The Yankees are about to embark on a week that may change the course of their history. The Winter Meetings start today in Las Vegas and many expect for Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman to make a splash. One that comes with truckloads of green in name of Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. The question is which one is a better fit in the Bronx. What if I told you neither was the answer? Would if Cashman agreed with me and didn't sign either of them? Let's take a look at both.

Manny Machado would seem as the obvious target for Cashman given that the everyday shortstop (SS) Didi Gregorius is out until June. The Yanks are shopping Miguel Andujar as early as this week for a front end Starting Pitcher. It's a puzzle that Cashman needs to put together. The way he puts it together could lead to a World Series championship or two, or three or none!

The question here is definitely a puzzling one. How much better can you make a 100 win team? A team that went to Game 7 of the ALCS two seasons ago. They already added a 10 year superstar contract in Giancarlo Stanton last offseason, so why is another one needed? The Red Sox has a magical season. If Aaron Judge doesn't get hurt for two months this summer then maybe just maybe the Yankees finish with 105 wins and the Red Sox 104.  Maybe the Sox play the one game Wild Card against the A's. Maybe the Sox don't win that game. It's a lot of what-ifs but the fact is the Yankees in my opinon took a step back in 2018 and they added a reigning MVP. How much better can Manny make the Yankees?

Bryce Harper is intriguing because he's a lefty and he could easily hit 50 home runs a year in the Bronx. It was reported that he was willing to play First Base (1B) if he came to the Bronx. I like that idea alot more than Manny replacing Didi and/or Andujar. If he was added to the mix then it adds to his value. Although much like Manny, he's going to command a 10 year deal in order to get a deal done. That in lies the problem. The length of the deal.

Ten years. Ten years. Ten Years. It's going to take the Yankees or someone to go that far in order to land one of these generational talents. I think both Machado and Harper are unbelievable talents and they should go out and get as much as they can but that doesn't mean the Yankees should be the one to give it to them. The Yanks are already loaded with talent, perennial MVPs and bloated contracts, they don't need another.

Stanton's contract is already looking like an albatross judging by how his October went. 9 more years of that? Oy vey. He was supposed to be the missing piece to get them to their 28th championship. He didn't get them to a game 5 in the ALDS, much less the ALCS, where they were a year prior. He didn't get them the division. He only played Aaron Judge over the summer when the slugger went down. I don't see Manny or Bryce being the savior in NY. I see just another overpaid superstar chasing stardom, headlines, late night shows, and shadows of their former selves.

Maybe I'm wrong but the Bronx doesn't need Manny and the Bronx doesn't need Bryce. The Bronx needs the $30-35 million a year for the next 10 years for pitching, for our home grown stars, for our bullpen, for our scouting, for whatever our team needs in order to win a championship. It doesn't need to go to someone to hog up a roster spot.

I'll take pass on these two generational talents....we already have them.

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Tags: Aaron Judge, Boston Red Sox, Brian Cashman, Byrce Harper, Didi Gregorius, Giancarlo Stanton, Manny Machado, Miguel Andujar, Yankees

Guest Article from Michael Ruda / @DaTuna725 on Twitter

Here we go, Another Yankee fan piece filled with excuses and belly-aching about why the “Chase for 28” fell short.  Not from this guy.

The 2018 New York Yankees were built to win a championship. That’s the expectation of the franchise every year. Building off of the surprise early success of this new core of homegrown talent the 2017 Yankees fell just 1 game shy of reaching the World Series. Joe Girardi was shown the door in favor of a youthful/players manager in Aaron Boone, Mixed with seasoned veteran leadership from the likes of Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia, young rising stars in Aaron Judge, Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez ,and the offseason acquisition of the reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton the sky was the limit for this 2018 club.

Greg Bird, another highly touted “Baby Bomber” (Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar being the others) disappeared. He was given every opportunity to hold down this first baseman job and hit a disgusting .199, eventually losing his job, and not even making the postseason roster.

So what exactly did the 2018 New York Yankees accomplish. Yes, they set a MLB record with 267 homeruns as a team. They had 12 players with 10 or more homeruns. An amazing feat. They won 100 games, No walk in the park. This season felt like a grind. Losing Aaron Judge for 8 weeks played a factor in the division race, but Brian Cashman put all the pieces in place at and after trade deadline. Acquiring J.A. Happ, Zach Britton, and Andrew McCutchen to fill in the holes this team had and ensure that injury would have minimal effect on what we were expected to accomplish.

Ultimately 2018’s expectations beat the 2018 New York Yankees. Yes, the Red Sox had an amazing regular season season winning 108 games, but were ripe for the pickin’ in the ALDS. A shaky Red Sox bullpen, a gem by Masahiro Tanaka,Tying the series heading home for games 2 and 3 should’ve meant another trip to the ALCS. Luis Severino was not the ace we needed in that spot, and didn’t look right in the second half of the season. Again expectations too high, too soon. We need to remember that this team WILL eventually win the World Series. This core of talent will lead us to many years of success and post season moments as the likes of Jeter, Pettitte, Rivera,Posada, and Bernie did. They need to learn how to handle the pressure. This year was that lesson.

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Tags: Aaron Boone, Aaron Judge, Andrew McCutchen, CC Sabathia, Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Greg Bird, JA Happ, Joe Girardi, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Miguel Andujar, Yankees

Last night was the end of the 2018 Yankees season, at least a week earlier than expected. Losing the ALDS wasn't in the plans this year in the Bronx, much less losing it to the Boston Red Sox. In a season that saw the Yankees win 100 games, I saw one of the most frustrating seasons in recent memory.

Maybe I'm caught up in the recent hype that's surrounded this team the last couple seasons, or I was begging to see a winner after so many years of mediocrity after the 2009 championship. What I saw this season was the best Yankee team since that '09 championship team and then I saw a team that was debatably worst than the crosstown rival New York Mets. A tale of two seasons, complete opposites of one another. A team that went 22-1 at one point to a team who couldn't beat a 110 loss Baltimore Orioles team. A team with Aaron Judge and a team without him. Much of the last 3 months I spent saying the Yankees wouldn't see past the Wild Card game..if they even got lucky to play that game.

