Welcome to NY Cole

The Yankees have announced the newest ace #45 Gerrit Cole at Yankee stadium today.

My Top 10 Yankee Postseason Moments since 2009

1. The Yankees were down 3-1 in game 2 of the ALDS. The Twins had the great Joe Nathan on the mound when Alex Rodriguez drilled a two run game tying homer to tie the game. The Yankees would win the game and the series en route to the World Series. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178754341710303233?s=21
   
   

   

   
   
   
   Didi steppes up to the plate with the Yankees down 3-0 after an inning in the Wild Card game in 2017. The Yanks were heavy favorites over the Twins and after getting down early Didi got them back in it with the biggest homer of the 2017 playoff run. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178751397501779968?s=21
   
   
   Down 2-1 in the ALCS the Yankees had a dramatic comeback against the Astros to win the game capped off by the 2 run game winning double by Gary Sanchez to put the Yankees up 6-4. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178750780268040192?s=21
   
   
   
   The Yankees had a 2-1 lead in the World Series. Johnny Damon would steal second base and take third base against the shift. Alex Rodriguez would come up big again this time with the game winning double. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178750220596924423?s=21
   
   
   The Yankees would play in the Wild Card game in both
   2017 and 2018. In 2018 Aaron Judge got things rolling early with the long 2 run blast.
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178749783634321408?s=21
   
   
   Hideki Matsui launched a homer off of Pedro Martinez in game 6 of the World Series in the first inning. He’d add on later on en route to a World Series MVP award. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178749425692348417?s=21
   
   
   Andrew Miller was unhittable against lefties and the former Yankee was trying to pitch the Indians to a sweep when Greg Bird would hit the long homer. The Yankees would win the next 3 games. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178748877966659584?s=21
   
   
   
   
   Raul Ibanez pinch hit for Alex Rodriguez in a shocking move by manager Joe Girardi. Ibanez would reward them with the game tying homer. He would then hit the walkoff homer in extra innings. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178747482278371330?s=21
   
   
   CC Sabathia proved to be worth his mega contract early for the Yankees as he threw 7 dominant innings in game 1 of the ALCS against the Angels. 
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178746978584481792?s=21
   
   
   The Yankees lost the first two games of the ALCS to the Astros in 2017. In game 3 Todd Frazier got them rolling with a 3 run homer.
   https://twitter.com/bomberbeat2/status/1178746232279306247?s=21
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

100 Wins .. AL East Champs

Mission 1 Complete : Next Stop ALDS

Yankees Lineup

C- Sanchez
1B- Voit
2B- Torres
3B- LeMahieu
SS- Gregorius
DH- Encarnacion
LF- Stanton
CF- Hicks
RF- Judge

Bench
Urshela
Gardner
Romine
Maybin

The Yankees lineup is loaded after the Encarnacion trade. Unfortunately Frazier was sent down with the move. The Yankees are right handed heavy but they are extremely power heavy. This year with the addition of DJ LeMahieu the Yankees are making more contact. DJ has hit over 400 with RISP this season. Luke Voit is showing he’s no fluke and now the Yankees are getting ready to have Stanton and Judge return to the fold. Gary Sanchez is having a huge season as is Gleyber Torres.

Yankees make their first move for World Series

Edwin Encarnacion who leads the American League in home runs and is third in RBI will make his Yankee debut tonight after being traded to the Yankees Saturday for prospect Juan Then.

Yankees have struggled but it’s more frustration than worry

The Yankees have yet to win a series at home this year. They sit at 6-9 on the season. They have dropped Series against the Tigers, Orioles and White Sox. The bullpen has struggled, at times the offense has struggled and James Paxton and JA Happ have struggled in the rotation. Fundamentally the Yankees have played very poor on defense and on the base paths. Brett Gardner looks washed up and Greg Bird looks like his 2017 was a fluke. With all that going on the Yankees have dealt with major injuries. Luis Severino, Aaron Hicks, Dellin Betances, Giancarlo Stanton, Troy Tulowitzki, Ben Heller, Didi Gregorious, Gary Sanchez and Miguel Andujar are all on the IL. Betances and Severino are not expected back until around June or July and Miguel Andujar could be back soon or he could be out for the season.

Many of things are worrisome but overall the biggest takeaway from this Yankee start is injuries are tough and bad starts are common even for good teams. The Cubs, Red Sox and the Rockies are off to poor starts also. It hasn’t all been bad as DJ LeMahieu and Adam Ottavino are off to great starts after signing free agent contracts. Clint Frazier has started off strong after his call up from Triple A. Domingo German is off to a great start. 

The Yankees have gotten off to a frustrating start but I don’t think it’s time to panic just yet. Eventually majority of the injured list players will return and the Yankees will return to form. Give the Yankees a few more weeks to get better. The team is too talented to play this poorly. The only way I could see this not getting better is if Didi, Sevy and Betances didn’t return this season. For now I expect majority of these players to comeback and the Yankees to be okay. If this keeps up I’ll worry for now I’m just frustrated. 

Out of the Park Baseball 20 Review

The great people at Out of the Park Developments are back with their twentieth installment of the popular Out of the Park Baseball game. The incredibly fun strategic baseball simulation game returns with new rosters, new players, and an improved Perfect Team mode.

In OOTP 20, players can take control of their favorite teams and players in a franchise mode. Gamers can control rosters, salaries, and lineups as they try to build a World Series winning team. Users can also add some of their favorite historical players to supplement their favorite teams. Yankee fans can finally matchup Adam Ottavino and Babe Ruth in a battle of the generations.

