Yankees vs. Red Sox

Going to Yankees vs. Red Sox at Fenway is on my sports bucket list. I’ve reached the point where I am sure it’ll never happen. So the next best thing is Yankees vs. Red Sox at Prof Thom’s “the Boston Bar” in New York City. 🌃

As I sit here in my jean jacket and red knit hat, with my Yankee bling carefully hidden under my jacket, my hope was I would jinx the Sox. It does not seem to be working. 

The crowd doesn’t seem to be particularly interested in the game. In fact I might not be the only Yankee fan here. Castro got a base hit, there was clapping, the bartender walked to the other end of the bar shaking his head. I feel sorry for him. There is a couple at the bar rooting for the Sox but overall it’s pretty quiet. I’m rather disappointed.

Finally I work up the courage to talk the bartender. I’m afraid he’ll be able to tell I’m not a Sox fan, bartenders are able to suss these things out. He replies to my comments: “Well most of our customers are Boston fans (I knew that) so when the Sox are in town they are at the game.” This is me with my blank face that means “Yes of course.” or “I am an idiot.” I know what I have to do, I have to come back when the Yankees are at Fenway. I don my sunglasses and casually walk out.

Oh and my jinx worked – in the opposite direction. Boston won 5-4.

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Day game after a (very late) night game

Leaving the Stadium last night I was so tired I got on the subway headed the wrong way, when I heard the subway stop, I had to actually think about it for a minute before I realized I was headed uptown instead of downtown. I don’t even remember what time I got home. Then I woke up Saturday at the time I had planned to leave for the Stadium.

~~ Red Sox 8, Yankees 4 ~~

There are metal detectors at every gate at Yankee Stadium, to make things safer for everybody. When I went to the NYCFC vs NE Revolution, the lines were horrendous, but they only had 4 gates open. Yesterday I didn’t have to wait, but it was Friday night and I got there when the gates open, this is why I wanted to get to the stadium on Saturday when the gates opened. I didn’t get there as soon as I wanted, but however there was not a big wait. I think they are getting their routine down and they have more gates open.

Joe Kelly pitched beautifully (1.29 ERA), for the Red Sox. Actually Adam Warren pitched very well too(1.69), only giving up 2 runs, the way baseball rules are however, he gets the lose. If the relievers (Justin Wilson, Chris Martin, and Matt Tracy) hadn’t given up those 6 runs …. I can’t claim that the Yankees were so tired from playing 19 innings the night before that’s why they played badly, after all the Red Sox played all 19 innings too.

Even though it was a day game, I was sitting in the shade and there was a breeze, so I was cold. But there was a very nice older man with his daughter and grand kids sitting in front of me. He said something about how I must not know many of the players because there were so many new ones, and asked if I was for or against Alex, or waiting to see how he did. I told him about going to Fenway and that got us started talking about 1986, he said Bill Buckner should have been taken out of the game, maybe the manager wanted him on the field for the last out, but “No use crying over spilt milk.” I took their picture for them, it was a very nice experience. I don’t think the kids cared much about the game, but they were having fun anyway.

Then I started walking around, I was standing over the bleachers during the top of the eighth when the ball popped out of Young’s glove. I got a good look at it, he dropped the ball. He. Dropped. The. Ball. I would have tweeted it but I was stuffing my face with consolation hot dog and hot chocolate. The Yankees went on to get 3 runs in the bottom of the eighth, but no more leaving the score at Boston 8, New York 4. Since this is now Sunday night we know Boston won the series, but didn’t sweep, so there is that, and there is still plenty of baseball to play, plus I got to see live baseball after a long cold winter.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

My first game of 2015

And it was a doozy! 19 innings, 6:49 time. Rather brutal for the time and the temp, it was hella cold. Also my phone died and I got a little crazy on twitter which means I have to reinstall my ‘no twitter during baseball games’ policy. That means more blog posts.

~~ Red Sox 6, Yankees 5 ~~

Every April, as I am freezing in stands I say, I am never going to an April game again. In fact this year I didn’t even look at the prices of opening day tickets, but then I downloaded this app “Seat Geek” and noticed Yankees vs Boston, tickets available! So I bought a ticket. Then I told my boss and he bought a ticket too, (DAMMIT) so then I bought a ticket for Saturday so I would have a game without him. Turned out to be unnecessary since he decided the weather was too crummy and he was getting a cold so he didn’t go.

So there I was feeling like a jerk after getting scolded and my phone dying and the Red Sox up by a run. The rest of this post is compiled from my notes, scribbled on my ticket and my memories. I was not happy the Sox were winning, but I was so cold and I wanted to go home, and Headley hits a home run. I was elated “Headley hits a home run! Yay oh wait its the ninth inning and he just tied it up. Extra innings on a cold Friday night” then I wasn’t. I tied my blanket around my neck and wore it like a cape.

