Final Game at Yankee Stadium

7:52 p.m. - Whitey Ford was just introduced. Could he be any cuter??

7:54 p.m. - There's Catfish Hunter's widow to represent her husband tonight. I'm already a little weepy. She just joined Whitey and Don Larsen on the mound...she asks "Am I the only broad?"

7:55 p.m. - They're not booing! They're saying "Gooooooooooooose!"

7:57 p.m. - There's David Wells. Meh.

8:01 p.m. - Oh boy. Bobby Murcer's wife and children. I'm this close to openly weeping at this point. The reception they're receiving is beautiful.

8:02 p.m. - One word: BERNIE!!!! I LOVE him! I'm still mad at the Yankees for not offering him a contract in 2007.

8:04 p.m. - Bernie's standing ovation is still going on. Wow!

8:06 p.m. - They're still screaming and chanting his name. :)

8:10 p.m. - The starting line up for the last game at the real Yankee Stadium is introduced. Lukewarm receptions for A-Rod, Giambi, and Cano.

8:13 p.m. - YAYYY!! Jorge to catch the ceremonial first pitch!!!! I was just thinking how sad it is that he's on the DL and not able to catch tonight. And Babe Ruth's daughter will throw the pitch. How wonderful!

8:21 p.m. - A very touching commercial...Yogi Berra reminiscing about Yankee Stadium. "Yankee Stadium will still be right here" as he gestures towards his heart. **tear**

8:23 p.m. - I would have given almost anything to be there tonight. I mean that. If I had $10,000 to pay for a field seat tonight, I would have gladly paid it. I'm serious.

8:26 p.m. - Thank you, Joe Morgan, for choosing this moment to remind everyone "This is no Game 7, because the Yankees will be eliminated from the playoffs this year." What a jerk.

8:31 p.m. - Awwww. Jorge is out at Monument Park taking pictures. What a nice reminder that most of these guys are simply baseball fans---just like me.

8:36 p.m. - Here we go. The last first pitch. Sigh.

8:46 p.m. - The Red Sox won today. That means that any Yankees loss from here on out will ensure that the Red Sox clinch at least the Wild Card, and the Yankees will then be officially eliminated from the playoffs. Please don't let that happen tonight. Not this game.

8:49 p.m - Hey!! Andy just got his 2000th strikeout. Yay.

8:50 p.m. - Hey!! Andy just gave up a triple. Boo.

8:52 p.m. - Boo! Kevin Millah!! (Millar)

8:55 p.m. - Crap! 1-0, Orioles. Settle down, Andrew.

8:56 p.m. - ESPN keeps listing lots of Yankee Stadium facts and figures in the ticker at the bottom of the screen. I'm learning so much! Note to self: Look for DVD and/or book documenting entire history of Yankee Stadium.

9:26 p.m. - 3-run HR from Hot Johnny Damon!! I LOVE that man! So cute...jumping up and high-fiving in the dugout! So so cute.

9:36 p.m. - I say again---I LOVE Johnny Damon. My heart will break if he's not a Yankee next year.

9:46 p.m. - Crap! O's tie it up...3-3. Middle of the 4th.

9:48 p.m. - No matter how many times I watch the footage of Chris Chambliss' walk-off ALCS-winning HR against the Royals in 1976, I never stop getting pissed and frustrated at those idiot fans who charged the field and blocked the basepaths before Chambliss finished running the bases. The look of panic and frustration on his face as he's shoving people to the side and pushing them down really stresses me out. Don't those pinheads know that the HR doesn't count if each of the bases are not touched?? Arrrgggh.

9:54 p.m. - A 2-run shot by Jose Molina! Yanks take the lead!! Suh-weet. I wonder if he will be the last Yankee to hit a HR in Yankee Stadium...?

10:03 p.m. - It was a rough start, but it looks as if vintage Andy has found his way to the mound. That was a very quick inning for him. Yanks are up 5-3, middle of the 5th.

10:10 p.m. - Did they just say "official closing ceremony" in November? ROAD TRIP!!!

10:11 p.m. - Joe Morgan and Jon Miller are speculating that A-Rod hasn't been accepted by Yankees fans because he hasn't won a World Series ring. Bullhockey. A-Rod hasn't been accepted by the fans because he is a selfish mercenary. A-Rod could win 10 WS rings with the Yankees, and I will still believe that he hasn't earned his pinstripes. Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady haven't won WS rings with the Yankees either, but they are Yankees, as far as I'm concerned--because of their work ethics and apparent joy for playing baseball.

10:19 p.m. - The night's over for Andy Pettitte...and he did well! He's in line for the W. The crowd chanted his name over and over again until he finally came out of the dugout and acknowledged them. It's up to the bullpen now. Eeep!

10:22 p.m.- Look at Reggie Jackson! He just took a picture with a young fan...and Reggie himself took the picture! He held the camera up in front of them and snapped it. What a good guy.

10:27 p.m. - Jose Veras is doing okay. There are 2 outs, but there are also 2 men on base. Joe G's bringing Phil Coke to get this last out.

10:34 p.m. - Struck. Him. Out!!!

10:37 p.m. - Reggie Jackson's in the broadcast booth. I love listening to his stories. I remember watching Game 6 of the 1977 World Series when Reggie hit those 3 HRs. I was 10 years old, and that was the moment I fell in love with the Yankees mystique.

