“SEE-YA!” is the catchphrase New York Yankees announcer Michael Kay uses to call a home run. It also applies to Saturday, September 13, as that was Esther’s and my last visit to Yankee Stadium – “The House that Ruth Built”. (You can read about our previous visit HERE.) As most know, it is being closed at the end of the 2008 baseball season, and a NEW, more luxurious Yankee Stadium will open up across the street.
When we picked this game as our last “Stadium Moment” before the start of the season, we figured on a few things that did not come to pass.
That the Yankees would be in the thick of the race for the Postseason, as they have been every year for about the last decade and a half.
That the Tampa Bay Rays would be easy-pickin’s, as they have been every year of their existence.
And, that the mid-September weather would be cool and comfortable. I try to avoid mid-summer games for exactly that reason.
Well, let’s see… As of this post, the Yankees are in 4TH PLACE, 11 games out of the American League East Division lead and 9 games out of the AL Wild Card. (Not quite yet mathematically eliminated – but all but so!)
The Tampa Bay Rays (…since casting-out the “Devil” from their former name – “The Tampa Bay Devil Rays”) have lead the AL East for much of the season – and could very well finish ahead of the hated Boston Red Sox to take the AL East.
And, just to further pile it on for us, the weather was hot and VERY HUMID (…damned uncomfortably so, in point of fact), and not the nicer weather I assumed for September 13!
Long story short, the Yankees lost the game 7-1, and we LEFT AFTER SIX INNINGS, in consideration of the standings, score (7-0 when we left!), and conditions. And, I’m one of those people who will NEVER leave a game early – and even one who stays through the end credits of a movie, so just imagine...
That’s not exactly the way I expected September 13, 2008 to play out, way back in April!
One final little secret… If the Rays win the AL East, the Red Sox do not. The Yankees are out of it – and for the first time in Derek Jeter’s LIFE, he will not be going to the Postseason. So, on my final visit to historic Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York… I rooted for the Tampa Bay Rays!
Better luck next year in the new stadium… where I hope the aisles are wider, so we don’t have to get up every time someone comes by loaded to the hilt with hot dogs and beer!
When we picked this game as our last “Stadium Moment” before the start of the season, we figured on a few things that did not come to pass.
That the Yankees would be in the thick of the race for the Postseason, as they have been every year for about the last decade and a half.
That the Tampa Bay Rays would be easy-pickin’s, as they have been every year of their existence.
And, that the mid-September weather would be cool and comfortable. I try to avoid mid-summer games for exactly that reason.
Well, let’s see… As of this post, the Yankees are in 4TH PLACE, 11 games out of the American League East Division lead and 9 games out of the AL Wild Card. (Not quite yet mathematically eliminated – but all but so!)
The Tampa Bay Rays (…since casting-out the “Devil” from their former name – “The Tampa Bay Devil Rays”) have lead the AL East for much of the season – and could very well finish ahead of the hated Boston Red Sox to take the AL East.
And, just to further pile it on for us, the weather was hot and VERY HUMID (…damned uncomfortably so, in point of fact), and not the nicer weather I assumed for September 13!
Long story short, the Yankees lost the game 7-1, and we LEFT AFTER SIX INNINGS, in consideration of the standings, score (7-0 when we left!), and conditions. And, I’m one of those people who will NEVER leave a game early – and even one who stays through the end credits of a movie, so just imagine...
That’s not exactly the way I expected September 13, 2008 to play out, way back in April!
One final little secret… If the Rays win the AL East, the Red Sox do not. The Yankees are out of it – and for the first time in Derek Jeter’s LIFE, he will not be going to the Postseason. So, on my final visit to historic Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York… I rooted for the Tampa Bay Rays!
Better luck next year in the new stadium… where I hope the aisles are wider, so we don’t have to get up every time someone comes by loaded to the hilt with hot dogs and beer!
2 comments:
Joe,
Not the best of ways for the Yankees to close the old stadium, to be sure -- but (not to say I told you so) I saw this coming this year. Too many old troopers, a new manager, and the mismanagement of Joba Chamberlain reminded me of how the Yanks almost messed up Dave Righetti's career in 1982 by muddying up his role. I did NOT expect the Rays to supplant them aside the Red Sox at the top of the division.
BTW the Mets lost tonight... The Phillies have a legit chance at the division if success doesn't go to their heads on the coming road trip.
Chris:
Well, it certainly wasn’t the baseball year I was expecting. The AL mix would have been Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, and Twins or White Sox. NL would have been Mets, Phillies, Cubs, and Dodgers over D-Backs – once Manny R. joined.
But a real “tip of the TIAH Topper” goes to the Rays, be they AL East winners or Wild Card.
I’m still mostly correct, but it could possibly be a Non-NY Post season! For now, though… LET’S GO METS!
Joe.
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