The score was now 3-3, I had already moved and where I was now sitting I could hear someone cheering the Red Sox vigorously and booing the Yankees, in particular Alex “STEROIDS STEROIDS”, I eventually looked at him, older man wearing a Mets hat. Huh. And say all you want about apathetic Yankee fans, the boos for David Ortiz never diminished no matter how many at bats he had. The score stayed tied until the 16th inning.

By this time I was walking around, I was standing behind the seats so I saw David Ortiz -steroids- hit a go ahead home run. I left the seats and went into the great hall. “It’s over now.” I watched the bottom of the 16th on the big screen in great hall, that’s where I saw Mark Teixeira hit a home run to tie the game, again.

This whole time I kept saying I’m going to leave … first it was, midnight, then … at the end of this inning. The 18th inning the Red Sox scored another run, and the Yankees tied again. Finally in the 19th the Red Sox scored and the Yankees didn’t tie it up. I saw a tweet that Pedroia threatened to fine anyone that talked to the media.

Next year, no April games. Promise. Maybe.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Yankees are out but baseball is still alive

The regular season is over and the post season is about to begin. Even though the Yankees are out of it, I am still baseball obsessed and will be posting my thoughts about the games ahead, including who I have decided to root for this post-season.

Most years, I root against the team that kept the Yankees out of the post-season, or beat them in the post-season, for instance if they didn’t make it past the ALDS or ALCS. Or the Red Sox. It’s always good to root against the Red Sox. This year however, the team that kept the Yankees out of the post-season was the Yankees. They just didn’t win enough games. There are some teams that I absolutely won’t root for, like the Braves, who aren’t in it, and the Orioles who are, but don’t have the most wins in the American League. An important fact that I had to bring out.

The final teams haven’t been decided, since they now have this stupid 1 game Wild Card playoff. The fourth team is YTBD. The teams competing are: Kansas City Royals and Oakland A’s (9/30) in the AL and Pittsburgh Pirates vs. San Francisco Giants (10/1) in the NL. I like the Oakland A’s, they were Hunter’s first team but they have Lester, which makes me want to hate them, but the Royals have Shields, which makes me want to root against them. I have the opposite problem with the NL teams. Pirates have Russell Martin, who is adorable, I mean a really good catcher and longtime favorite player of mine. The Giants have Buster Posey, who is also a really good catcher and fun to watch. The minuses here are the Giants are ORANGE and the Pirates are YELLOW. Also Russell has gone from being clean-shaven to a scruffy little thing. Since I promised to pick one I am going with the Royals (can’t get past the Lester dislike) and the Pirates (Russell is my boo!).

For the ALDS series between the Tigers and Orioles (starts 10/2), I am going with the Detroit Tigers, because, well Baltimore. The NLDS between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers (begins 10/3) is also hard, normally I would go with the Dodgers because they are the blue team, and the Cardinals failed to beat the Red Sox last year (the rivalry is alive!) and they have Don Mattingly. But they are LA soooo, all right, I talked myself into it, my pick is the Dodgers.

So there you have it. After the Wild Card is done, I’ll be back to pick my teams for the rest of the Division Series.

Thoughts

Whenever I see a Yankee hat I wonder “Are they really a Yankee fan or are they just wearing the hat for a fashion statement?” It is the best known brand symbol in the world and maybe some people think, since they are in NY they should identify themselves as Yankee fans, even if they are not. After all, the hats can be found pretty cheap if you know where to look.

Before you think I am an arrogant Yankee fan, I asked some friends of mine who live in London, as in, they have lived in the UK all their life, why most people from England are either Yankee fans or Red Sox fans, and he told me, Those are the only two teams I know. Sort of proves my point about how well known the Yankee logo is known.

Seriously people?

Tonight is the first game of the World Series, and despite my prediction from last night the Red Sox are killing the Cardinals. But there is something else I want to get off my chest.

When the Red Sox won the ALCS it was a jubilant moment. All of Red Sox Nation was leaping for joy and chanting, “Yankees Suck”. At least that was what I was told, I didn’t really believe it …. then I saw this picture. The person who posted it was proud of it, and several other people thought it was nice enough to repost it. I just want to say, “Are you _______ kidding me?”

First, with half their starting line up out with injuries, the Yankees ended up in third place, they were in the race for the post-season until the last week of regular season play. That is not a definition of a team that sucks. So NO they don’t suck.

Secondly, why are people so obsessed with the Yankees that they can’t give credit to the fine playing of their players? Every baseball player plays to make it to the World Series, it is considered baseball’s greatest accomplishment to make it to the World Series. So they have made it and what are their fans doing? Their fans can’t stop talking about the Yankees. Think about this, only one team in the American League goes to the World Series, so Red Sox fans could have posted a picture like this from any team, but they picked the Yankees.

