Giancarlo Stanton “Disappointed” to Some but Still was Really Good, How does A-Rod’s history Help Stanton

Giancarlo Stanton had a really good first year with the Yankees but not the great season he had in 2017 that won him an MVP Award. 

Stanton is constantly comped to former Yankee great Alex Rodriguez. He makes a massive amount of money. He changed positions for Aaron Judge like A-Rod did for Jeter and the Yankees traded for him the year after winning the MVP. He is perceived as not clutch by most just like A-Rod was until 2009 when he put the Yankees on his back in route to a Word Series. Let’s get one thing out of the way A-Rod is a better and a different baseball player than Giancarlo Stanton however Stanton is a great player. They are different players but the comp is fair because of the background. I’d be optimistic for a big Stanton season in 2019. 

A-Rod 

2003 AL MVP with Rangers- 298 avg, 47 HR, 118 RBI, 124 Runs, 17 SB, 396 OBP, 600 SLG, 995 OPS, 147 OPS plus 

2004 “down year” with Yankees - 286 avg, 36 HR, 106 RBI, 112 R, 28 SB, 375 OBP, 512 SLG, 888 OPS, 131 OPS Plus 

2005 AL MVP with Yankees - 321 avg, 48 HR, 130 RBI, 124 R, 21 SB, 421 OBP, 610 SLG, 1031 OPS, 176 OPS Plus, 

Stanton 

2017 NL MVP with Marlins- 281 avg, 59 HR, 132 RBI, 123 R, 2 SB, 376 OBP, 631 SLG, 1,007 OPS, 169 OPS plus 

2018 “down year with Yankees”- 266 avg, 38 HR, 100 RBI, 102 R, 5 SB, 343 OBP, 509 SLG, 852 OPS, 126 OPS Plus 

Stanton and Rodriguez are different players but their stories on how they became Yankees and the expectations they were given are eerily similar. Expect a even better 2019 Stanton season. 

Yankees miss on Corbin so what’s next ?

The Yankees were the favorite to land lefty free agent Patrick Corbin but we’re outbid by the Nationals. The 29 year old signed a 6 year $140 million dollar deal declining 5 year offers from the Yankees and the Phillies.

Here’s where the Yankees can turn to acquire another starting pitcher...

The likely options 

The most likely options for the Yankees now is turning back to JA Happ who pitched so well for them last year or turning back to former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi. Happ went 7-0 with a 2.68 era in the regular season with the Yankees. Eovaldi had a 3.81 era regular season era after his comeback from another Tommy John Surgery but he really shined in the postseason. Eovaldi pitched to a 1.13 era in the playoffs. 

The other options 

Is it possible the Yankees circle back and look to trade for one of the Indians pitchers? Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco have all been talked about in trades. It depends how much the Yankees would have to give up. Personally I don’t see the Yankees giving up Miguel Andujar for either 3 but could they get it done with their top prospects ? If they can then perhaps the Yankees land one of these aces. 

Constructing an All Time Great Yankee Lineup

It’s possible the Yankees sign Manny Machado but for the purposes of this article I’ll go with who my gut tells me they sign and that’s Bryce Harper. 

The Yankee have an extremely deep lineup already but adding Bryce Harper could take them to historic rates especially if Gary Sanchez rebounds. 2018 was regarded as a down year for Bryce Harper but we are not sure that it will hurt his wallet. Harper is just 26 years old and still shows he is an elite offensive player with even more upside. Harpers counting stats were solid despite his batting average as he hit 249, 34 home runs and had 100 RBI. His OBP was 393 which is solid but not the elite 460 he showed in the past. In 2017 Harper had a 595 slugging, 413 OBP and a 1,008 OPS. He was on his way to potentially his second MVP season before the injury. Despite playing just 111 games he still crushed 29 homers for 89 RBI. 

https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1059958798335569920?s=21

Despite a down year Harper walked a career high 130 times. His batting average has been unpredictable for his career. Every season he’s played he’s either hit in the 270’s, 240’s or the 315’s. Harper has been inconsistent with his average for the old school fans and his OBP, OPS, and OPS+ has been inconsistent for the new school fans however even when inconsistent he’s always been productive. 

