Chasing History: A Road to the Show Report

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VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: Happel hits a go-ahead HR in game 2 against Pittsburgh. The lead would not last.

YANKEES SPLIT IN PITTSBURGH
Happel, New York Struggling on the Road

July 23, 2015
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (Operation Sports) - It's been a rough road trip for both the Yankees and their young phenom shortstop Chase Happel. After losing two of three games in Kansas City, the Bronx Bombers appeared to be turning things around against the Pirates until a grand slam took the wind out of New York's sails.

Game one went well at PNC Park for the Yanks. David Price remained hot on the hill, hurling a solid eight innings and giving up just two runs to earn his third straight victory. He was backed by a power surge that included three home runs by the Bronx Bombers. Carlos Beltran, Eric Sogard and Brian McCann all went deep in the win.

The only one who seemed to struggle was Happel, who went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. That added to his misery away from Yankee Stadium, as the 19-year-old was just 2 for his last 17 at the plate since the All-Star break.

"Players are going to have slumps," said Manager Joe Girardi as he defended his scuffling star. "It's a part of the game. He's got all the talent in the world, and I'm confident he'll break out of it. It's only a matter of time."

Girardi proved to be prophetic, as Happel broke through with a great day at the plate in game two of the brief series in Pittsburgh. He went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run that gave his team a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning. After New York added a pair of runs, the Yankees and C.C. Sabathia appeared to be on their way to another win.

But Sabathia ran into trouble in the seventh, loading the bases with one out. They were quickly unloaded thanks to a grand slam by Andrew McCutchen, and just like that, the Pirates were back in front. They'd ultimately win 6-4, raiding the Yanks of any optimism they may have had heading home.

"That was definitely a tough one to swallow," admitted Happel. "But, we are heading home for a long home stand, so hopefully we can get things turned back around as we head into August."

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YANKEES KICK OFF TRADE DEADLINE MOVES
New York Sends Gardner Packing for 2 Prospects

July 24, 2015
BRONX, New York (Operation Sports) - The team enjoyed a rare off day after finishing off a short trip to Pittsburgh. But, the Yankees front office was as busy as ever, and it resulted in General Manager Brian Cashman pulling the trigger on a major deal that has outfielder Brett Gardner heading to Cincinnati.

"We saw an opportunity to improve our team with a look towards the future," commented Cashman. "Brett has been a great part of this organization for a number of years. While we are sad to see him go, we are always looking to make our roster better and look ahead to the future. This trade does that. We wish Brett the best of luck."

Gardner was in his eighth season with the Bronx Bombers and is now expected to provide another major speed threat in Cincinnati's lineup as he joins up with Billy Hamilton.

As for the Yanks, they pick up veteran outfielder Chris Heisey to essentially serve as Gardner's replacement. New York also receives a pair of young prospects. One of them is starting pitcher Robert Stephenson, who scouts believe will make a good middle-of-the-rotation guy down the road. Starting pitching has been a major weakness up to this point in the season, and the hope is that Stephenson can help shore things up within the next couple of years.

The other prospect is raising some eyebrows, as it involves a shortstop named Bryce Orourke. Most people believe that position is solid with Chase Happel as the starter for potentially years to come. However, Orourke is an incredibly versatile player with the ability to play everywhere on the field except the catcher position.

It could take several years before we know how each team did in this trade. If anything else, it is the first significant domino to fall with a week to go before the trade deadline. Now, it's just a matter of time before the next big move to make headlines.

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Chase Happel gets some instruction on base stealing ahead of Saturday night's game against Baltimore

TAKING STEPS TO IMPROVE
Staff Working to Make Happel a Weapon on the Bases

Yankees.com
July 25, 2015
BRONX, New York (Operation Sports) - The dirt is damp as Chase Happel takes a few steps off of first base, digs in and gets down into his stance, ready to take off at a moment's notice. A light rain means he'll have to get a good push off to have any chance. Happel is practically staring down the pitcher, who seemingly stares back over his shoulder. The leg moves, and he's off!

Happel is clearly frustrated after struggling during a base stealing practice session Saturday afternoon before the game against Baltimore. (Hapshoops32)

Happel sprints for second base, but he didn't get a good jump. A great throw and a slide for the bag, but he's out.

"Brian! Are you stuck in molasses? Get your butt in gear!" yells Yanks Manager Joe Girardi, who then walks up to his young shortstop trotting back to first base.

"He's got so much potential. So much speed. He can be a huge weapon for us, at the plate, in the field, and on the bases. But, he's got to stop being so timid and get aggressive," comments Girardi.

"It's really about timing," replied Happel, who talked to us after spending more than a half hour solely working on stealing bases. "I've had a tough time reading the pitcher, and yes, I don't want to get caught stealing. That can kill an inning. But, Skip (Girardi) wants me to run more, so that's what I'm trying to do."

