Update to the Yanks tix thing below: Okay, I read on their site where winners of the lottery can buy on March 23rd, and then the following day, tickets go on-sale to the general public.

3:51: Sox lose on walkoff homer.

Game update, 3:48: Vocal Sox fans at the Orioles' park help a 2-run rally in the 9th, and we're tied at 8.

Sox down 8-6 in the bottom of the 8th to Balty. Baldelli has two hits and two RBI, Bailey has a triple. Lowrie was the only thing close to a starter in the lineup. Not too much pitching for us today. Three-man booth: Castig, O'Brien, and Risch. I heard they had another (unrelated) Castiglione in the booth recently. Today Joe's talking about yet another Castiglione who's at the game today--a former ballplayer. Maybe every game all year they'll bring in a new Castiglione... Joe also just mentioned how he used to be a mailman in New Haven.

Slightly torn meniscus for Lugo. "Not a good report," says Joe.

I mentioned this in comments, but did you notice this sale the Yanks are having for tickets? It's lottery only, and if you win, you can buy a limited number of tickets during a 12-hour period to any game of the season. I would assume this is just a pre-sale, but there's no indication that this is anything but the way to buy Yankee tickets this year, other than packages. So this brings up an interesting point, because this is one way to curb the scalping agencies. Everybody who buys will have been pre-registered. The problem with this method, of course, is that if you aren't selected in the lottery, you have literally no chance of buying tickets from the team. It's hard to believe they'd do that, but with the new stadium and all, who knows how they have to do this. Maybe after the sale day for winners, they'll open it up to anybody on a future date. Anyway, I think the Red Sox should try something like this, but instead of it being a lottery, just have one big pre-registration period. If you're registered, you can buy when the tickets go on sale. Granted, the people who are buying just to re-sell could also register, but maybe this way you could have that person's name go on the ticket, and then check ID at the gate. Or figure out a way to do something like that without the game-day ID check. Or just add more turnstiles to make up for the extra wait time.

So if you want to go to Sox-Yanks at Eau de Toilette this season, go register at yankees dot com.

Great to see dongs flying off ex-ace Wang tonight. The highlight of the night, though, was Don and Remy laughing about Kei Igawa's warning track running style. You can't run any slower without walking.

Bill Maher's been really good lately. Funny moment tonight when he talked about the headline "Bible stops bullet," pointing out that the bible let three other bullets go through.

You know that final moment of the local news, when they show the wide shot of the two anchors (I think the law now is one male, one female) and the weather and sports person, and they all banter until signoff? I can't even watch that moment anymore. I can't bear to witness the awkwardness. Either have them practice beforehand, or don't do it at all. You wouldn't grab three friends and sign up to do improv on the spot, would you? Let alone three co-workers. Sure, they do it every night, but you'd never know it. I know what you're saying: "what's tv? what's news? define 'local.'" Sorry. Twitter. No, the thing after Twitter!

I got a disturbing letter today. It came in an envelope from the Red Sox' 4 Yawkey Way address, but it was from Ace Ticket, which is the agency partnered with the team. They're the ones the Red Sox advertise for with signage at Fenway. The letter was geared toward me as a season ticket holder (I only get ten games), telling me all the reasons why I should sell my extra tickets to them.

And I'm still trying to figure out how this is legal.

The Red Sox have been getting more and more vague with their ticket policies, but one rule is that they may (notice they don't say "will") cancel or revoke tickets for "The purchase of tickets for the purpose and intent of reselling the tickets on the secondary market". The fact that even a person who sells all 81 games could argue that they bought the tickets with the initial intent to go to the games leaves the Sox free and clear of all of this. They sell the tickets, and happily tell you to shop at the agency of their choice, and that's the last they think about it.

But wait. Let's see what Massachusetts state law says about this.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Safety Web site has a whole section on rules that these ticket agencies have to follow. Look at this section:

Q: Where do I obtain the tickets for resale?

A: Even as a licensed ticket reseller, you must still purchase your tickets directly from exhibition venue, from a licensed ticket seller, or from another licensed ticket reseller. You are not entitled to a separate process by virtue of holding a Ticket Resellers license.