If the Yankees could add Harper they would be adding a premier slugger who has shown he is getting even more patient at the plate as he ages. He is a big lefty the Yankees need. History shows the Yankees win championships with big lefty pitchers and big lefty sluggers. Last year he had some trouble because of how frequently teams shifted on him which is something he can work on or forget about as he peppers the short porch in Yankee stadium. Harper also wouldn’t have to worry about constantly being pitched around in the Yankee lineup because he’d be sandwiched in between two of baseball’s best in Aaron Judge and 2017 MVP Giancarlo Stanton. As far as how would it all work, Judge would have right field and Hicks center. Harper and Stanton could both spend time at left field and DH. On days Judge needs to DH one of them can shift to right. As he ages it’s possible Harper can move over to first base. It’s a move the Yankees should make. 

Yankees get Paxton in Swap with Mariners

The New York Yankees have started the offseason with a bang as they acquired Mariners ace LHP James Paxton. The Yankees dealt their top prospect in LHP Justus Sheffield along with RHP Erik Swanson and OF Dom Thompson-Williams. The Yankees now have bolstered their rotation in their quest for their 28th World Series Championship.

Paxton is also known as "The Big Maple" and is coming off an impressive 2018 campaign. Paxton threw a no hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 8th and also threw a 16 strikeout game vs the Oakland Athletics on May 2nd. Paxton finished the year 11-6 with a 3.76 ERA or a 108 ERA+, 208 strikeouts, and 42 walks in 160.1 innings pitched. Paxton is the big time pitcher the Yankees needed but there are some caution flags.

James Paxton has dealt with injury problems throughout his career. He has had forearm, shoulder, and back injuries but has still been able to pitch to be the ace of the Seattle Mariners. Paxton will enter his age 30 season and will not be a free agent until 2021. Paxton slots into the 1 or 2 slot in the Yankees rotation and the Yankees have now filled one of their biggest holes.

Brian Cashman and the Yankees added a pitcher who can help them neutralize some of their biggest competition in the American League. Paxton has pitched to a 3.63 against Boston and 2.92 against Houston over the last three seasons. Adding Paxton is the first big move of the offseason and the Yankees will continue to add pieces to their 2019 Yankees puzzle.

Who will the Yankees Target this Winter ?

What will the Yankees do this Hot Stove Season ? 

Harper ? Machado ? Madbum ? Goldy ? Murphy ? The Yankees will be linked to so many big names this winter and will look to make some big moves. Expect them to try to retain some players already on the team now who will be free agents. Some earlier reports have indicated the Yankees may not be in on the Bryce Harper sweepstakes and the Manny Machado interest may be getting smaller. It’s possible they pass on both but despite some early reports I think they will at least give the duo a look. Let’s take a look at 10 players who could be options in trade or free agency for the Yankees. 

Bryce Harper - OF  (Free Agent)

Harper is probably the biggest name on the free agent market and he is a generational talent. Harper is a former MVP and has 184 career home runs despite being only 26 years old. He has a career 27.4 WAR. Harper could play all three outfield positions for the Yankees. He would be the huge lefty bat the Yankees have missed. 

Manny Machado - 3B/SS  (Free Agent) 

Manny Machado is another generational talent. Machado can play both third base and shortstop. Machado profiles as a better third basemen despite preferring to play shortstop. Machado could fill in at short with Didi injured. He could also provide better defense at third then rookie slugger Miguel Andujar did. If the Yankees made this move they could move Andujar to DH or to another position. Machado tied a career high in home runs with 37 in 2018.

