Scenes from the 2008 All Star Fan Fest

At the bottom of this page are my photos from Fanfest

The 2008 DHL All Star Game Fan Fest

My niece, nephew and their parents, along with myself went to Fan Fest today. We weren't sure what to expect, we had hopes there would be something for everyone. We weren't disappointed.

Most definitely it was an event for baseball fans.

There were clinics for the young children, and plenty of catching, fielding and stealing for young and big kids. There was also plenty of history on display.

There were items available to be bought at the live auctions Monday and Tuesday. Also the Hall of Fame and The Yogi Berra Museum had items on display.

Mostly it was plenty of fun for all.

Free stuff is available. You get mini Baby Ruth as you walk in the door along with a bag for your free loot. You also received a MasterCard tap card. With that I won an All Start Pennant. I also acquired an All Star Blanket, a Rally cloth and a MLB T-Shirt, all for free.

There are also mock ups of the All Star Clubhouse with uniforms laid out for several of the AL and NL players. It was the best $30.00 I've spent for entertainment in a while. A family of four can get in for $90.00. I highly recommend you check it out before it ends on Monday night.

I have also included photos from the event on my page.

Yankees-Red Soxs as It Should Be

It was the closest to the rivalry as it has been in a few years last night; starting with A-Rod's angry home run blast to left field. The elements were all there, a close game, a home plate umpire with a good eye (the same can't be said for the 2nd base umpire), a dangerous pitching jam, frustrated managers, heroes, villains, and hot headed fans.

The 3 most impressive things from the Yankees were Joba getting out of his jam without excessive damage, youngsters stealing bases, and Brett Gardner's last at bat. A sign of hope for a team that seems to be treading water.

The last 3 years it has been the youth movement that has carried the Yankees to the playoffs. The veteran Yankees could learn a great deal from the youngsters. The little things, careful at bats, speed, stolen bases and patience win you games; and to make the playoffs the Yankees have to climb two impressive Alps, The Boston Red Soxs and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Brett Gardner's 10th Inning at bat was however the most impressive. As I sat there, fearing who would come in from the bullpen in the 11th, I watched the youngster foul off pitch after pitch from John Papelbon. Papelbon is no slacker and in the terms of closers, while not quite at the caliper of Mariano Rivera, he will be if he stays healthy and continues to play. Papelbons' appearance on the mound in the 10th was not what I wanted, with the bottom of the order coming to bat. However those youngsters in the bottom of the order did the little things, Cano's blooper single, Melky's sacrifice and finally Gardner's long at bat, that took the speedy Cano to home giving the Yankees the win.

The New York Post Strikes Out Again

The New York Post, as could have been predicted, air the A-Rod saga on Page 1 today. Shame on Rupert Murdoch.

While I am sure there is a lot of self-centered self interest behavior on both sides of A-Rod, Cynthia, and Madonna, does the Post need circulation so badly as to play to the scandal?

The New York Post, noted only for it's sports section has always been a rag, for paper training the puppy or lining the bird cage. Despite my not so warm feeling for A-Rod as a human being; he and his wife do not deserve to have their lives played on the the front or any pages of the New York Post or any other media other then to comment on his athletic abilities. His personal life, however messed up, should not be rolled out in the daily headlines.

Shame on the Post and Rupert Murdoch, the king of gossip, who obviously wouldn't recognize real news if it started him in the face.

NYY Insanity & the All-Star Roller Coaster Ride

It's been a month since I posted, not because I was not watching baseball, I was. I have been swamped at work. I work in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry as a consultant. Right now we are very busy, busy with good compliant clients and with clients with significant issues. Through all this the only thing that keeps me sane is baseball; and on that not my sanity is beginning to slip too.

My friend Danny reminds every year, that the Yankees play differently after the All-Star Break. Well the All-Star Break is 8 days away, and I am certainly hoping he is correct; or the team is looking at no playoff s this year.

