ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER....

...well maybe not in this case but CC Sabathia pitched the Yankees to a 3-0 shutout of the Red Sox and he didn't need any ketchup on his sock to do it. And guess what? The Rangers are still alive!!. Chances are slim but that would cap the season off just fine.

One isn't the only number to be proud of here are some other numbers courtesy of BTB's John Monaco

46-19 since the All-Star break,
84-41 .672 since 5/8, the day Alex returned
48 Come From Behind Wins,
14 by Walk-off
Yanks outhit opponent: 80-13
ML leading 35-17 against Left-handed Starters
Yanks hit a HR: 85-34

Remember when the Yankees were 0-8 against the Red Sox? That seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?

YANKS TAKE SERIES IN LA of A

The Yankees have won their first series in Anaheim for the first time since May 2004 by a score of 3-2. AJ Burrnett pitched 6 2/3 innings allowing only 2 runs. IPK (Ian Kennedy) returned to the mound for the first time since his aneurysm surgery. He had been pitching for Scranton Willes Barre. Mariano Rivera picked up his 42nd save. The captain was ohfer.

The Yankees magic number is now at 5 to clinch the AL East after cementing a playoff spot last night.

LA of A Here We Come

OK, maybe we were looking too far ahead to the Angels but after dropping 2 of three to the M's we have to take 2 of 3 from the LA of A Angels.

Joba (Chamerlain) proved once again the Yankees screwed his mind up 100%. There is nothing he has done this year that told me he can pitch dominating from the pen or as a starter. He just can't get that peak velocity.

Time for Andy Pettitte to step up and put us on the right track tomorrow.

The Bluest Skies You Ever Seen .....

Well last night it was the best against the best. The best reliever of all times, Mariano Rivera, was up against one of the best hitters in baseball, Ichiro. Ichiro was a bit embarrassed by getting picked off earlier in the game so he had some extra incentive in the ninth.

The results Mariano's consecutive save streak came to an end.

I feel we will see this same scenario later this series with different results.

OH WHATTA NIGHT!

That was a great game to watch if you didn't care who won but it was even better if you rooted for the New York Yankees. After taking 2 games so far of this 4 game series, everything else is gravy.

Sure we could still win the AL East without beating the Red Sox or the LAA Angels but taking those games just gives you a boost.

It was all pie for A-Rod as Alex hit a walk off homer in the bottom of the 15th.

Ramiro Pena is back and ready to play some OF as well as infield. Now if he can only relieve.

Saturday is a FOX game, let's see if we can overcome that jinx.

It is also reported that due to the steroid factor the 1918 chant will be reinstated immediately.

CALIFORNIA OR BUST

Did anyone notice any strange odors coming out of Anaheim? If you did it was probably in the visitor's dugout at the Big A or the Big LA of A or whatever they are calling it these days!

How can we let a beat up team like that beat us? A team with no bullpen, and missing three regulars. Joba where are you? you don't seem to be working anything out. Coincidence that we looked so bad after Francisco Cervelli was demoted? You tell me. All of a sudden Jorge Posada can't block a wild pitch and keep it in front of himself???? Heck you learn that in Spring Training.

Last game before the All Star Game tomorrow. Yanks wind up with four off days so everyone except Pettitte is available. We must salvage this one!

Review Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain

Who better than former Yankee Public Relations Director Marty Appel could write a book on the Yankees most dominant Captain? Marty just doesn't pick up right where he left off in Thurman's Official Biography 30 years ago, he fills in the holes and answers all the questions that the original book had you asking for 30 years.

I know I am sounding cliche but once I picked this book up I just had to finish it. Yes it does help that Thurman Munson is my favorite Yankee of all time but any Yankee fan would love it just as much. Marty Appel pays tribute to the short lived legend like only a friend can.

For those that know Munson Appel builds the man up from ground zero, but he leaves you yearning for more through the entire book by telling us things that we never knew existed. He goes deep into the man, his life and his family including members of his family that you never heard talk of. From his teammates to the Plane crash in 1979 and Appel brings you George Steinbrenner how you would want to remember him.

You know I am a Munson fan but this book is getting top ratings from writers and in periodicals all over the country. Including the official BTB Book reviewer Harvey Frommer.

---

Photo from 1972 Yankees High School Sports Editor Day, Thurman and Marty.

....

