Subway Series

For the first time ever I went to a subway series at Citifield. The reason I was able to was my friend wasn’t able to use her tickets. Then that morning I woke up with pink eye. Argh! or Ugh. So I went to the Urgent Care for some medicine. I asked if I could go to the game anyway. He gave me a really funny look, like he couldn’t believe I would ask about a baseball game.

Picture of Judge for the sheer adorableness.

Friday was T-shirt give away night. My friend and I got there kind of late, what with the urgent care visit and having to go to the pharmacy (two actually) and having to do laundry. There were a lot of shirts left. If they hadn’t been orange I would have gotten one.

Tanaka gave up a home run in the first inning. There were no more runs until Tanaka’s second at bat when he got on base. It was an error on the Met’s fielders part so his batting average still sucks, but he came around to score. Then Gardner hits a 2-run home run, followed by Stanton. Color me happy.

Em wanted a souvenir from the game. I reminded her that anything I got at Citifield would have a Mets logo on it. Forgot it was a subways series. I think she’ll like this.

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 ~~ 😛

A Giant Mistake

If you are at all interested in baseball and are not living under a rock, you probably know that this year’s All-Star game is being played at Citifield, home of the NY Mets. In honor of this, there are two big apples painted like baseballs in Grand Central Terminal. In case you don’t know, there is a big apple at Citifield.

This is one of them, you see it is decorated with team logos. The interlocking NY may look like the Mets but this apple is covered with NY Giants logos and signs and the other one is dedicated to the Brooklyn Dodgers. I’m a little confused about why they would use these teams, since although they are part of the history of NY baseball, neither team played in Queens or has a connection to the Mets. Except they are all National League teams.

A brief history of baseball in NYC. Baseball was first played in Brooklyn by a minor league team in 1884, by 1890 the National League had come to Brooklyn in the team that eventually settled on the name Dodgers in 1933. Around the term of the century a number of Orioles’ players along with the manager came to Brooklyn when that franchise folded. Charles Ebbets bought the team and built a new ballpark – Ebbets Field – which opened in 1913. The Dodgers played there from 1913-1957. Today there is a housing complex where the ball park used to be.

Across town was the NY Giants, their first game was played in May 1883 at the original Polo Grounds located near Central Park between 110th and 112th Streets. They had to move from that location when the city decided to put a street through the outfield. The next Polo Grounds were built on 8th Avenue between 155th and 157th Street. A housing complex was built on this site, like on Ebbets Field.

Both teams left NYC in 1957, the Dodgers left because Ebbets Field was small and antiquated. The owner of the Dodgers wanted to build a new bigger and better ballpark but couldn’t get city officials to cooperate with finding land for it. The Giants left because they couldn’t compete with the Yankees who played across the river from them. That left NYC without a National League team, an attorney named Bill Shea proposed creating a third major league called the Continental league with an anchor franchise in NYC. MLB agreed to award a franchise to NYC and Shea agreed to shut down the Continental League. This new franchise was the Mets, and for their first two years they played at the Polo Grounds until their ballpark, Shea Stadium, located in Flushing, Queens, was built. So I guess there is a connection to these teams and the Mets, but it is a tenuous one. There is also a big “42” at Citifield and a Dodger museum.

However the real reason I wrote this post was this picture that I took as I was walking around the apple. Oops. So now I am wondering if this mistake was made on the original logo or if it was made when they were painting it on the apple. Something else for me to research, unless you know and want to tell me.

Selfish Curtis Granderson

The Yankees swept the Mets. On June 8th the Yankees won 9-1, they hit 3 home runs in this game. It was the first game Johan had pitched after his no-hitter and the three home runs came one after the other against him. The next game was on June 9 and I wrote about it in my last blog post, they hit 2 home runs winning the game by 2 runs. In the game on June 10, the Mets were up 3 runs until the 7th inning then Russell hit a 2 run home run, then two more runs in the 8th put them ahead. Sori gave up a run in the top of the 9th to tie the score. In the bottom of the 9th Russell hit another home run, this was for the win, a walk off home run. Yankees hit home runs in each game.

