Bring it on Yankee-haters!

I love the Spankees. Call them what you want, say they're bought, say they're old and washed up or over-rated every year. I don't care. Most Yankee fans don't. Would you care if someone said the same about your favorite team? Probably not. After a while all the bashing gets humorous, not hurtful. So save your breath!

I love April baseball. The season is fresh, the players are tanned and ready to go. Something about opening day just makes you happy; maybe it's because it means spring (unless of course you live in the Northeast) and that summer isn't far away. Fall being right around the corner from there. (my favorite season)
Maybe it's because it reminds you of sitting in the stands for a lazy, lovely Sunday double-header where you can smell the hots and hear the crack of the bat and the pop of the glove. Like Ray Liotta's Shoeless Joe said about baseball in the movie Field of Dreams "It's the sounds, the smells".
I love going to the ballpark; I just wish I did it more often.
But then there's always YES Network to fill my empty heart with Yankee joy. Yeah, the Yankees have their own freakin network. THAT'S gotta piss the haters off! Does any other team have one of their own? Doubt it, but I could be wrong.

I have my favorite Yankees. Currently it's Mike Mussina. Gotta love Michael Cole. (although I have to apologize the best pic I can find of him was in his 'Birds-wear, see upper-left) What's to hate? He keeps his yapper shut and just goes about his business. Not to mention he's a brain with a degree from Stanford.
I got to see Mike pitch here in Rochester for Triple-A before he went on to the Orioles for a few years. He was always an interesting pitcher to watch. Infact, I got an up-close and personal view of a work-out of his one time. The teams pitching coach was catching for him, I'm not sure what they working on, but the ball was just whizzing within feet of the fence that seperated me from the field. Saying that it was impressive was an understatement. I remember the coach looking over at me and saying "How did that look?" and I said "wow....very nice!" and they both laughed. I really didn't know what to say, I was just enjoying the moment. You know the kind,..when you know it'll never happen again. People say Mike isn't as good a pitcher as he used to be,..who is. All I know is I'd rather have him on my team than hit against him.

My all-time favorite Yankee is Don Mattingly, but at the same time I have to wonder about the Mattingly curse. Is it any coincedence that we never won a championship when he was a player and we're having the same issues ever since he became the hitting coach? If you're a sports fan you know, we're all VERY superstitious! As much as I love Donnie...it will take another ring to make me think otherwise.
But I still have the utmost respect for Don. To me he was a true Yankee; came up through the farm system, busted his ass and kept the press at bay the best he could. Him and Jeter are alot alike in that way,..respected by people with brains in their heads. Even rival Sox fans like him although they refuse to ever speak it as so.

So here's to best team money can buy. Without the haters it wouldn't be as much fun to win, so thanks!

and GO YANKS!!