Latest news with #Stanek
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees At-Bat of the Week: Jorbit Vivas (5/18)
The first edition of the 2025 Subway Series is in the books and what a series we were treated to! Juan Soto's return to the Bronx may have been the main headline, but there was some hard-fought baseball played between two first-place clubs, the Yankees grinding out a deserved series win. Cody Bellinger capped off the rubber game with the dagger blow grand slam in the eighth, handing the Mets their heaviest loss of the season. However, that moment does not happen if not for a less flashy but equally important moment earlier in the inning. Pinch-hitter Jorbit Vivas won an 11-pitch battle against the flame-throwing Ryne Stanek, an at-bat that Bellinger said '100 percent won [the Yankees] that game.' With that ringing endorsement, I thought we could break it down pitch by pitch on AB of the Week. Advertisement We join Vivas with one out in the bottom of the eighth with the score knotted at 2-2. Jasson Domínguez drew an impressive leadoff walk and managed to advance to third on Austin Wells' one-out double. Stanek starts Vivas with a 100-mph four-seamer, and immediately the rookie infielder knows what he's up against. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to a nasty pitch. This fastball starts about a foot off the plate in before tailing back across the inside black for a called first strike. Now that he's got his aiming point for the fastball, Stanek goes right back to that spot up and in. He replicates his execution from the first pitch and nails the same target. Vivas gets off a daddy hack looking to end the game with one swing. He's on time, but works underneath the baseball and fouls it back. Advertisement In the span of about 40 seconds, Vivas finds himself in the hole, 0-2. That's a scary place to be against a reliever hurling triple digits. Stanek goes right back to the well and uncorks his third straight 100 mph four-seamer. This one leaks out over the plate, but this time Vivas is late with the off-speed in the back of his mind in a strikeout scenario and he fouls it off to the left. When you've got a pitcher with such effortless gas, you have to stay geared up for the fastball no matter the count. Stanek leverages this expectation by throwing his first off-speed pitch of the encounter hoping to catch Vivas out in front. This in an impressive piece of hitting by Vivas to stay alive. He is indeed out in front of the splitter — frankly a perfect pitch low and away that would've been a called strike three on the corner had Vivas watched it go. Instead, Vivas is able to lag his bat head in the zone just long enough to top this ball into the dirt at home plate foul, living to fight another pitch. Advertisement Now that he has planted the seed of off-speed with the previous splitter, Stanek looks to elevate a heater to blow Vivas away. Fortunately for Vivas, this uncompetitive pitch sails way above the strike zone for an automatic take. The count leverage still vastly favors Stanek, all he has to do is command the elevated heater a little closer to the top of the zone to entice Vivas to chase. He does just that, but Vivas spits all over this pitch for ball two. It's a surprisingly mature take from a rookie on a pitch that was pretty close to the zone. However, we shouldn't be shocked — he may not make a lot of contact, but the one thing we've seen from Vivas in his short stint in the majors is a precise knowledge of the strike zone, and there's not even a flinch on a pitch that would've tempted many more experienced hitters to chase. Advertisement Regardless, Stanek still believes he can get Vivas out by executing to the same spot. Stanek hits 101 with this offering, but it's in the same location as ball one, and we even get a confident little nod from Vivas as he takes it for ball three. That's three straight elite takes from Vivas to battle back from 0-2 to a full count. First base is open, so Stanek doesn't need to give in and groove one, maintaining the latitude to be precise to the edges with the heater. Stanek once again reaches back for 101 and it's his best pitch of the AB, right on the corner up and in. However, Vivas is all over it timing-wise, fouling the elevated pitch back to the screen. Advertisement At this point Stanek must be wondering what it will take to get this guy out. All he can do is stick with the heater hoping for a whiff or some weak contact. Stanek has shown no trouble executing to that spot up and in — this is the fourth triple-digit heater of the AB he's gotten to that location. It's the same story from Vivas, another foul ball to add a little more fatigue to Stanek's arm and a little higher probability that he will get a mistake as the pitch count in the AB and inning climb. However, Stanek has shown no sign that he's going