Yes, the Yankees were in danger of not even playing that game. But then the Seattle Mariners became the Seattle Mariners and fell out of contention. The Oakland A's closed the gap to 1.5 of getting home field advantage in the Wild Card game and the Judge returned to the lineup. Then the Yanks took off and started playing close to the first half  Yankees. That went all the way to Game 3 of the ALDS. Then the second half Yankees showed up. I saw the "ace" Luis Severino pray he could pitch four innings, FOUR! Guess what, he didn't even know what time the game was starting. That's a problem. I saw a rookie manager in Aaron Boone be so quick to go to the bullpen when his real ace Masahiro Tanaka was dealing on Saturday night, but fails to go to the best part of his team when he needed to (Game 3). To top it off when he did, he brought in Lance Lynn! A starter...with the BASES LOADED and NO ONE OUT! And his proven commodity Chad Green who's speciality is that exact situation, sit in the bullpen! Then 16-1 happened.

Last night was similar to Game 3 in which Boone couldn't make the right move when he needed to. He should be criticized  and second guessed, but as a rookie manager, he gets a pass because he had a mostly successful season. But last night's failure falls on the hands of Giancarlo Stanton. How does a 4-3 loss fall soley on him? After Judge and Didi Gregorious got on base and re-ignited what was left of the sellout Yankee Stadium crowd, Stanton KILLED any momentum that was built in the previous two at bats.

Much like he did with the game on the line in Game 1 (bases loaded and no one out, he struck out. A base hit would have changed the game to the Yankees favor), he struck out. Painfully, embarrassingly, and pathetically. First pitch was a hanging slider on the inside corner which should have been mashed. For a single, a sac fly, a double, a HR, anything. But it was taken for a strike. Ok, let's be patient in this at bat and make Boston closer Craig Kimbrel continue to crumble under the pressure of the bright lights of the Bronx. Instead Stanton chased TWO sliders out of the zone that he was FEET away from making ANY sort of contact. Inexcusable and unacceptable. Not a clue of what to do with the season on the line. No urgency, no plan, no approach, no clue. Work a walk, continue the rally. Instead he gave Kimbrel a life preserver that he so desperately needed. It was only the first out, but it was an important confidence booster for Kimbrel. JUST enough to get him by Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres. Sanchez missed a game winning Walk-off Grand Slam by a few feet and Torres missed extending the inning by half a step. Can't fault either in that situation. Sanchez put on a great at at-bat and did get an RBI out of it and Torres busted it down the line faster than his average speed to first base.

They tried, Stanton didn't. I have a problem with that. He just thought free swinging was going to get him a Yankee moment for the ages. Wrong. For 30 mil a year, I need better. I want better. I invest in this team all year, so I expect you to invest your best effort in the biggest at bat of the season. You're not a rookie, you're a reigning MVP! You don't get a pass. Now I have 5 months to replay that 9th inning last night and wonder what-if.

"We're all going to come together and use this as fuel for next year." Said Stanton after the game.

All we needed was a single. A single. A single not ONE Yankee produced in the biggest inning of the year with the season on the line. That's mind boggling. It truly was a season to forget in the Bronx.

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Tags: Aaron Boone, Aaron Judge, Boston Red Sox, Chad Green, Didi Gregorius, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Lance Lynn, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees

Today we would like to announce a new partnership with Stans Sports Bar! Stans is located at 836 River Ave, Bronx, NY 10451. It is the ideal location for every Yankee fan (over the age of 21). Stans has a long standing tradition of treating their customers like their very own family. 

Starting in the near future look for Stans on Facebook and Twitter Twitter . Use the hashtag #StansBX to share your stories, photos, and more with everyone! 

Be sure to follow OnTheBlockNY on Facebook and Twitter.

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March Madness is usually reserved for college basketball but every four years, there's another tournament that's getting everyone's attention. The World Baseball Classic (WBC). The World Cup of baseball is on display once every four years. It truly is the World Series. Much like the NCAA's Madness, the WBC has certainly lived up to it's expectations and more.

On Saturday night, the USA and Dominican Republic squared off in a loser gets eliminated game. It had a Game 7 feel to it. Just a week prior these two teams met in Miami in the First Round with DR edging out a victory over Team USA with an 8th inning comeback for the ages. This time Team USA provided highlights for the ages.

In what is sure to be looked at over and over again two moments popped out from Saturday night's game. Giancarlo Stanton drilled a two-run Home Run to Left Field that nearly went into Western Metal Supply Co.'s building. It had an exit velocity of 117.3 MPH off his bat. It's the 4th hardest hit ball in the StatCast era ( the tool used to measure such occurrences). Stanton is no stranger to hitting HR's or hitting the ball far and with force but to do it on a global stage in a must win game, was huge. Stanton is already a huge star for Major League Baseball, this moment just propelled him into superstardom.

The next moment came from Adam Jones who ran over 100 feet (thanks StatCast) to jump and scale the wall to rob a HR away from his Baltimore Oriole teammate Manny Machado. It was truly an amazing catch and it was picture perfect. At the time of the catch it saved the game for Team USA because the very next hitter Robinson Cano hit a HR to Left Field to get the DR within one run 4-3. Jones is a native of San Diego so to make that kind of catch, in that particular moment of the game, with the tournament on the line, in his hometown, on his Baltimore teammate made it all that more special.

"I'm still in kind of shock that I even got to that ball," said Jones, who played at Morse High about 8 miles east of Petco. "I mean, off the bat I'm just like, `This ball's hit really far, so just keep going, keep going. You know this California air's going to slow it down and just never quit.' That's just the style I play with. I don't mind running into a wall or two. I just kept going after the ball."I saw the replay after the game. It was a hell of catch," he added.

