Yankees trip to Camden Yards

For the past 20 years, a group of Yankee fans from NEPA has hit the road to see the Yankees play in their famous road grays. Over the years, they've visited Boston, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland and Baltimore, and have even journeyed to Tampa Bay to see Yanks play the Rays and to Miami to see them play the Marlins. This year, for the first time in five years, they're heading back to Camden Yards in Baltimore. Here's some details on the trip:

New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles
September 17, 18 and 19. (Friday-Sunday)
Trip includes:
1) Round trip bus transportation.
2) Beer, soda and food on the bus.
3) Tickets to the Friday and Saturday night games. Excellent seats in Section 61, near third base.
4) Hotel accommodations at at Mount Vernon Hotel for Friday and Saturday night. Rooms based on double occupancy. Two beds per room. Close to downtown attractions, eight blocks from Camden Yards, close to Inner Harbor.
Price is $320.00
All baseball fans are welcome! It's always a very nice, very well-run trip and a lot of fun.
Call John at (570) 287-9701.

Thank you, sir, may I have another ...

Another cool DVD has been released celebrating the Yankees 2009 season. This one was produced by the YES Network and takes a look at the highs and lows of the regular season, as well as some big personal milestones achieved by Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. It's a great companion piece to the World Series DVD, and if you own both of them, you'll really have a nice video keepsake of the first season at the new Yankee Stadium, all of the dramatic walk-off wins and, of course, a World Championship. Another "must have."

2009 World Series DVD: Fabulous

The 2009 World Series DVD has been out for a few weeks, and if you haven't seen it yet ... well, what the hell is wrong with you? You need to get this. Today. Seriously, log off of this blog right now and go out and buy it, or order it on-line. It's the perfect way to revel and bask in the continued glow of euphoric triumph.

Spoiler alert: The Yanks win in six.

Yankees trade Melky, acquire Vazquez

The Yankees have traded outfielder Melky Cabrera to the Braves in a deal that brings pitcher Javier Vazquez back to the Bronx. Arodys Vizcaino, one of the Yanks top pitching prospects, was also included in the deal. Vazquez, who pitched for the Yanks in 2004, won 15 games last year and will fill the No. 4 spot in the rotation. Could this reopen the door for the Yankees to talk to Damon? We'll see.

Sayonara to the great Matsui

Hideki Matsui has agreed to a one-year deal with the "whatever city they are calling themselves this year" Angels. Nothing but respect and well wishes for this great Yankee and class act. This guy drove in A LOT of runs for the Yankees from 2003-2009 and when he was hot, he was one of the toughest outs in the lineup. Lots of great memories of him, but I think what we'll all always remember the most is simply how totally locked in he was during the 2009 World Series. He seemed to be on a mission and I'm glad he got his ring with the Yankees. Sayonara, old friend. -------------
In another development, Roy Halladay goes to the Phillies in a big multi-team trade, yet they must part with Cliff Lee to get in done. Seems like an odd move, since Lee proved to be a big game pitcher in the postseason, is younger, and was willing to talk about an extension. It's all fine with me. Halladay is out of the AL and besides Seattle, nobody seems to have gotten any better. Nice.

Yanks aquire Granderson, resign Pettite

The Yankees made the biggest moves at the annual MLB winter meetings, pulling off a three-way trade with the Tigers and Diamondbacks in which the Yanks landed All-Star centerfielder Curtis Granderson. The biggest names the Yanks gave up were pitchers Phil Coke and Ian Kennedy and hot prospect Austin Jackson. In another move, the Yanks came to a one-year, $11 million dollar agreement with pitcher Andy Pettite. Your thoughts? Share them in the "comments" ...

