Vinny is having a great start. Hope it continues. But this is long haul.
He is doing this as a challenge to himself as a life-long Yankees fanatic. He says he knows his team and thusfar it's hard not to believe him. He told me he's taking this thing week by week, kind of like the boys try to win a series/set of games. One more win for a winning week. Series clincher tomorrow and then Seattle back in the Bronx for a three-game set.
Let's see what tomorrow brings!
GLTA, Stand
On: 4-0
Against: 3-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +5.69
He is doing this as a challenge to himself as a life-long Yankees fanatic. He says he knows his team and thusfar it's hard not to believe him. He told me he's taking this thing week by week, kind of like the boys try to win a series/set of games. One more win for a winning week. Series clincher tomorrow and then Seattle back in the Bronx for a three-game set.
Let's see what tomorrow brings!
GLTA, Stand
On: 4-0
Against: 3-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +5.69
Vin likes the Yankees tonight. He know they are a sizable dog but this deters him not.
4/14/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 967 New York Yankees +140 vs Toronto Blue Jays (N Eovaldi - R must Start M Stroman - R must Start)
Last night, as Joe said in his post-game presser, the boys hit the ball hard - just right to where a Jays defender was standing. So they are making good contact. And they left a lot of men stranded. This trend has gotta turn around says Vin. (I believe the Bombers have left 17 stranded in these first 7 games.)
Also, Ivan Nova's disastrous 8th inning - his fault and not his fault, says Vin. Nova's not really a 1 inning guy - he's a starter the Yanks didn't have room for in the rotation. So he's a long reliever - for when someone gets roughed up early and we need 3+ innings. Anyway, the Yankee pen is rested and everyone is ready to go tonight if called.
Bottom, line - that loss was not nearly as bad as it looked on the scoreboard, and the boys feel like they should have won that game.
Vin said he could see the disgust in the boys' faces -- that look a man gets when he feels he's been cheated but in the end has only himself to blame -- ashamed and angry they didn't give Pineda a better offensive showing and win that damn game. A few guys actually went over to him afterthe game and apologized, saying he pitched well enough to win and the L was on them.... So, Vin thinks they will bring the lumber tonight.
Of course, Stroman is damn good and he throws hard, but when it comes in on a laser beam, it can and does sometimes go out just as fast. In his last start, Stroman received a no-decision on Friday after allowing five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Red Sox. True he's had a lot of success early (16-6 as a Jay) but successful new pitchers tend to regress the more hitters see them and get to know their pitches, tells, and tendencies.
The scary thing about Stroman is that he has a decent strikeout ratio. Strikeouts get you out of jams when you've got a few guys on. Contact pitchers can't get out of jams so easily and give up more runs...
Vinny also thinks McCann will play (and possibly be rested tomorrow on Jackie Robinson day as the Bombers go home to play a non-divisional game against a weak Mariners side.) McCann is a tough guy and wants to be in that line-up; especially in the deciding game of this firtst series against last year's division champs. Vin can't imagin Joe making him sit now since the MRI on his toe came back negative. Plus Didi Gregorius should be back too, and he's been hot.
Also, Eovaldi is better than people give him credit for, says Vin. The guy was hurt at the back end of the season last years and his first start back he had butterflies - lots of emotions going through his head - and tonight we should see him settled down and being the pitcher he can be.
And again -- the Yankee bats -- gusto is the word Vinny used for emphasis, the boys have a chip on their shoulder and feel like they need to make up for last night -- they should swing the bats with gusto.... Gusto, says he -- and an attitude -- like the pissed-off urban everyman -- ramming his way into an open subway car during the evening rush hour when the two assholes standing in the doorway don't budge.
Who can argue with Gusto and a New York attitude? Certainly not me.
GLTA!
4/14/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 967 New York Yankees +140 vs Toronto Blue Jays (N Eovaldi - R must Start M Stroman - R must Start)
Last night, as Joe said in his post-game presser, the boys hit the ball hard - just right to where a Jays defender was standing. So they are making good contact. And they left a lot of men stranded. This trend has gotta turn around says Vin. (I believe the Bombers have left 17 stranded in these first 7 games.)
Also, Ivan Nova's disastrous 8th inning - his fault and not his fault, says Vin. Nova's not really a 1 inning guy - he's a starter the Yanks didn't have room for in the rotation. So he's a long reliever - for when someone gets roughed up early and we need 3+ innings. Anyway, the Yankee pen is rested and everyone is ready to go tonight if called.
Bottom, line - that loss was not nearly as bad as it looked on the scoreboard, and the boys feel like they should have won that game.
Vin said he could see the disgust in the boys' faces -- that look a man gets when he feels he's been cheated but in the end has only himself to blame -- ashamed and angry they didn't give Pineda a better offensive showing and win that damn game. A few guys actually went over to him afterthe game and apologized, saying he pitched well enough to win and the L was on them.... So, Vin thinks they will bring the lumber tonight.