That's the first law they're breaking. It is illegal for me or any other fan to sell my tickets to these places, unless I have a license to do so. And if they buy directly from the team, that goes against team rules. In other words, every single ticket these licensed agencies are trying to sell you were obtained either illegally or in a way that breaks team policy. (You could add "unless they got the ticket from another licensed agency"--but where do you think that agency got it from?)

They go on:

Q: Are there limitations on how much I can charge for the tickets I am reselling?

A: Yes. Under G.L. c. 140, §185D, you may charge a service fee, which may include but is not limited to, charges for messengers, postage, and long distance telephone calls, extensions of credit and costs attributable to resale. You may also charge for the cost of the ticket. By statute, it is illegal to increase the price of the ticket by more than two dollars ($2) above the face value of the ticket.

And that's the second law they're breaking. 99% of the Red Sox tickets Ace sells is more than two dollars above face value.

What bothers me the most, though, is that even if all of this was legal, the Red Sox (and all of MLB, who are partnered with a different agency) had the chance to fight these agencies. Instead, they joined forces with them. They warn me about re-selling my seats, then send me a letter telling me how to do it and with whom. You might be saying, "Look, I can't get tickets, and these agencies provide them for me." But why do you think you "can't get tickets" in the first place? I put that in quotes because you can get tickets through the team--I'm going to 20-something games this year, all with tickets I bought at face value through the team. But yes, that took work, and the reason it's so hard is because when you're trying to buy tickets, you're going up against all the people who are buying with the specific intent to re-sell, encouraged by these agencies, and now the teams themselves. You know, when they're not telling you not to do it, right on the back of the ticket.

The point is, the teams need to have a rebuilding year, ticket-wise. Cancel the partnerships, and revoke every ticket that agencies have. Put them all out of business. Then start fresh, and sell your tickets as normal, making it truly illegal to re-sell them. An entire segment of the population won't bother to try to buy them, knowing they can't make money off them, making it easier for the actual fans to get through and score seats. There will still be demand, of course, so you have a giant, user-friendly system that allows any ticketholder to sell their ticket to someone else for face value, or two dollars above or whatever the law is. Put, like, ten cops around Fenway to make sure those sweatpants guys aren't re-selling--they're very easy to spot, it wouldn't take much if you were serious about it. And continue the scalp-free zone, but add a few more of them, making them more visible. Leave even more tickets out for day of game sales. That way, for the biggest games, the average fan will still have a chance to get in if they don't have tickets.

And if that doesn't happen, I again encourage all baseball fans who re-sell tickets to stop being so greedy. First of all, surely you've got friends who are dying to get into Fenway--if you find yourself with an extra ticket, why not give 'em a call? Just give it to them, you'll feel much better about making someone you care about happy than you will with a little bit of filthy money in your pocket. If you have no friends you can give or sell the ticket to, and you see that the lowest price the agencies are selling for is, say, 100 bucks for your 26 dollar seat, don't think you have to get 100 bucks. Who cares what the "fair market" is--what's wrong with getting 75, 50, or just getting your money back? That's the one that disgusts me most, when I see some greedy bastard on craigslist saying, "these are going for XXX on StubHub, so serious offers only." Go get your damn business degree and head to Wall Street, and remember to cover your head with your jacket when they lead you off in cuffs. It's not hard to see what greed is doing to this country; just flip on the news.

And speaking of craigslist, think about using them if you absolutely have to re-sell, or some other online community where you can deal with another person directly, instead of supporting these ticket agencies, who collect fees even if you were to sell for under face value.

And most of all, stop accepting the agencies' offers to advertise on your blog or Web site. If you want advertising money, hey, that's your call, but why take it specifically from them? (I know. Because they offered.) If you do a baseball site, why promote the people that are screwing over you and all your readers by making it hard to get tickets and then driving up the prices?

Here are the slogans on the team sites for '09. Some probably just haven't put theirs up yet, so I'll update in April, if I think of it. Compare to last year if you like. Not too many good ones this year. The Mariners are still the champs in my mind, in terms of creativity. Also note that some teams sites have official sponsors--the Sox had that Chrysler Mini logo on there, but it's not there now. I hope they're going sponsorless as opposed to being in between sponsors.

