Mike Ford

New York Yankees: 3 major takeaways from the Yankees 5-1 win over the Jays

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new york yankees, mike ford

In an early afternoon game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, the New York Yankees took on the Toronto Blue Jays in a game that I said they shouldn’t win because they didn’t start with a top of the line pitcher and put up their “B” lineup to face Jay’s pitching. I was dead wrong. The Yankees won the game 5-1 because the lineup stepped up to the job, and the Yankees got excellent pitching from six Yankee pitchers.

Gleyber Torres hit two homers in the game

In a game without leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu and no Judge, Stanton, or Voit, the Yankees should have had their hands full trying to score against the Blue Jays enough to win a game. But win, they did. Gleyber Torres was the MVP of the game. He doubled and later in the game hit two home runs driving in 3 runs.

Mike Ford also hit a homer and went 4 for 4 on the day. Estevan Floria shined in the game defensively and at-bat. He also drove in a run.

We all know that Gleyber Torres can be an MVP type player but really suffered last season, hitting only 3 home runs after hitting 38 long balls in 2019. With the screwed-up spring training last season, he let himself get out of shape, and when the season started, he had to play catchup. With such a short season, he never did. This season he came into spring training totally healthy and ready for the season. If his performance in spring training is any indication, he will have a big season for the Yankees. After hitting only 3 home runs last season, he has hit 5 in spring training with 9 RBI’s.

Mike Ford shows off on and off the field

Mike Ford got cut from the 40 man roster two days ago. You would think after having an impact at the major league level the last two seasons, you would have heard some snarky comment from Ford. But no, he just went about his business and stayed ready.

Before today’s game, he was called up to be in the lineup facing the Blue Jays. I can’t imagine what must have been going through his head. But whatever it was, it caused heads to turn when he had one of the best games he has ever had in the majors. Early in the game, when a hit was surely going foul, Ford hustled to the right-field stands, reached over, and made the out. He also had two singles, a double, and a home run in the game, going 4 for 4.

Today’s performance by Ford probably won’t change any minds, he will probably still start the season at Scranton, but 162 games is a long season, fans of Mike Ford can be assured you will see him back at Yankee Stadium this season.

Yankee pitching was outstanding

With spring training waning, the Yankees didn’t waste any of their premium pitchers on today’s game. The Yankees only have two more games to play in spring training. The Yankees started instead with Jhoulys Chacin. Chacin was great through 2.2 innings; he did not allow a single hit while striking out two Jays.

Chacin was followed by Luis Gacia, who ended up getting the win. He pitched 1.1 hitless innings. Lucas Luetge allowed one hit in his scoreless inning while striking out 2 Jays. Kyle Barraclough and Albert Abreu both pitched hitless innings. The New York Yankees chose Tyler Lyons to close out the shutout game, but he gave up the only run in the game for the Jays.

Overall, the New York Yankees pitching was superb in today’s win over one of the American League’s best lineups.  In eight innings of play, the Yankees had 5 1-2-3 innings. The performance today by these pitchers shows the tremendous depth the Yankees have on the pitching staff. With this type of performance, the Yankees should be pretty well set up for backups if there are any injuries.

 

 

New York Yankees Recap: Gleyber Torres homers twice in win over the Blue Jays

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees were at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, today to meet up with the Toronto Blue Jays. It was a beautiful day for a ballgame. The game-time temperature was 86 degrees, it was humid, and the game was played under mostly cloudy skies. The game was a game the Yankees shouldn’t win; they went with a very “B” lineup compared to the Jays A team. Jhoulys Chacin started for the Yankees and Anthony Kay for the Jays. The game was scheduled for 8 innings as agreed upon by both teams. The Yankees won 5-1.

The Yankees learned just before starting the game that last year’s home run leader, Luke Voit, would have to undergo knee surgery and would likely not be back with the team until sometime in May.

Chacin took to the mound at the top of the first. J. Davis ground out to third. Crichuk struck out swinging, and Bichette ground to Wade for the quick inning for Chacin. At the bottom Tyler Wade led off for the Yankees; he bunted but just missed being safe as he limped off the field. Gleyber Torres followed with an off- the-wall double. Gio Urshela went down looking. Clint Frazier ground out to third, leaving Torres stuck at second.

