I took my son Zack to the Yankees game (must have been some genetic mutation, since the rest of the family are Mets fans) and although the Yanks lost, there was plenty to get excited about . Jorge Posada threw slammed Toronto pitcher Jesse Carlson after Posada scored on Brett Gardner’s double. The ump immediately ejected Posada, the benches cleared, and a scrum ensured. Not the brightest move by Posada, since the Yanks look playoff bound and the last thing they need is some freak injury from a brawl. But Carlson threw behind Posada earlier–the benches cleared for that too, but there was no fight–so the catcher had some motivation. Carlson ended up with a bruise on his forehead. The brawl gave me an opportunity to talk to Zack about sportsmanship.
Although we saw the benches clear, Zack and I only caught a fleeting glance of the deed, it looked like Posada bumped Carlson with his shoulder. One fan sitting in front of use described it a Posada “tapping” the pitcher. They didn’t repeat that on the “jumbotron.” And for good reason, since you don’t want to give fans a reason to be rowdy. The blackout didn’t work anyway, since someone sitting behind home plate, threw a beer bottle onto the field shortly after the fracas. Our seats, about forty rows behind first base, gave us a great view of everything.
The Yankees scored first on a singles by Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter. After that, it was a showcase of Toronto offense courtesy of Sergio Mitre who was serving up more meatballs than Mike’s Deli a few miles away on Arthur Avenue. We bought a program ($10) and showing Zack how to score and telling him about the great Yankees whose numbers were retired gave me a nice feeling. Sure, I would’ve preferred to tell him about Tom Seaver and Keith Hernandez, but any baseball fan should enjoy talking about Ruth, Gehrig, and of course, Montclair’s own Yogi Berra. I wanted to take him to Monument Park, but it’s closed during games.
The seat attendant and the folks sitting by us were really nice. My son dropped a pair of mini binoculars as we left to get food. When we returned, the Yankee seat guy asked us if we lost the binoculars and gave them back to us. Several people sitting by us also asked if we lost binoculars.
It was a memorable night. Priceless? Maybe. Expensive? Yessiree, tickets, program, parking, food and a cap and t-shirt totaled $350. I scored the tickets on Stub Hub for 99 bucks apiece. I tried the Yankee website, but that was a pain and the Ticketmaster phone system was maddening, unresponsive and engineered to steer you to buying the most expensive tickets. Dads looking for a pricey memory with their kid can catch the last Yankee home stand Sept. 25-30. Tickets for the games against Boston will put you in the poor house, but the last three games are against Kansas City.
Aside from the usual hot dogs and burgers, we saw a BBQ stand, noodle shop, and sushi bar. I like the food better at Citifield (especially the pulled pork and tacos), but this year, the quality of baseball there will turn your stomach. – Rob Marzulli
In the new age of Obama– This is RACISM!!!
Jorge Posada (a Latino) got hit by the White guy.
How else do you expect him to react?
I think the Selig needs to address this blatant act and make the White guy apologize during Game 1 of the World Series.
This cannot stand!!!
Why is this on Baristanet?
B/c Rob Marzulli wants us to know he was there.
In 1978 I went to a Yankees game. The crowd was really rowdy and a couple of fans ran out on the field to say ‘Hi’ to Reggie. Reggie actually held one of them until security arrived. Later in the game another large fan with a football helmet ran onto the field and as security approaced he adopted a fighter’s stance and dared them to get him. They actually deployed a net and were able to ensnare him with it. They dragged him off the field – unceremoniously – and down the dugout steps ( I could see him bouncing down the concrete – it looked painful ).
In addition there were about 10 fights between fans during the game.
I loved going to Yankess games back then!!
“Why is this on Baristanet?”
Because Rob Marzulli appears to be a very talented writer who took us out to the ballgame with him and his son…
I was at the yanks last night as well (seriously). I saw the brawl…and it was Corizines fault.
As a parent, I realize that parents have different standards for rasing their children – not necessarily better or worse…but different.