Angels: What A Year! (With the A being their logo.) (last year it was What a Game!) And the AL West Champs logo. Update, 3/19: Fan Loyal. Fan Faithful. Fan Strong.
Astros: No slogan, but "Celebrating 10 Seasons at Minute Maid" logo.
A's: 100% Baseball. (same as last year) Update, 3/30: 100% Athletics 100% Baseball. And they're using the yellow A prominently.
Blue Jays: No slogan. Update, 4/11: You Belong at the Game.
Braves: The Excitement of Turner Field. Update, 3/30: The Magic of Turner Field.
Brewers: No slogan. Update, 4/28: Now they have a temporary slogan: Vote Early. Vote Often. Vote Brewers. They also seem to have gotten rid of that wheat logo.
Cardinals: No slogan, but All-Star Game 2009 logo.
Cubs: No slogan, but 2008 NL Central Champs banner. Update, 4/18: Now showing '07 and '08 NL Central banners.
Diamondbacks: No slogan.
Dodgers: Dodgertown California. Update, 3/19: The little "California" has been changed. Now it's "Dodgertown USA". Further update, 4/11: "This is My Town" with "Dodgertown USA" next to it.
Giants: Your SF Giants. (with SF being the hat logo) (same as beginning of last year)
Indians: Are you IN the Tribe?
Mariners (always the most creative sloganeer): Mariners Baseball. A New Day. A New Way. (Also Safeco 10th anniversary logo)
Marlins: It's Where You Wanna Be!
Mets: No slogan.
Nationals: No slogan. Update, 4/11: "Welcome Home" (the W is the logo) Update, 4/29: Oh no. The Nats have become America's 100th company to use the "get your _____ on" slogan. Way to stay hip and current and original! It's "Get Your Red On" with a "NatsTown" slogan next to it. (Ooh, also orginal...)
Orioles: This is Birdland. (same as last year)
Padres: No slogan, but 40th anniversary logo.
Phillies: No slogan, but 2008 World Champions banner.
Pirates: Pride. Passion. Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rangers: Built for Fun.
Rays: No slogan, but AL Champs logo. (site presented by ST. Petersburg Times)
Red Sox: No slogan. (Site had been presented by Mini, but that logo came down in the last few days, now no sponsor--woohoo!)
Reds: No slogan.
Rockies: No slogan. (site presented by Toyota)
Royals: No slogan, but it does have a "Be Part of Royals History" banner, referring to Opening Day. Also, 40th anniversary logo. Update, 4/11: "Welcome to the Next 40 Years of Kansas City Baseball".
Tigers: Always a Tiger.
Twins: This is Twins Territory. And Metrodome patch.
White Sox: No slogan, but AL Central Champs banner/logo. Update, 4/11: "There Are Traditions. And There Are White Sox Traditions." Okay....
Yankees: No slogan, but new stadium logo. (Site presented by AT&T)

The 10-game plan is here. Yesterday I got the notice saying it was waiting at the post office. I just went over there, and it was as if they were all waiting to see which one of their neighbors was the one with the ticket package. The woman was so excited, saying, "I know this address." (4 Yawkey Way, not mine.) We talked about going to games and stuff. Then she told me I should have come in earlier, when Sweet Caroline was playing on the radio--that would've been really funny, had I waltzed on in there as that song played. Then a guy came in that looked just like Tito!

Then they informed me that the big plastic thing over the envelope was covering a huge rip, but that they didn't think the tickets were affected--which they weren't. (I have a feeling who made that rip, though...my Penguin! The Yankee fan mailwoman! There was also a suspicious rip in my Red Sox Nation envelope that came yesterday! This year I enrolled so I could go to the Monster Seats during BP, greatly increasing my chances to get a ball. I think it's funny they remembered my original membership number from past years when I've signed up--the first and second years, I think.)

3:29: Two-run dong to win it by Mather for them in the bottom of the ninth. Did I say these announcers weren't horrible? I used to think Hawk Harrelson was unique, but the more I hear other teams' announcers, the more I realize that blatant rooting shit is the norm.

3:15: Another Thurston double contributes to a two-run rally. Good to see Joe succeeding. And now Bowden throws wild to first, so the go-ahead run's on third now, bottom 8. These announcers aren't too horrible, but it's like they can't gauge any batted ball. You can't yell "this one's in the gap!" and then casually mention that the ball is caught. They also make the dreaded "we think you can see the game in your radio" mistake a lot. End 8, 2-2.

