Tagged: Yankee Stadium
Yankees vs. Angels: Sec 201, Row 2, Seat 7
A Day I’ll Never Forget
I finally made it back out to Yankee Stadium! I saw my first game this year last Thursday, August 11. It was the rubber game of the series against the Angels. The Halos won the first, the Yanks won the second. I knew it was going to be a good game, and and all-around good day. But I didn’t think it’d be THIS good.
Some of you might know that aside from my blog here at MLBlogs, I write for the FanVsFan Network at my site Pinstripe Partisan. I love that site for a number of reasons, one of the main reasons being that the people who work there are amazing. One of the leaders of the site himself is a Yankees fan and a native New Yorker, and he was generous enough to give me not one, but TWO free tickets to this Yankees game. So not only did I have the time of my life, but I was able to experience the day with my older brother, who had not yet been to the new Yankee Stadium.
But he didn’t just give me tickets. He gave me tickets, that for me, were perfect. When I found out where they were, I couldn’t wait to go.
My brother and I took the train down to the Stadium. Bobby is just as much of a Yanks fan as I am, and he was dying to see the new Stadium. When he first caught a glimpse of it as we were walking towards it, he was in awe – so much that he called home and told my Mom: “Ahh, Mommy! It’s so beautiful, you have no idea…” While on the phone, he turned to me and demanded that I take a picture.
We got the the Stadium 2 hours before the game was scheduled to start. Our plan was to go to our seats as soon as possible and watch batting practice and possibly get autographs. When we got to our section, Bobby reminded me:
“Virginia, please don’t embarrass me.”
Why so concerned?
Our seats were two rows behind the Yankee bullpen. And it was a day game. After a night game. Which meant that some players would be resting. Which meant that some backups would be playing.
WHICH MEANT THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO BE TWO ROWS AWAY FROM FRANCISCO CERVELLI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can see now why he was worried about me.
The first Yankees we saw up-close-and-personal from our perch atop the bullpen wall was Freddy Garcia. He was getting some throwing in. Then Mike Harkey, the coolest bullpen coach ever, entered, and my brother and I (then the only people at the wall) yelled out, “Hi Hark!” AND HE WAVED!!! I thought my day was made. Oh, but there was more to come.
I was watching the hitters take BP, waiting for Cervelli to be done so he could come into the bullpen. BP was long, so my brother and I left for awhile to look around the Stadium, whose beauty was mesmerizing. When we got back to our seats, the wait wasn’t very long. Bobby pointed to a sexy looking man approaching from the dugout. I started to freak out.
“Virginia, you’re doing it.” he warned.
I managed to not explode. I let Francisco Cervelli approach. I captured his warm-up routine with about 50 pictures. Here are some personal favorites:
Before I knew it, he entered the bullpen. I was wearing my “Cervelli 29” shirt I bought last year at the Stadium. It was crowded at the bullpen wall now, but I figured, “It’s now or never.” And I was the only one in the ballpark that I knew of wearing his shirt. I was his ultimate fan. All these other idiots asking for his autograph didn’t really care about him. I didn’t want to harass him like the rest of them.
When he got close enough, I just yelled out, “Hey Francisco!!!! I’m wearing your shirt!”
Now I don’t know if he heard me, or if he saw the shirt when I turned around to show him. All I know, is that he waved at me, and I almost died. I’m lucky that I didn’t fall into the bullpen and die. I really am.
FRANCISCO CERVELLI WAVED TO ME. Holy Jesus. My life was then complete.
So he did more warm-ups, then when he exited the ‘pen, he waved again at us! Such a sweetie.
Oh yeah, then the GAME started. That was fun.
Bartolo Colon pitched a good game for the Yankees. I thought I was going to see Nova, but he pitched the night before. So when I heard it was Colon, I was happy. He was our first choice for a starter to see live!
The game was quiet at first, with no teams scoring through the first 4 innings. In the 5th, the Angels jumped out to a 2-0 lead on an Alberto Callaspo 2-run homer. That upset the sellout crowd, but they soon began to cheer when the fan who caught the ball threw it back.
In the bottom of the 6th, my cutie Curtis Granderson decided to give us something to smile about for real. After a Derek Jeter single, my GrandyMan homered to tie the game at 2! Then the next time the Yanks were on offense, big things happened, thanks to Mr. Robbie Cano. The bases were loaded after an Angel error, and Cano made them pay.
GRAND SLAM! Seeing that live was amazing. The ball jumped off Cano’s bat like I’ve seen no other. It got out of the park in a hurry, and Yankees fans went crazy. 6-2 lead!
