"It's great to be young and a Yankee."

This is the type of game I've been waiting to see outta them. I've had no complaints for the last week of ball--their hitting's markedly sharper--but the complete flatlining in the face of pressure is burgeoning monkey of their backs. Most likely because during their dynasty, the opposite was their calling card. Say what you will about Mystique and Aura, but how else do you explain some of the insane comeback/clutch plays that happened in that stadium?

Almost 3 years ago to the day (May 16, 2006), the Yanks came back from 9-0 to win on a walk off from Posada, (F 13-14... first time that score ever occured in Yankee Stadium. Weird stat.)

Oddly, their batting numbers aren't as impressive as they've looked in the the games or so, but the difference came from the one hit each player did get, came when there were men on. (Still, 8 LOB, but I can live with that number if it's still producting 11 runs.

Not Petitte's greatest outing. 108 pitches in like 23 seconds of playing basically (ie 5 innings). The bullpen got their job down (both parts of it...padding the lead for the opponents then assigning the designated reliever-of-the-night-who-lightly-surprises-us-by-getting-out-of-an-inning-without any runs. Thanks, Edwar.)

Despite the fact that this was a hot W, I simply just can't devote nearly as many words as I'd like, describing the small, yet palpable burst of celebration from the crew at the bar--or the reassuring scene of game goers parading back into the UES post-victory, all decked out in their jersey, all high on baseball.

(Well, there was a notable exception. The man standing next to my barstool says, "Ya know, I was at this game. Cleared out when it was 9-4. Beat traffic though.)

To date, I have 3 Yankee games to my name that I left prematurely:

1.) Game 7, 2004 ALCS (also the first game I ever attended that they lost)

2.) Opening Day, 2007 (boyfriend at the time had to leave for work, and I think I'd rather spend 6 months in hell than be left to my own devices smack in section 39, aka the bleacher creatures. Nice guys, no doubt. But I never knew what "party foul" would set them off. Would getting up to get a hot dog provoke a section-wide chant? Would the fact I came straight from work in dress pants make me the target of a litany of "asssssshoollleee" cries?
3.) Last year, Yankees-Mariners. (May 23, 2008--I refuse to even admit nor disclose the good-intentioned nicety around the rationale for leaving this game early)

Well now it's 5:30am and I have to wake up in a few hours to get ready for "Kris visits GNH for the first time."

Another thing I'm embarrassed to admit (but will disclose) is the fact that for much of the time I've been awake for absolutely no reason, it was to make a final decision on the "to crutch or not to crutch" issue. Technically I need to be back on the demon sticks. But I hate them and I'm so so bad at walking in them, and where the f am I even gonna store them once I sit down? My buddy assures me the stadium is "very accomodating" but no one's accomodating when they're rushing to get back to watching a game.

I have a feeling the crutches are getting the temporary kabosh this weekend. It's hard enough getting around the bleachers without worrying about some psychopath deciding my crutch would be a good javelin to slice down the visiting bullpen. (Yeah, I might even be said psychopath after a few drinks.)

If I was a Bulls or Celtics fan right now, I'd be in the ICU, from coronary attacks. Good luck with that Game 7 tomorrow. And by good luck, I mean I hope the Bulls win.