Chacin faced Hernandez, he lined out. Tellez lined directly to a very athletic Chacin for the second out. Gurriel Jr. ground out for Chacin’s second 1-2-3 inning. At the bottom, Mike Ford singled to centerfield. Kyle Higashioka singled, but Ford was forced out at second. Chris Gittens walked, and then Estevan Florial hit the ball so hard off the centerfield wall that “Higgy” couldn’t score from third, but Florial loaded the bases for the Yankees. Grey Allen lined out. Tyler Wade got a long outfield fly out to leave the bases loaded. After two, Yankees, 0 Jays 0.

Alejandro Kirk led off the third inning against Chacin, striking out. Joe Panik walked. Santiago Espinal at the plate Higgy had a passed ball, with Panik advancing to second. Espinal popped out to Ford, who leaned over the fence to make the out. Luis Garcia replaced Jhoulys Chacin. J. Davis was out on four Garcia pitches. Leading off at the bottom for the Yankees was Gleyber Torres, Torres solo homered to left. Urshela ground out. Frazier ground out, and Ford got his second hit of the game. Higashioka base hit up the middle for two on and two outs. Gittens walked, loading the bases again. Florial lined off the pitcher. Florial singled in Ford. Allen lined out the Yankees left, three on again but scored two runs in the inning. Yankees 2 Jays 0.

Crichuk popped out to Torres. Bichette ground out to Wade. Hernandez flew out for a 1-2-3 inning for Luis Garcia. Tyler Wade led off the bottom; he drew a walk. Then stole second. Gleyber Torres hammered another one, this one off the scoreboard scoring him and Wade for the Yankees 4-0 lead. Urshela ground out. Frazier struck out swinging. Mike Ford got his third single of the game. That knocked pitcher Snead out of the game, replaced by AJ Cole. Higashioka chopped out. Yankees 4 Jays 0.

Lucas Luetge on the mound at the fifth for the New York Yankees, Tellez struck out swinging. Gurriel Jr. doubled off the left-field wall. Kirk struck out. Panik ground out, stranding Gurriel Jr. At the bottom, Gittens flew out to center. Florial singled. Lemahieu flew out to center. Allen lined out to second. A quick inning for both pitchers.

Kyle Barraclough on the mound for the Yankees, Espinal flew out to left. J.Davis ground out. Crichuk ground out. The Yankees have had 4 1-2-3 innings out of five played. Wade faced Castro and struck out swinging. Velazquez lined out. Urshela hit triple to right, Frazier ended the inning by striking out.

Albert Abreu was out for the seventh, facing Bichette, who flew to far-right, but a really sweet catch by Greg Allen got him out. Bec lined out, and Tellez out, another 1-2-3 inning for Yankee pitching. Mike Ford homered for his fourth hit of the game. Higashioka struck out, Brito singled. Allen forced out. Yankees 5 Jays 0.

With last licks on the line for the Toronto Blue Jays, Tyler Lyons took to the mound to close it out for the Yankees. Forest Wall doubled. McGuire flew out, Panik ground out. Espinal singled to left.  Urena struck out to end the game.  The final score was 5-1 New York Yankees. The winning pitcher was Luis Garcia and the loser Anthony Kay. Gleyber Torres had a double and two home runs in the game, and Mike Ford had a homer in a 4 for 4 game.

New York Yankees News Roundup: All the news in one place

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New York Yankees, Mike Ford

Yankee Stadium restrictions eased

At the start of spring training for the New York Yankees, they had expectations that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo would allow fans in the stands at 10% capacity as he did for the Buffalo Bills. The Yankees can now look forward to a 20% capacity as Cuomo has eased Yankee Stadium restrictions and the Mets’ Citi Field.

The new Yankee Stadium plan allows 11,000 fans through the gates as ticket holders and buyers for the Yankee concessions. Fans will be placed in pods of different sizes with 6 feet between the pods. Cuomo also said that the capacity would likely increase as the season progresses if COVID continues under control. Yankee own Hal Steinbrenner had this to say:

“This will be a very special year in the Bronx, and we will continue to work together with the State of New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City of New York, Major League Baseball, and other health and safety experts to utilize the best and most responsible practices in our facility.”

Cuts made, more on the way

Opening Day for the regular season at Yankee Stadium is less than two weeks away, and the Yankees have to cut players, lot’s of them. They have already started with many yet to come, probably daily. There are about 70 players on the training fields in Tampa, 40 of them on the roster; that number has to be pared down to 26 before opening day. The Yankees are allowed a 6 man travel squad that does not count for the 26 man roster.

The New York Yankees announced the club had optioned the first baseman Mike Ford and infielder Thairo Estrada, along with right-handers Albert Abreu and Brooks Kriske, to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Those are probably the easiest cuts to be made, as none of those players have performed well in spring training.