 I've played center field most of my baseball/softball career, when I tell you what he did was amazing, believe me. He did something that is extremely hard to do and he did it almost effortlessly.

After the game both emphasized how big of a win that was for the team, the tournament and ultimately the country.

It certainly was a hell of a game. A game like this, moments like this draws in new fans and gets the attention of anyone with a pulse. This WBC has been nothing short of amazing. The games have been played with a plethora of passion. The fans in attendance for all these games have been loud, passionate and engaged. It's amazing to see the fans come out in support of their country and voice their passion. It's added to the electric atmosphere. I'm all for Spring Training, but this tournament takes baseball to another level. I love it!

Major League Baseball should take some notes on what makes this tournament must see in so many people's eyes and apply it to the regular season. Maybe I'm going too far but hey, I'm still excited about a game that ended about 24 hours ago. And that's the idea....well done!

Team USA plays Japan on Tuesday night in the Semi-Finals in Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium for the right to play in the Championship Game. They await the winner of the Puerto Rico-Netherlands game on Monday night. I'll be a little bias and root for a USA-PR showdown in the Finals, their game last Friday night had lots of drama. Here's hoping for a rematch of that thriller too!

 

 

 

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Tags: Adam Jones, Dominican Team, Giancarlo Stanton, Manny Machado, Robinson Cano, Team USA, WBC, World Baseball Classic

Wednesday night November 2nd 2016 has been set up to be one of the best nights in sports history. GAME SEVEN. Ask any sports fan what those two words mean and they'll tell either tell you how great it is or how devastating it can be. They can tell you stories of triumph or stories of ultimate failure.

I can easily give both without hesitation. Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Boston Red Sox and Aaron Boone sending a knuckleball into the Left Field seats to send the Yankees into the World Series is one of my favorite all-time memories. On the other side, Game 7 of the 2001 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks will forever haunt me as a Yankees fan. Up 2-1 in the Bottom of the 9th inning and the greatest closer of all-time on the mound, Mariano Rivera, the Yanks somehow lost 3-2 and lost the World Series. The World Series that saw TWO, not one, but TWO of the most dramatic endings in sports history go in the Yankees favor. Down by 2 runs in the 9th inning and 2 outs in BOTH Games 4 and 5, the Yanks hit Game-tying Home Runs to send the games into extra innings, just so they could win it minutes later. It was just 7 weeks removed from the September 11th attacks. Those games brought the city of New York together. They captivated a nation in suffering. A feel good story at the perfect moment, in the perfect city, with the perfect team. The thing is...nothing in life is perfect and the 2001 World Series HAD to go to the Yankees, but it didn't. The city needed something, anything to cheer for. They did for a couple nights, but ultimately the Yankees lost one of the most heartbreaking games in their history.

This brings me to Wednesday night. The Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs....Game Seven. All eyes in those two cities will be on them. They ALL will be watching Game Seven. Both cities might just shut down. Why? The Indians haven't won a World Series since 1948 and the Cubs haven't won since 1908. 176 years without a championship. We all aim to be the top of our profession, so could you imagine not being Employee of the Month for 68 years, how bout 108 years? Always giving it your all each and every day and never getting recognized for your hard work? We'd go crazy, we'd lose faith in ourselves at some point, we'd question why do we continue if we can't succeed. Well for these two cities, that's the feeling going around. Wednesday night, someone will finally get recognized. Someone will end years of frustration, and someone will hang their heads and go into the winter questioning everything they did for the last 8 and a half months.

Cleveland is the Cinderella team have no business being in Game Seven of th world Series. Yet here they are, in their home ballpark in front of their fans at Progressive Field. Literally steps away from The Quiken Loans Arena, where the Cleveland Cavaliers play. The same Cavaliers team that won an NBA Championship back in June when no one gave them a chance to win against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors just came off an NBA Championship last year, plus set an NBA record going 73-9 AND were up 3 games to 1. Yet the Cavs fought for respect, fought game by game and won it all. Ironically enough, the Indians found themselves up 3 games to 1 against the team with the best record in MLB but have faltered in their first two attempts to win it all and end their 68 year championship drought.

Chicago is America's feel good story. They are the underdogs. Yet they came in the favorites to win it all back in Feburary. They were the favorites after each passing month in the regular season and each passing round in the Postseason. They have been the lovable losers for well over a century and they are one win away from making history. The city of Chicago will be shut down tomorrow night. Every pair of eyes will be glued on every move these Cubs make. If you've watched them this Postseason they have been nothing short of spectacular. They've come from behind every single time you thought there was no way they could win. Yet they did and they're one win away from one of the greatest sports stories that could ever be told. That's gotta mean something, doesn't it?

As a Yankee fan, I like both teams because they both have two former Yankees on their teams that are playing huge significant roles (Andrew Miller:Indians, Aroldis Chapman:Cubs) So I love that they are performing well when the lights are shining brightest. But I will be rooting for the Cubs in Gmae Seven, like I have all Postseason long. They remind me a lot of the Yankees. And when I say that, I mean the real Yankees, the ones that played in the real Yankee Stadium. The Jeters, the Riveras, the Posadas, the Pettittes, the Williams, the O'Neil's. Those guys were good, they played with heart and they were winners. I see the same in the Cubs. I have seen America's best feel good story unfold for the last 4-5 weeks, I need to see one more good moment. I need to see the underdog win. I need to see David beat Goliath. I want a Cubs World Series win in Game Seven.

