the new Yankee Stadium!

So, summer is officially here.  I went to a Yankee game.  :) 

On Friday May 15, not only was I setting foot in the ballpark for the first time of summer '09, but I was stepping into a brand new ballpark.  And let me tell you-- it's a beaut.  

Coming from Pittsburgh, I know a thing or two about building new ballparks... 8 years ago we ripped down our old and drab Three Rivers Stadium to build two amazing new fields: PNC Park and Heinz Field.  We went from having an ugly stadium to having fields that people want to visit, regardless of how crummy the Pirates are doing.

Telling my mom that I was going to the new Yankee Stadium, she said, "Ohh wow, does the new one have river views??"  I laughed and reminded her that it was still the Bronx, ha.  The new Yankee Stadium isn't anything like PNC Park (we have the river views there!), but it really is beautiful and a nice new addition to the city.  "The Great Hall" when you enter the stadium is amazing.  It feels like you're in a coliseum of sorts.  Huge arches, open and airy...and then there's a tv that's as tall as a house, no joke. Very cool.

Once I was in my seat and looking around, I still felt a bit like I was in the old Yankee Stadium, it was just bigger, and newer.  The cement slab hallways were so white and clean!!  But the white arched top of the stadium with all the mini flags going around was just the same.  We had absolute nosebleed seats, but it didn't even matter.  Even from all the way up there, we had a great view.  Only thing was I couldn't tell Jeter from Matsui without the help of the announcer or the jumbo-tron, ha.

To top off the fun experience, we saw a greaaat game.  Losing in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs and the bases loaded, Melky hit a two-run single for a walk-off win.  A-maz-ing.  Even better?  I watched it from the Mohegan Sun Sports Bar located basically on the field by the bullpen.  The view was so perfect, you weren't allowed to take pictures because we were in the batter's line of vision.  Can you even??

We finished the night at Stan's.  How can you not?  New stadium or not, you always gotta go to Stan's.  :)

An Ode to Chien-Ming Wang

In honor of the Yankees home opener tomorrow, this post is dedicated to my (second) favorite Yankees player, Chien-Ming Wang (2nd only to the l.o.m.l., Derek Jeter).

Mr. Wang and I are buddies.  Not really, but I like to think so.  I happened to be at his major league debut game on April 30, 2005 against the Toronto Blue Jays.  Even better, we happened to have a-maz-ing seats and were surrounded by the players' friends and families, aka Wang's biggest Taiwanese fan club on that cloudy Saturday afternoon.  

They sang songs in their native language for every strike thrown, and held up signs in fuddled English ("KKK Go Go Go - clearly an innocent, cultural misunderstanding, but humorous and entertaining all the same), and generally made the exciting game that much more colorful and spirited.

It was an excellent game, and it was so uplifting to watch the rookie starting pitcher do so well in his major league debut.  His first pitch thrown was a strike, and though he recorded no decision (closer Mariano Rivera took the win), he received a standing ovation when he left in the 7th inning, and the Yankees won 4-3.  I've loved the guy ever since.

Tomorrow, March 31st, 2008 at 1:05pm EDT, Chien-Ming Wang will start the final Opening Day at Yankee stadium, on his 28th birthday no less.  I'm wishing him all the luck in the world. Unfortunately, I will not be able to watch due to reality and the need to work everyday, but you should tune in...and sing something in Taiwanese when he throws a strike for me pleaseee. :)

New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Yankee Stadium

ESPN/YES

Monday, March 31st 1:05pm EDT