Photos From the New Digs

Here are some shots from my first trip to the new Yankee Stadium. I'll have up my thought about how the new stadium feels in comparison to the old stadium.


The Great Hall as it is called, is immense to say the least. It is nice to have some elbow room as you traverse the inner workings of the stadium, that is something the old Yankee Stadium lacked.

Here is a shot of Evan Longoria as he heads to take some BP. Everyone knows it, but I'll say it again anyway; this guy is a beast. He struck out three times against Pettitte and Phil Hughes, but he puts on a show during batting practice.








Now I could never afford the best seats in the house at the old Yankee Stadium not to mention this new one, but my seats for Monday's game were close to the furthest you could be from the action yet each section was guarded by an employee. I get why they are there, but it definitely gives off that caste system vibe.
These spikes are meant for the birds or more accurately, to keep the birds away. Even they needs tickets to see the Yanks.








Hughes came in for his first regular season relief appearance and set down the top of the Rays order 1-2-3. Hughes could succeed in a relief role, but really he doesn't belong there. It's the same argument with Joba. The guy can be a successful starter in the near future and to have him wasting away in the bullpen not getting his innings limit up or getting work and experience is a travesty. All bets are off during the playoff run but for now the Yankees still need starters in case Pettitte's back needs a break, Wang doesn't return to form or A.J. Burnett decides he needs a 15 day vacation in August.




That screen in center is ridiculous.
These photos are from the upper deck behind home plate. Enough said.

Rays vs. Yanks: First Trip to the New Stadium

This weekend was a little all over the place for the Yankees. After a rainout of Friday they easily could have taken the first two games against the Rays and the easily could have lost both, but instead the have so far settled for the split. Tonight is the rubber match between the two and I will be on hand in person to get my first look at the new stadium.

I was hoping for a better match up than Andy Pettitte vs. Andy Sonnanstine, but that's better than almost every game I went to last year when I had to endure the likes of Sidney Ponson and Darrell Rasner. Pettitte needs to get back on track and prove that his back is fine after he tweeked it in Cleveland. Phil Hughes should be waiting in the wings if the Yankees need him, and the reality is he needs to get some work in since he has thrown exactly zero innings since Wang took his spot in the rotation.

So its off to the city and I'll report back later with some photos and my thoughts on the new Yankee Stadium.

Yanks break in new digs

Well the New Yankee Stadium is here and it looks ridiculous. The Yankees took on the Cubs in an exhibition game last night and it was the Yankees who prevailed 7-4 in the first competitive baseball on the new diamond across the street. It wasn't a pretty game but thats to be expected when its raining and the game means nothing.
According to Pete Abraham the Yankees have refused to update their in-game entertainment which is a huge disappointment. I can't stand that YMCA crap or the stupid Cotton Eye Joe. I mean with all the money the Yankees spend they can't upgrade the entertainment? It's pretty absurd.

Anyway,test run number two is today at 1 p.m. Pettitte and Burnett will toe the rubber for the Yankees who will take off for Baltimore for their season opener on Monday.

Steinbrenner has some common sense

It seems that Hal Steinbrenner does acknowledge that the Yankees might be pushing the bounds a bit with their ticket prices. The young Stein does have a slightly valid point that if it wasn't for the economy being so bad the ticket prices might not be looked at in such a disdainful manner.

But it is simply absurd that a team's ticket prices can jump 76.3 percent from one year to the next. That's a lot for anyone to swallow in any economy. You will continue to price out certain fans no matter what, and with all of the new amenities that have been added to the stadium, you begin to wonder what that does for peoples experiences at the stadium. Am I really going to have to contend with people lining up at a martini bar at a baseball game? Not to mention the terribly named NYY Steak restaurant that now serves as the batters eye in center and obscures views of the field for certain unlucky bleacher creatures.

In spite of all the complaints regarding the ticket prices and the pretentiousness of some of the new amenities, the Yankees seem to know what their doing since they have already sold a ton season ticket packages, and their attendance may only fall because the capacity of the new stadium has shrunk by more than 3,000. I, myself, am working on tickets despite all these things. What can you do really? I'm curious to see the new stadium, and I love the Yankees. Begrudgingly, the Yankees will get my money, and the reality is I won't really mind that much. I'll only mind that I don't have more to spend.