River Ave. Blues

Spring Training is underway and soon Grapefruit League games will begin. Between now and Opening Day we’re going to preview the 2019 Yankees bit-by-bit, player-by-player. We begin today with the guy who pitches at the end of the game. The 2019 Yankees are built from the ninth inning forward. Brian Cashman & Co. have built […] The post Aroldis Chapman and his hopefully healthy knee [2019 Season Preview] appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

2018 Regular Season Record: 100-62 (851 RS, 669 RA, 98-64 expected record), second in ALE 2018 Postseason Record: 2-3 (22 RS, 29 RA), won WC Game, lost ALDS 2019 Spring Training Schedule This Week: Saturday at Red Sox; Sunday at Rays Top stories from last week: The Yankees and Luis Severino avoided arbitration with a […] The post Fan Confidence Poll: February 18th, 2019 appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

?After yesterday’s dual press conferences, today was a normal — and relatively light, apparently — day in camp. Things should pick up tomorrow when position players report. Here are today’s notes: Aaron Boone said Aaron Hicks is the front-runner to bat leadoff this season, though he hasn’t ruled out Gleyber Torres either. That would allow […] The post Feb. 17th Spring Training Notes: Lineup, Didi, Stephan, King appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

Remember “Band of Brothers,” the HBO miniseries based on Stephen Ambrose’s book of the same name? Hopefully you do, because it was a fantastic production that was at times gripping, touching, and devastating. I mention this because when I think of Jacoby Ellsbury, I think of a character from Band of Brothers: Private Webster. In […] The post The Limited Future of Jacoby Ellsbury appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

?Earlier today CC Sabathia announced he will retire following the 2019 season, which we all knew was coming. The Yankees held another press conference earlier in the day as well, that one to announce Luis Severino’s new four-year extension. He was very clearly overjoyed. The human element of signing a life-changing contract was on full […] The post Feb. 16th Spring Training Notes: Severino, Ellsbury, Kahnle appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

At a press conference in Tampa earlier today, CC Sabathia announced he will retire following the upcoming season, as expected. He’s been saying 2019 will be his final season on his R2C2 podcast since last summer and now it’s official. The big man is hanging up his spikes after the season. “CC has been a […] The post CC Sabathia announces retirement following 2019 appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

The Yankees finalized one of the most significant transactions in their 116-year history fifteen years ago today when they sent Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias (originally a PTBNL) to the Texas Rangers. The Yankees, of course, received Alex Rodriguez and $67 million in return; this would be the best trade in the history of almost […] The post The A-Rod Trade Offers Valuable Lessons appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

?Spring Training continued today with the usual stodginess of the early days of camp. Gleyber Torres showed up for a bit to say hello to his teammates and coaches. Randy Miller has video. Gleyber and several others are working out at the minor league complex across the street. They can’t work out on the main […] The post Feb. 15th Spring Training Notes: Farquhar, Acevedo, Stephan appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

According to Joel Sherman, the Yankees and Luis Severino have agreed to a multi-year contract extension and avoided today’s scheduled arbitration hearing. No word on the contract terms yet, so stay tuned for updates. This means the Yankees can sign Manny Machado or Bryce Harper because they’ve locked up a piece of their care, right? […] The post Sherman: Yankees, Severino avoid arbitration with multi-year contract extension appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

I’m pinch-hitting for Mike again, and I have thirteen questions to work with. As always, you can send your questions to RABmailbag (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll get to as many as we can each week. Steve asks: The Players Association is floating the idea of having less team control in the next CBA. I think […] The post Mailbag: Baseball Economics, Opportunity Cost, and Prospects appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

?Today was the first official workout day down in Tampa. Bullpen sessions, batting practice, the usual. Here’s video of Gary Sanchez taking some hacks. Randy Miller says the players also had their annual media training orientation this morning. Riveting stuff. Anyway, here are today’s notes from camp: Every pitcher and catcher has reported except one: […] The post Feb. 14th Spring Training Notes: Betances, Chapman, Sanchez appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

In a sad way, the news was completely unsurprising. Aaron Boone announced yesterday that Jacoby Ellsbury’s hip surgery rehab has been slowed by another ailment (plantar fasciitis), and that he is quite a bit behind the other position players this spring. Opening Day was always questionable. Now it’s a near certainty Ellsbury will not be […] The post Jacoby Ellsbury keeps moving further out of the picture for the Yankees appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

Pitchers and catchers reported to Tampa yesterday and it didn’t take long for the Yankees to suffer their first injury of the spring. Pitching prospect Mike King will miss at least three weeks with an elbow issue. Baseball always has a way of keeping you humble. Excited Spring Training has started? Well you won’t be […] The post Eight storylines to follow as the Yankees begin Spring Training appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

Barring a surprise Manny Machado or Bryce Harper signing, the Yankees are done with big offseason additions. They are not done with their major offseason business, however. The Yankees and staff ace Luis Severino have their arbitration hearing coming up tomorrow — it is literally the last arbitration hearing on the schedule this year — […] The post The Yankees and Severino have discussed an extension, and time is running out to avoid an arbitration hearing appeared first on River Avenue Blues.

?It was cloudy and rainy in Florida today but I don’t care. Baseball is back. The Yankees opened Spring Training today and Aaron Boone held his annual start-of-spring press conference (video above). More questions were asked about Manny Machado (two) than Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gleyber Torres combined (zero). “There’s no question, we’ll embrace […] The post Feb. 13th Spring Training Notes: Sabathia, Ellsbury, Severino, Montgomery, Diehl, Stephan appeared first on River Avenue Blues.