Game 14: #5

Exit liiight...

Game 14: #4

It is high, IT IS FAR... Fuck, I was in the bathroom...

Game 14: #3

The Budweiser Hall Of Fame Lounge is ROCKING!

Game 14: #2

They say the New Stadium is quieter than the Old one. The "asshole"
chants in the bleachers for Sox & Mets fans are pretty loud.

Game 14: #1

One of the 32" screens they have mounted flush against the wall for
the obstructed view bleacher seats isn't even on.

2-0 Yanks on a Brett Gardner single.

Game 14: New Yankee Stadium Live Blog Alert!

That's right folks, tonight Schiff and I will be reporting to you live from the Stadium as the Yanks square off with the A's.

Hopefully the game will go better than last time.

D) None Of The Above?

Jerry Crasnick has a piece up on ESPN.com about Brett Gardner (and Daniel Murphy) which drops right in with this little diddy:

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees' center fielder is 5 feet, 10 inches and 185 pounds worth of former college walk-on, forever driven to prove people wrong. He plays the game with the exuberance of Bo Obama frolicking on the White House lawn.

Later mentions this:

He received the nickname "Squirrel" from a teammate who said that Gardner reminded him of an old high school buddy. To Gardner's relief, the name hasn't picked up any steam in New York.

And finally arrives here:

Cashman has called Gardner a Juan Pierre who can walk, but Gardner will have to post an OBP at least in the .340 to .350 range to prove he's more than an extra outfielder.

My question is... Would you rather be compared to:

A) A Portugese Water Dog
B) An arboreal rodent
Or, C) Juan Pierre

The Great Divide(rs)

I didn't take a picture, because that would be weird, but I found out something about the New Yankee Stadium during our descent into Section 112 that really pissed me off (pun intended... wait for it). There are dividers between the urinals on the Field Level, but not anywhere else in the Stadium.

Is it a huge deal? Of course not, but could there be a better symbol of how much the Yankees have bent over backwards to cater to the wealthiest customers and how they could care less about the core fans? By installing the dividers at the field level, they are acknowledging that it matters, but only providing the "luxury" to those purchasing the most expensive seats. It's an issue of simple human decency, and they can't possibly cost that much to put them in.

Have you ever had a friend who desperately tried to date someone who was out of their league while ignoring a person who was legitimately interested in them? The object of their affection was strikingly attractive, but even if they gave them the time of day, it was just to be nice. The second option wasn't as good-looking, but they had actual feelings for your friend and probably would have done anything to be with them. Guess what, Yankees, the corporate guy, who you want to sit in the insanely expensive seats... he's just not that into you.

Forgive the sweeping generalization, but most of the people who could afford the highest priced seats at the New Stadium are not real fans. Here is why: If you have a job that allows you to spend anywhere from $100K to $800K on two Yankees season tickets, you aren't going to have much time in the day to read blogs or listen to sports talk radio. Wealthy folks also go out to dinner pretty often. When do they do that? Probably in the neighborhood of 7-10 at night, give or take, and three or four star restaurants aren't going to have the game on TV. The more money you have, the more options you have, and everywhere you look in this city, companies are bending over backwards to cater to what remains of the uber-rich. The Yankees are just one option; an option that's not in Manhattan and requires an commitment of 81 games and a small fortune.

The people (and corporations) who buy those seats are never going to love the Yankees as much as the average fan, and the direction of the economy has blatantly exposed that. There are still some who could absorb the price increase in the new building, but for them it was a luxury. You can tell by the outrage and disenfranchisement of the people who were displaced from their affordable full or even partial season ticket packages that they thought of it as a necessity.

It's clear that it doesn't make sense to alienate the average fan in the name of the casual but much wealthier fan from a loyalty standpoint. Given the state of the nation's finances right now it doesn't makes sense in the general ledger either. Did it ever? Ben K. from River Ave. Blues doesn't think so.

All you need to know: While the Yankees put art galleries alongside concession stands on the Field Level, Freddy Sez gets shut out of the Stadium. (h/t Jorge Says No)

Womp, Womp, Waaaaaaaaaang

Today, Tyler Kepner brakes down the Chien Ming Wang situation. Here are the takeaways:

1. With an ERA of 34.50, CMW is off to the worst statistical start of any Yankees pitcher ever.


2. Wang is probably going to get skipped in the rotation.


3. He is out of minor league options and there is no possible way he could be sent down without other teams having the option of claiming him.

