I LOOOOVE A Parade

Man, I wonder what time those people got in line to ride the double decker tour buses (remember those well) along the parade route… 37,000 people attempted to get tickets… so many that the server was shut down.  The first ticker tape parade for the Yanks since 2000!  I bet it is even more exciting in person… nothing like an NYC ticker tape parade.  Bombers greats past and present riding through the Canyon of Heroes to City Hall:  Yogi and Mr. October joining new heroes Nick Swisher, C.C.,  Mark Teixiera among others!  I see “snow” on the ground and it’s only November 6th.  Bring on the Fab Four… those who have been THHE HEART AND SOUL OF THE TEAM since 1996!  Every time I am the Big Apple, I get a chill but I cannot imagine what the millions of fans lining Broadway are feeling right now.

Even Captain Jeter said that he had forgotten what it felt like after nine years.  There’s a worker shoveling the snow.  INDEED WHAT A WAY TO CHRISTEN THE NEW HOUSE! Derek Jeter… what a class act!  Attitude, charisma, performance all rolled into one.  Wonder if Molly got to meet him along with the Boss a few years ago when his health was better.  And there he goes… on his float along with Jorge Posada.  An 18 month old heart transplant recipient named Jeter received a special gift from the superstar.

Even NY Governor Paterson… a confirmed Mets fan… is celebrating.

MO!  The greatest and most feared saver in Major League Baseball!

And the clincher… Andy Pettitte (name spelled correctly).  Winner of the clinching game of the ALDS against the Twins, the ALCS against the Angels, and Game Six against the Angels!

Ok… that’s a wrap!  Thank you fellow tangenteers for allowing me and putting up with my adoration!  I know you all have your own favorites and I fully expect you to do the same WHEN the time arrives.




START SPREADIN THE NEWS!!!!!!!!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NUMBER 27!!!!!!! I TOLD YOU YANKEES IN SIX!!!!! FIRST TIME SINCE 2000 (yes, I know some have never or have not had the feeling for many years).  Last night, I saw a picture of a past World Series ring on a friends Facebook profile that positively made me drool.  Apparently Molly has a connection in the offices of the NEW YORK YANKEES!  She was allowed to wear the ring for a day!  Tonight’s hero… Hideki Matsui…Godzilla himself.  Nearly became the first player in history to hit for the cycle in World Series play.  A two run home run, a two run single, a double… just missing the triple.  The most uttered phrase in sport’s history… “The Yankees are world champions!”

Ol’ Blue Eyes is singin now!

MVP….. HIDEKI MATSUI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fans in Japan are celebrating at 1.07PM.  6 of the seven RBIs! Not too bad for a DHer whose contracts expires this year and is questionable?

I was even at work through the first three innings with my cell phone giving updates!

Winning pitcher… Andy Pettite!

Game 5 was a fluke… just getting it back to NYC… and deservedly so to christen the new cathedral right!

Great series… great games… great season!  Ok… maybe this will be the end of my Yankee’s posts for the next 5-6 months.

And the OTHER fab four: Pettite, Mariano RIVERA… BIG MO, Jorge Posada, AAAAAND CAPTAIN JETER!!!!!! OK… SO MAYBE THE PARADE ON FRIDAY!!! No thanks to the brilliant (HA!!!) COMMENTARY OF JOE SCHMO BUCK!

So… until spring training begins….. THE YANKEES WIN!  THAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YANKEES WIN!

FINAL SCORE…. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 3, WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES 7!!!!!!





Back to the Bronx

After returning from being booed at rehearsal… second time we have read through and I’m already being booed… I’M LOOOOOVIN’ IT!!!!! I Returned to see the Yanks down 3-1 in the second and it did not get much better after.  I’m pleased to say that they never gave in.  That dratted combination of Lee-Utley killed us again.  Mr. Utley tied Mr. October (Reggie Jackson… even named a candy bar after him) for the most home runs in a single World Series with five… so far, NO MORE FOR YOU!!!

