Before you settle in front of the tube for an afternoon of football, here’s what is going on:

• PeteAbe from LoHud gives us audio clips from various Yankees and general gossip while at the Joe Torre event Friday night.
• Over at Newsday, Ken Davidoff compares the organization-building philosophies of the Yanks and BoSox.  Here’s an interesting quote from Theo Epstein on the philosophy they employ:

“I think the goal is always to build a healthy organization. We try to keep that in the front of our mind,” Epstein said this past week at the general managers’ meetings in Dana Point, Calif. “If we ever get too focused on having to fill this hole, or having to get better in this area, we take a step back and say, ‘Does this make sense for what we’re trying to do over five to 10 years?’

• The Post’s Kevin Kernan has a nice piece on star pitching prospect Dellin Betances, who conceivably could be with the big club in 2010.
• ESPN reports that Willie Randolph was named to be bench coach of the Milwaukee Brewers.  Good luck Willie!
• From the “Does the construction union know about this?” department, “with the help of a few legendary players and Bronx teenagers, the New York Yankees carried pailfuls of dirt taken from home plate and the pitchers’ mound at their old home to a new one Saturday.” (Source: Canadian Press).  Here’s MLB.com’s coverage of the “event”, including video.
• Today’s birthdays: The only player in ML history whose last name begins with Mm, Kevin Mmahat, turns 44.  Kevin’s “career” consisted of 4 games in 1989, giving up 13 hits and 8 walks in 7.7 innings.  Dion James is 46.
• On this date in 1953, the United States Supreme Court rules 7-2 that baseball is a sport and not a business and therefore not subject to antitrust laws. The ruling is made in a case involving Yankees minor leaguer George Toolson, who refused to move from Triple-A to Double-A.
• On this date in 1998, Catfish Hunter announces that he is suffering from Lou Gehrig disease.  Hunter will succumb to the disease less than a year later.

It’s about time.

While scoping the coverage of this week’s GM meetings and perusing the papers, blogs, TV, etc., a shift occurred in the news flow, particularly with the timing of how and when stories broke. Understanding the sensitivity here between sports and politics, it should be noted that the major professional sporting leagues and the media coverage of them are one of the last true bastions of traditional conservatism.

(For an example of this, check out this link recapping Thursday night’s Broncos-Browns game, and Brandon Marshall’s thwarted touchdown celebration. Dave Zirin’s analysis at The Nation can be found here. Mike Shanahan’s sound bite is especially telling.)

It’s big businesses assessing a big business; rarely in the mainstream will you find writers like Zirin or Will Leitch of Deadspin openly challenging the establishment. Nor would you look to the supposed leaders in coverage — the mainstream newspapers — aiming to break new ground in reporting, scooping, or information presentation to their reader base.

This week, there was a noticeable change, and it occurred for a number of reasons:

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I’m going to be one of the guests on the Baseball Digest Daily Live podcast today at noon, which you can listen to live. I’ll be talking Yankee hot stove, of course, and will be preceded by BDD’s Rob McQuown, who will be talking Jake Peavy, and followed by Baseball Prospectus’s Christina Kahrl, who will discuss the Mike Jacobs trade. Check it out.

Update: The online player here doesn’t seem to work for me, but if you go here you can download an MP3 of today’s show. I come in at the 21:21 mark, and do stay tuned for Christina, who follows, as she’s always interesting.

The GM meetings are over …. so let’s kick back and catch up on the news:

• Newsday reports that the City Comptroller William Thompson found that the Yanks had underpaid the city by $11 million over a three-year period. The team is supposed to pay the city a percentage of all revenue from tickets, parking and cable television.  The team is in the midst of paying it back.
• In the “we’ll pay you to take this off our hands” department, Peter Abraham reports that no one has contacted Brian Cashman regarding the readily-available Kei Igawa.
• The Times Jim Dwyer takes Mayor Bloomberg to task for assisting the Yankees in the funding for the new Stadium, while slashing the City budget.
• Abraham also has some fun facts gleaned from his attendance at the Joe Torre Safe at Home charity event Friday night:

1. Girardi revealed that Mussina told him after the season that he planned to retire. He has not heard from Moose since.
2. Pettitte, contrary to some reports, wants only a one-year deal and only to play for the Yankees.
3. Posada and Rivera said their respective shoulder rehabs are going well and both expect to be ready for spring training.  Posada said he is a catcher and has no interest in playing first base.
4. Don Mattingly said he wants to manage.