to miss his spot over the heart of the plate, and he executes another pinpoint four-seamer right on the top shelf of the zone. Once again, Vivas is right on time, happy to foul this pitch back to keep the AB going and hope for something a little easier to get on top of. Advertisement It took eleven pitches, but Vivas finally gets a pitch he can put in play. Pretty much everything has been elevated or in on his hands — his perseverance is paid off with a belt-high four seamer that he can get his arms extended. He rips the pitch to first, and for a terrifying split second it looks like the Yankees have botched yet another contact play leading to an out made at home. However, Pete Alonso yeets the ball well wide of the catcher as Domínguez slides across the plate as the go-ahead run. It's a classic case of putting pressure on the defense with a ball in play, and for once the baseball gods favor the Yankees. Here's the full AB, minus the first pitch called strike: Courtesy of Baseball Savant After the game, Aaron Boone made a point of singling out this AB as the turning point of the contest. 'Vivas, what an AB, man... You could see his adjustment, like the third or fourth pitch in, you felt him settle in a little bit. You could tell he settled down. Some great takes, some great battles. Advertisement Vivas echoed the words of his manager in his own post-game scrum. 'To be honest, I'm really just trying to make contact there and put the ball in play... He's throwing 100 miles (per hour). So I don't want to do too much, just help the team and out the ball in play.' This is an awesome illustration of a mid-AB adjustment as well as an adjustment from his previous games. You can see how the viciousness of Vivas' swing gets reined in with each successive pitch. Whereas with the first two hacks he's swinging for the fences, by the middle of the AB Vivas has shortened up just looking to put the barrel on the ball. In previous games I've complained about a lack of a two-strike approach from Vivas, but we got to see it put into fruition in real time. I'm still not entirely convinced that Vivas can stick at the major league level. The way he cocks back his hands during his load creates an elongated swing that to this point has made it hard for him to catch up to the heater. The violence of his swing creates excess head movement that makes it difficult to be precise with the barrel. But if he can expand upon the growth we saw in this single encounter, there's a chance we could see productive AB's start to stack up. More from
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Farmer faces massive consequences after investigation uncovers disturbing actions: 'He had made a game out of it'
A farmer was charged with several misdemeanors and three felonies after an investigation revealed horrifying acts. A Wisconsin farmer who killed more than 150 deer pleaded guilty to 14 charges and will serve four months in jail and pay $27,416 in fines. Dominick Stanek was granted an agricultural damage permit in 2019 after citing frequent damage by deer to his 200-acre farm. But neighbors said Stanek was taking it too far, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources began an investigation. Over the span of two years, investigators cited Stanek for multiple violations. DNR Warden Kirk Konichek told The MeatEater that Stanek "show[ed] such a complete lack of remorse for their blatant disregard of a natural resource." Deer hunting in Wisconsin is legal during hunting season but with several restrictions and regulations: hunters must have licenses, deer can only be shot at specific times, and carcasses must be properly disposed of to prevent the spread of disease. Certain counties — including Richland, where Stanek lived — also restrict the baiting and feeding of deer. Investigators found rotting deer bodies on the farm, injured deer, and multiple "trays or bowls filled with a mixture of grape soda and Golden Malrin pellets, a bait used to control flies. The mixture is quickly fatal when drunk," The MeatEater wrote. Not only was Stanek illegally killing deer, but he "took it a step above anything I'd ever seen before, and made it clear that he had made a game out of it," Konichek said, per The MeatEater. Deer play a vital role in ecosystems as a keystone species. While overpopulation can be a problem, hunting seasons help keep populations in check. Unfortunately, not all people follow the rules when it comes to hunting. In another example, a Florida man received a lifetime hunting ban after shooting a protected tundra swan. Their punishments serve as deterrents for illegal hunters and keep protected wildlife safe. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
New York Times
01-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The Mets will rely on their bullpen depth more than ever. Who can step up?
