PAULIE'S NEPHEW, MICHAEL O'NEILL WAS RELEASED

Photo Credit: Pinstriped Prospects

There's a report coming from Pinstriped Prospects that's pretty interesting.  Turns out that Michael O'Neill may have been released by the New York Yankees.  They write that the Yankees...

"...released minor league outfielder Michael O’Neill from his contract.  The 24-year old hit .237 in 389 minor league games since being drafted in the third round of the 2013 draft.  This past season he reached as high as Double-A Trenton where he played 60 games and hit .233.  Before joining the Thunder, he hit .276 in 35 games for the Tampa Yankees in 2016."

In addition, the Yanks have re-signed Cito Culver.  He will be competing with Donovan Solano in the minors no doubt, but I'm glad at least they are holding onto Culver.

We had high hopes for both players. In fact, back in the day, Bleeding Yankee Blue interviewed both of them. Be sure to read:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MICHAEL O'NEILL

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: CITO CULVER

Good stuff.

Good luck to both of these kids. Solid athletes looking for a solid opportunity. Hopefully it all works out for both of them.

CLINT FRAZIER IS JUST TOO MUCH FUN!

(Chris Post/for New York Daily News)

Gotta love our newest Yankee farm hand Clint Frazier.  He's not afraid of the Twitter and is out there a lot talking to all sorts of folks.  He's fun to watch out there...

First he's trying to score dates a few months ago... now he's giving hair tips to Nationals Bryce Harper.  Check this out:

@clintfrazier Ehhhh pretty good right there bro..Gotta learn from JW with that mop!

— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) November 24, 2016

JW is Jayson Werth, who looks like Christ on a regular day.  All in good fun here, gotta love it.

(Photo: Julie Jacobson, AP)

Now we here at Bleeding Yankee Blue have interviewed plenty of Yankee minor leaguers over the years.  Ty Hensley, Ian Clarkin, Sean Carley, Dante Bichette Jr, Cito Culver, Tyler Austin, Michael O'Neill and the like. Check them out, I know you have time:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TY HENSLEY: YANKEES 1ST ROUND PICK

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: IAN CLARKIN

(In Photo: Sean Carley from Carley's Twitter)

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: SEAN CARLEY IS EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: DANTE BICHETTE JR.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: CITO CULVER

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TYLER AUSTIN... WONDERBOY

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MICHAEL O'NEILL

Maybe it's time to reach out to Frazier.  I think the dude would be a lot of fun to chat with, don't you think?

Look for it.  I will personally reach out to this dude, ask him about his time on the Indians, the Yankees and applaud him on having a set of balls, reaching out to whomever he'd like to start up alittle banter.

Love this dude! Hey Clint, let me know if Bleeding Yankee Blue can interview you this offseason. I think it would be great!

 

BIG THINGS WILL HAPPEN FOR REFSNYDER & PIRELA

With the signing of Chase Headley, the Yankees not only ensured solid play at the hot corner for the next four seasons, they gave themselves a dependable defensive infield unit for the 2015 season.   As it stands, the third baseman will take the field with Didi Gregorius at shortstop, Mark Teixeira at first and, according to Brian Cashman, Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela will get their shot at second. A competition if you will, read HERE.

People in the organization know that both Refsnyder and Pirela can hit.  In a limited appearance with the big league squad in September, Pirela batted .333.  Refsnyder batted .300 over 77 games at Scranton last year – after hitting .370 over 60 games to start the season at Trenton.  There is little doubt that when they do finally get a full-time role in the Bronx... and they will, trust me, the pair will provide a boost to the Yankees offense.

The questions in regards to both surround fielding.  Refsnyder entered the organization as an outfielder and is still learning second base.  In 2013 his fielding percentage was .943, and last season it rose to .977.  He cut his number of errors from 25 to 12.  He’s getting there.  Prior to Headley’s signing, speculation was that second base was Refsnyder’s in 2015.  In theory, Prado would have to spend the majority of his time at third base, as Alex Rodriguez could no longer be counted on to man that position.  That changed when Headley entered the picture.