*Note: Francisco Cervelli walked in that inning, and for some reason, Girardi called for Russell Martin to pinch run for him? I didn’t know why he did that. My Grandma said it was because a female fan was harassing Cervelli, and he couldn’t take it….wasn’t me!
Cory Wade made things messy in the 9th, so Mariano Rivera had to come in. Always a pleasure seeing him make his way to the mound.
We were all aware of Mo’s mishaps on the mound that week. We didn’t want to witness another one. And when Russell Branyan pinch hit, we were a little nervous. With 2 men on, Branyan homered…yikes. All of a sudden it was 6-5. I thought maybe that was all Mariano would allow.
Thank God I was right. We couldn’t afford to stick around for more innings – we had a train to catch! Luckily, Mo settled down and finished up the game. YANKEES WIN 6-5!
My brother didn’t want to leave. Once we got home, he said, “We need to go back.” He then proceeded into his room, and began looking up more Yankees tickets. I hope we can go again before college starts!
It was a day I’ll never forget, that’s for sure. How often can a girl say that her crush waved to her at close distance, and she didn’t die? I’m proud.
It was an amazing early 18th birthday present for me. My real birthday is tomorrow. I’ll enjoy my last day as a kid today.
Thanks again to Michael H. for that amazing day! You’re the best.
GO YANKEES!
A View from Sec 237, Row 14, Seat 1
Yankee Game July 1st 2010
Yesterday was my first time at the new Yankee Stadium. I know, I’m ashamed that I didn’t get to go earlier. But I know I’ll be back many many times, because the place is like Heaven. And lucky for me, it was a good game. The Yankees lost the first two of the Mariners series, and lost the first today in the Blue Jays series. I’m very thankful for that 4-2 win yesterday. Maybe they won because of me!
I was too excited to sleep. I was too excited to stay still on the train. Hahaa, I was too excited and stupified to even take pictures of the Great Hall! My Dad and I walked around like zombies, OMG-ing at everything we saw. It was amazing. The Stadium is so beautiful – words cannot describe it.
I was a Bleacher Creature, which was an incredible experience in itself. We got in our seats early to see the guys warm up. After a little while, when I realized that it is not a dream and I can control my every move, I decided to take some pictures of the guys warming up.
CC pitched a fabulous game for the Yanks yesterday. Now I know how he prepares for his starts:
CC paces around as Dave Eiland goes over the plan of attack.
CC and Jorge, the battery of the game, have a nice catch.
The Mariner starter, Ryan Rowland-Smith, had a catch with his battery mate Josh Bard:
After a few minutes, the position players emerged from the clubhouse to do some last-minute warmups before the start of the game:
From left to right: Curtis Granderson, doing some serious stretching with help of a trainer, Robinson Cano, doing I don’t know what, and Mark Teixeira, jogging his way into the picture.
The Mariners did the same thing.
Before we knew it, the game began.
After CC pitched a 1-2-3 first, Jeet led off for the Yanks. He eventually scored on a Mark Teixeira groundout to give to the Yanks a 1-0 lead.
The game went pretty fast. Here are some random shots I got:
A-Rod in the process of swinging (and missing :p)
Ramiro Pena at-bat with Derek Jeter on deck.
Mariners left-fielder Ryan Langerhans looking a little bored in the outfield.
HERE IS MY FAVORITE PIC:
Ow-OW! Brett Gardner – lookin’ good…♥♥♥
After A-Rod’s dramatic 2-run homer in the 8th, we had the lead again. That meant only one thing….
MO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hearing Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and witnessing the Great Mariano jog onto the field is just the coolest thing ever. He beasted yesterday, setting down the Mariners 1-2-3 and nailing down the save for the Yankee win.
I had the time of my life at the game yesterday. I don’t even care that much about the loss today, because yesterday still lingers in my mind 🙂 The heroes for the thrilling victory yesterday are CC Sabathia, for 8 innings of 2-run, DOMINANT C “Cy” style baseball, Alex Rodriguez, for his SUPER CLUTCH 2-run homer in the 8th to re-give the Yankees the lead, and Michael Hirschbein. He’s the guy that made this day possible for me by giving me the tickets. I write for him at http://pinstripepartisan.com at FanVsFan.com He’s awesome.
For more on my trip to the Stadium, check out this little video at http://fanvsfan.com/shows
AGONY!
Rough Day and Yankee Loss 😦
Omg today was stressful. I took my SAT, but that wasn’t the stressful part, believe it or not! I was nervous when I was pacing the halls waiting for the test to start, but other than that I was calm. It was a long, boring exam, but it was easy. After 5 hours of spilling my brain for the test, I was relieved it was over. I arrived home just in time for the start of the game. The game…Oh, what a game! It was not a fun one for me….it was agonizing…pitiful…I just feel awful. My Yankees lost 7-6 in what was a heartbreaking game for me.