Of course, Stroman is damn good and he throws hard, but when it comes in on a laser beam, it can and does sometimes go out just as fast. In his last start, Stroman received a no-decision on Friday after allowing five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Red Sox. True he's had a lot of success early (16-6 as a Jay) but successful new pitchers tend to regress the more hitters see them and get to know their pitches, tells, and tendencies.
The scary thing about Stroman is that he has a decent strikeout ratio. Strikeouts get you out of jams when you've got a few guys on. Contact pitchers can't get out of jams so easily and give up more runs...
Vinny also thinks McCann will play (and possibly be rested tomorrow on Jackie Robinson day as the Bombers go home to play a non-divisional game against a weak Mariners side.) McCann is a tough guy and wants to be in that line-up; especially in the deciding game of this firtst series against last year's division champs. Vin can't imagin Joe making him sit now since the MRI on his toe came back negative. Plus Didi Gregorius should be back too, and he's been hot.
Also, Eovaldi is better than people give him credit for, says Vin. The guy was hurt at the back end of the season last years and his first start back he had butterflies - lots of emotions going through his head - and tonight we should see him settled down and being the pitcher he can be.
And again -- the Yankee bats -- gusto is the word Vinny used for emphasis, the boys have a chip on their shoulder and feel like they need to make up for last night -- they should swing the bats with gusto.... Gusto, says he -- and an attitude -- like the pissed-off urban everyman -- ramming his way into an open subway car during the evening rush hour when the two assholes standing in the doorway don't budge.
Who can argue with Gusto and a New York attitude? Certainly not me.
GLTA!
Thanks guys. Appreciate the kind words and will pass them on. (Vinny is a luddite's luddite and does not own a computer.) Am I the only one that was wondering why Joe didn't go to the pen earlier last night after that first home run? (or before). It seemed to me (I'm not a baseball guy) Joe was trying to show confidence in his man by 'letting him play through it' but across all sports, that scenario rarely results in a victory.... Vin has told me he's not a Girardi fan (I'll ask him the reasons) but I have read in other sources that these early games matter much more to the Press and the fans than to the players and managers... It certainly looked good for a while then -boom- a Toronto 3-run homer and it seemed like Stroman steadied himself and the game turned on its head.
Also, old RX jinx here... longer and more detailed write ups tend to lose imo. Maybe I'm wrong there but I had funny feeling going into last night.... no matter. Today is a new day and a new series starts. Should be a great Spring night in the Bronx! Let's see if Vinny's got anything for tonight....
On: 4-1
Against: 3-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +4.69
Also, old RX jinx here... longer and more detailed write ups tend to lose imo. Maybe I'm wrong there but I had funny feeling going into last night.... no matter. Today is a new day and a new series starts. Should be a great Spring night in the Bronx! Let's see if Vinny's got anything for tonight....
On: 4-1
Against: 3-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +4.69
Vin likes the Yankees to bounce back tonight. Not a super-strong play but he just feels like the boys will win.
4/15/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 916 New York Yankees -134* vs Seattle Mariners (N Karns - R must Start L Severino - R must Start)
....Severino.... postulates Vinny, the future ace of the club the papers call him.... he's going to get his first win tonight. (Yes, Vin still actually reads the newspaper -- I even saw him with a magazine the other day. "What the hell do you have there, Vin, is that a damn magazine," I ask him. "Yes," he says, "it's a magazine about baseball." "Well good," I says -- but I digress....)
Vin remembers that in his first start, the Tigers were hitting Severino pretty well - slapping his slider for singles. A lotta slapping -- 9 or 10 slaps -- and that's two hands full of ass, a firm, prolonged squeeze, followed by a lift, slight release and caress, says he. (The latter will easily get you 9 or 10 slaps from any woman in the city and quite possibly a face-full of mace as well. -Stand)
Certainly the Mariners studied this film and will be looking to do the same. Three things should prevent this says Vin:
1. The Mariners aren't the Tigers, says Vin. None of them have been hitting anything except for Cano, the former Yankee.
2. It was cold as f*** that game and it's hard to grip the ball - to throw a good slider for example when it's cold as f***. Tonight the temps in the Bronx will be in the low 50s and the wind will be minimal, so Vin says Sev should be able to dig those fingers into that ball and have more control.
3. Only one of the Mariners has ever had an at-bat against Sev. Always tougher to hit a pitcher you've never faced, says Vin -- sure you can watch film but it's not the same.