2:55: Bowden strikes out the side in the 7th. We go to the 8th, up 2-zip.

2:45: JVE left this game with a sprained ankle. 2-0 us in the 7th.

2:22: 1-0 us after 5 on a Lugo ribbie.

Update, 1:54: Red Sox hitters are trying to get back to Ft. Myers by dinner time. We've swung at the first pitch of the inning every time through four. Beckett gets out of the fourth after a lead-off double by ol' pal Joe Thurston. No runs through four inning for him. 0-0 going to the fifth. Also, this game's on the Cardinals network, and they just talked about some stores that offers "concretes"! (Really thick shakes.) So they're not just at Shake Shack in NYC...

**********

Beckett against the Cards, 1:05 today. Audio only, but tomorrow night we play the Yanks on NESN. In case you missed it, CC stunk for them yesterday.

And the last kwiz was finally answered--more info about Yaz wearing #45 there.

To get some Sox-Mets Citi Field tix. You know how they said they sold out in 45 minutes last weekend? Well, if you go to that page on mets.com, right under the huge notice that says the games are sold out, you'll see the "buy tickets" buttons. Choose your game, click, and buy them. Plenty still available. Weird.

It should be noted that at Red Sox fantasy camp this year, the champions were the "Gedman Bombers"!

Sox lead Yanks, 57% to 43%, as the favored team in my home state of Connecticut. Add your vote here!

"and on the 7th day--and during the goddamn All-Star break, God rested." --Jere 19:80

Did you see the special on Josh Hamilton? Yeah, I avoided it, too. But I did flip to it and leave it on for a few minutes during the part where Josh is on the field during the Home Run Derby. He's got microphones around him, so you can hear him as he's getting ready to hit in the final round. Now, obviously this dude is a God-guy, what with the 12 steps and all, but I was still surprised to hear him talking to his boy upstairs:

"Lord, if just making it this far is what you had planned for me, I'll accept that, as I've already reached my goal..."

Something like that. Why was I surprised? Because it's an exhibition! When do let your god just take a vacation already? It's insane enough to think that every player thinks god is rooting for their team--if it's not even crazier to think that if god does exist, he or she or it actually cares which team wins in the first place! And you're out there talking to him during an event that doesn't even count?

I'm a firm believer in doing it all by yourself. But if I did have some invisible being, whether it was something I just made up or something I learned about in some kind of religious or spiritual studies, that I felt helped me with my life...I'd give him the All-Star break off!

Hamilton should've gotten to the break and said, "God, thanks for everything--you'll be happy to know I've got three days off, during which I've been selected to take place in a fun exhibition contest. If you wanna make sure I don't accidentally fall on a syringe filled with sweet, sweet heroin, go ahead and do that. But I won't be requiring your services on the field until Thursday. Feel free to take this time to let some other baseball players win games that count, maybe in Japan or Little League, or just take a little vacay for yourself. Or better yet, STOP WATCHING BASEBALL AND SAVE THE DAMN WORLD!"

This year's season ticket shipment is coming through US Mail. Seems like it's been DHL every other year since '05, and FedEx in '04, when I started my 10-game plan. I guess the DHL MLB campaign is over--remember the Kenny Lofton commercial?

Also as a season-ticket holder (10 games in the bleachers, average Joe-style, not 81 games in the field boxes since '62, rich people from Beacon Hill-style), I always get first shot at the concert at Fenway. Every year I hope against hope it's some band I don't hate. Just got the letter today--Dave Matthews is back in '09. Boooo. It's never gonna be an Assuck reunion, man! It's almost like they're going out of their way to not ask them!

Anyway, I wish I could trade that little perk for some of the ones I don't get. Sometimes there will be things that only season ticket holders can do that I can't do since I'm really only a 1/8th-ish season ticket holder. You know, like pay a discounted rate for my tickets. Why can't I get that perk?

