Cubs vs. Mets Game Recap!

Hey everyone, Drew back here! I can't believe it's already July; 2015 has been nothing short of a blur so far. As for my recent absence, I have been going through a decent amount personally of late, but things appear to be picking back up little by little. Last night, a couple of my friends and I visited Citi Field to see two of baseball's best young teams; the Cubs and Mets. We were able to figure out the subway system and made it to the ballpark with plenty of time to spare, and we were ready for a great game.

Unfortunately, despite strong pitching performances from Jon Niese and Kyle Hendricks, both teams generally weren't ready. There were a combined 7 hits in the game, Matt Szczur leading the way for the Cubs with two hits and the lone RBI. Daniel Murphy was impressive on both sides of the field in his return, making a sparkling diving grab to his left at third as well as crushing a double to the deepest area of Citi Field. The Cubs ultimately won the game, 1-0, snapping their 5 game losing streak but not necessarily in style.

The main draw for my friends and I was Kris Bryant, who we saw sign autographs prior to the game (starting to regret not sprinting down to the lower level to try and get one). Bryant singled and walked in a 1-3 effort, and also scored the lone run. It was cool to see considering he hopefully will go on to be at least a finalist for NL Rookie of the Year and a future star.

In other news, I took the advice of Parks and Recreation's Donna and Tom and treated myself to a beautiful 40 inch TV and a PS4 for my man cave! I have been saving up money for a while now, and now was a better time than ever to trade my Xbox 360 and 10 year old TV in for some new stuff.

I have quite a few things to show off including a few great care packages, a TTM, and some eBay pickups. Be sure to keep on the lookout!

See Ya!

A Special Night at a Special Place

Hey everyone, Drew back here. My summer is coming to a close and fast, but I've been busy making sure I leave my home on the best note possible. Last night my Dad took my girlfriend, sister, and I to the Yankees game! The Yanks took on Detroit, and the pitching matchup worried me that we may not have chosen the best night to go. The Tigers started last year's Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, while the Yankees put newly acquired Brandon McCarthy on the mound. The thing with baseball is, things never seem to go as planned.

We got to the stadium over 2 hours prior to gametime, so we immediately bolted to Monument Park to see it before it became overcrowded with people (still too late). It was very busy, but we got there early enough that we didn't really have to wait in line for long, which certainly helped under the blistering sun. I got to finally see Mariano Rivera's retired number, which really was amazing. He was the first player I grew up watching whose number was put to rest by the Yankees organization, so it almost felt like a part of my childhood was along the hallowed halls of the park. 

I forgot my mom's amazing camera at home before the game, so I only ended up with cell phone pictures. I didn't get any spectacular pictures, but we had field level front row seats in right field (if you've been following for a while, the same seats I got on TV with when Cano belted one out a few years ago). Here's Jesus Joba Chamberlain warming up with Detroit. He kind of looks like he lived out of a garbage pail between his time in New York and Detroit, but I must say, it may have brought out the best in him since he's having a solid 2014 campaign.

Batting practice was scary, to say the least. As I mentioned earlier, our seats were in the front row of the right field bleachers, and BP took place just as the sun was setting. We couldn't see any balls coming our way until they were right near us, and I find it funny how 9 out of every 10 of those balls were hit by Miguel Cabrera. If you were there and didn't really believe in his talent beforehand, you'd have been sure to change your mind following the show he put on in batting practice. Unreal.

I don't know if any of you saw this, but last night Justin Verlander flipped his renowned girlfriend Kate Upton a baseball. It just so happens that she was the second young blonde he threw a ball to that day, because before this happened, Justin tossed my sister a ball! My dad yelled to him that it was his daughter's first Yankees game (which, by the way, it was), and Justin came over and tossed her the ball! It was a nice moment for sure, and I just so happened to catch it on camera! After my dad let two Miggy Cabrera blasts roll past his fingertips, we finally got ourselves a souvenir, one Diana will have for the rest of her life.

Oh, and here it is.

One of the best parts about having the seats we had is the atmosphere. At this section we're directly in front of the bleacher creatures, extremely close to the right fielder throughout the game, and right next to the Yankees bullpen. I said hello to Francisco Cervelli and Brian McCann last night as the pitchers got loose, and both players responded back to me! I love hearing the pop sound when the ball hits the glove in the bullpen, and from that spot we are right in the action of the pitcher getting loose!