Pirela, for the most part, has been bounced between second base and shortstop, and last season saw significant time in the outfield.  It seems that the team is grooming him to be a utility player.  At shortstop, his fielding percentage is quite low - .930 (in 2011 he made 37 errors at short), and at second base he has a pedestrian .972 pct. 

At 24 and 25-years-old, respectively, Refsnyder and Pirela still remain promising prospects for the Yankees (Baseball America ranks Refsnyder 7^th in the organization).  The fact that neither may have starting roles in the Bronx this year can only allow them the chance to hone their skills.

Their doors aren’t closing.

There’s actually a good probability that either one, or both, will make the Major League squad. For instance, if the Yanks ended up going with Ref as their primary 2nd baseman, Pirela has displayed decent speed on the base paths (he has stolen 34 bases in 44 attempts over the past two seasons) and would be useful in late innings when we need to generate a run.

Also, keep in mind, Pirela provides the Yankees with a good bat and good base running when the team tries to generate late inning rallies.  He’s had experience at every position except catcher, so he’d be able to handle being inserted wherever Girardi needs him.

It is true, our GM tends to discard or ignore the talent we have in the minor leagues, but I think with Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder that isn’t the case.  2015 will be their stepping stone.

Our future is bright with guys like Refsnyder and Pirela waiting in the wings.  Over the next 3 or 4 seasons, they’ll be paired with other names like Jagielo, Bird, Bichette Jr., Austin, Severino, O’Neill, Clarkin, and Judge to form the new core of success for MLB’s greatest franchise.

Get excited Yankee fans... the youth movement is coming!

    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1

  




You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  

MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH STEVE SKINNER

We're continuing our series now with a guy that has been apart of BYB for a while, Steve Skinner.  We continue the MEET THE FAMILY Series with him, a great writer and a good friend.  Over the next month we will be interviewing all of the Bleeding Yankee Blue writers, a way to bring some realness and life to the people that present to you on a daily basis here on BYB.  If you haven't read them already, be sure to also check out:

MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH JEANA BELLEZZA
MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH ERICA MORALES

We pick it up now with BYB writer Steve Skinner...

BYB: Steve, when did you become a Yankee fan? What year and what player or team sucked you in?

Steve Skinner: As far back as I can remember I have been a Yankee fan.  I think it is mainly due to the fact that my dad was always a fan.   Over the course of my life I’ve noticed that Yankee fans cross family generations – probably like any other baseball organization – and we were no different.  

However, I’d have to say that Thurman Munson sealed the deal.  His grit and talent only confirmed to me that I was following the right team!

BYB: Throughout all the Yankee moments you witnessed... what stands out as your favorite? Where were you when it happened?

Steve Skinner: I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived through some of the great moments in our team’s history.  Many jump into my mind when asked to remember the special ones.  Right off the bat I remember Chris Chambliss hitting the home run that won the 1976 ALCS and put us into the World Series for the first time in 12 years.  I was just 12 years old then, so it was the first time I ever saw the Yankees reach that level of success.  I saw that on TV and remember being in awe of what my Yankees had accomplished.  

As I said, there are a lot of great moments, from Reggie’s homers in the World Series, to Mattingly’s consecutive home run streak, to Jeter’s “flip” play.   All special to me in their own way.

BYB: Tell the audience what it's like to work at BYB.  I mean, we're not like other websites... we're more like a family.  Explain...

Steve Skinner: I think “family” best describes what it has been like for me to work at BYB.  The writers/contributors all share a common passion – the Yankees.  Sometimes we disagree about our team, but in the end we all want the same thing: another World Championship.  I think what makes BYB so unique is that in spite of differing opinions, we all really support each other.  There’s a lot of respect and encouragement.   You, Casey, are the common bond within BYB.  Your willingness to allow each of us to express ourselves, even when it might be an unpopular take about the Yankees, sets BYB above other sites I’ve contributed to.  You always have our backs, and it is that kind of support that will always make BYB a special family.