I didn't vote for any Yankees as All-Stars this year, because you cannot vote for pitcher. If so my vote would have gone to Mike Mussina. Mussina who I expected less of this year has proven many wrong. He has given his all, and is one of the many reason the Yankees are in 3rd and not 5th in the Al East.

Yes an argument could be made for the position players, however watching this Yankee Roller Coaster since April, I don't see where any have consistent met All-Star criteria. If I was forced to send two, it would be Jeter and Molina. And then I still don't think they deserve the trip.

Unlike amateur sports, the professional All-Star roster is supposed to represent the best of the best. On paper that is what the Yankees are. However off paper and on the field for the the 1st Half of the season, they get a C+. I expect my All-Stars to be at least A- performers.

Take Friday's July 4th game. The Yankees were leading with a 3-0 lead at he end of the 1st, that should have set the Yankees' tone for the game. Rasner should have been replaced before he pitched to Youklas in the 5th; but he was left in. After that the Yankees did notching. This is not how the Yankees play Boston. Yankees Boston is 2-1 or 15-14 blowouts. The Yankees played tired, almost heartless. That has to change. Mediocrity does not earn 1st place.

I will be at the game Sunday night. Considering the game is late, and I will be bleary eyed for work the next day, I am hoping that the real New York Yankees show up. However I am not getting my hopes up.

It is unfathomable to think that this New York Yankee team, paper A+ team of All-Stars looks like mutts on the fields.

The Yankees need to start playing baseball to the caliper they are and not coasting. Right now they might get a C for talent, but they get a big fat F for effort.

They should all be in clinics over the All-Star break, because right now they all could use work on the basics.

Baseball Fans Helping Other Baseball Fans

You will wonder what this has to do with baseball as you read, but I have to tell the whole story. It begins as such:

There was an accident on the NJ Garden State Parkway Wednesday that shut the southbound road 8 miles above Exit 74. The accident was at Exit 74, A truck hit the exit overpass. http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080605/NEWS/806050571

It took me 3 hours, 47 minutes to get from the Toms River Tolls to my house last night' a distance of 9.7 miles. the overpass road is shut indefinitely for repairs, cutting 80% of my town off from a direct route into the town center, and isolating the people who live west of the Garden State Parkway from shopping, schools and gasoline.

I was stuck in traffic at ~6:30 PM. I would have been home in time to see last night's Yankee Game. I sale the 9th inning, that's all. I was trapped in the car and in my area of NJ the radio broadcast did not reach. I also left he XM radio home that day by accident. No baseball.

Fortunately I got some game updates from my friend Mike, (Check out -New York Yankee Update). Proving that true Yankee fans will always help other Yankee fans. Mike by the way was stuck in the same traffic mess hours earlier. Today's blog isn't so much about baseball but baseball friendships.

I met Mike online through Myspace. From time to time I have actually socialized with Mike and his wife; we like the same local band. Mike is one of the many NYY fans I have met online and a decent egg.

Mike provided me with a few game updates by testing my PDA. Mike knows the feeling of desperation and suicide when you are trapped in your car for hours. The game updates helped me forget about committing suicide. After an hour in car you become suicidal when the car has only gone 1 mile and there is no place to go. Mike is a true Yankee fan and a source of volumes of Yankee history.

If you have not read the New York Yankke Update, you should, especially the archives.

The Great Joba Experiment No Fair to Mel Stottlemyre

Tomorrow many will second guess NYY decision to start the NYY decision to start Joba. They will start by saying he is 2 inning guy, he three 62 pitches in 2.1 innings, what were the Yankees thinking. their short memories will not recall a young Andy Pettitte or an even younger Mel Stottlemyre; although at pre-game they were all making the comparison.

In his rookie year, 1964, at age 22, Mel Stottlemyre tossed in 96 innings and finished with a 9-3, 2 no decisions. He struck out 49, walked 35, hit 2, and intentionally put on 3 in a total of 14 games, 5 of which were complete games. He finished the season with a 2.06 ERA. Oh by the way 14, (5 complete games) and 96 inning is ...................5.6 innings per game pitched in partially games (Mel's losses albeit his game 1 debut, 1 win and 2 no decisions)

On August 12, 1964, when he debuted he pitched 9, he lost in 9 inning; giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and a walk to the Chicago White Soxs. The White Soxs beat the Yankees. 7-3 that day. Mel faced 27 batters.