The New York Mets used 28 relief pitchers last year, from Adam Ottavino's 60 appearances to one each for Matt Festa and position players Eddy Alvarez and Luis Torrens. New York's bullpen transformed itself throughout the season. Edwin Díaz's set-up men shifted from Ottavino and Brooks Raley to Dedniel Núñez and José Buttó to Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek. By the end of the season, the pen was unrecognizable from Opening Day. Advertisement The Mets head into this season aiming to use a six-man rotation for a large chunk of the season — a roster framework that would necessarily shorten their bullpen. So don't be surprised if that pen is just as fluid as it was a year ago, if not more. David Stearns and Co. have prepared for it: The Mets are carrying seven relievers on the 40-man roster with minor-league options, meaning they can move between the majors and minors all year without being exposed to waivers. Five of them have been acquired since the trade deadline last year. That all makes this exercise, which will take two parts, as worthwhile as ever. You know about Díaz and Stanek and Reed Garrett. Let's examine all the pitchers you're less familiar with right now but who may play critical roles sometime between Opening Day and Game 162. As it stands, New York has four pitchers solidly in their Opening Day bullpen: Díaz, Stanek, Garrett and Buttó. If A.J. Minter and Núñez are healthy, they'll take up two more spots, and another could go temporarily to a starter like Paul Blackburn. So anywhere from one to four spots could still be up for grabs. A reminder: It's easier to call up pitchers on the 40-man roster, and pitchers with options can be moved more freely between the majors and minors. Today's Part 1 focuses on players on the 40-man roster. Tomorrow's Part 2 looks at non-roster invitees to camp. Acquired: Trade with Toronto ahead of the 2021 season Status: On the 40-man roster without minor-league options. If he's not on the Opening Day roster, he must be designated for assignment and pass through waivers. Repertoire: Fastball, changeup, slider 2024: 1.66 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 major-league innings Reid-Foley had two different stints on the injured list last season for a right shoulder impingement, the second one costing him the final three months of the season. He appeared on the verge of a return in August before his command went awry during his minor-league rehab assignment. Reid-Foley has a relatively solid track record in the majors when healthy, he can pitch multiple innings and he's out of minor-league options. Combine those three facts and you've got a front-runner for an Opening Day spot in the pen. Advertisement Acquired: Signed as a minor-league free agent ahead of the 2024 season Status: On the 40-man roster without minor-league options. If he's not on the Opening Day roster, he must be designated for assignment and pass through waivers. Repertoire: Sweeper, sinker 2024: 4.54 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 37 2/3 major-league innings (1.26 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 14 1/3 Triple-A innings) Young was a success story from this list last year: a pitcher who appeared toward the bottom of it who ended up getting some big outs and earning a spot on the postseason roster. 'For a guy like me, it's all you're ever wanting. You just want a chance to have a little run,' Young said of 2024. 'At times, I did a phenomenal job and at times I did a horrible job. Those are all learning experiences.' Young's emphasis over the winter and into spring is on adding a cutter to help him against right-handed batters, who had a .738 OPS against him last season (compared to .527 for lefties). His chances of making the Opening Day roster will go way up if Minter needs extra time to recover from his hip surgery. Acquired: Signed as a free agent to a split contract last November Status: On the 40-man roster with three minor-league options, meaning he can shuttle between the majors and minors throughout the season. Repertoire: Fastball, cutter, changeup, slider 2024: 4.91 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 91 2/3 Triple-A innings for Boston The right-handed Hagenman had made nine starts over his first three seasons of pro ball before making 15 last year at Triple-A Worcester in the Red Sox organization. That was a welcome transition, he said. 'Everyone wants to be a starter. You control the game,' he said. 