This is not unique to the Bronx. I’ve heard it in Boston, I’ve heard it in Philly, I’ve heard it in all the places where the smart fans dwell and even the ones where they don’t.
The sequence last night went as follows:
1. Alex Rodriguez ties up the game in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run homer off Jonathan Papelbon.
2. Papelbon retires Robinson Cano for the second out to keep alive his chances of getting out of the game alive.
3. Papelbon hits Francisco Cervelli on the elbow putting the winning run on base and bringing home run threat Marcus Thames to the plate.
4. The Yankee crowd boos.
You’re aware of what Thames did next. I’d just like to stop at the booing part. Nobody’s suggesting a Bronx crowd should be applauding Papelbon for plunking a Yankee, but, honestly, if Cervelli can get up and walk to first, that’s a good thing, why on earth are you booing the gift of the winning run sent to first on a hit batsman?
Sigh.
Incidentally, Thames’ subsequent game-winning home run ended a truly long drought. That was his first homer as a Yankee in (any) Yankee Stadium since June 10, 2002, when he debuted with an improbable first-pitch-he-saw-in-the-bigs blast off Randy Johnson. This statistic is somewhat skewed by the fact that he didn’t play for the Yankees during the 2003-09 seasons. Still, a bizarre fact.
As was the reality that I have now witnessed both of Thames’ home Yankee homers. Not to say the Red Sox and Yanks play a Tom & Jerry Cartoon version of the game, but even though I was on tv until 9 PM, I figured if I could get to the yard by 9:30 I’d still get to see 90 minutes of baseball (I got there at 9:28; they ended at 10:58 – and eight runs were scored, including five homers, after my arrival)
Can’t resist the screen cap, sorry:
YES NETWORK VIA MLB NETWORK
Goofy McSlackjaw there in the middle is yours truly. At the far left, in the Yankee cap, is Joe Piscopo, live, even though it wasn’t Saturday Night Sports.
One more image (I keep saying this is the last of them; I make no promises) from over the weekend. All that’s left of the old place is a collapsed pile of the rightfield corner.
Thanks to all for pumping this blog up to 4th in the MLB Pro category in April. I’m genuinely honored by the interest.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Baseball Nerd 
People get caught with their mouths open all the time. At least you’re looking at something worthy of the occasion. (Not a fan of Alex, but that’s undeniably a confrontation of elite performers.)
As far as the booing thing goes, that’s just instinct taking over. Every Yankee fan in the park is already half steamed at Papelbon, just on the basis of his ineffable Papelbon-ness, and would love to see him step on a banana peel. They’re always going to take a home player being hit personally and react that way, at least for a split second.
The booing thing??? Probably more fans were madder that Cervelli was hit than were happy that he ended up on base because of it…so anybody cheering the latter was either drowned out or glared down by those nearby.
As to the picture thing: it’s YOUR blog, post what you want and stop apologizing for it 😉 That screecap was funny. 😀 I’m glad you’ve got such a sense of humor about getting caught on film with your mouth hanging open like that…..Goofy McSlackjaw indeed 😛 I thought your mouth always going while on camera was your natural state….just teasing, of course 😉
*Sigh* Soon even the rubble of the old stadium will gone and all that will remain is your photos and memories. It’s human nature to mourn the loss of things and I do not object to you wanting to share your mourning on your blog…..it is, after all(and as I stated above) YOUR blog, post what you feel like posting.
Come on. Watching the game I knew the boos were for hitting the batter, not the fact that the tying run was on base. That said, I thought that person behind home plate looked familiar, but I was going back and forth between Countdown and the game and Countdown was live and there you were.
Great game.
I guess I know how you got those seats, you can afford them (and deserve them).
But Joe Piscopo? Did he house sit for someone and get the seats in return?
Booing the winning run is like standing with two strikes and two outs at home WHEN THE HOME TEAM IS LOSING.
It happens at Wrigley all the time and drives me crazy.
Wow, so that WAS Keith I saw behind home plate! Then I don’t feel so bad for missing all of “Countdown.” Anyway, fans boo anything and everything. I never understood booing a pitcher for throwing over to first base when there’s a potential base stealer there. Or booing someone for not catching a foul ball. Maybe they weren’t booing but yelling “Boo-urns.”
I hate how “fans” now think they are supposed to automatically boo an intentional walk or a throw over to first to hold the runner. It’s called strategy, people!
I hate how “fans” now think they are supposed to automatically boo an intentional walk or a throw over to first to hold the runner. It’s called strategy, people!
It was one of those games, a roller coaster of a game, that as a Red Sox fan, I thought they had in the bag…..until Pap blew his first save of the season. And to lose to the Yankees in New York is the icing on the poop cake.
I still have yet to see if the gazillion dollar investment Boston made in Dice-K will pay off. Even though he settled down after a horrendous 1st inning, I still haven’t seen pitching worthy of the cost Boston paid for him. My hopes are that he pans out eventually, but with each passing game, my hopes dim.
Gee, maybe because Yankee fans don’t have any manners?
:>) Ok, that was probably uncalled for (or maybe not). At least there were no crazy Yankee fans getting tasered. Cardinals fans are less apt to boo unless a booing is really called for. But in all honesty I can understand fans booing when a player is hit. It has happened inumerable times to poor Ryan Ludwick, and the fans didn’t boo the first couple of times. But he keeps getting hit on the same damn hand, that is what is so frustrating.
I can’t improve on Goofy McSlackjaw, so I will refrain from commenting on your expression, even though my inherent smart *** is calling to me. However, it may be the camera angle but Joe Piscopo either looks bored or constipated, I can’t tell which.
Is there an implication to be derived from the fact that you happened to mention that the eight runs were scored AFTER you arrived? Hmmm. I could go there, but for the sake of manners I will only say that, wow, Keith were you lucky! :>)
keith, as a longtime met fan im highly saddened by piscipos’ presence there. please check the 1:50 mark of this video (you should, actually, watch the whole thing, but still): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc3cGTU3C0s
now he’s all decked out in yankee gear sitting in the second row (and presumably afraid to move up a row for fear that you will scold him). shame, joe, shame.
Oh come on, Keith. It was the winning run, yes, but you KNOW fans are booing the HBP. It’s a visceral reaction.
Perception or reality, it always seems that Boston pitchers are hitting Yankee batters. Granted it wasn’t intentional, but still – the starting catcher is “day to day”, the last thing the team needs is to lose its backup.
Your Yankee Stadium destruction photo looks like the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Ike two years ago. Some of the debris still here. This hurricane season, debris may end up looking like that except for the coating of red gooey oil!