Enjoy, all - I'll try to get these better organized in the future- I'm new to uploading anything on YouTube...

I'll do it for future celebrations as well if everyone wants...

http://tinyurl.com/m8a4b

Great stuff from SG. I especially like that he gives props to Pena, and Bowa.

But I don't agree that the Yanks thrilling 14-13 win over Texas on May 16 was the game of the season.

The game of the season was Aug. 20, which SG beautifully breaks down as "the game that broke Boston's back." Definitely read his recap of that game. Giambi hasn't hit a home run since. Damn.

SG nails most of my favorite moments of 2006 including Melky's catch (June 6?) robbing Manny.

But SG missed my absolute favorite moment of 2006: May 24 - Fenway, 8th inning: Ortiz steps to the plate with the bases loaded.

Yanks up 8-6

Lord Kyle Farnswacker appears to be melting down with two outs. He has just walked Loretta, setting up Ortiz.

Power against power.

Farnstantinople freezes Papi, strikes him out looking at an 86 mph slider. Ortiz also went down swinging against Unit in the first, watched a Unit fastball blow by him in the 4th inning, whiffed on an outside pitch from Myers in the 7th, and got frozen by Farnwacker in the 8th.

I will admire Farnstantinople forever for that.

Turning point of the season (in my opinion) which SG did not write up:

Aug. 1 Abreu's Yankees debut. 4th inning. Abreu falls behind 0-2. Checks his swing several times, and works a 9 pitch walk.
Sets up Bernie's 3 run double. Yanks beat Blue Jays 5-1, but more importantly, Yanks 6th win in 7 games moves them into the AL East lead for the first time since June 18.

Will definitely be stopping by Scranton next spring-summer for some Yanks Triple A ball -- even if Phillip Hughes will be in da Bronx by Father's Day!

...although that strange metal scaffolding around the airport you pass on I-81 creeps me out.

Thanks a bunch, Pete, especially from those in the tri-state who don't have Cabledrivel or Crime Warner. Looking forward to it.

This all is starting to feel like 1996, with the mix of hardened, winning vets and giddy, ambitious youth led by a quiet, yet profound field general and his misfit assistants, complete with media derision from all sides. Next thing I know I'll be hanging halfway out a friend's window from five floors up screaming my head off. Good times...

Do you really think Hugheser the Abuser will be in the Bronx by Father's Day? Jesus I hope it works if he is. I'm hopping they let him get up to 7 - 9 innings slowly and a normal MLB workload for a middle of the rotation starter before they bring him up; if not next year then early '08. I had July/August in mind if he came up next year at all.

If he's up early next year I hope they don't let him fall into the Papelbon shoulder/arm problem syndrome. So many folks talk about the evils of babying pitching prospects but I think we've all seen the down side of rushing sub 22 year old youngsters whose bodies have not fully formed to the bigs. I keep asking what is the rush?

I found a YouTube clip of Wang at the celebration from what I'm guessing is Taiwanese tv. It's only 8 seconds long but I find it pretty funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlKI_YhzwGo

Also, I'm with you on Tino in the booth. I would like to see them bring in some other people besides Waldman to call the games on occasion. Maybe they could just give Waldman Saturdays off (since those are the games that I am forced to MLB.noTV's radio broadcast during the FOX blackout).

Does anyone know how Waldman got that job in the first place and how long until her contract is up?

Here is my favorite blurb from it, two trades all Yankee fans probably remember well:

"7. Athletics deal Rickey Henderson (26) with Bert Bradley to Yankees for Stan Javier, Jay Howell, Jose Rijo, Eric Plunk, and Tim Birtsas, December 5, 1984.

This deal illustrates fairly vividly the problem with dealing a superstar. You have Rickey Henderson, one of the very best players in baseball, already staking his claim as the greatest leadoff hitter in history. But your team isn't very good (75-87), so you figure: why not use Rickey to fill a bunch of holes on the team and pick up several promising players? The problem here is that you are left hoping that one or two of these players become regulars, or maybe one becomes a star, when you already had a star, a superstar in fact. And you just traded him away for some shiny gold rocks.

