Quick Hit: No Yankee Stadium Viewing Party Planned For Game 5 Of The ALCS

After the rousing success of the game 3 viewing party, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Yankees would once again open the doors of Yankee Stadium for game 5. Unfortunately, fans hoping to celebrate a World Series berth in "the new house" with thousands of fellow fans will have to make alternate plans.

In an email regarding a potential viewing party, a Yankee spokesperson said "[there are] no plans for that." Reports from Monday evening's viewing party were all positive, but the Yankees don't seem to be in a hurry to hold another one. The decision to have the event on Monday likely had a lot to do with the late afternoon start time. Staffing a stadium from late afternoon into the evening is probably a lot easier than for a game that will probably end around midnight. This is also speculation, but people are also more likely to drink heavily for a Thursday night night clincher, leading to other logistical issues.

We're sure fans will be disappointed, especially with the beautiful weather that is being forecast for Thursday. For people who don't have many friends who are Yankees fans, we would recommend Stan's across from the stadium - there is sure to be a rowdy, pro-Yankee crowd. ESPN Zone in Times Square has also been home to many Yankee fans during the playoffs.

As for us, we'll be at home watching with our loved ones. Why don't you do the same? Read the full post, after the jump

Yankee Stadium Open To Watch Game 3 Of The ALCS, Live From Anaheim

Well, this is something new from the Yankees (courtesy of WCBS880.com):

The New York Yankees announced Sunday that they will open the Stadium Field Level and Great Hall to the public to watch the broadcast of Game 3 of the American League Championship Series from Anaheim on Monday, October 19. The decision to open the Stadium was made after consultation with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.

Turnstiles between Gates 4 and 6 will open at 3:30 p.m. for the 4:13 p.m. Game. Fans can watch the Game in the Great Hall or in the opened sections of the Field Level.

What a great idea. Those expensive high definition video boards are amazing to look at and fans will certainly enjoy the opportunity to pay $9 for beer cheer for their team with fellow fans. No word on whether they'll do something similar for game 4, but this is probably a one-time deal due to the 4:13 PM start time.

Anyone planning on heading up to the Bronx for this? We'll be stuck at work, but it seems like a great opportunity for Yankees fans to watch the game together.

Read the full post, after the jump

UPDATED: NSI Gameday Weather 10/17/09 - ALCS Game 2 - Rain Will Likely Prevent The Game From Being Played

Post-Mortem Update (Sunday 10/18 - 2:00 PM): Many of you are probably wondering how a five-hour game was played without any problem when such dire forecasts such as Steve's were issued. Here is Steve's explanation:

You should thank your friends in Boston! Well, not the people, but the high pressure over New England had strengthen due to an under-forecasted jet streak around Quebec. The high got stronger, thus pushing drier (relatively) air into the Bronx, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut, and northern New Jersey. The result in the end kept much of the rain south of Yankee stadium and over central New Jersey, were the rain was persistent and heavy all night.

Whatever the reason, I think we're all pretty happy that the game was played.

Update (5:30 PM): Steve is still very pessimistic about the chances of playing baseball in the Bronx tonight:

So far no changes to the forecast. Rain will continue to spread through the Bronx and become heavy at times.

Taking a look at the radar below, Steve is right. It doesn't look good. A delay at the onset of this game is pointless. MLB needs to decide whether they should risk starting the game with the high possibility of not being able to finish, or just postpone it. The conditions are only going to worsen, so a delay will be the wrong call. As it turns out, both managers and MLB will meet about the weather at 7 PM, according to Sam Borden.

Update (2:45 PM): Earlier today, during his chat, Steve mentioned the following that could be a gleam of hope for tonight's game being played:

If I was MLB right now, I'd pray for a STRONG mesoscale banding over northern New Jersey so the sinking air will kill precipitation over the Bronx. Otherwise, this weekend is not going to be favorable for baseball.

He further elaborated with the following:

If that banding develops, and I'm not saying that it 100% will, but if it does, then there is a chance (say 15%) that the rain will be light enough to play through this evening. The heavier and more concentrated the rain develops over northeastern New Jersey, the better chance for this to happen in the Bronx.