Paul Goldschmidt - 1B  (Trade) 

Paul Goldschmidt is arguably the best first  basemen in all of baseball. Goldy is a power hitter however he is a high batting average, high contact hitter who can hit to all fields. He is also a great base runner and an excellent defender. Goldschmidt would fit in perfectly with the Yankees. He has one year left on his contract with the Diamondbacks and will be a very affordable $14 million in 2019. The Yankees have Luke Voit and Greg Bird. Bird has been injury plagued and played poorly with the Yankees. Voit was great for the Yankees after spending time between the majors and Triple A with the Cardinals. 

Patrick Corbin - SP  (Free Agent)

Corbin is the top pitcher on the Free Agent market. Corbin is a young lefty starting pitcher who grew up a Yankee fan and has expressed interest in pitching with the Yankees. Corbin threw 200 innings for the Diamondbacks in 2018. He pitched to a 3.15 era and had 246 strikeouts. Corbin could be an ace or he could be more of a number 3 starter but that remains to be seen. 

JA Happ - SP (Free Agent)

Happ split time between the Yankees and the Blue Jays. Happ was traded to the Yankees in the July trade deadline and went 7-0 with the Yankees. Happ was just what the Yankees needed however he had a bad postseason start in Boston. The Yankees should not let that one bad outing be the deciding factor in letting him walk. Happ should be a top priority for the Yankees to resign this winter. 

Corey Kluber/ Carlos Carrasco - SP (Trade) 

The Indians have discussed the possibility of trading either Kluber or Carrasco. Both could be the ace the Yankees are looking for that is not available in free agency. It would seem to take a lot to acquire either of the Indians aces. Kluber had 20 wins a 2.89 era and had 222 strikeouts in 215 innings in 2018. Carrasco had 231 strikeouts, 3.38 era and 17 wins in 2018. It remains to be seen if the Indians would actually deal one of the two. 

Marwin Gonzalez - Utility (Free Agent) 

Gonzalez has been has played all over the field for the Astros and was a huge part of the 2017 World Series championship team. Gonzalez can play pretty much every position besides catcher for the Yankees. Gonzalez had a down year compared to his 2017 season but had a strong second half and playoffs in 2018.

Daniel Murphy - 1B/2B/DH (Free Agent) 

Murphy continues to age and battle injuries but still continues to be one of the more productive hitters in all of baseball. Murphy has averaged a 317 batting average and a 367 on base percentage over the past 3 seasons. Murphy would provide a nice lefty bat and a nice contact hitter to the Yankees lineup. 

David Robertson - RP ( Free Agent)

Robertson has been such an important part of the Yankees the last two season after spending some time with the White Sox. Robertson has shifted from closer to a reliever who can pitch in any situation since his return to the Yankees. He has decided to represent himself this winter in free agency and some believe that means he will certainly return to the Yankees this winter. 

Some other Options 

Madison Bumgarner - SP (Trade) 

Michael Brantley - LF (Free Agent )

Zach Britton- RP (Free Agent)

Adam Ottavino - RP (Free Agent) 

Andrew Miller- RP (Free Agent)

Nathan Eovaldi - SP (Free Agent)

Andrew McCutchen- OF (Free Agent)  

Charlie Morton- SP (Free Agent)

Heartbreak in the Bronx but the Best is Yet to Come

There are no words to make it all better for Yankees fans. After a brutal series loss to the hated rival Boston Red Sox, the offseason came way too early in the Bronx. The Yankees and their fans expected to play a game 5 on Thursday but instead they will have to wait 169 days until their next meaningful game. It seems like the sky is falling right now but in reality, this team is just taking off.

In 2018 we all saw the development of Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. The two rookies both had incredible seasons but were exposed come October. This devastation should help them in the future as they continue to develop.

The Yankees biggest flaw was exposed by the Red Sox and that was starting pitching. Besides Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees starting staff was underwhelming to say the least. CC Sabathia, Luis Severino, and J.A. Happ all struggled in the Division Series which was somewhat to be expected against a vaunted Red Sox lineup. The offseason should bring change in the rotation as it is their missing piece in their chase for their 28th championship.