Do yourself a favor, watch Game Seven. Watch it for the reasons we love sports for. Watch the passion, watch the intensity, watch the nerves, watch the tension. Have a rooting interest. Go for the city of Cleveland who never won ANYTHING before June, now they can claim their 2nd major sports championship within a 4 month span. Go for the city of Chicago and their fans who have NEVER experienced a high in their life like the one they're on now. Watch as a Yankee fan who sees two of their best pitchers going head to head to win a World Championship. Watch because either way, one city will be so overwhelmed with joy, it'll make you wish it was you and your team winning it all for the first time or watch to see a city go in complete silence and/or destroy itself in the face of defeat. The drama is all there, it's laid out there for your viewing pleasure. We've all watched debates that will doom us all in some way or another, so why not watch a tale of two lovable losing cities and it's franchises fight over being the very best in their profession? This IS better than any debate, any reality show and any soap opera. They even have A-Rod there to cover all those genres for you. Game Seven will be a classic, it will be history....will you be apart of it?

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Tags: Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, World Series

One of the best times of the year is upon us, Opening Day! It's been a long and relatively quiet winter for the New York Yankees. That can be seen as a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask. No major free agent additions as we've seen in years past but some notable trades made the team stronger. Again, depending on who you ask, the additions of Starlin Castro from the Cubs and Aroldis Chapman from the Reds can be seen as a negative.

I expect the same sort of reaction when trying to predict what the Yankees will give us in 2016. They can be really really good or really really bad. Personally, I don't know what to expect. I can see it be as good as the first four months of the 2015 season where they were cruising to an 7 game lead on the July 31 trade deadline or I can see the lifeless group that gave up the last two months. Many analysts and experts are saying much of the same.

The Good:

Everyone plays to the back of their baseball cards. Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner get on base, steal the next and score a batter or two later. Mark Teixeira continues from where he left off in midst of a MVP caliber season. Alex Rodriguez proves that last season was no fluke and he can hit another 30 Home Runs and drive in 90-100 RBIs. Carlos Beltran provides the clutch hitting and productivity he was carrying the Yankees with in August and September. Brian McCann continues to be one of the best hitting catchers in the game. After a shaky first season in pinstripes, he rebounded well for '15 and was consistent threat in the middle of the lineup. Something that will be asked of him once again in '16. Chase Headley figures out what went wrong last year and does the exact opposite. His defense was the real eye opener last season, by far the worst of his career. Better defense should be on the menu, with that better approaches to the plate in the batters box and better results. Starlin Castro is the stud the Yankees think he is and adds stability to a second base position that has been struggling since Robinson Cano left for Seattle. Didi Gregorius showed he was a force at the bottom of the lineup and at shortstop once he made some adjustments to his game during the year. Him and Starlin provide a new youthful dynamic double play combo that should excite Yankee fans everywhere.

The rotation of Masahiro Tanaka , Luis Severino, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi , and CC Sabathia can be the absolute best in baseball. Yes, in baseball! Tanaka goes out and pitches like the ace he was in the first season he was here before he injured his elbow, not many people are going to touch his stuff. Sevy has the ability to be just as electric, if not more. At 21, he seems ready to be a power arm reliable of handling the ball in big situations. Big Mike much like Sevy has electric stuff. Mothers Day last year he struck out 16 and for a period of time he was untouchable and was the ace of the staff. With not of the "ace" burden on his shoulders he can go out and just pitch. When he does, oh boy it's a site to see. Nasty Nate dazzled in first year in the Bronx winning 14 games before his injury. His stuff is filthy and is the hardest thrower in the rotation. If he can bring that same poise he had last season into 2016, expect a big year.  Sabathia is the 5th starter and just needs to be a reliable get me to the 6th inning kind of pitcher. His best days are behind him but he can contribute and he had a solid September after getting a knee brace to help him stabilize his delivery.

The three headed monster at the end of the bullpen with Chapman, Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances will leave everyone in awe in what they're witnessing. 100 strikeouts by each, dominance across the board and they will lead the Yanks into the postseason with a great chance of winning.

The Bad:

You saw what happened in August and September last year. That could very well end up being the 2016 Yankees. Injuries and old age finally catch up and it'll be a long season in the Bronx. Every night was so frustrating to watch those final two months. The Yankees are putting a lot of stock into a lot of question marks, we can only hope that this isn't the case.

Final Prediction:

92-70 1st place in the American League East and a trip to the ALCS.

OR

83-79 3rd place in the American League East.

My gut leans to the latter.

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Brett Gardner, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, CC Sabathia, Dellin Betances, Jacoby Ellsbury, Luis Severino, Mark Teixeira, Michael Pineda, Starlin Castro

As we head into the last week of Feburary we're met with the arrivals of position players at Spring Training. Yesterday a notable arrival came without the usual pop and circumstance that has been accustomed in the past. Alex Rodriguez arrived to camp fresh off a successful comeback season.

In 2015 Alex played a pivotal part of the Yankees success. he also played into their late season downfall. At 40 years old, A-Rod showed signs of a man who sat out an entire season due to suspension and someone who had two surgically repaired hips. Nonetheless Alex delivered a solid season and put 33 home runs while being the offensive force in the middle of the lineup we had been accustomed to since his arrival to the Bronx in 2004. Alex turns 41 in July, has two years remaining on his legendary contract and is 27 homers shy of tying Babe Ruth on the All-Time HR list. When asked about reflecting on 2015 Alex said:

“I kind of went back and studied the season a little bit, and one of the things (was) I started my (training) process November, December, January. Really (significant) workloads for me, kind of prepping for spring training. I ran out of gas in August. My energy kind of picked up again in September, I just stunk. August, I was fatigued a little bit. September, I felt great and played poorly. So one of the things I’ve adjusted going into 2016 is to kind of pace myself a little bit more and use spring training as a ramping instead of coming here ready to go Day 1, which I did last year.”

I think if we get anything near the performance we did last year, we'd all be happy and take it. Assuming Alex and his fellow teammate Mark Teixeira  stay healthy, it'll provide the Yanks with the same 3-4 punch that provided an 8 game lead as late as July 31st.