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Although his name can be found right below that of the already-legendary Alex Rodriguez in reference books like Total Baseball, he has been mostly forgotten since his playing days ended in 1983. That’s more than a bit sad, partly because the original “A-Rod” left such a distinct impression on me—first as an opposing player and then during a late-career turn with the Yankees.

Aurelio Rodriguez couldn’t hit like today’s more well-known “A-Rod,” but he was one of the most graceful defensive third basemen of the 1970s. Rodriguez had the range of a shortstop and the throwing arm of a right fielder; along with his smooth hands, those skills combined to form a delightful package at the hot corner. In fact, I’ve never seen an infielder with a stronger arm than Aurelio. (A list of such arms would have to include recent infielders like Shawon Dunston and Travis Fryman or current-day players like Rafael Furcal and Troy Tulowitzki. All terrific arms, but all a notch below that of Rodriguez. ) That cannon-like right arm, which Ernie Harwell often described as a “howitzer,” made him a treat to watch during his many stops with the White Sox, Orioles, Yankees, Padres, Tigers, Washington Senators, and Angels.

A product of Cananea, Mexico, Rodriguez struggled with English during his early major league career with the Angels. As Rodriguez once said without bitterness, he knew only three words of English during his first ten days with California. “Ham and eggs” became a frequent refrain, resulting in a less-than-balanced diet for the young Rodriguez.

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By Todd Drew

Memories Are Forever

The memories will not stop. Sometimes they come in the middle of the night and you have to walk. So you head down five flights to Walton Avenue. You pass the spot on East 157th Street where a bat boy once found Satchel Paige asleep in his car after driving all night from Pittsburgh.

Memories say it was 15 minutes before the first pitch when the boy shook him awake. It also says that Satchel asked for five more minutes and then threw a two-hit shutout.

Memories say things like that.

You cut over to Gerard Avenue where a Mickey Mantle home run would have landed if the Stadium’s roof hadn’t gotten in the way. That’s how the memories tell it anyway.

You walk up River Avenue behind the bleachers of the old Yankee Stadium. There will be no more games here, but you keep coming back because this is where your memories are.

You move past the millions that have huddled in the cold and the heat and the rain and sometimes the snow for tickets. The line wraps around the block and down East 161st Street near where a Josh Gibson home run once landed.

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We made it to Friday!  Here’s the latest:

• The Boston Globe’s Tony Massarotti handicaps the race for Manny Ramirez in a blog piece.  He lists the Mets, Phillies and Dodgers as favorites, with the Yanks, Angels and Giants (!?) in the next tier.
• Peter Abraham at the LoHud blog reports that the Yanks have been eliminated from the Peavy sweepstakes.  Its down to three NL teams: the Braves, Cubs and either the Cards or Astros.  He also clues us in on a potential cross-town battle for Derek Lowe.
• Joel Sherman and George King of the Post report that a Mike Cameron for Cabrera and pitching swap might be in the works with the Brewers.  Also, Wilson Betemit may also be on the move.
• At Newsday, Ken Davidoff reports that the Yanks declined their option on Damaso Marte.  He also chimes in on the possible Cameron deal, stating that Ian Kennedy would probably not be included in any package.  An update: No deal will get done until the Brewers know for sure whether Sabathia is staying (he and Cameron are buddies, and the Brew Crew don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the chances of re-signing C.C.)
• Over at ESPN.com, Brian Cashman keeps an open mind on the future of Phil Hughes, “”He’s a significant piece for us as we move forward.  But that doesn’t mean he can’t be traded, either. He continues to be a guy that gets asked about quite often, so he must being doing something right despite the ’08 season.”  Cashman also seems happy to hear that Andy Pettitte would like to return next year.
• Congrats to Mike Mussina on winning his 7th Gold Glove award.  He was the only Yankee so recognized.
• Happy 40th birthday to a guy who made his ML debut with the Yanks at age 23, pitched 14 games for them in 1992, and has since pitched for 7 other teams, Russ Springer. The big 7-0 to a Yankee broadcasting favorite, Jim Kaat.  Also, a happy 70th to the man that preceeded Munson behind the plate, Jake Gibbs.
• On this date in 1963, Elston Howard becomes the first African-American to win the A.L. MVP Award.
• On this date in 1978, Jim Rice edges out Ron Guidry for the A.L. MVP.  Rice led the AL in homers (46), RBI (139), hits (213) and SLG (.600), and became the first AL player to accumulate 400 total bases since DiMaggio in 1937, while Guidry posted a 25-3 record with 248 Ks and a 1.74 ERA.
• On this date in 1997, the bombers trade Kenny Rogers to the A’s for a PTBNL, which turns out to be Scott Brosius.