As of now, the rain still isn't pushing into the NYC area. The coastal storm is still expected to get cranking and dump rain on the Bronx, but until it does so, baseball will be played as planned. From reading Steve's comments above, there is at least a chance. We wouldn't feel comfortable lowering the postponement or delay status from "high," but there is a better chance of playing this game than there was this morning.

Previous post follows:

As expected, the lull between the two early season Nor'Easters allowed the Yankees to take a 1-0 ALCS lead on Friday night. Unfortunately, the rain returns today and will most likely cause a weather postponement for ALCS Game 2. On hand as always is Steve DiMartino of NYNJPAWeather.com with the official forecast:

A strong coastal low is developing off the Delaware coast this afternoon and will move through the New Jersey coastal waters tonight. This coastal low is going to produce moderate to heavy rain over the Bronx tonight with a strong northeast wind around 15 to 30 mph with higher gusts. Temperatures will be in the lower 40’s.

Game Delay Potential: HIGH: I can already see how MLB will try to play this, expect a lengthy delay as the rain rolls into the Bronx.

Game Postponement:HIGH: The rain will only get heavier as the evening continues. The combination of heavy rain and strong winds will likely prevent this game from being played.

If you are traveling to the game, it would behoove you to keep abreast of the situation all day. We will try to update when necessary but this is probably one of the easiest postponements to predict of the entire season. If we were traveling from outside of the 5 boroughs, we probably wouldn't bother heading to the game.

Hopefully the rain will subside by the end of the weekend, and the word is that the potential makeup game would be in the late afternoon on Sunday . However, some weather models are indicating that the rain is going to stick around all day on Sunday as well, putting that makeup time at risk. An ALCS weather nightmare is upon us and we'll just have to hope it doesn't affect the Yankees chances to advance to the World Series.

In other news, we forgot to post Steve's wind map in yesterday's game day weather post. As it turns out, his wind prediction was spot on and actually affected the game. Vlad Guerrero and Robinson Cano both had home runs taken away from them by the strong winds that were blowing in. If by some miracle, tonight's game is played, the winds will be similar:

Read the full post, after the jump

UPDATE: Yankees ONCE AGAIN Revise Bag Policy - You Can Bring a Bag Into Yankee Stadium

A couple of weeks ago, we created something of an uproar when we mentioned that the Yankees had brought back their post-9/11 "no backpack policy"- just in time for the playoffs. It even resulted in our very own Nick appearing on the WNBC-TV 6 PM news!

We are happy to report that when entering the stadium for ALCS game 1, the bag policy signage was back. Fans are once again allowed to bring bags that are smaller than "16x16x8." The terrorists are back on the losing side of the ledger.

We'll be sure to keep everyone updated if when the Yankees change their mind again - probably just in time for the World Series. Read the full post, after the jump

NSI Gameday Weather - ALCS Game 1 Will be Cold and Damp, But Playable

Well, this story has been beaten to death all week. There is rain in the forecast for ALCS games 1 and 2 at Yankee Stadium and there is definitely a chance of delays, postponements and general disarray. The good news is that game 1 will almost definitely go off without a hitch. Game 2 is where the problems are. As always, Steve DiMartino of NYNJPAWeather.com is here to navigate us through the raindrops.

Although the first coastal storm will be well out into the Atlantic and the second coastal storm well to the south, the Bronx will still be under the influence of some rather raw conditions.

Expect overcast skies with drizzle and scattered showers. The precipitation will remain light and intermittent. Winds will be from the northeast around 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph. Temperatures will be between 42 and 44 degrees through the game. Not the best playing conditions for sure.

Game Delay Potential: Minor: Showers may lead to some delays, but the conditions should remain playable for the most part.

Game Postponement: None: Showers and drizzle will be light enough to play through with no postponement expected.