Now, he says, look at the Mariners' starter - Karns. He's been good against hte Bombers - a 2.91 ERA against them, but he's had a slow start. He's sporting a 7.20 ERA (previous start was against Oakland) - almost 2 runs higher than Sev's 5.40 against Detroit and all the Yankee bats have seen Karns before, multiple times. 7 Yankees have seen him more than half a dozen times, 4 have batting averages 250 and above. The high man is Didi Gregorius who has faced Karns nine times and has an average of a .333. (Sounds like the under might be a good play too -Stand)
Impressive? No. And have the Yankee bats been hot? Definitely not. But this will be a fine Spring night in the South Bronx, the stands will be full of fans -- loud and raucous celebrating the end of the work week, the homecoming of their team, and the great Jackie Robinson. Good a time as any to get of the snide, says Vin. Besides, the Yanks have a history of beating up on the fishermen from Seattle.
That's about it. King Felix is on the hill tomorrow afternoon for the Mariners and the Japanese pitchers face off Sunday, so, the Yanks need to take this one home.
GLTA!
4/15/16 7:05pm MLB Baseball 916 New York Yankees -134* vs Seattle Mariners (N Karns - R must Start L Severino - R must Start)
....Severino.... postulates Vinny, the future ace of the club the papers call him.... he's going to get his first win tonight. (Yes, Vin still actually reads the newspaper -- I even saw him with a magazine the other day. "What the hell do you have there, Vin, is that a damn magazine," I ask him. "Yes," he says, "it's a magazine about baseball." "Well good," I says -- but I digress....)
Vin remembers that in his first start, the Tigers were hitting Severino pretty well - slapping his slider for singles. A lotta slapping -- 9 or 10 slaps -- and that's two hands full of ass, a firm, prolonged squeeze, followed by a lift, slight release and caress, says he. (The latter will easily get you 9 or 10 slaps from any woman in the city and quite possibly a face-full of mace as well. -Stand)
Certainly the Mariners studied this film and will be looking to do the same. Three things should prevent this says Vin:
1. The Mariners aren't the Tigers, says Vin. None of them have been hitting anything except for Cano, the former Yankee.
2. It was cold as f*** that game and it's hard to grip the ball - to throw a good slider for example when it's cold as f***. Tonight the temps in the Bronx will be in the low 50s and the wind will be minimal, so Vin says Sev should be able to dig those fingers into that ball and have more control.
3. Only one of the Mariners has ever had an at-bat against Sev. Always tougher to hit a pitcher you've never faced, says Vin -- sure you can watch film but it's not the same.
Now, he says, look at the Mariners' starter - Karns. He's been good against hte Bombers - a 2.91 ERA against them, but he's had a slow start. He's sporting a 7.20 ERA (previous start was against Oakland) - almost 2 runs higher than Sev's 5.40 against Detroit and all the Yankee bats have seen Karns before, multiple times. 7 Yankees have seen him more than half a dozen times, 4 have batting averages 250 and above. The high man is Didi Gregorius who has faced Karns nine times and has an average of a .333. (Sounds like the under might be a good play too -Stand)
Impressive? No. And have the Yankee bats been hot? Definitely not. But this will be a fine Spring night in the South Bronx, the stands will be full of fans -- loud and raucous celebrating the end of the work week, the homecoming of their team, and the great Jackie Robinson. Good a time as any to get of the snide, says Vin. Besides, the Yanks have a history of beating up on the fishermen from Seattle.
That's about it. King Felix is on the hill tomorrow afternoon for the Mariners and the Japanese pitchers face off Sunday, so, the Yanks need to take this one home.
GLTA!
One other thing I wanted to share - Vin's thoughts on Eovaldi in last night's loss. Eovaldi has great power, Vin says, that's not news, but what I really noticed last night is he's rather robotic in that he almost never shakes off the pitch the catcher signals to him. Most pitchers do this some, many often. (for us non baseball people the call for the type of pitch comes from the dugout to the catcher and then finally to the pitcher). Vin wondered aloud today if he might not be the brightest guy. That splitter he served up to Donaldson that didn't split and was launched into the second tier in deep center was right down the middle.
The issue, Vin says, is not that he just missed with the pitch but that he was anywhere near the middle. He should have been more willing to miss outside or inside and put Donaldson on first rather than pitch anything that monster could hit.
Of course he pitched a good game other than that HR and the other one... But in a big game like last night one stroke from a slugger can change everything - and it did.
Vin said he will be more careful about backing Eovaldi in big games (that call for thinking on one's feet) in the future.
Darn Bluejays. Let's get that W tonight!
The issue, Vin says, is not that he just missed with the pitch but that he was anywhere near the middle. He should have been more willing to miss outside or inside and put Donaldson on first rather than pitch anything that monster could hit.
Of course he pitched a good game other than that HR and the other one... But in a big game like last night one stroke from a slugger can change everything - and it did.
Vin said he will be more careful about backing Eovaldi in big games (that call for thinking on one's feet) in the future.