Alex will once again serve as the teams DH. Manager Joe Girardi reiterated he has no plans to use Alex in the field. After two hip surgeries, why take the chance. The Yankees have made moves to add infield depth. They are talking about getting their Second Basemen Starlin Castro and Rob Refsynder some reps at Third Base. Castro could also serve as the back up Shortstop. Starting Third Baseman Chase Headley is the backup First Baseman should Teixeira need some time off or goes down with an injury. This should provide for some very interesting lineups this season.

As for Alex, I expect a similar if not slightly less productive season to the one we saw in 2015. I will go with a .265 AVG 27 HR 73 RBI. Nothing spectatcular but productive for someone finishing the season at 41 years of age. The drama appears to be a thing of the past for Alex so I expect the focus to be there but ultimately, he is past his prime, he's closer to 50 than 30 and he didn't have last season off. Let's hope for the best for A-Rod. At least for the remaining 2 years and 60-70 million left on his deal.

 

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Chase Headley, Joe Girardi, Mark Teixeira, Rob Refsnyder, Spring Training, Starlin Castro

The Yankees made a HUGE splash by trading for flamethrower Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds for four minor leaguers. By doing so, they didn't trade any of their main prospects or part with any major league talent. This was a move I'm in favor of for so many reasons. Some of them I just listed but I'll explain why this is a win-win for the Bombers.

The addition of Chapman now gives the Yankees the best 1-2-3 punch in baseball...by far. If they all play up to their caliber, this season will be very special in the Bronx. This end of the bullpen gives the starting rotation some wiggle room and takes some pressure off their shoulders. With an already question filled rotation with each of the five starters, all that's going to be asked is to get 5-6 solid innings on any given night. The three headed monster awaits at the end of games. Now the bridge to the trio needs to worked out by manager Joe Girardi but honestly, will it be that much of an important role? The answer is yes, but the pressure to be an Adam Warren 2-3 inning guy won't be there. An inning of solid relief is all the Yanks need , ala Chasen Shreve pre- August 2015.

The pending suspension of Chapman can very much work in the Yankees favor. Should Chapman be suspended more than 45 games, he forfeits his rights to be a Free Agent at the end of the 2016 season, which then gives the Yankees control of Chapman for another season.

“We felt this was an opportunity to add a big arm to our bullpen, even though there are some things that are unresolved,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said after the trade.

If this does end up being the case, then it gives the Yankees time during his suspension to figure roles and lets Girardi see who has what coming out of his bullpen. Who's reliable, who's going to implode. That way once Chapman returns, everyone can settle into their roles and hopefully we see a simple formula, starter goes 6, Bridge, then ANY combination of the trio can be used to mix and match for the rest of the game.

Dellin Betances will get less work this season and get a chance to rest an arm that was overtaxed the last two seasons. Last year Betances' stuff wasn't as sharp going down the stretch. Andrew Miller can pitch multiple innings much like he did with Balitmore and Boston the year before he won the Yankees closer's job. It's very possible we could see the trio of Betances, Miller and Chapman for FIVE innings on any given day. That's how lethal this group can be.

Chapman gives the Yankees the top three relievers by strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings in the majors. Miller had 36 saves in his first year with New York and Betances made his second straight All-Star team as the setup man. After defecting from Cuba in 2009, Chapman spent the past six seasons with the Reds and saved 146 games in 164 chances. He had a 1.63 ERA this year, when he struck out 116 in 66 1-3 innings. Betances struck out a league-best 131 and Miller fanned 100.

Big things are ahead for the Yankees this season. Of course the excitement for the flamethrowing trio could all be for naught if the offense can hit and score runs, but that's a story for a different day. For now lets enjoy the big move the Yankees just made and picture how this could look come October 2016 under the lights at Yankee Stadium for the World Series :)

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Tags: Adam Warren, Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman, Brian Cashman, Chasen Shreve, Dellin Betances, Joe Girardi

On Tuesday night the Yankees made their first big move of the offseason. They sent pitcher Adam Warren and infielder Brendan Ryan to the Chicago Cubs for Second Baseman/Shortstop Starlin Castro. This is a good move for both sides and gives the Yankees another young solid infielder. Gone are the days of overpriced aging players. I love this!

There are many things to like about this. But first lets say goodbye to Adam Warren. He was the most consistent pitcher the Yankees had and most reliable in 2015. Wherever they put him, he was dependable. In the rotation or in the bullpen, he was good. He always gave the Yankees just what they needed that day and there's a lot of value in that, especially with a team full of question marks. Warren seemed to fit the role of 4th or 5th starter just fine but he was pushed to the bullpen after 17 starts in '15 because Ivan Nova came back from Tommy John surgery. Warren then filled the gap from starter to the trio of Justin Wilson-Dellin Betances- and Andrew Miller. THAT role he filled proved to be so vital because once he was inserted back in the rotation late in the season, his absence in the bullpen was felt. Manager Joe Girardi tried replacing Warren's absence with kid after kid from the minors in BIG spots. They rarely delivered. It ended up costing them the division. Warren now joins a World Series contender and probably one of the best rotations in the National League.

With Castro, the Yankees get a 25 year old 2B/SS with 6 years of major league experience. He hit just .237 through the end of July, but hit .335 in the final two months. For the Yanks, he fits the profile of their recent targets as a young, cost-controlled player in a buy-low opportunity. Castro is signed through 2019 with a team option for 2020. He has $38 million guaranteed left on his contract. The idea of him and Didi Gregorious as the Yankees new double play combo lights up my eyes and gets me excited to see what they can do

“You could be greedy (at second base),” manager Joe Girardi said at today’s Winter Meetings before news of the Castro trade went public. “You look for outstanding defense and offensive production. I mean, that’s the greedy part of it; that you can get a lot of production, too, offensively."

 The move gets the Yankees younger, cheaper and hungrier. GM Brian Cashman went on the Michael Kay Show last week and said he was focusing on acquiring players through trades as opposed to signing the usual big free agent contract. Today we see that Cashman and company have a plan they're sticking to. The Yankees are getting younger and more athletic....and I'm ok with that. Good job!

