Yankees Fans Are Canceling Their Ticket Plans Because They Hate Randy Winn

OK, so maybe they're more angry about the Yankees decision not to retain the newly minted "true Yankee" Johnny Damon. However we frame it, people like the one in the real life email chain below don't seem to see that Johnny Damon has always chased every last dollar. They also fail to understand that the Yankees aren't Scott Boras' puppets anymore and run their operation with a sound business plan.

Or they just hate Randy Winn.

Anyway, we swear the below emails are 100% genuine.

From the Yankees:

Dear Ticket Licensee,

2009 marked the Inaugural Season at the new Yankee Stadium, a season that was more exciting than we could ever have anticipated - unforgettable games, unforgettable moments, an unforgettable Postseason and the 27th World Championship!

The 27-time World Champion New York Yankees would like to thank you for having joined us as a Season Ticket Licensee during the just concluded incredible Inaugural Season at Yankee Stadium.

With the successful conclusion of the 2009 World Series, it is time to begin making plans for the 2010 Regular Season. Accordingly, in late November, we mailed to you your 2010 Regular Season Invoice. The start of the 2010 Regular Season is quickly approaching and according to our records, as of January 25 2010, your Yankees Ticket License Account reflects an outstanding balance due.

As you are aware, the payment due date was Friday, January 8, 2010. To ensure you don’t miss a single minute of the upcoming season, please do not hesitate to call me or the Yankee Stadium Ticket office at (718) 293-6000 in order to finalize your payment*.

If you would like to cancel your 2010 Ticket License, please email me directly at (xxxxx@yankees.com) and include your Ticket License Number, Account Name and contact information. If sending an email, please enter CANCELLATION in the subject heading. If payment in full is not received by Monday, January 25, 2010, by 5:00 pm, your 2010 Ticket License will be cancelled without further contact from me or the Yankees.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter and for your continued and loyal support. Should you have any questions, please let me know.

Response from our emailer (all SICs his):

XXXX,
I am sorry for the delay in responding to the many emails about making the payment on my Yankees account. The last time I spoke to you I believe I was inquiring about the proccess of upgrading to a full season ticket plan. Unfortunately, right after that I learned of the granderson trade and that made me begin to have some doubts.

As long as I have been a Yankee fan, I have always had the belief that the Yankees would do their best to put the best possible team on the field to attempt to win a championship. After an amazing season in which the Yankees brought the trophy back home, sadly it seems they hav lost their focus on winning another championship this year.

The list of transgressions includes bringing in players who have already proven they are capable of succeeding in ny ( nick Johnson and Javier vasquez), destroying the farm system that was finally being built back up to aquire older players who have had mediocre careers (granderson) and today the signing of winn in order to save some money instead of bringing back one of the most productive players as well as a great teammate, Johnny Damon was the final straw.

I held out hope for so long, praying cashman would make a move to show me he cares about putting together a team that can win this year, but today proved that the Boss's son are more concerned with a profit margin than winning championships, something their father would never be accused of.

I am a middle school teacher in the Bronx with a budget as well, but since I've moved out here I've always found a way to get ticket packages because of the entertaining product the Yankees put on the field, but also because I knew that the Yankees would do what was in their power to put a championship caliber team on the field. Even in 2008, when I knew the team was rebuilding, I bought a plan because I knew they were making a sacrifice to improve their chances the following year.

This offseason has not instilled this same confidence, so I regretfully must inform you that I am cancelling my ticket plan. I am no longer a ticket package holder for the Yankees, but I remain what I will always be, I lifelong Yankee fan.

Thank you for your help and service throughout the years XXXX. Hopefully, we will be in touch sooner than later.
Best regards,
XXX XXXX

And the committed and logical Yankees ticket representative tries to talk some sense into our passionate emailer:

XXXX,

I would hate to see you cancel your season ticket plan on the basis of some moves that you feel make the team weaker. I on the other hand feel that the moves Brian Cashman made will make the team just as competitive as they were in 2009. While Nick Johnson is an injury prone player, he does not have any chronic injuries Yankees fans should be concerned with. He has shown throughout his career that he can consistently get on base and I think he will flourish in the number 2 spot in the order behind Jeter and in front of Teixeira. His On Base Percentage last year was .426 which was 20 points higher than Derek Jeter’s .406 which led the team. I think it’s fair to say that last time Javier Vasquez was a Yankee he did underachieve. However, his role in 2010 is very different than what his role was in 2004. He is not expected to be the ace of the staff this year and is slotted to pitch in the 3rd or 4th spot in the rotation. He is a lock to give the Yankees 200+ innings and last year had an ERA of 2.87. He even finished in 4th place in NL Cy Young voting. Not bad for a middle of the rotation guy. As far as Curtis Granderson is concerned, I would say he has had far from a mediocre career. He was an All-Star last year and even scored the winning run in the game. In 2007 and 2008 he was in the top 3 in the AL in runs scored. In addition to his stellar play on the field, he is said to be a great clubhouse presence. What you lose in Johnny Damon clubhouse wise, you get back with Curtis Granderson. He is also very active in the community. While Randy Winn does not have the bat that Damon has, he is an above average outfielder and excellent on the bases. The Yankees have a plan and part of that plan is sticking to a budget this year so next year they can spend on what they see as a better free agent class. Hopefully you will still be a season ticket holder by then.