8. Yankees deal Rickey Henderson (30) to Athletics for Greg Cadaret, Eric Plunk, and Luis Polonia, June 21, 1989.

Four-and-a-half years later, Rickey is still a great player, so you get him back. Once again, there is no realistic hope that these players are going to add up to Rickey Henderson-in fact, it's a much less hopeful group than the 1985 lot. Nice reversal, but you missed out on some pretty good seasons, and Rickey might have helped out in 1987."

I guess the moral is: Your HOFer in the hand is better than two in the bush (leagues).

Boy did everybody have that one upside down.

The Yanks were 3-3 against the Twins this year; they went 5-2 against the Tigers. I assume the head-to-head record is the first tie-breaker, so the Yanks have the edge on the Tigers. But, what happens if two tied teams also have tied head-to-head records?

Thanks again, great work. Three more to go! ;-)

20 Bama, they didn't include the Ozzie for Gary swap - probably for the reasons MFD wsporter mentions in 21. They did mention the Gary Carter to the Mets deal, and Reggie Jackson and Ken Holtzman for Don Baylor and Mike Torrez. I always forget Reggie played for the Boids one year, same as I always forget Kevin Brown did too.

But if the Twins were the Central champs and the Yanks and Twins both won their division series, according to this website (http://tinyurl.com/hbjsc), the tiebreaker after head to head is "intradivision games." The Yankees have a record of 41-23 versus the East; Minnesota has a 37-32 record versus the Central. The Yanks have 10 games left against East opponents and so can do no worse than 41-33; the Twins can do no better than 44-32.

BTW, Templeton's middle finger salute to a fan in 1981 had a lot to do with that trade.

I still like the following quote from Whitey Herzog:
"He (Garry Templeton) doesn't want to play in St. Louis. He doesn't want to play on turf. He doesn't want to play when we go into Montreal. He doesn't want to play in the Astrodome. He doesn't want to play in the rain. The other eighty games he's all right."

11 Nah, I don't think Hughes will be up that soon. Just talkin' smack. I agree they should take the Ernst and Julio Gallo Bros. approach with him: "Sell no wine before it's time" and all that.

31 Slice, thanks for that. My world seemed to go spinning off it's greased grooves when I read those words in 8. I feel better now.

Looking forward to the Negron piece you're working on.

If so, is this the Bronx Banter Bachelor Party?

Good luck, and best wishes, Cliff!

I did my 25th a couple of years ago with my best friend from those days who remains my best friend (A dyed in the wool SAWX fan btw). So I don't think I'll make it up this spring. Spring is the really busy time in my business and it's hard to get away; I have to pick my spots. I have to be truthful about it as well; I found it a little depressing. I found that many of the people I liked either didn't go or had become the kind of people I can't stand hanging with.

In some ways though, it was a blast. Spending a gorgeous spring afternoon walking about a beautiful campus, checking out the co-eds and visiting old professors who can't quite place you all the while sipping from a fifth of Jameson that's been iced in a 24 ounce go cup holds a certain magnetic charm that is not to be missed. I do recommend it.

A good friend of ours - another U alum - just moved out there, so we were thinking of going for Homecoming. Fall on campus was always my favorite time of year. Just something in the air, I guess. I dislike some of what's happened to the old place, but its still part-home-sweet-home.

It would also be nice to be able to walk around in a Yankees cap and not get jeered, as often happens in MA.

Shef tonight? I think so. You?

Cliff, Best of Wishes! And have a wonderful wedding day tomorrow.

We, the Banterers, will miss you and your always informative write-ups in the next week or so while you enjoy your honeymoon.

As for Sheff, I think he plays tonight too. I hope he pulls a Matsui in his return. If Giambi is even slightly off, the Yanks need Sheff's big bat.

Thanks again pete for spending the time and effort it took to provide that video to those of us outside of the YES viewing area.

Pete and all the other great posters here along with the great stuff from Cliff and Alex (not to mention Ken making it all possible) make the Bronx Banter the best place on the net for Yankee fans.

47 Hear hear!!

I'll be sure to do it for as far as we go into the playoffs.