BUY YOUR COPY HERE

Random Thoughts

By Guest Blogger Mike Hallmark

Okay, Josh Johnson is a stud but the National's pitchers weren't. A question has been turning over in my mind: Are the Yankees a bunch of "guess" hitters. I'm pretty sure AROD is and Posada. But we sure get caught looking at fastballs down the middle a lot. Maybe that's the secret explanation as to why we can't seem to hit pitchers we've never loved or seen before. It seems nobody except Robinson Cano is a see the ball, hit the ball player. I only say this because we're sure scuffling against some bad pitchers. Yet, we jumped all over Johan Santana, who even with diminished stuff has more than we saw against the Nationals.

Also, in my day to day weird ruminations I'm wondering if our pitchers are lining up to pitch on the road. I know Andy Pettitte would be first in that line considering his home and away splits. I understand our pitchers' reluctance to throw strikes. Everytime a ball is hit in the air by an opposing player I hold my breath 1000 miles away. We need to fix the right center power alley this winter. Our glittering jewel has an achilles heel.

REAL YANKS DON'T WEAR RED

MLB and the Yanks are scheduled to wear the Red Caps with the flag logo on Memorial Day, July 4th and 9-11 this year. It is surely a break in the Yankee Tradition. Here is what the forum at Behind the Bombers had to say.

The Yanks are being forced by Bud to wear red capsover Memorial Day weekend. All MLB teams willbe wearing red caps.The NY Yankees have never worn red caps in their history.Once again, the Friar hates what Bud is doing. ....Good Friar

Don't do it. Pay the fine. George Steinbrenner would've ...Asburry Boss

I would think that some our esteemed conservative members would be up in arms over this. Sounds like a communist plot to me. ... Rags

Ridiculous.....Bud should also make everyone wear all red uniforms.....like the Cuban team......to honor the troops of course.I guess a moment of silence and the playing of the national anthem....plus God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch is just not enough. ...BBT

I hate Bud and most everything he does....but this weekend think of ALL the veterans and the sacrifices they have made for ALL of us.Forget about the politics of war...remember the instruments that carry out the wars.The Veterans who selflessly gave up all their tomorrow's so we could have ours.I will ....Bernz-a-matic

It's for the Veteran's. Give it a break, boys. Some things, dare I say, are more important than the Yankees. ...effjay

Sorry Bernz. I think you're being duped. The veterans WILL BE FETED those days. It happens every year, as it should. I was totally OK with the Yanks doing this one time, and that was for the game with Virginia Tech. Those poor kids. I'm so proud of my team.I refuse to believe it's about respect for vets when they're going to be $37 apiece. The marketing wheels are turning. I have no intention to disparage the military, my views about war notwithstanding. One of my favorite days ever was the 2001 ALCS game where you were down there on the outfield partaking in flag duty in front of the right center field fence where Soriano would win the game with an opposite field jack later that night.Remember a couple of years back when they started selling and wearing the Spring Training caps with the white line on either side?Every OTHER team in mlb has multiple unis home and away. ...Knuckles

Knuckles, I'm with you on the fleecing of the consumer in the name of the holiday, absolutely. My day in Right Center (under the Armitron sign) is still my greatest time in the ball park and one of the highlights of my military career, and one I look at every day when I fire up my work laptop (I think of you and Sue every time I fire this baby up and the picture appears ) and, yes the Vet will be feted over the weekend, but it's premature to do so this weekend. There is a difference that a lot (especially the media and consumer machine) forget.Memorial day is to remember the Vets that gave all, to memorialize the fallen.Veterans day is for all vets to be feted both living and deceased.Big difference in this crusty old retired MSgt's eyes. ...Bernz-a-matic

I don't have no problem either, I would have liked it better if a certain perecentage of the profits went to the Vet. Hey last year it was a royal blue. It will look weird but a cap doesn't make or break the team. When someone asks why are all the teams wearing red caps, you can answer to honor out Veterans. ... Phil

Phil, according to the article, ALL proceed from the sale of these caps will go to the Welcome Home soldier fund. I don't particuarly like the red hat, but it is for a great cause. We owe alot to the soldier who are sacrificing now, and those who did so in the past. God bless the USA! ..Tarhealbomber

yankees don't wear red!!!! ... Jimbue

I can't argue with the vets here, but I don't like it. If we have to do it, we do it! GOFERIT-Yanks ...RJPinstripes

Honor the Vets, absolutely.MLB marketing ploy to make Bud look good - bah, humbug.How about MLB, as immensely profitable as they've been for years now, just making a donation to the Welcome Home fund (or any other worthy, appropriate charity) without sucking more $$$ out of the fans. ... DavidL

Fred Wilpon, Mets owner started the program last year aimed at creating job opportunities as well as addressing continuing health-care needs of returning veterans. ... JohnM

Dis and Dat

OK so maybe Joba (Chamberlain) should pitch out of the pen. We just need to bring him in during the second inning. Why does he tend to have such a bad first? Nobody knows!

