My First Baseball Season on Twitter - A Thank You

I joined the wonderful world of Twitter a year ago, but in March of this year, I signed back on to try to find some interesting people to follow and have cantankerous discussions with. Needless to say, I got more than I bargained for. After having waded my way through Spring Training with the Yankees and Twitter folk, I found myself having conversations with two women more and more. If you follow me on Twitter, you know who I am talking about, it's no secret. I'll call them S & M for the purpose of mild anonymity (and anyone who knows them will get a kick out of the nickname). S & M have become surprising good friends of mine (yes, in real life) and I constantly am surprised by their wit, humor and good-natured debaucherous personalities. Through these two, I have attached myself to many of their followers and have developed a nice little "TwitterFam" and could not be happier with the new friends I surround myself with and converse with on a daily basis.

Other things I have realized this season is the availability of media personalities on Twitter. I have had a chance to comment, converse and banter with some of the beat writers that I would normally only read about and wonder what they are like. This also goes for on-air personalities and behind the scene minions (no disrespect guys!). The access that Twitter has allowed me to have to these people has really changed the way that I watch the game and my beloved Yankees.

On the other hand though, I have to admit that I was a hypocrite when it comes to the belief that everyone should have the ability to speak your mind and post your opinion. I believe that whatever you have to say should be said, because no one has the right to tell you what to do. But then I went ahead and unfollowed people who did nothing but claim gloom and doom were in store for the entire season. For that, I apologize, because I see now that I judged where I shouldn't have.

While the regular season was fun, especially having Twitter to entertain me while I was on boring business trips and getting advice from S & M when it came to personal decisions, the playoffs were another story. This is where I saw the true heart of the Yankees fans I've been chatting with all year really emerge. "Tweetups" during the season were lots and lots of fun, because nothing cements a friendship like singing in bars, taking trips to Atlantic City, meeting up at games and visiting my favorite Yankees Stadium usher every time I went to a game. But the "Tweetup" we had during the post season was fantastic. Some new friends and some old friends were there and fun was had by all. But again, the outpouring of love for "our" team was rampant and totally uplifting.

And yes, as we all know, the Yankees did not win it all this year. It was a bitter disappointment, but not anything shocking or completely unimaginable. I now find myself suffering through my normal "off-season depression". But believe it or not, Twitter makes it a hell of a lot easier. So this is my "Thank You" to all my followers and those I follow, because this was one hell of a season. Even if the Yankees didn't take the Championship.

But hey, there's always next year...

Top Three: Safeco Field

I had the opportunity to go to Safeco Field while in Seattle for a conference, and all I can say is "WOW". The following are my top three things about it:

3) The food.
No question, I'm a big fan of food, you should already know this. But not only did I get to eat my favorite thing in the world:
but I also got to sample my favorite ballpark fare:
Unfortunately, after I ate, no one wanted to talk to me...oh well, their loss!

2) The views from all over the stadium.
I make it a point when I visit a new stadium to walk the entire stadium, top to bottom. I really love when I know that no matter where the seats are, I'm going to have a fantastic view. There was no exception at Safeco. I completely understood why when my friend Rich went here for the All-Star Game, he said that there was no bad seat in the house.

1) The cost of tickets.
While the fact that my seats were available was amazing to me, the cost is what really shocked me. 2nd row, next to the Mariners dugout. $60. Yes, you read that right, $60. I was face to face before the game with one of the stars of the Mariners:
but really enjoyed a great night watching (unfortunately, the Mariners lost to the Blue Jays that night, but I did get to see fans go apesh*t for Ichiro).

All in all, easily one of my favorite stadiums, from the helpful and polite information guys on their Segways
to the fact that it didn't cost me an arm and a leg to get this close to the players!
And before you ask, you should know that of course, I wore my Yankees jersey (but I rooted for the home team, which garnered me much respect!).

"Top Three" Yankees/Red Sox Gameday Memories

"Top Three" Yankees / Red Sox Gameday Memories

With the opening series against the Red Sox last week, I was reminded of the years of fun I had living through the trauma that is the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry. Having grown up in New York, and having gone to college in Massachusetts, I have seen both the good and the bad sides of being a Yankees fan. And these are my top three moments:

3) Yankees vs. Red Sox, September 2, 2001

If any of you remember this game, you remember one thing. One pitch. Mussina was one pitch away. No-no's are so notorious that I can remember thinking to myself, while seated in Fenway's bleacher section, "Don't think about it, you'll jinx him!"

As previously noted, I attended school in the Massachusetts area, and became very close with a phenomenal group of friends who I still talk to today. Even though they are all die-hard Red Sox fans. They had been trying for years to convert me (still are in fact) and invited me to go with them to a few games in 2001 (including Opening Day at Fenway, which was on April 1st, so I made a t-shirt that stated that I was the #1 Red Sox fan). Little did they know that inviting me to this Yankees/Sox game would be so instantly memorable.

