Monument Park Needs An Addition

Anyone who knows me, reads this blog or my posts on Baseball Digest, knows that Bobby Murcer was my boyhood idol. He was THE MAN when the Yankees had next to nothing. I cried when he was traded and rejoiced when he returned.

I was saddened when he retired in June, 1983, but was ecstatic to learn he was joining the broadcast team. For years, I got to enjoy his enthusiasm, sense of humor, Oklahoma twang, and his love for all things Yankees.

And then felt the pain of his illness, which hit close to home, and subsequent passing.

Over the years his popularity was revitalized/rejuvenated. He was always a popular player, but as the Yankees created a new dynasty in the late '90's, the fans remembered what it was like in the lean years - the Declinasty that stretched from the mid 1960's to the mid 1970's. That Bobby was one of the few, along with Thurman Munson, Mel Stottelmyre, and Roy White that gave the Yankees something to root for.

All in all, Bobby spent most of his time from 1966 into 2008 as part of the Yankees family. It's for that reason that Bobby deserves a plaque in the new Yankee Stadium's Monument Park.

The thought of a plaque came to be a couple of weeks ago. I thought, I'll start a Facebook page! Should have known - there already is one. I think it is also time for a letter writing campaign to the Yankees front office. Lonn Trost would be the most likely recipient and perhaps Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine.

There are a whole lot of more important things going on in the country right now, but I for
one need something positive and non-polarizing to concentrate on. A plaque ceremony on Old-Timer's Day would be awesome!

Let's do this!

Yankees Start '10 in Walk Off

The temperatures in Tampa, Florida were unusually cold yesterday afternoon, but the New York Yankees were already in mid-Summer form. Prospect Colin Curtis belted a 3-run, walk off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Yankees a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the teams’ grapefruit league opener.

The walk off win became a staple of last year’s team that captured its 27th title and though it was just an exhibition game, the ironic outcome of yesterday’s game was lost on no one.

Chad Gaudin started for the Bombers and was followed by two of his fellow combatants for the 5th starter spot, Sergio Mitre and Al Aceves. The three combined to allow just one hit over six innings. A rough beginning by Jonathan Albadejo and a Yankees error helped the Pirates tie things up in the 7th after the Yankees had jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

But after lead off singles by fellow minor leaguers Brandon Laird and Jon Weber to start the 9th, Curtis hit a no doubt about (in fairness almost all home runs in the grapefruit league are no doubt about it due to the wind) blast off Virgil Vasquez to right-center for the game winner.

Ramiro Pena opened the scoring for the Yankees in the 6th with a solo home run. Nick Johnson added an RBI double and Weber drove in a third run in the inning with the first of his two singles. Former Yankees prospect was charged with all three runs.

Game Notes

The Yankees traditionally wore their pinstripes for the only time during spring training.

Curtis Granderson played centerfield and was 0-2 in his Yankees’ debut.