NYY Stadium Insider Exclusive - Photo of Clemens at Canseco's Party

Who knew that Peter Abraham of the Journal News was there as well?!?





There is a time stamp on it, so it has to be real.

Thanks to DK of the Yankee message board for this "exclusive" Read the full post, after the jump

Yankees Spring Training TV Schedule

UPDATE: 3/18 - The Virginia Tech / Yankees game will be available on MLB.TV for free and also on SOPCAST. Check the links: Available Free on MLB.tv & VP7, 400k

UPDATE: 3/6 - There is no SOPCAST link for the Yankees vs. Reds Spring Training game today. No network is televising this game, so there is nowhere to stream a SOPCAST feed from.

UPDATE: 3/2 - Instead of updating every day, I will simply post the SOPCAST link next to the game on the schedule when it becomes available, most likely the day of. For more information on Sopcast, please click here

UPDATE: 3/1 - Sopcast link for the 3/1 game @ PHI (not on TV): VP7

UPDATE: 2/25 - Games in HD are now listed!

As of now, these games will be televised (SOPCAST LINKS ADDED DAY OF):

3/2 - 1:15 PM vs. PHI on YES HD SOPCAST - VP7
3/3 - 1:05 PM @ HOU no TV SOPCAST - CLICK HERE
3/5 - 1:15 PM vs. MIN on YES/ESPN HD SOPCAST - CLICK HERE or HERE
3/7 - 1:15 PM vs HOU on YES HD SOPCAST - VP20/CNY Sports
3/8 - 1:15 PM vs TB on YES HD SOPCAST - CNY Sports
3/9 - 1:05 PM @ MIN no TV SOPCAST - CLICK HERE (390 kbps) or HERE (741 kbps)
3/10 - 7:15 PM vs CIN no TV SOPCAST - CLICK HERE (390 kbps) or HERE (741 kbps)
3/11 - 1:15 PM vs. TOR on YES HD
3/13 - 1:15 PM vs. PIT on YES HD SOPCAST - VP20/CNY Sports
3/15 - 1:15 PM (ss) vs. TB on YES HD
3/16 - 1:15 PM vs. CLE on YES HD SOPCAST - CLICK HERE (390 kbps) or HERE (741 kbps)
3/17 - 1:15 PM vs. BOS on YES HD SOPCAST - CLICK HERE (250 kbps) or HERE (389 kbps) or even HERE (741 kbps)
3/18 - 3:00 PM @ Virginia Tech (in Blacksburg, VA) on YES Available Free on MLB.tv SOPCAST - CLICK HERE (400 kbps)
3/20 - 1:05 PM @ TOR on YES/ESPN SOPCAST - VP20/CNY Sports, 280k VLC Req! & aakaminski
3/22 - 1:15 PM vs. TOR on YES HD SOPCAST - VP20 (VLC req.)
3/23 - 1:05 PM @ PIT on YES SOPCAST - VP20/CNY Sports, 280k VLC Req!
3/25 - 1:05 PM @ CLE on YES
3/27 - 1:15 PM vs. PIT on YES HD

Strangely enough, the Yankees play the last two games of Spring Training at Dolphins Stadium, both night games and neither are televised. There is NOT ONE night game televised this spring.

link to schedule

Talk about it in the NYYSI Forums! Read the full post, after the jump

Looking to buy 2008 Yankees Tickets? Don't know where to start?

Since tickets are OFFICIALLY going on sale next Friday, February 29, I thought I would share some information about the best value seats in the stadium, where to get tickets once ticketmaster.com is sold out of the seats you want, etc.

First off, there are some great deals to be had directly from the Yankees:

click here to read about some great specials such as $5 ticket nights, buy one get one free Yankee tickets and more.