The historically prolific Yankee offense disappeared in the two home games in the Bronx. Pitching was a problem but when you do not score runs you cannot win games. Giancarlo Stanton, Didi Gregorius, Torres, Andujar, Andrew McCutchen, and Brett Gardner all slumped through the series. Baseball is a game of ups and downs and the offense went through a down at the worst possible time in the 2018 campaign.

So what's next for the Yankees? None of us really know what will happen but we all know that the front office will do all that they can in order to improve their roster. I expect for the team to add at least one starting pitcher, whether that is via free agency or by trade. Names like Corbin, Bumgarner, Kershaw, Keuchel, and deGrom have been thrown around and all would fit but will the price be right? I doubt that they will trade Giancarlo Stanton after 1 year in Pinstripes but I do think that they will add Manny Machado via free agency. Adding Machado would give the Yankees another amazing bat in the lineup but it would improve a poor defense. This would make Miguel Andujar expendable or he could move to first base or the outfield. The Yankees have a lot to think about this offseason but before we all know it Yankee baseball will be back in the Bronx and the chase for 28 will restart.

We want to thank all of you for reading our articles and interacting with us on Twitter and Instagram (@Bombers_Beat). Both @Bombersbeat and @bombersbeat2 will be active throughout the offseason and look forward to talking to all of you about every move. Go Yankees!

Yankees Season Ends in ALDS

The Yankees won 9 more games in 2018 than they did in 2017 however they were eliminated in the ALDS this season rather than last year when they went to game 7 of the ALCS. 

What went wrong in the ALDS ? Well a lot, for one the biggest issue was the starting pitching. Yes the offense didn’t do it’s job but in 3 of the 4 games the Yankees starters imploded and couldn’t even allow the bullpen to come in a small deficit. First it was JA Happ who gave up 5 runs in a little over 2 innings. Then In game 3 it was Luis Severino. Severino gave up 6 runs in 4+ innings of work. Some believe Severino didn’t go through his normal warmup routine because he was unsure of what time the game started. Last night it was CC Sabathia who was victimized by soft contact and wasn’t helped out by Brett Gardner but still didn’t perform well. He lasted just 3 innings giving up 3 runs. He was lucky to escape the first inning. 

Aaron Boone managed a brilliant wild card game was out managed in every way against fellow rookie manager Alex Cora. Boone was always a move to late when it came to removing his starters. He didn’t have a feel for the game and letting Severino pitch the 4th inning of game 3 proved that. 

The Yankees offense could have picked up some of these pitchers but they didn’t. In game 1 and 4 the Yankees had chances and did nothing with them. Giancarlo Stanton had two notable strikeouts one in game one with the bases loaded in the 7th and one last night in the 9th inning. He was swinging all over the zone and showed no discipline whatsoever. He wasn’t the only one though as Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres struggled. Aaron Hicks went down with an injury, Didi Gregorius slumped aside from last night and Luke Voit was okay. Aside from Aaron Judge and at times Gary Sanchez the Yankees offense was dead. 

The Yankees biggest weapon is the bullpen and they only pitched with the lead in game 2. Yesterday the bullpen pitched 7 innings of just 1 run ball. They were dominant but the role they played was keeping the score close enough instead of closing out the Red Sox. 

The Yankees will be aggressive this winter and should put together an even better team in 2019 but after the Red Sox clinched on our home turf it will be a long winter. 

Yankees Win in Wild Card head to ALDS

The Yankees defeated the A’s last night in the AL Wild Card game 7-2. Luis Severino threw 4+ innings of shutout baseball. Dellin Betances was the Yankees bullpen hero as he asked Sevy’s fifth inning jam and pitched a scoreless 6th. The Yankees used Robertson-Britton-Chapman to finish the game. 

Offensively Aaron Judge got things started with the two run homer in the first inning. The Yankees later scored again when Judge and Aaron Hicks doubled on back to back at bats. Later on Luke Voit hit a two run triple and Didi Gregorious added a sac fly. Giancarlo Stanton hit a monster home run later on in the game.