We were very pleased to see the Captain in the lineup this go round, especially since he wasn't in the lineup at the last game we went to. I tipped my cap to Derek each time he came to the plate, because who knows if this was the last time I'd ever get to see him play baseball. Mark Teixeira was a last second lineup scratch, but it worked out because rather than hanging out with Martin Prado all night, we got Ichiro instead who took Tex's place in the lineup! From being right by Ichiro all night, I realized just how small he was, and how locked in he was during the game. He's as professional as it gets, and it was really cool to get to watch him play also before he calls it quits.

We were extremely spoiled in right field that night, because we also got to see Torii Hunter up close too. I've always had a tremendous deal of respect for Torii, and I thought he was one of those universally loved players coming from a dark era in the game. However, the hammered guy next to me didn't seem to feel the love, and let Torii know it all night. I have to admit, the guy was pretty funny ragging on Hunter, but after a while the joke got old and annoying. Hunter responded to the guy with hand gestures saying how he's fat, ugly, and short, which got a big kick out of the right field crowd. 

Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury drove in the lone two Yankees runs, but Brandon McCarthy was able to hold off the terrific Tigers offense to 1 run over 5 2/3 innings and earned himself the victory. Ellsbury could've had much more on the sac fly he hit with the bases loaded had it not been for the incredible catch made by new Tiger Ezekiel Carrera. I've never seen a better defensive play in person before, and after watching the highlights I firmly believe that catch should be nominated for one of the finest of this season! 

Matt Thornton (no longer a Yankee), Adam Warren, Shawn Kelley held the game for David Robertson to finish off in the 9th for his 30th save! It was a big win for a hot Yankees team against one of the best in the business, and Brandon McCarthy impressed me a lot. I don't think the Yankees have the pitching to go deep into the playoffs, but who knows if Tanaka will come back and help the cause down the stretch.

On top of getting to witness a great game, I added two things to my Yankees collection, the 2014 Yankees yearbook and a Derek Jeter bobblehead! I didn't get around to purchasing the 2013 Yankees yearbook yet but plan on adding it soon, since I have the yearbooks dating back to 2005 when I first started following the team. My dad bought me the Jeter bobblehead, which actually resembles him a little bit! I've been adding a few bobbleheads to my collection here and there lately just for fun, and no collection could be complete without my favorite player of all time.

I had an amazing time with some of my favorite people last night, and if this was the last time I got to see Derek Jeter play, it's been an unbelievable run. RE2PECT.

See Ya!

My First Trip to AT&T Park!

Hey guys, Drew back here, and I am currently in the heart of San Francisco to bring you some pictures from the Giants-Diamondbacks game I went to Saturday! It was probably the least exciting game of the 3 game set, and the Giants ended up losing 2-0, but it sure was an amazing experience!

We've been in California since Thursday exploring the beautiful city of San Francisco, and prior to the trip we ordered tickets for my family to meet up with some relatives at this Giants game! There are a lot of incredible sights here, but I was most looking forward to seeing AT&T Park for the first time! I always loved the Giants' stadium; I remember watching Barry Bonds blasting home runs into McCovey Cove, and the 2007 Home Run Derby in which Vladimir Guerrero was practically crushing golf balls onto the fairway all night. I've also always had a lot of respect for the Giants organization, and I've rooted for them in their 2 recent World Series wins. So, it was safe to say going to a Giants game was on my baseball bucket list!

We walked around the outside of the stadium for a while, getting to check out all of the amazing statues of former Giants legends! I consider Willie Mays to be the best all around player in baseball history, so seeing his statue in person was especially amazing!

We next walked across McCovey Cove on a bridge to meet Willie McCovey's statue! I didn't realize how far this statue was from the stadium itself, but it was worth the walk without a doubt.

Behind the stadium were some plaques on the ground, including this one dedicating Barry Bonds' record breaking home run. I don't have much respect for Bonds, if any, but he is the home run champ and it is a part of history whether we as fans appreciate it or not.

Brian Wilson, in the meantime, was one of my favorite Giants players growing up! He hasn't done much in LA, but he certainly made his presence felt in San Francisco during his tenure with the team. This plaque dedicated his 48 saves in 2010, which became a Giants franchise record. It doesn't look like Sergio Romo will be matching that this season, but I guess crazier things have happened.