Pitching Analysis: I was overjoyed that I got home in time to Javier from the beginning. I was happy, cheerful, and optimistic after my test. I felt I could conquer anything, and hoped Javy had that same bravado (good SAT word right there lolz). Unfortunately, this was not the case. Javier was, well…let me just say it outright – pretending I don’t realize it isn’t going to solve anything: Javier was dreadful once again today. He couldn’t even get an out in the 4th inning. In 3+ innings, Javy surrendered 5 runs, 3 homers, on 7 hits and 4 walks. He just looked miserable out there. He is so stressed out; it pains me to see him that way.
I would hide my face too if I were you, babe….OH! Did I just say that? I’M SO SORRY JAVY!!! But it’s true….you poor pitiful baby….
Ozzie Guillen is a greasy rotten ****. I’m not sure if he did it, but even if he didn’t I still feel that way about him. In the 3rd inning, the umpires confronted Javier and told him he had to change his glove because it is “illegal.” ILLEGAL? Why, then, has he been using it for the last 4 years? I think Ozzie pointed that out to the umps to freak out Javy even more. He had to go down into the clubhouse and get a brand new glove. I mean, how rotten is that? The poor man is so uncomfortable already, and you have to add to that? For no reason? What really annoys me is that JJ Putz had the same glove only the colors were reversed, and no one said a thing. I think Girardi should have done something about it.
I know that’s not why Javy was bad. But still….it’s just wasn’t right. Oh, Javier…you poor poor baby. I’m honestly very upset. I’m not mad at you, I just want you to succeed so much. The only reason I wasn’t hysterically crying over Melky’s departure for too long was because of you. I hate to admit it, but I am losing faith. I wonder now if it was worth it to get rid of Melky….
Joe Girardi got on my nerves today in the 7th. David Robertson has been so stinky lately. Why put him in in a 6-5 tight ballgame? Thanks to that, the Yankees lost. After Robertson screwed up the inning and put 2 guys on base, Girardi called on Marte to get out the lefty Pierzynski. Instead, Marte served up a 2-run double, which gave the ChiSox a 7-6 lead, and took all hope of a Yankee victory away.
Offensive Analysis: The Yankee offense really wasn’t bad today. The lack of pitching led to loss today. I’m not really in the mood to go through the whole thing because they LOST…OH! I get that sick feeling when I think about Swish’s 2-run HR in the 6th…that gave the Yanks a 6-5 lead. I was almost certain they would win it after that…but no….like I don’t have enough stress on me already…they blew it.
I almost died in the 6th. Prior to Swish’s home run, one of my truest loves….he….he….OH! WHY? WHHHYYYYY???? God, why did you do this to Curtis? To CURTIS?!?! He’s just…oh, he’s just too find…too GRAND….witnessing him limp like that felt like having a stake jammed through my heart….Just think: he was just starting to break out of his slump….he was just rounding the bases….and then he started hobbling…pitifully, painfully to 3rd base. It’s his groin. A grade 2 strain to his left groin is going to sideline him to the DL for at least 15 days…can you imagine what this did to me? I wish I had magical healing powers…oh Curtis! How I wish I could just make it better baby…you poor thing….Seriously, no joke, I almost cried when I heard you were going to the hospital for an MRI…I expected something bad….
…..don’t leave me…..:'(
It has been quite an agonizing day. Not exactly how I hoped to start the new month. Poor Javier….poor Curtis….today was just not the best day for my Yankees. What if Javy continues to struggle? And then they like….-gulp-…get rid of him….that’s going to break my already half-broken heart. And…oh….what if GrandyMan’s groin is more serious than we know? What if he’s away for more than 2 weeks? I’m going to suffer from Granderson withdrawl….This is too agonizing…can it get worse? Will it?
Maybe the stress of junior year is finally catching up to me….maybe I am just overtired… It can’t get worse. I mean it can, but it won’t. It definitely won’t. It will be okay. It has to, because these are the Yankees. They make things interesting, but when it’s all over, it will be okay. It’s a long season…there will be ups and downs. But at the end, I think I know where this team will be.
At #28.
Yeah. It’s painful right now, but it will be alright. And there WERE some positives today…like Mitre (♥). That guy was dealing today. And Swisher’s Yankee Stadium funk may finally be over. And Tex looked good today. And Jorge is alive!
