Yankee Stadium home opener

by Fett42 on Apr 16, 2009 5:47 PM PDT

So today I went to Yankee Stadium to help unroll their giant 50-yard long flag for the home opener ceremony.

Practice and prep:

Notes from the game:

-Carl Pavano, who I had forgotten is with the Indians, received perhaps the loudest and longest round of boos I have ever heard when his name was announced, and I've been to a Sox-Yankee game in Boston and various games as Bonds pursued 755.

-After Marte came in this happened to make me incredibly happy:

- S. Choo hit by pitch

- B. Francisco reached on fielder's choice, J. Peralta to third, S. Choo to second

- K. Shoppach singled to right center, J. Peralta scored, S. Choo to third, B. Francisco to second

- T. Graffanino popped out to first

- T. Crowe walked, S. Choo scored, B. Francisco to third, K. Shoppach to second

- G. Sizemore homered to deep right, K. Shoppach, B. Francisco and T. Crowe scored

- M. DeRosa grounded out to third

- V. Martinez homered to deep left

At this point the entire stadium was chanting "Put in Swisher!"

But perhaps the coolest thing is as follows: we were sitting in the cheap seats--outfield bleachers, obstructed view, and around the second inning none other than David Wells shows up with a hot dog, a beer, casual clothes, and a three man crew of his buddies and sat down in the midst of everyone to watch the game. Needless to say as word of this got around a tide of people began flowing to get stuff signed by him, and though stadium security moved to stop people from swamping him, an impromptu line along the aisle formed and people were let in in between innings. Wells signed everything presented to him, and as luck would have it after about half an inning I was slowly able to move about 10 seats over and eventually sit right next to him.

My camera died right as I got to him ("What the fuck is wrong with your fucking camera?") so the last two are via cell phone before I sat down to watch the game.

As expected, Wells was hilarious and spoke with an admirable lack of political incorrectness worthy of a LL game thread while downing large amounts beers. He returned fire to hecklers, led chants, accomodated pretty much everyone requests for pictures, signatures, and poses, and made numerous awesome off-the-cuff remarks. He left around the 6th inning.

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Comments

That is so cool.

David Wells is awesome. This story and another provided by Willie Mays Haze has given me an new perspective about Wells.

by Wilder. on Apr 16, 2009 5:53 PM PDT reply actions

Wells has had to take so much ridiculous crap from bad sports writers...

The David Wells is fat and drinks oceans of beer jokes got old in about 1997, yet sportswriters kept making them until he retired. It’s good to see that he can give as good as he gets (if not better).

Also, why would people heckle him? I remember him being a damned fine pitcher for the Yankees. Then again, it IS Yankee fans.

by Decatur on Apr 16, 2009 5:58 PM PDT reply actions

There were only one or two heckling, and they were pretty drunk.

by Fett42 on Apr 16, 2009 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm still partial to this "David Wells drinks lots of beer" joke:

A man walks into a bar and orders a pitcher full of beer. The bartender brings out David Wells.

That must have been awesome to get to sit by him, in the cheap seats no less. Maybe someday I’ll be so lucky.

by Inkara1 on Apr 16, 2009 10:02 PM PDT up reply actions

That, at least, is an excellent joke.

by Decatur on Apr 16, 2009 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Then again, I am partial to "A guy walks into a bar..."

“OW!”

by Decatur on Apr 16, 2009 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Holy crap that is awesome.

You can't hide from the omnipresent eye.

by Goose on Apr 16, 2009 5:58 PM PDT reply actions

Unlike David Wells, you appear to be living right.

by Sec 108 on Apr 16, 2009 6:12 PM PDT reply actions

i would trade

my right living if I could pitch like Wells.

by RollingWave on Apr 16, 2009 9:13 PM PDT up reply actions

and eat like him too

St. Louis Cardinals... defying win expectancy since 2008

by vivaelpujols on Apr 16, 2009 9:29 PM PDT up reply actions

You should totally change your username

To Forrest Gump!

:-)

I keed I keeed….

This signature space for rent.

by PositivePaul on Apr 16, 2009 9:24 PM PDT reply actions

You know tickets are expensive there when David Wells has to sit in the bleachers.

by Fin on Apr 16, 2009 9:59 PM PDT reply actions

Not always

I think it could have been that the guy just wanted to enjoy the game from where normal people do. Wells got to see the game from the dugout for years, it’s nice to have a change of pace occasionally

by Fuzz on Apr 17, 2009 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions

I know, it was supposed to be a joke.

by Fin on Apr 17, 2009 2:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Also, Fett, how would you grade new Yankee stadium?

I’ve never quite gotten over how they spent a billion dollars to create a stadium that looks, intentionally, exactly like the original. The new features must be out-of-this-world for that to be justifiable in the least. At least the Yankees paid for most of it, as I understand it.

by Decatur on Apr 16, 2009 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

Well it looks a lot on the face of it like the old one

Much better concessions, shops, bathrooms, gadgets, etc. I really don’t think its this giant awesome thing that the press has made it out to be though. From our seats in th CF bleachers we couldn’t see anything in right field because of this monstrosity of a restaurant/bar that juts out in the outfield… they have TVs on the side of it so you can watch the game if a ball is hit that way, which is pretty lame in my opinion.

by Fett42 on Apr 17, 2009 6:45 AM PDT up reply actions

Is there some reason why they couldn't elevate those seats over that big concrete monstrosity of a restaurant?

I don’t get it, the people who buy those tickets are utterly screwed, nobody is ever going to want to sit there.

Though it amuses me that they could overlook such a glaring issue.

by OlSalty on Apr 17, 2009 8:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah I have no idea... they probably take it for granted they'll sell out every game anyway

by Fett42 on Apr 17, 2009 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions

It's less that they overlook it than that they don't give a shit

Those people are paying $5 a seat, and are thus irrelevant to the plans of the Yankees, who charge $2600 for seats behind home plate. THOSE are the people they care about, not the proles.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 17, 2009 9:13 AM PDT up reply actions