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The Yankees kick off their season at home on Tuesday with a full day of festivities including a ring ceremony, raising of a championship banner and a game with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Stadium gates will open to fans at 11:00 am, allowing fans to get settled in and comfortable. Festivities will kick off around 12:15-12:30 with the ring ceremony in the infield. The remaining members of the 2009 champions will receive their rings straight from the hands of hall-of-famer and 6-time champion Whitey Ford along with hall-of-famer and 10-time champion Yogi Berra.
A unique twist on the ceremony will be the presence of former Yankee and fan-favorite Hideki Matsui. Obviously a coincidence in scheduling, but the Yankees will be facing Matsui’s new team, the Angels, meaning Matsui will be present to collect his ring. Unfortunately, he will be wearing Angel’s red. Matsui was also the World Series MVP last season.
A banner celebrating the Yankees 2009 championship will be raised and joined by replica flags for the other 26 championships will also be hung around the stadium for the duration of the day.
After introductions, the national anthem will be sung and a flyover of by NAVY jets will occur.
The first pitch to the game will be thrown out by former Yankees center-fielder and current jazz/rock musician Bernie Williams, a four-time champion himself.
Obviously, Yankees fans have a lot more to look forward to, but that those are the main points of a day that won’t be easily forgotten.
With the fun of hosting our first Thanksgiving at our new home, I have been unable to get online and sink myself into the Yankee Universe until now. There are two stories I want to throw my two cents in on.
Bob Sheppard will not return
First, long time Yankees announcer Bob Sheppard told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com that he has “no plans of coming back.” Sheppard was the voice of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium for the better part of 6 decades, announcing such stars as Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly and Derek Jeter.
I am sad to hear this – Mr Sheppard was the voice I heard from my first Yankee game through most of my life and I know that many will miss him. He has not announced a game since late 2007 due to illness, and the 99 year-old deserves his retirement.
Before this, Sheppard had always said he intended to return as the Yankees announcer when he overcame his illness. Paul Olden took over for Sheppard this year and has been doing well filling those big shoes. Sheppard’s voice can still be heard at Yankee Stadium every game – Derek Jeter uses a recording of Sheppard’s voice when he comes to the plate.
Roy Halladay talk heats up
The rumor mill is cranking about Roy Halladay and what appears to be an inevitable trade from the Blue Jays. Will he go to the Yankees? Will he go to the Red Sox? Jon Heyman reports that the Jays are interested in Yankees top prospect Jesus Montero and possibly a pitcher like Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain.
I’m torn on this. On the one hand, Halladay is a combined 37-21 with a 2.79 ERA in his last two seasons with a sub-par Toronto squad. He was the most dominating pitcher for the first half of the 2009 season, so he does have what it takes to be a good pitcher.
But to give up a great prospect like Jesus Montero and a solid young pitcher like Hughes or Joba, is just a little silly. Halladay is 32 years-old, and will want a 4-5 year contract at max money. He has thrown over 220 innings each of the last 4 seasons and I am concerned he might break down at the end of a long contract. With 32 year-old AJ Burnett already on the roster for the next 4 years, I don’t want to turn the rotation into what might end up looking like an old folks home.
In my mind, that is one of the biggest issues facing both teams in the upcoming American League Championship Series. Fortunately, neither team will have an advantage -its going to suck for both.
The weather forecasts are atrocious. Friday high’s in the Bronx are forecast for 43, with lows of 38 and a 90% chance of rain- this will probably be the type of cold rain that makes your bones ache. Saturday isn’t looking much better – high’s of 47, lows of 41 with a 70% chance of rain. Plus, it continues into Sunday – highs of 50, lows of 41 with a 80% chance of rain.
Isn’t it the middle of October? Wasn’t it just 75 degrees like 10 days ago? This is December weather.
I can’t help but assume that this is going to wreak havoc on the ALCS schedule. There is a good chance that at least one game gets rained out – pushing game 2 back to Sunday. If game 1 is rained out on Friday, Saturday becomes game 1 and Sunday becomes game 2.
Enter havoc – Fox is broadcasting the ALCS and Sunday is scheduled to be a day off since Fox broadcasts football. With the 5-0 Giants playing the 5-0 Saints at 1pm, there is no way that Fox will shift the game to FX and play it in the afternoon – meaning a Sunday night game is ideal. BUT, the Monday game is scheduled for 1pm Pacific time (4pm eastern) meaning a Sunday night game would be very horrible for the players. AND, that would mean the ALCS game would battle with the NLCS game, which is broadcast on TBS, for ratings – which MLB won’t like.
I’ll say one thing – I am happy to not have to be one of the guys who has to decide whether or not to play the games, and/or when to reschedule them for. All I know is, it will make baseball life interesting…
Why is Kate Hudson at every Yankee game? She’s not dating Derek Jeter – he is with Minka Kelly, and they are supposedly engaged. She’s not dating A-Rod – he likes blonds, but he likes the bustier blonds.
So…maybe she’s just a big Yankee fan? If that’s the case, I like her even more.
Update: So I figured it out. A quick Yahoo search for “Kate Hudson, Yankees”) came up with a story that says A-Rod and Miss Hudson are, in fact, an item. My wife now tells me she saw an article in People about this weeks ago. I now have more respect for A-Rod. Other then his ex-wife, this is the first truly hot girl I’ve seen him with, ever. (sorry, Madonna hasn’t been hot in 10 years)
From the NY Yankees:
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Tickets for 2009 American League Division Series (ALDS) and American League Championship Series (ALCS) games at Yankee Stadium will go on sale to the public on Monday, October 5 at 10:00 a.m. Tickets will be sold online only at yankees.com from the start of Monday’s on-sale until 9:00 a.m. on the date of the Yankees’ first scheduled ALDS home game.
Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on the date of the Yankees’ first scheduled ALDS home game, tickets will be available online at yankees.com and at Yankee Stadium Advance Ticket Windows.
Please note that ALDS and ALCS tickets will not be available for purchase at Yankees Clubhouse Shops or through Ticketmaster outlets or phone sales.
Due to the limited number of tickets available for sale, those purchasing tickets will be limited to two tickets to one game of the ALDS or two tickets to one game of the ALCS, subject to availability. Orders exceeding the assigned ticket limits will be cancelled without contact from Ticketmaster or the New York Yankees.
Tickets purchased via the Internet for Division Series Home Game 1 and Home Game 2 must be purchased utilizing “print at home” technology. There will be no option for Will Call or express shipping. In an effort to create additional opportunities for fans to attend 2009 postseason games at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees will make tickets available in two new seating areas. There will be 60 café seats on the Field Level concourse available for $81 per ticket for the Division Series and $131 per ticket for the League Championship Series. Additionally, approximately 200 standing room tickets for dedicated standing locations on the Field and Main Levels will cost $33 and $25, respectively, for the ALDS and $64 and $48, respectively, for the ALCS. Fans are encouraged to visit yankees.com for complete postseason ticket information, including the refund procedure for any unplayed games. World Series ticket information will be made available at a later date.
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Good luck getting tickets. It will be a madhouse at 10am on Monday….Although, if you are not lucky, there is always Stubhub….