Don’t leave in a Huff, just leave. I for one can’t wait for the next Aubry Huff – Joba match up where nothing is on the line. After Huff made an @$$ of himself doing the Joba pump twice after his three run dinger in the first inning I wouldn't want to be on that side of the Joba fastball.

Melky Cabrera can cover a lot of ground in centerfield, but he throws to the correct base as well as Jorge Posada blocks the plate. Maybe we can fit him with one of those audio earplugs and they can send him instructions from the dugout. Or just tune him to John Sterling.

The Cisco Kid is a friend of mine. Francisco Cervelli legging out the infield squeaker was just as important as Johnny Damon’s homer yesterday in Baltimore. If it wasn’t for him and Jeter’s legs there would have been no AB in the inning for Johnny. Cervelli is not even considered a prospect. One would have thought the Yankees would have promoted the hot hitting PJ Pillatare. What’s one more guy with initials?

ONE LAST WORD ON CURRENT BOOKS

'Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee' by Allen Barra Norton ($27.95)

How can you go wrong writing a book on Yankee Icon Yogi Berra? Allan Barra presents the fact that Yogi Berra was the driving force of the Yankee Championship teams of his era. The author contends that year after year the Yankees had the best pitching in the league without the best pitchers because Yogi had the magic and know-how to handle the Bob Grims, Art Ditmars, and Ryne Durens along with the Allie Reynolds and Whitey Fords.

Barra is down about Yogi's talent as a big-league manager. Although his 1964 Yankees and 1973 Mets won pennants. And the fact that he understood the intricacies of the game. Yogi as his mentor, Bill Dickey predicted, biggest problem was in "managing men."

You won't find a lot of Yogisms in this book as it is more on the serious side of Yogi. Even so "True Yogi fans," the author insists, must distinguish between as he puts it "real Yogisms," distilled pieces of folk wisdom, and mere malapropisms. Barra even provides an appendix, with a "comparative study" of quotations from Yogi and world history's "great minds."

The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci Doubleday

I know a lot has been said about this book already but I finally brought myself to read it. You can't attribute everything to Joe and most of the anti A-Rod propaganda was contributed by Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci. The bottom line is Torre had final say what was in and what was left out. He could have said no to anything. Makes you wonder about the Manny (Ramirez) chapters to Joe's next book "The Dodger Years".

Overall a Yankee fan should read it but take it for what it is. Even more now that it is available for under $10.

George: The Poor Little Rich Boy Who Built the Yankee Empire by Peter Golenbock John Wiley & Sons

Long over due this book is a tribute to a man who brought the winning tradition back to the Pinstripes. None other than George Steinbrenner, one of the most controversial figures in sports, the owner of the New York Yankees.

Boss Steinbrenner for 34 years, he berated his players and tormented his managers and employees. He played fast and loose with the rules and made them his own, and twice could have gone to jail. He was banned from baseball for life–but was allowed back in the game. Yet George Steinbrenner also built the New York Yankees from a mediocre team into the greatest sports franchise in America.

This book pays tribute to that George we all know and love without pulling any punches and does it in detail. There is one problem nobody seemed to check out the facts. There were more errors in this book than Horace Clarke made in his career. Given the authors track record this proved to be very disappointing.

The range of the book includes love-hate relationship between George and his Father... the lies... to almost everyone that crossed his path, his hiring's and firings, his legal problems included, but not limited to illegal campaign contributions and lying to the federal government and more lies. You have to hope this isn't the last book we see or that he makes up for it in the paperback.

The Daily Snooze

OK! What is with the NY Daily Snooze? It is one thing to report the news and put down a team or player but today's headlines were just insulting.

Chein Ming Wang is probably one of the nicest kids in baseball and he has been having more than his fair share of problems. I can understand a fans frustration with his performance as I am sure he is his own worse critic. But today's back page was just uncalled for.

With the homers flying out of the new cathedral in the Bronx, once Wang gets his velocity and sinker working he may be our best weapon. Until then the Yankees will be looking for answers. This may have been one of the worse games I ever have seen but it was not excuse for that back page.

