It’s worth noting that with the discount Grandstand Outfield prices are below what plan-holders pay for the seats, but Ticketmaster fees push that up so it’s not a big deal. I’ve always considered one of the benefits of having a plan (or two or three) to be saving the Ticketmaster fees one pays.

Update: I found a few more games and added them. 12 Game #1 is once again strapped with more of the games than the other plans but I think my conclusion is still fair.

Last year, the Yankees had 10 $5 ticket nights. In case you’re not familiar with these nights, they’re low draw games (well, for the Yankees anyway) and they price the Grandstand/Bleachers/Terrace at $5 a seat. They come to about $10 a piece after Ticketmaster fees which is still a good discount. I believe these days it’s just the outfield terrace that is discounted but in the past it was the whole Tier Box area. In any case, in 2009 12 Game Plan #1 holders were annoyed to find out that 10 of the games they had tickets for were $5 nights.

Because I enjoy follow-ups let’s see how things turned out this year:

The 11 game plan used to be the old E plan before relocation and was always discounted a lot, I wouldn’t be shocked if they changed it to be that way again over the next few years.

At tonight’s game, however, I noticed these lovely new signs and bag size evaluators (much like what you’d find in an airport):

And from they have updated the Yankee Stadium A-Z page with this information:

Diaper bags, small backpacks, small purses and bags are permitted. However, in accordance with Major League Baseball security regulations, bags larger than 16 x 16 x 8 inches will not be allowed into the Stadium. Briefcases, large backpacks, large purses and bags, coolers and hard-sided bags and containers are also not permitted. All bags must be thoroughly inspected before they are permitted into the Stadium. Box templates shall be used at inspection points, and bags and their contents must fit without assistance, modification or adjustment. The Yankees reserve the right to inspect any bags, clothing or other articles prior to entry into Yankee Stadium and prohibit entry or require removal of any items the Yankees deem inappropriate or potentially injurious to Yankee Stadium, other patrons or field personnel.

Hooray!

Still no laptops allowed for whatever crazy reason, but hey at least it’s a step in the right direction finally.

I brought my camera as I always do, but forgot to put the memory card back in it after transferring some files off. Luckily, I had my camera phone and my DSi to take bad quality pictures with. So if you’ve ever wondered what the stadium looks like from the inside during a long rain delay, here you go.

Not pictured: people playing cards in the Grandstand to waste time, everyone running around when the wind started whipping the rain into a flurry.

There’s a lot so here’s a preview picture and make sure to follow afterward:

The crowd who stayed behind hiding from the weather.

So, they hit more homeruns at home and more doubles on the road. This probably has to do with the not as advertised fence distances. Overall, the offense has a slight advantage at home because of that, but it still comes out mostly even. Which I love because it’s a great counter to the “New Yankee Stadium is a joke” crowd. There’s a difference, yes, but there’s always a difference. The Yankees are still scoring an average of about 5.5 runs on the road and that’s a nice number.

Even without the WIND TUNNEL to rely on to boost those slugging numbers, the Yankees hit more than a homer a game on the road so when they score lots of runs you expect to find some of them came via the long ball. Carlos Gomez, being a jerk, was having none of that though which gave the Yankees an opportunity to out-Twins the Twins.

Luckily, it didn’t involve any bunting or hit and runs or productive outs (well, except that one Sac Fly thanks to Carlos Gomez’s leap) and grit heart scrappy gamer grinding. Just a whole lot of singles. 13 of them, to be exact. The other hits of the night were two doubles and a triple.

How do you score 10 runs off 16 hits spread over the night with no homeruns? Well, this part isn’t very Twins but is very Yankees: You take free bases when they’re offered. Minnesota pitchers issued 7 walks last night–including one with the bases loaded to Nick Swisher.

It’s nice to have a game like this where hit after hit falls in once in a while, but I still like the Bronx Bombers more.

On July 3rd, I made my way to Yankee Stadium for their series opener against the Blue Jays. There were a lot of red hats, which I really hate. I am easily confused and they disorient me. Plus can anyone explain to me why the Jays have to wear them too? Nobody wears special Canada Day hats for Toronto (except maybe the Jays themselves but I know nothing about that).

Then on actual Independence Day, I went to the Staten Island Yankees game. They always have fireworks on Saturdays and you could see the fireworks from the Macy’s extravaganza if you sat or stood in the right place so though I am not a huge fan I got to see a lot of them on the 4th.

Overall, a good weekend. Especially since I didn’t get rained on at a baseball game for what felt like the first time this year.

The crowd on Tuesday (at least in my section) was hands down one of the most annoying I have dealt with, ever, at a Yankee game. Now I admit that I am a fairly grouchy person, but as long as I can see what is going on in the game I am excellent at just bitching about it and continuing to watch the game. This was made very hard at times on Tuesday as there was a very large block of very drunk people (they didn’t appear to all be together, which made it even more frightening) who just stood up constantly no matter what was going on.

Yankees have a runner on base? STAND UP
Orioles have a runner on base? STAND UP
Pitcher is about to throw a pitch? STAND UP

In Old Yankee Stadium, this wasn’t really that annoying as you could see anyway because of the steep incline. In New Yankee Stadium, it can sometimes be hard to see if there is a big guy four rows in front of you sitting down.

This got too long but if I think too hard about it, I get annoyed all over again. In short: If you are at a game, please be considerate of the people around you. Don’t stand up and block the view during the action, and if you do, don’t be surprised when people yell at you to sit down because you are…blocking the view.

These annoyances were all washed away by the performance of the Yankees pitchers and hitters. CC Sabathia is really looking like the guy we thought he was, and Phil Hughes put together a very solid 5 innings (could have pitched 6, but I don’t disagree with the decision to pull him out on a high note). Many baseballs left the park, including Nick Swisher’s first at home. Good times all around.

The back-to-back-to-back homeruns from Swisher-Robinson Cano-Melky Cabrera was just ridiculous. The first two of that trio, not a big deal. But Melky joining in on the action? It will never happen again. Ever. Especially bizarre because Melky’s was a monster that ended up in the Main level of the stadium.

And as usual, some pictures.

May 19th

May 20th

I probably will not return to these seats, or any near them, this year since I’m pretty much set for the season with my ticket plans. But they were very nice and I’d like to sit down there again, it just probably will not happen this season.

I would also enjoy if the Yankees bullpen could avoid giving up runs or not make a situation overly tense. Maybe I’m asking too much, who knows!

While some of the Upper Deck infield views are no longer as awesome as they used to be, the Outfield is much improved. You can now see the whole field pretty well, though the corners are still hiding. I’m sitting a bit further out (432A) on Wednesday, so I’ll have some more comparison pictures available then.

I haven’t sat outside of the Grandstand, but tomorrow I’ll be down on the Main Level thanks to the level of demand, and therefore the price, of tickets to non-premium games plummeting on StubHub. $35 (with fees) for tickets with an Advance Sale price of $90? Yes please!

[Picture Credit to Subway Chatter]

This goes well with those quote from the aforementioned noted hater of the working class stiff:

There’s an area by the Legends Suite which is not an area that fans can get into,” Trost said. “If you purchase a suite, do you want somebody in your suite? If you purchase a home, do you want somebody in your home?

(I’m still alive, just extremely busy with work these days. Hi, internet.)

As of right now, I’m not sure if both tiers of the patrician class are allowed in the Legends seats. As soon as I figure it out, I’ll report back.