For a moment I would like to turn my attentions away from my inability to snag a Major League Baseball, Me + Glove = Unhappy, I feel like recording myself at batting practice and sending it to Zack Hample for comment!

Anyway I would like to take a moment to write about something that I feel strongly about. I have only been watching and learning Baseball since April 2007, so basically almost no time, however I do love history, as a Yankees fan I am treated to plenty of history. In my research and reading, which I do a lot of to catch up on a childhood with no baseball, I came across living members of Babe Ruth's family. I don't want to get into detail, as most die hard baseball fans and certainly Yankees fans already know, but the Babe had one daughter (also an adopted second, Julia, who threw the first pitch at the final Yankees game at the old stadium) he has a few living grand children and many great grand children and so on down the line.

I was reading the website of one of his grand children - Linda Ruth Tosetti ......

http://www.retirebabesnumber.com/index.html

.......she is trying to get a few things done for her grand father. Many people in the game including fans are not interested, there was one request which I did agree with strongly above all others, so much so I am writing this entry. This is a request for a statue of Babe Ruth outside the new Yankee Stadium. Yes I know he has his 'plaza' or whatever, big deal, most fans are unaware it even exists, but why is there no statue? All great players have their statues, and if Camden Yards can have one then why not the Yankees. Apparently they don't want the 'proposed' $90,000 (a design and price was obtained by Babe's grand daughter, yes 90,000 is a lot of money but against 1.6 billion? and it would give back to baseball far more than any luxury box etc). Yankees say NO,...what the hell is going on? Baseball is about history, hell the Yankees pride themselves on 'their Legends' ........yet young kids, new comers to the game, won't be able to see a statue of the great Babe Ruth outside the Stadium, instead they get hurried along his 'plaza' or try (if it's actually open) the Monument Park for his Monument. Now there have been many great Yankees players down the years, but Babe stands out, not just as a Yankees player but for Baseball itself.

Please take a look at the links in this entry and comment if you have an opinion about this.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/sports/baseball/yankees/Babe-Ruths-Granddaughter-Not-Happy-About-New-Stadium.html?corder=&pg=1

http://www.metspolice.com/2009/04/mets-police-exclusive-babes-great.html

I would like to think one day in the future I will be telling my Son that the Statue in front of him is of the great ball player Babe Ruth. If that never happens then shame on the Yankees, baseball has all but been lost to money in the Bronx. I would like to think I will be a Yankees fan for life, and I guess this is the reason why this topic has caused me to stop and think.

My first trip to the New Yankee Stadium, I was hoping the 1.5 billion was not a waste. Wow what a difference a luxury stadium makes to the game day experience! So much space and light. I took the opportunity to visit the Yankees Museum with my Wife and Son, it was his first ever game. I was in touching distance from balls, bats and jerseys that were used by legends such as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Sadly the Yankees lost, but they always do when I go to watch them play the Angels, yet I still seem to get tickets for the Angels series. As for snagging a ball, no chance, I could not get a ticket close enough and you are no longer allowed into the field seats for batting practice unless you have a field seat!!

One highlight was watching some old dude thinking he was Bruce Lee and Kung Fu kicking some guys, big fight involving a few people in the end, man the cops took their sweet time to get there, for a moment I thought they were enjoying watching this old dude take on 5 guys!!

The World Series Championships since 1977.

Babe Ruth's Bat.........Darling is it?

 CC Sabathia lets one rip! 

Major League Baseball

2009 Season

02 May - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (8-4)

2008 Season

31 July - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (12-6)

19 June - San Diego Padres vs. NY Yankees (2-1)

06 May - Cleveland Indians vs. NY Yankees (5-3)

29 Apr - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-4)

03 Apr - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (3-2)

Minor League Baseball

2008 Season

22 June - Hudson Valley Renegades vs. Staten Island Yankees (3-0)

04 July - Minnesota Twins vs. NY Yankees (6-2)

17 June - NY Mets vs. NY Yankees (8-2)

13 June - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. NY Yankees (7-2)

26 May - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (3-1) 

MLB Games Attended: 18

MiLB Games Attended: 1

Baseballs Snagged: zero

Autographs: Three

LA Angels visit to Yankee Stadium on July 31st 2008 was to be my final game at the old Stadium. I was kindly bought a ticket, for my Birthday, from my family who were visiting from LA (Dodgers fans). This was the first time I got to watch a game from the Field seats. Sadly the Yankees lost the game, having thrown it away in the 3rd inning. My next game will be in the new Yankee Stadium in 2009! Let's hope the Yankees make the World Series!