Garcia in and out of a jam

Although Deivi García did not give up any runs, he did get himself into an immediate jam in his most recent start but showed an impressive escape act. In the first inning, he had no command of his pitches; he walked the bases loaded. He walked more batters on Friday than in his other three starts combined — but in a way, it was a significant showing. García has to keep the ball rolling to keep pace with Domingo Germán for the fifth starting spot. What was impressive is that he did work his way out of the jam; at the same time, that may have been more luck than skill. All baseball fans know that walks usually come back to bit you in the butt.

Boone happy with Judge’s spring

Aaron Judge is off to a pretty slow start this spring training, one that has not seen the slugger hit a single home run. He is also batting just .250. But Yankee manager Aaron Boone is not worried; he’s just happy that Judge is healthy. He stated that  Judge was able to go through the offseason healthy and get in these reps now, something Judge missed during the first spring training phase from last season. Boone sighted that the Yankee star has been able to build himself up and is “ready for nine full innings right out of the gate.

Judge started last season hot, hitting 9 home runs in his first 18 games. Unfortunately for the New York Yankees, Judge was only healthy enough to play in 28 of the 60 games. Now he is totally healthy and has to improve his timing, and John Sterling will again be saying, ” it was a Judgingly shot, and it’s Judgement day.”

Aaron Hicks solidly in that 3rd spot

Aaron Hicks seems to have found a permanent spot in the Yankee lineup behind DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge. That’s the third spot in the lineup. Here’s why it’s important. Number one is that he is a switch hitter with power. In his last healthy year, he hit 27 home runs. In the short season last year, he hit 6. Another reason is that if DJ LeMahieu is a hitting machine, Hicks is a walking machine. He has a sharp eye and is the Yankees’ most patient hitter at the plate. Manager Aaron Boone had this to say:

“When I played, the three-hitter was the best hitter on the team,” Boone said. “It’s kind of evolved over the last several years. Since I’ve been here, over the last three or four years, you really think more closely and intimately about how you put the lineup together and where certain skill sets match up the best. It’s something that’s evolved steadily over the last 10 years.”

Stanton may play in the outfield

Earlier in the offseason, manager Aaron Boone indicated that Giancarlo Stanton would mostly be the New York Yankee DH. Then in spring training, he changed his turn. He said that Stanton would play in the outfield, both in left field and in right field. But that hasn’t happened. But Boone recently said in a Zoom conference that it would happen, but not during spring training.

With the abundance of outfield depth that the Yankee have, knowing what Stanton’s injury history is, that he may play in the outfield at some point, but at the same time, it will seldom be. Clint Frazier has established himself in left field after being nominated for a Gold Glove. At this point, there is also Brett Gardner and Mike Tauchman that can fill in. It seems unlikely that Stanton will be used much.

Cole to start for the Yankees on Sunday

New York Yanke ace Gerrit Cole is scheduled to start for the Yankees when they meet the Toronto Blue Jays, Sunday at 1:07 pm, in a game televised by MLBN. Cole will face Tanner Roark at TD Stadium in Dunedin, Florida. Bot Cole and Roark are 2-0 in the spring. Facing Roark, DJ LeMahieu has been the best Yankee hitter with a .500 average off him.

Gerrit Cole for the Yankees has struggled more than most of the pitchers. For instance, Domingo German has pitched nine scoreless innings this spring with 5 hits and only one walk, and more importantly, seems to be doing it with ease. On the other hand, Cole has pitched 7.2 innings so far and has allowed 9 hits, four runs, and 2 homers. For the most part, he doesn’t seem to be doing it easily with a lot of pitches thrown. But one must remember it’s only spring training.

 

 

New York Yankees News roundup while Aaron Boone recovers

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Some New York Yankee fans don’t pay attention to what goes on in spring training and don’t get engaged until the regular season games that count get started. But even those fans must have heard the shocking news the Yankees skipper Aaron Boone required surgery to have a pacemaker installed to keep his heart beating normally. Boone had the surgery late on Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida.

Reports are that the surgery was completed as expected and without complications. Reports were that Boone was resting comfortably. It was said he even chatted with the team from his hospital bed via Zoom. Boone had open heart surgery back in 2009, and because of that, he has been proactive about his health. During the past week, he said he experienced bouts of lightheadedness and shortness of breath. Because of that, he consulted with doctors who determined Boone’s heart was beating too slowly and that a pacemaker would be necessary to correct that.