In this case, however, I am really curious why anyone would pay money to subject their children to watching overpaid, immature men engage in such violent, unsportsman like behavior?
Yes, yes, yes…I know baseball is (or was) an American pastime. But are some of these pro games really worth it?
My father took me once (as part of that father-son tradition), and was so appalled by everyone’s behavior that we never went back. Thanks dad!!!
Keeps ’em off the streets and out of the Acorn offices, Diagonyc.
Diagonyc,
Why pay money to go to a baseball game? Simple, The 3 B’s.. beer, baseball and brawlin, its what makes the world go round.
I LOVED going to baseball games as a kid. My dad worked in shipping at his company and he was always scoring free Yankees tickets. One time, these drunk guys offered me some $$$ to yell out Paul O’Neill’s name, but I was a dummy who was too chicken and intimidated to take up their offer. Another time it was so hot, we arrived at the stadium, took our seats, sweat our asses off for five minutes and went right back to the car and drove home. My dad was/is a huge Yankee’s fan, he gave my boyfriend his very worn out Mattingly tshirt a few years ago which meant a lot to me. Now my dad lives in Massachusetts with all those Boston fans and he gets a kick out of talking smack to them about their LAME team.
Because Rob Marzulli appears to be a very talented writer who took us out to the ballgame with him and his son…
And here I was… Just about to ask Liz to spot check Mr. Marzulli’s writing next time and maybe clear out the assorted grammatical mistakes.
Jorge Posada threw slammed… Well, which was it?
and a scrum ensured. A what??
My personal boredom with baseball aside, I would hope that Baristanet main articles would be at least a little better written than the average comment (my own included, of course).
I hate baseball. I was once dragged to a Mets vs. San Diego game by some well-meaning friends who thought–mistakenly–that once I was exposed to a live game, I might come around. I brought a book and an apple.
Well, I am sitting quietly in my seat, a few rows back behind first base, nose in book, when I hear all this commotion around me. I look down and a fly ball had rolled under my seat. My friend, Joe, yelled at me to “Pick it up! Put it in your purse! Quickly!”
Apparently, someone named Randy Ready (sounds like a porn name) had hit a foul ball.
I scooped up said ball, shoved it into my oversized purse and looked around at a lot of scary, angry eyeballs.
I still have this ball.
A second strange thing happened to me that day. I was bored so I decided to buy one of those obnoxious Mets dog squeeze toys. I open the package and the little toy dog had a shirt on that read, “New York Yankees.”
Diagonyc,
You can go see FRESH tonight.
Or sip wine with your pinkie out as you discuss world affairs with your equally dumb friends.
But forgive me, if you don’t like baseball fine, no need to trade in bashing the sport and those who love it.
As for overpaid, who should get all the revenue? Some business man you’ve never heard of? Or Jeter?
(Oh, to those waxing poetic about prices, our teams sell out the seats, so just cause you can’t afford it, don’t go crying– someone can. You can always watch it for free on TV.)
And understand, folks are paid by the scarcity of their ability.
Which is why teachers get paid so little, because SO damn many folks can do it.
How many can hit a 100 mph fastball?
Or throw a football with accuracy 55 yards?
Or hit a golf ball 4 times covering 400 yards into a little hole in the ground?
Get the point?
Sports players get paid their worth. They quantifiably bring revenue/wins/people to their events.
Same with entertainers.
My father took me once (as part of that father-son tradition), and was so appalled by everyone’s behavior that we never went back. Thanks dad!!!
Oh, you guys sound like loads of fun.
Going to baseball games with my dad was one of the most fun things I can remember. We were never thinking about player salaries, or the boors in the stands when Mattingly would lift a double to right. We were just having a great time.
This theory of people being paid according to the “scarcity of their ability’ explains, I guess, why fighter pilots make 23 millions a year.
And research chemists make 12 millions (its not as hard).