Major League Baseball

2007 Season

26 May - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (3-1 LAA)

13 June - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. NY Yankees (7-2 NYY)

17 June - NY Mets vs. NY Yankees (8-2 NYY)

04 July - Minnesota Twins vs. NY Yankees (6-2 TWINS)

07 July - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (2-1 LAA)

21 July - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (7-3 NYY)

01 Aug - Chicago White Sox vs. NY Yankees (8-1 NYY)

17 Aug - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-1 NYY)

28 Aug - Boston Red Sox vs. NY Yankees (5-3 NYY)

31 Aug - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (9-1 TAM)

02 Sept - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (8-2 TAM)

21 Sept - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (5-4 TOR)

2008 Season

03 Apr - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (3-2 NYY)

29 Apr - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-4 DET)

06 May - Cleveland Indians vs. NY Yankees (5-3 CLE)

19 June - San Diego Padres vs. NY Yankees (2-1 NYY)

31 July - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (12-6 LAA)

Minor League Baseball

2008 Season

22 June - Hudson Valley Renegades vs. Staten Island Yankees (3-0 SINY)

MLB Games Attended: 17

MiLB Games Attended: 1

Baseballs Snagged: zero

Autographs: Three

Wow! What an amazing experience Minor League Baseball turned out to be, my first ever Minor League game and I can't wait to go again. Firstly the biggest thing I noticed was how friendly everyone was, none of the usual:-  'Get in this line!' or 'wait! Move over here, do this do that!' Only now have I realized how rude everyone is at Yankee Stadium. At Richmond County Bank Ballpark there was no teenagers getting drunk no one smoking or smoking weed (yes this happens a lot at Yankee Stadium, and no one seems to care even though they know it goes on). At this Minor League game it was all about baseball and having fun! A proper family day out, for a great price! With the added fun of the free ferry to Staten Island itself!

 What a view!

Huck: One of three mascots at the game.

However my goal was to snag a baseball, and yes if you have not guessed it already I failed yet again.  I did though manage to obtain three autographs, all on a Staten Island Yankees ball.  I also managed to snag four water balloons, I will explain in just a second.

 This is my signed Staten Island Yankees baseball.

17- Michael Lyon

24- Taylor Grote

56- Tim Dennehy

Another highlight (if you like this sort of thing) was that after the fourth inning I was chosen to participate in a 'catch the water balloons in a baseball glove' contest. Well I was up against a guy from Illinois. I lost 7-4 even though I swear the girls launching the balloons at me were useless and fired them well past me (in fact at the Yankee players sitting in the bullpen behind me), and the guys launching the balloons at the guy from Illinois were much better with their accuracy, and no it's not sour grapes because I also got a t-shirt!

This was what I was handed before the game.

 This is me in the white shirt passing the Yankees dugout.

The Staten Island Yankees won the game 3-0 against the Hudson Valley Renegades, a very good performance by a very exciting bunch of young Yankees.

So the wait still continues for my first ever baseball snag, I think for now I will stick to Minor League games, let's face it I need the practice, and if that means catching water balloons during the game then so be it!

 Major League Baseball

2007 Season

26 May - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (3-1 LAA)

13 June - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. NY Yankees (7-2 NYY)

17 June - NY Mets vs. NY Yankees (8-2 NYY)

04 July - Minnesota Twins vs. NY Yankees (6-2 TWINS)

07 July - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (2-1 LAA)

21 July - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (7-3 NYY)

01 Aug - Chicago White Sox vs. NY Yankees (8-1 NYY)

17 Aug - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-1 NYY)

28 Aug - Boston Red Sox vs. NY Yankees (5-3 NYY)

31 Aug - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (9-1 TAM)

02 Sept - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (8-2 TAM)

21 Sept - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (5-4 TOR)

2008 Season

03 Apr - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (3-2 NYY)

29 Apr - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-4 DET)

06 May - Cleveland Indians vs. NY Yankees (5-3 CLE)

19 June - San Diego Padres vs. NY Yankees (2-1 NYY)

Minor League Baseball

2008 Season

22 June - Hudson Valley Renegades vs. Staten Island Yankees (3-0 SINY)

MLB Games Attended: 16

MiLB Games Attended: 1

Baseballs Snagged: zero

Autographs: Three

I arrived at Yankee Stadium at about 11:15am, just minutes before they opened the gates. I managed to work myself through the crowd and was in the Stadium with minutes, I grabbed my free final season cap and off I headed to left field. By the time I got there it was already packed. The Yankees were batting. Barely any balls came my way: this was not going to be my day. The highlight of the Yankees batting was watching Mariano Rivera catch a fly ball while warming up in center field. The Padres were out next, though they did not take batting practice, only a few came out to warm up. A few players signed balls for some kids, who were Padres fans, and that was about it. This meant my run of games is now 16 without my first Major League Baseball Snag.