'I was happy I could prove myself that I could do it and face lineups multiple times and get hitters out multiple ways.' Advertisement Hagenman has already moved up the depth chart this spring because of the injuries in the rotation ahead of him. His comfort pitching both out of the rotation and out of the pen, as well as the presence of minor-league options, makes him an appealing candidate to eat innings when needed. Acquired: Trade with Miami last July Status: On the 40-man roster with three minor-league options, meaning he can shuttle between the majors and minors throughout the season. Repertoire: Fastball, sinker, changeup, cutter 2024: 3.83 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 51 2/3 major-league innings for Miami and New York The acquisition of Brazobán (and Tyler Zuber) last July showed how Stearns valued minor-league options in his relief corps. Last year's Mets lacked the roster flexibility such options provide; New York designated six pitchers for assignment within the first month of the season, including Michael Tonkin twice. Of course, that strategy works best when optionable pitchers perform at the major-league level, and Brazobán struggled more with the Mets than he had with the Marlins. New York is still looking for the best way to leverage a terrific changeup into something more than a long man. Acquired: Claimed off waivers from Milwaukee last November Status: On the 40-man roster with three minor-league options, meaning he can shuttle between the majors and minors throughout the season. Repertoire: Fastball, changeup, cutter 2024: 1.59 ERA with nine strikeouts in 11 1/3 major-league innings for Milwaukee (2.27 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 47 2/3 Triple-A innings) Herget's carrying skill is his changeup, which stands out for its lack of downward movement. Whereas most pitchers want that pitch to fall off the table, Herget prefers that his moves more horizontally. 'I'm not trying to fight to get depth,' he said. 'The separation between my fastball and changeup is enough that the horizontal move makes it different.' Advertisement Herget's paltry strikeout numbers in his major-league cameos aren't reflective of the quality of his stuff, he said. 'I've never been in a ton of high-leverage situations. I'm more of a clean-up guy,' he said. 'The goal there isn't to strike guys out, it's to be efficient. They don't really care that much if you give up a run. Your goal is to save pitching for the upcoming week.' Acquired: Trade with Tampa Bay last July Status: On the 40-man roster with three minor-league options, meaning he can shuttle between the majors and minors throughout the season. Repertoire: Fastball, sweeper, cutter, changeup 2024: 2.70 ERA with four strikeouts in 2 1/3 major-league innings for Tampa Bay (6.69 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 37 2/3 Triple-A innings between Tampa Bay and New York) When you ask most players in the clubhouse what they want to accomplish in spring training, the typical responses include staying healthy, having fun, or gaining familiarity with a new organization. And then there's Zuber, who looks you straight in the eye and without hesitation says, 'Make the team.' 'That's my goal, that's what I worked for, that's what I trained for,' Zuber said. 'I know they traded for me for a reason. I didn't prove it last year, but I'm here to prove it this year.' Zuber struggled significantly in Triple A after coming over from the Rays at the deadline. He believed he put too much pressure on himself in the immediate aftermath of the trade and got away from attacking hitters as aggressively as he had earlier in the year. To Zuber, those struggles provided a silver lining: He spent the winter tweaking his sinker, making his gyro slider a cutter and adding a changeup. Unlike Herget, Zuber emphasizes depth with his changeup. He's adopted a 'kick change' grip, where you spike the middle finger on the ball. That's allowed the change to mirror his four-seam fastball before diving down — ideally about 15 inches below his fastball. Advertisement Zuber likes the new diversity in his mix. During a windy live BP early this spring, his sweeper wasn't breaking its usual amount. So he could shift to throwing his sinker and changeup, which move in the other direction, to take better advantage of the conditions. 'It gives me more tools in the toolbox to work with,' he said. Acquired: Claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh in January 2024 Status: On the 40-man roster with three minor-league options, meaning he can shuttle between the majors and minors throughout the season. Repertoire: Fastball, slider, sweeper, curveball, sinker 2024: 3.57 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 63 Triple-A innings When Kranick shifted to the bullpen last May, the biggest adjustment he had to make was gaining comfort with pitching outside the strike zone. 'I don't know if self-consciously, I'm a strike-thrower so I want to be over the plate as much as I can,' he said. 'Now (with two strikes), let's take chances and expand the zone a bit.' Kranick thought at times he tried to be too fine in two-strike counts with either his hard gyro slider or his new sweeper, resulting in a pitch left over the plate. (He served up four of his 12 home runs last year with two strikes.) 'That was my offseason focus: two-strike execution,' he said. 