I just need to calm down…
“Everything is alright, If I just breathe…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQQZSL_tVsE&feature=fvsr
A Tribute To Tommy
Tommy is my little brother. He’s a good kid. Tomorrow is Tommy’s birthday. He is going to be 15…not so little anymore.
Tommy’s favorite Yankee team was that magical team of 1998. All of his favorite players are no longer playing. Here are my little brother’s favorite Yankee players from his favorite Yankee team:
Tommy’s 5th Favorite – Ricky Ledee
Remember Ricky Ledee? The adorable little rookie sensataion? I liked him a lot, too. I remember when he got traded. He cried. And he kept his uniform with him. #17. Ledee was cute. I wonder what happened to him. He disappeared after 2007.
Tommy’s 4th Favorite – David Cone
David Cone…who doesn’t love this guy? He was such a crafty pitcher. And who is going to forget about that little perfecto he threw in 1999? Tommy and I were a little too young to really remember that game, but we’ve seen the Yankees Classics of it dozens of times. History like that never gets old. David Cone was one of our favorite commentators on the YES Network. Every time he was on, he was hilarious. He was always joking with Michael Kay, and somehow they always talked about how Cone has a wild night life. I don’t know what was more fun: watching him pitch or listening to him broadcast.
Tommy’s 3rd Favorite – Scott Brosius
Aw, Scottie. He was such a nice man. And he was so smooth at 3rd base. He was known for that barehanded grab on ground balls. I think his retirement stunned everyone. He retired after the 2001 season, when everyone was focusing on O’Neill’s retirement. Brosius was only 34 when he called it quits. Tommy was in shock when he heard Brosius wouldn’t be back. One thing me and Tommy have in common is that we get very attached to players very quickly.
Tommy’s 2nd Favorite – Paul O’Neill
Aah, the Warrior. Paul was always a pleasure to watch. Whether he was crushing the ball, or crushing the water cooler, O’Neill always made us smile. His retirement was a hard one to deal with. #21 hasn’t been worn since – well, aside from the 1 day LaTroy Hawkins wore it before getting booed out of it. The Yankees really should retire this number already. I thought they would do it at the opening of the new Yankee Stadium, but they didn’t. We’re waiting….
Tommy’s #1 Favorite Player….EVER – Bernie Williams
Bernie…oh, Bernie. He was the epitome of the Yankees. Bernie Williams was absolutely perfect. He was the nicest, most gentle soul and was a fantastic player. Bernie is a soft-spoken, peaceful kind of guy. He was so graceful on the field. His swing was so easy, and he ran like a gazelle. #51 will most definitely be retired, since Bernie has his name on the tops of almost every Yankee record list. Tommy and I, and probably every other Yankee fan, wish that Bernie was still playing. We’re sure he can still do it 🙂
Well, those are Tommy’s favorites from his favorite Yankee team. You might be wondering…who is his favorite Yankee of today? I’ll give you a hint: he’s crazy, just like my brother. Still don’t know?
Lol! Swishyboo!
I hope Tommy has a nice birthday tomorrow. I know he will. Me and my older brother got him a present that he’s been wanting for awhile. And no, it is not Yankee related. It’s a movie that he and I just get a kick out of:
BEST MOVIE EVER!!!
Also, tomorrow is the day that PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT FOR THE YANKEES!!! OMG! Baseball is inching closer….
I Officially Hate The Rays
CC Fails To Get #20 As Yanks Lose Miserably
Who in the world do the Rays think they are? What is there problem? I have lost all respect for them. What they did to Tex was uncalled for. And that ruined the atmosphere of the whole game. Poor CC. I am so mad at the Rays. I used to have a lot of respect for them, but now I hate them. The Yankees lost 13-4 last night, but that’s not why I hate them.
Pitching Analysis: Oh, CC! What happened?! The poor thing! This was the worst performance I’ve seen from CC. And he didn’t get his win. It’s so sad. CC really struggled last night. He failed to get out of the 3rd inning. CC allowed 9 runs (5 earned) on 8 hits and 5 walks. CC got into bases loaded jams in all 3 innings. He threw 82 stressful pitches. His command was way off, and he just looked uncomfortable. After what happened to Tex, I think CC’s mind changed gears and he just couldn’t execute on his pitches. Whatever the reason, CC was dreadful last night. Usually when a Yankee pitcher stinks, I get angry. But last night, I became pitiful. I felt so bad for CC. It was hard for me to watch such a good pitcher struggle like that. I was relieved when Girardi pulled him. CC was furious with his performance. After being taken out, he violently threw his glove at the water bottles in the dugout. Poor CC.
Oh, CC! I still love you. Don’t be too hard on yourself!