The World Series videos might take a bit longer than all the others, however. :-) My favorite post-Series clip has always been from 1996, when they had interviewed all the players, coaches, etc., and they finally got to John Sterling, who looked unusually disheveled & tired after all the revelry that night. I stayed up for ALL of it - it was such a great night to be a Yankees fan.

'96 was a wonderful time. After all those years of waiting and then after those first two games when it looked like we were soooo dead; just beautiful. Man I hope we all get to feel that way again this year. The masacre was just a small taste I hope. Wouldn't it be cool to see Donnie BB get a ring?

50 Thanks again pistolpete, you're definitely cool.

I know that it has been said a few times already, but many MANY thanks to pistolpete. as you might imagine, the coverage here in boston was minimal at best.

one "sportscaster" (he's terrible) here showed highlights of the sox loss, briefly stated that the loss secured the division title for the yankees and followed that with:

"we won't be showing a single frame of yankee celebrations... why would we?"

i was livid. i'm sure it wasn't that way in NY in 2004.

whatever...

thank you. much obliged.

After we lost those first two games, I remember them giving me a hard time for wearing my Yankees cap during one of our practices. One of them said, "You still wearin' that cap" and I replied with all the confidence that I could muster "It ain't over yet, son. Last time I checked it takes four games to win a World Series".

Little did I know at the time (or really even think it possible) we won the next eight straight against the Braves in the Serious and you know I gave that little boy grief after every one of those wins.

Years later that same kid borrowed some of my Yankee stuff for a Halloween party and I believe he is a Yankee fan to this day. Converting the masses, one fan at a time...

Meanwhile, in 2004 I had to do a complete media boycott for about a month. As many Yankee shills as we have in the tri-state area, there's just as many outlets (if not more) who will run & rehash highlights/details of a Yankee loss into the ground - and one of them happens to be a national cable sports network with 4 letters. ;)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14949055/

62 I can't watch anything that has to do with it. I find myself changing chanels or leaving the room when that crap comes on. E$@% showed Damon's game 7 HR the other night - couldn't watch. I think I need therapy.

Okay, I'm going back to work. I couldn't resist, sorry...

WFAN often has them the earliest, if you're in the area.

I didn't mention my pinstriped crystal ball... ;-)

Damon CF
Cano DH
Jeter SS
Posada C
Sheff 1B
Bernie LF
Guiel RF
Cairo 2B
Green 3B

I loved seeing Jeter talking to Kim Jones, getting gang-doused by his teammates, and then not breaking stride with her regarding his always diplomatically worded remarks...that clip was just textbook Jeter. (his comment about A-Rod's hug "we've hugged before" was about as chilly was one would expect as well)

Seeing Joe playfully say to Mo "we did it without you" was awesome as well. And in general, anytime I see Mo speak, with that quiet and self-assured confidence, I feel so lucky to be rooting for the good guys.

And Sheff will be using Craig Wilson's glove...

(ha ha ha, only kidding. Have a great and successful marriage)

Bernie in CF. I guess Joe still doesn't trust Guiel in CF, even after that great sliding catch he made.

It's gonna be that kind of night, isn't it? Oh well.... go Sheff! I predict 1 for 4 with a double, and a solid first base.

Time for some artificial worms to die.

Geez, I hope Damon is OK. The man is always getting hurt (resisting urge to make Pavano joke....)

===
The following is done with the utmost respect for the New York Yankees, who once again are kings of the AL East, and likely WS Champions for the 27th time. CONGRATULATIONS!

(But I'll still find time to tweak them.)

Yankee Celebration Moments:

1. Sal Fasano's mustache absorbing every drop of champagne poured onto his head.

2. Mike Mussina jubilantly solving a really hard New York Times crossword puzzle. (8. Across: Seven letter word that begins with a "P," the clue — employee list of wages.)

3. Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield taking turns injecting champagne into their butts.

4. A beer-drenched Alex Rodriguez bouncing around the clubhouse, full of joy, oblivious to the fact that none of his teammates like him.

