A View to a Thrill

Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Home Game 48
Yankees 5 Mariners 4
Subway Race Winner: B train
Cap Game: WW (I was distracted by a blurry Rudy Giuliani)



I was a little concerned sitting in a box seat because the Yanks always seem to lose when I'm out there. But when I saw BOX 7 Row B pop up on the ticketmaster site, I just couldn't pass it up. The closest I had ever sat to the field was when I got Star Ledger seats through my old job, which were 2 rows behind the camera bay on the third base line. Great seats, but yesterday's was so much better. The seat was on the first base side of home plate about 7 rows back, but still behind the screen, which was a little distracting at first but I got used to it quickly.

Even more distracting than the screen was the on deck circle, especially since the screen wasn't in my way (although this one security guard always seemed to be.) A couple times I caught myself watching the guys on deck instead of the guys at the plate and I missed a couple ABs (luckily nothing of note happened). But really, how could I not stare Jeter and A-Rod and Bernie and Jeter and Giambi and Phillips and Jeter, when they're right there. When I take one of my male friends to a game in the bleachers they always end up ogling the hot chicks there. And I always end up complaining about the lack of eye candy for women at baseball games. Well, last night made up for it.

OK, enough of the girly stuff. On to baseball. I was quite impressed with Ponson. Yeah, he had a shaky first inning giving up 2 walks and a 3-run HR to the very tall Ritchie Sexson. But he was able to settle down for the rest of the game and gave up only one more run. He went 6.2 innings with 5Ks (3 of which came in the 4th inning) and even had a pick-off at first. Phillips helped him out in the 6th with a diving grab to his left and flipping to Sidney, who hustled to the bag, for the force. When Ponson was lifted in the 7th he got a really nice ovation. If he can pitch like that, as a 5th starter I'll take it. He just needs to work on his ball-to-strike ratio.

Since the All-Star break, the bullpen has really come through (aside from a poor second inning from Farnsworth on Sunday). My one big complaint about Torre (who turned 66 yesterday) is his bullpen management. But he's really done a good job lately. Proctor is looking really good (see what happens when you don't overthrow the guy Joe?). And I like what I saw from Wilson too. He seemed to have good movement on the ball.

Around the 4th inning, the security guards were handed rain coats. I didn't think that was a good sign. Soon we could feel the cold front coming on and the sky got a bit ominous. At that point it was 3-2 Mariners. Damon scored in the bottom of the first on a Giambi ground out and Phillips added another in the 2nd with a home run to left center. When the rain coats were handed out the Yanks looked like the were going to start another 2 out rally. Nick Green (getting the start at 3rd due to A-Rod's toe injury) got a 2-out single. Green would go 3-for-3 on the night. Stinnett followed with another single. But, nothing would happen that inning. No rain, and no runs. Seattle added another run in the 5th while the Yankees just couldn't do a thing at the plate. Both Posada and A-Rod (they each got a huge cheer when they emerged from the dug out) pinch hit in the 7th, but they couldn't move Green, who had doubled to lead off the inning. Meanwhile it's getting cooler and cooler and you could sense that this storm would come any minute.

So it came down to the bottom of the 9th. Phillips started things off with a double. Melky struck out. Then Guiel, pinch hitting for Green, singled to right, scoring Andy. I'm guessing this is when the heavy rain started (I honestly can't remember) because I stopped keeping score after Guiel's AB. All I know is it was coming down in buckets. Bubba came in to run for Guiel. Posada hit a ground ball to second. Again, my memory is fuzzy, but it ended up being a close play at first and Jorge was called safe. To my eye he looked safe, but I guess on the replay he was clearly out. So, the Yanks get a gift, which they will gladly take any day (who wouldn't). Of course all around the internet today all the Yankee-haters are bitching about the call. Look, every team gets breaks during the year. The Yankees aren't special in that regard. They have plenty of blown calls go against them. But when they do get one in their favor suddenly it's a fucking conspiracy. Let it go already.

So, Bubba moves to third on the play. Now it's first and third with 1 out. On the first pitch he sees, Damon hits a fly ball to center and Bubba scores on the sac fly. Game tied. Rain getting heavier. A-Rod is up. After working a 3-1 count, the umps finally decided to delay the game. Tarp comes out and I head into the concourse. After stocking up on paper towels and watching the rain from one of the handicap alcoves I head down to the Main Reserved seats where it's dry and watch the rest of the Mariano Rivera Yankeeography playing on the Diamond Vision.

After about an hour and a half, the crowd starts getting restless. The rain had let up a little and pockets of clapping and chanting of "Let them play" and such began. Finally, the rain stopped and what was left of the crowd roared, urging the crew to take the tarp off. About 5 minutes later, men in white adidas shirts and khaki shorts emerged and much happiness ensued. We rushed back to our seats as the players began filling the dugout. Soon enough they were on the field warming up.

I had visions of A-Rod taking the first pitch he saw deep and ending the game right there. But it was not to be as he struck out looking on 2 pitches (strike 3 looked a bit low and outside to me, but with the gift they got with Posada, I couldn't complain.)

So, the game went on. Joe had to do some shuffling in the field since Green and Cairo were out of the game at this point. Phillips went to second (his first appearance there in the majors) and Damon played first. Apparently a few weeks ago Damon had volunteered to play first in case of emergency. Joe was duped in thinking that he had played there before on a professional level, thanks in part to Giambi. Turns out Damon hadn't played there since little league. Ooops. Still he did a fine job. Plus, it got his weak arm out of center. Farnsworth retired the side in the 10th. Bernie doubled to right in the bottom half with 2 outs. But Andy grounded out to end the inning. Proctor pitched the 11th and got Sexson to ground out then hit Eduardo Perez. But he struck out the next 2 batters to avoid any damage.

I was starting to think that this game would never end. I was after 12:30 at this point. But leading off the 11th, Melky came to the rescue. He dumped a 2-1 pitch over the wall in right. Cue the jubilation and noogies from Bernie. Melky pulled an A-Rod and threw his helmet into the air before reaching home, which Damon caught and spiked like a football.

I've seen plenty of home runs from the other end of the Stadium. When they're coming towards you it seems like it takes forever to get out. It's also easier to tell if it's going to be caught or go over the wall. I've also seen games from the upper deck behind home plate. There every deep fly ball looks like it has a chance to go out, but again, the angle you're at makes it seem like the ball isn't moving very fast. But watching one from behind the plate at ground level is a whole different experience. It's very hard to tell if a hit has enough distance to go out, but the speed coming off of the bat is tremendous. Andy's home run looked like it was shot out of a cannon. I was pretty much in line with the path of the ball. It just kept on going higher and getting smaller. And Melky's was just a beautiful sight.

I am so glad I decided to spoil myself and plunk down the money for that seat. I probably won't be doing it again any time soon, but last night made it so worth it.

Random Notes
– Rudy Giuliani was sitting in his usual seat, next to the Yankee dugout. I couldn't really get a good shot of him. Someone was always in the way. Throughout the game he was signing autographs. He stuck it out and stayed for the entire game, a true Yankee fan.

– Chuck Zito was also at the game, sitting about 8 rows behind me and a section over to my left. Chuck is a former Hells Angel, former bodyguard, and current actor. He did not come back after the rain delay, although he did have on some nice Yankee wristbands.

– Old School Cotton Eye Joe was on during the 8th inning. Don't know if it was a tape or not though.

– More pics from the night can be found here.


In the next day or so I plan to recount another memorable game that happened on July 18th.

In attendance record: 19-13