BYB: OK. Scenario. The BYB crew is out for beers. You have the ability to invite 3 Yankees all-time for a round of drinks. Who would they be and what is 1 question you'd ask each of them.

Steve Skinner: Well, first and foremost, I’d have Thurman Munson join us.  I’d ask him what he really felt about his peers – Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk.  Much had been written about him and Fisk and I’d like to know his real feelings – especially given the fact that both Bench and Fisk are in the Hall of Fame but he is not.

Second, I’d want Babe Ruth to join us.  As the greatest player to ever play the game, I’d ask him what he felt about the PED issue in baseball, and in particular, how he’d feel about someone like Alex Rodriguez coming back to the Yankees.

Finally, I’d want Billy Martin to join us.  He’s my all-time favorite manager and I’d ask him how he’d handle the current Yankees.  What changes in the lineup would he, or wouldn’t he make.?

BYB: We met at Yankee Stadium briefly because I had to bring my kid to his baseball game.  Tell the audience about that meeting and why we're friends.

Steve Skinner: I considered us friends even before we met.  Through our correspondences, and through writing at BYB, I knew right away that we shared common opinions and thoughts on the Yankees and on life in general.  I remember the day well.  My daughter Sarah (who’s also a big Yankees fan) and I were lucky enough to get spots on a bus excursion to the stadium on that day.  You and I kept in touch via texts and managed to coordinate a quick meeting.  It was Mo’s last season and the game was a Yankees win with a save from Rivera.  

We met and you were kind enough to present us with BYB wrist bands, which only added to the special day.  I knew then that we’d be lifelong friends.  The genuine enthusiasm you and your son had for the Yankees, and baseball in general, was evident and that just convinced me I was writing for the right guy!

BYB: You interviewed Ron Blomberg (HERE) early on in your BYB career, and now you've managed to have the Prospect beat.  Ian Clarkin (HERE). Michael O'Neill (HERE).  Tell the BYB audience about that 1 prospect that we didn't get and what the reasoning was behind it. Bad timing... remember?

Steve Skinner: Yes, I remember.  I was about to do an Aaron Judge interview.  He was among the leaders in several categories in Charleston.  We were prepping for it and the next day, we got word he was promoted. Like that, he slipped through our fingers!  I still want to interview the kid.  He’s on the fast track and will be in the Bronx soon.

BYB: And to follow up on that. Tell the BYB audience who's next for Steve Skinner? Who do you want to interview next for our audience?

(In Photo: Eric Jagielo)
Steve Skinner: I’d love to be able to interview Tyler Austin, even though you did one already with he and his mom Kim. I'd love to talk to Eric Jagielo, and whomever we draft in 2015.  One interview I’ve conducted already, but haven’t written up yet is with Byron Cogle – Slade Heathcott’s grandfather.   I’d really love to interview Heathcott so that I could put the two together in one piece.   There’s a special story there.

BYB: Why do you like writing for BYB?  What makes it fun, exciting and worthwhile. Be specific.

Steve Skinner: At the risk of repeating what I said earlier, I love the flexibility in what I write about.  Not everything about being a Yankees fan is rosy.  BYB allows me to write whatever is on my mind about the  team I love.  Deadlines have been flexible – which is important when you have a job outside of writing.  There’s never a dull moment with the Yankees, so there is always something to write about.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be able to interview people like Blomberg or Paul O’Neill’s nephew, and BYB has given me that chance.  When guys like Clarkin or O’Neill make it to the Yankees (and they will), I’ll be able to say that I talked to them at the start of their MLB journey.

BYB: Our BYB Source is convinced a Troy Tulowitzki deal is in the works. What's your take?

