the postseason) will be at KC for the wild-card playoff game, winner gets the Angels. The other ALDS has Detroit vs. Baltimore.

In the NL, SF will be at Pittsburgh in the wild-card game with the winner getting Washington. The other NLDS will be the Cardinals vs. the Dodgers.

 

Game 158. Farewells forthcoming as Yanks are eliminated, 9-5

Cue Sinatra. “… and now, the end is near…”

The Yankees were eliminated from playoff contention with a 9-5 loss on Wednesday afternoon. Tonight’s (Thursday) game vs. Baltimore will be the final home game of Derek Jeter’s career. It also will probably be the final game of Hiroki Kuroda’s career, and probably the final game for Ichiro Suzuki as a Yankee in Yankee Stadium. As for David Robertson, who knows?

(Trivia: the Yanks, despite 27 World Series Championships, have never won a WS in a year ending in a 4 or 5).

Jeter, of course, is retiring at the end of the year and tonight will be the Yankees’ last home game of 2014. Ichiro most likely will not be a Yankee in 2015 and with him turning 41, you wonder who’d pick him up. Kuroda, 39, may be retiring.

One big question is when tonight’s game would start, and if it will start or be rained out. You know the Yanks will do everything in their power to play the game, for it is Jeter’s home farewell. Rain is in the forecast all day, and the question is, when will it be over. There is a chance tonight’s game starts after a delay.

As for yesterday, Shane Greene took a 3-0 lead into the third inning, but the O’s knocked him out of the box in the fourth with six runs on their way to defeating the Yanks 9-5.

The Yanks had scored a run in the first on a Teixeira double, another in the second on a Drew HR (overall 7), and one in the third on a Headley HR (overall 13).

Greene (L, 5-4, 3.78) went 3 2/3, 6 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 5 K.

Huff 2 IP, 0 R, 2 h, 0 walks and 1 K. Overall ERA 3.36 (1.85 as NYY).

Whitley 1 1/3, 2 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 5.38.

Phelps 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 4.42.

Claiborne 1 IP,  0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 3.05.

The O’s got 3 in the eighth to make it 9-3, and Mark Teixeira hit a 2-run HR (22, 363 career) in the bottom of the 8th to bring the Yanks to 9-5, the final score.

Tonight should be dramatic. The ovation(s) for Jeter should be huge. You wonder if and how Jeter will show his emotions.

It will be less so for Kuroda and Ichiro, but it could be their home Yankee farewells as well.

And what about David Robertson, who is a free agent after the year? Is this is last home game as a Yankee as well?

Derek Jeter went 0 for 4 in the loss, keeping his total hit total at 3461. His average dropped to .253. (.309 career)

The loss dropped the Yanks to 81-77 and into a second-place tie with the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.

Game 156. Yanks one-hit O’s, 5-0.

Michael Pineda was dominant as he teamed up with three relievers for a one-hit shutout of Baltimore Monday night, 5-0.

Derek Jeter drove in three runs, and Jose Pirela tripled and singled in his first two MLB at bats to lead the Yanks.

Pineda retired the first 13 batters he faced before J.J. Hardy got the Orioles only hit of the game. Pineda (W, 4-5, 1.93) went 7 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk and 8 k.

Shawn Kelley 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 4.38.

Rich Hill 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 1 K. Overall ERA 3.60.

David Phelps 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 4.38.

The Yanks got 2 in the third when Ichiro reached on an error, Pirela tripled in his first MLB bat to knock in Ichiro and Jeter drove in Pirela on an RBI groundout.

They got two more in the fifth on a 2-run double by Jeter (hit #3460).

Chase Headley’s HR in the 8th (his 12th overall) finished off the scoring.

Earlier in the day, the Yanks picked up OF Eury Perez and DFA’d Josh Outman. The team has used a franchise-record 57 players this year.

The win ensures that the Yanks will not have their first losing season since 1992. They are now 81-75 with six games left. One more win and they have a winning season, if not a play0ff-bound one. They remain two games ahead of Toronto for second place in the AL East. They are four out of the last wild card spot with just six games to go.

Game 154. Banged-up Bronx Bombers beaten, 6-3.

At this stage, you wonder who’ll be left for Game 162 besides Derek Jeter.

Mark Teixeira was removed in the middle of the game due to a sore wrist, Carlos Beltran wasn’t available due to his elbow issues (which will require surgery after the season) and Jacoby Ellsbury wasn’t available due to a strained hammy which may finish him for the season. Of course, Martin Prado is out for the year after his emergency appendectomy.

Chris Capuano pitched well for five innings on Saturday, but the wheels fell off in the sixth and the Yanks lost 6-3.

The loss dropped the Yanks to 79-75 with eight games to go. They have a one-game lead over Toronto for second place in the AL East. As for that last playoff spot, they are 4 1/2 out with 8 to go.