Update, 10:19: Holy crap. Crazy finish! Top 11, with two outs, the Dutch right fielder misses a catchable ball and it rolls to the wall, runner comes around to score the first run of the game. Bottom 11, Netherlands gets the first guy on, and gets him in on a bloop hit to tie it at 1. That guy goes to third on a pick-off throw gone awry. And with two outs, a liner to first, off the guy's glove into foul territory. Guy gets it and throws to the picther covering, but it's just too late, and the Netherlands wins! (Though the camera cut to the guy crossing home and we miss the key play at first, but the announcer tells us he's safe.) Amazing. 2-1 Netherlands, final. The Dutch beat the Dominicans twice, and they move on to the next round.

Update, 9:49: 10 innings complete, still scoreless.

Update, 9:20 PM: Netherlands batting in the bottom of the ninth in 0-0 game with DR!

*********

How cool is it to watch a team with Pedro and Papi on it? Pedro just struck out Dirk Van't Klooster. I think that's Dutch for Chuck Klosterman. I also checked out T-Joba on mlb.tv. It's almost as if some of his weight transferred over to Pedro's body. Anyway, he gave up a run on three hits in three innings. Pretty good March day when you can watch the Sox, the Yanks, and Papi and Pedro.

When someone issues a press release, and you're the press, you have to either A. print the release verbatim and say that's what you're doing, or B. take the info and put it into your own words. You can't just print the press release as if it were your own writing. Or even large portions of it. And if I print even a tiny piece of someone else's writing, I credit the source, even if it's a press release meant to go out to the public. I'm pretty sure that's what you have to do.

Now look at this post on Extra Bases, the Globe's Red Sox "blog."

Then look at the Red Sox' press release.

The XB guy started out turning it into his own words, even adding info about Lester. But then the big list is just cut-and-pasted (with Lester's name removed because he mentions him earlier), which isn't all bad considering it's a list. But the final paragraph is also cut-and-paste.

No matter how you look at it, that is a pretty big chunk of someone else's writing with no credit given. All he had to do was say, "...and here's the rest of the press release..." and then cut and paste.

Then I got to thinking about all the things we as bloggers report--it's always going to come from somewhere else, unless you're at the game or getting the news firsthand. But we don't always credit sources. Especially if it's something that comes out that everyone just knows about. I mean, if I give the score of last night's game, do I have to give credit to NESN since they provided me with the game? Or if I missed the game and a friend tells me what happened, do I have to ask him exactly where he found the info?

I give credit every time. However, if I'm just conveying info without taking anything specific from one source, like, say, "Manny signed today," I feel like I don't need to credit anybody. But I tend to either skip giving info that everyone knows, or if I'm referring to a specific article, credit it and then give my own take. (And with pics and video, I always try to credit the source, unless it's some stock photo or something.) So I don't think I'm doing anything wrong. But I know I'd never take any piece of someone else's writing and post it here without any indication that it's not my own.

3:35: Sox lose, 5-1. O's announcers extremely optimistic, literally talking "dynasty."

3:22: 5-1 O's after 8. Lowell got a base hit in the 7th.

2:51: Really nice catch on a foul fly by Reddick, but a run scores on the play. 1-1. Oh, wait, Kris Johnson's bad inning continues, two-run double makes it 3-1 Orioles at stretch time.

2:26: Lowrie hits one off the wall that rolls away from the center fielder, and he tries for the inside-the-park HR! But is thrown out. Looked like he got the hand down before the catcher's tag, but you really can't tell on mlb.tv if he touched it--the catcher was doing a nice blocking job. Next pitch, Ochoa hits one to the same spot, but it's caught. 1-0 after 5. And Kris Johnson pitches a 1-2-3 sixth for us.

2:21: Lowell looked pretty bad in his two ABs. D. Bard allows two to reach, but gets out of the 5th. 1-0 Boston.

2:02: Papelbon in for the fourth, gets the first two, then our favorite Oriole, Red Sox fan Nick Markakis, hit a shot to right that Drew maybe could have caught but it was just over his glove, bouncing on the track for a triple. Then Pap got the last guy on a weak grounder. Still 1-0 Sox.

1:46: Three no-hit innings for Buchholz. 1-0 us. Orioles announcer says "Fenway Park is a much easier park to homer in than Camden Yards." Other guy agrees. I wonder how he explains Camden's 2.55 HR/game last year as compared to Fenway's 1.81.

1:36: Despite what local radio stations just told you, it's not 2-0 Sox, it's 1-0. What looked like a Rocco two-run double was ruled a ground rule double, with the second runner forced to stop at third. 2-0 us in the second.