Steve Skinner: I have no doubt that Tulowitzki would do well in pinstripes, but I’m a big proponent of building from within.  We have some guys who I truly feel we should bring up – Pirela and Refsnyder – and give them their shot.  

(In Photo: Jose Pirela)
They’ve earned it.  I recently wrote a piece saying how the Yankees need to start grooming their talent, rather than trading it off for aging vets.  We really need to look at the two teams that competed in this season’s World Series – especially the Royals – and learn from them.  They developed most of their talent from within their organization.   

Many probably don’t realize that Salvador Perez is just 24-years-old and the Royals had six (I think that’s what I counted) players 25-years-old and younger.   I’d much rather see us give our young guys a shot than trade them away for a few expensive years with Tulowitzki.   Developing talent ensures long-term success.  Trading for veterans in an attempt to reach immediate success is a short-term solution that has only worked once in the past 14 years.

BYB: I try to be fair with my writers because I know how tricky it is to balance family,  well as work and BYB.  How am I doing as the chief?

Steve Skinner: You are the best I’ve come across, so yeah, you’re doing GREAT!   There’s no one else I’d rather write for.

BYB: Final question; Think back. What was the 1 article you read from Bleeding Yankee Blue that made you think "Hey, I like these guys. I'd like to write for them."

Steve Skinner: At the time I had been writing for Bleacher Report, which was fun, but its structure was pretty much about garnering the most reader hits, rather than writing what was on your mind.  I’m not sure I could pinpoint just one article that was a deciding factor for me.  Instead, it was a series of articles, by different writers, that told me this was the place I should be writing.  I remember contacting you about doing an article and once I began, I couldn’t stop.  There was a learning curve for me, as I wasn’t a journalism major (I have a degree in Math), and I specifically remember some rather strict mentoring from you that told me “this guy really cares about BYB”.   From there, I was hooked, and continue to learn to this day.

I do remember... damn! I can't believe YOU remember!

Anyway... Thank you Steve! You're a huge part of the BYB Team and we appreciate you with us!

Thanks for being great, a great writer and a great friend!

Who's next? Stay tuned....

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook! 

BYB HITS 3 MILLION VISITORS! HOW YOU DOING?

3 million visitors to BYB is a major achievement in my life personally, because when I was yelling about Sergio Mitre back in September 2010, it never entered my mind that I would have an audience this large, this smart, this kind and this tremendous.

You are an amazing group of individuals who understand the game and understand that we at BYB are fans just like you.  You also understand that we never force you to like us, we never try to hammer you over the head with our opinions. We are one opinion of many on the web when it comes to the New York Yankees. Each of us as writers for BYB have individual opinions as well.  Our goal here was to get you to open your mind and let you know that there may be a different way of looking at something, sometimes in a gentler way... and yes, sometimes harsh too.  One thing we don’t do here is hate though. We will criticize you if you clearly didn't read the article and give opinions that are off base or offensive.  We'll call you out on that... and usually we'll be right. For the most part though, we love what we do, because we love that you read us and we thank you for being there since day 1.

Baseball is our first passion at Bleeding Yankee Blue. The Yankees and family are the other important passion we celebrate.  Sure, we’re going to keep you in the loop with any Yankee news that’s out there, but if my kid hits a home run…. I’m telling you about it. That's because I'm proud and I know you can relate in some way.

The collection of writers we have is dedicated to the BYB audience.  We work hard to do what we can to present honest posts about everything baseball and life related.  But again, and the haters don’t seem the get this… we don’t expect you to always agree with us.  Disagreements are healthy, hate is not.

I lost readers a few months ago because I supported ARod as a player, NOT because I’m a fan.  The ARod haters can’t get passed that.  I’ve been called names, threatened, verbally abused and for what?  Open your eyes!  There are more important things going on in the world than ripping a person writing about Alex Rodriguez, or even an ARod Fan. Let's not forget, ARod made mistakes... his fans did not.  Get over yourself.  Again, we have opinions... you do to. Disagree, but leave your hate at the door.

