Yankees - White Sox - game 5

Every time I drive to the Stadium for a post-season game, opening day, Old-Timers day, Mets game, Red Sox game, or one that draws over 50k, I tell myself that next time I will take the train. Last night I was even asked if I could give someone a ride around 6:00 p.m. to which I responded "No, I'm headed to the Yankee game tomorrow, I'll probably be home at 8 since it will end just as rush hour starts up." and I still decided to drive today. My house is just about 30 miles from the Stadium and it took me 40 minutes to get there leaving at 11:00 a.m. (about 30 minutes after I wanted to).

So I figured I was making good time, it then took me about 40 minutes to park. As I drove from one lot to another I saw a lot of tailgaters, Yankee fans were out and ready to celebrate the new season. I payed $10 for a spot in a Kinney System Inc. garage and proceeded to drive up and around, up and around, all the way to the top deck without finding an open spot. A few spots were not filled with automobiles but instead with tables, chairs, BBQs and Yankee fans. As I reached the dead end, cars ahead of me were turning around in frustration, I spied a spot filled with a gas BBQ and a few Yankee fans. I decided I would pull my car in as far as I could fit and see how they reacted. Being gracious Yankee fans, they dragged their BBQ from the spot and behind their SUV, which allowed me to pull all the way up.

A little later than I had planned but no big deal, I was in the Bronx for another home opener and it was sunny and warm. I walked from the garage to the Stadium and passed some entrepreneurial young men who were hawking various anti-Boston shirts (1918 Babe Bucky Buckner Boone and Losers Established 1918 to name two). I got through the security check and through the gate pretty quickly. All I had to do for the security woman was take off my Yankees cap, a far cry from the security hawks at Legends Field in Tampa.

When I got into the Stadium I looked around and noticed a few things. The yellow Kodak sign that has been on the leftfield wall for 6 years was replaced with one for Canon. This made sense because Fujifilm is the new official film of the Yankees and there were a bunch of Fuji signs around the park. I then noticed the out-of-town scoreboard was missing behind the bleachers in left (replaced with a NYSE advertisement). While I pondered this development I then observed new video scoreboards along the facing of the loge level. This piece of high tech gadgetry replaced the old bulb type scoreboard and it was at the end of this new videoboard that the games to be played later in the day around MLB were rotated through. This welcome addition should help the Yankees increase their revenue a bit more. Lastly I noticed the Fleet advertisement next to the right-center scoreboard was now one for Bank of America, which made sense.

Bob Sheppard, in his 54th season as the Yankees public address announcer, then began to introduce the White Sox. First the staff and coaches, then the non-starters, the manager (Ozzie Guillen) and then the starting lineup was announced and they jogged out and filled up the 3rd base line.

The fans then stood when it was the Yankees' turn. First the staff, which included the team massage therapist, then the coaches (Rob Thompson manned the third base box today as Luis Sojo was still on leave due to the passing of his mother), then the non-starters, the manager, and the starting lineup. Mel Stottlemyre got the first big cheer from the fans. Don Mattingly then got a huge cheer that lasted through the next coach's intro. A Donnie Baseball chant was heard for a bit as the Sheppard continued. Kevin Brown got a big cheer when he was announced as did Mariano Rivera. Joe torre got a big hand, which was followed by another loud ovation for Derek Jeter. The cheers did not stop as Bernie Williams and Alex Rodriguez were introduced. The fans did their best to make Arod.com feel welcome.

Cadets from West Point sang the anthem, presented the colors, and unfurled a large American flag in centerfield. Four F-14 Tomcats then flew over the Stadium, piloted by four men that just finished their deployment in the Persian Gulf on the USS Enterprise. When the jets flew over the Stadium the noise was deafening. I can not even imagine what it must be like in a war zone (with bombs adding noise to that of the jets).

Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Phil Rizzuto then emerged from the Yankee dugout to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Berra and Ford threw before the Scooter did, their throws made it to the gloves while Rizzuto's bounced. While watching this I noticed the I Live For This logos painted on the grass between home and first and home and third. Its a slogan that sums things up nicely.