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Tags: Adam Warren, Andrew Miller, Chicago Cubs, Dellin Betances, Didi Gregorius, Joe Girardi, Justin Wilson, Starlin Castro, Yankees

The offseason is only a week old and I'm already itching for something to happen. The Yankees have an old inversatile roster so there won't be much movement unless something drastic happens. I think that's what should happen.

If there's any good of the NY Mets making the World Series its that the Yankees saw just how much attention that the youth of the Mets organization got. The Royals won it all because they were young, hungry and durable. Sure, they needed to make some mid season additions to get over the hump, so did the Mets. The Yankees were quiet at the trade deadline. That was the right move because it meant they kept all their young guns. The thing that gets me is that the young guys aren't exactly part of the plan for 2016.

Rob Refsynder is platooning at second base, Greg Bird doesn't have a spot on the big league roster after belting 11 home runs in his month and a half stint replacing Mark Teixeria at first base and in the lineup. Aaron Judge still won't see any significant time above Triple A because of Carlos Beltran clogging up time in right field. If last season was anything to learn from it's when the old guard goes down with an injury, which is going to happen with older players, you need reliable replacements. Brendan Ryan and Chris Young aren't the answers.

2016 should be the year where much like Luis Severino got his chance in 2015, Judge, Refsynder, and Bird should get significant time to showcase their talents and learn on the big league level. Teixeria doesn't give you any reason to think you're going to get a full healthy season out of him. Beltran was great down the stretch but it took him 4-5 months to get there. By that time, the rest of the team wore down and were left for dead.

While not young to be a rookie, Nathan Eovaldi showed he was reliable and develpoed into a solid top of the line pitcher. Pair him with Micheal Pineda and Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees have a formiable 1-2-3 punch. If Ivan Nova goes back to his 18 win form, then the Yankee rotation came be one of the best in baseball. It would be a shame if they were and the lineup couldn't back them up because of age.

I wanna see the young core play and develop. It's time. Even if it's at the expense of some expensive past their prime players.

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Tags: Aaron Judge, Carlos Beltran, Kansas City Royals, Luis Severino, Mark Teixeira, Masahiro Tanaka, Mets, Nathan Eovaldi, Rob Refsnyder

No one does it like #TheCaptain

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Tags: Derek Jeter

It's been two weeks since the Yankees were eliminated at the hands of the Houston Astros in the Wild Card Playoff game and it still hurts.

This Yankee team that no one gave a shot at winning before the season started far exceeded expectations. By the end of July it looked like the Yanks would coast into October, except three things happened that derailed the entire season. Mark Teixeria went down with a season ending injury hurting the offense. Nathan Eovaldi ultimately went down for the remainder of the season hurting the starting rotation and the bullpen. The Yankees got old very quickly.

Teixeria was on his way to a 40 home run 115 RBI season when he fouled a ball off his shin and fractured his shin. Eovaldi was 14-2 and on his way to 200 innings when he went down with a forearm strain and he threw the balance of the pitching off its rocker. It put trusted pitcher Adam Warren back into the rotation, which was ok because he excelled during his stint in the rotation earlier in the year BUT it left a gapping hole in the bullpen. The 2-3 innings Warren would solidify in case a game was close or within reach now went to young inexperienced kids and boy did the Yankees pay for having to go that route. The Yanks lost countless games down the stretch because their starters just couldn't give them enough length. When they did, the offense was non-existent causing there to be more pressure on the lineup to produce. This formula was the demise of the 2015 Yankees.

So much could be said of how manager Joe Girardi handled the bullpen down the stretch in the final month and a half of the season but the REAL cause for concern is the lineup. The lineup that produced 20 runs in Atlanta, two potential Comeback Players of the Year in Teixeria and Alex Rodriguez, the future first baseman in Greg Bird, and a 7 game lead in the A.L. East on July 29th could only muster up 3 hits against the Astros. They went 1-7 in the final 8 games of the overall season. Pitiful, pathetic and embarrassing.

I'm not sure where the Yankees go from here but the answer to me is crystal clear. Get younger, get hungry, get rid of the old. Look around the MLB LCS's going on. All young teams going around. Out are the days of the high priced payrolls, In are the young and hungry want to make a name of themselves kinda players. This is what the Yankees should be aiming for. The new core is ready to be unleashed, Bird, Luis Severino, Rob Refsynder, Aaron Judge, Dellin Betances are just some of the homegrown talent waiting to make this THEIR team. I'd say make this happen sooner rather than later.




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Tags: Aaron Judge, Adam Warren, Alex Rodriguez, Dellin Betances, Greg Bird, Joe Girardi, Luis Severino, Mark Teixeira, Nathan Eovaldi, Rob Refsnyder, Yankees

The Yankees are in! Postseason baseball returns to the Bronx for the first time since 2012. It's been a hell of a roller coaster since then, as the Yanks said goodbye to some iconic players. Mariano Rivera in 2013 and Derek Jeter in 2014. They almost said goodbye to Alex Rodriguez for good both years but in 2015 he found the fountain of youth and became a clutch everyday 30 home run hitter. Now with a new group of players, the Bombers find their way to Tuesday night's Wild Card game at Yankee Stadium.

This team by NOOO means is going into the Postseason with any momentum or anything that makes you believe they will get far this October. They finished 3 games behind where I thought they would.  But I did predict the Yanks would get into October by making the Wild Card. I wasn't too off with my other predictions on how our main players would finish.

THIS Yankee team that takes the field on Tuesday will have more question marks going into that ONE game than it did going into the season. How does Masahiro Tanaka pitch with the season on the line? Who starts at second base? Who's Joe Girardi bringing into the game from the bullpen? How can Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury get out of their second half funk? How much more does Alex Rodriguez have left in the tank? There's more but you get the point. I'm really worried about this team and I'm afraid I know what fate awaits us on Tuesday night.