By Kevin Baker

There are so many choose from, it’s hard to pick just one. There’s my first (and only) game in what was truly the old (pre-1976) Stadium, the first major-league game I ever attended, back in 1967. It was against the California Angels, and as I recall Horace Clarke hit a home run, and Joe Pepitone lost the game on an error. Par for the course for the Yankees of that year.

There were the World Series clinchers in both 1996 and 1999. The 1996 game was especially thrilling, a very close contest with the crowd roaring continuously, and the stands literally shaking. It also featured tens of thousands of Yankees fans, waiting to get in, breaking into a “F**k the Bra-a-a-ves!” version of their tomahawk chant. Afterwards, people were carrying around a coffin, marked Atlanta Braves, like something from four or five decades ago. The 1999 clincher was a little less exciting—the Yanks already had a 3-0 lead in games, and Clemens shut the Braves down for most of the game—but it does stand out for watching Mariano Rivera break Ryan Klesko’s bat three times in the ninth, reducing a team that was about to be swept in the World Series to helpless laughter.

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Let’s get right to it …

• Don’t rush out to get your Jake Peavy Yankee t-shirt just yet.  Following up on a story yesterday, the Times Michael Schmidt notes that Peavy would “consider” a trade to the Bombers, but not necessarily approve of one.  Schmidt also passes along a somewhat amusing quote from Peavy’s agent.

“Jake grew up dreaming of playing in pinstripes, but he has a strong preference to stay in the National League,” Axelrod said. “He’s a good hitter -– he was the most potent part of the Padres’ offense at times this year -– and he knows the hitters in the National League.”

• More Peavy news:  Mark Feinsand of the News reports a source stating that the Yanks could put together a package built around Phil Hughes and Austin Jackson, although they would likely have to include two or three more players, one of which could be Ian Kennedy. The Padres, according to the source, have no interest in Cano.
• A three-way Holliday?  Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports quotes a source noting a potential three-way deal that would send Matsui to the Mariners for a pitching prospect, perhaps Ryan Rowland-Smith. The Yankees would package the prospect with Cano and another young player to the Rockies for Holliday.
• Four 2008 Bombers filed for free agency on Wednesday, reports MLB.com.  Pavano, Giambi, Marte and Mussina put their paperwork in.
• Joel Sherman of the Post reports that the Yankees have just about finalized their coaching staff for ’09, with Tony Pena shifting from first base to the bench, Rob Thomson moving from the bench to third base and Mick Kelleher being named the first base coach.
• In a separate blog entry, Sherman writes that any Bomber pursuit of Matt Holliday will probably include (but not be centered around) Ian Kennedy.  Also, he suggests the Yanks might find something to like (OBP, switch-hitting, 1B-capable) in the possibly-available Nick Swisher.
• DE-FENSE! That’s what Brian Cashman wants to improve in 2009, says Newsday’s Ken Davidoff.
• Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald suggests that the Marlins might be interested in reacquainting themselves with Carl Pavano.
• Happy 37th birthday to another player that suited up for both NY teams, Bubba Trammell.  Happy 40th to the hero of Game 3 of the 1999 World Series, Chad Curtis.  Happy 55th to the “Candy Man”, John Candelaria.

