As a New York resident of over seven years, I've attended more games at Yankee Stadium than at any other big-league ballpark, save the Dome/Rogers Centre and Exhibition Stadium. In an attempt to be fair and balanced, Fox News-style, I've listed things to both like and dislike about The House That Ruth Built, in ten different categories. Notwithstanding the results, I'll be there again in 2006, cheering on the Jays in some rather hostile territory.
* In-Game Entertainment
What's To Like: Loyalty to the home team: No commercials, no visiting team's merchandise. All Yankees baseball, all the time.
What's To Hate: The notion that "Yankeeography" is a word.
* Celebrating The Home Team
What's To Like: Monument Park.
What's To Hate: This year's motto, "Grind It," as if a multi-zillion dollar team of free agents is somehow a gritty underdog.
* Fans' Treatment of Opposing Players
What's To Like: Respectful ovations when injured opponents leave the field.
What's To Hate: Never -- and I mean never -- will you see applause for a great play or a great pitching performance by an opponent.
* Fans' Rituals
What's To Like: Unique traditions, like the "roll call" when fans in the bleachers cheer for each individual defensive player until they turn to acknowledge them.
What's To Hate: Blatantly stolen traditions, like throwing back opponents' home run balls.
* When Fans Find Out You're A Jays Fan
What's To Like: 40% of the crowd can engage in detailed arguments about whether Ed Sprague and Pat Borders should have been flip-flopped in the batting order in Game 2 of the '93 Series.
What's To Hate: The remaining 60% of the crowd still isn't aware of who the Yankees are playing, and it's already the third inning. But when you've got a Jeter t-shirt and a cell phone, what more do you need?
* Public Transportation
What's To Like: Three subway lines go right to the stadium.
What's To Hate: Just try and get on one of those trains once the game lets out.
* Principled Rooting
What's To Like: "Jason Giambi is...the ugly symbol of cheating to succeed." -- New York Post, March 7, 2005.
What's To Hate: 30 home runs? Let bygones be bygones!
* The Local Idiom
What's To Like: "Get ya kosha hatt dawgs!"
What's To Hate: "Is dat a Bawston hat? Kill 'im!"
* Security
What's To Like: If you don't mind the lineups, there's no more rigorous security anywhere in sports.
What's To Hate: [Excised as classified information.]
* In Conclusion
What's To Like: A legitimately passionate, baseball-savvy experience.
What's To Hate: The Yankees. Even more so after you've been to the Bronx Zoo.
The Yankees' late-inning comeback yesterday capped off the season series between Toronto and their rivals in the Bronx.
With Carlos Zambrano indicating that he advocates "power-shagging" as a workout, perhaps the "Grind It" theme is simply the Yankees' way of encouraging their players to be fit!
It should be a very interesting week in New York.
It should be a very interesting week in New York.
Anyone else see this...on Sunday they're giving away 2006 Schedule Fridge Magnet's.
The schedule for 2006 is already out????
The schedule for 2006 is already out????
Sometimes they reveal certain days games are to be played. Like last September, they told us when Opening Day 2005 was and who we were playing. In fact, I'd like to know now if someone in Jays media is reading this and they know. I really hope it's against the White Sox in lieu that it's the 30th Anniversary of the Blue Jays!
Never -- and I mean never -- will you see applause for a great play or a great pitching performance by an opponent.
Although I haven't visited Yankee stadium, I do vividly remember a rather generous applause for Vernon Wells, after he robbed A-Rod of that catch last year. Maybe they made an exception. :)
When I was there in the spring watching the "Doc vs RJ" game.....Johnny Mac made a nice leaping catch, a bunch of fans have him some respect after that catch.
I googled for the 2006 schedule and couldn't find anything, the Devil Rays have released a tentative 2006 schedule though, they'll be in the RC for the second series of the season.
It'll be the 30th season, but only the 29th anniversary. Since it'll be 29 years after the first game.
Okay, but then wouldn't it be 29th season and 30th anniversary? And then which do you celebrate since Jesus wasn't born in the year zero? Newmanium!