Toronto scored first on a first-inning double by Eduardo Encarnacion. The Yanks tied it in the third on a Jeter single (hit #3456), WP and RBI single by McCann.

The Yanks went up 2-1 an inning later on an RBI single by Cervelli.

Toronto, however, got three in the sixth, one in the seventh and another in the ninth.

A Derek Jeter RBI double in the ninth (hit #3457) made it 6-3. Jeter’s RBI put him #100 on the all-time list. The run scored by Jeter in the third put him temporarily into the top 10 all-time in runs scored (he passed A-Rod, who will most likely return the favor next year).

Today,  Sunday, Masahiro Tanaka returns and tests out that elbow. He has been out the last ten weeks.

Besides Jeter most likely playing his last home game on Thursday, two other players may be in their final week. The next start for Hiroki Kuroda could be his last. It could be Wednesday, or…. if the Yanks stay in rotation after Tanaka today, and go Pineda, McCarthy, Greene, Kuroda’s last game of his career could be Thursday—in Jeter’s final home game.

Not only that, Ichiro most likely won’t be back with the Yanks next year. It would remain to be seen who might pick up the soon-to-be 41-year-old.

The pitching line:
Capuano (L, 2-4, overall ERA 4.67) 5 2/3 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 4 walks and 2 K.
Whitley 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 5.23
Rogers 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 3 K. Overall ERA 5.11.
Huff 1 Ip, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. Overall ERA 3.47
Phelps 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 0 k. 4.39.

 

 

Game 150. Yanks lose, 6-1.

Michael Pineda has an ERA of 2.15.

He also has a W-L record of 3-5, since the Yanks don’t hit for him. Tuesday night was no exception as the Yanks lost 6-1 to the Rays.

Pineda went 5 1/3, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 walks and 5 K. He left losing 2-1.

The bullpen didn’t keep the Yanks in the game after Pineda left.

Josh Outman 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. Overall ERA 2.86.

Esmiel Rogers 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 0 K. Overall ERA 5.31.

Rich Hill 2 batters, 2 hits. 0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks or K. Overall ERA 3.86.

David Phelps 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 0 K. 4.35.

David Huff 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. Overall ERA 3.54.

Things got a bit heated when Derek Jeter was HBP and David Phelps threw a pitch inside in retaliation. The Rays have hit a couple batters in recent Rays/Yanks games recently, including Jeter last week as well as the pitch that hit Headley in the chin. Phelps, Girardi and coach Tony Pena were ejected.

Jeter’s 0-for string reached 26. His batting average is down to .249, a 29 point drop since August 2nd.

Earlier in the day, the Yanks lost their hottest hitter, Martin Prado, for the season due to an emergency appendectomy.

Masahiro Tanaka will test out his arm (and that hopefully-recovering torn ligament in his elbow) with a start on Sunday.

The only Yanks run in the game came on an rbi single by Ichiro in the second. They were 1 for 10 with RISP.

One other sad note: The Yanks are dead last in the AL in runs scored.

With the loss, the Yanks remain in 3rd place in the AL East (Baltimore clinched the division last evening) at 76-74, and there is a chance they may finish without a winning record for the first time since 1992. They are six out of the final playoff spot with just 12 games remaining and would have to jump four teams.

Games 145/146. Yanks get swept.

The Yanks’ very remote playoff chances were basically killed off on Friday when they scored only one run in 20 innings of a DH and lost both games to the Baltimore Orioles, 2-1 in 11 innings, and 5-0.

With the losses, the Yanks fell to 75-71, and are in 3rd place, 12 1/2 behind division leader Baltimore, and are five games out of the final wild card spot with just 16 to play.

In the first game, the game was scoreless until Thursday night’s hero, Chris Young homered in the top of the 11th. Unfortunately, the Yanks weren’t playing at home like they were on Thursday night, so the HR wasn’t a GW walk-off. Instead, Adam Warren came in, hit one batter, walked two, then gave up a two-out, two-run single to blow the game, 2-1.

Antoan Richardson went 3 for 4 in the DH. (I correct myself from a previous version of this post. I thought it was his first MLB hit, but he went 2-4 for Atlanta in 2011. )

The Game 1 pitching line:

McCarthy 7 Ip, 0 R, 4 H, 0 walks and 6 K. Overall ERA  3.98 (as NYY, 2.54)
Betances 1 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 2 walks and 2 K. 1.37
Robertson 1 2/3, 0 R, 0 H, 2 walks and 2 K. 2.68.
Warren (L, 3-6, 3.30) 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 1 HBP, 1 K.

The Yanks’ offense continued to struggle in Game 2 of the DH, since they lost that one 5-0, getting just four hits.