"The Baby Bull" Orlando Cepeda never did a whole lot for me. I've seen him in person a few times over the course of my life, but I've never really wanted to pay to meet him. Regardless, this statue is pretty nice, and it greets fans entering the 2nd Street Gate.

And then, we entered the stadium, and here is exactly what I saw. If that isn't the prettiest thing you've ever seen I don't know what is. This was a view from our seats, which were really, really nice! So nice in fact that I was able to get a few really cool close up pictures!

I may sound like everyone else, but Buster Posey is my favorite Giant. Ever since I got his autograph through the mail the Spring Training prior to his rookie season, I've rooted for him. The best feeling is rooting for someone who signed for you before they make it big, and that's exactly how it worked out with him.

I'm pretty proud of this shot. 

We got into the stadium a little late because we were waiting for the rest of our family to arrive, but we got in to hear some of the ceremony they had honoring former pitcher Dave Dravecky, including Will Clark's quick speech! I'm almost positive the man in the wheelchair is Willie McCovey, but we didn't get to see the introductions and they didn't say anything after we sat down regarding him. I really wish we got in sooner so I could have seen that, but I guess I got to say I saw him in person anyway.

It was hard to focus on Dravecky's speech because the players were warming up literally right in front of us, so I snapped some pictures throughout the ceremony. Michael Morse and Hunter Pence are playing catch in the picture above. I never realized just how tall these two were!

Dravecky's speech was touching to say the least. He suffered from bone cancer which led to his career being cut short far too soon, and eventually his arm deteriorated so much that it had to be amputated. The fans in San Francisco really loved him, judging by the roaring ovation he received after his heartfelt speech. 

He went on to throw out the first pitch, and he pretended to throw the ball with his nonexistent left arm, and then actually threw the ball with his right arm. It was definitely a touching moment, and I think when I get home I'm going to write him a letter.

The Giants simply just know how to do things the right way.

Ryan Vogelsong started the game for the Giants, and faced off against Wade Miley. The matchup wasn't supposed to be very enticing, but it turned out to be a pretty good battle. Ultimately, Miley got the last laugh, pitching 7 scoreless innings. "Vogey", as he's known to many Giants fans, allowed a solo home run off the bat of Aaron Hill, but otherwise pitched well also, especially with the help from some great defensive plays by Pence, Scutaro, and the Panda roaming 3rd base!

The Diamondbacks only major silver lining over the course of this season was provided from the guy in the picture above, Mr. Paul Goldschmidt. Goldy has been phenomenal these past two seasons and has evolved into the best 1st baseman in the National League! He ripped a double in the first inning and flashed his leather later on to put a halt to the biggest Giants rally of the day.

The Giants have been terrible since the beginning of the summer, to put it simply. The look on Buster Posey's face here after striking out says it all. Posey has had a really tough year, and it really showed when not one, not two, not three, but four other catchers had been named to the All Star team before he did. 

Despite their huge slide down the standings, they are only a game out of first place in the NL West going into the All Star break! It's going to be another classic race between the Giants and Dodgers this season, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it winds up.

The 7th inning stretch was a lot of fun, as team mascot Lou Seal tossed Cracker Jacks into our section during "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"!

Sergio Romo came in relief later on. He lost his closer's job recently after getting hit around an awful lot. He struck out both batters he faced with men on base and kept the Giants in the game, which could help him win back his job sooner rather than later.

My sister and I walked around the stadium between the 8th and 9th innings, and it further proved that it's the most gorgeous ballpark I've ever been to! 

I never realized there were slides inside the Coke bottle in the left field bleachers! The slides are for children aged 14 and under, otherwise I so would've done it. 

The Giants would go on to drop the game 2-0 as I stated before, but it was a really special experience that I'm extremely fortunate and lucky to say I was able to take part in. If you're a huge baseball fan, which if you're reading this blog I assume you should be; you've gotta check this park out. It does not disappoint.

Okay, off to Alcatraz! See Ya!

Old Timer's Day Video Recap

Tigers vs. Yankees July 19th 2009 Old Timer's Day Ceremony

Final Score:
Tigers- 1
Yanks- 2

It was an incredible way to start it off. I walked into Yankee Stadium, and was lost in the pride of the Yankees. I turn and look and see the Yankee photos posted up on the walls, of all of the legends. My dad & I had to look around. We really wanted to see Monument Park or the Museum, but it was too late, the lines were already filled. "We'll go another time," I said, after we left the museum line. But then, along the way to our seats was Monument Park waiting for us. So we got in line, and about 5 minutes in at 11:45, the ceremony for Old Timer's Day began, with John Sterling and Michael Kay announcing the Old Timer's one by one. We took a long rush to our seats, finally there...