In most cases, the patient will go home after 24-48 hours of hospitalization. Depending on the type of Pacemaker installed, he could be back to work at the Yankee training complex over the weekend, but it will be more likely at some point next week. Because Boone’s job is not that strenuous, he should be able to resume normal activities as long as he avoids lifting, pushing, and pulling anything heavy. He should be able to resume his normal life totally in 4-6 weeks.

Mike Ford still confident

Mike Ford hit his first extra-base hit Tuesday afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles. He said it felt good, especially after performing poorly in the 2020 campaign. Ford knows he will have to compete for playing time this year as the New York Yankees have picked up two veteran lefties during the offseason. The Yankees acquired Jay Bruce and Derek Dietrich; the catch for Ford is that the two veterans also play at first base, as does Ford.

“I always try to perform, especially when I’ve got a little chip on my shoulder,’’ Ford said Wednesday. “There’s great competition here with a lot of experience. Who knows where the chips are gonna fall?”

Bruce, who had made a running catch in the left-field already this spring, looked sharp at first base in Wednesday’s 4-1, seven-inning win over the Blue Jays. He also added two hits, including a double. Dietrich, who played third base on Wednesday, also hit his first homer of the spring.

Brett Gardner returned to left field

Wednesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankee fans in attendance saw an old friend out in the left-field, Brett Gardner. Gardner, the last holdover from the 2009 World Series, languished most of the offseason as the Yankees handled more important re-signings and acquisitions. The Yankees at the end of the season bought out Gardner’s contract rather than take up his $10 million option.

Finally, just days before the start of spring training, the Yankees and Gardner came to an agreement allowing the fan-favorite to return for yet another year with an option for the 2022 season. Gardner has always said he wants to retire as a Yankee. But last season was an odd one with the coronavirus and no fans in the stands. Gardner said he wants to be able to have his family see him play again. On his first at-bat Wednesday, he walked.

Darren O’Day on Darren O’Day

Darren O’Day threw live batting practice on Tuesday at the Yankees minor league complex, immediately after batters had faced Aroldis Chapman. O’Day acquired during the offseason will give a different look to the bullpen with his side-arm delivery. Chapman throws at 100 mph, O’Day is just at 85 mph, but he counts on deception to get hitters out.

“You can’t really quantify deception, but it’s a valuable tool to have,’’ O’Day said. “To have different looks. Just messing with the hitters’ timing [is important],’’ O’Day said. “The more we can do to disrupt that timing, the more outs we’re going to get.”

The right-hander is ready to contribute in various roles; he said that manager Aaron Boone would use him at any point in the game, much like he said Buck Showalter used him in Baltimore. O’Day pointed to Showalter using his relievers to get “four, five six outs a night.”

“We had a great relationship,’’ O’Day said. “I really enjoyed playing for him, especially the early years in Baltimore when the team was pretty much the doormat of the league for a long time. We kind of brought the nice baseball tradition back there.”

New York Yankees overtake the Jays 4-1

The Yankees were back at Steinbrenner Field yesterday after their win over the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota. The game yesterday was an unusual spring training night game. The first time fans got a look at Corey Kluber in a Yankees uniform, and he didn’t disappoint.

Kluber started for the New York Yankees facing the Toronto Blue Jay’s Simeon Richardson. Corey Kluber was magnificent in his first inning in pinstripes. Kluber retired the first three hitters he faced in order, ending the frame with a pretty strikeout of Rowdy Tellez. In the second inning, Kluber looked really good, folks. He struck out two more Blue Jays to finish off two perfect frames.  This performance is wonderful news for the Yankees.

Also making their first appearance of spring training were Brett Gardner and Giancarlo Stanton. After four innings, the game remained scoreless, with Luis Cessa on the mound for the fifth. Josh Palacios doubled off Cessa, but Warmoth struck out; Valero singled, scoring Palacios for the game’s first run. Blue Jays 1 Yankees 0.

At the bottom of the frame, Gary Sanchez again showed off his power, homering and tieing up the game at 1-1. That was followed by Derek Dietrich’s home run driving in two for the Yankees 3-1 lead. It looked as if it would be the first 9 inning game of spring training when the Yankees took the field in the bottom of the seventh, but as it turned out the Jays manager just wanted to get more work for his pitchers. It wasn’t a good decision. The game ended at the end of the seventh, but not before Robinson Chirinos homered to far left for the Yankee 4-1 lead.

 

New York Yankees: The Jordan Montgomery Andy Pettitte connection

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New York Yankees, Jordan Montgomery

The New York Yankees won their game on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles. Mike Ford powered the Yankees with his two-RBI double in the game, but what is just important is Jordan Montgomery’s two-inning start in the game. Montgomery, in the shortened 2020 season, went 2-3 with an ERA of 5.11. In yesterday’s game, he struck out two and gave up a run in two innings of pitching. That’s an ERA of 4.50, still above his career ERA of 3.22.