While other people are scrambling (in vain) to get tickets to the premium games, you can be cleaning up on the value tickets and getting WAY more bang for your buck. I won't delve too much more into those Yankee specials, but I highly recommend clicking the link about and familiarizing yourself with all of those offers and seeing which ones apply to you. You won't be getting good seats for $5, but you will be getting into the stadium. Moving into better seats than you purchased is MUCH harder than it was in the 80's and early 90's for obvious reasons, and I don't recommend sitting in other people's seats. However, once you are in the Stadium, the opportunity is always there for you to throw a few bucks at a security guard, or simply scout out some better seats in the early innings that are left vacant and head on over. Remember, that advice is all off the record and can result in ejection from the stadium, so proceed with caution.

Now you probably want to know where to sit in the stadium. Below is the ticket chart directly from Yankees.com:




The fact remains that anything between the bases are the best seats. It goes without saying that behind the plate is the best view. Sections 1-6 in Tier Reserved are amazing seats and I'd consider them better than field level main reserved seats toward the outfield. Being closer to the action isn't always better. Some of the seats downstairs are pointed in the most ridiculous directions - I often wonder what they were thinking when they were building this stadium. I truly believe that upper deck seats are the way to go unless you are sitting between sections 1-10 on the field level. Otherwise, you will have a better experience upstairs even in sections up to and including section 18.

You will see that most of these behind the plate type of seats are sold out before you even get a chance to buy them directly from the Yankees on February 29. Now is when you'll have to enter into the murky waters of the Yankee ticket secondary market. Because this is the last year of the current Yankee Stadium, I have a feeling tickets are going to be harder to come by than usual and people will be squeezing every penny out of you.

I would always start out with New York's Craigs List. Taking a quick look at Craigs List, it looks like the market is ALREADY flooded with sellers. Now is the time that they are going to be demanding above face value, even for non-premium games. You should never pay above face value on Craigs List for anything other than premium games - it is not in the spirit of the site and it says as much when you post a listing to sell something. Don't let these people ruin the site. The best time to buy from Craigs List is in the days before the game you are going to. Sellers want to get rid of their tickets quickly and are more likely to take face value or below. If you are coming from out of town and are buying tickets from Craigs List, don't bother emailing the buyer unless they explicitly state the price of their tickets in the post. Too many buyers are asking for "best offer" which is a waste of your time. When they list the price, you can easily compare it to the Yankees face value price and see if they are worth purchasing. As a warning - you will be wading through a LOT of listings on Craigs List, and there will be a lot more work in arranging pickup of the tickets, payment, etc. That being said, you are getting the best value and there are no commission fees to worry about.

If you want to be spoon-fed and don't mind paying a little more money for tickets, you can head on over to Stub Hub. I'm sure nearly everyone is familiar with Stub Hub by now. The beauty of the site is that you can get the best seats in the stadium, the worst seats in the stadium, or ANYTHING in between. The downfall of the site is that they charge sellers AND buyers a commission fee, bumping up the cost of the tickets. That being said, it is VERY convenient, you don't have to deal face to face with ANYONE, and there are often bargains to be had. Below is an example of a deal that fellow blogger Kaybli recently purchased:

ORDER INFORMATION
------------------------------

Order #: xxxxxxx
Order Date: 02/22/2008 08:18 AM

Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees Tickets
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
04/03/2008 07:05 PM
(Event time subject to change. Check local listings.)

Quantity: 2
Section: MB 246
Row: B
Comments: MAIN CHAMP BETWEEN HOME AND THIRD BASE
Special Note: Main Champ
----------------------------------------
BILLING INFORMATION
----------------------------------------
Subtotal: $154.00

Commission: $15.40
Shipping: $11.95

Order Total: $181.35

According to the official Yankee Stadium seating chart. those tickets are $180 - $280 PER ticket at face value. You can see above that Kaybli paid less than that for BOTH seats.