As far as the press goes, if the Yankees it will keep you working into November this year. I am not asking you to sugar coat anything but treat a player like a human being. Call a bad outing a bad outing but don't be cruel and worry about what goes on between the lines. But that my Bomber Buddy is a different storey.

BTB OPENING DAY MINUTE

Some first impressions: The New Yankee Stadium

By John Monaco

New Stadium is a spectacular addition to the neighborhood. The newly constructed Metro North Station is due to open 3rd week of May. A new Shopping Mall is also under construction. First real investments in this area in quite some time. Surprised you scan your own ticket. Plenty of entrances. I was the 3rd person-in through the gate I entered.

You enter into the Great Hall. Yankee Team Store and Hard Rock on one end and the Martini Bar is on the other end up 1 level. 16 Elevators in the Stadium. All have an Operator. One you enter the Great Hall you are on the street level. The playing field is actually below street level. If you make a left in front of the Team Store you can begin to see the playing field.

Concourses are huge.

Every type of food available. Prices are similar or slightly below last years pricing for similar items. Also have some value menus.Made one restroom visit. Had about 40 Urinals and a dozen stalls. You can only enter via a single door and must leave via the exit door. Plenty of water fountains with ice-cold NYC tap water.For the first day everything seemed to be operational. I expected more obvious signs of unfinished work but the Stadium looks 99+% complete in my eyes.

I've been to about 30 big league parks. The sitelines I observed in my walkabouts represent the best I've seen todate. I checked out Section 134 LF Field Level $85/seats. Those were the first seats Yanks offered me that I rejected. Those seats are better than I ever imagined. They spent a lot of dollars on Monument Park. That blue-tint stone must cost a fortune. MP is more cramped than across the street. 200 or so people at one time is about all its suited for. You have to walk down two short flights of stairs to enter Monument Park.I should have mentioned this earlier, every Yankee employee was friendly and greated you will a hello. I didn't recognize any of the concession stands workers. All appear to be new. I also couldn't find a tip jar.

The food - well they have everything you can want. Yankee combo Staff/Usher in every Section across all Stadium Levels.I sit up in the highest level (Grandstand) Section 424 which is inside 3rd base. Nice view.

As Knux pointed out we no longer sit on a steep angle that gives you the feel you are right on top of the action but overall the Yankees did a great job with the sightlines.

I took the escalator up to the Main Level then the ramps to the Grandstand. Those ramps were challenging for an overweight guy like me. 6 ramps in total with a slight incline. I was winded when I made it to the top. If I made that walk one hour a day for a month I think I could lose 30 pounds.

The Terrance Suite Seats which were Knux old seats are "sweet" They are worth the $100. Wow, what a view.

See for yourself at John's photo album and here too!

OPENING DAY WORKOUT AT THE NEW YANKEE STADIUM

A LIVE REPORT FROM BTB's OWN JOHN MONACO aka JohnM

Dateline Da Bronx 4/2/09

I've arrived at YS for the 1pm workout. Stadium looks amazing from the outside. Gates open at 11am. Will post pix tonight.

Just completed a walk around the entire YS block. The complex from the outside is huge. Subway EL on River Ave. Has been repainted. It looks sparkling. Tookpix of Yankee vendors waiting to enter YS. Looks like they have 2000 or so workers.

Media ceremony going on in Great Hall. Sterling MC. Bernie is playing his guitar "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"

They just smashed guitars to open the Hard Rock

Beautiful sunny day in the Bronx. Visited Monument Park first. Completely walked first two levels. Ran into the Roadtrippers Season 2. Somewhat speechless. Not used to leg room and wide seats. The CF Bleacher Cafe is amazing. I'm not upstairs on my seat sec 424 row 10 Seat 24.

Infield being watered. Never seen the grass so green at this time of year. Some Yankees are on the field led by Andy Pettitte. Andy is throwing off the mound.

Forgot to mention you scan your own ticket to enter the Stadium. Very quick to enter.

Joba now pitching from the mound. Sound system rocks. Crystal clear and doesn't blast your ears.

Yanks have all left the field at 12:50pm. Just noticed their are no pigeons flying around.

1,000s of kids here on school trips. They're having a ball. Yanks also gave them coupons for free food and drink.

The CF Video Board is amazing. Yanks have been showing fan shots from all over the complex. I was on the video board when I was online to buy a hotdog. Players seem blown away by the HD quality. Yanks jogging and stretching. Nice video of all Yankees talking about the Stadium.