The bullpen actually did a nice job last night, all things considered. Albaladejo, Robertson, Bruney, Coke, Hughes, and Marte pitched. Albaladejo gave up 2 runs, and Robertson and Hughes gave up 1. They knew the game was out of reach, so they just threw strikes. Oh! I just feel awful for CC…..
Defensive Analysis: Tex made a big boo-boo in the 1st. His error forced CC into more of a jam. But you can’t blame the whole thing on Tex. CC obviously didn’t have it last night. And Tex has been superb for us this whole year. I feel bad about what those stupid Rays did to Tex….. Nick Swisher made a Nick Swisher-ish play in the outfield. A sharp liner was hit over Cano’s head and into right field, and as the ball was rolling on the turf, Swish dived for it! But he missed, and Upton wound up with a bases clearing triple. Ahh, Swisher…. Hey that’s another thing I hate about the Rays. Scattered effort. Upton didn’t try all year, and he went 5-5 and hit for the cycle last night? Maybe if he tried this year he would have had a good season.
Offensive Analysis: The offense struggled last night. They only got 4 runs on 6 hits. Melky had an RBI single (Yeah, Leche!), Juan Miranda hit a monster 2-run homer, the 1st of his career, and Ramiro Pena had an RBI single.
I got very mad in the 1st inning. With 2 out and nobody on base, Mark Teixeira came up to the plate. On the first pitch, David Price threw a high hard one that hit Tex in the hand, and he went down. I was terrified. I thought it hit him in the face. It came so close to hitting him there. It hit like off the top of his hand by his jaw, and it bounced away awkwardly as if it hit his face. I was filled with anger. How could they do that to Tex? Why? It was “retaliation” for what happened to Carlos Pena at Yankee Stadium. I think CC was pitching that day. Anyway, Pena tried to check his swing, and the ball happened to hit his hand. Pena’s season was over, but it was not intentional at all. Why would the Yankees want to hit Carlos Pena? The Rays were out of it, and the Yankees wouldn’t want to start random trouble with a respectable man like Pena. Who the f— do the Rays think they are by hitting Tex, such a nice man? That was not good baseball, that was not brushing him off the plate, that was a horrible thing to do. And the Yankees couldn’t retaliate because they can’t afford a suspension or a fight now. It was just the cruelest thing to do. Thank God Tex is okay. I don’t think Girardi is going to let this slide. If he doesn’t do it this weekend, Joe will definitely retaliate next year. I hope he does. Teach those Rays a lesson. I want to see that happen.
It was a very upseting game. CC didn’t get his win and he pitched badly, and that whole little scare with Tex happened. But I did get to see my Cervelli ♥. And the game didn’t mean much because we clinched, unlike the stinky Rays who I now hate. Ha, ha! We are in the postseason and you Rays are not! Maybe if your team actually tried they would make it, but then again the Yankees are so much better so you wouldn’t. It’s kind of weird hating the Rays. I always had respect for them. But now, now there is a rivalry. GO YANKEES!
♥ Cervelli Tastes Victory ♥ And I Love Him ♥
My Cervelli Came Through; I Love Him All Over Again
I was going to go to bed. But then I decided I would watch the rest of the game. Jeez, I am glad I did. The Yankees were indeed the Drama Club last night. And my baby was right in the middle of it. What a great moment. The Yankees won in walkoff fashion 5-4.
Pitching Analysis: Chad Gaudin started in place of Andy Pettitte last night, and he actually was pretty good. He went 5 & 2/3 innings of 3-run ball. For an emergency start by Chad Gaudin, I would say that is pretty good. Overall, Chad has performed well in pinstripes. The Yankees have won every start he pitched. Although he is not the hottest-looking guy like Mitre, I still love him. I can’t help it. Nice job, Chad! He needs an endearing nickname…Chaddy-waddy! Hmm…I guess that works for now.
Marte, Bruney, Coke, Hughes, and Mo finished out the game. Bruney was not too good. He failed to get an out and he allowed a run. Mo got the win. The pitchers did a nice job last night.
Defensive Analysis: The defense was pretty solid last night. Jeter made an error, but whatever. I still think he should win the Gold Glove, along with the rest of the Yankee infield. All of them are fabulous. Arod made a nice play in the 1st. Aaron Hill hit a sharp liner to Alex’s right, and he leaned over, fell a bit, and caught the ball. The “Hot Corner.” I think Arod does a nice job over there.
Offensive Analysis: The Yankees jumped out to an early lead in the 1st. Jeet led off with a walk, and Texy-wexy’s RBI double brought Jeter around to score. Matsui then knocked in Tex for a RBI of his own. 2-0 Yankees. The Yankee bats were silent for a long time. In the 8th, Matsui provided a spark. He hit a 2-run homer to tie the game at 4! Yankee Stadium magic!!! The Yankees were alive. 4-4.
