Greetings!  I have finally returned from New York City.  I picked a poor week to leave as far as Rangers' news goes, but I managed to catch some great matchups in New York last weekend.  My family was never big baseball fans, so some of my first baseball memories (besides Ranger losses) were watching the Yankees win their consecutive World Series.  Therefore, it was always a dream of mine to make it to Yankee Stadium before it was torn down.  Being a poor college student, I had to wait till the very last season.  Thank god for credit cards.  For the record, Yankee and Shea were my 5th and 6th stadiums to visit (Old Arlington, New Arlington, Camden, Minute Maid).  This post will be fairly picture heavy, just a fair warning.  Here was my schedule

Friday June 20: Volquez vs Mussina

Saturday June 21: Thompson vs Giese

Monday June 23: Hernandez vs Santana.

Friday:

I got to my hotel room at about 5:30 EST, giving me enough time to throw my stuff down, grab a bite and hop on the subway for the game.  As soon as you get off the subway you see the new stadium.  I made my way into the stadium where I sat along the third base line, upper part of the first level.  I ended up sitting next to a New York City cop.  Him, along with everyone else (both days) were very impressed I came all the way from Texas, just as a baseball fan.  Over the course of the weekend I met a dozen fans who came from all over the country to "catch a game" at Yankee Stadium just like I did.  Tonight the Yankees faced a loss at the hands of Volequez (7 IP, 2ER, 5Ks).  It was a great game.  The energy in that stadium for a interleague game with no real history was off the charts.  Nothing like I've ever seen in Arlington.  The fans would scream at the players but it was always something encouraging.  Very entertaining game that went down to the very last out.

Mussina delivers a pitch.

Volquez delivers a pitch.

Griffey swings.

Saturday

Not such a great game.  I left my hotel at 10 o'clock, arriving at the stadium at 10:20 for a 1 o'clock game so I could get into Monument Park.  They opened the doors at 11 o clock and closed them at 11:15.  Didn't get.  Needless to say I was a little angry, but there are worse places to spend the morning than Yankee Stadium.  There was a group of older fans from Cincinatti that I met on the subway and stood in line with, and we discussed Volquez/Hamilton.  I let them know that Rangers' fans were rooting for Volquez and they confirmed they were keeping their eye on Josh, wishing him the best.  One of the guys had a connection to the team and mentioned some kind of team cruise.  Take it as a grain of salt, but he said several players said they wouldn't be attending if Josh did.  I think this goes back to some antimosity we heard in the Reds' clubhouse.  I had worse seats on Saturday, sitting in the upper level first base side.  However, since the game was such a lopsided-loss,  I was able to move down later in the game.

New Stadium

Arod doubles

Arod gets another hit.

Mr. Yankee

Jeter legs out an infield hit.

Monday

Probably the best pitching matchup I've seen in person.  I've seen some great pitchers, but not quite like this one.  However, my exciement was quickly extinguished by the doucheness of Mets' fans.  I've always hated the Mets and their fans, but in recent years that hatred has died.  David Wright and Johan Santana are probably two of my Top 5 players in the game right now.  So I've rooted for the Mets more recently than in the past.  Not anymore.  As friendly and cordial as the Yankee fans were, the Mets' fans were as rude and stand-offish.  I'm a pretty outgoing person, and I always strike up conversations around me.  I actually began the game rooting for the Mets, because come on they were playing the Mariners.  I got no response to my friendly banter and questions so I decided to keep to myself.  Santana didn't have his stuff early and quickly gave up a Grand slam to Felix Hernandez of all people.  Unfortunately, I was taking photos of Johan so I missed the pitch.  He was quickly booed.  Bottom of the fourth, David Wright grounds into a double play to end the inning.  He is promptly booed.  It is at this point I say fuck this team and root for the Mariners (in my head of course).  Then I start to look around and notice that the fans in my area are all from Hotchickswithdouchebags.com.  They are literally every Mets' fan stereotype I have ever imagined.  Well it only gets worse.  Beltran storms home on a wild pitch and takes out Felix covering home.  When Felix goes down my section ACTUALLY CHEER HIS INJURY.  It begins with a simple Beltran chant but then continues as Felix is obviously seriously hurt.  They continue cheering and hollering like a bunch of assholes.  Felix gets up and tries to throw a pitch before collapsing.  The crowd laughs and begins cheering AGAIN.  Of course, they give a half-hearted clap as he limps to the dugout with the assistance of two trainers, but it's too late, I am pissed off.  How these people can cheer an injury of a star player of a team they play every three years is beyond me.  Not that it's anymore acceptable, but I could at least understand them doing this with Cole Hamels or something.  So basically I sat there the rest of the game pissed off and I left as soon as Johan was taken out.  Is it possible I sat in a section that was a poor representation of Mets fans?  I'm sure.  But screw it, I don't care.  Fuck the Mets.  Walking back to the Subway I met a nice couple that was at the Saturday Rangers' game.  I asked them if their actions on the tarp gained them some points with Mets' fans any they said it did, so that kind of fuels our guesses.  Anyways here's some pictures from that game.

Felix delivers a pitch.

Johan delivers a pitch.

Asshole Mets' fans booing the injury of a star player (Look in the background you can see the training staff around Felix)

Shea Stadium

So there you have it.  The rest of my activities while in the city:  Bronx Zoo, Metropolitian Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Spamalot on Broadway (Monty Python's Holy Grail for those that don't know), two nights of Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden (I even met Jeff Ament, the bassist), and all the other landmarks in the city.  It was a great time.  Hope you guys enjoyed the read, assuming you made it this far.  I leave you with something you will only see in New York City...