Yanks Change BP Rules, Daily News Takes Credit

I mentioned this in the game thread last night, but wanted to make sure everyone saw it so I decided to give it a post of its own. Also there's some new info regarding who is taking credit for it.

Yesterday the Yankees changed the rules that had been put in place for batting practice. Apparently enough people complained and the good guys won one. Here is what the A-Z Guide on Yankees.com says:

Remember fans, on game days, arrive early. Yankee Stadium Gates on Babe Ruth Plaza and Gates 2 and 8, open three hours prior to the start of every home game. All fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy batting practice and infield workouts from select areas of the Field Level and the Bleachers; specifically, all fans may watch batting practice and infield workouts from Field Level Sections 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 and 136 and from all Bleachers Sections. Please note, on certain game days the Yankees may elect not to take batting practice, infield workouts or both. Those fans who take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy batting practice and infield workouts from the Field Level and/or the Bleachers may remain until the players leave the field following the conclusion of the Yankees batting practice or 1 hour and 45 minutes after the Gates open. At that time, all fans will be asked to return their respective seats.

This is a good move by the Yankees and now they're actually starting to look human again, even if it is only a little human.

Did you know that this was all Bill Madden's doing? Well, Roger Rubin of the Daily News thinks it was.

The average fan may still not be able to afford the better seats at Yankee Stadium, but at least he'll be able to get close to the field during batting practice.

Responding to an open letter to George Steinbrenner written by baseball columnist Bill Madden in Sunday's Daily News, the Yankees have changed the policy that barred fans from entering sections adjacent to the field during BP. Regardless of where their ticketed seats are, Yankees spokeswoman Alice McGillion said spectators will be permitted into all the areas without protective screening while the Yankees hit. The sections where they are permitted are on the field level, Sections 103-111 and 129-136, and also all Bleachers sections.

I'm not going to say whether it was or wasn't the Daily News who got the rules changed, because I don't know for sure. I can only assume that the Madden article did help, but I also find it a bit arrogant that one paper takes all the credit for something like this in a time like today when there are so many different types of media outlets out there for people to get their news. The bottom line is I'm just happy someone got these rules changed, regardless of who it was.

But what do you guys think, should the Daily News be taking all the credit for the rule change?