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The Daily Yankeeland - 9/20

ESPN Television and it's "tributaries" (ESPN Classic, etc.) have Yankees programming all day Sunday and next week as well. The Biz of Baseball has the full slate. ESPN.com also has a page dedicated to the farewell.

A Yankees fan spread his brother's ashes in another goodbye.

More on Bobby Murcer's addition to the Yankees Hall of Fame mural.

Brett Gardner wants to be the Yankees starting center fielder next year.

ABC News made Yankee Stadium it's "Person of the Week".

On this date 40 years ago, September 20, 1968, Mickey Mantle hit his final home run. Number 536 came against the Red Sox Jim Lonborg.

George Vecsey with a wonderful piece on Bob Sheppard.

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The Daily Yankeeland - 9/15

The Yankees open a four game series this evening with the Chicago White Sox at the Stadium tonight. The pale hose swept the Tigers in a doubleheader on Sunday to extend their AL Central lead to 1.5 games over the Twins.

Pitching match ups for the series:
Monday: Mark Buehrle (13-11, 3.88) vs. Al Aceves (1-0, 1.29)
Tuesday: Gavin Floyd (15-7, 3.77) vs. Andy Pettitte (13-13, 4.52)
Wednesday: Lance Broadway (1-0, 8.49) vs. Phil Hughes (0-4, 9.00)
Thursday: Javier Vazquez (12-13, 4.15) vs. Mike Mussina (17-9, 3.63)

Jorge Posada is a team leader in the Yankees clubhouse, but it will be interesting to see the reaction to comments he made on a taping of Centerstage, with Michael Kay. When Kay played word association and said, "Joba Chamberlain", Posada answered quite bluntly.

"Leave him in the bullpen," Posada replied flatly, before being asked to expand on his answer. "If you start him and he pitches 200 innings, he won't be able to (last).

"You're going to lose him. He's going to get hurt . . . I don't see him as a starter. I'd leave him in the bullpen."

We hadn't realized that Jorge was a pitching expert/coach. Posada expects to be ready by spring training and in not so many words, said Ivan Rodriguez has to go.

"Pudge, he's my friend, but he's going to have to go somewhere else."

There was no real likelihood of the Yankees bringing back I-Rod anyway.


The Journal Star has a profile on Joba Chamberlain's mom.

Unfortunately, Bob Sheppard will be unable to attend the Stadium finale on Sunday.

Newsday's Anthony Rieber thinks the Stadium farewell is "falling flat".

More on Derek Jeter's record tying Sunday.

Joe Girardi talked with Jack Curry about this year's disappointments.

The Scranton Yankees, winners of the International League championship, will face the Sacramento RiverCats, the A's triple-A affiliate and Pacific League champions, in a one game showdown on Tuesday. The game will be televised at 8 PM EDT on ESPN2.

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All-Star Flock to be Sheppard-less

Unfortunately, Bob Sheppard will not be in the PA booth for the All-Star game next Tuesday. In fact, as Steve Polliti reports, Mr. Sheppard is still not sure when he'll return.

"I am not going to be physically able to perform my duties during the All-Star activities," Sheppard told The Star-Ledger from his home in Baldwin, N.Y. "I notified the Yankees that my back-up, Jim Hall - H-A-L-L - will be filling in for me.

"After 57 years of doing every game at Yankee Stadium, it is deeply disappointing," he said. "But I have no control over my well being. I have faith that God will get me back to the ballpark whenever he's ready for me to get back."

"I'm not satisfied that I can give a professional performance. And if I can't do a professional performance up to my stands, as I have done for the last 20 or 30 years, I will turn it over to my back-up, Jim Hall - H-A-L-L."

Get well soon Mr. Sheppard! We miss ya!

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Bob Sheppard Feeling Good

What a way to start out the web day. Peter Abraham pointed his readers this morning to an interview in Busted Halo with the one and only Bob Sheppard. The "Voice of God" is feeling much better these days and is hoping to return to Yankee Stadium for the All-Star game on July 15.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it.

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Bob Sheppard Vows to be Back

Bob Sheppard confirmed that he will miss the Yankees home opener, but vowed to be back sometime during the season. The "Voice of God" has been the Yankees PA announcer since 1951. He's been suffering from health problems since the end of last season.

Though Mr. Sheppard wouldn't set a date, he said he would be back this season.

"I don't know when it will be, but it will be," he said yesterday from his home in Baldwin.

Mr. Sheppard's long time backup, Jim Hall, will continue to fill in for him.

Source: Newsday

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Bob Sheppard in Poor Health

We hoped and prayed that Bob Sheppard would be ready to go this season and be there for the opening of the new Stadium, but its looking less likely.

"He's struggling to regain his health," Yankees spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. "He's in poor health. He and the Yankees both hope he's back in the booth. For now he's not."

The "Voice of God" as he has been referred to, has been the Yankees' PA announcer since 1951. Sheppard also handled PA duties for the football Giants from 1956 to 2006. No one has been able to pin down his age, but VoG is thought to be in his mid-nineties.

Bob's son Chris will try out during spring training games to be a substitute announcer.

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Bob Sheppard to Miss ALDS

Bob Sheppard missed the end of the regular season with Laryngitis and now he will be out of the post-season indefinitely.

Peter Abraham of the Journal News got this press release from the Bombers:

BOB SHEPPARD TO MISS DIVISION SERIES GAMES AT YANKEE STADIUM; WILL SNAP STREAK OF ANNOUNCING 121 CONSECUTIVE POSTSEASON GAMES

The New York Yankees announced today that public address announcer Bob Sheppard will be unable to attend 2007 Division Series games at Yankee Stadium due to a bronchial infection. He will be replaced by longtime backup Jim Hall.

Sheppard is in his 57th season as public address announcer at Yankee Stadium. His forthcoming absence will snap a streak of working 121 consecutive postseason games at Yankee Stadium, including 62 games in 22 World Series. His postseason streak began on October 4, 1951, in Game 1 of the World Series vs. the New York Giants. The lineups that day included Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra and rookies Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.

“Doctors are monitoring my progress,” Sheppard said. “And I am hoping to get back to Yankee Stadium to watch—and announce—Yankees playoff games long into October.”

Sheppard’s first game as Yankees public address announcer was on Opening Day, April 17, 1951, as the Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox, 5-0.

Get well soon Bob! :(

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