Perfect Team mode in OOTP 20 is back for another year and it continues to improve. Players can open packs, build teams, and buy and sell players on the marketplace as they try to build an unstoppable roster. Personally, I love to just open a ton of packs as there are so many different players that can be found in packs and the suspense that comes with a pack opening is incredible.

As the 2019 Major League Baseball season begins, Out of the Park Baseball is a necessity for baseball fans.

https://www.ootpdevelopments.com/out-of-the-park-baseball-home/

MLB Predictions

MLB Season Predictions 

Peter Vitella 

AL East 

1. Yankees 100-62
2. Red Sox 97-65
3. Rays 94-68
4. Blue Jays 74-88
5. Orioles 50-112

AL Central 

1. Indians 94-68
2. Twins 85-77
3. White Sox 77-85
4. Royals 71-91
5. Tigers 58-104

AL West 

1. Astros 100-62
2. Athletics 90-72
3. Angels 80-82
4. Mariners 73-89
5. Rangers 69-93

NL East 

1. Phillies 93-69
2. Nationals 91-71
3. Mets 87-75
4. Braves 83-79 
5. Marlins 62-100

NL Central 

1. Cardinals  95-67 
2. Brewers 92-70 
3. Cubs 88-74
4. Pirates 82-80 
5. Reds 78-84 

NL West 

1. Dodgers 97-65
2. Rockies 94-68 
3. Padres 83-79 
4. Giants 77-85
5. Diamondbacks 73-89 

AL Wild Cards - Red Sox, Rays 

NL Wild Cards- Rockies, Brewers 

World Series 

Yankees over Dodgers 

Shane Tobin 

AL East 

1. Yankees 105-57

2. Red Sox 92-70

3. Rays 88-74

4. Blue Jays 80-82

5. Orioles 40-122

AL Central 

1. Indians 91-71

2. Twins 86-76

3. White Sox 74-88

4. Royals 74-88

5. Tigers 60-102

AL West 

1. Astros 102-60

2. Athletics 93-69

3. Angels 81-81

4. Mariners 70-92

5. Rangers 62-100

NL East 

1. Nationals 94-68

2. Braves 93-69

3. Phillies 87-75

4. Mets 83-79 

5. Marlins 61-101

NL Central 

1. Cardinals 95-67 

2. Cubs 90-62

3. Brewers 89-63

4. Pirates 80-82

5. Reds 80-82

NL West 

1.    Dodgers 98-64

2.   Rockies 88-74

3. Padres 81-81

4. Diamondbacks 75-87

5. Giants 70-92

AL Wild Cards - Athletics, Red Sox

NL Wild Cards- Braves, Cubs

World Series 

Yankees over Cardinals  

MLB Awards Predictions

MLB Awards Prediction 

Peter Vitella 

AL MVP- Aaron Judge 

NL MVP- Paul Goldschmidt 

AL CY Young- Gerrit Cole 

NL CY Young- Noah Syndergaard 

AL ROY- Eloy Jimenez 

NL ROY- Fernando Tatis Jr 

AL MOY- Kevin Cash 

NL MOY- Bud Black 

Shane Tobin 

MLB Awards Prediction 

AL MVP- Aaron Judge 

NL MVP- Nolan Arenado

AL CY Young- Trevor Bauer

NL CY Young- Jack Flaherty

AL ROY- Forrest Whitley

NL ROY- Victor Robles 

AL MOY- Rocco Baldelli

NL MOY- Dave Martinez

Yankees : Fantasy Baseball Impact

Sleeper- Jonathan Loaisiga

Johnny Lasagna as some call him in the Bronx has an elite arsenal and the makeup to be a dominant starting pitcher. Loaisiga had 33 strikeouts in 24 innings. His era ballooned to 5.11 after two bad relief appearances however that doesn’t tell the story of how good he was when he started. He gave up just 6 runs in 17.3 innings as a starter. It’s possible at times the Yankees can go with a 6 man rotation to give extra rest to the rotation. It is also possible he is the first man up if one of the starters went down with injury. Loaisiga is a must have in dynasty and keeper leagues and can have some late value in redraft leagues. 

Breakout- James Paxton 

When it comes to James Paxton the only question is how many innings is he going to pitch for the season. If Paxton can avoid the injury bug and pass his typical 160 innings he can emerge as an elite option for fantasy baseball. Paxton has emerged as one of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball. His elite arsenal helped him punch out 208 hitters in just 160 innings. Some belief Paxton will be a dark horse CY Young contender this season. 

Bust- 1B for the Yankees 

I think Luke Voit is going to be productive and provide some power however I do worry that Greg Bird and Clint Frazier could cut into his playing time. If the Yankees land Manny Machado then I think Miguel Andujar could play a ton of first base. For now the biggest concern with Voit or Bird is that the Yankees platoon the two. It’s also possible that Voit’s monster season was a fluke and Bird just isn’t very good. I’d take Voit late in drafts but he’s a concern. Bird belongs on the waiver wire. 

Bold Call- Giancarlo Stanton will have a year similar on par to his 2017 MVP season. Stanton will put his name in the baseball record books slugging 60 home runs. 

MLB Hall of Fame Class

What an amazing hall of fame class we have this year. We have been blessed with a great class of 4 deserving greats. We have Mariano Rivera who received 100% of the vote the first player to ever do that. We also have Edgar Martinez, the late great Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina. Rivera and Mussina join the great list of Yankees to make the Hall of Fame. 

We also had Harold Baines and Lee Smith go in on the Veterans Committee Ballot.