By Hart Brachen

Congrats to President-elect Obama…here now the news:

• Bryan Hoch at MLB.com reports that Robinson Cano “could help anchor a trade package for Peavy if San Diego is willing to take on his deal, which has three years and $27 million remaining, plus two club option years.”   Another interesting quote from the article, “Cashman also told reporters that the Yankees have had interest from other clubs in outfielders Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner and Austin Jackson.”
• Ken Davidoff of Newsday.com informs us that the Yankees had their first meeting with C.C. Sabathia’s representatives Monday at the GM meetings.  Nothing too substantive …. just preliminary.
• DailyNews.com’s Mark Feinsand has Brian Cashman stating that he is counting only on Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain as starters next season at this point in time.  He’s not sure if the Yankees will bring Andy Pettitte back, though Pettitte wants to come back.  The biggest shock?  Cashman hasn’t shut the door totally on Carl Pavano returning.
• Jon Heyman at SI.com chimes in from the GM meetings in California with some tender morsels. The Bombers are exploring a possible bid for 2B Orlando Hudson, with the thought that he might displace Cano, or may even be capable of playing CF.  They may have interest in the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp or the Royals’ David DeJesus, but no teams appear anxious to trade a young center fielder.  As expected, they announced they were declining options on the contracts of Jason Giambi and Carl Pavano.
• Over at Newsday.com, Wallace Matthews makes the case for keeping Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen in 2009, reminding us of the recent domination shown by the Phillies bullpen in its ability to “shorten” games.
• Is Jason Giambi returning to the A’s?  Well, MLB.com notes that the A’s have re-hired Bob Alejo, who has ties to Giambi, as their strength and conditioning coach.  When Giambi signed with the Yankees after the ’01 season, he hired Alejo away from Oakland to serve as his personal trainer.
• NY Times blogger Michael Schmidt notes that Yankee hitting coach Kevin Long plans to travel to the Dominican Republic this winter to work with Robinson Cano.  Cano plans to play one month for a team in the Dominican Winter League as a designated hitter.
• At BP.com, they’ve started giving out their annual Internet Baseball Awards, as voted on by BP readers.  Dustin Pedroia took AL MVP honors (A-Rod finished 4th).  Cliff Lee took the Cy Young (Rivera finished 6th, Mussina 8th).  Evan Longoria ran away with the AL ROTY award (Joba finished 4th).  Joe Maddon won AL Manager of the Year (Girardi finished 9th).
• At AssociatedPress.com, Scott Boras is quoted as stating that his relationship with A-Rod has been repaired.
• Happy 35th to Johnny “not Matt” Damon.
• On this date in 1996, Derek Jeter is named the unanimous winner of the A.L. Rookie of the Year award. He becomes the eighth Yankees player to win the award and the fifth unanimous choice in AL history.

By Josh Wilker

Driving Past

I.

A few months ago I saw Yankee Stadium for the last time. I was driving on the Major Deegan, headed north after a short trip back to the city where I’d lived throughout my twenties. My first impulse was to give Yankee Stadium the finger.

But then I remembered what happened the last time I gave Yankee Stadium the finger, years ago. My brother and I and another friend, call him Butch, were heading upstate for a court date. On another earlier trip of ours upstate Butch had gotten arrested for being the point man in our self-consciously absurd drunken heist scheme to steal a poster from a movie theater lobby. The poster featured an ape wearing glasses and playing chess. We were all pushing thirty by then. We had not figured anything out. Butch was apprehended by blond and tan teenagers in national movie theater chain golf shirts. They held him until the cops arrived, chewing their bubble gum.

Anyway, a few weeks later we headed back upstate on the Major Deegan and passed Yankee Stadium on the way. This was during the era when the Yankees won the World Series every single year. Every single lonely stupid meaningless drunken suffering New York year. My brother and I were Red Sox fans, and Butch was a Mets fan. We all felt conquered. We all felt like there was no place for misfits like us. We all held our middle fingers high.

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Vote for your White House All-Star Team today … then read this:

