Standings

It is a little ironic that the week that I decide not to blog about the Yankees on a daily basis is the week that the team reaches its season high record of 3 games over .500. Have the Yanks finally turned a corner? Are they ready to move into the next gear of the season?

10-4, good buddy

Mussina secured his TENTH win of the season last night and seems to be on track to win 20 games this year. It is unbelievable to me that some reporters and talk show hosts are still skeptical about his performance. Many I have listened to recently say that Mussina's run will not last. Here is what the MLB had to say:

Mussina's 260th career victory makes him the sixth pitcher in Major League history to record 10 or more wins in 17 consecutive seasons. He will undoubtedly receive heavy consideration to represent the American League All-Star team next month at Yankee Stadium. If he does, the veteran right-hander's accomplishment would only help his interesting case for enshrinement in Cooperstown.

Here are the standing for the week:

Volunteer Opportunities

A few months ago, while trying to find out just how hard it might be to get tickets to the All Star game, I found a link on the Yankee website that allowed me to file an application to volunteer for the events taking place that week. Admittedly, my first thought was that I could sign up for a job at the stadium and watch the game for free. Maybe they needed help selling dogs? But when I read the material with a closer eye, I discovered that the actual All-Star game was not one of the events that would be covered by volunteers. Shoot! But, what the hell? I signed up anyway.

Yesterday afternoon was the first informational session. It took place at Yankee Stadium and, as exciting as it is just to be in the stadium (especially when it is empty), it wasn't any big thrill to wait in line for an hour, sit in the sun waiting for 45 minutes, and then listen to stupid people ask stupid questions for another 30 minutes before getting "interviewed".

Granted, most of the waiting time was my fault. I totally misjudged the traffic getting to the stadium and was so worried that I wouldn't find a parking spot that I left my house super early. I wound up getting there at 4:15pm (an hour and 15 minutes early) BUT I was able to park directly in front of Gate 6, which is where I needed to be. I am really glad that I arrived when I did because the others arrived quickly after me... and there were lots of them. We lined up in groups sorted by last name (I was first in my line...yay!) and waited for all the workers to figure out their game plan. As we were watching the one girl who seemed like the one in charge go around and explain the process to the other workers there, the guy behind me commented on how it looked like organized chaos. I have to say, I thought they did a pretty good job of handling all the people who showed up, about two thousand or so by my estimate.

When it was time, I was asked to sign a waiver, was given a copy of my application to make corrections, was searched (just like before a Yankee game) and told to have a seat in the stadium. No, not anywhere in the stadium. We were behind right field and we filled up three complete sections. After everyone was processed from the line, the volunteer coordinators introduced themselves and started by asking a few Yankee trivia questions for people to win free tickets to upcoming games:

Who was the last Yankee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame?

Who was the Yankee manager before Joe Torre?

How many World Series titles have the Yankees won under George Steinbrenner?

In what year did the Yankees win their first World Series?

There were so many people there that, even though I was sitting in the second row, I didn't have a chance getting picked to answer. Well, I guess I had a chance, but not a very big one. Needless, to say, no free tickets for me. It was a nice way to start out the session though.

A spokeswoman for MLB then explained some of the areas where they needed volunteers and let us know that, out of the over 6,500 people who applied to volunteer (the most ever), only approximately 2,200 would be selected. Schedule availability, background checks, the "interview", and luck would determine who that would be. You could choose to work at Fan-Fest, which is the DHL-sponsored, week-long event at the Javitz Center or choose to be a NY Ambassador, someone who would help with parties and other events, travel, etc. I choose to apply to be an ambassador. They only need 700 of those by the way.

Then it was stupid question time:
(Answered provided by me, not the MLB)

Will we get any chance to see the All-Star game?
(Yeah, if you buy tickets, Jackass.)

Why don't we get paid to do this?
(Because it is a volunteer opportunity, Jackass.)

What color will the uniforms that we get be?
(Nope, I am not kidding. Someone asked this one too. What a Jackass.)

Eventually, we were done and it was time to line up for the "interview". Luckily, they decided to escort people out of the stadium in the same order they arrived, so I got out quickly and was the first one in my group to be "interviewed".

Now, you may be wondering why I keep putting quotes around "interview". It is because it really wasn't an interview. It was a questionnaire that just happened to be filled out by someone else. Some of the questions I was asked:

How long have you lived in the NY Area?
(All my life.)

Will you be able to stand for long periods of time?
(Didn't I just do that waiting on line?)

Are you a Yankee season holder?
(Yes!! But I am not sure why this makes be better able to volunteer.)

Can you work for three consecutive days or three days total?
(Gee, can't you get this info from the availability sheet that you just made me verify?)

Where else have you volunteered?
(I stretched the truth here just a bit but hey, whose going to know, right?)

And that was basically it. I should get a letter in the mail within two weeks telling me if I made it or not. The process wasn't too painful, I suppose. Considering that they don't do this very often, they organized it relatively well. I did wish the "interview" was more selective though because I didn't really feel like I had any better chance of getting selected than some of the jackasses from the question-and-answer session. Such is life.

Keep your fingers crossed. I will let you know if I get in!

The end of this blog as we know it...

Perhaps you could blame it on a lack of personal time, as it takes a big commitment to write a daily blog. Maybe it is just the fact that there isn't too much to write about when the Yankees continue to follow the same pattern: one game over 500... back at 500... one game over 500... back at 500... one game below 500... back at 500... one game above 500... back at 500... one game over 500... See what I mean, not to exciting to read either.