LOTS of good April seats just released. Eight together in the bleachers 12 rows above the bullpens, four together in the RF box in the first few rows off the field inside the Pesky Pole... good stuff.

Also, of you're a Mets fan looking to get into their April/May presale going on now, email me if you want the password.

I saw some of a 1996 Red Sox-A's game on NESN Monday night. I tuned in at a steroid-tastical moment: Clemens pitching to Giambi with McGwire on deck. Kim and I enjoyed watching some of our mid-90s favorites for a while. Valentin for her, Bragg for me. Among others, of course. Anyway, I noticed something kind of shocking:

Lack of Red Sox shirts/jerseys in the crowd!

Before I go on, let me just say that whenever I read something like, "I didn't realize X happened back in 19XX," I always assume the author is some Jonathan Arrive-Recently who wasn't paying attention back when it wasn't cool to do so. Therefore, I feel the need to tell you that of course I was paying attention, as I have been for my entire life.

Okay, moving on--the crowd was mainly dressed in regular button down shirts, or collared T-shirts, or even sporty T-shirts that weren't Red Sox-related. I thought by '96 everyone was wearing their team gear to the game, but that wasn't the case at all. I think the hat was the most prominent piece of gear. Red Sox shirts seemed extremely rare, and a jersey? Forget it. (Though they did get a close-up of a guy with an A's jersey and a Sox hat.)

I know the merch has taken off in recent years, and, in fact, I remember when the "player tee" was strictly a Yankee thing, until it finally took off league-wide. But for me, it's always been "when at baseball game, wear Red Sox clothes." And it seems like all the kids I grew up around did the same thing. Hell, I was wearing Red Sox boxer shorts as pants to games as a pre-teen.

And jerseys? They were available, and I wanted, asked for, and received them as gifts. When they didn't have the player I wanted, I had one made special. Or Santa did, anyway. I also dreamed of one day having an AL East champions shirt or pennant. When the Sox won in '86, I got them. Got some '88 AL East stuff, too. I had it all, the painter's caps, the glasses, the windsocks, the garbage cans, the basketball hoop that attached to garbage cans, the mugs, the bedsheets, the calendars, the yearbooks...but above all, the T-shirts. Yet now I look at a game from '96, when I was 21 years old, and 95% of people at Fenway weren't wearing Red Sox gear? Seems odd.

Here's the new Yankee Stadium. This is the side facing the old stadium, which has the plaza-esque area, which is basically a wide sidewalk. For some reason I thought there'd be more space around the stadium. There are three main gates, called 2, 4, and 6. This one is down the right field line. Click each to enlarge.

A worker inside, with the left field foul pole behind him. (At right, the bleachers, which seem to be benches as opposed to seats.)

Turning around from that same spot, looking across the wide sidewalk and 161st St., there's the old Stadium, with right field foul pole visible.

Looking into the "great hall" inside the new park. Looks like it'll be pretty nice in there.

Look at this crazy, robotic turnstile. Look closely and see the laser-cutting...material?

In front of the main gate, 4, behind home plate. So this is basically the main entrance. And as you can see, there's a road right there. I really don't know where people are going to line up. Or park for that matter. There's a big garage behind left field, but that isn't gonna cover it. I guess the whole idea here is to have people get in to the great hall area on the inside, and mill about there. If you look at aerial shots, you see it's basically a modern stadium with a big hall built around it.

And here's that main entrance, which you've seen a lot by now. The blue letters that say Yankee Stadium which stick up behind this sign aren't visible from down here. (And, therefore, anywhere. Unless you're in a plane, I guess.)

Close-up of the Y. What's up with the grout work? That Y looks messed up.

Looking straight up at it.

Looking through the doors of the main entrance.

I think this is the original seal from the old, old stadium.

Looking to the right from outside the main entrance, it's the old Stadium and the Empire State Building.

At left, main gate. Background, old Yankee Stadium. At far right, Empire State Building, Citibank building, spire of Chrysler Building, all barely visible.

New and old again.

Close-up of the base of New Yankee Stadium.

Looking into one of the fancy rooms on the third base side.

Looking along the third base line, out toward left field. As you can see, the road runs right along the side of the stadium.