• ESPN.COM’s Jerry Crasnick notes that a group of 15 GMs, assistant GMs and baseball operations people and scouts were surveyed by ESPN, and 12 believe Sabathia will end up signing with the Yankees.  On a separate issue, one out of the 15 believes the Yanks will sign Manny Ramirez.
• Jon Heyman of SI.COM has news that Jake Peavy has added the Yankees to the list of teams he would be willing to be traded to, but that NY is at the bottom of the list (along with the Angels, also a new addition).
• Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.COM makes an educated guess at where his top 50 free agents will land.  He sees the Bombers landing Sabathia and Lowe, with Pettitte re-signing and Mussina retiring.
• Times blogger Michael Schmidt chimes in from the GM meetings in California, having spotted Brian Cashman in a 30-minute conversation with the Reds Walt Jocketty.
• The Yankee beat reporter for MLB.COM (Bryan Hoch) answers readers’ questions.  Here’s some unconfirmed World Baseball Classic attendees: Damon said that he had already filed his paperwork to play again, while A-Rod and Jeter enjoyed their experiences in 2006 and said they’d play in the Classic again. Chamberlain, Abreu, Cano and I-Rod also showed interest.  As far as free agent compensation goes, Hoch mentions that Marte is a Type A free agent, so if the Yankees offered him arbitration, they would get two compensatory Draft picks if he signed elsewhere — same with Abreu. Pettitte and Mussina are also Type A players, but both say they’ll only pitch for the Yankees. Ivan Rodriguez is a Type B, which would entitle the Yanks to one Draft pick if he is offered arbitration.
• Tom Singer of MLB.COM examines the disappointing crop of free agent CFs, and has some interesting notes with regard to the Yankees’ supposed plans for the position.   “The Yankees reportedly have cooled on Melky Cabrera, and Johnny Damon is no longer an everyday option in center. Now that Cameron is off the table as a free agent, the Yankees may have to swing a trade to fill their need. One option might be Gary Matthews Jr., a high-priced No. 4 outfielder in Anaheim, or Cameron himself, should the Brewers be open to listening.”

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[Editor’s Note: The Lasting Yankee Stadium Memory series will continue tomorrow.  But first, enjoy this special treat…]

By Ed Alstrom

Ed Alstrom playing the organ on the final day of Yankee Stadium behind a framed picture of Eddie Layton

There’s always something about the ‘last time’ you do something, especially when you know for sure it’s going to be the last time. Preparing for the last game at the existing Yankee Stadium was was a little easier than it might have been, because by that time we all knew it would be the last time. I was able to walk around and soak it all in with a sense of closure, and smile and say my silent farewells to this and that (jeez, it even extended to the bathroom and the elevator), without any nagging doubts that maybe we’d be back yet again.

I arrived early, as I customarily do, at noon, about an hour before the gates opened. There is always a sense of calm at that time at the Grand Dame, but especially so on this day. The place looked stunning, as it always does. The red-white-and-blue bunting always comes out for the special occasions, and the place seemed to have an extra halo around it just for the day.

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You many not know who to vote for, but you KNOW you should read the latest news:

• John Perrotto of BP.COM has some analysis of the Yankees off-season needs, and thinks the pressing issue is starting pitching, particularly with Mike Mussina leaning toward retirement.  He notes there is some sentiment towards acquiring a center fielder, though many in the organization believe rookie Brett Gardner can ably fill that position. Ian Kennedy, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are listed as top trade bait.
• SI.COM’s Jon Heyman has some educated guesses regarding the landing spots for various free agents.  He thinks C.C. will end up with the Yanks (7 years, $160 million), as well as A.J. Burnett (5 years, $80 million).
• At FOXSports.COM, Joel Sherman noted this amazing comment by one agent, made without any hint of a joke …  “(he) would not be surprised if the Yanks signed CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez. Beyond having a conscious, there is no reason the Yanks cannot take their payroll to $250 million or more.”
• Over at the LoHud Yankees Blog, our buddy Peter Abraham thinks Pat Gillick might be useful in a consultant function for the Yankees.
• Ken Davidoff of Newsday suggests the Yanks hire Mick Kelleher for their coaching staff. Kelleher has “a long-standing relationship with Robinson Cano, and his easygoing demeanor would be a boon to a team that takes itself too seriously too often”.
• According to Boston.com, the Bombers have already tried to initiate trade talks with a few teams, such as Houston.  The Astros said that Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman were not available.
• Happy 36th birthday to one of 51 players to have pitched for both the Mets (333 games) and Yankees (9 games) … Armando Benitez.  The big 4-0 for a guy who gave up 172 hits in only 127.7 innings over two seasons with the Bombers, Paul Quantrill.  Happy 63rd to a pitcher acquired in a 9-player trade with the Orioles in 1976, Ken Holtzman.
• On this date in 1934, Lou Gehrig clinched the A.L. Triple Crown after hitting  .363 with 49 homers and 165 RBI.

