Yankee News For Yankee Fans

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Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees steps out of the batter's box in the seventh inning during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 10, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

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Chase Headley of the New York Yankees dives home past Ryan Hanigan of the Tampa Bay Rays to score an eighth inning run after a double from teammate Ichiro Suzuki at Yankee Stadium on September 10, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

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Ex-Met Chris Young’s three-run homer in ninth saves Yankees

Former Met Chris Young accepts congratulations from teammates Antoan Richardson (right) and Brian McCann after hitting a game-winning three-run homer in the ninth inning to lead the Yankees to a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Rays Thursday night at the Stadium.

Chris Young was playing in the wrong borough this season.

The Mets flameout hit a walk-off, three-run homer to beat the Rays, 5-4, in The Bronx on Thursday as the Yankees overcame a four-run deficit for a second straight night — this time after they were no-hit for 7 ¹/₃ innings.

Young’s blast off closer Jake McGee gave the Yankees a dramatic win that kept their distant playoff hopes somewhat alive, moving them within four games of the second wild-card spot.

“It felt like I was floating on a cloud,” Young said. “I don’t even remember it, to be honest. All I remember is hitting the ball and being at home plate. I don’t remember the rest.”

Earlier, Young helped the Yankees avoid making some unwanted history after Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb held the Yankees hitless until one out in the eighth inning. Young doubled to finally jump-start the offense.

Martin Prado, who didn’t start because of a strained left hamstring, followed with a pinch-hit two-run homer to get another small Stadium crowd excited. But after Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch and Brian McCann reached on an error, Mark Teixeira struck out to end the inning.

But even before that happened, Jeter predicted a victory.

During one of manager Joe Girardi’s visits to the mound in the top of the eighth, the captain gave his teammates a pep talk.

“I said we’d score two in the eighth and three in the ninth,” Jeter said.

He said he doesn’t play Nostradamus often and didn’t know why he picked a game in which they were being no-hit to do so.

“I’m not a prophet,” Jeter said. “I’m just pretty good at math and I knew if we were gonna win, we’d need to score five.”

Down 4-2, Chase Headley was drilled in the chin by McGee to start the ninth and Ichiro Suzuki doubled.

After pinch-hitter Zelous Wheeler struck out, Young delivered his latest huge blow for his new team.

Not surprisingly, Young called it the high point of his season.

“Definitely,” said Young, who went 6-for-11 with two homers and seven RBIs this series. “We had our backs against the wall all game long.”

So had Young, who admitted being released by the Mets was the worst part of 2014.

“You get designated [for assignment], that’s a pretty low point,” Young said. “But you can’t let things like that get you down.”

He was also quick to point out that as dramatic as the last two nights were, the Yankees still have a long way to go before they can realistically think about the playoffs.

“We’re very capable of being as hot as any team in baseball and were in a position where we have to be as hot as any team in baseball,” Young said. “That’s just the fact. You can’t get too far ahead.”

True, but this victory was as unlikely as just about any the Yankees have had, with only Stephen Drew reaching base on an error by center fielder Kevin Kiermaier in the third. Cobb walked a pair in the seventh before the Yankees got to him an inning later after Jeter looked into his crystal ball.

“You’ve got to have confidence and play nine innings,” Jeter said. “The game is not over.”

And for him, neither is the season.

“We’ve got to keep fighting and play every game to the end,” Jeter said. “You try to keep positive. At this point in the season, you can’t change anything that’s happened, but we need to try to win every game.”

Girardi agreed.

“We’re not going to stop playing,” Girardi said. “We’re gonna keep going at it and see where we fall.”

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Michael Pineda delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium in New York, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014.

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Ichiro Suzuki of the New York Yankees catches a fly ball in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 11, 2014 at Yankee Stadium.

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Chase Headley of the New York Yankees is hit in the jaw with a pitch in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 11, 2014 at Yankee Stadium.

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New York Yankees Chris Young hits a ninth-inning, walk-off, three-run home run in the Yankees 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in New York, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014.

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Yankees bounce back thanks to strong effort from Shane Greene and bullpen to beat the Orioles, 3-2

Shane Greene (5-3) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out nine over 5.1 innings. Esmil Rogers, Josh Outman and Shawn Kelley bridged the gap with 2.2 scoreless frames, while David Robertson closed it out for his 36th save.

Shane Greene strikes out nine over 5-plus innings to lead the Yankees to victory in Baltimore.

BALTIMORE — Friday’s doubleheader sweep left the Yankees clinging to the longest of long shots when it comes to the postseason, but Joe Girardi’s team isn’t ready to pack it in just yet.