The series against the Braves was a sweep also, and the Yankees hit home runs in each of those games. June 11, 3-0 and 1 home run; June 12, 6-4 with 2 home runs; June 13, 3-2 with 1 home run.

In some of these games, you could say they wouldn’t have won without the home runs. The game on June 10th, the winning run was a home run. On June 9th the Yankees won by 2 runs and scored 3 of their runs by way of home runs. The home run hit by Mark Teixeira was with Curtis Granderson on base, the one Curtis hit was a solo shot. Phil also pitched very well, only giving up 2 runs to the Mets, so that helped. In the game against the Braves on June 12, going into the 8th the score was 4-0 Atlanta, then with the bases loaded Alex Rodriguez hit a home run. It was his 23rd Grand Slam, tying him with Lou Gehrig (this made Lindsey sad, I was sad too, but then someone pointed out even though he tied the record, that doesn’t make Alex as great a player as Lou. I don’t know if that made Lindsey feel better, but it helped me). After Robbie got on base, Swisher hit a home run to put the Yankees up 6-4 and then on June 13, Curtis hit a two run homer in the 6th which put the Yankees ahead.

However there were other games that would have been run without the home run. Such as the game on June 11 against the Braves. First of all, Ivan pitched a shut out, and he got a hit, his first. The Yankees scored three runs, one was a home run, so without that home run the Yankees would have won 2-0 instead of 3-0.

Then there was today’s game, which the Yankees were winning going into the 9th inning with a score of 6-1, all without a home run. We were all excited, thinking “Will this be it? Will the Yankees finally win a game without hitting a home run?” Yes the Yankees have hit at least one home run in all of their winning games. Then Curtis Granderson just had to hit one out of the park. His 20th this year and the Yankees are still without a winning game without a home run. Will it never end? Curtis is just so selfish.

I managed to type that without laughing. The Yankees are getting men on base, not all their home runs are single shots, and what better way to bring your teammates home than with a home run? The Yankees have power hitters in their line ups and Curtis wasn’t going to swing for a single with a 3-1 count. Not when he got a 4-seam fastball. Joe keeps telling people, a home run is a hit. Someday they’ll believe it.

While I don’t know yet if the Yankees are going to sweep, they are off to a good start. And for the last two sweeps, fireworks are in order I think.

Philthy Phil

Most of the time I don’t go to Mets vs. Yankees games. Mainly because as a general rule Mets fans are obnoxious. There are of course exceptions, I do know some nice Mets fans, like I know some nice Red Sox fans etc. When a friend called asking me if I wanted to go to the game, I said Yes, of course. I don’t usually turn down invitations to the game, especially from this guy since his tickets include the Audi club and Mohegan Sun Sports Bar Access. At this point I should probably say, my win lose ratio going with this friend is more losses then wins so I was a little apprehensive since Phil was pitching. I know he pitched a complete game shut out in Detroit, but I was wearing my lucky #52 Ravens shirt during that game.

However, I really like going to games so at 4:30 I headed up to the Bronx to meet my friend. We went in around 6 and walked to the Mohegan Sun Sports bar. It was Military Appreciation night and the Golden Knights were parachuting in, from Mohegan Sun you can see right out into center field so we got a good view of them landing. It was thrilling as always. Then on to our seats for the game.

Yankees scored first, then when a Mets player hit a home run the Mets fans went crazy. Like no one has ever hit a home run off Phil Hughes before? Been there, seen that, next page please. Phil gives up a home run almost every game. The game was now tied and in the 6th another home run by the Mets put them ahead 2-1. The Met crowd went crazy again. It didn’t last long, Mark Teixeira hit a two run blast in the bottom of the 6th to put the Yankees ahead. Then a home run by Curtis in the 8th put the score to 4-2 Yankees. I was happy about this, so often when a team loses the pitcher is blamed even when he pitched well. Even when Phil pitches well, but gets no run support and I hear, “He’s no good.” Even my date said, “Would you trust Phil on the mound?” Yes I would (followed by a punch). He only got a little run support this time, but it was enough to win, because he only gave up 2 runs. The fact that the two homers were single shots means he wasn’t letting anyone on base. He was doing his job, the bats need to pick it up and do their jobs! I can say this and not be blamed for throwing anyone under the bus because I am a fan and entitled to my opinion. However biased it may be.