Quit doing the Sunday crossword and read this:

• Katie Thomas of the NY Times has an article on the sad turn of events in the life of Jim Leyritz. Leyritz is awaiting trial in Florida on charges of manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol after a crash last December that killed 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
• The Bombers most likely will not pick up Damaso Marte’s $6 million option, but that doesn’t mean his time in pinstripes is done, writes George King of the Post.
• Although OF Bobby Abreu is among the players who have filed for free agency, the New York Post reports the Yankees plan to offer him arbitration. Even if he doesn’t accept arbitration, this step will enable the team to collect two draft picks if Abreu signs elsewhere as a free agent.
• Jack Curry of the NY Times examines some of the “lesser” free agents available. He suggests that if the Yanks can’t land Sabathia, they should pursue Derek Lowe.
• T.R. Sullivan of MLB.COM points to Ian Kennedy as one of the pitchers the Rangers may target in trade talks. Texas has a surplus of catchers to deal from, as well as Hank Blalock.
• Another NY Post story details the re-hiring of the scout that spotted Derek Jeter. Bill Livesey was the team’s scouting director in 1992. On the morning of the 1992 draft, the Yankees were sitting with the sixth pick. They never thought Jeter would be there. Then: Phil Nevin went to the Astros; a couple of pitchers, Paul Shuey and B.J. Wallace, were taken by the Indians and Expos. The Orioles took outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds. Cincinnati grabbed Chad Mottola, and Jeter fell into their laps.
• Here’s a quirky Daily News article relating the history of Presidential elections/administrations to the fortunes of the Yankees. According to the article, with a Democratic commander-in-chief, the Yankees have won several more pennants (22 compared to 17) and nearly three times as many championships (19 to 7). The team has a losing World Series record when the GOP controls the Executive Branch, going 7-10 for a .412 clip. Under Democrats, the Yanks are 19-3 in the Fall Classic.
• Happy 27th birthday to the utilitarian Wilson Betemit and a happy 32nd to the “futilitarian” Sidney Ponson. A Yankee prospect drafted in the first round and later traded straight-up for Bob Sykes turns 50 today …. Willie McGee.
• On this date in 1964, CBS becomes the first corporate owner of a major league team, buying 80% of the Yankees. The price tag? $11,200,000.
• On this date in 1995, Joe Torre was named manager of the Bombers, replacing Buck Showalter.

After family and baseball, my greatest love is horror, which puts Halloween near the top of my favorite times of the year. Frankly, there isn’t much of a connection between baseball and All Hallows’ Eve, at least until we start exploring the creative world of nicknames. With that in mind, let’s present our All-Halloween baseball team:

First Base:

Richie “The Gravedigger” Hebner—Always a favorite of this columnist, Hebner earned his nickname for obvious reasons; he toiled as a gravedigger during the off-season, when players actually worked in the winter. Proud of his unusual winter occupation, Hebner once bragged to a reporter about his high level of skill in digging graves. “I’m good at this,” Hebner said matter of factly. “In ten years, no one’s ever dug themselves out of one of my graves yet.” Hebner was also a pretty good hitter, at first for the Pirates and then the Phillies before his career took a downward turn with the Mets.

Second base:

Julian “The Phantom” Javier—A slick fielding second baseman for some great Cardinals teams of the 1960s, Javier earned this moniker because of his ghostlike quickness in completing the double play. He was usually overshadowed by Hall of Fame contemporary Bill Mazeroski, but was nearly his equal when it came to turning two with quickness, precision, and flair. To younger fans, Javier is better known as the father of former major leaguer Stan Javier, a onetime Yankee who became a decent fourth outfielder type for the A’s and Giants.

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Here’s some stuff to chew on now that you’ve finished gorging yourself on candy corn:

