Yankees Settle For A Tie, But Spring Training Intrigue Continues

The Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays played to a 5-5 tie in today’s preseason game in Port Charlotte, Florida. But there were no ties as to who shined and who didn’t.

The Yankees did not accept their fate of losing a game to the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon by scoring a run in the top of the ninth inning to secure a 5-5 tie that mercifully ended this preseason exhibition game.

It wasn’t anything you’d want to write home about when Tyler Wade scored the tying run on a throwing error by Ray’s catcher Michael McKenry, but it avoided a mark in the loss column, something the Yankees have found themselves in only seven times during their spring run.

Aaron Judge, Ronald Torreyes, and a rejuvenated Jacoby Ellsbury, who is now hitting a robust .316 for the spring, all contributed two hits apiece supplying the bulk of the Yankees attack.

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Judge drove in a run with two outs and a runner in scoring position as did Aaron Hicks who is competing with Judge for the starting role spot in right field.

Dustin Fowler continues to amaze and just won’t sit down letting the Yankees make the natural choice of cutting him from the squad heading North, contributed two stolen bases and Tyler Wade added another one. On the downside, the Yankees were also caught stealing twice.

Which, normally would be good news for the Yankees except neither player is expected to be with the team when the season begins.

Oh My, The Pitching

On the pitching side, the game was marked by another superb performance by James Montgomery, who is becoming almost a shoo-in at this point for the team’s Starting rotation. In 4 1/3 innings today, Montgomery gave up two earned runs while striking out eight batters, mostly on swings and misses that spell “good stuff.”

The Yankees have said over and over that the final two spots in their rotation are up for grabs and the pitchers who shine will earn the spot, no matter what their name is. Montgomery has stepped up and is accepting the challenge.

Both Luis Cessa and Luis Severino have not impressed, although each was pegged as the odds-on favorite to win a spot before Spring Training began. But, it’s the old saying in baseball that rules – what have you done you done for me lately – and in each case the answer has to be, not much.

Takeaways From Today

First, the team cannot ignore the performances of Montgomery. He’ll get another start or two before the season begins and he’ll be expected to stretch out and complete at least six innings of work before they peg him for a start in the regular season. If indications continue that he is ready, that should be a breeze.

Which leaves open the question of who stays and who goes between Severino and Cessa. Or, do both of them go and Brian Mitchell assumes the fifth spot? An Intriguing question at this point.

And finally, can we get off the “Dump Ellsbury” bandwagon and accept the possibility that maybe this is a changed and challenged ballplayer in the Yankees attack in 2017.

Or, is this merely a mirage of the player we have been harping on for so long. And once the grind of a 162 game season sets in, he reverts to his unforgiving past of mediocrity in the midst of a $153 million contract, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

I hope it’s the former and not the latter.

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The Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays played to a 5-5 tie in today’s preseason game in Port Charlotte, Florida. But there were no ties as to who shined and who didn’t.

More from Yanks Go Yard

Oh My, The Pitching

Takeaways From Today

Schedule