Game 2: 7:57 PM vs Angels: Game 1 conditions may be playable, but Saturday night will be anything but. Rain will be heavy at times with a strong northeasterly wind around 20 to 35 mph with higher gusts. Temperatures will be in the mid 40’s. The rain is going to be a serious problem here with the start of the rain beginning well before the game is expected to start and continuing on through Sunday morning.

This is a classic good news/bad news situation. A rainout on Saturday will still reek havoc on the Yankees rotational plans. You can be sure that we'll provide updates whenever information becomes available.

If you're heading out to the game tonight, bundle up - it will be football weather out there!

Previous weather posts from this week have been consolidated and will appear after the jump.

Update (10/15/09 - 10:00 AM): Instead of starting ANOTHER weather post, here is the latest from Steve DiMartino of NYNJPAWeather.com. The big news is that he really believes they are going to get the game on Friday in. As for Saturday, that's a different story:

I think the Yankees will get into a break in the steady rainfall after 8 PM. Conditions won't be pleasant, but they will be playable. A few showers could cause some delays, but I think they'll get the game in. Temperatures will be around 40 with a stiff northeasterly wind. Not pretty at all.

Saturday night on the other hand is just going to be ugly. Steady rain, strong winds, and very cool temperatures. The heaviest rain will be stuck over central New Jersey, but clearly conditions will not warrant favorable playing conditions. I wouldn't be surprise if MLB tries to wait things out, but Saturday night is not looking good.

Better conditions can be expected by Sunday afternoon however, and if a postponement does happen, I would expect the game to be played Sunday afternoon or evening.

By now, all of the mainstream media outlets are reporting the impending rainstorm that is bearing down on on the Tri-State area. As always, we plan on providing wall to wall weather coverage on the day of the games so that everyone knows what to expect.

Unlike other rainy days in New York City this summer (there were plenty), any rainouts this weekend will seriously affect the strategy and outlook for the entire American League Championship Series. For that reason, we checked in with Steve DiMartino of NYNJPAWeather.com who provides us with an early look at the chances of there being baseball in the Bronx.

Through this period, I would say that Friday night would be the "best" time period to play, as the rain will be the lightest and more scattered than any other time period of potential game times. In short, there is a very good chance both of these games will be rained out and will have to be played at some point at the start of the week. Even much of the day on Monday looks to be rather wet.

Steve is about to kick off a live chat (8:30 PM on Wednesday night) to discuss the storm, so be sure to head over to NYNJPAWeather.com and ask your questions.

If you are interested in some of the MSM weather coverage, Joel Sherman of the NY Post has laid out some makeup options in case they can't play one of the games. Meanwhile, Sam Borden is also all over the weather situation and tells us where to get the latest information.

We're unsure what MLB will do if the entire weekend is a washout. We do know that 2009 will forever go down as the year that made a retractable roof look like a viable financial option for baseball stadiums in New York City. Read the full post, after the jump

Looking To Buy ALCS Tickets? It Will Cost You...

Christian from the invaluable Fansnap.com just checked in with some information regarding secondary market ticket prices for ALCS games 1 and 2 at Yankee Stadium:

Date accurate as of 10/13/09 at 9:00 PM

(Game #1) AL Championship Series: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at New York Yankees - Yankee Stadium (Bronx, NY)
Fri, Oct 16 at 7:57 PM
Tickets listed = 13,000+
Get-in price (lowest price) ticket = $164
Average ticket price = $379
Average Legends Section ticket = $2,860 (Best Value = $1,099)
Average Grandstand Outfield Section tickets = $224 (Best Value = $164)

(Game #2) AL Championship Series: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at New York Yankees - Yankee Stadium (Bronx, NY)
Sat, Oct 17 at 7:57PM
Tickets listed = 15,000+
Get-in price (lowest price) ticket = $57
Average ticket price = $388
Average Legends Section ticket = $2,750 (Best Value = $1265) There are single tickets starting at $989
Average Grandstand Outfield Section tickets = $248 (Best Value = $182)

Nearly one third of the tickets that were originally sold by the Yankees are back on the market. This has been the case for most games since Stubhub and MLB made it extremely easy to list and sell e-tickets. One would think this would drive ticket prices down, but the Yankees are an extremely exciting home team and the buzz in New York about the team is growing by the day. We wouldn't be surprised to see prices continue to rise in the next couple of days before games one and two.

One caveat is the weather. Steve DiMartino of NYNJPAWeather.com is hinting at some very stormy conditions for the end of the week into the weekend which could threaten ALCS games one and two. If you are on the fence about spending the big bucks on tickets for the first couple of ALCS games, an option would be to wait it out and see if people bail on their tickets because of a bad weather forecast. You'll be surprised at how many "fair weather fans" there are - even for playoff games.

Another item to note from the above chart is the average ticket price at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. With the cost of Legends Seats at Yankee Stadium, it seems hard to believe that any stadium would have a higher average ticket price. Yankees fans should keep this in mind in case the Yankees and the Phillies square off in the World Series. Philadelphia might only be a couple of hours away on I-95, but tickets are notoriously hard to come by for playoff games.

Read the full post, after the jump

Our A-Rod Prophecy Fulfilled

Yesterday started with our post about a resurgent, defiant, postseason A-Rod and continued with a prophetic, on-camera statement about his role in last night's game, seen in the FanvsFan.com clip below:



OK, so it wasn't our Mike Blowers moment, but we did say that A-Rod would "put the smackdown on the Twins again."

As we all know, the evening ended after A-Rod's 9th inning heroics and Teixeira's walk-off HR, sending the Yankees faithful home in a state of pure jubilation. We knew that would happen.

FanvsFan.com is an interesting concept for a website and is going around to sports venues around the country, talking to fans, getting them pumped up about the website. On-camera work isn't exactly our forte, but if it is for you, check out FanvsFan.com. Read the full post, after the jump

A-Rod's New At Bat Music - Postseason Swagger Directed At The Haters

Anyone who follows Major League Baseball is aware of Alex Rodriguez' perceived struggles under the bright lights of the postseason. On Wednesday night, he broke out of his postseason slump with two big hits and two RBIs. While the mainstream media has spent the entire season noting Alex's new attitude, nobody noted the defiant music that accompanied his first four at bats of the 2009 postseason.

Oh they want me to fall (fall),
Fall from the top (top),
They want me to drop (drop)
They want me to stop (stop)
They want me to go (go),
I’m already gone (already)
The shit that I’m on
I’m already home
(Hey, I’m already home yeah)

The song called "Already Home" is off of Jay Z's Blueprint 3 and features Kid Cudi (at times, over one third of the Yankees lineup walks to the plate to Jay-Z songs). The message of that chorus seems to be directed at the haters - people like the guy in the below picture who can't possibly be a Yankees fan (from a game earlier this season at the stadium):



Or the guy sitting in Section 428, Row 11, seat 10 on Wednesday night, who spent A-Rod's entire first at bat hatefully "rooting" for A-Rod, saying things like "here comes the strikeout." He was wearing a Yankees jersey, but we're unsure how he could take his fandom seriously while attending a postseason game and wishing for A-Rod to fail. This wasn't someone trying the "reverse jinx" method that some fans use to help prevent disappointment. This was someone who clearly hates Alex Rodriguez and really wants to see him fail so the cycle of hatred can continue.

A lot of Yankees fans like the ones above want Rodriguez to fall from the top - they want him to go. The fact is, he is signed until he is 42, and in his eyes, he is already home.

Read the full post, after the jump

FINAL UPDATE: NSI Game Day Weather - ALDS Game 2 - Rain Holds Off Until After The Game

UPDATE (10/9 - 3:30 PM): Here is the final update from Steve:

An area of clearing skies is working northward from central New Jersey this afternoon and will clip into the Bronx early this evening. The shower threat that moved through the Bronx the past few hours is collapsing under the influence of a strong ridge at 500 MB.

For this evening, expect dry conditions with scattered to broken cloud cover. The shower threat will be focused north and west of the Bronx through this evening with no significant impact on game conditions. In fact, with a southwesterly wind around 5 to 15 mph and temperatures in the mid to upper 60’s, conditions will be very comfortable to watch and play this game!

If you are keeping an eye on the radar this evening, don’t be alarmed by the wall of rain that will approach the New York City metropolitan area as the game progresses. Unless this game becomes a lengthy extra innings affair, the rain will hold off well after the game has ended.

Looks like we won't need to layer up tonight! Great news. Enjoy the game everyone.

UPDATE (10/9 - 9:30 AM): Here is what Steve from NYNJPAWeather.com has to say this morning:

Overcast yet generally dry conditions are expected for the second ALDS game at the Bronx. The steady, heavy rainfall will remain to the west of the Bronx until after 11 PM, giving the Yankees a long window of dry conditions to get this game in. I can’t rule out an isolated shower passing by, but these showers will be weak and fast moving. Otherwise, winds will be from the south and southwest around 5 to 15 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph as the evening progresses. This wind blows out to right field. Temperatures will range from the mid to upper 60’s.

Game Delay Potential: Minor: Showers may lead to a delay of the start of the game, however dry conditions will be expected for much of the evening.

Game Postponement: None: The heaviest rain will remain well to the west of the Bronx through late this evening, giving the Yankees a long window to get this game in. Lets hope for no drawn out extra innings!

Original post from last night follows:

After extremely windy, but manageable weather conditions on Wednesday, ALDS Game 2 is set to bring with it a greater chance of a weather delay. NYNJPAWeather.com meteorologist Steve DiMartino has checked in with a weather update for tomorrow. Here is what he has to say:

A warm front will move through the Bronx at about the start time of the game with scattered showers lingering around 6 to 7 PM. A dry break is expected through the rest of the evening as the precipitation remains to the west with the slow moving cold front. Winds will be around 5 to 15 mph from the southwest. Temperatures will the mid to upper 60’s through the game.

Game Delay Potential: Minor: Showers may lead to a delay of the start of the game, however dry conditions will follow as the evening progresses.

Game Postponement: None: The threat of the showers will end by 7 PM followed by dry conditions through the rest of the evening.

We assume that most people reading this post are like us, and extremely excited about watching baseball on Friday night. Savvy fans realize that if the game gets pushed back even a day, AJ Burnett will then be in line to have to pitch on short rest in the unlikely event that a 5th game is necessary. Fortunately, it appears that the game is not in jeopardy of being canceled. At worst we'll be inconvenienced by a bit of rain at the beginning, while the late-arriving workday crowd is slowly filtering in.

Of course, if anything changes during the day on Friday, we'll check back in as we always do. Read the full post, after the jump

As we watch a special season reach October...

This is what we wait for. Better yet, this is what we LIVE for. After 162, sometimes great, sometimes terrible, and often boring games, we've made it. It's time for October baseball, it's time for the 2009 MLB Playoffs. Luckily for Yankees fans, this wasn't just a boring regular season.

We watched our team transform. We watched as AJ Burnett and Nick Swisher behaved in a way many of us had never seen a player in pinstripes before. As just a 22 year old, I know I certainly haven't seen it.

We watched our perennial punching bag (And also Yankees perennial offensive leader), hit "rock bottom", as those with an addiction would describe it. Alex Rodriguez would admit to steroid use after he was outed back in February, and not long after would discover he needed hip surgery. Alex's addiction, though, was attention, and after hitting "rock bottom", it wasn't about him anymore. It was about the team, his teammates, and their quest for October glory.

We watched as power pitching and pinstripes once again became synonymous. As phenom Phil Hughes evolved into a dominant 8th inning man. As Derek Jeter made some small, yet mysterious changes, to become a better shortstop at this late stage of his career.

We watched our young center fielders pick up each-others slack. Brett Gardner touching them all for an inside the park homerun, Melky touching them all in the form of a baseball rarity, hitting for the cycle.

We watched as, for a change, two stars came to New York and shined bright right away. Mark Teixeira and C.C. Sabathia have been worth every penny, becoming fan favorites immediately

Now we wait to see, will we watch them win it all? Will this be the year that the Yankees win the final prize? After a special regular-season like this one, we owe it to the Yankees to be loud tonight, as we watch the NEW Yankee Stadium transform into something much like the old building across the street: a venue where October glory becomes the norm. Read the full post, after the jump

What Did We Do Last October?

The Yankees have only been away from the postseason for one year, but the excitement in New York for tonight’s ALDS Game 1 seems different than in recent years. For as long as vivid memories allow, the month of October has been tantamount to Yankees baseball in my mind. Over time, unfair expectations have scoured away some of the fun and repeated early exits from the postseason have resulted in bitterness from Yankees fans. With the historic (and at times, frustrating) Joe Torre postseason era finally in the rear-view mirror and a fun-loving 103 win team firmly employed, anticipation for the 2009 postseason has a refreshingly positive vibe.

Every year, I start a countdown from 11, representing the number of games it will take for the Yankees to take home another championship. Sadly, that number has only dwindled into single digits once since 2004, when the faltered in game 5 of the 2005 ALDS. During the 2009 season, everything has felt so new. There is a new stadium, a new core group of players, new post-game traditions (walk-off pies!), a relatively new manager and for the first time since the early ‘00’s, I really believe that my postseason countdown is going to last for more than a week.

In the 3,267 days since the Yankees hoisted championship trophy No. 26, I have had the opportunity to grow up and reflect on what being a fan of a sports team means to me. I really do expect the Yankees to win another championship this year, but I finally realize that regardless of high payroll, high expectations, history of excellence, I will have enjoyed this team thoroughly – win or lose.

The Yankees go into their first round matchup as major favorites and I truly believe they will live up to the expectations and beat the Twins in 3 games. In the second round, I have a feeling that the Yankees will have their tradition ALCS showdown with the Red Sox and it will go the distance. I like the Yankees in 7 games. In the World Series, the Yankees should take down the Cardinals in 5 and the championship drought will be over. I will finally be able to take my fiancé to the tickertape parade that I promised I would take her to after we arrived too late for the celebration way back in the year 2000.

I have a feeling that many Yankees fans have similar predictions. While opposing fans will view it as "typical New York arrogance," it is simply faith in a team that has given us a season full of amazing memories. The journey to championship No. 27 begins tonight and the buzz is palpable. It just leaves me wondering – what did we do last October?

Nick will drop in later with his reflections on this season and his thoughts on the 2009 postseason. Read the full post, after the jump

NSI Game Day Weather - ALDS Game 1 - Rain Clears, Winds Remain

The playoffs are finally here! As expected, there is rain in the forecast (seems to be the theme of 2009), but it should clear the area by game time. According to our good friend Steve from NYNJPAWeather.com, the main weather impact in this game will be strong winds. Here is what he has to say:

Wind this evening

The rain will exit the Bronx by early this afternoon ensuring dry conditions for the game. The biggest impact will be the strong northwesterly winds around 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph. The direction of the wind will be blowing out towards right field and will have a significant impact on fly balls and pop ups. For example, a pop up towards third base will be pushed towards short stop the longer the ball is in the air. Temperatures at the start of the game will be in the lower 60’s and fall quickly through the mid 50’s for the duration of the game. Temperatures will feel like the upper 40’s to lower 50’s when the wind is taken into account.

Game Delay Potential: None: I don’t expect any reason for a delay as the precipitation will be east of the Bronx by the afternoon. The main threat will be the wind, which will not delay the game.

Game Postponement: None: No postponement of the game is expected.

Game 2: Friday at 6 PM: Showers will be a threat as a warm front pushes north over the Bronx. The showers may be heavy at times as the warm front moves through in the evening, however drier conditions are expected after 8 PM as the warm front lifts north. Winds will veer to the southwest around 10 to 20 mph. Temperatures will range from the lower to mid 60’s through the game.

As Michael Kay has told us 8.2 million times, A-Rod "has trouble with pop-ups," so let's hope that the wind doesn't become a factor in that sense! From a fan's perspective, the cold wind will be the worst in the upper rows of the grandstand (rows 14 and up), as well as in the back rows of the terrace section. Also, expect a strong and uncomfortable wind if you are in standing room or cafe seating areas on the field level. Bring warm clothing. We did notice recently that the main level (200's) is much warmer than the rest of the stadium on cold nights, since it doesn't have the open feel of the Grandstand and field levels.

Read the full post, after the jump

New Stadium Insider on WNBC in New York

Today, the fine folks at WNBC called and asked if we wanted to be featured on a 6 PM news story regarding the change to the backpack policy for the playoffs. Of course, we obliged, and Nick made his television debut. Don't be too tough on him, he is a TV newbie.

The snippet below is only the part of the feature that Nick was interviewed for. Be sure to check http://www.nbcnewyork.com/ for more news about this issue.

Read the full post, after the jump

What Are These Cafe Seats At The New Yankee Stadium?

Last week, we reported that the Yankees had installed what they dubbed "cafe seating" at multiple locations on the field level of the new Yankee Stadium. At the time, we commiserated the decision, since it means the end of freeloading amazing views from the field concourse, just in time for the playoffs. On the positive side, it means that more Yankees fans will be able to pack into the "new house" for a World Series run and make the intimidating noise that we have become known for.

Unfortunately, these seats remain shrouded in mystery. They were installed on the last weekend of the season, so people who visited the stadium earlier in the season have no idea what to expect. Yesterday, tickets went on sale to the general public and there was no way to check a view from "cafe seats" on Yankees.com. The pricing is reasonable (starting at $81 for the ALDS), but what the heck is the "bar stool seating" that ticketmaster.com describes? We are here to answer your questions. Below is a photo of the Yankee Stadium "cafe seating" that we snapped last weekend:

For whatever reason, there is no consistency in the cafe tables. Some of the sections on the field level feature tall tables and bar stools (as seen in the photo above), while others feature lower tables and regular chairs. If you purchase tickets in a section with the lower, regular chairs (we know that section 120B Row 28s and section 120A Row 28s are two examples), you will be forced to stand up to see the action because the wheelchair patrons in the ADA section directly in front of you will block the view. If you are in other "cafe seating" sections, you might get lucky and have the higher bar stool seating that allows you to see the field unimpeded while sitting down.

Regardless of the height of your chair, having access to these locations will be well worth the money for a playoff game. As we mentioned before, we have stood in these spots for many games during the season, and they really give you a great perspective of the play on the field.

Read the full post, after the jump

Yankees Adjust To The Economy, Rethink Legends Suites

Way back in May, we had an idea on how to fix the problem of empty Legends Suites: "a great start would be eliminating the "luxury box" feel of the Legends seats. Ditch the amenities, and make them regular seats. If you want all you can eat food, get a luxury box." Last week, (as first reported on the NYY Fans Forums), the Yankees announced revisions to their 2010 "luxury" seating options, headlined by changes to a portion of the Legends Suites.

Apparently the Yankees took our advice. They have stripped the all you can eat luxury aspect from a portion of the seats, along with making them more reasonably priced. Many different outlets have picked up the AP report, citing the pricing changes, so feel free to click through to those fine sources for the details. The essentials are that The "Legends Suite" no longer includes sections 11-13 and 27B-29. Those seats will now be called the "Champions Suite." The major difference is that they no longer include access to the all-you-can-eat Legends Suite Club. They will still have access to free "stadium food" at the seats and at select concession stands.

Between this change, and last month's announcement of similar or reduced prices for tickets in much of the stadium, it seems the Yankees are taking their focus groups seriously. That, or the economy is still largely stagnant and while the financial markets have stabilized, so has the percentage of those unfortunate people who are unemployed - meaning there are just as many without jobs. The changes we are talking about today are changes that the Yankees would have made before the season if they had time to rethink the pricing after the financial collapse of 2008. This isn't any kind of good will, this is adjusting to market conditions and ensuring that the seats are filled to capacity.

Read the full post, after the jump