| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | = | R | H | E | |
| CHC | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | |
| NYY | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 7 | 13 | 1 |
Kinda strange watching the Yankees play a home game in the Bronx in a different building, huh? I know it was for me. The stadium itself looks pretty good on TV. They need to do something about the camera angles, we shouldn't be forced to watch every play through the net behind home plate. But besides that the place looked good. It doesn't look like Yankee Stadium to me yet, but I'm sure after 20-30 games I'll get used to it.
One complaint I've heard from many people - beat writers, fans, etc. - is that Monument Park is basically hidden in its new place behind the center field wall. I'll have to see it for myself, but from all the pictures I've seen it does seem that these people are right.
What did you guys think of the stadium, either being there in person or watching on TV?
As for the game, it was pretty much what a Yankees fan would want. A nice and easy 7-4 win over the reigning NL Central champion Cubbies.
Chien-Ming Wang started for the Yankees and clearly didn't have his best stuff, but did pitch well enough to pick up the win. In 5 innings he allowed four runs on six hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches, 43 of them for strikes.
The bullpen was great tonight. Mariano Rivera, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, and Jonathan Albaladejo combined to pitch four perfect innings.
After falling behind 3-0 in the second the Yankees came back with two runs of their own on a Robinson Cano two-run homer into the bleachers in right. It was the first home run at the new place but it wasn't the only home the Yanks would hit on the night. One inning later Hideki Matsui added a two-run shot of his own, a screaming liner off the right field foul pole to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. One inning after that Cody Ransom hit a three-run homer off the left field foul pole and that was all the offense the Yankees would get on the night.
Derek Jeter went 2-for-2 on the night and picked up the Yankees first hit in their new stadium, a double in the first. Fitting, right?
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Jeter, SS | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .394 |
| Swisher, LF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .231 |
| Damon, LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .270 |
| Molina, J, C | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .260 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .421 |
| Pena, SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .286 |
| Matsui, DH | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .239 |
| a-Rodriguez, J, PH-DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .304 |
| Posada, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .267 |
| Berroa, 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .377 |
| Cano, 2B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .352 |
| Duncan, S, 1B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .324 |
| Nady, RF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .311 |
| 1-Cabrera, M, PR-CF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .344 |
| Ransom, 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .270 |
| Linden, RF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .111 |
| Gardner, CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .375 |
| 2-Leone, PR-3B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .139 |
| Totals | 37 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 21 | |
| a-Popped out for Matsui in the 7th. 1-Ran for Nady in the 6th. 2-Ran for Gardner in the 6th. | ||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Jeter (4, Lilly), Gardner (3, Heilman). HR: Cano (4, 2nd inning off Lilly, 1 on, 0 out), Matsui (4, 3rd inning off Lilly, 1 on, 2 out), Ransom (2, 4th inning off Lilly, 2 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter 3; Molina, J; Matsui 4; Posada; Berroa; Cano 5; Nady 2; Cabrera, M; Ransom 4; Gardner 2. RBI: Cano 2 (10), Matsui 2 (14), Ransom 3 (9). 2-out RBI: Matsui 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Matsui; Molina, J 2; Linden 2; Berroa 2. Team LOB: 10. FIELDING E: Jeter (1, throw). DP: (Cano-Jeter-Teixeira). | ||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Wang (W, 1-2) | 5.0 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4.15 |
| Rivera (H, 3) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Veras (H, 6) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.46 |
| Ramirez, E (H, 4) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.90 |
| Albaladejo (S, 2) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.84 |
The Yankees and Cubs face off again tomorrow afternoon in the Bronx. A.J. Burnett will start for the Yankees, and Rich Harden will go for the Cubs. Game time is set for 1:05 p.m. and the game can be seen on YES and heard on WCBS 880.
20 Comments:
The weird thing is it felt too much like Yankee Stadium, like 50's era. It was awesome and weird at the strange time like I was watching a game in a time warp, especially with those camera angles and then seeing shots of the frieze throughout the game. It was like watching an old WPIX game, which I kinda of dig, cause I'm not the biggest fan of YES's production over the past few years.