• Daily News blogger Jesse Spector reports that even though Bobby Abreu filed for free agency, his first choice is to come back to the Yankees.
• SI.COM mentions that Double-A RHP Eric Hacker and Class-A LHP Wilkin De La Rosa had their contracts purchased by the club Friday.
• Joe Ricciuti, President of the Staten Island Yankees, has been named Executive of the Year by Ballpark Digest. They noted that during his tenure he’s increased attendance via mini-plans, promotions and restructured sponsorships. Staten Island’s season-ticket accounts jumped from 350 in 2006 to 1,731 in 2008, leading to an 83 percent attendance rise, a 21 percent increase in attendance revenue in 2007 and 40 percent attendance revenue increase in 2008.
• MLB.COM has an article on Brett Gardner’s fight for the starting CF job in 2009.
• Yahoo Sports notes that BetOnline.com already has odds posted for the 2009 World Series. The Yankees and Phillies are each listed at 6-1, behind the BoSox (3-1), Angels (5-1) and Cubs (5-1). The Rays are next at 10-1.
• On this date in 1978, Ron Guidry was named as the unanimous choice for the A.L. Cy Young award. Gator led the league in wins (25), winning percentage (.893), shutouts (9), and ERA (1.74, in a season in which the league ERA was 3.63). His WHIP was a nasty 0.946, and he gave up only 13 dingers in 273.7 innings. Fun little trivia …. his 3 losses came against starting pitchers with the first name of Mike (Flanagan, Caldwell, Willis).
• On this date in 2001, the first major league game ever started in the month of November ends up with D’backs closer Byung-Hyun Kim once again serving up a dramatic homer in the ninth, this time by Scott Brosius. Brosius ties the game with two out, and Alfonso Soriano knocks an RBI single in the 12th to give the Yankees a 3 – 2 victory and 3-2 Series lead over Arizona.
• Joe Torre got hired by the Dodgers exactly one year ago today.

Only 106 days till pitchers and catchers report!

Here is what’s going on:

• The Post’s George King and Bart Hubbuch state that several “industry sources” have the Yanks making a run at Manny Ramirez to fill the RF spot next season.
• Yankee free agent filers, day 1: Abreu, Moeller, Pudge and Ponson (as per MLB.COM).
• Take this trade rumor with a large grain of salt …. Ian Kennedy to the Rockies for Willy Taveras (from a site called bleacherreport.com, which doesn’t specify sources of the rumor)
• MLB.COM has an article on everyone’s favorite ambidextrous pitcher, Pat Venditte. Venditte earned a Minor League Baseball Yearly award for Best Class A Short-Season Reliever.
• Feel the desire to carve a Yankee pumpkin? Go here for the stencil.
• Yankee prospect Humberto Sanchez is the lead writer for an MLB.COM blog following the progress of the Baby Bombers in the Arizona Fall League.
• You may not be able to afford seats at the new stadium, but you can at least ogle the latest construction photos.
• Lots of Bomber Birthdays today. Happy 45th birthday to one the Yankees drafted and let get away, the “Crime Dog” … Fred McGriff, and to one the Yankees acquired and should have let get away sooner … Matt Nokes. Mike Gallego turns 48 today. The immortal Paul Zuvella (who went 10 for 82 over two seasons with the Bombers) turns 50. The always humorous Mick the Quick (aka Mickey Rivers) hits the big 6-0.
• On this date in 2001, a two-out, two-run home run by Tino Martinez in the bottom of the ninth ties Game 4 of the World Series, and Derek Jeter hits a home run in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Yanks a 3 – 2 victory over the D’backs.

Humility & Hubris

By Greg W. Prince

“I still don’t know why they asked me to do this commercial.”
—Marv Throneberry for Miller Lite

Alex Belth, apparently dizzy from inhaling Impetuous paint fumes, asked me to contribute a “classic-hater” perspective to this marvelous series of Lasting Yankee Stadium Memories. Nevertheless, despite my assigned role as the skunk that wanders into the wake — even an Irish wake — I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead. I, like many of you, know what it’s like to have the plug pulled on my ballpark against the wishes of its survivors.

I did, in fact, experience a very happy day at Yankee Stadium, my first game of five at Yankee Stadium. It was the only one the Yankees lost.

On Memorial Day 1986, I got a call from my friend Larry who used to be a Yankees fan before withdrawing from baseball altogether; he wasn’t really much of a sports fan in the first place, but the trade of Sparky Lyle to Texas drove him away for good. Anyway, he had been talking to another friend of ours, Adam, a genuine Yankees fan. There was nothing going on for either of them that day and they thought it might be fun to drive up to the Bronx from where we all lived on Long Island and see a game. They wanted to know if I wanted to go.

What a strange idea, I thought. I’d always held to a principled stand of never setting foot inside Yankee Stadium or anywhere the Yankees were playing. I refused to go on a day camp field trip in 1975 to Shea Stadium because it was for a Yankees game. At twelve years old, I was highly principled.

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