The Stub Hub interface is very user-friendly, and you can easily scroll around each section and see what the price range available is. Always have the stub hub window open beside the Yankee tickets pricing chart, and you won't get ripped off. For any games in the cold months of April and the beginning of May, you should easily be able to get main reserved tickets at a two for one value and upper deck seats at face value or slightly below, even on Stub Hub.

I personally will never pay more than face value to see a Yankee game. I feel that for the price of tickets and everything else at the Stadium, you should never have to pay more than that. I realize that this year MAY be different due to people cramming in one final trip to the stadium, or possibly people not wanting to miss the chance to make their first and only trip to the historic "House That Ruth built." I can only recommend that you are patient and take the time out to research the prices from all sources and become an educated consumer. If you need any more detailed advice, feel free to email me at ross@nyystadiuminsider.com and I will do my best to help.

Good luck getting tickets! Read the full post, after the jump

The Transformation of the Yankee Fan - A Renewed Sense of Optimism

In the 2008 offseason, the New York Yankees biggest offseason acquisition was LaTroy Hawkins.

Think of how up in arms Yankee fans would have been if someone told you that 5 years ago (even when LaTroy was in his prime).

There has never been a more upbeat, positive time to be a Yankee fan than this Spring, even as we watched the best pitcher in baseball get traded to the dump in Flushing for a bag of balls. Of course, this state of euphoria is mainly because after a winter of breath-holding over which young guy we had invested so much time and energy in tracking was heading off to the Twins for Johan, we can finally exhale. The big three are still donning the Pinstripes.

Now it is Spring Training '08, just a few months removed from the latest disaster of a postseason run for the team suddenly stricken with a dose of playoff failures only the Braves of the 1990s can relate to. The team is mostly the same, and most of the stars are a year older and possibly at the peak of their prime or slightly over the hill. One of the most legendary Yankee skippers of all time was shoved out the door and taking naps on the bench out in SoCal. The bullpen is flawed at best. Still, never has there been such fan optimism surrounding a Yankee team, at least not that I can remember.

Most of it has to do with the infusion of youth that the team has seen over the past couple of years, coupled with the anointment of Joe Girardi to oversee the bunch. Guys making in the hundreds of thousands are suddenly heroes in the eyes of adoring fans while the multi-millionaires on the roster are somehow fading into the background.

I just find it amazing how different this Spring Training feels as a fan than any other one I can remember. I have no doubt the team will be good, but I am basing a lot of that on how great the offense projects to be, especially with some key contributors playing for contracts, respect and playing time.

However, I keep on having to remind myself that when it comes to winning World Championship #27 what will elevate this team to contender as opposed to pretender is the pitching staff. The offense will be there, but can the pitching improve upon pitching to a nearly 5 ERA in the second half of last year? These young guys all project to be solid to great major league pitchers, but they are babies and they need to be watched over closely.

The pundits in the media are doubting the Yankees and suddenly criticizing them for making their biggest offseason acquisition LaTroy Hawkins, all the while quietly predicting a third place finish. The fans of the Yankees are lauding Brian Cashman for preserving the youth movement and are expecting big things - maybe even a championship.

I believe everyone can agree on one thing - the 2008 New York Yankees will be a fun ride.


editors note: mirrored Yankee logo on your fitted is straight gangster
Read the full post, after the jump

OMG, Jeter Like Totally Dissed A-Rod!

Alex Rodriguez said yesterday that that Derek Jeter would win the MVP. Asked about that prediction today, Jeter looked like he was chewing on dirt.

“I don’t even think about it. I have to be honest with you guys, man. I’d much rather win. That’s the bottom line. I’ve said time and time again, you play to win,” he said. “You always want to do well because the better you do, the better the team will be. But the bottom line from day one is whatever we can do to win.”

LINK

We cant wait to see the soap opera the media stirs up with this one.

Jeter gets into a May slump and questions need to be answered. Has their torrid multi-racial affair cooled? Has Derek found out that Alex is the father of Chiquinta's baby? Has he finally recovered from the amnesia he suffered at the hands of A-Rod's sinister twin brother, Alexigo Rodriguez?

-DK and maize

Read the full post, after the jump

Some important 2008 Yankee Ticket on-sale dates

Well, it is almost time for tickets to go on sale for the FINAL season in the current Yankee Stadium. Tickets are already a hot commodity, so good luck scoring decent tickets to a game not involving the Orioles or Royals.

That being said, here are some key dates for you fellow Stadium Insiders to remember:

Friday, February 22 10AM - 10 PM - Season ticket holder regular season pre-onsale. If you are a season ticket holder, you can login to your online account, get your presale password and then you are good to go tomorrow at 10 AM. It is unclear whether "premium" games will be included in this on sale. I guess it will be a surprise.

Now until February 24 - general public regular season premium ticket opportunity. The Yankees have been allowing the general public to register on their website since February 6. This registration period ends on February 24. If you are randomly selected, you get first dibs on premium game tickets such as opening day, Red Sox games, Mets games, etc. Check out the fine print from Yankees.com below:

2008 Regular Season - Premium Game
An Online Drawing will take place on February 25, 2008, at which time certain Online registrants will be selected for the opportunity to purchase, Online, up to four (4) Tickets to any 2008 Premium Game that may be played in the Stadium. The Ticket purchase opportunity will only take place on the Onsale Date - February 26, 2008.

Online registrants who are selected as a result of the February 25, 2008 Online Drawing will receive an e-mail notification that includes a password and instructions for participating in the opportunity to purchase 2008 Premium Game Tickets. If the selected registrant chooses to purchase Tickets, the purchase must be completed Online, while Tickets are available, but in no event later than 10:00 p.m. EST, February 26, 2008. NOTE: There is no obligation for a selected Online registrant to purchase any Tickets.

Friday, February 29 10 AM - General public on-sale for all other games and any remaining premium game tickets (likely not to be many). This on-sale will be for all of the rest of the tickets, online only

Tuesday, March 3 - Non-premium game tickets go on sale at Yankees clubhouse stores and at the Yankee box office.

That should cover all of the important dates. Good luck scoring tickets! Read the full post, after the jump

More Pics From Spring Training

Straight from our NYYStadiumInsider cameras on location:


Mariano shows off his new style after a lucrative offseason


Jason Giambi signs balls, pictures, and drug periphenilia for adoring fans


Andy Pettitte asks new Yankees "special instructor" Robert McNamee for a high five


A-rod and friend arrive for the first day of spring training Read the full post, after the jump

It Only Took One Day

Alex Rodriguez and the media are back at it again.

After declaring in no uncertain terms that he has never used any type of performance-enhancing drug, A-Rod said he had been tested "nine or 10 times" last season. The comment, meant to point out how stringent Major League Baseball's testing program had become, wound up causing speculation that Rodriguez may have flunked an amphetamine test.

As it turned out, Rodriguez says he was simply exaggerating the number of tests, as the Yankees later released a statement by him to clear up the issue.

"My quote from earlier today was taken literally," Rodriguez said. "I was not tested nine or 10 times last year. I was just using exaggeration to make a point.

LINK


And one time I caught a fish THIIIIIIIIIIIIS big. Really! Read the full post, after the jump

Indecent Proposal?

A-Rod actually had this to say today:

"Andy is one of the greatest human beings I've ever met," Alex Rodriguez said. "I have two daughters -- well, I have one and one on the way. If I had a daughter, I would want 'em to marry Andy Pettitte. The age difference might be a little awkward, but in today's day and age anything is possible."