Gone are those good old days, the days of the complete game.

In tomorrow's dissection of the Joba starter premier, we will also forget about Mel and his losing debut. We will forget about pitchers being pitcher, not starters, relief or closers. What is wrong with baseball is specialty pitching. All pitchers should be whole games pitchers.

As far as I am concerned, Joba's role should be closer, heir to Mo. As far as starters are concerned, if 9 inning was good enough for Mel, in 1964 it is good enough for all in 2008. The game has not changed that much.

Ethical Baseball Players Don't Count At Bat Stats

Much ado has been made of Derek Jeter's hitting slump. Much ado about nothing. Sports writers in an attempt to get noticed have pointed out Matsui is 11/20 while Derek is 1/20. Sorry folks it's about time Hideki found his swing, and as for Jeter; we are are grateful he doesn't have something broken.

It amazes me how short minded sports writers are. Comparing the current batting stats of Derek and Hideki is like comparing a triangle and a circle. Derek is injured, given his work ethic is the only reason he is in the Yankee lineup. There are players of lesser ethics, some past Yankees would be bench sitting on the DL right now; but not Jeter.

That is not to say Matsui is not ethical, he is. You can see it when he is not hitting. The only comparison to be made between Jeter and Matsui is that of their individual work ethics. Both struggle for various reason from time to time; but both continue to strive and improve.
Both players know this is their job, to come to the ballpark and play, and barring a disabling injury, both will crawl into work and beg for their place in the lineup.

So in a mediocre sports day, instead of drawing a positive comparison, the professional sports writers and talkies point out the negative. Now I ask you who really lacks a work ethic?

That Sound in the Bronx, It's the Boo Bird

That sound is the call of boo birds who have emerged from their nest. They were loud this weekend, in response to the Mets rout of the Yankees. They were loud again tonight, until they fled to warmer ground. One may ask what is a Boo bird.

Boo birds are distinguished by their fading chameleon coloring and inability to perch for long periods during games the Yankees lose or play poorly. Boo birds are noted for their boo call and uncontrolled cussing. Boo birds are bad sports and usually fair weather fans. Many consume excessive amounts of alcohol during sporting events. Boo birds, once an endangered species between 1996-2001 have arisen to record numbers and now can be classified as pests.

Enough already!

I've been a Yankee fan for 43 years. I've seen good and bad. I've seen bad starts that ended in playoff berths. I've seen slow starts that produced World Series trophies. There are 19 teams in the American League, 5 in the East. You can't be perfection every year. The guys are down, they don't need the fair weather fan jumping down their backs. They work for the Steinbrenners. Isn't that punishment enough?

As to tonight's game, the Jeter injury, the Hawkins high toss, the bench clearing challenge. Well that is all part of baseball. Was Hawkins right, did he do it on purpose. Right, in his mind, not in mine, I don't like head shots. However retribution is expected. Hawkins who will probably get a suspension and fine is now the Yankee clubhouse hero for retaliating for Jeter's game ending hand hit. Maybe something positive will come out of this. Someone has to light a spark under the Yankees.

I predict smoke and steam coming from Mount Hank in the next day or two. Hank has the same volcanic personality of his father, George. The Yankees don't need Hank's mouth to add to the boo birds; but they do need to pay attention.

This Yankee team is making mistakes, mistakes they shouldn't. It's time to clear the cobwebs boys. Shake off the losses and play the season one game at a time.

If for no other reason then to silence to annoying Boo birds.

Human Rights and Compassion

Dave Doyle had asked all belonging to Out of Write Field to Blog on May 15 for Human Rights. I must confess I was busy last week. I din't even blog in my own forum about baseball. Also contrary to what Dave belives, a mass belonging will get everyone's attention. For people to care and react they have to compassionate. And frankly I don't see that in everyone. What scares me is the mass growth of egotistic self-centered interests.