So you're saying Ruth and DiMaggio liked to drink?

Now out in the left field corner at the third of the three main gates, Gate 2. You can see loose wires hanging down.

A peek inside, looking back toward home plate.

And looking straight ahead from that same spot, into left field.

There are offices out here, and a guy in there actually opened the door and asked me if I wanted to come in there and take pictures. I figured that was nice enough of him, and I didn't push it by asking to go inside to the seats. So I got this shot in from inside the office.

And also this one. I wonder if these panels flip to reveal another pic, or if they just act like blinds or something. Maybe Hank and Hal each have a giant office behind each of these pictures and peer through at you.

Looking back toward home from left field. See how there's not a lot of room outside the park here?

Turning a little to the left from that spot, the windows to the offices I'd just been in, and the loading docks. That big white thing is the back of the outfield section, so, it would be the back of the left field bleachers. You can see the frieze above it.

Now I'm out beyond right center field. You can see the top corner of the right field upper deck. And the street at left, if you keep walking, you go along right field, then across 161st Street, then along the bleachers of the old Stadium.

The other stick-up Yankee Stadium sign in dead center, from behind.

You can see the frieze at the top corner of the left field upper deck.

Again from that same spot, looking from center to right along River Avenue, with the train tracks above. (The same ones that go behind the outfield of the old Stadium.

Now I'm back to where I started. The flag is still flying at the old place, behind the frieze, with the corner of the new place at right.

View of the Stadium from my car parked underneath the tracks.

Wilkerson grand slam, Bard HR, and super-springer Nick Green with a dong = 8 early runs. Lester did fairly well, and the Sox currently lead 8-1. My new Yankee Stadium pics coming soon.

Update, 3:!0: Some of Lester's runners came around to score after he left, so he ended up giving up four earned in 2.3 IP, but it wasn't that bad. 8-5 Sox after 4.

Update, 4:43: Sox up 14-12, bottom of the ninth.

4:48: Pirates tie it at 14!

4:49: I don't know who these announcers are, but I don't feel like they have any background in broadcasting or journalism. And I've only been listening for five minutes. It's almost like one guy doesn't know they're on the air. And the other guy thinks making a grunting noise somehow lets the listener what's going on. It's almost like they're purposely making a mockery of the profession of radio broadcasting to see if anyone notices. We go to the tenth, 14-14.

5:00: The call: One guy: "Uh oh." Other guy: "Uh oh." Embarrassing. I know it's spring training, but I get the feeling they're like this all the time. Anyway, eventually they told us it was a double knocking in a run. 15-14 Sox in the top of the tenth.

5:17: Sox win, 15-14, paid announcers act like all they ever wanted in the world was for the game to end so they could go home. In Florida! We need to weed out the dinosaurs, people....

I visited Chan in NYC this weekend, and stopped at Yankee Stadium(s) on the way home. I'll post some pictures on Monday afternoon.

Chan coined a new phrase, saying that I have "jingle Tourette's." Because I get these ad jingles in my head and sing them incessantly. Activia and that singing fish drove Chan crazy this weekend.

If you go to the Shake Shack on the Upper West Side, here's a tip: just order the Shack Attack concrete--it's not on the menu but they know. We found this out accidentally, asking for it, assuming it was on the menu. And like the other SS, the food line was miles long, but the line for cold stuff only had exactly zero people on it. This line is called the C-line uptown, which is confusing since the last time we'd gone to the Madison Square one, it was called the B-line. There's going to be a third Shake Shack...at Citi Field! Unfortunately, it won't be open yet for the exhibition games against the Red Sox I'll be going to. But that's okay--seven dollars for a few tablespoons is something you should really only do once or twice a year.....but they are damn good.

I swear I saw more Sox stuff than Yankee stuff in the city this weekend. In the vicinity of SS alone, there was a guy with an identical '07 champs shirt to mine, which is a rare one, and the Pedroia twins--one kid with a blue Pedroia shirt and one with a red. And I think the A-Rod shame is trumping the Teixeira pride, causing Yankee fans to just wear their non-denominational clothing.

We've got an unanswered Kwiz. It's really just guessing a number between 1 and 99, so take a stab at it.

Finally, some words we've been dying to hear.

A-Rod going in for surgery. They say he'll be back in May. We'll see....