10:57 p.m. - Good job, Joba!

10:59 p.m. - This Irish Tenor guy's voice moves me to tears. I'm usually not a "God Bless the U.S. of A!" type of person...but looking at the American flag while listening to him sing "God Bless America" is pretty damned touching.

11:12 p.m. - Yikes! That was ugly...thank you, O's! Yanks up 6-3, middle of the 7th.

11:17 p.m. - O's helped us out a little bit there, too. Oy.

11:18 p.m. - Pudge on deck!!! (swoon)

11:19 p.m. - Cano with a sac fly...Yanks up 7-3!!

11:20 p.m.. - Hmmmm...by my count, the O's should have two errors rather than one. I guess the scorer is feeling generous tonight.

11:24 p.m. - Of course, you let Mo close it out tonight. It doesn't matter if it's a save situation or not. You give the ball to Mo for the last game at the real Yankee Stadium.

11:29 p.m. - Joe G is letting the youngsters play. Cody Ransom and Brett Gardner are in. What a great memory in their young careers.

11:31 p.m. - The O's are looking very Bad News Bear-ish for the last couple of innings.

11:32 p.m. - Derek Jeter is 0-5 tonight. That ain't right.

11:33 p.m. - "Enter Sandman" is being played for the last time at Yankee Stadium now...announcing the entrance of MARIANO RIVERA! If you have never been at Yankee Stadium while Metallica blares over the P.A. system as Mo comes onto the field, then you will never understand how it feels to be there--no matter how hard I try to explain it. Electric!!!

11:37 p.m. - Out 1. I can't believe the final game at Yankee Stadium is almost over.

11:39 p.m. - 2 down.

11:39 p.m. - Jeter is leaving the game to a huge ovation. He comes out of the dugout to tip his hat. What a moment.

11:41 p.m. - The Yankees win! Thaaaaaaaaaaaaa Yankees win the final game at Yankee Stadium 7-3! I could just cry.

11:43 p.m. - Jose Molina (of The Catching Molinas) hit the final HR at Yankee Stadium. How about that?

11:43 p.m. - Frank Sinatra singing "New York, New York" is blaring over the P.A. system at Yankee Stadium for the last time. I could just cry.

11:45 p.m. - Players from both sides are scooping up dirt from the pitcher's mound. Even the stars want a souvenir!

11:46 p.m. - Jorge looks like he could cry. How disappointing for him to not be able to catch tonight. I could just cry.

11:47 p.m. - The Captain is speaking to the crowd, and each player is tipping his cap to the fans. I am now wiping tears from my face.

11:52 p.m. - Watching The Captain lead the entire team as they walk around the perimeter of the stadium and interact with fans is not helping matters for me, emotionally speaking.

11:56 p.m. - What a marvelous celebration! No one seems to want to leave. Players are lingering around on the field, and the stands are still full. I guess everyone's coming to the realization that this is the last time they'll ever be in Yankee Stadium, and they want to savor it.

11:57 p.m. - I love Mariano Rivera's accent.

Midnight - Goodbye, Yankee Stadium. Thank you for everything.

Hot Damn! Pudge is a Yankee!

Much to my joy and happiness, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez was traded to my beloved New York Yankees today! Pudge has been my favorite player for the past 7-8 years or so, and I'm thrilled to no end about him donning the Yankees pinstripes tomorrow as they square off against the Los Angeles Angels...of Anaheim (whatever).

I have been a baseball fan since I was about 10 years old, and I have always had an affinity for catchers. Other than Cal Ripken Jr., my favorite players have traditionally played behind the plate, e.g. Thurman Munson, Carlton Fisk, Johnny Bench, Jorge Posada, and Ivan Rodriguez to name a few.

With all due respect to the other position players, I admire the catchers because I believe their position is the most mentally and intellectually challenging. Catchers use a lot of psychology, especially when dealing with their pitchers. They must know each pitcher's strengths and weaknesses, both mechanically and mentally. They must know how to extract the best possible performance from that pitcher. He is a cheerleader when the pitcher is on; he is an encourager when the pitcher is off. The catcher must also be familiar with strengths and weaknesses of the hitters on each of the opposing teams...he must know how to pitch to any given hitter and then call for those pitches.

The position of catcher is, by far, the most physically grueling---you have to be tough to be a catcher. Not only are you squatting up and down for about half of the game, but you are also wearing several pounds of protective equipment while you're doing it. In any given game, a catcher has 100+ balls moving in excess of 90 mph popping into the palm of his hand, which is protected only by a thick layer of leather. A catcher must use his body to block unruly pitches that miss their mark. Perhaps the most physically harrowing aspect of a catcher's list of duties is to block home plate at all costs. Do not let the runner score. This means blocking it with nothing more than your body. Who says baseball is a non-contact sport?

I love how gutsy and passionate Pudge is when he plays baseball. Here is a picture of Pudge blocking the plate during game 5 of the 2003 National League Championship Series in Miami. This is one of my favorite Pudge moments! J.T. Snow of the Giants bowled Pudge over in an attempt to cross the plate. Pudge tumbled head over heels, but he tagged Snow and held onto the ball in the process. This moment marked the end of the NLCS, because the Marlins clinched the game and the National League Championship with this play! I watched it live on television, and when I saw Pudge pop up and show the ump that he still had the ball, it endeared him to me even more.