The Yankees rebounded with a 3-2 win over the Orioles on Saturday, using a three-run second inning and a solid day from Shane Greene and the bullpen to get back in the win column.

Miguel Gonzalez and the Baltimore bullpen held the Bombers to four hits, but three of them came in the second inning as the Yankees jumped out to a lead they would never relinquish.

“We just needed to win,” said Brian McCann, whose solo home run started the three-run inning. “That’s all we can do is come out here and worry about ourselves. We have to win.”

Greene (5-3) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out nine over 5.1 innings. Esmil Rogers, Josh Outman and Shawn Kelley bridged the gap with 2.2 scoreless frames, before David Robertson closed it out for his 36th save, his first since Aug. 29.

“Every win’s big for us now,” Robertson said. “We’ve dug ourselves a little bit of a hole, but this is September baseball, and I’ve seen amazing things happen. I’ve seen Tampa get in on the last day and Boston fall out of the playoffs. You can’t give up hope; you’ve got to try to grind out every single game.”

When the day began, the Yankees were five games behind the Royals and Mariners for the second AL wild card, though the Blue Jays and Indians were ahead of them in the standings.

Still, with 15 games left, Girardi stressed that as long as his team is mathematically alive, the Yankees remain hopeful that they can pull off a magical finish.

“I don’t think you have any choice but to keep fighting,” Girardi said. “Other teams are having their issues; why not? You run off a streak and all of a sudden you’re back in it.”

Brian McCann gets the Bombers off to a quick start with a solo shot in the second inning.

Having scored only one run in 18 innings during Friday’s twin bill, McCann got the Yankees on the board in the second with a one-out solo home run off Gonzalez, his 19th of the season.

Gonzalez walked Mark Teixeira — who was dropped to No. 6 in the lineup — and gave up a double to the rejuvenated Chris Young, putting runners at second and third. Antoan Richardson singled in Teixeira to make it 2-0, then Young and Richardson executed a perfect double-steal, scoring a third run on Young’s steal of home.

Derek Jeter jumps over Nick Markakis while turning a double play in the second.

“You know if (Richardson) gets a good jump, most likely he’s going to be safe,” Young said. “If you see the catcher look like he’s going to throw it, you just take a gamble, take a chance and try to steal a run. It was pretty easy for me just to walk in. The credit really goes to Antoan just to get the bag in that situation.

Saturday's game was delayed because of rain.

“That run ended up mattering.”

The Yankees didn’t have another hit until Martin Prado’s infield hit in the eighth, but Greene and the bullpen made the three runs stand up.

Greene gave up a run in the third on Nelson Cruz’s RBI single, but the young righthander stranded runners at second and third to hold the lead. Greene then retired eight straight before Steve Pearce took him deep for a solo shot with one out in the sixth, pulling Baltimore within a run. “He was getting outs when he had to,” Girardi said. “He made some big pitches.”

Rogers and Outman got the game to the eighth, where Kelley worked around a leadoff hit to hold the one-run lead. Cruz put a scare into the Yankees with a deep fly to center in one of the deepest parts of the park. “I was a little worried,” Girardi admitted.

Robertson, who said he was “a little sore” after throwing a season-high 35 pitches Friday, came in for his first save opportunity in more than two weeks. Jimmy Paredes, who had the walk-off hit in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, led off with a single then moved to third on a sac bunt and a groundout. With the tying run 90 feet from home, Markakis grounded out to second. “These are the type of games we need to win,” Girardi said.

[Yankee4Life]

In a lost season, this Yankee has been an unlikely success story

Shane Greene, who has been a pleasant surprise for the Bombers, picked up his fifth win in the Yankees' 3-2 victory over the Orioles Saturday at Camden Yards.

BALTIMORE — In a lost season, the Yankees have found a pitcher to keep in Shane Greene.

Greene was the winner in the Yankees’ 3-2 victory over the Orioles Saturday at Camden Yards, making him the only Yankees pitcher to twice beat first-place Baltimore this season.

In his first win over the Orioles, a 3-0 victory on July 12, Greene struck out nine. He also struck out nine batters over 5 ¹/₃ innings Saturday, and according to researcher Katie Sharp, Greene is the first Yankees pitcher to strike out nine in back-to-back starts against the Orioles since Ron Guidry in 1979.

The Yankees are 4-10 vs. the Orioles this season. Greene, 25, will play a major role for the Yankees next season, unless they trade him in a deal for a shortstop.

He is having success as a result of losing his slider last year, then trying to find it and developing a hard slider along the way. “It’s crazy,’’ Greene told The Post.