Aaron Boone had a great playoff debut as a manager. He went to Betances in the right spot, he replaced Miguel Andujar with Adeiny Hechaverria at the right time. His faith in Luis Severino and Gary Sanchez also payed off. The Yankees now will play the Boston Red Sox starting tomorrow. 

Regular Season Recap : Yankees

The Yankees finished the season at 100-62 and broke the MLB all time home run record. It wasn’t good enough for the division but it was a historic season none the less. Now it all comes down to one game on Wednesday. Despite an injury Aaron Judge had a great sophomore campaign. Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar emerged as two of the best players in all of baseball as rookies. Luke Voit came out of nowhere to have a huge season and establish some stability at first base for the Yankees. Giancarlo Stanton had a 38 homer 100 rbi season in his first as a Yankee. 

The Yankees roster looked a lot different on opening day they made so many moves to potentially pay dividends in the playoffs. The Yankees acquired Andrew McCutchen, Voit, JA Happ, Zach Britton, Lance Lynn and Adeiny Hechevarria. 

The Yankees pitching at times was heavily criticized but was huge for the Yankees especially down the stretch. 

Aaron Boone had his ups and downs as a first year manger but all in all it was a strong one for him and his Yankees. The Yankees gear up for the big Wild Card game on Wednesday. If they win that game they have their chance to eliminate the division champion Red Sox. 

Yankee First Half Review

First Half Review 

The Yankees finished the first half with a excellent 62-33. It was a bit overshadowed because they trail the Red Sox by 4.5 games. Aaron Judge and Luis Severino have dominated again, Giancarlo Stanton has fit in great, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar have emerged as Star rookies and the Yankees bullpen led by Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances have been great. Some of people’s fears from spring training have been real as the starting pitching has not been very good. Sonny Gray has been terrible and Masahiro Tanaka has been inconsistent and injured. Domingo German has been very inconsistent. 

The Yankees will not stand pat and they will look to acquire pitching at the trade deadline. The Yankees will look to add a starter and potentially even a relief pitcher as the season progresses. 

The Yankees are set up to have a big second half. They have one of baseball’s easier second half schedules as they played a very hard schedule in the first half. The Yankees beat a lot of talented teams and will look to beat up on some weaker ones in the second half. The Yankees will also get Gary Sanchez back who just hit 190 in the first half and battled an injury. It could be a very big second half for the Yankees especially if they land some big arms. 

Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have met expectations and they can carry the Yankees in the second half. 

The Yankees Pitching Options

The Yankees have a problem in an otherwise great season. Sonny Gray is a problem for the New York Yankees. He lasted just two innings for a second start in a row. His era has ballooned to 5.85. His whip is 1.57. Batters are hitting over 500 on his changeup and he has become a two pitch pitcher. Sonny Gray struggled in 2016 as his era was over 5 and then he bounced back with a good year last year. The Oakland A’s had the time to wait for Gray the Yankees do not. The Yankees need to acquire a pitcher there’s no doubt about it. 

The Long Shots 

The Mets likely won’t trade Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergard but that don’t mean the Yankees shouldn’t try. 

The Giants are still in contention so they likely won’t trade Madison Bumgarner but if they did the Yankees would be the perfect landing spot. 

Chris Archer and Blake Snell are both under control for years to come and would be great values with the Yankees. Archer has had a down year but Blake Snell has emerged as one of baseball’s best. 

Practical and Likely Options 

Cole Hamels isn’t the pitcher he was but is a strong veteran. He has pitched well against the Red Sox, Astros, Dodgers and Indians this season. Hamels is a World Series MVP and still is a big game pitcher. 

JA Happ is having a very nice year and he is another veteran pitcher that does well against the Astros and Red Sox. He is probably the most likely option. 

Matt Harvey has turned his season around with the Reds and has pitched well of late. Harvey would certainly be interesting considering his Met history. 