We ended up the game in the Audi club, it was humid in the seats. I wanted ice cream but they don’t serve sweets in the Audi club. The bartender is a friend of my date’s so she gave me Girl Scout Thin Mints and a little mini cupcake. I tried the Sangria which was supposed to be really good, alas it tasted to much like wine. My date was annoyed that they let ‘fans of other teams’ in the Audi club, I guess he’s a little more hard core than I am. Overall I had a good time and it was a good game, if a little nerve wracking at times. However in close games I kind of like it when the Yankees take the lead in the last half of the game, less time to lose it. There was one other thing I didn’t like, before the game I saw this tank top outside a store on River St., it was grey and cut away in the back so my tattoos will show. I didn’t pick it up because I wanted to make sure I had enough money for the game, then after the game, it wasn’t out there anymore so I couldn’t get it. Hopefully it will still be there next game I go to.

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

It’s going to happen ~ Sunday, July 3, 2011

~~ Mets 3, Yankees 2 ~~

On any given day the worst team in the league can beat the best team in the league. The best team is the Yankees and …. o.k. Mets aren’t the worst team (that would be the Houston Astros), but you get my point.

Garcia pitched with his usual skill, going into the bottom of the ninth, Mariano has his 4th blown save of the year. Thanks to an error by Pena, Mets won.

Don’t knock on Pena, he’s young, the ball was hit hard and who else did the Yankees have to play short stop? Jeter and Nunez both unavailable. He made some good plays earlier in the game.

Before everyone gets all crazy about the Yankees losing,

1. They didn’t sweep but did win the series.
2. Yankees are still in first place, 1.5 games ahead of the Red Sox in the American League East
3. Win or lose, the Yankees are still a better team then the ever-loving Mets.
4. Mets: My Entire Team Sucks

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

Welcome back Mr. Colon ~ Saturday, July 2, 2011

~~ Yankees 5, Mets 2 ~~

There are two maybe three stories about this game. It was the first game for Colon off the D.L. What is significant is he didn’t have any rehab starts, even so he pitched like he had never been gone. His numbers are 5 innings pitched, 5 hits, no runs, no errors, no walks and 6 strikeouts, 2.88 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Welcome back Mr Colon, we missed you. Cory Wade pitched 2 scoreless innings. Sergio Mitre, who had been traded and was with the Brewers is back, amazingly the Yankees acquired him during the series with the Brewers. He did not pitch amazingly.

The Yankees were scoreless until the 6th inning. And then in the big ball park, the one stupid Mets fans say is a real ballpark, the one with the court order against it for violating State law, the one that NO ONE can hit a home run in, Granderson hit a home run. Yes the Grandyman can, then Mark got on base, then Alex, then Cano hit a two-run RBI triple. Then Cano scores on a sacrifice fly by Nick Swisher. Because that ball park is so huge, if you hit it to the warning track, they can’t throw it in. And just like that, the score was 4-0 Yankees. And stayed that way until the 9th when, Eduardo Nunez hits a home run. Now the score is 5-0 top of the ninth and Mitre comes into pitch. SIGH

Good thing we had a 5 run lead.

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

The Subway Series ~ Friday, July 1, 2011

~~ Yankees 5, Mets 1 ~~

The main problem with typing a post a few days after a game is I forget what I wanted to say, this is the case today. Even looking at the box score doesn’t always help. I can see that the Yankees jumped out ahead in the first inning. That Nova only gave up one run, that Ayala, Wade, Logan, Robertson and Noesi pitched scoreless innings. Rivera didn’t get a save, it wasn’t a save situation.

The box score even notes who got the RBI’s, in fact that is where I get my information for my page where I keep track of the Yankee records. And the summary lists the plays, but you just can’t get the amazing plays that you get from watching. Like it says, double play, Cano to Teixeira, and we know that is a common occurrence.

