June 18 in Yankee History

  • You had to wonder if the practice the Yankees introduced to their game entertainment in 2019 of “Eighties in the Eighth,” playing a 1980s song in between the top and the bottom of the eighth inning, utilized songs decided upon early in the day, because Lionel Ritchie‘s All Night Long was just too fitting for a game delayed an hour-plus by rain. With J.A. Happ going five, the Yanks took the visiting Rays 6-3 as Cameron Maybin had three hits, including a home run, and Gary Sanchez knocked in two. With the team already up 5-3 in the eighth, DH Edwin Encarnacion contributed his first Yankee bomb to close the scoring. Continue reading
  • June 17 in Yankee History

  • I never thought Ron Guidry‘s 18-strike-out, 4-0 win over California in 1978 would be supplanted atop the June 17 Yankee report, but Masahiro Tanaka deserves his moment in the sun for his two-hit, 3-0, complete-game performance over Tampa in Yankee Stadium on June 17, 2019. On the other side of the ball, young Yonny Chirinos allowed just five hits over six innings, but one shot each by DJ LeMahieu and Cameron Maybin cleared the fence. Masahiro struck out but 10, all of them swinging, he retired 11 on ground balls, and he threw 23 of 29 first-pitch strikes. Continue reading
  • June 16 in Yankee History

  • Although Anthony Rizzo was the hands-down star of the 2-1 Yankees win over visiting Tampa on June 16, 2022, the team got a pretty big boost from backstop Jose Trevino as well. Rizzo knocked in both runs, first with a sixth-inning single, but more dramatically with a walkoff home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Trevino’s assist came when he threw out Harold Ramirez trying to steal just before Francisco Mejia‘s home run in the fifth. Continue reading
  • A Bear Poked

    Lakeland, Fla., February 24, 2024; Yankees 22, Tigers 10 — The 2023 Yankees barely posted a .500 record, garnered a fourth place finish, and missed the playoffs altogether. A not pretty season to be sure, but it was uglier than that. In both August and September 2023, this team suffered losses in nine different games in which they failed to score as many as three runs. Continue reading

    Fun, After the Sun

    Tampa, Fla., March 6, 2023; Yankees 9, Pittsburgh 2 — There are a couple of things that need to be said about this Spring Training game. First, although many (assuming there are many?) reading this cannot presently appreciate it, the pleasure we experienced tonight is one you’ve all enjoyed, though we got to do it on March 6. It was a perfect baseball night, high 70s under a largely cloudless sky, as a full moon arose over the center field wall. Your day is coming, friends, but we were privileged to an early sight. Continue reading

    When 8 > 3 + 5

    Northport, Fla., May 5, 2023; Yankees 10, Atlanta 6 — Early, it looked to be a tough day for the Yankees in their game visiting the Braves at CoolToday Park Sunday afternoon, as the superb trio at the top of the home team’s lineup pounded new Yankee starter Carlos Rodon for five quick runs. Down 1-0 to an Oswaldo Cabrera home run to right in the top of the first, table setter Ronald Acuna Jr. started the first and third innings with well-struck shots, for an infield single, then a double, both down the third baseline. First baseman Greg Olson drove him in both times with a home run and hard single, and third sacker Austin Riley followed the latter with a two-run home run to left. Continue reading

    Not a Forfeit …

    Bradenton, Fla., March 2, 2023; Yankees 9, Pittsburgh 1 — Yankee fans visiting Lecom Park, formerly McKechnie Field, for a 1 pm Yankees/Pirates game Thursday afternoon didn’t have to wait long to get into the spirit of things, as uber shortstop prospect Matthew Volpe, leading off and playing second this day, homered deep to left on a 2-2 pitch. Yankee offense would come early and late, but attention must be paid to the pitching too, as it was exceptional. Continue reading

    Wins for the Yankees and Pace of Play

    Tampa, Fla., February 26, 2023; Yankees 7, Atlanta 0; Yankees 9, Toronto 5 — The Yankees won two games on their second day of Spring Training games Sunday, and while at least one young pitcher and one position player newbie had outstanding days, the rules on pace of play came in mixed. The Bombers blanked the visiting Braves in Tampa 7-0 in just 2:16, while the road squad of Yankees took 3:05 to best Toronto in Dunedin, 9-5. Continue reading