So, I have decided to stop trying to blog after every game. There are plenty of other bloggers out there who write daily game summaries... the world doesn't need another.

I may write every couple of days, it could be weekly... I am not really sure at this point. If you are a regular reader (and your name is not Jed or Amy), shoot me a quick message to let me know that someone actually reads what is written here.

Go Yankees!

Yanks out of money?

The Yankes lost again... bla bla bla

I found this interesting:

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Yankees baseball team wants a city agency to sell $350 million of bonds for its new stadium or else it will not be able to complete the project, state Assemblyman Richard Brodsky said on Tuesday.
The Internal Revenue Service, however, would have to approve the new bond sale. The federal tax agency cracked down on financing these types of projects with tax-exempt debt after the Yankees got a waiver for the first sale of debt for their new stadium in the Bronx, the Westchester Democrat said.
"Right now, they (the Yankees) are saying they don't think they can complete the stadium unless the Internal Revenue Service ruling is reversed and they apparently have been joined in this effort to reverse the ruling by the Nets and the Mets," Brodsky told Reuters by phone.
However, Yankees President Randy Levine said: "This will not affect the completion of the stadium."
Levine and the city's debt-selling agency confirmed they wanted a waiver from the IRS. "We are working under the strong leadership of the city and state to try to seek relief from the regulations," Levine said.
The Yankees, one of the most profitable U.S. sports enterprises, once threatened to move out of the Bronx.
Though the team that has won 26 World Series titles decided to stay put, civic advocates say they and their cross-town rivals, the Mets, got overly rich taxpayer subsidies.
The new Yankee stadium is expected to open in 2009, replacing the 1923 stadium made famous by Babe Ruth.
In addition to other benefits, the city's Industrial Development Authority in 2006 sold $941 million of tax-exempt bonds for the Yankees and $548 million of debt for the Mets, whose Shea Stadium in Queens dates back to 1964.
The Mets, a team that has won two World Series titles, plan to open a new home in Queens next year.
The National Basketball Association's Nets now play in New Jersey but plan to build a new arena in Brooklyn that will anchor a billion-dollar office and housing development, which now faces a cooling real estate market.
Tax-exempt debt is crucial for the new basketball arena's financing. The Nets, which won two championships when they were in the American Basketball Association, plan to open the Brooklyn arena in time for the 2010-2011 season.
Janel Patterson, an Industrial Development Authority spokeswoman, confirmed the city would consider selling more debt for the Yankees and said the IRS ruling blocks other projects.
"The City is working with the State in Washington to seek relief from the applicable IRS regulation, as this regulation has taken away a tool that would be useful for a number of important, New York economic development projects, not just Yankee Stadium," she said in a statement.
A spokesman for the Nets had no immediate comment. A spokesman for the Mets was not immediately available.
Brodsky demanded reforms and more accountability, saying: "The explosion of public debt issued by obscure semi-public and private institutions is reaching unmanageable proportions."
Brodsky also questioned if a city corporation, the Capital Resource Corporation that now plans to sell debt formerly sold by another agency, had met disclosure requirements. He added: "These deals are usually negotiated secretly, with little accountability or public oversight, and directly or indirectly leave taxpayers on the hook.

Yanks 3 - Oakland 1

Call me a wimp but I just can't seem to make it through the day after having watched a west coast game with a first pitch that occurs at 10:05pm. So, I don't even try. Therefore, there will be no detailed write-ups of the series in Oakland... sorry dedicated readers.

Instead, here is the box score from last night's victory. Go Yankees!

Don't blame Mo...

You can't expect Mariano to be flawless. He is human, after all. There will be times when he will give up a run, in yesterday's case, a home run. It was Jose Guillen's lead-off homer in the ninth that gave the Royals the unrecoverable lead of 3-2 but I blame Cano and/or Melky for this game. With two men on base and one out, Cano could do nothing. With the bases loaded and two outs, what did Melky do? A crap ground out directly to first on the second pitch.

The Moose didn't deserve the no decision for this game. He gave the club 8 innings and only let 2 runs cross the plate. 65 strikes in 89 pitches with no walks. It is a shame the Yanks couldn't do more to get runners home.

It is back to .500 for the Yanks (and yes, I am getting tired of saying that). Win one, lose one. Win two, lose two. The Yankees have to break this cycle soon.

Yanks Over Royals 6-to-3

I watched Sunday's game from the comfort of my air conditioned home. A friend of mine asked if I wanted to join him yesterday but, after sitting in the sweltering heat for Saturday's game at the Stadium, there was no way that I was going to do it again. I had tickets to today's afternoon game as well but sold them on StubHub since I had to work. I feel bad for anyone that has to be outdoors today in the predicted 100 degree temperatures.

Back to yesterday's game... Joba made it into the fifth inning and pitched much better than his first start. 53 strikes in 78 pitches, 5 strikeouts and one walk. He left the game with three runs on the board. Giese came in to relieve him and did very well. Three strikeouts, no hits, no walks. Veras successfully ate up the 8th and on to Mo for the save. Giese got the win for the day.

Giambi came through once again in the 6th with a home run (his 14th of the season). Bobby Abreu had also hit one out in the first inning to give the club its early lead.