It was.... weird. It didn't feel like a time warp to me. It was, but wasn't, Yankee Stadium. When they rebuilt the place in 1976 I didn't have the same feeling. Back then they changed the place enough so that it was different. This time, looking at it on two-dimensional TV, you don't have the sense of the additional depth of the decks having been pushed back, so it just leaves a weird feeling.
However-- that TV shot through the netting has GOT to go.
I was at the game Friday night and there are a lot of pluses, but more minuses.
Let's forget the easily fixable annoyances, such as auxillary LED scoreboards only at the foul poles, and the incidental badly done features like the Disney-fied re-enactment of both the frieze and outfield on-field scoreboards. Yes, there was a lot more room, food choices, cleanliness, etc.
But that is overshadowed by the cavernous seating area set way too far back from the foul lines. Seats not directly around home plate are significantly further removed from the diamond than at the original (and renovated) Stadium.
This distance -- both physical and psychological -- elminates the roar and closeness that defined the Stadium. Visting teams will no longer feel the beast roar in October -- we're too far away and too busy buying sushi and BBQ.
Simply put, if you go to Yankee Stadium to be blown away by its proportion and spectacle, you will find what you came for.
If you go to Yankee Stadium for the simple pleasures of seeing baseball up close -- that intimacy we all felt with the Stadium itself -- you will leave hungry.
Anon,
Being that the only reason I go to the stadium is "for the simple pleasures of seeing baseball up close," that's pretty disappointing.
Peter Abraham seems to agree with you Anon.
"I suspect, just at first glance, that it won’t be a very intimidating park for opposing players. The fans are not on top of the field like they used to be. And the wealthy people close to the field will be more interested in the wine list than screaming at Kevin Youkilis."
Having an intimidating park didn't do crap for the Yankees over the last 8 years.
I do not think that the seats are that further back, overall, than at the old stadium. Perhaps the corners are a bit further back, but the upper deck also doesn't go as high.
Part of being a bit further back is cut back on much of the obstruction that happened from the outfield portions of the upper deck.
From what I've heard of most of the people that have sat in the new upper deck is that it's not much different of a view than the old stadium, and behind home plate you're closer.
It still bothers me a bit that it's ok to stereotype rich Yankee fans as fans who aren't interested in the game (like Abraham says they're more interested in the wine list). I've said it before, but I've been at the stadium plenty of times where there's a solid number of people around me in the cheap seats doing more texting on the phone and beer drinking than actually watching the game - and half of them probably wouldn't have even known what the score is.
As far as noise and intimidation, let's also not forget it was a chilly pre-season exhibition game against the Cubs, not a hot June night against the Red Sox.
Who was the idiot that said the camera angles were poor?Everything looked great to me on the telecast. Can't wait for opening day.
I think nobody said the camera angles were poor.
What people said, and they were right, is that the camera behind home plate has to film through the net. Therefore, we don't have a clean look at the play when the ball is hit.
That's all. Maybe they'll fix it.
It looked great in HD on TV. People that were there said the upper deck is not further away it just looks that way on TV.
As far as noise; it was an exitbition game. The game was secondary. People where mainly there to walk and look around. Glorified ST game that's all.
And old YS didn't make the place loud. Fans make a place loud. This isn't an arena where because of the roof sound gets trapped. This is and out door stadium.
But like I said fans make a stadium/park loud.
Only thing they need to fix is lowering the netting behind HP. So the net isn't in the way of the HP camera shot.
Also they need to turn the lights on fully because I don't think it was fully.
Other then that the stadium looks fantastic.
i thought it was an amazing ballpark, but I definitely think I need to sleep in it a few more nights before I can call it home.
From watching on T.V., I couldn't get over just how much it looks like old Yankee Stadium. But everyone's right, they have to do something about the camera behind the netting. After the balls hit, its like they're back in Tampa having to watch the play through the net. Hopefully that gets fixed by th 16th.
OH MY GOD THAT WAS SUCH A GOOD GAME!!
First, when I got there, I almost fainted. I was just amazed at how the Stadium looked. We got there like at 5 so we walked around the Great Hall a little bit.
