Ice Cold Beer

When you go to Yankee Stadium to watch a game you are getting more than nine innings of baseball. There is history there... from the old timers like Ruth and DiMaggio to the sacred hollow of Munson to the current legends like Rivera, Jeter and Posada. You also get to see some great service people; like my friend Mark who vends beer in the upper decks. When you have a season ticket plan you begin to appreciate "regulars"; you use the fastest gate, buy your food from the same stands, and build a bond with the fans around you. I had recognized Mark from the many times over the years that I had seen him selling hot dogs. Yesterday, I happen to notice that he was carrying beer. "Two over here, beer man!"

While he was pouring, I told him that I remembered him from his hot dog days and congratulated him on his "promotion". (I am not positive, but I was told once that vendors start with things like cotton candy and foam fingers and move their way up the ranks to beer... the highest tipped merchandise). Mark and I began talking and I learned that he currently is in his 15th year of service at Yankee Stadium. 15 years! I was just a young whipper-snapper right out of college back then. Mark has seen a lot over the last decade and a half and I also learned yesterday that he is putting all of these memories in a book he is writing called, of course, "Ice Cold Beer". Ok readers... tell me that you can meet people like this at the newer SafeCo Field. Tell me that Nationals Park has a guy like Freddy who lets you bang out a quick rhythm on his clover-covered frying pan. If the Yankee Brass really wants to make the new stadium special, they will take care to make sure that some of their other legends, namely Freddy, the pan-man and Mark, the beer-man make it safely across the street. In the mean time Mark, please don't forget about section 627!

Yesterday's game was a lot like Friday night's outing. Quality pitching from the Yankees (and bloggers, please recognize The Moose's performance, winning three in a row now with a 4-3 record), some decent hitting by the Yankees, and a lot of errors by the Mariners (4 on Friday and 2 yesterday afternoon). Cano was back in the game to yet again contribute nothing; Giambi not looking any better these days.

Johnny Damon hit his 400th career double and asked to keep the ball. Derek Jeter also had a nice double that enabled him to surpass DiMaggio's record of 389 (Yankee Doubles).

So the Yankees take Game 2 against Seattle 6-to-1 and regardless of today's game will win the series.

Here are the Sunday standings: