Monday, November 18, 2013

The Yankee Stadium Experience - Part Four: The Yankees Museum

PART FOUR: The Yankees Museum

One of my favorite things about the New Yankee Stadium is the feeling that you are surrounded by nostalgia. As you walk up to the Stadium, something just screams out that the Legends you grew up reading and hearing about still walk the hallowed walls (albeit they actually walked within the walls that used to be across the street).  As mentioned in a previous post, the Yankees Brass made sure to transport as much of the old stadium as possible and transform the building back to the original "House that Ruth Built."

Part of the Babe Ruth Era Vignette
Well this modern-day "House that A-Rod Built" has something the old Stadium didn't have: a museum dedicated to the World Series Champions and Legends of old and new.  A short jaunt into the stadium from the Gate 6 entrance (behind the right field / first base stands) and up to the main level will get you to a door that makes you wonder why you would even need to make a trip to Cooperstown.  All joking aside (because why wouldn't you want to go to Cooperstown...besides the fact that Don Mattingly STILL isn't enshrined there), the Yankees Museum features vignettes of each Yankees era beginning with the 1920's teams with Ruth and Gehrig and ending with the modern-day dynasty.
Commissioner's Trophies

 The feature display within the room isn't the 7 Commissioners trophies accumulated during the Steinbrenner era, although admittedly that is pretty cool  Wait SEVEN? Since 1977? Wow, that's a lot...especially compared to Boston's insignificant three since then...but I digress.  It isn't the exhibit opened in 2011 featuring "The Boss".  It isn't even the display of the Yankees World Series Rings or the jersey that Derek Jeter wore for his 3,000th hit.  Those are all there, but the first thing you will notice when you walk in the doors is a wall of signatures...and what is on the back is even more special...autographed baseballs from hundreds of past and present Yankees players.  But this isn't just any ordinary baseball display case.  The case sits between two monuments showcasing the famed Perfect Game thrown by Don Larsen to Yogi Berra in the 1956 World Series.  The distance between the pitching rubber and home plate is exactly that of the actual field.  I don't want to give away the unique feature about the display, but I will give you a hint...when you visit, check out the first ball out of Larsen's hand and the one right before Yogi's glove.  The "Ball Wall" as it is known, can be seen in the 3 pictures below:

The Famed "Ball Wall" within the Museum featuring Don Larsen and Yogi Berra
There are other rotating exhibits that frequent the museum.  One of the special displays is Thurman Munson's locker, complete with his #15 jersey.  Munson is special to me as he died tragically 15 days before I was born.  That's pretty eerie actually.  While you are there you can also type out your name into a computer (or your kid's name) and have your own Yankees Locker.


There is a touchscreen within the room you can use to search the Autographed Baseball Wall, but I have included a few pictures within the wall that you will probably want to see for yourself in person.  Strange how the Babe Ruth ball and Don Mattingly ball are positioned so close to each other huh?  Come back next week for Part 5 of the Yankee Stadium Experience as I go into an in-depth discussion of the Concessions of Yankee Stadium.



Yankees To Meet With Robinson Cano Next Week


And it's about time!

The New York Yankees are finally set to sit down and meet with free agent Robinson Cano and his agent Jay Z. This coming off the heels that Cano is willing to go after Christmas before signing with a team if necessary, which is not great news for the Yankees whatsoever.

Cano and his camp still are holding on to the 31 year old wanting a $310 million dollar deal in the 10 year range but he will definitely have to come down off of that ledge to come back with the Yankees I would think. Jay Z is said to be ready to be "intimately involved in all areas" of Cano's negotiations according to the CAA agent who is working with Jay Z Brodie Van Wagenen in an interview with MLB Network.

I really have a feeling that this gets ugly before it gets better and that is not a good thing for the penny pinching Yankees.

Yankees Interested In Jhonny Peralta


The New York Yankees have already signed two shortstops this offseason, Derek Jeter and Brendan Ryan, but they are still interested in possibly a third in Jhonny Peralta. It is unknown whether the Yankees like him as a third basemen for insurance with Alex Rodriguez, a shortstop even though we have Jeter, Ryan, and Eduardo Nunez, or as a second basemen just in case Robinson Cano decides to go elsewhere.

The Yankees have the New York Mets and the Detroit Tigers, among other teams, in the running for the shortstop so the bidding could get substantial, even with his Biogenesis suspension. Peralta came up big in the playoffs for Detroit after his suspension, and presumably clean, and he seems to be a hot commodity this offseason. I can't see the Yankees going all in for Peralta unless they miss out on Robinson Cano and Peralta is willing to play second base but you never know.

Yankees Sign Brendan Ryan For One Year & $2 Million


It was reported earlier last week that Brendan Ryan and the Yankees were close to a deal to bring back the defensive wizard for the 2014 pending a physical. Today we learned that the deal is complete and the details are out. New York has Ryan back in the fold to be the backup for Derek Jeter for a one year deal worth $2 million. Like I said Ryan is a defensive wizard and is a very capable backup for Jeter so I am glad to have him back in the fold and on the Yankees bench, automatic out or not.

Watch Babe Ruth's 60th Home Run All Over Again

This is some great video of Babe Ruth hitting his 60th home run of the season, something that no one including Ruth thought would ever be done again. I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to share, enjoy.

The Yankees Should Pounce On Grady Sizemore


In this post we will revisit an idea that we had in our first off season as a Yankees blog in 2012, that the Yankees should go after Grady Sizemore on a minor league deal. Grady missed all of the 2013 season after missing the 2012 season as well but seems to FINALLY be healthy, should the Yankees take a waiver on him? Yes please!

The last time the Yankees went out and signed an oft injured former star who was young enough to still be in his prime but opted to play for the Yankees as a part time player they signed INF Eric Chavez. The Yankees will presumably want some situation guys off the bench next year much like they did with Travis Hafner and Kevin Youkilis this season. I see no way that either of them comes back to the Yankees but I may have someone in mind who can match or exceed their production, not that I am setting the bar all that high. I think it is time for the Yankees to take yet another waiver on a guy who's career has been slowed due to injuries and that is Grady Sizemore.

It is hard to believe that Grady will only be entering his age 31 season entering the 2014 season and what was such a promising career has been abruptly halted by injuries. Grady has only played in roughly 100 games combined in the last four seasons including missing the entire 2012 and 2013 seasons.The good news is encouraging though as all scouting reports I have seen suggest that he seems more fiery and healthy then ever, which is a good sign for him and make him a good sign for the Yankees. 

Contrary to twitter rumors this IS Grady Sizemore and NOT me...

Grady signed a 1 year $5 million deal for the 2012 season giving the Indians a home town discount and gave them nothing for it. Unless he just wants to stay with the Indians since they have consistently stayed with him, and I would not blame him whatsoever, I do not see a scenario where he does not sign a one year deal and/or a minor league deal. Those kind of deals basically mean NO risk EXTREMELY HIGH reward and the Yankees tend to get the better end of those kind of deals. The Indians making the playoffs last season would obviously make them attractive to any free agent, especially Sizemore, but an outfield that already has Nick Swisher and Michael Bourne may send a whole other message, logjam. 


Grady Sizemore has a career batting average in the .280's against right handed starters with 105 of his 139 career home runs against righties. He has drawn twice as many walks career against a right handed starter then he has a left handed one and three times as many steals against right handed pitchers. He screams platoon player for the Yankees in the same situation as Ichiro and Vernon Wells have been this season. He is a well below average hitter against left handed pitching.

Not to mention that Grady and his girlfriend would also be a welcome addition to the wives and girlfriends section, I'm just saying.

This Day In New York Yankees History 11/18


On this day in 1986 the Yankees first basemen Don Mattingly misses out on winning back to back Most Valuable Player awards as the Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens would win the award. Clemens received 19 of the 28 first place votes and became the first pitcher to win the award since Vida Blue won the award in 1971. Mattingly won the award in 1985 and would have been one of the few to win back to back MVP awards had he won the award.