My friends and I were having a blast that day, enjoying the good weather and a great defensive baseball game. I remember as Moose was sitting in the dugout all by himself, in the 7th inning when everyone was avoiding him like the plague, I first realized that there was a no-no on the
line. I couldn't say anything to anyone, because I am not the only one who is supersticious. I once spent 4 innings of a baseball game in the bathroom of a hotel room because I swore it helped the Yankees (see #2 for that story).

So my friends and I spend two more innings in tortured silence. Finally, when the 9th inning came along, you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Fenway was insane with Red Sox fans screaming for someone to break up the no-no (but not my friends...). When Carl Everett came up to the plate, I thought this was too easy. Then he hit a freaking bloop line drive that ruined Mussina's perfect game. Moose still finished the game like the champ he was, but the no-no was no more.

Even though there was the letdown of the not so perfect game, I was still happy. After all, the Yankees still beat the Red Sox.

2) Red Sox vs. Yankees, October 16, 2003 (ALCS Game 7)

I was travelling to Fort Worth, TX for work the week of the ALCS. As my luck would have it, my senior collegue that I was travelling with was a huge, obnoxious Red Sox fan and was determined to ruin my week. Watching the games with him at different bars that week in the land of excess
(everything is bigger in Texas) was torture. Every hit or run by the Sox would elicit a "HA, YOU SUCK!" from him, which just drove me batty. We were planning on flying out Friday morning, the 17th of October from the DFW airport, so we decided to stay at a hotel closer to the airport
to avoid the morning traffic the night before. He told me that I better pray that the Red Sox won that night or I'd have to get my own ride to the airport, cause he was going to, and I quote, "leave my stinking Yankees loving ass" at the hotel.

After a week of hell with this guy, I make an executive decision. I told him that I just couldn't take watching another game with him, especially one as important as Game 7 of the ALCS. So I was going to opt to watch the game alone, in my hotel room.

Phone calls and emails were rampant during the game, calling my dad in NY, emailing my Red Sox friends, it was all a blur. What I really remember is going to the bathroom in the 8th inning, and coming out to see we had tied the game. From that moment on, I spent the rest of the
game standing in the bathroom doorway, convinced that if I did, the Yankees would somehow know this, and win.

With the crack of the bat, the 11th inning became history. Aaron Boone was our hero. And I could emerge from the bathroom a happy girl. While I am not a naturally spiteful or provoking fan, I wrote my first and only "Eat Sh*t" email to all of my Red Sox friends that night after the game. I chalk it up to having stood in the bathroom for over an hour. But honestly, I still read it now and then, just to relive the feeling I felt that night.

And to answer the question, true to his word, he tried to leave without me. Thank goodness I was camped by the front door of the hotel waiting for him.

1) Red Sox vs. Yankees, July 19-21, 2002

My aforementioned Massachusetts friends and I decided to spend a weekend in NY to attend the two games on the 19th and the 20th at the Stadium. Lucky for me, one of the MA guys went to school with a Yankees fan friend who lived in NY who was going to join us (so I wasn't the only
Yankees fan with 7 Red Sox fans). We went to my parent's place on Long Island and took the train into the city (and for those of you who didn't grow up in NY, the city is Manhattan) to meet "Yankees Friend" and had a great afternoon just futzing around.

That night there was a horrendous rain storm, delaying the game for almost two hours. Well, we weren't that upset, they were still selling beer in the concourse. When the game did get underway, Pedro vs. Moose, it was tons of fun sitting high up in right field screaming our heads
off. "Yankees Friend" and I hit it off immediately and I was thrilled to have an ally. Unfortunately, the Yankees lost 4-2 that day. I still blame it on the rain delay. Moose was better than that.

After the game, we ran to catch the subway to get to Penn to catch the train home. I didn't realize until it was too late that we had caught the booby prize of late night trains...the "transfer in Jamaica" train. When did I notice this? About 30 seconds before the doors closed at
Jamaica. So we all run to the other platform where the train is waiting and get on. Then we notice. We're not all there. There's one missing.

So now I freak out because I'm the only one from NY who knows the LIRR system and what the lines/stops are. I see the missing friend on the opposing train, whose doors have closed, banging on the door with his fists like a kid. Then the impossible happens. I hear dinging, his door
opens, and he runs over to us and gets on our train, which was seconds from departing. As we're pulling away I ask him how he got someone's attention to get them to open the doors. He answered "oh, I didn't, I just pulled the emergency cord!" Yeah, that's right, he probably caused
that train to be stuck there for an hour while they researched who pulled the cord.