We have made some pretty solid relationships, 4 years and 3 million visitors later.  Former Yankee and foodie Clay Rapada still has #RapadaFoodWars with us. We love Clay here.

Home made Alice spring chicken... @BleednYankeeBlu pic.twitter.com/yUWwqIgyuQ
— Clay Rapada (@pada5something) October 22, 2014

He's honest, a hard worker and a fan favorite. Plus, I always side with the southpaw being one myself.

Laura Posada has exploded on the scene in the Life Coach realm. She’s touring, she’s doing her best her, and as the chief of BYB, I couldn’t be prouder to know that we have a friendship with the Posada family.

Our goals are similar.  Our family values are the same and the drive we all possess allows us to collaborate on things.  It's a terrific give and take and we appreciate it.

The other Yankee sites can’t say that. We can!

How about Amber Sabathia? She’s a strong woman who is fully committed to her family and still manages to do so much for others.  She has a face and personality for television ladies and gentlemen! I’d like to see her doing a talk show one day.  She would be amazing! I need to get Amber to wear one of our BYB sweatshirts... do you think she'll do that for me?

Even CC, someone we support here loves us back and the coolest thing I’ve seen was when this video popped up in my email one day:

How amazing is that!  That’s when you know you’ve arrived as an entity.

We appreciate Ty Hensley and his fight back from injury. We've stood by Ty since he was drafted, that's how far the bond goes back. We also love chatting with his wonderful family. We share their values about working hard and fighting for yourself. You know... climbing the mountain to success!

Plus, Marci, his mom is the absolute best!  We love Tyler Austin and his mother Kim who is always supportive of BYB. We love Rob Segedin, a terrific player, a good guy and a decent year in Trenton and working his way up the ladder!

The Bichettes, Dante and his mother Mariana are tops! And we even got to interview Michael O'Neill (HERE) and Ian Clarkin (HERE). Up and comers with a huge up side. BYB is pulling for all these guys, because they are part of the Bleeding Yankee Blue family! They'll make it to the big show real soon!

We can't forget that is all started with David and Erin Robertson. 2 amazing people who helped get us noticed when this lovely couple threw our BYB shirts on and posed for a picture for us.

Nice selfie! We were able to raise money for High Socks for Hope and I was really proud of that project! We will always support David and Erin and hope DRob comes back to the Yankees as our closer again in the future! Read our interview with them HERE.

We’ve made shirts, tank tops… hoodies… and you wear them!  At first I thought to myself. "Oh my god, what have I done! I’m going to be stuck with boxes of shirts and sweatshirts in my office!" 

The delivery is in. http://t.co/7dtsbkhUUj #BYB pic.twitter.com/upNOSRSwoa
— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) February 8, 2014

But then something happened… you bought them, you support us!  I thought I overshot… but we’ve built a true family.  Thank you all for your support. I am blessed.

This isn’t anything more than a thank you and a look back on all we accomplished. Friendships and support and an amazing bond.

Thanks to Charles & Joey Moses for a solid friendship, to Lisa and Shane Varga and TJ Jorgensen.  New comers to BYB in 2014, but friends for life. You guys are great individuals.  Thanks for the support.

To Becki, Jessica, Nicole, Mel, Iris, Steph, Joan, Laurie Donna, Danny, Beth, Jamie, Doug, Kathy, Evelyn, Debi, Deborah, Larry, Trey, Chad, Rudy, Dan, Mikal, Joe, John, Fox, Scott, Jared, Vic, Sydney, Phil, Tara, Bryan, Thom, Christy, David...

Lisa, Luigi, Lou, Tate, Brendan, Anthony, Jennifer, Natalia, Karl, Will, Keith, Donald, Joe, Dean, Rasheeda, Debbie, Corey, Daniel, Beata, Lisa, Linda, Clint, Maria, Rose, Frank, Randy, Ron, Bud, Jasiel, Alan, Kalind, Mike, Joanie...