Godzilla gives Yanks the chance for a walkoff.
The 9th is my favorite part. I am so glad I watched!!! Brett Gardner led off with a single and stole second. Jeter moved him over to third with a ground out. And then….then my baby came up….Francisco Cervelli…I was so excited that he rejoined the team as a September callup…but he never played…he never even started a game…but last night he got a chance… With a 1-2 count, I was beginning to doubt Cervelli’s chances. I really wanted him to be the hero. So Cervy delivered.
That’s my boy!♥!♥!♥
Francisco ripped a single into right field, which brought home Gardner, and brought out the Yankee dugout. And it brought out my screams of joy. Cervelli was so genuinely happy. He ran into right field, because he knew Melky and Cano were going to pummel him. It was beautiful to watch my love celebrate. He went over to Kim Jones, and asked, “Where is A.J.?” Aw. Don’t worry, he’s comin’, baby. As Kim asked Cervelli questions, A.J. stealthily approached. WHAM! The pie met Cervelli’s adorable face, and he put his hands up in the air, proud to be pied. He said, “Ohh, I love the moment” with the cutest accent and smile. Cervelli then licked a bit of the cream that was on his face, and said it tasted good. That’s the taste of victory, my love. It always tastes good.
Aw…his first taste of victory pie…I think I’m going to cry…I am so proud of him!!!
I think Francisco Cervelli deserves much more playing time. You all saw what he did last night. No offense to Molina, but do you think he would have done that? I don’t. Cervelli’s enthusiasm and his way of playing the game brings a spark to the club. I hope he remains a Yankee forever. It would be unwise for the Yankees to let him go.
What a game. What a game, what a game, what a game! Tuesday night, my Yankee-crush failed. But last night, my Yankee-crush succeeded. I am so proud and happy for Cervelli. Words can’t describe the emotions I felt when he won it for us. The heroes are Hideki Matsui, for his clutchness, Brett Gardner, for that timely stolen base, and my love, Francisco Cervelli, for obvious reasons. The Smelly Sox who cheat at Fenway won also, but I don’t give a sh!t. Nothing can dampen my spirits after last night’s game. Nothing at all. My Yanks are off tonight, which means I am doing a cutie post tomorrow. I promise I will do one. Tomorrow is Friday, and I will have all the time in the world to do it.
Ahh….Life is sweet….and the taste of victory makes it even sweeter. GO YANKEES!!!
Makeup Beauty
Yanks Steal Makeup Win Versus Halos
Last night’s game was fun. The Yankees were the Drama Club last night. But before we get there, let me give an extremely quick wrapup of Sunday’s game. We won 13-3. Matsui had 5 RBIs and CC was awesome. Okay. As for last night, we gave the Angels a taste of their own medicine. The Yankees beat the Angels last night 5-3. It was a beautiful win.
Pitching Analysis: Joba Chamberlain started for the Yanks last night, and when I found out it has him, I was like, “Oh, boy..this should be fun…” But Joba was pretty good. He allowed a solo homer to Vlad Guerrero in the 2nd, but that is okay. There is nothing that guy can’t hit. Aside from that, Joba looked pretty good. That had to be a confidence booster for him. It boosted my confidence in him!
Joba’s game face.
Alfredo Aceves relieved Joba in the 5th, and once again he did a remarkable job. Ace has been nothing but good things for this club. In the 7th, the Angels had runners on first and second with 1 out, and Girardi called for Phil Coke, which made me a little nervous. To my surprise, Cokey got out of the jam unscathed.
It was Hughes who got into trouble. The bases were loaded with Halos, and there were 0 outs. The Yankees were leading 3-2 at this time, and I was freaking out. I could not watch the game go down the toilet. I had my face half covered. I wanted to watch, but I didn’t. I heard the crack of the bat, and I was brave enough to look at the screen. I saw a double play! But the score was now tied at 3. Then Howie Kendrick lined out, and the inning was over. Bases loaded, 0 out, and only 1 run allowed? All things considered, not too shabby. Yeah Hughes!
As always, Mo had a scoreless 9th, and he picked up his 40th save of the year. Impressive. Mo for Cy Young!!! The Yankee pitching was excellent last night. They did a nice job quieting the Angel bats.
