GDT - F'ing Yankees, Game 2 March 30 2018

[Jimcanuck]

BTS lost yesterday, he suxxxx. So I'm doing the GDT today.

 

Lineups:

 

2B Devon Travis ®

DH Josh Donaldson ®

1B Justin Smoak (S)

LF C. Granderson (L)

3B Y. Solarte (S)

RF Randal Grichuk ®

C Russell Martin ®

CF Kevin Pillar ®

SS Aledmys Diaz ®

 

TOR: Aaron Sanchez ® (0-0, 0.00)

VEGAS: 4 runs

 

CF Brett Gardner (L)

RF Aaron Judge ®

DH G. Stanton ®

SS Didi Gregorius (L)

C Gary Sanchez ®

1B Neil Walker (S)

LF Billy McKinney (L)

3B Brandon Drury ®

2B Tyler Wade (L)

 

NYY: Masahiro Tanaka ®

VEGAS: 4.6 runs

 

Giancarlo Stanton made a first impression as a New York Yankee that will be hard to forget.

 

The designated hitter hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat as a Yankee in the first inning on Opening Day Thursday afternoon against Toronto Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ.

 

"It's good to get that first one out of the way early, you can stop worrying about it," Stanton said. "It was a great day. We got 10-plus hits (11), they only got two hits, so it was a good day overall."

 

Stanton added a homer in the ninth inning against Tyler Clippard as he went 3-for-5 with a double in New York' 6-1 victory. Yankees starter Luis Severino beat the Blue Jays for the first time in his career, allowing one hit, three walks and no runs in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and now is 1/3 in his career against Toronto.

 

The Blue Jays will send out right-hander Aaron Sanchez in the second game of the four-game series Friday night to cool off Stanton, who was acquired in the offseason in a trade with the Miami Marlins.

 

The New York starter will be right-hander Masahiro Tanaka.

 

Yankees first-year manager Aaron Boone said before the game that he thought Stanton would have a good game. "I think we've seen over the last week, I felt like his at-bats, his timing as I've talked about a lot with him, I felt like he was really starting to find that good timing. We've seen a couple of homers late in spring from him and I felt all today that every pitch it just seemed like he was in a really good place. When he gets on time, he's deadly like that."

 

The Yankees lineup has been a difficult one for pitchers to work through so it could be a difficult series for the Blue Jays.

 

"It's tough, we knew that," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "It was tough to go through them before Stanton showed up. He came to town here with Miami a few years go and he put on a pretty good show. You've got to pitch him tough, you can get him out if you pitch him tough. But they can also burn a time or two and it's a pretty long lineup."

 

There was some concern for the Blue Jays with weak throws by third baseman Josh Donaldson, who struggled with a shoulder issue during spring training.

 

"Obviously, he was off today," Gibbons said. "He said really his arm just kind of feels dead, not injured. ... We don't think it' a big deal."

 

Tanaka will be pitching on six days' rest. He made his final spring training start March 23 against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing one earned run in 5 2/3 innings (five hits, no walks, six strikeouts and one home run).

 

In four official spring training starts, Tanaka was 0-3 with a 7.24 ERA covering 13 2/3 innings.

 

He was 13-12 with a 4.74 ERA in 30 starts in 2017 and was 3-1 with a 4.20 ERA in five starts against the Blue Jays.

 

He is 9-4 with a 2.95 ERA in 15 career starts against Toronto, allowing one earned run or no earned runs in seven of those starts.

 

He is 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA in six starts at the Rogers Centre.

 

Sanchez was limited last season to eight starts because of a recurring blister problem. He was 1/3 with a 4.25 ERA.

 

He had a good spring training, however, and seems poised to return to the form that gave him the best ERA among starting pitchers in the American League at 3.00 in 2016. In five official spring training games this year, including four starts, he was 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA.

 

He is 2-2 with a 2.40 ERA in 13 outings, including three starts, in his career against the Yankees. He did not face them last season.

 

He must find a way to deal with Stanton, who now has five homers in four career games at the Rogers Centre.

 

When Stanton was asked what he likes about the Rogers Centre, he said, "The dimensions."

Edited March 30, 2018 by Jimcanuck

[jaysfan2014]

We got an injury with the Yankees already--Aaron Hicks has been put on the 10-day (intercostal muscle strain). Former Cubs OF prospect Billy McKinney recalled.

[BTS]

I feel a lot better going into this one. Sanchez is better equipped to handle the Yankee lineup IMO, and Tanaka is not Severino.

[Willy25]

I feel a lot better going into this one. Sanchez is better equipped to handle the Yankee lineup IMO, and Tanaka is not Severino.

 

Hope Tanaka doesnt repeat his last outing against us last year. That was embarrassing.

[onwego]

Are the Jays going to continue shutting down Stubhub sales 3 hours before gametime like last year?

[Terminator]

Are the Jays going to continue shutting down Stubhub sales 3 hours before gametime like last year?

 

Well it was revealed that they get a cut of all that action so I don't know why they would do that.

[onwego]

Well it was revealed that they get a cut of all that action so I don't know why they would do that.

 

 

I saw something about that.... I'm downtown at the office and am indifferent between going for a bargain ticket bought at 6:50 or grabbing a pizza and watching it on TV at home....

