Bronx, N.Y., April 18, 2009 — I know what you’re thinking. Mixed? On a day when only three games into their new Stadium, the Yankees were victimized by an inning that featured the most hits they have ever surrendered in one frame resulting in the most runs they have ever allowed in one inning? The Indians pummeled them 22-4. Doesn’t sound too mixed. Sounds downright bad. Continue reading
Category Archives: Regular season
Pen Is Mightier?
Bronx, N.Y., April 17, 2009 — Friday would have been financier J.P. Morgan’s 172nd birthday, which may explain the remarkable abundance of empty seats closest to Yankee Stadium’s home plate as the Yanks struggled to a 6-5 nail-biting win over Cleveland on a gorgeous spring afternoon. Seated as I was in the left-field-most corner section of the grandstand, staring down toward the plate and its environs (to the left, the right, and just above), I had plenty of time to contemplate where all the missing fans were (at the big birthday shindig?) as a Yankee starter struggled with his control for the second straight day. Continue reading
Lingo Lesson
Bronx, N.Y., April 16, 2009 — I learned a painful lesson about being exact with my language watching the Yankees battle the Indians in the opener of the new Yankee Stadium Thursday afternoon. As has been covered everywhere, the new “Palace” is beautiful, if expensive, and it is assumed that Yankee fans both experienced and new, old and young, will adapt to it, as long as much of the magic that permeated the Baseball Cathedral across 161st Street makes it across to the new digs. In good times and in bad, the day of the Home Opener was certainly a magical day over there, particularly since it was modified and reopened in 1976. In the 33 years of home openers in that Stadium, the record was a lofty 26-8 (which adds up to 34 because they dropped a double header opener following a six-day-delaying blizzard in 1982). That magic, it appears, will be delayed making it to the other side of Babe Ruth Plaza. Continue reading
Yankee Baseball and the Blustery Day
Bronx, N.Y., April 4, 2009 — Well, the Yanks proved poor hosts to the Chicago Cubs and an impressive assemblage of Cubs fans for the second straight day Saturday afternoon. After early morning showers that dotted the New York area cleared there was no threat of rain, but the gusty, cold weather was anything but pleasant. Still, some face time with some old friends, combined with a visit from another, highlighted a very good day for this Yankee fan with decades of experience on the other side of 161st Street. Continue reading
grandFANNING
Bronx, N.Y., April 3, 2009 — Well, after witnessing the Yanks practice in their new Palace Thursday, baseball was unleashed on the Yankee fan public Friday night. Some fans are beside themselves waiting to partake in the multitude of ways to enjoy the new Stadium; others’ hearts quicken at the thought of the havoc the reconstructed 2009 Yankees will wreak upon all comers in their quest for Championship no. 27. Whatever the call that drove the sellout throng to the Bronx though, much was learned in the 7-4 exhibition win against the NL Central Chicago Cubs. Continue reading
Our Season Plans
Box 601-603 gang
Our Sunday seats are right behind home plate, but we are in the absolute last row, much further from the action than we were in the old Stadium (left). In addition, they are 10 seats off the aisle, instead of the Box 603 seats we had across 161st Street, right on the aisle. As a matter of fact, there were no seats as far as 10 seats off the aisle in Box 603. Continue reading
Half Moon, Half Happy
Bronx, N.Y., September 21, 2008 — At the end of a full day packed with time-consuming activity, hours of circumspection, and symbolic representations of heroism and excellence, the south Bronx was treated to a dazzling view Sunday night. The half moon rose above the left field outfield facade right after Mariano Rivera had put the finishing touches on a 7-3 Yankee win. The metaphor could hardly have been more apt: Five days removed from an almost blinding harvest moon, the orb was bathed in otherwordly colors, but the fact that half the show was missing from view spoke volumes as well. Continue reading
All Hail the Captain
Bronx, N.Y., September 14, 2008 — Despite the fact that the Yanks cashed in a rollicking 8-4 victory over the Tampa Rays Sunday afternoon under steamy skies, the hot and humid weather was not the only unpleasent presence wafting over the Stadium. Alex Rodriguez was lustily booed just two innings after he homered for 100 rbi’s, and starter Carl Pavano received mostly derision after he tweaked his hip in the sixth, even though he left the game as the pitcher of record on the winning side. Further, Joe Girardi pulled Robbie Cano after he made a nice play to escape an ugly fourth inning, even if was the second baseman’s particularly lackadaisical play that set it all up. Continue reading
It Got Late Early
Bronx, N.Y., August 31, 2008 — One of the two good things that can be said about the Yankee 6-2 loss to Toronto Sunday afternoon is that for the most part it was over in the very first inning before fans had too much time to invest their dreams, screams, and hopes. Following a disturbing pattern established earlier in the week against Boston, Andy Pettitte walked one early, and the game went downhill from there. Continue reading
Pavano-Mo Dominates Jays
Bronx, N.Y., August 29, 2008 — The good news was that coming off a 16-month injury hiatus last weekend, Yankee righthander Carl Pavano had thrown well enough for a win. The bad news? “Well enough” would not be good enough vs. A.J. Burnett and the visiting Blue Jays Friday night. Continue reading