Happy Tuesday! Here's hoping the extended weekend treated you well. Memorial Day wasn't so memorable if you were a Ranger fan.
My thanks to Chaunsey and Alexis for hanging with the Master yesterday. Twas a hot humid day in Arlington. Only A-Rod was hotter with a 5 for 5 performance in an 11-1blistering of the Texas Rangers. The irony of Alex's day was that he had a five hit game with the Rangers 4/27/03 in a game against the Yankees. Matt Harrison fell behind early and then things snowballed after that.
I have been chuckling at the way the local media talks about the Yankees as the Evil Empire. The notion that a big city team can buy whatever player they want. That isn't completely accurate, but I wish to enlighten a little. The topic of the day was how many bandwagoning Yankee fans there are.I haven't the answer. I will tell you that Dallas has the market on fairweather bandwagoning. I have always found east coast fans to be very passionate albeit knowledgable and loyal. Texas will will always be football first and everything else an appetizer.
Having lived in Chicago, Anaheim, Seattle, and now here, some things stay the same. The locals can't believe 'how many Yankee fans are in the Ballpark'. As if they outcheer the gome team. Well, they do! You have an abundance of transplants in the cities. Be it the Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, Tigers, or Indians, half the fans pack stadiums in in Anaheim, Seattle, and Arlington. Prior to coming to Arlington in 2001 the team I probably saw the most were the Angels followed closely by the Yankees and Red Sox.East Coast fans are a rabid, knowledgable, passionate bunch. Fact!
There were 40,000 strong at the Ballpark yesterday and a good 35% were vocal New Yorkers. They had much to cheer as the only offense by Texas came courtesy of Nelson Cruz. Colt McCoy got the loudest applause when he threw out the first pitch. Otherwise the highlight of may day was getting my picture taken with Steve Eagar of Fox 4 News. That, and playing tour guide to two hot chicks.
Alas, it was one game. I did notice that Mark Teixeira got booed louder than Jeter or A-Rod. Fine by me. Chris Davis appears to be in another whiffage slump. This is a cause for concern. Phil Huges had great stuff for the Yanks and coasted.
Kevin Millwood will try to right the ship when opposing Joba Chamberlain. Weather may be an issue for tonight in Arlington as the mercury will flirt with 100 degrees.
Off to work and enjoy a 4 day work week.
Time for a walk!
Over and out in Big D
Mr Will