Yankees Derek Jeter is Sports Illustrated's 2009 'Sportsman of The Year'

Yankees captian Derek Jeter has been named the Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year." He is the first Yankee to ever win the award and it comes on the heels of him also winning the 2009 Hank Aaron Award and 2009 Roberto Clementa Award. He also won another Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger Award and a fifth Word Series ring. And of course, he also broke the Yankees all-time hits record this season and batted .344 in the postseason and .407 in the World Series. Here's a link to just one of the many stories hitting the newswires today about the SI Award:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/11/30/2009-11-30_jeter.html

Bob Sheppard officially retires

The great Bob Sheppard, 99, has officially retired as the public address anouncer of the New York Yankees. Bob, who was unable to announce any games at the new Yankee Stadium in 2009, says it's time for him to hang up the microphone for good. To many, this man was as much a part of going to Yankee Stadium as the game itself. Here's a link to a nice interview with Sheppard explaining his reasons:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/11/26/2009-11-26_bob_sheppard_officially_steps_aside.html

Bernie Williams brings his guitar to NEPA

Former Yankees star Bernie Williams, who is also a critically acclaimed musician, will perform in Northeastern Pennsylvania on Saturday, Nov. 21. To read an interview with Williams about his music, and how his time with the Yankees has somtimes influenced that music, click the link:

http://www.theweekender.com/music/Williams_an_All-Star_on_guitar_11-17-2009.html

Yankees 2009 World Series Championship trophy coming to Misericordia University

Alfred Santasiere III, an alumnus of Misericordia University and co-author of "Yankee Stadium: The Final Season, The Official Retrospective," will sign copies of the book at the Anderson Sports-Health Center on the campus of Misericordia University, Saturday, November 21 at 3 p.m. The 2009 World Series trophy will also be on display and fans will have an opportunity to have their picture taken with the trophy. "Yankee Stadium: The Final Season, The Official Retrospective," recounts the events that took place at Yankee Stadium in 2008.

Santasiere, 30, is the director of publications for the New York Yankees and serves as the editor-in-chief of Yankees Magazine and the New York Yankees annual yearbook.

Yankees: 2009 WORLD CHAMPIONS

The Yankees won the 2009 World Series tonight with an easy win over Philadelphia in Game 6. Andy was great. Pedro was not. The great and prideful Matsui - who hit .615 in the series and drove in six runs in Game 6 - is the series MVP. Jeter bats .407 and ties Ruth and Berra as the only players to hit over . 300 in five World Series. A-Rod carries team through postseason with huge hits. Damon was huge. Mo slams it down - again. Fifth ring for the "Core Four." #27 for the Yankees. #7 for "The Boss." Philadelphia fans - and even some of the players - kept saying how they wanted the Yankees. Well, there's an old saying: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. Phillies are a great team. Much respect. But congrats to the Yankees - WORLD CHAMPIONS!

World Series Game 5: Phillies - 8, Yankees - 6

The Phillies got back into the World Series last night with a 8-6 win in Philadelphia. Burnett didn't have anything and was gone early. Girardi rolled the dice by throwing him on short rest, and some say he has greatly compromised the staff for the rest of the series. Some, however, are still saying it was the right move, and that he has always managed aggressively and was simply staying true to form. Throwing Gaudin - who hadn't pitched in a month - could have been viewed as the white flag vs. Cliff Lee. Joe went for the kill. It's one of those moves that if A.J. was on, would have been viewed as brilliant. The good news is that they did get to Lee and also managed to put a real scare into them in the 9th. The Phillies are the best opponent the Yankees have faced in a long time, but the Yankees are also the best opponent the Phillies have faced in a long time. They are not used to people punching them right back. In the American League, it happens all the time. This is how we play. This is what we do. This is hardball.
My goal was to split two in New York, go down to Philly and get one, and then come home and try and win two. We're in even better shape than that. And we are the best home team in baseball. And Andy says he feels great.
LET'S GO !!!

World Series Game 4: Yankees - 7, Phillies - 4

The Yankees took a 3-1 lead in the World Series last night with an incredibly gutsy win in Philadelphia. Yanks take the crowd of the game early by scoring two in the first. CC, on short rest, again battles like a man and leaves the game with the lead. Game tied in the 9th. Two outs. Damon has one of the best and most important at-bats of his life and then gets what could end up being the most important stolen base in Yankees history. Then, on a heads-up play, immediately dashes to third where no one is covering. A-Rod gets what he later calls the biggest hit of his life (and he's has quite a few huge hits this postseason) and Jorge adds some insurance. Mo slams the door. A great, great win.