The New York Yankees need Jordan Montgomery to be a good pitcher more than ever before. Two years out from his Tommy John surgery, the Yankees need him to be solid in a pitching rotation that now features three pitchers that have not pitched in at least the last season. The Yankees added Corey Kluber, a bad luck pitcher with a shortened 2019 season being hit by a pitch and a 2020 season that saw him pitch only one inning with a shoulder injury. Jameson Taillon is coming back from two Tommy John surgeries, and Domingo German suspended for a year. The Yankees need Montgomery to be a stabilizing force in that rotation.

After the game on Tuesday, Montgomery revealed that he has been getting important text messages from CC Sabathia and New York Yankee great Andy Pettitte. He explained that both Pettitte and CC Sabathia, with whom he shared a locker room from 2017-19, both text regularly, and Pettitte’s notes have been extremely on-message ahead of this season. Pettitte told him: “Your fastball is better than mine, so you’ve just got to throw it in there for strikes.”

If Montgomery continues to trust his fastball like Pettitte’s advised, the moderate-ceiling sky could be the limit. It’s a darn good pitch, after all. Pettitte, who hasn’t been shy helping pitchers in recent years, also helped CC Sabathia transform from a heat thrower to being a good pitcher in his later years. Now he is regularly texting “Monty” to increase his confidence. With Montgomery’s importance to the Yankees, let’s get to know him better.

The 28-year-old was born in Sumter, South Carolina. Monty is tall, 6’6′, and weighs 225 pounds. He played baseball as a boy. When in Sumter High School, he played baseball and, in his senior year, was named the state’s player of the year.

After high school, he enrolled in the University of South Carolina. He played for the South Carolina Gamecocks, where he again received awards, this time Freshman of the week and Freshman All-American. He played well enough in college to warrant the attention of major league baseball scouts.

In the 2014 major league baseball draft, Montgomery was selected in the fourth round by our Yankees. After his college year, the Yankees limited his pitching to 19 innings as he went 1-1 with an ERA of 3.79. In 2015 Jordan was promoted to the Charleston River Dogs, but shortly thereafter, he was promoted again to the Florida State League for the advanced A Tampa Yankees.

Montgomery’s pitching continued to impress the Yankees, and in 2016 he began the season with the Trenton Thunder but was soon promoted to the AAA Scranton Wilkes/Barre Rail Riders. While there, he pitched the triple-A National Championship game in which he won for the Rail Riders.

On April 12, 2017, Monty was promoted to the major leagues, where he made his New York Yankee debut against the Tampa Bay Rays in a no-decision outing. In his second game, he earned his first major league win against the Chicago White Sox. On June 9th, he pitched a career-high seven innings while striking out eight against the Orioles. Before the All-Star Break, Montgomery pitched to a 3.65 ERA, striking out 87 batters in 91 and third innings. On July 25, he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Reds. In 29 starts in 2017, Montgomery finished with a 9-7 record and a 3.88 ERA.

After six starts when he was 2-0 with an ERA of 3.86. on May 1, he left a game against the Astros with elbow tightness. He was put on the IL, and it was discovered that he had a flexor strain and that he would be out 6-8 weeks. But in June, other problems arose, and he was scheduled to have Tommy John surgery which typically takes a year to a year and a half to recover from.

In 2019 he started the season on the 60 day IL as he recovered from the surgery.  At the end of the season, he pitched in two no-decision games. In 2020, Montgomery had impressed, appearing to be back to full strength in spring training and summer camp.

During the 2020 coronavirus season, Monty was happy to be back in the rotation. He went 2-3 with an ERA of 5.11. Now he has one start in spring training behind him; he can continue developing and becoming an important part of the 2021 pitching rotation.

New York Yankees Recap: Mike Ford has 2 RBI’s in Yankees win over the Orioles

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New York Yankees, Mike Ford

The New York Yankees had their third game of the 2021 spring season. Today they had their first game away, at Ed Smith Stadium 42 miles away in Sarasota, Florida, against the east rivals, Baltimore Orioles. Jordan Montgomery made his first start of spring training, facing the Orioles John Means. It was another beautiful day for baseball on Florida’s west coast; it was 80 degrees for most of the game with partly sunny skies and a light breeze.