So tomorrow night, we go back to ‘da Bronx for the magic game six.  I have said for the past week or so that it would be six and BACK TO THE NEW DIGS!

Final: Yanks 6… Phillies 8.




The Lee Utley Show

Ok, ok… granted… Game One of the World Series was not C.C.’s finest pitching outing.  Cliff Lee pitched his behind off and the defending World Champs definitely came into the Bronx ready to go… but IT WAS ONLY GAME ONE, FOLKS! Yanks in 6! Very little to say that went well for a Yankee fan other than we are glad game one is over.  A-Rod silenced, Mark “Chris” Teixiera no help either, C.C. down in seven after getting no help from his offense.   In fact, very little offensively until the ninth when we finally got a run in.  Once again Fox Sports announcing duo managed their typical balanced commentary.  I do believe there was a total of two players on the field and neither wore pinstripes.

Final: Phillies 6, Yankees 1

Game 2 Tomorrow night.  Have a read-through so I will have to miss half.  GO YANKS!!! Maybe we will get to see a pie delivered by starter A.J. Burnett (hopefully not since they only come after a from behind victory).




Overall, A Series-ly Wonderful Day

Ok… the big item.  The Yankees are off to THE WORLD SERIES!  After a bit of speculation about the pitching decision (I thought all along that Andy Pettite was the way to go since he as pitched in numerous big games and now has the most post-season wins of any pitcher).  Once again, a great game and I was flabbergasted when the combo of Buck and McCarver began to be silenced when the Angels remarkably made two errors in a row.  The quartet of players who were flying high in the late ’90s (Captain Jeter, Pettite, Jorge Posada, and closer extraordinaire, MARIANO RIVERA) will be joined by second year skipper, Joe Girardi (who was also the catcher in the late 90s and now is the fourth person to play on a World Series Yankee team and later coach another to the series).

NOW, for even better news on a personal level (close but yes even better), I will be playing the role of the eeeeeevil Mr. Potter in the Village Players’ production of It’s A Wonderful Life.  Travis called me earlier and informed me that I need to put on my mean face.  I love playing the villain.  Can’t wait to get started!  And it is now projected to run 2 weekends (December 11-13 & 18-20).

GO YANKEES!!!!  AND NOW I CAN TRY OUT THOSE ERASABLE HIGHLIGHTERS (I was hoping that it would not be a long wait).  BOOYAH!




Simply Awesome

Thankfully, the game really did not get started until I got off work at 9.  Up until then, the Yanks and Angels were scoreless through three, but that was soo to change.  Game 4 in the ALCS featured a remarkable one-two punch for the Bombers.  C.C. pitched eight incredible innings allowing one run on five hits on a short three days rest and giving the much used bullpen a rest of its own.

Alex Rodriguez with all the turmoil he has been in this year off the field has never had a better post season.  I cannot forget his arrival in the pin-stripes.  He was terrible in the post season.  This year… 5 home runs, 11 RBIs.  Tonight he was a triple away from hitting a cycle including a two run smash.

Last night’s questionable use of the bullpen and tonight’s even more questionable calls made by the crew chief along the third base line are now a distant memory as the Yankees are one victory away from THE WORLD SERIES.  Now… I just have to concentrate on other things until Thursday night (of course that will not be a problem for me… sorry guys, you will have to take a back seat until 9).  Hopefully, they can wrap it up Thursday night so I can go a-haunting this weekend safe in the knowledge that they will be back in the Big Apple waiting for next Wednesday.   But… it is not over yet.

For anyone not in the know… Yankees 10, Angels 1.

And today is the 99th birthday for the longtime former voice of the Yanks, Bob Sheppard.  In homage, Captain Jeter has Mr. Sheppard’s recorded voice announcing him every time he steps up to the plate (at hime, anyway).  Can we get a “Yankees win!   THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Yankees WIN!” Mr. Sheppard began announcing in the ’51 season with none other than greats like Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra leading the Bombers to another World Championship.