Darn Bluejays. Let's get that W tonight!
Well I'll go ahead and call this one. What an egg. Tomorrow is another day. I think the Yanks will tank this series.... Anyway no more long write-ups! (I wish I could document this trend forum wide, I swear it's true...) As I said at the start of the thread, I just hope Vin can provide mostly winners or mostly losers.
On: 4-2
Against: 3-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +3.35
On: 4-2
Against: 3-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +3.35
Vinny is on the Mariners today
4/16/16 1:05pm MLB Baseball 965 Seattle Mariners -127* <small>vs</small> New York Yankees (F Hernandez - R must Start C Sabathia - L must Start)
The King will have our bats chasing all day says he, long live the king!
Beautiful day for baseball in the Bronx. Looks like either the Bomber's losing streak will continue or Vin's will.
GLTA!
4/16/16 1:05pm MLB Baseball 965 Seattle Mariners -127* <small>vs</small> New York Yankees (F Hernandez - R must Start C Sabathia - L must Start)
The King will have our bats chasing all day says he, long live the king!
Beautiful day for baseball in the Bronx. Looks like either the Bomber's losing streak will continue or Vin's will.
GLTA!
I'm starting to think the boys need to make a pilgrimmage to Morningside Heights to get those bats cleansed by a holy man. If the Yanks leave anymore stranded the UN will have to intervene....
The two Nihonjin face off tomorrow... Will ARod ever hit the ball again?
I've called Vin for some postgame analysis but I believe he either went to sleep or disappeared up the block to the Korean Massage Parlor....
We should hear from him before the church bells toll for mass tomorrow...
GLTA tonight!
On: 4-2
Against: 4-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +4.35
The two Nihonjin face off tomorrow... Will ARod ever hit the ball again?
I've called Vin for some postgame analysis but I believe he either went to sleep or disappeared up the block to the Korean Massage Parlor....
We should hear from him before the church bells toll for mass tomorrow...
GLTA tonight!
On: 4-2
Against: 4-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +4.35
Another beautiful Spring day in the South Bronx. Tanaka pitches a gem and the pen finally gets in there with a lead, says Vin. Yankees win.
4/17/16 1:05pm MLB Baseball 916 New York Yankees -141* <small>vs</small> Seattle Mariners (H Iwakuma - R must Start M Tanaka - R must Start)
(Stander) Hopefully they don't leave so many stranded today. The Mariners left a lot stranded too. 2 and 3 runs off 10 hits respectively. Line was -151 this morning and has gone down. Interesting that these two Japanese pitchers used to be teammates... Over 7.5 seems like a solid play to me if both teams can actually bring a few men in.... Anyway, rolling with the Bombers not to get swept (swabbed?) at home!
GLTA!
4/17/16 1:05pm MLB Baseball 916 New York Yankees -141* <small>vs</small> Seattle Mariners (H Iwakuma - R must Start M Tanaka - R must Start)
(Stander) Hopefully they don't leave so many stranded today. The Mariners left a lot stranded too. 2 and 3 runs off 10 hits respectively. Line was -151 this morning and has gone down. Interesting that these two Japanese pitchers used to be teammates... Over 7.5 seems like a solid play to me if both teams can actually bring a few men in.... Anyway, rolling with the Bombers not to get swept (swabbed?) at home!
GLTA!
Well I said at the beginning of this thread we should get an idea of how good or bad Vinny might be after a dozen or so plays. From the first two weeks, it looks like he's actually pretty good. It's an unbelievably long season and he knows this well, but, as I said, Vin hopes if he can concentrate on winning series and weeks, and he can do well picking the games in the future. As I said, he's just a fan (fanatic really), not a gambler. (I'd even call him a Yankee Insider -- he sits inside and watches every game!)
See you guys on Tuesday. Home series with Oakland coming up (Pineda v Surkamp in Game 1). It seems the As have some kind of hoodoo over us. I think Vin will pick us to lose two of three. We shall see. I will try to get some commentary on the first two weeks from him tomorrow. GLTA this afternoon, tonight and tomorrow!
On: 5-2
Against: 4-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +5.35
See you guys on Tuesday. Home series with Oakland coming up (Pineda v Surkamp in Game 1). It seems the As have some kind of hoodoo over us. I think Vin will pick us to lose two of three. We shall see. I will try to get some commentary on the first two weeks from him tomorrow. GLTA this afternoon, tonight and tomorrow!
On: 5-2
Against: 4-0
Totals: 0-1
$: +5.35
Vin is feeling chuffed after the win and is very excited about the pen. Did you see those 8th and 9th innings?! he asks - six straight strike outs! We can get a lead to these two cats it's lights out! Wait till Chapman gets back, says he. Our starters get us to the 7th with a lead we're going to win some ballgames. I hope he's right!