I would like to mention one interesting thing that took place during batting practice. There was a guy with a contraption for snagging baseballs and used it right in front of me to snag a ball on the warning track. I wish I had taken a photo. This contraption, what seemed a metal milkshake cup with holes in the bottom, was attached to a long piece of string. He said it used suction to trap the balls. However this ball was earlier thrown to a kid by a Padres player, the kid was unable to catch the ball as it hit his glove and bounced onto the warning track. Upon snagging the ball with his contraption he was hounded by others around him including the kids parents and he reluctantly gave up his ball to the kid, who in turn thanked him, this guy even refused to take up the parents offer of a beer: he was not amused and felt hard done by. I asked him how many balls he had snagged, he said 3 (I am sure that was his total for the day not his total overall) I said have you heard of Zack Hample the Baseball Collector, he replied: "Who?" I said: 'he has snagged about 3500 Major League Baseballs', I think he was either a beginner, ignorant, or just still fuming about his ball 'that got away' and the last thing he wanted was someone like me mentioning Zack Hample to him, still it was amusing to be there to watch this, and was the only thing that helped my own annoyance of not snagging one myself!

The game was a hard fought 2-1 victory for the Yankees. Joba the starting pitcher with 100 pitches and 9 strikeouts and almost lasting 6 innings before being replaced with the crowd booing unhappy to see him removed, he had given up only one run.

So I have now sent myself to the Minors, Single A too. Sunday I must try and snag a Minor League Baseball, and so the wait continues............. and I don't mean until the new Yankee Stadium is ready!

Major League Baseball

2007 Season

26 May - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (3-1 LAA)

13 June - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. NY Yankees (7-2 NYY)

17 June - NY Mets vs. NY Yankees (8-2 NYY)

04 July - Minnesota Twins vs. NY Yankees (6-2 TWINS)

07 July - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (2-1 LAA)

21 July - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (7-3 NYY)

01 Aug - Chicago White Sox vs. NY Yankees (8-1 NYY)

17 Aug - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-1 NYY)

28 Aug - Boston Red Sox vs. NY Yankees (5-3 NYY)

31 Aug - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (9-1 TAM)

02 Sept - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (8-2 TAM)

21 Sept - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (5-4 TOR)

2008 Season

03 Apr - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (3-2 NYY)

29 Apr - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-4 DET)

06 May - Cleveland Indians vs. NY Yankees (5-3 CLE)

19 June - San Diego Padres vs. NY Yankees (2-1 NYY)

Minor League Baseball

2008 Season

22 June - Hudson Valley Renegades vs. Staten Island Yankees 

MLB Games Attended: 16

MiLB Games Attended: 0 (1)

Baseballs Snagged: zero

Autographs: zero

As I am a new fan to baseball my list is short and easy to record, so here goes, every Major League game I have attended to date, plus up coming games including my first Minor League game:

Major League Baseball

2007 Season

26 May - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (3-1 LAA)

13 June - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. NY Yankees (7-2 NYY)

17 June - NY Mets vs. NY Yankees (8-2 NYY)

04 July - Minnesota Twins vs. NY Yankees (6-2 TWINS)

07 July - LA Angels vs. NY Yankees (2-1 LAA)

21 July - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (7-3 NYY)

01 Aug - Chicago White Sox vs. NY Yankees (8-1 NYY)

17 Aug - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-1 NYY)

28 Aug - Boston Red Sox vs. NY Yankees (5-3 NYY)

31 Aug - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (9-1 TAM)

02 Sept - Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees (8-2 TAM)

21 Sept - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (5-4 TOR)

2008 Season

03 Apr - Toronto Blue Jays vs. NY Yankees (3-2 NYY)

29 Apr - Detroit Tigers vs. NY Yankees (6-4 DET)

06 May - Cleveland Indians vs. NY Yankees (5-3 CLE)

19 June - San Diego Padres vs. NY Yankees

Minor League Baseball

2008 Season

22 June - Hudson Valley Renegades vs. Staten Island Yankees 

MLB Games Attended: 15 (16)

MiLB Games Attended: 0 (1)

Baseballs Snagged: zero

Autographs: zero

June 19th I will be off to Yankee Stadium for my 4th game of the 2008 season and 16th Major League Game since getting hooked on baseball last season.

It's a day game and I will be hoping for some sun and plenty of action. Most importantly it will be my 16th attempt to snag my first Major League Baseball. On June the 22nd I have tickets to go watch Staten Island Yankees play Hudson Valley Renegades. I figure 16 games at Major League level is enough of a chance to snag my first ball before sending myself to the Minor Leagues in hope of that elusive first ever snag.

Let's hope come June the 23rd there will be a picture on here of my first ever snagged baseball.