This country was founded by those looking for a new frontier. Instead of gold, the early settlers found farmland and forests where they could grow crops and raise livestock. Many followed the early explorers to escape persecution in Europe. Most settlers in the English colonies just wanted to be free to worship their own religions. mostly Quakers and Catholics. Unfortunately along the way to growing a nation we enslaved a race; and still to this day we have not made it right yet.

I have been following the election. I am as an American concerned about the direction this country is going. Clearly it is going to hell and hand basket because many non longer are concerned for the good of the whole but for their own self interests. We are on the verge of putting a non-white man in the White House. And what do we see, we see, we see racism from the candidates and racism from the voters.

Most disappointing was to see the race card played by the Clintons. Former President Clinton owed his eight years in the White House to minority America. It leads me to wonder did he mean all those promises or was he convenience shopping; as now both he and his wife look like hypocrites.

The key to human rights is eliminating racism. It would be nice if everyone had the same features, but they don't. The first step towards human rights is stomping out racism. It has gotten better in 40 years, but clearly when you watch the reports on the 2008 election, racism still lingers in this country like a festering sore.

Eliminating racism requires compassion. You cannot be more concerned with your own interests and needs. America was once the land of opportunity, but the growth of a wealthy upper middle class and an increase in poverty due to the growth the wealthy sector has eliminated many opportunities. Self interests prevail. That has to stop; before all we have is the poor and rich.

I blame religion or lack of it really for this plague of self interests. I am not the best practicing Catholic, but I do believe in the final judgement. I also believe in the phrase do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Without this compassion you don't care what happens to others; and liek it or not religious teachings help nourish compassion.

You don't have to be a Holy Roller. I definitely am not, but I do believe that I am here on earth for some purpose or God would not have wasted his time. Often the purpose is unclear. I do hope that when my time come the big guy lets me know why.

Likewise i don want to make a good impression when my time comes. I believe in the principal of the uniting of soles. I look forward to an after life and seeing my family, friends and departed pets live in eternal peace. I am not perfect either, so when I do mess up I apologize for doing the to the person and to God.

Alright I am not out to change the world, but my little corner of it. I don't have time to change the world. I can try and change those around me. To understand it is not all about them; its about us.

I recenlt pointed this out to my bosses. They are trying to encourage employees to go the extra mile but insituting a very handsome recognition program. My reply to that was if they didn't learn it as children, the likelihood of reforming them now is limited. The time for gold stars is in grammer school; when you teach the future of America the right way to behave.

Personally I don't need a gold star, I can assess myself. I don't need my name in the newsletter or a special cash prize to do my job. I love what I do, my goal is the feeling I get from doing it right the first time. I am hardest judge on all fronts; my work and my behavior. I don't like being singled out, it is embarrassing.

I write this blog for myself, I have opinions about baseball and other sports, I write them down. Some are interesting, some are dull. It helps me analyze the sport and work through my frustration when my team is sitting in the cellar. Other items I write are lesson for people. I am natural leader and teacher, or so I have been told. I know all this "stuff" knowing all this "stuff" and keeping it to your self is selfishness. Besides maybe someone else can take this "stuff" and get it to work better, so I share my "stuff".

You want to improve human rights you have to encourage sharing and compassion. The best way is start with the young, trying to change the old is almost impossible.

You want to improve human rights, start in this country. Anyone over 18 has a right to vote. Exercise that right based on electing competent officials who will be responsible to you the voter not to self interests. Why is human rights an issue, because in the USA a country founded for human rights; we don't practice what we preach.

You want to change the world start in your own little corner. You can support external causes, hunger, disaster relief, etc. But if we, the largest democracy in the world can't set a good example, we cannot make others follow.

Think of it in terms of an avalanche, it starts out small but has it rolls down hill it picks up size and speed.