Too soon???
Read the full post, after the jump

The MLB is Fair

Bailsbud (who would be in the Yankee message board poster hall of fame if there was such a thing) doesn't get blogs, and isn't necessarily a proponent of sabermetrics and their rise in analyzing baseball players. Some might call him our resident crank. That being said, he offers insightful and blunt opinions on the Yankeees at all times. This was originally posted on the NYY Stadium Insider message boards, but we convinced him that it was blog-worthy, so here it is:

How in the last year of the most famous sports venue in the world do the Yankees only have 10 home games in September and finish the season with 7 straight on the road? That not only undermines any celebration of the Yankee landmark but also looks suspiciously enough like an attempt to make the Yankee road to the playoffs much harder.

Consider the facts.
1) Everyone knows the Yankees will start the season with three heralded kids. MLB schedules one off-day in the whole month of April for New York. BOSTON GETS THREE OFF DAYS IN APRIL.

2) Even though September has traditionally been a month of intra-division rivalries games to finish the season, the Yankees have a six game west coast road trip to Seattle and Anaheim---two playoff contenders. On top of that, the six game west coast trip immediately follows a three game series in Tampa. So, not only do the Yankees have to play on the West Coast at a time when other contenders don't have to, they have to do it 1) during a 9 game road trip, and 2) make the longest flight in all of baseball---Tampa to Seattle. BOSTON HAS ONE OUT OF DIVISION ROAD SERIES AGAINST PERENNIAL DOORMAT TEXAS.

3) Yankees have three out of division series in September. At Seattle, At Anaheim and Chisox at Yankee Stadium. BOSTON HAS ONLY TWO: AT TEXAS AND CLEVELAND AT HOME.

4) Not only do the Yankees have to finish the season with six games on the road, but they have to do it AT TORONTO and AT BOSTON---the two best AL East rivals.

5) Yankees have 10 home games in September. REDSOX HAVE 15 HOME GAMES.

6) Both the Yankees and Red Sox have a 10 game road trip in August. The Yankees don't have a single off day during their 10 game swing. THE RED SOX HAVE TWO OFF DAYS DURING THEIR TEN GAME ROAD TRIP.

7) At the end of April and beginning of May the Yankees have a 16 game in 17 day stretch against Detroit, Cleveland, Seattle---all of whom are expected to be major contenders this season. The longest stretch the Red Sox face against top contenders is 12 games in fifteen days immediately after the All-Star Break.

8) The Yankees have three road trips of ten games or more. The Red Sox have two.

Are we off on this? Is this not a total screw job?

-bails

Read the full post, after the jump

Women of the Yankees

What better time than the beginning of Spring Training to oogle women connected with the Yankees? Ok, actually that made no sense. Nevertheless:


Laura Posada


Debbie Clemens, HGH connoisseur?


Cynthia "F-Rod" Rodriguez


Laura Pettitte (did she give him HGH too?)


Michelle Damon, possesses a stronger arm than her husband



Alicia Machado, Bobby Abreu's former main squeeze


One can make a whole section on Derek Jeter's ex-girfriends:


Lara Dutta


Mariah Carey


Vanessa Minnillo


Adriana Lima



Jessica Alba

Jessica Biel Read the full post, after the jump

Yankees 2007 First Round Draft Pick Andrew Brackman being dunked on by Reyshawn Terry

I saw this making the rounds on the interwebs and I just HAD to post it.

I hope Andrew Brackman is a good enough pitcher to warrant a poster one day, but if not, at least he can take solace in the fact that he was already POSTERIZED once before.



and here is a picture of it for good measure.




I'm guessing this is what really put the nail in the coffin for A-Brack to pursue a career in baseball?

Apparently Sean Henn dig this up on YouTube and brought it to the attention of the blogger world. I guess its tough being the new guy in camp. Read the full post, after the jump

Yankees Spring Training Pics

No fatty sightings here.


(Thats new reliever Jonathon Albaladejo )


(One last midge remaining from last year)


(Fresh from another offseason of urine soaking his hands)


(Girardi actually making them do some work this year) Read the full post, after the jump

Congress, Steroids, and HGH.....Yaaaaawn

We are so sick of this mess that we honestly have nothing left to say on the topic. Pitchers and Catchers report in two more days, and we are ultra enthusiastic about starting a new season. About rehashing old HGH charges, not so much. Read the full post, after the jump

The McNamee Bunch

The youngest one in curls... Read the full post, after the jump

The 2008 New York Yankees. Better than last years team.

Ah... I can see it now. Fat guy sitting three feet in front of me, impeding my view, and sickening me with his foul odor. Kate Smith, the lady who keeps score at EVERY game, in those ancient looking score cards. Curly haired Latino security guard, Bleacher Creatures... and of course, Freddy!

*SLAP*

Damnit... Still two months away... It seems so soon though. In fact, Spring Training beckons, and things are beginning taking shape for the Yankees. SURE, they made no changes, no additions. But maybe, just MAYBE, they didn't have to. Since when does a team that goes 51-25 after the All-Star break need an upgrade? The Yankees won 5 more games than any other team in baseball in the second half!

My point? The 2007 Yankees were a great team. The 2008 Yankees can be EVEN better. Here's why:

Phil Hughes will be better
By no means did Hughes perform poorly last season. In fact he was precisely AVERAGE. His ERA+ was 100, which scores as average. He had some control and velocity issues, but since those were coming off a freak leg injury, expect a bounce back. The super prospect Phil Hughes will show his dominance this year, possibly outperforming everyone in the rotation. Being reunited with mentor and pitching coach Dave Eiland could do wonders for a player like Hughes, who needs that special attention before he takes the next step.

The Yankees lineup will be better
Don't laugh... They will be. The Yankees got below average production from both 1B and DH. That wont happen this season. Betemit will surprise some people, although you old school stats numbers wont appreciate him. Shelly Duncan or Morgan Ensberg could be the RH hitter in the platoon, and those guys have shown at times, that they can Mash. Derek Jeter's final numbers may have looked nice from last year, but if his legs are there, he will outperform last years numbers by a bunch. Worried about a natural decline from Jorge and A Rod? Don't be. Both of them will still be excellent, and for their slight dropoff, Cano, Melky and Abreu will all show improvements. My prediction?? They score 1000 runs this season

Having a manager who is awake will be better
Don't get me wrong. I actually appreciate what Torre did for the Yankees. But a younger Yankees team needed someone to wake them up. The Yankees lineup looked sluggish early in the season, and during the playoffs. Joe Girardi will definitely connect to these players better, and will be willing to give some young guys a chance. Some young pitchers never had a chance to show what they could do under Joe Torre. Joe Girardi will not let that happen.

The bullpen will be better
Ok... I don't actually believe this one, but hear me out...

Ok. Listening???

Still listening?

Shit, I was hoping I didn't have to elaborate. Well this is my thinking... They CANT be worse. Mo had an off year, as did several closers, and no one helped bridge the gap to Mariano. Do I think Hawkins or Farnsworth will step up? Nope, not at all. But they will at least do what the people in their roles did last year. How could they not? But my real reason for optimism? The kids named Edwar Ramirez, Alan Horne, Scott Patterson, and Jeff Marquez. If a couple of those guys step up and force themselves into the Major League picture the Yankees bullpen could become a force... At very worst? They'll be about what they were last season. Just around average.

AND LASTLY:
Ross and I not having season tickets will be better
Won't be better for us though for us though. I guarantee this is the year. This is the year the Yankees become the Yankees again. Why? Because Ross and I won't have access to playoffs tickets, nor will we have any games throughout the season. It's gonna happen. They're gonna be dominant and we'll be sitting on our couch, eating chips and drinking beer watching games on our expensive HDTV's, while 56,000 rich assholes will get to watch the best team in baseball. I'd bet on it. But really, even if all that happened, I couldn't complain... At least the Yankees will be winning.