Defensive Analysis: The pitching was good, and so was the defense. In that 7th inning jam, Derek Jeter made an absolutely fabulous play, and so did Texy-wexy on the other end. The ball was hit up the middle, and Jeet ranged to his right, (who said Jeet has no range?) spun around, and fired to Tex, who made a lovey scoop for the out. It was a gorgeous play. The 6-4-3 double play in the 8th with the bases loaded was huge. It was turned perfectly.
Offensive Analysis: Jered Weaver does pretty well against my Yanks. He pitched well last night, but not well enough. In the 3rd, Swishalish hit a solo bomb to right. Is he finally getting comfortable at the new Yankee Stadium? I hope so. That homer tied the game at 1.
In the 5th, Swisher doubled, my man Melky walked, and Jeet bunted them over. So it was 2nd and 3rd, 1 out. Mark Teixeira came up, and he crushed a ball for a triple! Mark Teixeira. Triple. Those words are not put together too often. But whatever. Now the Yankees had a 3-2 lead!
Tex is adorable.
After the Halos tied it up in the top of the 8th, the Yanks looked to go ahead in the bottom half. With 1 out, Tex doubled and Arod walked. Brett Gardner was sent in to pinch run for Tex. Right as I was saying how it was stupid to take out Tex’s bat, a double steal was happening. Brett headed for third, and Napoli’s throw went into left field! Brett was motoring around third, heading for home. Safe! Yay for Brettiboo!!! 4-3 Yanks! He scored, and now Arod was on third. Speed kills! Later in the inning, Cano provided some insurance with an RBI single. That made it 5-3 Yankees, and they went on to win it.
Run Brett, run! I’m sorry I ever doubted you. You rock!!!
It was another fun day to be a Yankee fan. The game was pretty exciting; the Drama Club did it again with another comeback win! I like how the Yankees gave the Halos a taste of their own medicine. They put the ball in play, and forced the opposition to make the plays. Nicely done. The heroes for the victory are Joba, for having a solid outing, Mark Teixeira for his bat and glove, and Brett Gardner for his wheels. The Yankee lead over the Smelly Sox who cheat at Fenway is at 7.5. It’s lookin’ good. I desperately want #27 this year…I’ve been waiting too long. Oh! I think Mitre (♥♥♥) is pitching tonight. You all know how I feel about that guy…..hahaha…. I’ve been pretty busy with school and all that jazz, but I vowed to keep blogging. I feel bad that I missed a few days. But I promise that the blog will go on! I am having too much fun with it to stop. GO YANKEES!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!
**Something quick for all you cutie fans**
I feel bad that I did not put someone on the cutie post. He deserved to be there, so I will put him now.
The Dodgers’ very-own James Loney. Cat, he is a cutie. I really felt bad that he was not on my list. Now he is alone on a special cutie edition. Yeah, James! I hope your neck feels better!
Sweep Completed
Yanks Sweep ChiSox Thanks To Late Inning Rally
Another sweep in the books. Now the Yanks go on the road again. It seems like they are never home. Whatever. It was a good game yesterday. Everyone did their part. The Yankees beat the White Sox 8-3.
Pitching Analysis: Joba, with the new Joba rules, pitched yesterday. He was scheduled to go 3 innings, which is absurd. He only went 3 innings, but he just threw 35 pitches. Shouldn’t they go by pitches instead of innings? Whatever. Joba gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in 3 innings. He looked good though. He worked quickly and had fast innings. And he wore high socks and long sleeves, which looked cool. Alfredo Aceves relieved Joba, and once again did an amazing job in his long relief role. Aceves pitched 3 innings of scoreless baseball, and recorded his 9th win of the year.
Doesn’t Joba look cool like this?
Marte pitched yesterday, too. He came in to get 1 batter, the power lefty Jim Thome. Well, he did his job. He got Thome to fly out, so out went Marte and in came David Robertson. Robertson struggled a bit. With 2 outs in the inning, he allowed 2 singles, setting up a possible rally for the Sox. Girardi didn’t want to take any chances. He pulled Robertson for Hughes, who got out of that jam and pitched a scorless 8th as well. Phil Coke pitched the 9th, and allowed a solo homer to Dye.
I was pleased with the pitching yesterday. The bullpen did a wonderful job. There were a lot of innings to get through, and they did it.
Defensive Analysis: The defense was again solid. Joba worked fast, and so did everyone else, so the defense was ready to make every play. Jeter was, that’s for sure. In the 5th, a sharp liner was hit to him, which he snared beautifully for the out. In the 6th, Arod started a beautiful around the horn 5-4-3 double play to get Ace out of a mini jam.
Offensive Analysis: Jeter started off the game with a double, which meant the Yankees were going to win. He wound up scoring on a sac fly by Tex. The Yanks quickly tied up the game at 1.
