The Weekend Yankeeland - 12/28

Andy Martino of the Daily News has a lengthy piece on the new responsibilities Joba Chamberlain faces both as a budding star and as an adult.

Holly Sanders of the Post shakes down the money sitch in the Bronx.

The odds of Andy Pettitte returning to the Yankees is getting less and less according to several area writers. Looks like Andy doesn't want to take a pay cut. Yo, Andy, don't damage your rep even more than you did with your HGH admission.

The "lets hope the Yankees fail" nonsense has already started.

David Cone is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. Let the debate begin.

Brian Bruney talks about the holidays and the joy of being a Dad.

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Our Top 10 Stadium Moments

We'll say from 1968 - forward since that's when we started to become cognizant of what was going on. This was not easy and some of these are interchangeable.

10. June 17, 1978 - Ron Guidry strikes out 18 California Angels. The beginning of fans clapping when an opponent had 2 strikes.

9. ALCS Game 3 - Yankees ruin another Red Sox post-season. Aaron Boone becomes aligned with Bucky Dent.

8. September 24, 2001 - Yankee Stadium is the site of an inter-faith memorial for the tragic occurrences of 9/11.

7. July 4, 1983 - Dave Righetti throws a 4th of July no-hitter against the Red Sox. It's also George Steinbrenner's birthday. Game ends when Rags strikes out Wade Boggs for the third time.

6. August 6, 1979 - Bobby Murcer drives in 5 runs for his fallen brother Thurman Munson on the day of the Captain's funeral.

5. May 25, 1998 and July 18, 1999 - Perfect games by David Wells and David Cone.

4. 2001 Games 4 and 5 of the World Series - Unbelievable 9th inning comebacks on home runs by Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius.

3. 1996 World Series Game 6 - We finally had attained a World Series championship after 18 years.

2. 1977 World Series Game 6 - Reggie Jackson takes 3 swings and hits 3 home runs. The Yankees win their first World Series in 15 years.

1. 1976 ALCS Game 5 - Chris Chambliss finally gets us to the promised land with a dramatic home run.

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The Daily Yankeeland - 6/23

The New York Post's Steve Serby has a Q&A with Mike Mussina. His colleague Mike Vaccaro has a story on Jason Giambi's revival.

Peter Abraham reported this afternoon that Al Aceves has been promoted to Scranton. This will be the third level that the former Mexican League pitcher plays at this year.

Earlier this year Kyle Farnsworth blamed Joe Torre for his ineffectiveness. Now he's saying the Yankees fans are too fickle. Can this guy take some responsibility for his ineffectiveness? Apparently not.

Ken Griffey Jr.'s home run off of Farnsworth was his first Stadium home run since 1999. Oh, and Farnsworth didn't like that the Yankee fans showed their appreciation for Jr.'s career by giving hi an ovation. Grow up.

David Waldstein of the Star Ledger points out that Derek Jeter has reached base safely in 37 straight interleague games.

Great line from David Cone during this weekend's broadcast, as reported by Phil Mushnick. "David Cone on YES, Wednesday, was asked by Michael Kay if he ever had a teammate who didn't swear. "None I trusted," said Cone." Can you say, "Chad Curtis"?

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Flashback - Subway Series 1997

Major League baseball went to interleague play back in 1997 for the first non-exhibition meeting between the Yankees and Mets. There were only 3 games between the two teams in the interleague inaugural season (we'd love it to go back to that). Lets take a look back at that first series.

Dave Mlicki was the unlikely hero of the first game at Yankee Stadium, June 16, 1997. Mlicki had a journeyman career and was in his 3rd full season in the majors. He would win just 66 games, but none would be bigger than this one against the defending world series champions.

Mlicki scattered 9 hits en route to a complete game shutout as the Mets took the opener 6-0. The Mets jumped right on Yankees starter Andy Pettitte for 3 runs in the 1st inning. It included an unlikely steal of home by Randy Hundley, and RBI hits by John Olerud and Butch Huskey. Olerud drove in 3 runs all told. Joe Girardi had 3 hits for the Yankees.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Kelly               2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Huskey              dh        Martinez            1b
6. Everett             rf        Hayes               3b
7. Baerga              2b        Whiten              lf
8. M. Franco           3b        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Mlicki              p         Pettitte            p

Game 2 matched unbeated Armando Reynoso against David Wells. The Yankees knocked the 5-0 Reynoso out of the game in the 2nd inning with 4 runs. Joe Girardi's bases loaded single brought home the first run and Derek Jeter followed with a 2-run double. Luis Sojo's double off of Reynoso brought in the final run of the inning and caused the Mets starter to be removed.

