Bronx, N.Y., March 30, 2008 — I will be attending my 26th consecutive home opener on Monday, with the weatherman predicting a questionable day for baseball. Colder than I want, but I’ll confine my hopes, prayers, dances, whatever, to a lack of rain. Attending April ballgames is always a bit of a crapshoot. We sat through six innings of snow in 1996, and earned free tickets to Doc Gooden’s May no-hitter for our trouble. They played nine that day, with Andy Pettitte besting Kansas City’s Chris Haney. Three years later the 12-3 drubbing of the Tigers in a downpour was mercifully called after seven frames. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: March 2008
War of the ‘Suppose’s
Tampa, FL, March 5 — There was some good, but more bad, in the Yankees’ first loss Wednesday afternoon. The Yanks had their customary early thunder, but only after new Minnesota left fielder Delmon Young put them in a 1-0 hole with a second-inning home run on a 3-1 Ian Kennedy fast ball. Continue reading
Yankees Are Perfect, But Weather Is Not
Dunedin, FL, March 4 — Anyone who has heard the complaint some Spring Training venues have levelled at the Yankees in the past, that they do not send representative teams on the road, would have been silenced just looking at the starting 10 penciled in to play the Blue Jays in Dunedin Tuesday afternoon: Hughes on the mound, with Damon, Jeter, Abreu, Rodriguez, Giambi, Posada, Duncan, and Cabrera. If that wasn’t enough, the sight of Yogi Berra telling Billy Connors that they had seen a no-hitter as they walked out after the rain-interrupted game was called should have done the trick. Continue reading
Something Happenin’ Here
Kissimmee, FL, March 3 — The Yankees experienced their first significant drawback to 2008 Spring Training when Mike Mussina failed to record an out in the third inning of a 7-6 win over the Astros in Kissimmee. A less than glowing subplot involved some shaky play at first base, the most unsettled defensive position on the team. Continue reading
7 Great Innings, But a 7-7 Tie
Tampa, FL, March 2 — It was incumbent first baseman Jason Giambi’s turn to pole a three-run first-inning home run to give the Yanks an early lead on the Phillies on Sunday, this time in Legends, soon to be Steinbrenner, Field. The lefty power hitter did nothing to hurt his case playing first base in the field either, and he collected both the homer and an even more impressive line double to the gap in left against lefty pitching. Continue reading
Clear Winner at First in Clearwater
Clearwater, FL, March 1 — Yankee fans have a lot of change to adapt to in 2008. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner are replacing their aging father at the helm. Joe Girardi slips into the manager’s chair, vacated by Joe Torre after 12 years. And the team opted not to trade young pitching for an older experienced stud. Continue reading