#1 - Yes, he has pitched horribly. I called him the greatest batting practice pitcher the world has ever seen. At a certain point, he's getting a little unlucky too. If you were trying to give up that many runs without just intentionally walking everyone, I'm not sure you could. It's hard to imagine he's gone from a guy who pitched about three full seasons with an ERA under 4.00 to the worst Major League pitcher in the history of the game.

#2 - Pulling him out of the rotation lines up Burnett, Pettitte and Sabathia to start against the Red Sox at Fenway. Even if there is nothing fundamentally wrong with him, there's just no way the Yankees could throw him to the wolves against the Sox based on what he's done so far.

#3 - This puts him at a huge disadvantage. Wang is a humble guy, and I think he would accept a tune-up start in AAA to get his feet back under him, if that were an option. Now he has to throw in side sessions and won't be able to face live batters until his next start in the majors.

-----

What will become of Chien Ming Wang? Is he ever going to be the dominating presence he once was? How many more disastrous showings is it going to take before the Yanks give up on him? Luckily his next start projects to be against Detroit at Comerica, because the fans at home have already turned on him in the worst way. I'm starting to get nervous.

The Jackson Report: 4/20

Austin Jackson was taken out of Wednesday's game because he was hit by a pitch in the elbow. Scranton manager Dave Miley classified Jackson as day-to-day.

Let's hope he returns soon and doesn't miss a beat. He could be important to the Yankees depth later this season now with Nady probably out for the season.

Games: 7
AB: 25
Hits: 12
Average: .480
OBP: .563
SLG: .560
OPS: 1.123
Runs: 6
HR: 0
RBI: 6
Triples: 1
SO: 7
BB: 5
SB: 3
TB: 14

Game 13: Sunday Kind Of Love

So... how about yesterday?!??! That atrocity belongs right alongside the time that Sampson and I witnessed the worst loss in Celtics history. Or when I spent $300 on Giants tickets, drove down from Boston and saw the Giants lose to the Vikings on punt, kickoff and interception returns all for touchdowns. Yesterday, I had a morbid, perverse sort of feeling watching it unfold. At a certain point you knew they were going to lose by a shitload and just wanted to see how much worse it could get. After the second inning, the only cheers you heard were sarcastic ones. 

The most amazing part? They actually had the number 14 for the manual scoreboard in the outfield. Really? How high do you think those numbers go?

Reading this yesterday from PeteAbe's fill-in, Kevin Devaney, Jr., at LoHud hit me:

Second, Claggett deserves a little slack. Yes, eight runs in 1.2 innings is dreadful. But we spoke to the kid before the game and he was clearly wide-eyed. He talked about driving into the city last night and seeing the New York City skyline and how “it hit me” that he was in the majors. I’m not saying you should ease up because he’s a nice guy. But he got thrown to the wolves in the second inning in a total no-win situation.

If you were pissed at Anthony Claggett to begin with, you just might be an asshole. The kid got his first chance at the Bigs and got rocked in historical fashion. He's probably more upset with himself than anyone else could possibly be. If you are still pissed at Anthony Claggett after that, you more certainly are an asshole.

The only upside is that we figured out a way to finagle our way into Field Level sections, just so as long as there are some open seats. I have a few pictures and comments that I'll probably throw up later tonight about the Field Level in relation to the rest of the Stadium, also. 

Anyway, let us never speak of that game again. Life goes on, Fackers.

-----

Today, we'll see if A.J. Burnett can continue where he left off in Tampa Bay and once again clean up after Chien Ming Wang's mess. Once again, the bullpen needs him in the worst way. 

When Carl Pavano makes his glorious return to the Bronx and is undoubtedly hailed as a hero and showered with praise and adulation, I will be here, trying to dust off my golf game and keep it under 80 (unlikely). I'll just be happy if I don't have to buy a sleeve of balls at the turn. Text me some updates if you are so inclined. 

It's Sunday. Grab a cup of coffee and let Etta James take you away. 

Game 12: #7

Greetings from Sec 112.

Game 12: #6

Oh we went to guest services. And I shit you not, we got fucking
doused with a mysterious substance from the rafters. Look at the
puddle. Barring the greatest comeback in baseball history, that will
be all from this abortion.