I don’t begrudge athletes or entertainers their big checks. They generate revenue, and provide many others with jobs as well. I quite agree that Jeter deserves the cash more than Steinbrenner does.
But scarcity of ability? Come on.
I’m a diehard baseball fan, so I love all things MLB, but I can understand how going to these games might not be fun for everyone.
Side note though – I worked over at the Jackals for quite some time and have found that even friends and family who can’t stand the sport have enjoyed themselves because there is so much else going on and it’s not going to cost you an arm and a leg. Plus, $1 beer night – everyone wins JK 🙂
Baseball is probably the best team sport ever invented. The skill required at the level of Little League is impressive; at the pro level, it’s almost beyond belief. At its best, baseball is perfectly balanced between defense and offense, and when the game breaks one way or the other, nothing is more exhilerating. Sure, the trappings of celebrity get a bit tedious. Like all human endeavors, baseball isn’t perfect. But it’s pretty damn good.
How many fighter (or pilots) are there? A lot. (But since the military has a lock on them, that’s not a good analogy.)
And every college/university has a “research chemist.”
(And when the “research chemist” invents something of great value, if they have decent contracts, they gets paid!)
Again, the point is scarcity of ability, coupled with that ability bringing in large amounts of cash.
Why do star traders, agents, professors, doctors, etc. get more than the average in those fields? Ability coupled with bringing in the cash. Or better yet, the perception that they bring in the cash.
But who cares?
As long as we’re not discussing soccer.
I. Hate. Soccer.
“But scarcity of ability? Come on.”
Yes indeedy that is exactly how it works. But the “ability” isn’t playing baseball it’s selling tickets. The skill set and talent required are not just playing ball.
If there were 100 as qualified guys chasing every job they wouldn’t be paid in the millions.
The reason Jeter makes $143 million is because he’ll generate $300 million. And that ability is very very scarce.
Sorry prof. Its not the scarcity of ability, but rather the value that the society puts on a particular skill. Here, athletic skill and musical, etc. skill is valued more than most others, so people with those skills are paid more.
Its very simple.
And, as I’m sure you know, the brouhaha about intellectual property vis-s-vis professors, chemists, and the like points to the fact that very often these folks DON’T get paid.
And of course no thread would be complete without the ROC throwing his 2 cents in as well. But no, sorry, that’s NOT how it works, though of course I’m sure you’ll offer as proof that it is the very fact that you say so. The fact that I noted that Jeter was worth it because he generated revenue shoudl by no means dissaude you from arguing, while of course saying exactly the same thing,
It is ever thus.
By the way, my nephew can whistle “The Soldier’s Song” while standing on his head and juggling potatoes with his feet. I’m pretty sure that’s an ability that is quite “scarce”.
how much can he get, do you think? I mean, college is coming up and all.
Will anyone pay to see the kid?
That’s the question.
And since he’ll probably shoot it and put it on youtube for free, who cares.
Other than your nephew and his amazing ability, who else sells tickets, gets ratings, etc. who is not paid?
Again, for the scarcity of their ability.
(Remember I said perception of scarcity as if no one else can read jokes like the great Colbert…..)
The answer to your question prof, is no one.
no one who gets ratings, sells tickets, etc. is not paid. But again, they are paid according to the value that society puts on their skill set, not their ability to do said thing. One look at American Idol will show you that there are way more singers than surgeons. Being a singer is not all that rare an ability. But bringing in millions, well that is. So it is not the ability itself as much as it is the willingness of society to pay for perceived “talent”.
As for how much they’re paid… I recall watching an interview with Shaquille O’Neal several years ago wherein he said that while he was rich, the guy who signed his checks was “wealthy”.
And most folks don’t even know HIS name.
(Who signs Shaq’s checks? Why it’s our own walleroo.)
I do write checks for Shaq from time to time, from the royalties I collect from the technique I invented for removing brain tumors without damaging the surrounding tissue, which is now used throughout the world. I also loan money to Gov. Corzine and Mayor Bloomberg, mainly to help pay off gambling debts.