World Series Game 3: Yankees - 8, Phillies - 5

The Yankees took a 2-1 lead in the World Series last night with a thumping come-from-behind win in Philadelphia. Huge home run from A-Rod woke the team up and got them back in the game. Girardi's loyalty to Swisher pays off with another bomb, and Matsui - pinch-hitting - also goes yard. There were also big hits from Damon and even an RBI single from Andy Pettite. You have to love the way Andy battled and never got unglued after giving up a few early runs, including two shots from Jayson Werth. Yanks have now hit 18 home runs this postseason and Pettite now has 17 career postseason wins. The win guarantees that no matter what happens in Game 4 or 5, this baby is going back to New York.

World Series Game 2: Yankees - 3, Phillies - 1

The Yankees evened the World Series last night at 1-1 with a great 3-1 win over the Phillies at Yankee Stadium. Pedro was very good, but A.J. Burnett was even better. This really felt like an old Yankees/Red Sox game with Pedro on the hill. Tight game. Yanks get a few runs off him in the middle innings and turn it over to Mo. We've all seen it many times. If we can somehow get 2 of 3 in Philly, we're in good shape. Huge win last night. A.J., Tex and Matsui may have saved the series.

World Series Game 1: Phillies - 6, Yankees - 1

Lee was lights out in Game 1. One of the best World Series pitching performances of all-time. CC was good - two runs through seven innings - but it wouldn't have mattered if he gave up 10 runs. The Yanks were not hitting. I'd hoped they'd win Game 1, so that even if they lost Game 2, they could go to Philadelphia just needing to win 1 of 3 games to make sure the series would go back to New York. Now, all of that is riding on Game 2 tonight. Don't really like the Burnett matchup against all of those good lefty hitters in the Phillies lineup. From an offensive standpoint, they are the best team the Yanks have faced in the World Series in a long time. Remind me a little of a left-handed Red Sox-type team. Hopefully, they'll get to Pedro tonight. I was hoping for a split at home. That's still possible. The whole thing is now in AJ's hands.

Yankees set to play in their 40th World Series

The 2009 World Series is set to begin on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. Share your thoughts on the games right here on this link throughout the series. We'll be posting comments after every game.

The drive for #27 continues ...

Yankees: 2009 American League Champions

Congratulations to the New York Yankees on winning the 2009 American League Championship. Andy gets the win. Mo gets the save. The new Yankee Stadium opens with a pennant. Happy for the old guard to play on the big stage one more time. Also happy for the young guys and those that have never been to the World Series. Much discussion to come later, but today, we simply say "Cheers to the '09 Yanks!" Very proud of how they have played this year.

Yankees are 10-2 in ALCS

The Yankees played in the American League Championship Series five times from 1976-1981 and won four of them. They also played in the ALCS seven times from 1996-2004 and won six of them. Overall, they are 10-2 when the World Series is on the line. There have been great moments ... Chambliss, Boone, El Duque. Let's hope 2009 gives us another.

Game 1 tonight. First pitch at 7:57 p.m.

LETS GO!

Mattingly vs. Yankees? Ugh ...

Caught Don Mattingly being interviewed by Dan Patrick on FOX Sports Radio yesterday and I must admit I can't stand the idea of Donnie possibly coaching against the Yankees in the World Series, should the Yanks and Dodgers advance. Even though he's only a coach and not the manager, Donnie coaching against us actually bothers me more than the idea of Joe Torre trying to beat us. Donnie said he hopes it happens, and that it would be fun. He said it would give him a chance to see the new Yankee Stadium, though he joked he'd only get to see the visitors' clubhouse. It all makes me sick. I refuse to even post of photo of Donnie in a Dodger uniform on this blog, and just the idea of Manny hitting a home run against the Yankees in a World Series game and Donnie slapping him on the back as he returns to the dugout also makes me physically ill. Donnie downplays it all, and you can judge for yourself if you think he's still upset about not getting the Yankees job. Here is a link to the interview: http://msn.foxsports.com/radio/radioShow?showId=2