Rookie Bryan Mitchell made his first MLB start (second MLB game), and did well the first time through the order before the Orioles caught up to him.

David Phelps struggled in his return from the DL (rusty).

Mitchell 5 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 2 walks and 2 K. (L, 0-1, 2.57).
Outman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. Overall ERA 3.00
Phelps 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 3 walks and 1 K. 4.38.
Hill 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 1.93.
Roe 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 9.00.

Derek Jeter didn’t play in the first game of the DH and went 0 for 4 in the nightcap. He stays at 3450 career hits as his career is winding down (just over two weeks to go). He is down to .253, and is hitting .181 since August 2nd, when his average was .278. Jeter, of course, missed most of last year (hitting just .190 in 17 games) recovering from the breaks in his ankle, and at the age of 40, you wonder if it is age, fatigue (after all, he missed most of last year) or a combination of age, deterioration of skills, fatigue, all the ceremonies and the realization this is the end, etc.

Whatever, the last five weeks or so have been tough to watch. Seeing him lose 25 points off his batting average, and getting to the point where we really have to wonder if he’ll stay above .250 for this season has been difficult. It’s sad to watch lately.

Game 111. Yanks edge Tigers, 2-1.

First, some trivia.

Each of the Yankees’ last 15 games has been decided by only one or two runs.

Last night (Monday), the Yanks went up against Max Scherzer, who won the 2013 AL CYA. Tonight, they face the 2012 AL CYA winner in David Price (recently dealt to Detroit from Tampa Bay) and tomorrow night they face 2011 AL CYA and MVP Justin Verlander. Each of the AL’s last three CYA winners in three consecutive games.

Last night the Yanks got the better of Scherzer, winning 2-1.

Suzuki, Gardner and Jeter opened the third with singles. Carrera made a great catch to rob Ellsbury of at least a bases-clearing double. The SF scored Suzuki. McCann then singled in a run.

The Tigers got an unearned run in the fifth, but that was all.

Brandon McCarthy went 5 2/3, 1 R, unearned, 5 H, 2 walks and 8 K. (W, 7-10, 4.37). As a Yankee, he is 4-0, 2.08 in five starts.

Matt Thornton 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 2.55.

Adam Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 1 h, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.27.

Shawn Kelley 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 3.28.

David Robertson picked up his 30th save of the season. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 2.68.

David Phelps was put on the 15-day DL with elbow inflammation. Masahiro Tanaka threw for the first time since being put on the DL. 25 tosses at 60 feet from flat ground and he said he felt good. Here’s keeping our fingers crossed. It wasn’t tossing off the mound, or hard, just a catch. So there is a long way to go, yet.

With the win, the Yanks go to 58-53, still 3rd in the AL East. 5 back of Baltimore, but they are now just one game behind Toronto for the final wild card spot.

Derek Jeter got one hit to go to 3427 for his career, three behind Honus Wagner for sixth all-time.

Game 110. Drew, Gardner lead Yanks past Boston, 8-7.

Brett Gardner’s HR broke a 7-7 tie, and Stephen Drew drove in four runs as the Yanks bounced back from 3-0 and 7-4 deficits to beat Boston 8-7 on Sunday night.

Gardner had 3 hits and 3 RBI in the game.

The Yanks improve to 57-53 with the win, and are in third place in the AL East, five behind Baltimore. They are 1 1/2 games behind Toronto for the final wild card spot.

David Phelps started and struggled badly. He lasted just two innings, giving up 5 R, 6 H, 2 walks and 0 K. His ERA went to 4.24.

After the game, manager Joe Girardi stated that Phelps has been dealing with elbow inflammation for 3-4 weeks, had an MRI a few weeks ago. May miss his next turn in rotation. He’ll be reevaluated this week in NY.

The Yanks, down 3-0, tied the game in the top of the second. Stephen Drew had an RBI forceout, and Brett Gardner doubled in two runs.

Boston got two in the bottom of the second on a Pedroia HR to go up 5-3. The Yanks bounced back with a run in the fourth on a double by Drew. Ortiz’ 2-run HR in the bottom of the fourth put Boston up 7-4, but then the Yanks’ bullpen shut the door.

The Yanks tied the game in the fifth on an RBI double by Headley and a 2-run single by Drew.

Gardner’s HR (15) in the sixth broke the tie and was the final run of the ballgame.

Derek Jeter got one hit, #3426, to creep within four hits of tying Honus Wagner for sixth on the all-time hits list. Meanwhile, Jacoby Ellsbury is in a tough slump, while a hot Carlos Beltran has raised his average to .250.

After Phelps was pulled,

Whitley 2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 2 K. ERA to 5.06.

Newcomer Esmil Rogers got the win and was a star of the game. (1-0, 6.08). 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 3 K.

Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 1.49.

Robertson picked up his 29th save. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 0 H, 2.74.