It's no secret that the Yankees have struggled to score runs. One of the biggest reasons is a lack of runners in scoring position. So, the idea behind the
push on Happel to run is to set the table more often for Ellsbury and Teixeira. The 19-year-old has been bumped up to the lead off position the last few games. The hope is that he can get on base and use his speed to manufacture more runs and put pressure on the opposing team's defense.

That strategy is even more important, considering yesterday's trade of speedster Brett Gardner.

Happel slides in to second safely with his 6th stolen base of the season. (Hapshoops32)

"One of the reasons we were ok moving Brett is that we knew we had someone else who could step up and help our running game," said Girardi. "I think it's just a matter of helping Brian get some confidence. I know he doesn't want to get thrown out stealing, but it's time to step up and try."

Happel appears to be listening. He was off and running with the first pitch after drawing a walk in the 5th inning. It was the only time he reached base, but he took advantage of the situation and got into scoring position with his sixth stolen base of the season. While the rookie didn't come around to score, it's the exact thing Girardi wants to see.

"He's not going to score a run every single time. But, running, putting pressure on the defense, it opens up a lot of possibilities. And, that gives us a better chance to put runs on the board and keep innings alive."

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HOME RUN HIGHLIGHTS

Chase Happel hit a clutch home run to tie the game in the seventh inning against Baltimore. While the O's eventually grabbed the win, it was a big moment for the young shortstop. Here is a look at the homer by video and pictures:

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HAPPEL IGNITES LATE GAME COMEBACK
Home Run Helps Spoil Gardner's Return to Yankee Stadium

BRONX, New York (Operation Sports) - Emotions were running high in New York on Tuesday night. A fan favorite who was traded away days ago was back in the Bronx wearing his new uniform. Plus, the Reds were absolutely dominating the Yankees in what looked like another loss for the home nine.

Chase Happel launches his 11th HR of the year in the bottom of the 7th.. (Hapshoops32)

But, all it took was one swing to change that.

Another swing really electrified the crowd.

And, two more clutch base hits sparked a frenzy among the faithful, as their Yankees completed a wild comeback to beat Cincinnati 5-4, all while former outfielder Brett Gardner struggled in his first game against New York in the Bronx.

"It was definitely intense out there," commented Yanks shortstop Chase Happel. "Nights like this really remind you why playing in New York City and putting on this (Yankees) uniform is such a tremendous experience. The fans are so passionate, and when we can deliver them a win like this, it's just an awesome feeling."

The crowd did not have a whole lot to cheer about through the first two-thirds of the game. Reds starter Homer Bailey had been practically untouchable after six innings of work. But, Happel stepped up to lead off the seventh inning for the Bronx Bombers, and the left-handed hitter delivered a solo home run to the opposite field. That was immediately followed by a dinger off the bat of Ramon Flores. Those back-to-back jacks cut the deficit down to one.

New York completed its comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning. Eric Sogard smacked an RBI double that tied the game up at four runs a piece. That was followed by a single from Alex Rodriguez which brought in Sogard to give the Yankees the lead. David Robertson came on and pitched a perfect ninth inning to preserve the win and earn his 18th save of the year.

It was a disappointing return to the Bronx for Brett Gardner, who was 0-for-5 in Cincinnati's loss to New York. (Hapshoops32)

"We just kept battling. Sure, things weren't looking great. And, there have been games this year where it seemed like we just didn't have that fight in us like we should. But tonight, nobody gave up. We were determined to get the job done, and we did."

"I'm really proud of the effort our guys gave tonight," said New York Manager Joe Girardi. "These kind of wins are really important. They set a tone in the clubhouse and show that there are players willing to battle and scratch and claw to get a win. That can become infectious."

The other big story of the night was the return of Brett Gardner. The veteran outfielder was traded four days ago in a move that brought over a pair of prospects and clearly showed that the Yankees had an eye to the future. Gardner had a tough time in his first game back at Yankee Stadium, going 0-for-5 at the plate with two strikeouts.

"I'm not going to lie, it was pretty hard for me emotionally," admitted Gardner. "I wanted to help them (the Yankees) get back to the playoffs. Those are a good group of guys over there in that clubhouse. But, Cincinnati is my home now, and I just want to do whatever I can to help the Reds win."

Chants of "Thank you, Gardner," could be heard throughout the stadium when he lead off the game. The 31-year-old played more than 850 games in New York over the course of 7+ seasons.

"That was really cool. I wasn't really expecting much, but it felt good to hear that and know that they appreciated my time here in New York. I hope I can give Reds fans some reasons to cheer."

The two sides will continue their interleague matchup tomorrow night at the Stadium.