Michael Fulmer would cost the most of this group and has the most upside but he has had a very up and down season. 

Tyson Ross is a viable option and he comes at a very cheap price tag. 

The Radio Voices of the New York Yankees

The Yankees Legendary Radio Broadcast Team 

John Sterling has been calling Yankee baseball since 1989. Suzyn Waldman has worked for the Yankees for the past 31 years. The duo has been the radio voices of the New York Yankees since 2005. Despite Sterling being 79 and Waldman 71 the duo has no plans of retirement just yet. John and Suzyn give you that old school baseball feel and they truly love the Yankee teams and fans. For many they even feel like family. Since I am a little kid John and Suzyn have been on the radio for the Yankees. Of course when I am home the game is on the tv but I love being in the car when the Yankees are on. I developed a bond with the duo from taking summer vacations at my Aunts summer house. My aunt does not have a tv because she only uses the house in the summer and when my family and I visit for a weekend we listen to the Yankees on the radio. Many Yankee fans have similar stories and bonds to the legendary duo. 

John Sterling is best known for his “Yankees Win, The Yankees Win “ call after games. He is also known for his creative home run calls. Suzyn is best known for her great in game work and for being the first woman to work on a nationally televised broadcast in baseball. 

Let’s look at Some of Johns most memorable home run calls.

The Ones We May Have Forgotten About 

1. Yangervis Solarte - Never Nervous Yangervis
2. Lyle Overbay- Lyle Hit it a Mile 
3. Jesus Montero- Jesus is Loose 
4. Vernon Wells- The Bronx is Vernon
5. Raul Ibanez- Raul So Cool 

The Honorable Mentions 

1. Brett Gardner - Gardner Plants One, It’s a Gardy Party
2. Nick Swisher - Nick is Swishilicous 
3. Jorge Posada - GeorgeJuiced One 
4. Tino Martinez - Bam Tino
5. Clint Frazier- Downtown Goes Frazier 

My All time Favorites 

1. Alex Rodriguez - It’s An A-Bomb from A-Rod 
2. Hideki Matsui - It’s a Thrilla By Godzilla
3. Aaron Judge- All Rise Here Comes the Judge, It’s a Judgeian Blast 
4. Jason Giambino- The Giambino
5. Giancarlo Stanton- Giancarlo no si puo stoparlo, a Stantonian blast 
6. Bernie Williams - Bern Baby Bern 
7. Robinson Cano - Robby Cano Don’t Ya Know 
8. Johnny Damon- It’s a Johnny Rocket
9. Gary Sanchez- The Gary is Scary 
10. Derek Jeter - El Capitan
11. Didi Gregorius- Gregorius makes Yankee fans euphorius , Sir Didi
12. Mark Teixeira- Oh you’re on the Mark Teixeira, Mark Sends a Text Message 

Review: Out of the Park Baseball 19

Our friends at Out of the Park Baseball return in 2018 with their 18th edition of the game. Out of the Park Baseball is a computer game that gives the user the ability to manage their favorite baseball team however they would like. This is the 18th incarnation of the game and each year, just when you think the game cannot get better the people at OTTP find a way to make it better.

This year's incarnation of the game includes fully licensed Major League Baseball players and teams as well as fully licensed Minor League players and teams. There are also MLB and Negro League legends in the game that you can add to your roster and bolster your team. If you ever wondered how Babe Ruth would perform surrounded by Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius, and Gary Sanchez you can now plug him into the lineup and see how well they all perform. You can also develop your own custom teams and leagues for online or offline gameplay. The game had added new 3D graphics to make your gameplay even more enjoyable.

Personally, I simulated the 2018 Yankees season and had a great time doing it. The Judge, Stanton, Gregorius, and Sanchez lineup absolutely destroyed Major League Baseball en route to another World Series Championship. It was a lot of fun managing the roster just like Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone do. If you want to become a manager or general manager for a day give this game a try and you will see just how hard of a job baseball management is.