It was now time for Javier Vazquez's Yankee debut and the place was packed. They announced the attendance later as 55,290. The Yankees took the field and the Bleacher Creatures started up the roll call. It was the first time for Gary Sheffield and Rodriguez with Shef and A-Rod being the chants of choice. At the end of the roll call the Creatures then started up a Donnie Baseball chant that went on for a few minutes.

Vazquez's 1st pitch came at 1:19 p.m. Jose Valentin was the second batter for the White Sox and when Vazquez got 0-2 on him the fans started up the 2 strike chant. Vazquez did not disappoint the crowd, striking Valentin out a few pitches later. He finished his first Yankee inning, without allowing a runner, on 12 pitches.

The Yankees picked up two runs in the bottom of the first on two hits, two walks, and a sacrifice fly. It was not an explosive inning for the Bronx Bombers but they showed patience at the plate and took advantage of Scott Schoeneweis' wildness. The first run came on an excuse-me swing by Sheffield, his bat propelling the ball just in front of the plate and down the third base line. Williams dashed home as Schoeneweis picked up the ball and shoveled it late to the catcher Sandy Alomar. A sacrifice fly by Jorge Posada plated Alex Rodriguez for the second run. When Arod.com came up to bat the PA system played the theme from The Natural and he was greeted with another big cheer from the fans.

The game went along at a good clip with Vazquez and Schoeneweis putting zeros on the board. However, the effort each required was different. Vazquez got through innings with a lot less pitches than Schoeneweis. Schoeneweis threw about 50 to get the first six outs and came out of the game after 6 innings and 101 pitches (55 strikes). He allowed 7 hits, 4 walks, and 3 runs. Not bad, but not as good as Vazquez's 8 inning (on 106 pitches (73 strikes)), 3 hits, 5 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 1 run performance.

I just mentioned 5 strikeouts by Vazquez, which reminded me about the two Kyocera K-count sign on the lodge facing in left and right. While on more advertising, I should mention the Storr Tractor - Toro signs on the mats the groundkeepers drag. And how can I forgot the Dunkin Donuts - Baskin Robbins sponsored Great Subway Race. Gotta love how the Yankees find more ways to generate revenue and then spend it on the team.

Around 2:30 p.m. the sky started to get overcast and about 10 minutes later a few drops of rain fell from the sky. When Ronan Tynan came out during the 7th inning stretch to sing God Bless America the drops turned into a steady drizzle. A few fans left around this time, most notably people in the main boxes not under the overhand and a few areas in the upperdeck behind homeplate, but most of the fans stuck around for the whole game.

A few tactical notes. Guillen did not get anybody up in the bullpen until Schoeneweis was around 100 pitches in the 6th. This was after Schoeneweis gave up a solo home run to Jorge Posada and Ruben Sierra and Enrique Wilson both reached base on two out hits. I think Guillen got lucky when Schoeneweis escaped when Jeter flew out to center. On the other hand, Torre had Gordon up as Vazquez took the mound in the bottom of the 8th (Vazquez threw 93 pitches through 7 innings). Torre did have Posada and Hideki Matsui running on a 3-2 count with 1 out and Sierra at bat that twice. The first time Sierra fouled off the pitch and the second turned into a strikeout-caught stealing (Posada at third) to end the inning. I guess he was trying to tack another run on with the motion but I do not think Sierra is the type of hitter to do this with.

Rivera came out to Enter Sandman and closed out the game for the save. The Yankees won their 7th straight home opener.

Things did not go as smoothly for me. I got to the garage and noted the long line of cars that barely moved toward the exit. I decided to read and did so for about an hour. I was not the last to leave the garage as there were still a bunch of people tailgating. It took me 2 hours to get home but since I did not have a schedule to meet, I enjoyed the ride (even in stop and go traffic) because my radio was on.