However, since I promised a post a game, I am still here, plugging away.

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

Beat the Mets, Yankees beat the Mets

~~ Yankees 9, Mets 3~~

In yesterday’s post I forgot something, not really surprising, I tend to forget something every time, usually I remember too long after to mention and then I get annoyed. Jose Reyes got booed every time he came up to bat. Booing loud enough to drown out the cheers from the Mets fans. Today when I mentioned it to Kasey, she said there is usually one evil player on each team. Jose Reyes on the Mets, Jose Bautista on the Blue Jays, Josh Beckett or Ellsbury or Adrian Gonzalez or Jed Lowrie or Dustin Pedroia or Youkilis of the RedSox, most of those guys cause they are ugly.

So the Mets were ahead until the 7^th inning, they were probably already chilling the champagne for the celebration, wait, this isn’t the World Series! Then as David Cone said, “They had all zeros, till the seventh inning and now the Yankees have a snow cone (8). For all of you saying the Yankees are hitting too many home runs, the only home run hit in this game was in the first inning. The 8 runs in the seventh were base hits. A walk, a hit by pitch, a dribbler across the infield. Alex said, I was more lucky than good. A bunt that was bungled, a blooper that fell between the players, everybody got a turn to play, fun times in the Bronx.

Nova pitched well, unfortunately he doesn’t get the win since the Mets were ahead when he left the game. He got an ovation however and the Yankees did the win the game. And if the Yankees win the World Series, he will get a ring. Got to look at the big picture. Ayala gets the win, Lance Pendleton pitched the ninth inning.

It really bothers me that the Yankees are being greedy. Scoring all these runs so Mariano can’t get anymore saves on his record. Greedy little buggers. Attendance tonight was 48,293.

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

Mets fans are obnoxious ~ May 21

~~ Yankees 7, Mets 3 ~~

Last week in the section next to us were a ton of RedSox fans. At this game there were Mets fans in the section where the RedSox fans were. Kasey said that next year, D has to get her better seats. It was also pouring, if you ever wondered if the Army could parachute in to rescue you in a rainstorm, they can. I love the Golden Knights show and it is even more impressive in the rain. Fortunately it stopped raining before the game started, but it was really coming down in buckets.

The Mets fans started being annoying in the first inning, cheering and making lots of noise, then cheered more in the 5th, stupid Mets fans, Mets were still behind. The cheering stopped in the sixth, when the Yankees got 2 runs to their one pathetic run in the fifth. The Yankees were relentless, they just kept scoring runs.

Derek Jeter stole his 326th career stolen base tying Rickey Henderson for the most in franchise history. He then scored on a sacrifice fly by Mark Teixeira.

Russell, Mark, Curtis and ARod all hit home runs. Alex’ was funny because he didn’t realize he hit one. He was looking around with this confused look on his face, then realized the ball had gone over the wall. Watching from the stands I wasn’t sure either. It was kind of hazy and he jumped up with his mitt, it was just over the wall. I missed Mark’s home run, I had gone down to go to the bathroom and get a pepsi for Kasey. The line for the bathroom was unbelievable, so I walked down one level and then couldn’t find the ladies room, just the men’s. So I walked back up and by now the line was gone. When I was in the bath room I heard John Sterling say, “A base hit for the Captain!” and how many more to 3,000, I came out of the bathroom to the roar of the crowd, I ran to where I could see the field and there it was home run #12 for Mark Teixeira.

AJ got the win, he deserved it, held the Mets to 3 runs and left to an ovation. Logan, David, and Joba all pitched perfectly, well Logan gave up a run. Then Ayala came in for the ninth and got three quick outs. Want to know how quick? We always go down during the ninth inning, we like watching on the big screen. I wanted to see the first out from our seats, by the time we got down the stairs, it was out number 2. I told Kasey, “We have to hurry, he’s already got 2 outs.” By the time we took the elevator down to the great hall, we looked up at the screen and the Yankees were hi-fiving each other. Frank was singing. Ball game over, Yankees win. Attendance was 48,286.

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