If I'm wrong... In 8 months I guess I'll be thinking New York Giants. I doubt it though. I'm gonna be right. I'll eat crow if I'm not. Read the full post, after the jump

Debbie Clemens - you decide

I am pretty sick of this HGH/Steroids issue but with the newest information that McNamee told investigators he injected Clemens' wife with HGH, I have to post this...

(from the 2003 SI Swimsuit Issue)

hmmmmmmmmmmm those are some toned abs! Read the full post, after the jump

Some stuff from around MLB on 2/7

And from two of our favorite teams no less!

PEDRO LOVES THE COCK (fighting that is)

(IMAGE COURTESY OF DK FROM THE NYY STADIUM INSIDER MESSAGE BOARDS)

---

annnnnnnnnnnnnnd.....
Curt Schilling could be out for the season.

Guess that leaves a lot more time for this:

---

There - I got through this whole blog post without mentioning Roger Clemens' trip to Washington today Read the full post, after the jump

18 and No!

We don't pretend to be anything other than a Yankee blog, but here are some great pictures from Super Bowl XLII that really encapsulate the historic day for the New York Football Giants. We promise this is the last non-Yankee post for a while!

















Read the full post, after the jump

Want to head down to Florida for Spring Training Baseball? Read this for some money saving tips!

As of now, I'm not heading down to Spring Training, but I have been pondering the idea and checking into pricing. In the spirit of the fast-approaching pitcher/catcher report date, I'll use this space to share some ways to get down there the most cost-effective way possible.

Airfare

Obviously, you are going to get the best deal if you travel mid-week. The most expensive round-trip fares will be the Friday-Sunday type of deals. If you want an AWESOME airfare comparison website, head on over to Kayak.com. It includes the Jet Blue, Spirit Air, and Southwest's of the world that aren't included on Orbitz.com or Expedia.com searches. Sample Airfare that I have found is for Wednesday March 12 - Wednesday March 15. You leave from JFK at 7:05 PM on the 12th and arrive in Tampa around 10 PM. Going back, is an evening flight on Saturday night. The Yankees play a Spring Training game against the Pirates on Thursday that you can catch. $179 round trip from NYC.


Hotel

Free re-bidding with Priceline.com is the way to go. Usually people are put off by Priceline, because you don't know where you are locking yourself into staying. Lucky for you, there is a way to take advantage of the Priceline system:

A great, straightforward and simple introduction to successful Priceline bidding is this 2003 article from the Washington Post by Michael Shapiro.

About.com has a good, clear explanation of how free re-bids work. That's probably the single most important 'trick' to learn.

The best uber resource for informed Priceline bidding is Bidding For Travel.com. Some users are unhappy with the level of moderation there, but it is indispensable successful and unsuccessful bids that have been posted. Their Hotel FAQ is also for the lists of hotels by zone and quality level and the tremendous amount of important reading to understand how to get the hotel(s) you want in the right location and at the best price. Furthermore, their discussion boards contain really interesting tips such as advanced rebidding techniques that increase your free re-bids beyond those conventionally recognized.

An alternative to Biddingfortravel.com is BetterBidding.com which is newer and not quite as extensive. It does cover Hotwire as well as Priceline, so adds some unique value

SOURCE

Rental Car

There are a LOT of discount codes out there that you can use, especially in a state like Florida.
There are discount codes with all of the different rental companies. Check out this thread from the best money-saving website out there - FatWallet.com


Yankee Spring Training Tickets

Tickets are still available for select Spring Training games on Yankees.com. When these games sell out (and they will sell out) you will need to secure tickets without getting ROBBED on Stub Hub. The BEST thing to do is to head on over to Craigs List Tampa and try to get some tickets from locals in the area for face value or below.


Like I said, it ALL depends on the dates you choose, but if you follow the steps I have outlined above, I GUARANTEE you can afford to head down to Spring Training. Feel free to post on the message boards about any luck you have had in booking a trip down to Tampa for Spring Traning so others can possibly do the same!

Less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers!!! Read the full post, after the jump