'I think I'd get a lot more swing-and-miss with a little better execution.' Kranick, a surprising inclusion on the roster for the Wild Card Series last fall, is off to a nice start this spring and has put himself in the running for one of the final bullpen spots. 'I'm just trying to position myself to give myself the best chance, whether it's the end of camp or early in the season,' he said. 'Just trying to be that next man up.' Acquired: Claimed off waivers from San Francisco in January Status: On the 40-man roster with three minor-league options, meaning he can shuttle between the majors and minors throughout the season. Repertoire: Slider, sinker, fastball, cutter, changeup 2024: 1.69 ERA with seven strikeouts in 10 2/3 major-league innings for San Francisco (4.70 ERA 27 strikeouts in 23 Triple-A innings) Advertisement Warren didn't become a pitcher until he was a sophomore at Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina, reluctantly giving up his dream of making it to Division I as a shortstop. The transition has paid off, though, first with a sparkling season at UNC-Wilmington and now with big-league cameos in each of the past four seasons and a career 3.14 ERA at the level. (Top photo of Danny Young: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
USA Today
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The Mets are bonding over the undeniably wholesome power of fresh baked goods
Spring training is a time for shenanigans and bonding as much as it is for rounding into form before the MLB season begins. In both cases, the New York Mets appear right on schedule. The team with easily the most totems in baseball last year has already delivered yet another endearing moment for fans to latch onto in the form of fresh baked bread. Seriously. Check out this delightful scene that played out at the team's Port St. Lucie facilities on Friday when outfielder Tyrone Taylor returned to his locked to find a mystery loaf waiting for him. The whole thing reads like fan-fiction come to life. The Stanek's are out here nourishing the Mets' stomachs and souls. That's love on a whole different level. A quick stroll through Jessica Stanek's Instagram page shows a seasoned baker who works with sourdough quite often. And, as everyone who has ever maintained a starter knows, you'll soon have more bread than you know what to do with. Now the Stanek family's kitchen has the Mets' clubhouse smelling like a fresh bakery with players hurrying back to their stalls to see if there's a loaf (rather than a red tag). Naturally, the Bread Mets have already become a thing. Anyone who worried about the clubhouse running out of gimmicks in 2025 now have no knead to worry. The only thing left to do before Opening Day is re-sign Jose Iglesias to really lock in the vibes.
NBC Sports
11-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Ryne Stanek can earn up to $5 million in his 1-year contract with New York Mets
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Right-hander Ryne Stanek can boost his pay with the New York Mets to $5 million if he makes 70 or more pitching appearances this season. The 33-year-old right-hander gets a $500,000 signing bonus and a $4 million salary as part of the one-year, $4.5 million contract announced on Jan. 30. He would earn $100,000 each for 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70 pitching appearances. In addition, he would receive $50,000 each for making the All-Star team, winning a Gold Glove or League Championship Series MVP. He would get $100,000 for World Series MVP, $50,000 for winning a Cy Young Award, $25,000 for finishing second in the voting and $10,000 for third. Stanek was acquired in a trade with Seattle at the deadline last year for minor league outfielder Rhylan Thomas. Stanek had a 6.06 ERA in 17 appearances with the Mets during the regular season and became a trusted reliever late in the postseason. Stanek was a first-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2013 amateur draft. He is 17-17 with a 3.65 ERA and 11 saves in 401 major league games, also playing for the Rays, Miami and Houston. Infielder Nick Madrigal gets a $1.35 million salary while in the major leagues and $350,000 while in the minors in a one-year contract announced Jan. 31. The deal specifies $350,000 of his salary is guaranteed. Madrigal can earn $500,000 in performance bonuses for major league plate appearances: $50,000 for 175 and each additional 25 through 400. He hit .221 with 10 RBIs in 51 games for the Chicago Cubs last year and became a free agent in November when the Cubs failed to offer a 2025 contract. Madrigal, who turns 38 on March 5, will compete for a spot on New York's bench in spring training. He has made big league starts at second and third base. The 5-foot-8 Madrigal was selected by the White Sox with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 amateur draft out of Oregon State. He was traded to the crosstown Cubs in July 2021 in the Craig Kimbrel deal. Madrigal is a .274 hitter with four homers, 77 RBIs and 17 steals in 285 career major league games.