This game was excellent and a ton of fun to play. I give it an 8.8/10 for the immense amount of baseball information and challenge that it provides. I cannot wait until next year's game!

If you want to purchase the game check out OTTPB here: https://www.ootpdevelopments.com/out-of-the-park-baseball-home/ 

Breaking : Gleyber Torres promoted

The Yankees will call up Gleyber Torres for tomorrow’s series finale against the Toronto Bluejays. Torres will be able to play second and third. With the way Miguel Andujar has played expect Torres to play second and Andujar to play third for the time being. It is a great day in Yankee land. The future is now with Torres and Andujar.

First Week of the Season : All about Highs and Lows

The first week was strange for the Yankees to say the least. They went 5-5 and had some great highs and some severe lows. The first week of Yankee baseball was filled with massive home runs, wasted opportunities, long extra inning games, bullpen collapses and strikeouts.... lots of strikeouts especially from Giancarlo Stanton. 

The Yankees went 5-5 as they split a 4 games series with the Blue Jays, swept the two game set with the Rays and lost 3/4 with the Orioles. Today was possibly the worst loss the Yankees had on the season and maybe the worst in years. Giancarlo Stanton struck out 5 times, the Yankees blew a 5 run lead, Aaron Judge hit into a double play in extra inning with the bases loaded and no one out. The Yankees had two collapses against the Blue Jays earlier. They lost a wild game in Friday in extra inning to the Orioles. 

It wasn’t all bad for the Yankees though despite massive struggles Giancarlo Stanton had 3 homers including two in his first Yankee game. The Yankees had a game on Wednesday when Stanton, Judge and Gary Sanchez all had homers. In the home opener Didi Gregorius had two homers and 8 rbi. Luis Severino has looked dominant. Dellin Betances has bounced back after a rough outing last week. His fastball command had looked much better. Masahiro Tanaka has looked strong. 

The Yankees have lost Brandon Drury, Aaron Hicks and CC Sabathia to the DL. They are already without Greg Bird, Clint Frazier and Jacoby Ellsbury. They had a tough week but still had some nice moments. That will get lost in the shuffle however they went 5-5. It could have been much worse. Giancarlo Stanton won’t bat 185 all season, Gary Sanchez will get going, guys will comeback from injury and the Yankees will be okay.

PS- They started off 5-5 in 2009. 

MLB Predictions

AL East 

1. Yankees 100-62 
2. Red Sox 96-66 
3. Blue jays 80-82 
4. Rays 75-87
5. Orioles 75-87 

AL Central 

1. Indians 94-68
2. Twins 90-72
3. White Sox 79-83 
4. Royals 77-85
5. Tigers 71-91

AL West 

1. Astros 100-62 
2. Angels 84-78
3. Mariners 82-80 
4. Athletics 80-82 
5. Rangers 75-87 

AL Wild Cards 

Red Sox ,Twins 

ALDS - Yankees over Indians , Astros over Red Sox 

ALCS- Yankees over Astros 

NL East 

1. Nationals 97-65 
2. Mets 87-75
3. Phillies 82-80
4. Braves 80-82 
5. Marlins 66-96 

NL Central 

1. Cubs 98-64 
2. Brewers 85-77
3. Cardinals 81-81
4. Pirates 79-83 
5. Reds 72-90 

NL West 

1. Dodgers 95-67 
2. Rockies  89-73
3. Diamondbacks 85-77
4. Giants 82-80
5. Padres 79-83 

NL Wild Cards 

Mets, Rockies 

NLDS- Cubs over Mets, Nationals over Dodgers 

NLCS - Cubs over Nationals 

World Series 

Yankees over Cubs 

MLB Awards 

AL MVP- Mike Trout 

NL MVP- Bryce Harper 

AL CY Young- Luis Severino 

NL CY Young- Clayton Kershaw 

AL ROY- Gleyber Torres 

NL ROY- Ronald Acuna 

AL MOY- Paul Molitor 

NL MOY- Mickey Callaway