[Terminator]

Donaldson is going to DH tonight. Solarte is likely to make his debut. Definitely an improvement given Donaldson's arm.

 

What's going to suck though is when Travis needs a rest (they said he'd play 3 or 4 games in a row max). Then Gift will play. Hopefully Donaldson's arm gets better soon.

[BTS]

Donaldson is going to DH tonight. Solarte is likely to make his debut. Definitely an improvement given Donaldson's arm.

 

What's going to suck though is when Travis needs a rest (they said he'd play 3 or 4 games in a row max). Then Gift will play. Hopefully Donaldson's arm gets better soon.

 

It's annoying that we don't know what the actual issue is with the arm, aside from 'dead arm'. The way he was throwing yesterday certainly gave the impression that he was in pain. He wasn't finishing his throws at all.

[Orgfiller]

I feel a lot better going into this one. Sanchez is better equipped to handle the Yankee lineup IMO, and Tanaka is not Severino.

 

I think Happ was well equipped to face the Yankees and he displayed as much, the problem was the offense/Severino making it impossible for us to get anything going.

[Terminator]

It's annoying that we don't know what the actual issue is with the arm, aside from 'dead arm'. The way he was throwing yesterday certainly gave the impression that he was in pain. He wasn't finishing his throws at all.

 

Yeah it really reminded me of Bautista. He just really lobbed it to try and protect his arm.

 

Donaldson looked like my beer league softball 3B over there.

[ChrisS]

Are the Jays going to continue shutting down Stubhub sales 3 hours before gametime like last year?

 

Nope, its right at game time now. I picked up sec124 row 30 for $30 US to the opener. You can use your phone now too.

I have a feeling Im going to be able to snag tickets close to home plate this season for pennies on the dollar.

[JaysAllMighty]

It's annoying that we don't know what the actual issue is with the arm, aside from 'dead arm'. The way he was throwing yesterday certainly gave the impression that he was in pain. He wasn't finishing his throws at all.

 

He hurt himself on that great play he made at third and whip the ball to first to get the out. His throwing problems came after that.

[nmrch]

The worst part of the Donaldson situation is neither the team nor the player have much of an incentive to be cautious with his shoulder.

[Jaysareus]

This yankees team looks like the real deal

[onwego]

Nope, its right at game time now. I picked up sec124 row 30 for $30 US to the opener. You can use your phone now too.

I have a feeling Im going to be able to snag tickets close to home plate this season for pennies on the dollar.

 

Thanks ChrisS!!

 

 

I saw a lot of single good seats like that for yesterday, work prevailed, and I didn't miss much.

 

Hope both of us can grab cheap great seats all season!!!

[L54]

Looking forward to this Sanchez start. A healthy Sanchez will go a long ways to keeping this team competitive.

[jays4life19]

1. Devon Travis ® 2B

2. Josh Donaldson ® DH

3. Justin Smoak (S) 1B

4. Curtis Granderson (L) LF

5. Yangervis Solarte (S) 3B

6. Randal Grichuk ® RF

7. Russell Martin ® C

8. Kevin Pillar ® CF

9. Aledmys Diaz ® SS

[jays4life19]

1. Brett Gardner (L) CF

2. Aaron Judge ® RF

3. Giancarlo Stanton ® DH

4. Didi Gregorius (L) SS

5. Gary Sanchez ® C

6. Neil Walker (S) 1B

7. Billy McKinney (L) LF

8. Brandon Drury ® 3B

9. Tyler Wade (L) 2B

[Captain Adama]

My boy Billy McKinney making his MLB debut! He's gonna wreck some s***.

[FrozenRopes]

Hint: Yankees are good.

[Boxcar]

I'm not really understanding why they are limiting Stanton's value by making him DH. He's a pretty good fielder.

[Orgfiller]

I'm not really understanding why they are limiting Stanton's value by making him DH. He's a pretty good fielder.

 

I could understand it with Hicks since he's a good fielder but I believe McKinney doesn't have such a reputation so it's definitely odd, maybe they're just propping up the latter's value knowing they have nothing to lose with Stanton.

[Boxcar]

I could understand it with Hicks since he's a good fielder but I believe McKinney doesn't have such a reputation so it's definitely odd, maybe they're just propping up the latter's value knowing they have nothing to lose with Stanton.

 

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Plus, I can't imagine Stanton is happy about DHing all the time while he's still a very capable OF.

[Jimcanuck]

OP updated with lineups and preview.

[onwego]

I'm not really understanding why they are limiting Stanton's value by making him DH. He's a pretty good fielder.

 

 

The lineup isn't loaded with Iron Horses, he will get his fair share of OF action.

[DigitalRock]

Praying the Offense doesn't look dead today. I don;t have much confidence past Donaldson/travis/Smoak though hitting wise.

[Jonn]

Well people got what they wanted kind of. Morales on the bench for the foreseeable future atleast! He would look really good in KC Blue.

[WesternJaysFan]

Hopefully Sanchez can lock down for a few innings. The offense needs to come alive in a big way tonight to have a shot.

[Spanky99]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Plus, I can't imagine Stanton is happy about DHing all the time while he's still a very capable OF.

 

They're supposed to rotate at the DH spot, I guess with injuries, meh... IDK.