Sincerely,

XXXX

27-Time World Champions
New York Yankees
Yankee Stadium Ticket Office
One East 161st Street
Bronx, New York 10451

So there you have it. The Randy Winn signing has pushed Yankees fans over the edge.

On the other hand, that ticket rep sounds extremely knowledgeable and may or may not have been brainwashed by Brian Cashman.

Only in New York.

Read the full post, after the jump

A Guide to Owning a Piece of Yankees History

As a franchise with a legacy of championships and Hall of Fame players, it’s no surprise that Yankees memorabilia is a favorite among fans and collectors alike. Within the multibillion dollar sports memorabilia market, the New York Yankees dominates in memorabilia sales by team. Mickey Mantle’s signature also ranks fourth in memorabilia sales by player and the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever sold was even a Yankees collectible; a Babe Ruth game-worn jersey that was purchased for over $4.4 million. Through the purchase of autographed baseballs, jerseys, bats, and photos, the baseball memorabilia industry offers fans a way to collect their favorite memories. Fans can not only own a piece of baseball history that makes for an emotionally valuable family heirloom, it also allows fans to connect with childhood heroes. From a monetary perspective, the memorabilia industry offers collectors a potential for big returns on their investment, which, unfortunately, has led to a number of issues regarding forgeries. In a market that is constantly striving to weed out deceitful sellers, how can a fan know what to purchase?

 Understandably, fraudulent sellers are to blame for casual memorabilia collectors and purchasers inability to trust when purchasing an autographed item. Although forgeries continue to exist, the best way to avoid buying unauthentic items is through education. When purchasing baseball memorabilia, there are several important factors to consider in order to ensure the genuineness of the signature and its likelihood to increase in value. The most significant element to consider is third party authenticator. Third party authentication services like PSA/DNA and JSA are two of the most widely recognized and trusted services in the industry due to their reputation and knowledge regarding sports autographs. Additionally, manufacturer authenticators, like Mounted Memories, Steiner, and Upper Deck all guarantee the presence of a witness present at every signing. Once a buyer can trust the authenticity of the signature, their reason for acquiring the piece weighs heavily on the rest of the decision. As a collector looking to add value to their collection, big names in sports with impressive career achievements are most likely to increase in value. Memorabilia signed by current players, like Derek Jeter and Robinson Canó, are likely to increase in value due to their accolades, but the risk of future scandals or controversies that can cause their autograph to deplete in value. On the other hand, a piece autographed by a baseball legend, like Mickey Mantle, is worth significantly more due to the inability to produce more products with the former athlete’s signature. Whereas, an item of sentimental value may not feature the signature of a league’s top athlete, but instead a childhood icon or family favorite. Other factors to consider are features of the collectible, which include signature location, special inscription, and authentic or replica products, that don’t necessarily hinder its value but rather offer options to align with different buyers’ preferences.

Click here to shop for authentic baseball memorabilia and other sports collectibles at SportsMemorabilia.com. Read the full post, after the jump

New Yankee Stadium and Minnesota's Target Field Have Some Striking Similarities

While the new Yankee Stadium is an absolutely picturesque structure, it is also known to be generic in the architectural world. This has never been more evident than in a photo making the rounds on the web, showcasing the upper deck of Minnesota's brand new Target Field:

(hat tip to NYY Fans "Out Of Play" Forum)

Hmmmm... Does that photo look familiar? Here is a similar photo of the new Yankee Stadium:

Hardcore baseball stadium aficionados have long despised HOK Sport Venue Event (now apparently known as Populous architecture) because of their generic seating design. It just so happens that this company worked on the design of Yankee Stadium and Target Field.

Upon our first trip to the new Yankee Stadium, it was immediately reminiscent of Citizen's Bank Park (another HOK venture), but it didn't really bother us too much. In fact, this is probably the only way to design an upper tier so it can accommodate wide concourses throughout.

Still, we have a feeling that hardcore Yankee traditionalists aren't going to be pleased when they catch wind of the similarities between Target Field in Minnesota and the mystique and aura-filled Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Read the full post, after the jump

Having Trouble Adding a New Credit Card To Your Yankees Account? We're Here To Help

As we mentioned earlier, today is the day that the first installment payment is due for 2010 Yankees season ticket invoices. Tens of thousands of Yankees fans are heading to their Yankees.com ticket account and many are facing the same problem - they can't add a new credit at checkout.

When arriving at this screen, the add credit card button just doesn't do anything:

This led to about an hour of frustration, trying different browsers, computers, etc. Of course, we should have just turned to our trusty Twitter account. Within minutes of sharing our frustration, the solution to our problem was right there in our "at replies."

As it turns out, everyone is having issues adding a new credit card at checkout. Luckily, the workaround is simple. The first step is to navigate to the home screen of your Yankees ticket account:

Next, click the "account settings" link, and you will arrive at this page:

From there, you want to click on the "credit card information" link, which will bring you here:

Unlike the frustrating "add new card" link on the checkout page, this one actually registers your command, and you are able to add the card successfully.