“Last year my slow one disappeared, I couldn’t find it, so I started toying around with different grips and as a result I found the harder one,’’ Greene said. “I threw the hard one for two months and then one day the slow one just came back and it’s been there ever since.’’

How the Yankees found Greene is crazy, too.

Picture this tryout at a quiet field in Clermont, Fla., in 2009: The young man on the mound is coming back from Tommy John surgery. His best friend is catching him. His best friend’s younger sister is holding the radar gun. The MLB draft is four weeks away and the only reason this tryout is being held is because the area scout promised the pitcher’s father on a hunting trip to Alabama that he would take a look at his son, Shane Greene.

The scout goes to the tryout not expecting much.

The first pitch is thrown, and the scout, who was standing down the line to get a good look at the pitcher’s delivery,

asks for the radar reading.

The young girl yells: “92.’’

The scout shakes his head in disbelief. Greene throws another pitch.

“How much?’’ the scout asks.

“Ninety-two,’’ yells the girl again.

“Oh, my gosh,’’ says the scout.

That’s how Shane Greene wound up a Yankee.

“I told Shane that if you become an All-Star someday, they just might write a book about this,’’ that area scout, Jeff Deardoff, told The Post. Deardoff gave Greene hitting lessons when Greene was 12 but he had no clue Greene would develop into the pitcher he has become.

“Things like that just doesn’t happen, his friend is catching, his friend’s sister holding the radar gun,’’ Deardoff said, still amazed at the story.

“His dad just kept bugging me, ‘Shane wants to throw for you.’ I said OK, you hear this from a million other dads.’’

Deardoff immediately called Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer. Greene then went to the team’s pre-draft camp. He was drafted in the 15th round.

“It’s pretty awesome that Damon took a chance on a guy like that,’’ Deardoff said.

“It’s was one of those situations where it’s why we scout, when a kid like this makes it to the big leagues,’’ Deardoff added, a scout’s dream find. “There is that Shane Greene that you can find that nobody knows about.’’

Greene upped his record to 5-3 on Saturday. In a season of lost games, lost opportunities and lost offense, Greene has been quite the find for the Yankees.

Greene went to the University of West Florida after high school and suffered an elbow injury. The team doctor just happened to be Dr. James Andrews.

“The luck of the draw, he did the surgery,’’ Greene said.

Greene lost his scholarship, transferred to Daytona Beach Community College and was on their developmental squad when he got his Yankee tryout. He only transferred to Daytona Beach because his roommate at West Florida also transferred there.

“We never got to pitch in a game,’’ Greene said. “This is like a movie.’’

A great find in a lost year.

[Yankee4Life]

New York Yankees starting pitcher Shane Greene throws to the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Baltimore.

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New York Yankees' Antoan Richardson singles in the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Baltimore. Mark Teixeira scored on the play.

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Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees waits to bat against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning of the Yankees 3-2 win at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 13, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland.

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New York Yankees relief pitcher David Robertson follows through on a pitch to the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, in Baltimore.

[sabugo]

Thank You, Brett Gardner By Brad Vietrogoski

Thank you:

“I feel like things have been slipping away for a few weeks. To be honest, I haven’t looked at the standings the last couple of days because at this point they don’t really matter. We’ve got to win every day. Until we’re five, six, seven games out with five, six, seven games to go and eliminated, I’m still going to hold out hope, and I still believe in the group of guys we have here. I still come to work every day and play hard, but like I said, we’re not in a good spot right now, and it’s a shame because our pitchers have really stepped up the last couple of months and done a good job. As an offense, we haven’t…

“As well as we’ve pitched, we didn’t need to be great. We just needed to be good. And we haven’t been…

“You feel like you’re due at some point. I don’t feel like it’s been a couple of games. I feel like it’s been pretty much all season. We’ve had flashes of being pretty good, but for the most part, we’ve just struggled to get guys across the plate. It’s frustrating because, with all the injuries we had to our rotation, the guys that have come up and come in from other places have really stepped up and done a great job, pitched really well and kept us in the ballgame. Just like tonight, all we needed to get was just one or two runs and we couldn’t even get that. It’s just really frustrating. Guys are working really hard. Guys are trying. Guys are putting in the effort. For one reason or another, we’re just not getting it done.”

See, that’s what I’m talking about. Was that so hard? To man up and admit you know you’re not getting it done? Nowhere in there does Gardner say or even imply that he and his teammates have given up. He goes out of his way to say that they aren’t, just like everybody else has been saying for months. But he also doesn’t dodge the reality of his team’s offensive ineptitude. He takes it head on, acknowledges that it’s frustrating and that he isn’t happy with it, and offers a realistic take on the team’s situation.