The “Machine” DJ LeMahieu got a hit to start the game, followed by a Gleyber Torres’s hit. Luke Voit battled Means, but Means won out, leaving two on base. Clint Frazier got a hit and recorded an RBI to give the Yankees the early lead. Yankees 1 Orioles 0. In the bottom, the Oriole center fielder Trey Manchini got an RBI driving in Mullens to tie it up at one run apiece.

To start the second inning Miguel Andujar flew out to center, Kyle Higashioka popped out, and Mike Tauchman sharply hit a grounder to center for a single. Tauchman immediately stole second base, but DJ LeMahieu flew to Cedric Mullens in center, ending the half. Last season Tauchman led the New York Yankees in stolen bases with six steals. In his second inning, Montgomery made quick work of the Orioles, going one-two-three to end the inning.  Orioles 1 Yankees 1.

Aaron Judge doubled at the top of the third, Gleyber Torres, singled followed by a single by Luke Voit, Judge scored on the play, and Torres moved to second base. Then Mike Ford doubled to far-right looked like it might have been a triple, scoring both Torres and Luke Voit for the Yankee 4-1 lead. The 34-year-old Luis Garcia relieved Jordan Mongomery on the mound. Garcia pitched a clean inning. At the top of the fourth, the Yankees were scoreless in the half. Cedric Mullens singled against Tyler Lyons at the bottom of the inning, causing Yolmer Sanchez to score and Ramon Urias to go to third. Lyons managed to get out of the inning just given up the one run. Yankees 4 Orioles 2.

Brooks Kriske pitched the fifth and allowed no runs. Tanner Scott came out for the Orioles in the sixth escaping any scoring by the Yankees. The Yankees sent out 24-year-old Glenn Otto to pitch the bottom of the frame. He left the Orioles scoreless in his inning. The New York Yankees came to the plate at the top of the seventh inning with the Orioles seventh pitcher of the day, Cole Sulser, on the mound; he shut the Yankees down in their last inning of play. With the last licks on the line for the Orioles, the Yankees sent out Trevor Lane to close it out. Yankees 4 Orioles 2.

By the end of the fourth inning, the game was basically over as there was no further scoring in the seven-inning game. There were no homers in the game; each team had an error apiece. The Yankees were 4 for 12 with runners in scoring position, leaving 5 runners on base. DJ LeMahieu increased his spring training batting average to .500, and in encouraging news Gleyber Torres, who hit so badly last season, increased his batting average to .750. The winner was Montgomery, with Lane getting the save.

Tomorrow’s New York Yankee game will be back at George M. Steinbrenner Field against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees lost their first game of the season against the Jays. It will be another non-televised game and will be an unusual spring training night start at 6:35 pm. Corey Kluber is scheduled to start that game.

New York Yankees: The Yankee bench will take on a more import role: Part 2

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New York Yankees, Mike Ford

We all know that the New York Yankees have gone through a couple of years of far too many injuries affecting regular players playing time. Although the health situation going into spring training, which starts in just a few days if much rosier than last year, it is not reasonable to assume it will remain that way. The simple fact is that injuries are a permanent part of the game that can’t be avoided team-wide. These injuries lead to the use of backup pitchers and backup players that sit on the bench or have to be called up from the minor league to be used short term or even long term.

The backup players will take on an even more important role that could be the difference in success or the season’s failure. The big problem for manager Aaron Boone this season will be dealing with using players efficiently but at the same time saving them for a postseason run. That is something that is always dealt with, but this season is unique. Pitchers and the lineup will play 162 games after only playing 60 games last season. No matter how much a player works out in the offseason or pushes himself in spring training, moving to play nearly three times as many games this season will be a strain on all involved.

In part one of this article, we dealt with the pitching and the depth of both starters and the bullpen.  Now we look at the Yankee depth on the bench and how they can be used.

Mike Ford:

There are several pluses when it comes to Mike Ford. Ford is an adequate fill-in for Luke Voit at first base. He is a lefty bat when they need it and frequently hits for power. Ford, like many players, had a sub-par season last year. He hit just .135 with two homers over 74 plate appearances. But in 2019, he was an important part of the bench hitting .259 with twelve home runs. The New York Yankees need him to return to form as he will be needed off the bench.

Mike Tauchman:

Mike Tauchman is another important piece off the bench. Tauchman can replace any of the oft-injured outfielders at any position. Clint Frazier has earned the permanent place in left field and is seldom injured, so Tauchman would likely only be used to replace Hicks or Judge. Coming off the bench, he could be used as a lefty bat when needed. Tauchman, like Ford, had a poor 2020 season. But he, when on, can hit for power too.