I won't go into more details about the personal stories for the weekend but will reference a few key moments: one friend dropping her wallet on the LIRR tracks and another jumping down to get it, one friend not putting enough sunscreen on his face and burning two horn-looking areas
on his forehead, a night of drinking that concluded in a Sox fan getting his picture taken with a Yankees hat on his head and my favorite, me being called "Mom" all weekend because I kept checking to make sure we were all present and accounted for.

Saturday's game was in the blazing heat, and we were roasting in the upper decks. Thank god that game went to extra innings. Heatstroke was abundant amongst the crowd, but it wasn't all for naught, the Yankees won it in 11. I do remember my Yankees nemesis, Mendoza, giving up runs in the top of the 8th, making me want to wait for him after the game with a steel pipe.

I had tickets for Sunday's game, but only for me and one friend. I don't remember half of that game, after the marathon game in the heat the day before and the exhaustion that had set in. I do remember having absolutely no voice because I screamed louder during the last two games
than I had in forever. Oh yeah, and I remember the Yankees coming back to score two in the 9th to win the game. It's funny what you remember. I like to think that it shows my loyalty as a fan.

Man, I'm exhausted now. Just remembering that weekend zaps all my energy. But hot damn, it was one of the best times I've had in a long time.

Top Three: MLB Stadiums

I am going to start my "Top Three" series again that my old blog followers remember. And I'm starting, in honor of Opening Day on Sunday, with my "Top Three" MLB Stadiums.

3) Petco Park - San Diego, California

I was lucky enough to go to this park in 2007 after a business trip in San Diego, doing dorky Engineering stuff aboard the USS Ronald Reagan while cruising out in the water for a week. I stayed in the Gaslight District in downtown San Diego and laughed when the concierge said to me that while there, I should take a walk and go see a game. The reason it was funny is that seeing a game at Petco Park was the 2nd reason I was staying a few extra days in the city (the first was to go to the world famous San Diego Zoo).

Walking to the stadium, I got to view the beautiful downtown area and especially loved the grandness of Petco Park in the middle of the city. The ticket window attendant was surprised when I said to her "Just 1 ticket, but make it a good one!". Is it really that hard to imagine a girl wanting to go to a game by herself? That night the Padres were playing the San Francisco Giants (both teams I had never seen in person before). I got my ticket and shuffled into the stadium.

I first did a complete 360 of the stadium so I could check out everything. I thought the concrete bleachers where fans could bring their dogs was awesome. How great to share America's favorite pasttime with Man's Best Friend! I talked to a few people who looked like they were seasoned fans and got the scoop on the best fare at the park: Rubio's fish tacos and the garlic fries. And man, were they right!

So I get to my seats, and I'm sitting with the opposing teams' families! In fact, I found myself sitting right next to Dave Robert's wife. And yes, I was decked out in Yankees gear and she laughed and said "Oh, you probably don't like my husband very much, do you?". We had a good laugh, and I enjoyed a great game. I especially enjoyed the fact that in the later innings, the ushers for the areas closer to the field were amicable and would point out empty seats that you could go sit in (or maybe this was just for me, since I'm so nice).

2) Rangers Ballpark (formerly Ameriquest Stadium) - Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

I traveled to Fort Worth, TX a lot for a previous Rocket Scientist job, and if it was during the baseball season, you could always find me at least one night at Ameriquest Stadium (as it was called at the time).

This park (until #1 came along) was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen. The aesthetics from the parking lot were breathtaking, and I especially love the wide open feel of the grandstand area and the walkways. One thing not to miss, if you have kids, is the pre-game festivities on the lawn outside the park. They have lots of baseball drill activities and even a mini-field where they can play in an organized game.

Something that really struck me as amazing, and don't laugh, were the bathrooms. As a girl used to going to Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium for years, the Women's bathrooms were always kinda shady and not always the cleanest places in the world. These bathrooms were GORGEOUS! Tile floors, shiny fixtures and so clean you could see your reflection!

One memorable game I went to, I had the same ticket window experience that I had in San Diego. The look of surprise when I ask for 1 ticket. But this time, the attendant smiled and said "I have just the seat for you!". So I get my ticket, which by the way are cheaper than I'm used to, and haul my Yankees-wearing butt to the section. Row 1, can't beat that. Turns out I'm sitting in a single seat, right along the wall, next to the ball boy. It was a phenomenal view and I was amongst all season ticket holders. They said that the seat usually goes empty because it is a single seat, and they were happy to have someone new at the game, even if I am a Yankees fan. The only down side of the night, the ball boy refused to give me any foul balls, saying everyone would hate him if he gave a ball to a non-Rangers fan. Oh well...