That’s all I’m asking for. A little realistic perspective and a genuine expression of feelings and emotions tied to team and individual performances. I know everybody on the team is trying, I know they aren’t going to come out and say “yep, we suck” after every loss, and I don’t want or need a bunch of fake “rah-rah” speeches to the media either. All I want is a little honesty and realism. To talk without it is to take the ownership approach of sticking to the “we’re committed to building a championship-caliber team” company line even though everybody knows that’s not the truth, and the last thing I want to feel like when players are talking is that I’m being talked to by the Steinbrenners.

Gardner broke that mold last night, gave some real answers, and I appreciate that. So thanks again, Brett. It’s good to know there’s still some clubhouse leadership left with the old guard almost gone.

Somebody give this man a raise.

[Yankee4Life]

I wonder why Captain Wonderful didn't say this?

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Yankees win Derek Jeter’s final game in Tampa Bay, beat Rays 3-2 as waning wild card hopes remain stagnant

Jeter carried an 0-for-26 hitless streak with him into Wednesday’s game, only six shy of his career-worst skid, but snapped it with a single in the sixth.

Derek Jeter (r.) snapped one of the worst hitless streaks of his career in a win in Tampa Wednesday.

ST. PETERSBURG — Derek Jeter bid goodbye to Tropicana Field for the final time Wednesday night. On Thursday, the Captain will be back in the Bronx to open the final home stand of his remarkable career.

Jeter’s last game against the Rays saw him snap the second-longest hitless streak of his career, then score the decisive run in a 3-2 Yankees win. The crowd here — which typically features a large number of Yankees fans — greeted the shortstop with an ovation each time he stepped to the plate.

The Yankees remain six games out of a wild-card spot with 11 games left, meaning they will most likely see their postseason dreams extinguished during the eight-game stretch in the Bronx against the Blue Jays and Orioles.

That means Jeter — who has played in only one game during his entire career in which the Yankees had already been eliminated from playoff contention — will become the focus of the fans, who are sure to fill Yankee Stadium for one last look at the future Hall of Famer.

“I’m trying not to anticipate anything or try to figure out what it’s going to be like,” Jeter said. “Right now, I’m just happy we won a game and I got a hit. I’m trying to enjoy it. It feels good.”

Yankees right fielder Ichiro Suzuki fields a high hop off the turf.

Brandon McCarthy improved to 7-4 with a 2.54 ERA in 13 starts since joining the Yankees in early July, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk over seven innings, striking out four — three of them during a nine-pitch seventh inning.

Dellin Betances passed Mariano Rivera for the most strikeouts in a season by a Yankees reliever with 132, while David Robertson pitched a scoreless ninth for his 37th save.

Brett Gardner drives in Jeter with a sacrifice fly.

Tuesday night’s game saw the benches clear when David Phelps nearly hit a batter a half-inning after Jeter was drilled by a pitch. Some expected possible fireworks Wednesday, but the two teams squashed the issue during their final meeting of the season even after Chris Young was plunked in the fifth.

That pitch sparked a two-run inning for the Yankees, who tied the game on Chase Headley’s RBI double to center before Brendan Ryan’s two-out ground-rule double to right gave them their first lead.

Jeter, who had grounded out to Rays starter Alex Cobb (9- in each of his first two at-bats, was 0-for-28 when he came to bat to lead off the sixth. Jeter ensured he would not match his career-worst drought (0-for-32), lining the first pitch Cobb threw up the middle for a single to snap his streak. He scored what proved to be the decisive run later in the inning on Brett Gardner’s sac fly to right, finishing the game 1-for-4.

“I’m 1-for-my-last-2, guys; I’m hot,” Jeter quipped. “It felt good, man. I’m well-aware of what’s going on. At the same time, you try to forget about anything that’s happened up to that point. It feels good. Those stretches aren’t fun. Going through it, it’s difficult because you’re trying to get a hit but you can’t control where it goes.”

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014, in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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Second baseman Brendan Ryan of the New York Yankees catches David DeJesus of the Tampa Bay Rays attempting to steal second base during the first inning of a game on September 17, 2014 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Ichiro Suzuki of the New York Yankees bats during the third inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 17, 2014 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Chris Young of the New York Yankees scores ahead of catcher Ryan Hanigan of the Tampa Bay Rays on a double by Chase Headley during the fifth inning of a game on September 17, 2014 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Derek Jeter homers to open final home stand as Yankees top Blue Jays, 3-2, on walk-off error

Jeter — who finished the night 2-for-4 — hadn’t gone deep in 158 at-bats since Aug. 1 and hadn’t homered at the Stadium since July of last year, a 298 at-bat stretch. But when R.A. Dickey threw a 3-1 fastball to the Captain in the sixth inning, Jeter belted a line drive into the left field seats, setting off a wild celebration.

