Well I thought I was going to wait until tomorrow to post, but as the adage says you have to strike while the iron is hot. I may not be completely sober but I have an idea for a post and I'll be damned if I let that opportunity slide.
I'm going to talk a bit about the new stadium they just built in the bronx. I'm going to preface this by saying that A) I am an avid Yankee fan and B) I've only been to 3 major league stadiums besides this one(Old Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, and Olympic Stadium in Montreal when the Expos were there). I have to say, the new stadium in the bronx is phenomenal. There are several reasons why I love this place, but the main reason is that I never feel the Yankees are out of a game there. They are catching a lot of crap for this stadium being "homer friendly" but in my opinion, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Take a look at the way this team is constructed. Potent offensive lineup with power, and a pitching staff that records a lot of strikeouts. If ever there were a model for a successful team in that ball park, I'd say that's it. In addition, who won the World Series last year? The Phillies did, in the most "homer friendly" park in the bigs. So this notion that a home field that is susceptible to the long ball is a kiss of death is wrong. Just take a look at these Yankees, they have a serious swagger lately(when they aren't playing Boston). They lead the majors in come from behind wins and they really feel that they can overcome any deficit.
Take for example the game on Friday night. Say what you will about it being lucky(it certainly was) but the Yanks found a way to pull it out. I was at the stadium, and I have to say the atmosphere was simply electric. There has been a lot of talk about the empty seats and lack of energy in the stadium but for a big game like the subway series the house was rockin'. You could feel the full range of emotions pouring out during that last at bat. The sheer disappointment and despair when A-Rod popped that ball up, and the elation when Luis Castillo gift wrapped that victory for them. I've been to many a Yankee game, and I have to say this might have been my favorite moment. I went to the game with three friends, two Yankee fans and a Met fan. So throughout the entire 9th inning this kid is needling us for every single strike K-Rod gets. To have that payoff after that was simply priceless.
Obviously there is a down side to the new stadium. First of all, I didn't feel the same way I did when I first walked into the old stadium. There is something about that building that is magical. I can't really put it into words but when I first stepped out of that tunnel, and you see the lush green grass and smell the hot dogs and peanuts you can't help but get goosebumps. Just thinking about all the historic things that have occurred there is enough to get you choked up. I just didn't feel that at the new house. Everything is also ridiculously expensive, putting a damper on things. I've been to two games this year, and both times I fell into a ticket through a friend and I still ended up spending at least a hundred bucks. I'm not much of a political activist but there should be some law against charging 10 dollars for a beer.
I have to say though, there are a lot of really cool things about this new ball park. First of all the sheer variety of food you can get there is awesome. Definite upgrade from the old park. Pretty much anything you can imagine is available from philly cheesesteaks, to sushi, to nachos, to chinese food, and even a deli where you can get freshly sliced meat. There are also several bars throughout the stadium that you can hang out in. They have Tommy Bahama's bar and the Hard Rock which are both nice but the prize piece is the Mohegan Sun Bar in center field. In there you can actually watch the game through tinted glass with a pretty nice view(once again a pretty hefty expense $50 on top of your ticket I believe). Luckily my buddy knows a guy that works at the stadium who got us in there for free. Another great feature is that the field is viewable from almost anywhere. The way that the stadium is laid out allows for you to see the action from anywhere even behind the seats. Its pretty common to see upper deck ticket holders hanging out on the field level behind home plate to catch a great view of the action. So basically as long as you're in the stadium you can catch a glimpse from a spot that you can't really afford to sit. Another nice feature is being able to walk anywhere throughout the stadium. In the old stadium the bleachers(cheapest seats) had a separate entrance and was closed off from the rest of the ball park. Now you can walk anywhere freely. Which brings me to my next point, there is no bad seat in this ball park. The first time I went there, I got there early and walked around the park. Even the last bleacher seat has a great view of the field. I remember sitting in the last row of the left center bleachers in the old stadium and thinking the players looked like ants. Not in this park. Anywhere you are you have an excellent view. I mentioned earlier that I didn't feel the same goosebumps as the old house. That's true but I have to say they did a pretty nice job of reminding everybody what happened in the old place. From the great hall, to monument park, to the yankee museum, this place has a great sense for the triumphs of the past.
Overall I have to say I am pleased with the way the new stadium came out. Yeah it sucks that it's so expensive but I guess that's just the price you pay for being a Yankee fan. Everything in New York is at a premium, so why should baseball be any different. I'm pretty happy with that stadium being my baseball Mecca for probably the rest of my life. I look forward to seeing Citi Field (the new home of the Mets) soon and I'm sure I'll share my thoughts on that experience as well. I've even heard from Yankee fans that it's nicer but lacks the sense of history(it has an exhibit dedicated to Jackie Robinson even though he never played for the Mets, and yeah I found that weird too). In this recession, it might not have been the most prudent idea to open up a ridiculously expensive new stadium. You might compare it to your cleanup hitter popping up to second base on 3-1 fastball down the middle, but just like Friday night the Yankees found a way to make it work.
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