1) Yankees Stadium - Bronx, New York

I know I'm gonna get flamed for this, but this #1 is for the new stadium, not the old. While the bleachers in the old stadium were my favorite spot to watch the Bronx Bombers play, the new stadium just blew it away.

My first time to the stadium, my brother and I caught a ride with a friend of his and his friend's dad. We had a beer across the street as usual, then headed into the stadium, 2+ hours ahead of game time. The Yankees were playing the Red Sox that night, so it was a madhouse, even that early. I was actually thrilled to be there that early, because I wanted to see EVERYTHING!

When we walked in, and got to the ground level concourse, I swear I almost started crying. I was so excited and so in awe that I was moved. The cool part was that the Yankees were in right field warming up and throwing around, and the ushers were letting anyone who wanted to go down to the wall to watch the practice. We all went down and were bantering with the players, specifically Aceves and Cano, and a great time was had by everyone there.

Next we went to Monument Park. Pictures taken with the monuments, rubbing the Babe Ruth one, all so extremely exciting. There's nothing like that kind of respect and tribute for former greats.

My favorite part of the park is the Museum. I couldn't believe the amount of memorabilia there for anyone to see, take pictures of and even be a part of. World Series Championship trophies, player gear, a replica of a locker from the locker room, and my favorite part - the baseball wall. We had so much fun finding the signed baseballs by our favorite players and taking pictures for those who weren't with us (Paul O'Neill for my mom, Tino for me, Donnie Baseball for many)...

Gametime was approaching so we made our way to our bleacher seats and were thrilled with the new addition to the outfield - BEER! The only downfall was that it was hard to see the big screen from our seats, but seriously, we can see just about everything from where we sit. The seats that I'm working on getting for this year are the Batter's Eye seats. There are two rows of seats, located up high, in dead center field, right above the Mohegan Sun Sports bar. That's gotta be an amazing view.

The game was awesome, the Yankees led from the beginning and ended up winning, just as I had hoped. While I loved the old Yankees Stadium, I can't help but feel that we're gonna see even more championships in this park than in the old, and that just makes it feel like home.

Sage Advice

A word to the wise. When speaking to a woman on the phone, and you can't figure out how old she is, do not, I repeat, DO NOT refer to her as "Ma'am". If the woman is under the age of 40, I can almost guarantee that this will offend her. Oh yes, we understand you are trying to be polite. But it doesn't matter, it makes us feel as old as our mother's are. Which is some cases is wicked old.

On that note, politeness is a lost art in an industry that is male dominated. The "seasoned" men (can't say "old" anymore) tend to prefer the "boy's club" way of doing business, and will inevitably ask me to place the lunch order or schedule a meeting for them. I love telling them "Sorry, but my Engineering Degree and three Master's Degrees say I don't have to do that..."

It is refreshing though to be treated with respect when entering a meeting room by someone standing up and shaking my hand. If I haven't met you before, don't wait for me to come to you. Stand up, meet me halfway. It's what civilized people do.

And a word to the wise, don't ask the only female in the meeting room if she'll go get coffee for the group. She'll just take offense and plot against you for the rest of her career. Well, at least this female would...

Yes, Virginia, I am a Rocket Scientist...

One of the most common questions that I get from people is "Are you really a Rocket Scientist?". My answer is almost always "Why would I lie??". It's not like being an Aerospace Engineer is all that glamorous, especially because I don't work for NASA (well, I don't anymore...I used to be contracted by them). I just happen to be a girl who knew what she wanted to do from the age of 10, after my first trip to SpaceCamp (yes, like the movie), and did what she had to do to get there.

But even more fun is the comment I normally get after my answer: "I didn't think girls really did that kinda thing"...oh yeah? Well, I didn't know that morons asked questions stupider than they are. I worked damn hard to be what I am, and I'm proud of it. Not to mention the tens of thousands of dollars my parents spent to send me to a good, dork-certified Engineering college (which for you girls is a smorgasbord of boys, although 9 out of 10 are so dorky they are scared to death of the female sex).

The second thing that is important to know about me is that I love baseball, and more specifically, the New York Yankees. I grew up on Long Island, and we weren't poor, so I was lucky enough to get to go to a large number of Yankees and Mets games. I remember the joy of the "Amazing Mets" (and yeah, I even owned the cassette single of "Meet the Mets") and catching my first foul ball, only to have it ripped out of my hands by an obnoxious, older male fan, then having to tell my dad that he should calm down before we got kicked out of Yankee Stadium.

After college in MA (yeah, those Sox fans were annoying), and a couple of years in Florida, I finally settled in Connecticut, land of ambiguity. I live right in the area that is 50/50 with Yankees/Sox fans so my loyalty is either praised or hated, depending on which side of the river you are on.

So, that's me in a nutshell...more to come...