The Yanks will play the Houston Astros to determine who goes on to play the defending American League Champion Kansas City Royals in the ALDS. It was the one team I didn't want them to face because of their ace Dallas Keuchel. He's shut the Yankees down everytime he's face them and he neutralizes the lefty bats in the lineup, especially at Yankee Stadium, something we don't need in this sudden death situation. Any lefty getting thrown at the Yankees will be successful. Girardi has admitted such this past week.

To be honest, ANYONE taking the mound would've been successful against the Yanks this past week. A week that saw them go 1-6 needing to win only TWO games to clinch the Wild Card and Home Field Advantage in that sudden death game. A week that saw Girardi make some of the most baffling moves of his tenure here in the Bronx. That is what scares me as a fan.

Now to the positive. Last year saw BOTH Wild Card winners catch fire and go to the World Series. There's not reason to think the Yankees can't do the same. The One Game Playoff has proven to be the momentum swing that every team looks for come this time of the year. Tanaka gets the ball and I believe he can be the $175 million ace. I believe the bats of A-Rod, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran still have a little magic left in them. I believe that Girardi can bring in Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller in the late innings and secure a victory. I've seen it so many times this year. Why not again Tuesday night to an Astros team that is young, inexperienced in a big stage and is worn down. It can happen.

The 2000 Yankees stumbled into the Postseason losing 15 of their last 18 games and they went on to win the World Series for the 3rd year in a row. Not saying we're winning the World Series.....yet, but I am saying anything can happen to change the misfortunes of the present and turn them into a steamrolling truck all the way to the end. I'm just happy we have Postseason baseball back in the Bronx. It belongs here.

Prediction: Yankees lose due lack of urgency in the lineup and they're not able to get the "big hit" when they need it. It'll be close, but after 2-3 missed opportunities, it's time to pack up and head home.




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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Dellin Betances, Derek Jeter, Houston Astros, Joe Girardi, Justin Wilson, Mariano Rivera, New Yankee Stadium, QUITE FRANKLY

I was going to post during the Toronto series but the rain out and god awful play of the Yankees delayed that until I had a better understanding of where they stood in terms of the playoff picture. I wanted to post yesterday after Monday night's amazing comeback but it seems after last night's loss, the Yankees are destined for the Wild Card.

Last night was a missed opportunity to gain ground on the Toronto Blue Jays when they lost to the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Braves are one of the worst teams in baseball and for them to beat one of the best teams in baseball was a gift. A gift they might get again. So the Yankees blew a 3-2 lead and lost 6-3 and stayed 3 games out of first.

“It’s tough,” Joe Girardi said after watching his team blow a 3-2 lead in the sixth. “It’s tough that we’re not able to hold them down.”

The reasoning for the Wild Card over the Divsion is simple. Last night was the prime example of why the Yankees are in trouble. The Yankees that played like one of the best in baseball in June and July would've had Nathan Eovaldi on the hill and his 14-2 record. In the 5th when the Yanks went to the bullpen, Joe Girardi would've summoned Adam Warren to bridge the gap to Justin Wilson and Dellin Betances but with the injury to Eovaldi, that wasn't possible. We got Warren going 4 innings then went to young inexperienced relievers to hold a one run lead. That didn't go too well as Nick Rumbelow gave up a two run homerun to Nick Franklin who's batting .133 (!!) on the season.

“They’ve come up all year and done a pretty good job,” Girardi said. “It’s a lot to ask of them, but we think they’re capable of doing the job and we need it.”

Now with the opportunity missed, the Yankees don't gain ground and are just as close to losing that top Wild Card spot as they are overtaking Toronto. By this time next week we will have a better idea where the Bombers stand but I don't think it'll be good news. This team relies too much on the long ball. Their top two hitters Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner are the spark plugs, but they don't steal bases like they're supposed to. Ellsbury is batting .250 on the season and in the middle of an 0 for 28,29, 30 slump. That's very alarming. The offense goes into spurts of knocking the cover off the ball but it hasn't happened much since the beginning of August. This team is talented and have the tools to win it all but I feel with the injuries to Eovaldi and Mark Texieria, it may be too much to overcome. You lose your best pitcher and most productive hitter in the lineup. That kind of loss will eventually catch up to you.

I certainly can see the Yankees turning it around within the blink of an eye. I thought that was the case after Monday night's comeback but after what I saw last night, it's back to the same old story we saw this weekend against the Blue Jays. The Yanks aren't ready and they're just not as good as the Jays. It may be too late for the Yanks to turn it around, but then again..who says the Wild Card is a bad thing. It may be the best thing that happens to the Yankees.

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Tags: Adam Warren, Atlanta Braves, Brett Gardner, Dellin Betances, Jacoby Ellsbury, Justin Wilson, Nathan Eovaldi, Toronto Blue Jays, Yankees

This was a TERRIBLE series for the Yankees. They dropped 2 of 3 to the Baltimore Orioles, who came in losers in 15 of their last 18 games. What made it worst was the two losses came on 8th and 9th inning home runs in tied games!

Dellin Betances is the 8th inning guy in a tie game but manager Joe Girardi decided not to use him or closer Andrew Miller because they pitched two days in a row. Ok, I get it but maybe just maybe ONE of those two guys could've pitched three days in a row? Both losses were very very winnable games but they lost because there was NOOO offense whatsoever!

Tuesday night the Yankees lost because they scored just ONE run. Tonight they lost because Stephen Drew's glove had some cement in it and couldn't receive the ball. It's very troubling that the offense has had its spurts where it goes completely awol and other times they hit everything in site. You can't have this kind of inconsistency in October, especially in a one game wild card playoff.

The Yankees have time to right the ship as the Blue Jays come in for a HUGE four game series at the Stadium. This will be the biggest series in the past three seasons and I expect Yankee Stadium to be rockin'. The battle for first place is on the line and the Jays just wont go away. Playoff atmosphere in the Bronx, I cant wait..but if they play like they have the last two nights say goodbye to those October hopes.