Miguel Andujar:

Andujar spent most of his time last season on the Scranton shuttle. The New York Yankees tried to adapt him to first base and the outfield, neither turned out all that well, and he got little playing time. But Andujar could still be an important factor for the Yankees. There is no question that he can hit home runs as well as hit for contact. During 2018 before his shoulder injury, he hit .297 with 27 home runs. In the Dominican Republic, he adjusted his swing a bit over the offseason, and scouts say he looks great. The only problem for the Yankees is where he will play to get in some playing time.

Jay Bruce:

Bruce is an unknown quantity to Yankee fans. Bruce, by trade, is a right fielder. He, like many players, had a down season in 2020 with the Phillies. But he could be a help to the Yankees should Aaron Judge be injured. Bruce, although not a great hitter, he does hit for power. He has hit 30 or more home runs in four seasons. However, if Judge stays healthy, he won’t see much playing time.

Greg Allen:

Greg Allen is another option for the Yankees in the outfield. His big plus is that he can be used as a pinch hitter as he hits from both sides of the plate. However, don’t expect him to be hitting any home runs. He has only had 8 long balls in his four-year career.

Kyle Higashioka:

Kyle, will of course, be on the bench, although he will seldom be used for pinch-hitting except in the late innings. He will likely be ace Gerrit Cole’s private pitcher most of the time and fill in for Gary Sanchez should he become injured. The Yankees have still not addressed a back up for Higashioka. As it stands now, they will have to bring someone up from the minors since Erik Kratz has retired.  If Gary Sanchez does not improve from last season, look for Kyle to get more playing time again.

Tyler Wade and Thairo Estrada:

The New York Yankees have plenty of back up in the outfield to handle almost any situation; the infield is an entirely different story. Should any one of the infield regular players become injured, the picture gets pretty shaky. Last season neither Tyler Wade nor Thairo Estrada was particularly effective. There is also Estevan Florial, but he is not much of an upgrade and normally plays in centerfield. All three of these players need to prove their worth this season, or it might be bye-bye.

Brett Gardner:

Right now, the big question is will the Yankees work out a deal with Brett Gardner to keep him in pinstripes. Gardner is also a lefty and the best consistent hitter of the bunch off the bench. He can fill in more than adequately in the left or center field. Even if the Yankees take him back, he will not see as much playing time as he has in the past, with Clint Frazier basically taking his place in the lineup.

The Yankees made one big mistake when they didn’t tender Rosell Hererra during the offseason. Hererra was an amazing standout in the 2020 spring training. They didn’t use him last season and he became a free agent and is now playing in China for the Wei Chuan Dragons. Hererra could have been a big star with the Yankees.

The Yankees are in pretty good shape. According to reports, they have about $10 million left in the bank without going over the luxury tax threshold. How they will spend that, if they spend that, is anyone’s guess, but to round things out, they could bring Gardner back, pick up another arm in the bullpen and strengthen the infield with another backup player.

 

New York Yankees News/Rumors: Will Wade, Ford, or Tauchman have an impact of the 2021 season?

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New York Yankees, Tyler Wade

Whether the New York Yankees sign DJ LeMahieu or not, life will go on, and there will be a 2021 baseball season. However, the outcome of those negotiations could have much to do with what other changes the Yankees can make to a team that needs pitching, both starting and in the bullpen. Even before spring training starts on February 21, it seems the Yankee’s starting lineup is pretty set. Leading off if they can sign him will be DJ LeMahieu, followed by Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, Clint Frazier, Luke Voit, Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, and Gio Urshela. Of course, if they can’t resign DJ, it could be substantially different. If the Yankees sign Brett Gardner for another year, he most likely will lead off.

At present, it is unclear how many men will be allowed on theNew York Yankees starting day roster, but it will probably be either 25 or 26. According to how many pitchers the Yankees have on the roster for the opening day, that will allow either two or three, bench players. Those players are likely to be Tyler Wade, Mike Ford, and Mike Tauchman. Let’s look at all three and see what impact they could have with the Yankees in 2021.

Mike Ford is the easiest to predict; he will back up Luke Voit at first base. Ford had a pretty lousy season in 2020, which was not uncommon, especially for players who don’t play daily. Ford hit .135 with 10 hits over 74 plate appearances. He also lacked his 2019 power-hitting with only 2 home runs. Still, he is an adequate first baseman. In his first year with the Yankees, he hit .259 with 12 long balls. If he can return to that in 2021, the Yankees will be happy with that performance.