Now, when you attempt to pay your invoice, all of the cards that you added within your account will appear as payment options:

And just like that, we have a workaround for the ever-glitchy ticketmaster web interface.

Many thanks to LeoKitty, nyydem, and michebag22 (all great Yankees fans on Twitter that you should all follow) for responding with that simple solution.

Read the full post, after the jump

Want To Know Which Games Are In Your 2010 Yankees Season Ticket Plan? There's A Blog For That

Is it a coincidence that the winter meetings always occur right around the time that season ticket payments are due? It probably is, but it ends up being perfect timing for retaining waffling season ticket licensees. It seems unlikely that a hardcore season ticket holder would drop their plan after the Yankees signed CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeria, or made a blockbuster trade for Curtis Granderson.

In any case, the installment payment option for 2010 Yankees season tickets is due today (December 10), so if you want to spread out the agony, be sure to make your first payment as soon as possible. Just in time, the schedule of games included in each plan has been released by the team.

2010 New York Yankees Season Ticket Plan Grid
Date	Team	Day	41	20 #1	20 #2	15 Fri +	15 Sat +	15 Sun +	12 #1	12 #2	11
4/13	LAA	Tue	X
4/14	LAA	Wed		X		X
4/15	LAA	Thu	X						X
4/16	TEX	Fri			X	X
4/17	TEX	Sat	X				X
4/18	TEX	Sun		X				X
4/30	CWS	Fri	X			X
5/1	CWS	Sat			X		X
5/2	CWS	Sun	X					X
5/3	BAL	Mon		X							X
5/4	BAL	Tue	X						X
5/5	BAL	Wed			X					X
5/14	MIN	Fri	X			X
5/15	MIN	Sat		X			X
5/16	MIN	Sun	X					X
5/17	BOS	Mon			X						X
5/18	BOS	Tue	X						X
5/19	TB	Wed		X						X
5/20	TB	Thu	X								X
5/28	CLE	Fri			X	X
5/29	CLE	Sat	X				X
5/30	CLE	Sun		X				X
5/31	CLE	Mon	X						X
6/1	BAL	Tue			X					X
6/2	BAL	Wed	X								X
6/3	BAL	Thu		X		X
6/11	HOU	Fri	X			X
6/12	HOU	Sat			X		X
6/13	HOU	Sun	X					X
6/15	PHI	Tue		X						X
6/16	PHI	Wed	X								X
6/17	PHI	Thu			X				X
6/18	NYM	Fri	X			X
6/19	NYM	Sat		X			X
6/20	NYM	Sun	X					X
6/29	SEA	Tue			X					X
6/30	SEA	Wed	X						X
7/1	SEA	Thu		X							X
7/2	TOR	Fri	X			X
7/3	TOR	Sat			X		X
7/4	TOR	Sun	X					X
7/16	TB	Fri		X		X
7/17	TB	Sat	X				X
7/18	TB	Sun			X			X
7/20	LAA	Tue	X							X
7/21	LAA	Wed		X				X
7/22	KC	Thu	X						X
7/23	KC	Fri			X	X
7/24	KC	Sat	X				X
7/25	KC	Sun		X				X
8/2	TOR	Mon	X						X
8/3	TOR	Tue			X						X
8/4	TOR	Wed	X				X
8/6	BOS	Fri		X		X
8/7	BOS	Sat	X				X
8/8	BOS	Sun			X			X
8/9	BOS	Mon	X							X
8/16	DET	Mon		X							X
8/17	DET	Tue	X						X
8/18	DET	Wed			X					X
8/19	DET	Thu	X					X
8/20	SEA	Fri		X		X
8/21	SEA - (OTD)	Sat	X				X
8/22	SEA	Sun			X			X
8/30	OAK	Mon	X						X
8/31	OAK	Tue		X						X
9/1	OAK	Wed	X								X
9/2	OAK	Thu			X		X
9/3	TOR	Fri	X			X
9/4	TOR	Sat		X			X
9/5	TOR	Sun	X					X
9/6	BAL	Mon			X					X
9/7	BAL	Tue	X								X
9/8	BAL	Wed		X					X
9/20	TB	Mon	X							X
9/21	TB	Tue			X						X
9/22	TB	Wed	X						X
9/23	TB	Thu		X						X
9/24	BOS	Fri	X			X
9/25	BOS	Sat			X		X
9/26	BOS	Sun	X					X

For 41 game plan holders like ourselves, this slate of games is a thing of beauty. Five games against Boston, three games against the Angels, two games against the Mets, one game against the Phillies, and Old Timer's Day. If you are a reseller, those twelve games will pay for the entire plan, and the rest of the games are playing with house money.

Hopefully, the Yankees upgrade our crappy seats, or we may have to take advantage of the secondary market. After buying a beautiful new 50 inch plasma, crappy stadium food and mediocre views are no longer the draw that they were in the stadium's first season.

Read the full post, after the jump