Yankee pitchers taking fielding practice. They are fielding bunts and throwing to 1B . Players often wave when they see themselves on the videoboard. Chien Ming Wang has been very active during the fielding drills. (Brett) Gardner and Melky (Cabrera) appear to be talking to another in CF.

1:45pm and still no pigeons. Must have setup some electronics. Derek batted first. Damon put one on the seats. Derek puts one in the Visitors bullpen. Crowd estimate 20,000

Texiera puts on in the LF Bleachers. Don't expect many Upper Deck HRs. Will be as rare as reaching the Black

AROD Makes The Right Move

Alex Rodriguez has opted to go for surgery right now which may cause him to miss 6 to 9 weeks. With this surgery he may need a full surgery later on down the road. The target for his return would be around May 1.

According Dr. Marc Philippon this is a partial surgery by inserting a tube in the hip repairing the damged portion of the labrium. Philippon is confident in the "85-90 pecent range" that Rodriguez will be able to play through the remainder of the 2009 regular season. He may then require surgery which may keep him on crutches for up to four months.

During the procedure, Philippon will shave down the bone at the hip, which has become rough through time. This should reduce the fraying. Also, the labrum will be set in such a way that it's more snug against the bone, making it much less likely to fray.

Philippon added an athlete can play an additional one to three years without the more invasive procedure. The Yankees need to find a third baseman now who can spell and/or fill in for Alex during the duration. Maybe Aaron Boone is available?

Well If You In-Cyst!

Alex Rodriguez will miss about 10 weeks of action due a cyst in his right hip. Just how deep or large the cyst is is unclear. The doctors are calling it hip surgery so it's no walk in the park.

Joe Dunand, Alex Rodriguez's older brother, told Enrique Rojas of ESPNdeportes.com during a phone interview that immediate surgery was recommended, and that rehabilitation would take about 10 weeks.

Manager Joe Girardi said it was bothering him last season. Why they didn't get it checked then is anyone's guess.

The discovery of the cyst also means that A-Rod will not be able to participate with the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic.

To be continued . . .

SPRING IS IN THE AIR AND ALEX IS ON THE BACK PAGE

OK if you are tired of seeing Alex Rodriguez on the back page of the news and post please raise you hand. OK you can put them all down now. What is it about the press? Don't they want to work in October? If they bug A-Rod they can get him to a point where it can keep the Yankees from getting through the post season. Do we need to know that A-Rod is moving by Madonna? Do we need to know who he was with on Valentine's Day? I don't think so.

It will be interesting to see when Alex faces Roy Oswalt in the WBC how they will react after Oswalt opened his big mouth. Alex let your bat do the talking.

Lot of fans are disappointed with their new relocation assignments. Stub Hub has over 7000 seats per game on sale. I have a feeling they are going to be very surprised. As one of my fellow webmasters said be patient this year next year you can sit wherever you want. A lot of scalper seats will go unsold this year.

I Want My DTV (DIGITAL TELEVISION)

OK Yankee fans the President is about to extend the life of the primitive TV signal AKA analog until June 12. The reason being is that too many people are not ready for it. Mark my words the same people won't be ready for it then either.

Digital is a much cleaner and ghostless signal. It is far superior to the old analog signal. So why wait? It doesn't affect most views because most views have cable, a satellite dish or fiber optic TV connection anyway. It is for those Flintstones out there that are sill using the roof antenna or worse rabbit ears.

The government issued $40 coupons, limit of 2 per family, to help alleviate the cost. Sure if you buy you converter box in a store like CVS or Sears that would make you responsible for $10 to $20 per box. If you went to a place like Target it could cost you only $5 or just the tax at Walmart. (Tell me again why NYC is against Walmart?)
It is the same thing when they tried to push the metric system on us. It is much more logical than the English system. BUT they left people an alternative and they ignored it and it just plain didn't work.
If the actually need more funding to help the turnover then fine extend it. You would think the ABCs and NBCs of the world would help fund it as well. They don't want to lose their audience.

Up and Around

Well Bomber Buddies it seems that Andy Pettitte will be back in the fold this season. He signed a contract which was incentive driven and more than fair. He stands to start the first exhibition game in the new cathedral.

I see over at Pride of the Yankees at NJ.com they doubled their staff. So now it is Dave, Aziz, Mike and Steve, the Pre Fab Four. A job that I use to do by myself, I wonder if the share the $50 a month four ways? Dave and Aziz do a great job, I haven't had time to check out the other two yet. I would love to partner up on a blog. It would make interesting reading. Any takers?

Until next time...