The Mets got 3 back quickly against Boomer in the 4th, but he settled down and went 8 innings before giving way to Mariano Rivera, who picked up his 22nd save of the season in a 6-3 Yankees win.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Sojo                2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Huskey              dh        Martinez            1b
6. Everett             rf        Hayes               3b
7. Baerga              2b        Whiten              lf
8. M. Franco           3b        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Reynoso             p         Wells               p

Rick Reed and David Cone matched up in the Sunday finale. Coney was on his game, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 11 over 8 innings, but his teammates couldn't generate offense. The Yankees had taken a 2-0 lead on solo home runs by Cecil Fielder and Chad Curtis, but the Mets cut the lead in half on an RBI ground out by Olerud in the 7th and tied the game on Cone's balk in the 8th.

The game went to the 10th where Paul O'Neill walked and moved to 3rd on Cecil Fielder's single. Tino Martinez brought home the game winner with a single of his own as Mike Stanton improved to 3-0.

Starting Lineups:

 New York Mets                 New York Yankees       
1. Johnson             cf        Jeter               ss
2. Gilkey              lf        Sojo                2b
3. Olerud              1b        O'Neill             rf
4. Hundley             c         Fielder             dh
5. Baerga              2b        Martinez            1b
6. Huskey              dh        Boggs               3b
7. M. Franco           3b        Whiten              lf
8. Everett             rf        Curtis              cf
9. Lopez               ss        Girardi             c
 Reed                p         Cone                p

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The Daily Yankeeland

Peter Abraham of the Journal News informed us that reporters will be getting a sneak peek of the new Stadium today. He will be posting some pics this afternoon and will also be trying to answer some of the questions that readers have sent him.

David Cone was introduced as a new YES Network announcer yesterday. In speaking with reporters, Cone took some of the blame for the rampant use of steroids in the game today. Cone was one of the players negotiating for the new collective bargaining agreement that was struck after the 1994 strike. The players' association rejected a proposal for P.E.D. testing.

"Certainly in retrospect, I think there's plenty of blame to go around. Certainly I share some of that blame as being involved with the players' association at that time," Cone said yesterday. "It's something I'm not proud of. It's humbling. It's embarrassing."

Yesterday was the 113th anniversary of Babe Ruth's birth. He is remembered fondly by his 90-year old daughter, Ruth Stevens. She's still amazed at how her Dad is admired with such great reverance.

“I think daddy’s just one of a kind,” said Ruth Stevens, (seen between her mother Claire and her famous Dad in the photo to the left), 90, from her Arizona home. “It’s just wonderful that 60 years after he died people are so interested in learning about and remembering him. My family does the best they can to keep daddy’s name out there.”

Ruth's buried in his native Baltimore and now a local attorney is spearheading a campaign to purchase a headstone for Ruth's mother. Catherine Ruth died of tuberculosis at age 38 and was buried in an unmarked grave.

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But You Still Don't Have a Dance Coney

David Cone has made peace with the Bronx Bombers and will be joining the YES Network's broadcast of about 50 Yankees' games. King George had been annoyed by Cone's return to baseball with the Mets in 2002 (and probably his deal with the Red Sox in '01), but it's all water under the bridge.

Coney will replace Joe Girardi in the booth and David Justice as host of the kid-oriented "Yankees on Deck".

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Yankee Greats Take Pen in Hand

Yankee and baseball legends will be in New Jersey this Saturday and Sunday signing autographs and chatting with fans. But be sure to being your checkbook. In addition to the entrance fee, there are charges for various autographs as well.

The Crown Plaza Hotel in Secaucus will host the 2 day event, which has a ton of Yankees greats and not-so greats. One day admission is $10, 2-day will set you back $18.

The 1998 team is celebrating the 10th anniversary- could it really be that long?- of that special season. David Cone, Homer Bush, Chad Curtis, Chili Davis, Joe Girardi, El Duque, Rickey Ledee, Ramiro Mendoza, Graeme Lloyd, Jeff Nelson, Tim Raines, Luis Sojo, Shane Spencer, and coach Don Zimmer are expected to be in attendance on Saturday.

Sunday will see Paul O'Neill, Mike Stanton, Daryl Strawberry, and coach Chris Chambliss.

Newly elected Hall of Famer Goose Gossage is expected to be at both days of the show. Tracey Stallard, who gave up Roger Maris' 61st home run, Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Dick Williams, and our favorite guy Bobby Murcer will also be among those attending. Oddly, the only current Yankee expected to be there is Wilson Betemit.

Click here for all the details

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