Derek Jeter shows he still has a flare for dramatic, rounding the bases after hitting a home run in the opener of his final Yankee home stand.

Derek knows drama.

With the final home stand of his legendary career officially underway, Derek Jeter gave the Yankee Stadium fans yet another thrilling moment, ripping his first home run in the Bronx this season to help lead the Yankees to a 3-2 win over the Blue Jays.

Chase Headley’s ground ball scooted through first baseman Adam Lind’s legs to score the game-winning run, but Jeter’s home run was the definitive highlight for the 34,279 in the Bronx.

“That’s what he’s done his whole career,” Headley said. “He’s been going through a little bit of a tough stretch, but he’s swung the bat a heck of a lot better than it shows. It’s just a matter of time with him. He’s going to get his hits; he’s going to get big hits. The dramatic? He’s going to come through. That’s what he did tonight.”

Jeter — who finished the night 2-for-4 — hadn’t gone deep in 158 at-bats since Aug. 1 and hadn’t homered at the Stadium since July of last year, a 298 at-bat stretch. But when R.A. Dickey threw a 3-1 fastball to the Captain in the sixth inning, Jeter belted a line drive into the left field seats, setting off a wild celebration.

“Obviously, this year, up until this point, hasn’t turned out how I’d like it to,” said Jeter, who snapped an 0-for-28 skid on Wednesday. “But you’ve got to keep fighting and keep battling, and regardless of how you’ve done, you come to the field and you have a chance to help the team win.”

No, it wasn’t the World Series, but for fans getting what might have been their final look at No. 2, it didn’t seem to matter. The crowd tried to urge Jeter out of the dugout for a curtain call, but Brian McCann grounded out on the next pitch, ending the fans’ bid.

“I heard them cheering,” Jeter said. “But it’s been odd — I’ve been cheered when I’ve gotten out, too. Mac was in the middle of his at-bat, so I don’t want to disrupt anyone that’s hitting at the time.”

The Yankees moved within five games of the Athletics for the second AL wild-card spot, though with only 10 games remaining, it remains unlikely that Jeter will find his way to one last October. So while the attention during the next week will remain squarely on Jeter, he’s doing his best to treat it like any other week.

Jeter’s solo home run in the sixth inning could be the last of his career.

“I’m trying not to think about it being the last home stand,” Jeter said. “We still have a week left. We’re trying to win games and I’m going to go out there and play hard like I’ve always done my entire career until we’re out of games.”

Despite Jeter’s words to the contrary, Joe Girardi believes his shortstop will have a chance to appreciate the upcoming week.

“I’m sure he’s trying to soak this up as much as he can,” Girardi said. “He understands what’s coming. It’s a big change of life for him. But he loves to play so much, I’m sure he’s going to enjoy it as much as he can; but I’m sure it’s difficult as well.”

Shane Greene gave the Yankees another impressive outing, blanking the Blue Jays on three hits over 6.2 innings. Greene walked two and struck out six, but the bullpen couldn’t finish the job for the rookie as Shawn Kelley gave up a game-tying home run to left by Jose Bautista in the eighth.

Chris Young started the rally in the ninth with a single against Aaron Sanchez, then pinch-runner Antoan Richardson stole second to move into scoring position. Brett Gardner bunted Richardson to third, where he scored on Lind’s game-ending error, the third time Headley has been at bat for a walk-off play.

“Tonight, it was about the guys before me,” Headley said. “Chris Young has a great at-bat to get on, we steal second base and Gardy gets him over to third. I put the ball in play and it worked out, but that was a team inning.”

With the Yankees holding a 1-0 lead in the sixth, Jeter came to bat against Dickey with one out. Dickey fell behind, 3-0, before throwing a strike, but Jeter was sitting on a 3-1 fastball. He lined it into the left-field stands as the Stadium erupted.

“It was a big hit for us at the time,” Jeter said. “I’m happy we were able to hang on there.

[Yankee4Life]

Shane Greene of the New York Yankees throws a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 18, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

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Stephen Drew of the New York Yankees fields a ball in the fourth inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 18, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

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Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees hits a home run in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 18, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

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Shawn Kelley of the New York Yankees throws a pitch during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 18, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City.