We met the father/son combo sitting next to us, and enjoyed watching legends like Whitey Ford, Don Larsen, Reggie Jackson, Graig Nettles, Goose Gossage, Mike Mussina, & Yogi Berra step out of the dugout. After the nice ceremony, the announcers had Thurman Munson's wife and Bobby Murcer's wife come out and throw the 1st pitch. Next, the old timers played the game, the Clippers vs. the Bombers. Mike Mussina started the game giving up 4 straight hits, and in an interview with Kimberly Jones (YES), he said by seeing that that he can't pitch anymore and is happy retired. I watched Goose & Coney pitch a little, then Doc Gooden on the other team. Doc really seemed to put on some weight recently. Ron Guidry also pitched in the game, and hit, and played left field. Gene Michael hit the ball once and started running, and immediately after he started, his shoe flew off his foot. Mickey Rivers hit one in the gap at one point, and after reaching 1st already, as the ball is being thrown in, he picked up speed and hustled (fast for an old fast guy) to 2nd for a double. The game would eventually end in a Clippers win (who cares???). Some things I noticed about this event was:

- There were not nearly as many legends as usual.
- Reggie Jackson for some reason didn't play in the game while Mickey Rivers, Bucky Dent, and others from his time played.
- Some Yankee employees missing: Paul O'Neeil and Tino Martinez
- Darryl Strawberry didn't show up along with Dave Winfield.

Anyway, Dad and I got our food in between the ceremony and game time. I got the chicken fingers with some cheesy fries on the side and a Pepsi. The food was really good, some of the best chicken fingers I've ever had. But it was expensive, that's for sure, but we need to overpay A-Rod, Jeter, Sabathia, and others. So we waited for the game, and eventually, it began.

The pitching matchup that day happened to be Joba Chamberlain vs. Edwin Jackson. Jackson so far this year is 7-5 with a 2.52 ERA and around 100 strikeouts. He made his 1st career all star team, the year after he was dealt to the Tigers in exchange for Matt Joyce, a promising young outfielder. The Rays could use Jackson right now. As for Joba, he has been struggling big time this year, but said he looks at the season as 2 seasons and hopes to regain his edge. I thought it would be a great pitching matchup and it looked to be a good game. Both teams have been successful this year, and the Yankees were looking to sweep the Tigers.

*That wasn't my picture*

So Joba started off well, but walks really killed him. He only gave up 2 hits into the 4th inning but it seemed like more with the consistent 1 walk per inning deal. Joba did give up a shot though in the top of the 4th, serving up a homer to right fielder Clete Thomas, his 6th of the year. In the bottom of the inning though the Yanks fired back, with an A-Rod solo HR bringing them back into the game. Some great pitching went on, but in the bottom of the 6th, Mark Teixeira hit his 23rd home run of the year, and the score was 2-1 Yanks. When Joba left the game in the middle of the 7th inning due to a high pitch count, he only gave up 3 hits, gave up 1 run, and struck out 8. Truly one of his best performances of the year. Phil Coke came in relief for the end of that inning, and Phil Hughes pitched the 8th. Rivera came in for the 9th, and remarkably, this was the 1st time I've ever seen him pitch live. His entrance was awesome, and the fans went crazy. He picked up the 1st two outs, and then walked a batter. He got Gerald Laird to ground out to end the game, and the Yankees won by a score of 2-1.

Overall, it was a really exciting game, and I had a blast. I got a plaque with a 2009 Topps card of Joba to add in my room, along with a 2009 Old Timers Day shirt and the 2009 Yankees Yearbook. The new stadium is really nice, and it shows the pride of the pinstripes really well.

Let me know if you want any of the pictures in the slideshow. Make sure you check out the slideshow if you didn't already, it shows all the pictures I took. I took some more videos but they take forever to load so I just posted these two. I hope you enjoyed this stuff, please let me know if you want me to change things around for next time, by comment or e-mail (yanks1996wsc@gmail.com). Please subscribe to the blog if you haven't already, and see ya later!