If their tentative schedule is correct, then we stand a high chance to host Tampa at our Home Opener, which would suck. From this we know that our Home Opener is either:
a) On a Monday, likely against the Red Sox or Yankees. And I say these two teams because Tampa is playing Baltimore, and they usually match up teams in their own division. The only way we don't play Boston or New York in our Home Opener is if they're both playing each other. In which case, it could very well be the team left our in the AL Central (White Sox?).
OR
b) On the Friday against Tampa.
OR
c) The next Monday against any team.
a) On a Monday, likely against the Red Sox or Yankees. And I say these two teams because Tampa is playing Baltimore, and they usually match up teams in their own division. The only way we don't play Boston or New York in our Home Opener is if they're both playing each other. In which case, it could very well be the team left our in the AL Central (White Sox?).
OR
b) On the Friday against Tampa.
OR
c) The next Monday against any team.
Looks like hell has frozen over
David Glass says he's going to increase payroll by more than 35% next season. It's going to be 50 mil or more. I'm not sure if big named FA's will be knocking down the doors to play for the Royals but they have the money to make a major splash or 2. Glass also admiited he's going to make a profit.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/12707870.htm
Needless to say don't expect a salary cap for the new CBA after next season.
BTW even though MLB is prospering I think the payroll disparity is a joke. Mark my words, as long as the Yanks and Red Sox have 110+mil payrolls and the D-Rays stay at their current level, they will never make the playoffs.
David Glass says he's going to increase payroll by more than 35% next season. It's going to be 50 mil or more. I'm not sure if big named FA's will be knocking down the doors to play for the Royals but they have the money to make a major splash or 2. Glass also admiited he's going to make a profit.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/12707870.htm
Needless to say don't expect a salary cap for the new CBA after next season.
BTW even though MLB is prospering I think the payroll disparity is a joke. Mark my words, as long as the Yanks and Red Sox have 110+mil payrolls and the D-Rays stay at their current level, they will never make the playoffs.
Okay, but then wouldn't it be 29th season and 30th anniversary?
No. 30th season of Blue Jays baseball, but the 30th anniversary will occur on April 7, 2007.
I hope no one minds something out of the blue.
I was wondering if it would be a good deal for the jays to trade Wells and Batista for Kotchman and Rodriguez of the angels. From the Angels perspective, this move makes up for finley and they have enough bullpen depth. We get to save over $10 Million, and get a great 1B prospect, who already started to produce at the major league level. Not to mention an elite closer.
I was wondering if it would be a good deal for the jays to trade Wells and Batista for Kotchman and Rodriguez of the angels. From the Angels perspective, this move makes up for finley and they have enough bullpen depth. We get to save over $10 Million, and get a great 1B prospect, who already started to produce at the major league level. Not to mention an elite closer.
I don't like that trade. Assuming that the best closer from within the current team (probably Speier) is the closer for next season, I don't see K-Rod converting anymore than 5 wins more than Speier . Now, since Kotchman is not a proven Major League Baseball player, we'd be taking a huge risk in thinking that he would make up for the offensive numbers lost by Vernon. Kotchman would have to at least come close to Wells production for that trade to benefit us.
Looking at TBay's schedule, they host the Jays in May 12-14 and June 2-4. Cheer Club trip to see The Heckler, bauxites? It's very easy to get great seats for cheap and wouldn't it be great for the Jays to see a whole section of their own fans?
Looks like AJ is done with the Fish:
In the best interest of the team, A.J. was advised to leave the team and he has done so," Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said. "There will be no multiyear contract offer made to him."
http://tsn.ca/mlb/news_story.asp?id=137776
In the best interest of the team, A.J. was advised to leave the team and he has done so," Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said. "There will be no multiyear contract offer made to him."
http://tsn.ca/mlb/news_story.asp?id=137776
We get to save over $10 Million
Unless there's a second half of this plan that involves the $10 million being needed to sign some great offensive player, I'm not excited about it. Josh Phelps was a great prospect who was already contributing at the major league level -- the team doesn't need prospects right now, they need production.
Unless there's a second half of this plan that involves the $10 million being needed to sign some great offensive player, I'm not excited about it. Josh Phelps was a great prospect who was already contributing at the major league level -- the team doesn't need prospects right now, they need production.