Ok… So It Won’t Be Another Sweeping

Yep… once again… an extra inning pitching duel.  Captain J started off the afternoon just after 4PM with a single homer.  A-Rod, Johnny D, and Posada added their own throughout the game.  However, single HRs often do not win games, correct?  I do think the Yanks went a bit too deep in the bullpen… but that is just a bit of armchair coaching.  Final: Yankees 4…Angels 5 in 12.  At least it was a late afternoon game unlike Saturday night into the wee hours of Sunday.  Game 4 Tomorrow Night 7:30… C.C. back on the hill!!!!!!!




Buck, You Schmuck

I could have used another more colorful metaphor to describe the announcing prowess of one of my oh, soooooo favorite commentators,  Joe Buck for FOX Sports is so one-sided, anti-Yankees that it is downright disgusting.  No where was this more true than in the bottom of the 10th inning of the still going on Game 2 of the ALCS.  What was a seemingly easy double play turned into an advanced runner to second and an out at first.  Funny that as the Angels had back-to-back picture perfect double plays.  And we go to inning 12 at 12:17AM after A-Rod ties the game at 3 all..

Ok… back to the failed double play.  The defensive player at second NEVER HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BASE.  What was worse is that he straddled to so blatantly… nowhere close. but yet he was shocked and Mike Scioscia, himself came out to argue the call.  So Mr. Buck argued that it was a gimme, neighborhood ball.  After the inning was complete and the game progressed, ol’ Joe made what for me was the closest he has ever come to a retraction.  Apparently, in the two other perfect double plays, the player indeed had his foot on the bag.

I have at times pushed the mute to silence the golden tones of the fine and talented broadcaster.  Really need to look into other means to listen to the games.

Now, we have the fifth pitcher for the Yanks coming up.  Apart from the announcing, it has been a dandy of a game.  The rain is starting to pick up so they better wrap it up soon.

4-3 in 13 innings.  The Yankees win!!!!!  ThAAAAAAAAAAAAA Yankees WIN!!!!  Off to the West!  Good night!




Post Victory Horror

tonight after watching the Bombers take game one in the ALCS thanks in no small part to C.C. Sabathia’s excellent pitching plus some errors in the field by the Angels, I watched my latest DVD rental.  I have never seen a Sam Raimi  directed effort apart from the blockbuster Spider-Man films.  Apparently, he was well regarded as a low-budget horror maker and made his return to the genre last year in the aptly titled, Drag Me to Hell. This decidedly B-movie was equal parts fright, gore, and humor (mainly from some of the ridiculous situations, but I think this was the intent… not taking itself too seriously).

The film follows a bank loan employee who is a possible candidate for a promotion to assistant manager.  Christine is approached by an elderly gypsy woman (complete with a creepy glass eye) who is in need of an extension on her delinquent mortgage payment.  When the request is denied, the old beggar woman takes it quite personally and places an evil spirit upon our heroine and (you guessed it) strange, horrific things begin to happen that only Christine is witness to.

Christine’s boyfriend, Clay, is skeptical to say the least.  However, he does accompany her to a psychic who knows how to rid the woman of her problem before she is literally… well… you know dragged to hell.  Goofy, yes but is there a b-grade horror film that isn’t?  Plus, you get to see the wide acting ability of Justin Long who you may remember  from the live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks…. so maybe not so much since he was the voice of Alvin.




Off To The ALCS

for the first time since 2004.  While posting about the final performance and wrap party, I was watching the Yanks sweep the Twins to move on to face the Angels on Friday.  The “unbiased” announcing seemed to be leaning a bit to the other side.  During the marathon top of the 9th inning, I went downstairs to watch my mother nervously trying to keep her emotions in check as two of the granddaughters were sleeping on the couch  (no school tomorrow… not because of C-bus Day but for Parent/Teacher Conferences).  There was a bit of a delay in the bottom half as a crazed fan ran on to the field in an apparent attempt to throw of the pitching prowess of Mariano Rivera to no avail.  The fan was apprehended and the Yanks win 4-1.

The end of the season for the Minnesota Twins spelled the end of the teams home in the Metrodome as the team will be moving to Target Field in 2010.