In the 3rd, Jeter did it again. He got an innocent little 2 out single. I didn’t even bother writing it down, because I figured nothing would happen. Well, I wound up writing that and something else down. Johnny came up, all cute and silly like he always is, and smashed a homer into Damon’s Deck in right, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead. Go Johnny go! How could the Yankees get rid of you? I don’t know. Maybe if they were blind the whole year and missed all the clutch things you did for us. They have to keep Johnny. He is having a career year, and I believe the new Yankee Stadium has something to do with that. KEEP JOHNNY!!!
Johnny on the spot.
The Yankee bats remained quiet until the 7th. And in the 7th, they were loud. Posada led off with a single and was forced by Cano. Hinske walked, and my man Melky came up. Just when everyone was thinking that Melky was starting to stink, he ripped a double into left. It was hit SO hard. It had to be the hardest ball I have seen hit in awhile. Melky’s double scored Cano, but I didn’t think it would because it was hit SO hard. But it did. 4-2 Yankees. Thanks Leche! Jeter was intentionally walked, which brought up Jerry Hairston, who took Johnny’s place because Johnny’s calves were bothering him. Jerry came through with a sac fly. 5-2 Yanks. And then, Big Tex came up. He almost went deep his last time up. This time, Tex got a hanging curveball, and his eyes widened to the point of me and my brother Bobby laughing because he looked so silly. Anyway, Tex hit an absolute bomb for a 3-run homer! 8-2 Yankees. Congrats Tex!
The “Teixecutioner.”
It was an all-around nice game yesterday. The pitching, defense, and offense were all great. What more could we ask for? The heroes for the victory are the Yankee relievers, who all impressed me and got through the game, Johnny Damon for his blast that gave the Yankees the lead, and Mark Teixeira for having 4 RBI and making me and my brother laugh with that funny face he made. Nice job, Yanks! I’m getting really used to saying this part: once again, the Smelly Sox who cheat at Fenway won again, so the Yankee lead remains at 6 games. Jeez I’ve said that a lot these past few days! Ahh. 6 games up. I want more. GO YANKEES!!!
The Curse of the Pen
I was only 8 years old. I didn’t know any better. 8 year olds put their hands on everything, even when they know they shouldn’t. But I guess that’s not much of an excuse for what I did, or what I believe I did.
August 1st, 2001. I was 8 years old. My parents were going to take me and my two brothers on a tour of Yankee Stadium. We were to see the field, Monument Park, the retired numbers, the dugout, everything. I was so excited. It was going to be the day of a lifetime.
We took the long drive down to the Bronx and finally were there. I don’t know how long the drive was; to an 8 year old anything above 15 minutes is long. I remember marveling at the beauty of the ballpark, and seeing how it was so much bigger than on tv. The last part of the tour was the visit to the dugout. And that’s where it happened.
We were instructed to take a seat on the bench of the dugout. I sat next to a crease between two cushions. The tour guide was telling us about the dugout, and I wasn’t really listening. I was becoming restless. I was running my hands all over the dugout. I came to the crease, and I stuck my hand in it. I was feeling around, hoping I would find some kind of unknown treasure. As I was thinking those thoughts, I felt something. It was a pen. My Dad told me to get my hand out of there, and I took it out, holding the pen. I told my Dad I found a pen, and he was like, “Oh, how about that.” He was not too excited. But I felt that I made an amazing discovery. The tour was finished, and we left for home. I held my head up proudly.
From left to right: my little brother Tommy, me, my Dad, my big brother Bobby. This is when I found the pen!
On the drive home, we were trying to think of whose pen that could’ve been. My Dad said Joe Torre, because it was in the spot where he always sat. That night as we watched the game on the tv, we noticed that Joe Torre was a bit cranky. “It’s because of the pen!” my Mom joked. But later in the game, Jeter made a baserunning error, and when he got back to the dugout, Torre was livid. He was actually angry. He talked to Jeter in what seemed like a harsh tone. He never does that! We thought it was because he was annoyed that his pen wasn’t there!
It may seem like a ridiculous coincidence, but the Yankees have not won the World Series since I stole Torre’s pen. I think I cursed my Yankees. Why else would Torre have been furious that night? Many times, I have tried to tell the Yankee organization about the pen, but I never got a response. The last thing I wanted to do was to curse the team I live for! I still have the pen, and I never even wrote with it. I am keeping it safe in case someday I can send it back to the Yankees. I really hope the Yankees win the World Series this year so the curse will be over. But until then, the Curse of the Pen remains.
There it is: the pen that cursed the Yankees.
Live, Eat, and Breathe Yankees 