We got to our seats at around 6:15. Our seats were amazing! We were in Section 111, the first row in between 1st and right.
As the Yankees began their stretches/warmups, Jose Molina was signing autographs like two feet away from me. And get this - we didn't hve anything for him to sign! We had our ticket stubs, but I wanted Jeter or Teix to sign it.
When Damon came out, I yelled something like, "HEY JOHNNY!" and he waved back, with a smile on his face.
Then Jeter came out to begin his warmups. He was playing catch right down the first base line, so he was right in front of me! I waved to him and said "Hey Derek, you rock!" and he waved back too!
I was sitting right next to the ballboy, and he warmed up Nady and Gardner between innigs. I asked him for one of the baseballs he was using, but he said he could only give fans foul balls, not "pracitce balls".
Now for the game. I almost went blind when the first pitch was thrown, with all the lightbulbs that went off. Although I wasn't sitting in the bleachers, I still joined in on the Roll Call. Before the game I made a bet with a guy that Teixeira or Jeter would hit the first home run - I was wrong. As you know, Cano drilled one.
In the 3rd, with Matsui up on a 1-1 pitch, he hit one just foul. I leaped out, not falling onto the field, and got the ball!!!! It was my first ever at a Yankee game. And on the next pitch Godzilla smacked a homer off the foul pole.
Now you guys remeber Reed Johnson right? He played right field for the Cubs all game long. So in like the 6th, a couple of guys started yelling over at Reed stupid stuff like "Hey REED! Nice haircut!" (He was bald with a gigantic gotee). Everyone in the area cracked up.
I went crazy when Mo came in. I was rocking to Enter Sandman and I think I got the JumboTron for like 2 seconds. I loved the YMCA Dance by the grounds-crew. I was wondering if they would do it here.
So, when the game ended, we didn't leave until 11. I just didn't want to go. We went into the Yankees Team Store a bit. I got a un-used baseball for autographs for other games.
Finally, guess what? We pigged out like crazy. You know why? The field-ground level seats get free food! I had a burger and fries, cracker jacks, nachos, and chicken on a stick. It was soooooo good!.
I love this new stadium. I don't care how the batter's eye looks. I don't care about any glitches what-so-ever. Because this, is, the greatest Stadium in the world.
Was it me or did the outfield look like a Little League field in terms of depth? I realize that the dimensions are the same, but I think that's another camera problem.
The stadium looked really good on TV. Living in California, I don't get to see many YES broadcasts... I had forgotten how annoying Michael Kay is (although he is better than the announcers for the A's or Giants). I can't wait to see the Opening Day game with Bob Costas and Jim Kaat. That ought to be awesome!
That's a great story "B-Boy", it's refreshing to hear someone who was actually there talk about how great the Stadium is rather than everyone else who complains about what they saw on TV. I'm glad you had auch a good time.
thanks Anon.
Here are my video clips from last night of the starting lineup and Wangs first pitch to Miles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYN3q9za9vQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKRtU5AuxiM
Trost on radio today said Monuments and retired numbers are covered because they're in batters' eye. Also said Tex complained State Farm sign in left caused him to lose a throw from Jeter. Paint or padding was Trost's resolution.
Net behind the plate needs to be fixed. I think many fans will complain. They should lower the screen and put up a net like in old Stadium. The angle is awesome without the screen. CitiField has much higher angle from behind the plate, but no screen.
Also didn't like all the adds on outfield wall. Seemed minor league to me. They could leave the adds but make background blue so the ball is clear when it's near the wall. I also think they should paint the back of th bullpens blue and put up the NY logo in the Yankees pen (26 World Championships should go on the wall too). The visitors pen could have the logos of all the teams.
Stadium looks great on TV, but some dark blue paint will really make the ball and the players pop on screen.
"we shouldn't be forced to watch every play through the net behind home plate."
hmmm, that's not good, I am pretty sure you were not the only fan that noticed. I suspect they will get a few phone calls in the immediate future.
I believe the Yankees are already aware of the problem and are working on finding a better place for the camera. I'm not sure if anything will get done, this is just what I've been hearing and reading.
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