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Tags: Andrew Miller, Balitmore Orioles, Dellin Betances, Joe Girardi, Toronto Blue Jays, Yankee Stadium

Meet former Yankee Fritz Peterson! Visit Stans Sports World, 850 River Ave before the game and pick up your copy and meet the former Yankee!! 

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Tags: Stans Sports World, Yankees

The Yankees season may come down to how they get through this 10-game homestand that started Friday night. In order to make it to October, they have to get through the A.L. East and that's what the next 10 games will be all about.

The Yankees got off to a stellar start by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 at Yankee Stadium. In the process they gained a game on the Toronto Blue Jays. Something they haven't been able to do lately. 

Luis Severino pitched into the 7th inning and recorded his 3rd victory of the year. He lowered his ERA to 2.04. Showing poise on the mound and possibly auditioning for a spot in the playoff rotation, he gave the Yankees just what they needed. He threw a gem giving up just one run in his longest outing of the year. 

Alex Rodriguez, Greg Bird and Brian McCann all homered in the win. A-Rod was the first one to go deep in Friday night and the Yankees will need more of that down the stretch in order to regain control of the division. Alex has slowed down a bit here in the 2nd half but a couple off days seemed to do the trick.

The 10-game homestand ends with a 4-game set with the Jays so every game counts at this point. Day 1 is in the books and the Yanks show they mean business and are coming to claim the division crown. 

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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Brian McCann, Greg Bird, Luis Severino, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Yankee Stadium, Yankees

Last night proved the Yankees can hang with the best the American League has to offer. The surprising Houston Astros are in town for a 3 game series and the Yanks took the opener in a nailbiter, 1-0.

The offense was non-existent once again until the 9th inning where they ultimately won the game but that's for a different blog. The thing we really want to focus on that came out of last night is the fact Nathan Eovaldi pitched magnifecent. 8 innings, no runs allowed, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts. Solid performance by a guy who was an afterthought in the Yankee rotation back in April.

Eovaldi seems to have turned a corner and it's happened at just the right time. With CC Sabathia going on the 15-day DL and possibly lost for the re
st of the season, Eovaldi has stepped into the slot we all thought CC would occupy. Reliable, solid starting pitcher.

“Tonight was the best I’ve felt about an outing,” he said.

Since that game in Miami on June 16 when he couldn't get out of the first inning, he’s gone 8-0 with a 2.93 ERA in his past 12 starts.

“Last year I had to rely on my fastball a lot more than this year,” Eovaldi said. “That and my slider, then I’d get behind in counts with my slider. I didn’t have a great feel for my curveball last year, and then I didn’t have the split. This year I’ve been using my curveball a lot better and all my offspeed pitches (have been better), which is helped me out a lot.”

The difference is now Eovaldi is more of a pitcher than a thrower. The results are showing.  The Yanks win keeps pace with the surging Toronto Blue Jays at top of the AL East. The two teams have 7 head to head matchups remaining and certainly those games will determine who wins the divison but a win last night will prove valuable should the Yankees make it to October. The Astros are among the AL's elite so whether it's a 1-0 win or 16-2, a win's a win and it gives you the confidence moving forward to gain another victory. Eovaldi's emergence couped with Tanaka, Pineda, and Severino will provide the Yankeees with a dynamic rotation going down the stretch and in a postseason series. After 2 years of missing the playoffs, that's all you could really ask for from this team.

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Tags: Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi, Yankees

Last night saw the latest highlight of Alex Rodriguez' comeback season. After going 0 for 3 in his first three plate appearances A-Rod belted a 1-0 fastball into the bullpen in right centerfield and put the Yankees ahead 5-4 in the 7th.

“A home run feels great,” Rodriguez said. “A grand slam feels pretty awesome. … I said in Spring Training, there were going to be some ups and downs. The last two weeks are pretty good examples of some downs, but it’s also important to keep perspective when you’re doing great or when you’re struggling.”

We all knew A-Rod would come back down to earth eventually. He's already exceeded expectations. So what's there to lose? Right now..the division. With The Toronto Blue Jays hot on the Yankees trail in the A.L. East, every game is important. Every at-bat is crucial.

The Blue Jays were taking care of business last night in Philly when Alex came up to the plate in the 7th with the bases loaded and the Yanks down 4-1. Talk about pressure. The man was once renowned for failing in clutch situations. This season, Alex has been the unsung hero more often than not. It was these same Minnesota Twins he slugged THREE Home Runs against last month and single-handily kept the Yanks in the game, which eventually led to a Yankee victory.

The Grand Slam was A-Rod's 25th on the season and 25th Grand Slam of his career. It was his first HR since his 40th birthday on July 27th. He was due. You sensed that all he needed was to be put in a situation where the Yankees needed him the most. I was at the game last night, I sensed it before he even came out to the on deck circle. It was just time. I looked over to my friend and said, Alex is due, if he comes up with men on, he's going to come thro. And he did...in a big way. With everyone in Yankee Stadium behind him and chanting "Let's go A-Rod" , he hit one into the Bronx night. The place went crazy and stayed didn't calm down until Alex came out for a curtain call.

“What’s bothered me is when you have poor at-bats and when you chase, when you’re not being productive and helping the team win,” Rodriguez said. “I think when you hit a lot of home runs, they come in bunches. Sometimes there’s droughts. I just went through one. … I’ve been stinking up the joint here for about three weeks now. That one felt good.”

It certainly did Alex. So much so that the Yankees official Twitter posted a pic of Alex with the caption #BAEROD. Now that everyone is in FULL support of #13 what else is in stored for A-Rod for the rest of this season? We're gonna need him down the stretch if we're getting to October. In a season of redemption, Alex has everything he needs to be New York's NO. 1 beloved athlete.




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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Toronto Blue Jays, twin, Yankee Stadium, Yankees