It’s stupid. For those of you who come back with a “NO WE’RE NOT OBSESSED WITH THE YANKEES.” Why do keep talking about them? Why don’t you just go cheer for your team and leave us the ____ alone? If the Yankees were in the World Series I wouldn’t be tearing down another team, I would be supporting my team every chance I got. Because with my team in World Series every other team (except the other team in the World Series) is irrelevant.

Now the game is over, 8-1 Red Sox. Ugh, and good night.

Red vs Red

The World Series starts tomorrow and it is the Cardinals versus the Red Sox. Both red teams. Someone asked me who I was rooting for, I told them I was rooting for the asteroid. That big piece of rock that is coming down from the sky and landing on top of Lackey, taking out both dugouts and Fenway park. Of course that is not going to happen, I don’t have that kind of power.

This is one of those situations where I couldn’t care less. On the Red Sox side is the intense rivalry between New York sports and New England sports. On the Cardinals side is the fact that they are dirty red birds and I don’t like birds, you see my dilemma.

So what is a girl to do? In my case I have The New York Yankees Fall Classic Collector’s Edition 1996-2001. It has 5 complete WS games and 2 bonus DVDs. That’s seven DVDs in total which will take me all the way through the series. Especially since the Cards are going to sweep the Red Sox.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Way Back Wednesday

Way Back Wednesday is a feature FanCred does, I’ve mentioned them here before, click the tag to see the post. The theme for today is “Your favorite sports moment at your favorite sports venue”. This picture only partially fits, O.K., not at all since these are from the old Yankee Stadium and I go to the new Stadium. I never liked the old Stadium and yes I know Yankee fans see that as heresy. Deal with it.

These are tickets from last year, the game was rained out and I couldn’t go to the make-up game. I traded them in for this Saturday’s game, Sylvia will be there and it looks to be a fun time. I was smart this time and scanned them before I traded them in.

Elston Howard was the first African American player on the Yankees. He made his debut on April 14, 1955 and played most of his career for the Yankees. In his last year he was traded to the Red Sox but then came back to the Yankees as a coach. His number (32) was retired in 1984. He won the MVP award in 1963, the Babe Ruth award in 1958, has two gold gloves, World Series Champion 4 times and played in 12 All-star games. No I never saw him play, how old do you think I am? I did watch a Yankeeography about him.

November 1, 2001 Scott Brosius hit a home run to tie game 5 of the World Series. It was a great moment, unfortunately the Yankees lost that World Series to the Diamondbacks, making them one of the teams that was able to take advantage of a human moment by Mariano Rivera. I didn’t see Scott Brosius play either, that was during my non-baseball years. I don’t know if there is a Yankeeography about him.

That’s it for my way-back Wednesday.

Love and Hate

Does anybody else hate their team? On a regular basis?

Yankees are my team, I will root for them forever, but sometimes I just can’t stand them. They make me so mad!

Take this last series with the Astros. I was getting ready to trash talk with my friends who are Red Sox fans about how the Red Sox swept a minor league team, when that minor league team beat the Yankees by 8 runs. Seriously Yankees? You swept the Jays, 4 games you ran right over them, then you roll over for the the Astros? It’s like I don’t even know you. They did win the series, and they are in second place behind the Sox, who have had no such problem as losing to the Astros.

~~ Yankees 2, Astros 1 ~~

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 27
Yankees 17-10 (0.630)

No sweep for the Red Sox

The old guys come through. A couple of home runs by guys who you don’t expect to hit home runs.

~~ Yankees 4, Red Sox 2 ~~

Andy Pettitte came through for us holding the Red Sox to one run. His numbers for this game were: 8IP, 8H, 1ER, 1BB, 3SO. He got 3 double plays, 9 ground-outs and 6 fly-outs. He threw 94 pitches, 64 of them were strikes. Mariano came in and got his first save of 2013. He walked one, got one out, then a double, then a ground out with the Sox scoring, then a strike and out and a victory. So we lost the series but didn’t get swept.

Andy Pettitte pitching like a BOSS y’all.

— ♦B Foxx ❤⚾❤ (@UES_Bella) April 5, 2013

Brett Gardner and Frankie Cervelli got home runs. Cervelli also tagged Victorino out at home when he tried to run home on a passed ball. oh wait, it was ruled a wild pitch. Cervelli went back to get it kind of looked to third, but seemed to get distracted then saw Victorino running in. Everyone seemed to playing better today, it seems the team is getting used to each other and getting into the rhythm of playing. This is why I wasn’t really worried. However tomorrow is a day game, in Detroit. Who made up this schedule?

Game 3
Yankees 1-2

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