Holly, Jesse, Bob, Toni, Fred, Christina, Kurt, Tony, Cody, Geo, Kevin, Shawn, Mary, Sidney, Chris, Jessica, Giuseppe, Gary, Craig... Even you Rosemari!  I'd love for you to come back and read us! You're missed.

I know I forgot someone and I apologize in advance.  The point is, this is BYB's core and you show up every day to check in and we truly appreciate it.

This is a Thank you to my readers, and to my writers, but most importantly to my own personal family.  There is no question that BYB has gotten in the way sometimes. There are many times that the computer is in the wrong area of the house at the wrong time… and I’ll get yelled at, or the kids will get a hold of it and there’s some type of breaking Yankee news.  I yell when the kids are playing all around me and I need to get something out there for all of you. It can be frustrating because… there is no question that as much as I love our audience… you can be a distraction in my personal life. That's just honest.  But I feel like I’m balancing pretty good lately.  Although, some days are better than others.

But now we’re past the infant stages of BYB and maybe now, all that hard work early on has paid off.  Maybe now we can relax a bit.  After all, we’ve established ourselves as the place to come for not just news, but for different opinions and creative ideas. We don’t have to be first… we do however have to keep being creative, and that's always been part of what we designed here.  We want you to come to us. We want you to laugh alittle, maybe even cry… maybe even learn something.  That’s BYB.  If you want hard stats and stale opinion… don’t come to us.  We don’t provide that.

To Jeana, Erica, Suzie, Ike, Mike, Steve, Alexis and newcomer Wolfie… You’re each wonderful and unique individuals in your own way.  Your writing styles are different. You are each incredibly smart and I personally know you work your tails off to deal with your own personal lives and then find time to write a story for people to enjoy.  “It’s the grind,” I will tell you on occasion and you know what? Sometimes when you’re in it and there is a ton of stuff going on, the last thing we want to do is write a story by deadline.  But then something happens… when the smoke clears.... We think about the BYB audience… OUR family here, and it flows from the pen with a passion like no other.  Not because it’s a Yankee story… but because we know you want it and you’ll appreciate it. We feed you because you like us. It’s kindness and it’s worked here on BYB since day 1.  The writers we have on BYB are some of the best on the web. I'll take that to the bank, and I thank them every single day. Job well done... always.  Bravo.

And finally to our BYB audience. You have done something incredible. You’ve managed  to make a 43 year old man who has been a fan of Ron Guidry since his 18 strikeout game in the 70’s the happiest man alive.

In addition to the Yankees, I have always had a passion for writing.  While I was never considered the best, I’d find the time throughout my life to sit and write a story, or take a creative writing class, or just write a note to someone to make them laugh.  There was always a flair to it because I enjoyed doing it.  After yelling at Sergio Mitre in September 2010… I did something else… I wrote about it on a really bad looking version of BYB.  It opened my mind in ways you can never imagine, and since then, the passion has expanded.  3 million visitors later, I can tell you that we appreciate the support we’ve received by you, our audience, our family.  You’ve inspired us here to never stop… or at least go as long as we can. Why? Because you like us here… thank you. Your support is never forgotten, ever.

I saw this on Facebook a few days ago and I want you to check it out:

Post by Robert Casey.

Nice right? I got chills the first time I saw this. Sounds silly, but those chills are what I created from scratch.  That's me and all of you coming together.  Pretty wild.

With BYB, all is right with the world at this moment.  We appreciate all of you.  We've managed to create a pretty significant and important family and website. With that family and support comes that "will" and "want" to push harder and be better.

It reminds me of a sentence I read in Derek Jeter's new book Unfiltered.  Derek wrote:

"It's simple. I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for my family. You have to have a good support group, regardless of your profession." 

That goes for my initial family.  But that goes for my BYB Family as well.

We did it...

Next up... 4 million.

Thank you all for your support.

--Casey








You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!