From Mike Ford, the situation becomes far foggier for both Wade and Tauchman. For Tyler Wade, two scenarios could affect his playing time. If the Yankees sign LeMahieu, that would leave Tyler Wade and Thairo Estrada as backups for LeMahieu. If the Yankees don’t sign DJ, they could choose to move Gleyber Torres to second base, his natural position, that would leave Wade to back up whoever is the shortstop, and secondly to back up Torres at second along with Estrada. However, whatever happens, Wade is still the fastest and smartest base runner on the team.

Still foggier is Mike Tauchman’s place with the team.  Now that Giancarlo Stanton is pretty much the every day DH, that leaves Clint Frazier in left field, Aaron Hicks in center, and Aaron Judge in right field. With the Yankees not taking up Brett Gardner’s option, that leaves Mike as the natural outfield backup for all outfield positions. Frazier has a good injury history, but the Aaron’s don’t. For instance, Hicks has only played in over 100 games in a season twice in his eight-year career. Judge has done a little better playing in over 100 games three of his five years. Complicating Tauchman’s playing time is if they re-sign Gardner, a natural center and left fielder. Adding to the mix, the Yankees just traded for outfielder Greg Allen who can play in all the outfield positions. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that general manager Brian Cashman has been getting calls about Tauchman’s availability.

Like with everything else in this offseason, while the DJ LeMahieu negotiations are at a standstill, it’s hard to know anything about anything until the outcome of those negotiations is known. All three of these players had substantial drops in performance during 2020. Tauchman, for some reason or other, lost all his power. Besides a 35 point drop in his batting average, he hit no home runs in 92 at-bats after hitting 13 in 2019. No matter how much playing time these players get, the New York Yankees hope they will return to a season similar to 2019. If the Yankees have injuries like they had in the last two seasons, these three bench players will see playing time.

 

 

New York Yankees: Can Mike Ford have a role in 2021?

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New York Yankees, Mike Ford

New York Yankees first-baseman Mike Ford had a breakout 2019 season. He hit .259 with 12 home runs and 25 RBIs in his first major-league season, adding a .909 OPS. However, 2020 was a completely different story, finding himself at the alternate site at times. With the Yankees potentially adding multiple infielders this off-season, it leads questions as to whether Ford will have a role on the team in 2021.

Potential Reinforcements

Mike Ford provides a lefty spark off the bench, but may not be an option down the road. He struggles against righties with just a .205 average and his defense lacks.

That being said, the Yankees are looking to add infielders this off-season. The main priority is to retain DJ LeMahieu, but are also in the mix to trade for Francisco Lindor and to sign other free agents, such as Andrelton Simmons or Tommy La Stella.

If the Yankees were to re-sign LeMahieu and acquire one more infielder, it could potentially risk Ford being out of a spot. It could potentially also put current first-baseman Luke Voit out of a spot if LeMahieu were to move over to first-base.

But, since Ford is a lefty, it could help his case for staying if LeMahieu switches to first. There’s almost a greater chance that Ford stays over Voit in many situations, as lefty power is very valuable, especially at Yankee Stadium.

If the Yankees can return Mike Ford back to 2019 form, there’s a very real chance that he keeps a role with the Yankees. Him being a lefty helps his chances of staying in New York.

New York Yankees unveil Wild Card Series roster

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New York Yankees, Mike Ford

Prior to game one of the Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Indians, the New York Yankees have unveiled their 28-man roster for the best-of-three series.

The roster is pretty much as expected, but there are a few small surprises. With the lack of production from the catcher’s spot in 2020, the Yankees are carrying all three of their catchers in Gary Sanchez, Kyle Higashioka, and Erik Kratz. Higashioka will get the start in game one, catching Gerrit Cole, but it’s likely we see Sanchez in games two and three.

Mike Ford also made the postseason roster, despite spending the last two weeks of the season at the alternate site. The Yankees call on him for some lefty-power of the bench, but it’s a bit surprising to see him as he’s bat just .135 this season.

Additionally, Deivi Garcia made the roster, but will be out of the bullpen this series. It’s possible we see Garcia make a start in the ALDS if the Yankees advance, but right now the Yankees have their rotation set. Masahiro Tanaka will take the ball in game two after Cole, with JA Happ taking the ball if a game three is necessary. The Indians have Shane Bieber going in game one, Carlos Carrasco in game two, and Zach Plesac in game three. All three Indians pitchers have sub-three ERAs.

Regardless if the series goes two or three games, the Yankees will be able to pitch Cole in game one of the ALDS if the team advances. The ALDS doesn’t begin until Monday, October 5th.