5. Robinson Cano copping a feel off a distracted Kim Jones.

6. Suzyn Waldman doing the same thing.

7. Speaking of which: Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling after hours in the Lowes Broadcast Booth — if this van is rocking, don't come knocking.

8. Joe Torre taking the fatherly role of changing Melky Cabrera's champagne-soaked diapers.

9. Don Mattingly screaming, "I can finally win the World Series Ring I could NEVER win as a player!"

10. Carl Pavano slipping on spilled beer, landing on his butt, and missing the 2007 season.

11. Derek Jeter winning an award for Best Locker Room Celebrant, and David Ortiz complaining about it. "Hey, I hit 50 home runs! Hello?"

12. From Hideki Matsui's translator: "This fulfilling victory symbolizes a great accomplishment in my career. I am filled with pride, honor and discipline. I think I shall reward myself tonight with an aged bottle of tasty Sake while watching the best-of Jenna Jameson DVD."

13. From Johnny Damon's translator: "We won! Unga-Bunga!"

I know the opinion is mixed on Sheff, but I'm glad he's back.

Sheff had the out at second there...

Who are you, and what have you done with Chein-Ming Wang?

108 Maybe Shields read Torre's quote about not wanting to throw Sheff at Halladay in his first game back. Still, the fact he's tossing a perfect game is amazing...

Who manufactured the first Kazoo?

Not so perfect now, is it?

Another nice scoop from Sheff.

He earns $115,384.62 for every 25 plate appearances from 150 to 450. Coming into tonight, he has had 437 PAs.

Who'da thunk it?

Man, I'm never gonna get tired of saying that.

LoHud mentioned that Torre was aware of Cano's need for ABs. So unless he's out of it later in the week, I expect Torre will give him the ABs he needs.

If he gets 4 ABs today, he needs another 28 over 9 games. It will be close but he should ge there.

I calculate PAs as: ABs + BBs + SacBs + SacFs + IBBs + HPs

That plate coverage? The way he was fooled on the pitch yet still managed to put a good swing on it?

That was just such, such great hitting, as was Bernie's single before that.

Hitting like that impresses me far more than anything Sheffield can do. No offense to Sheffield, it's just that I find the poetry of hitting so much more gratifying than the power of hitting.

That is all. Carry on.

Mauer .345
Cano .340
MVP .337

I would love to see Cano win the title and let Jeter take home the MVP

Hey, it's Scott Proctor! He's never in the game, I'm glad we finally get to see him.

Wow, great last 2 innings for Wang and Proctor.

Great line about Giambi, JD and Bobby A!

Right now I'm trying to find out what the shortest Yankee game of the year has been. It's going to take a while if I go through all 152 box scores, anyone have a better idea?

Sheff's back. Mo's back. Robbie's on the batting title hunt and hit another homer. Posada didn't get impaled by a broken bat. This is a good day.

Sox are up 7-1 but our win will take one more off their wild card standings, right? 1 to go and they are completely eliminated.

With Sheff at first the timing is amazing given the seriousness of Giambi's problems. I'm sure Sheff's swing is fine given the trademark vicious foul ball he hit today.

"Pavano has missed time with injuries to his shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and ribs. Before he shook his hand, Torre jokingly asked Pavano if that was O.K. "I don't know what's hurting," Torre said.

The pitching coach Ron Guidry greeted Pavano with a smile and a punch line. "You got a new car?" Guidry said. "Why don't you buy yourself a bicycle and put an airbag on the side?"

Some other truly useless information:
The average Yankees game this year has taken 3 hours and 8 minutes. This works out to an average of 3:05 before the Abreu trade, 3:18 since then. Wins have averaged 3:06 while losses have averaged 3:09.

There have been three games of four hours or longer (and two at 3:59).

This works out to 153 games in 479 hours, 24 minutes of baseball. This is 11.5% of the 4,152 hours that have passed between April 3, 2006 (opening day) and today.

Now that I have this huge and useless database up, any other questions? I can sort by score, team date, and oddly enough, which networks the games were on...

Although I did watch the end of Sanchez's so I guess not.

Oh, and I'd MUCH rather the Captain win the title than Cano- Robbie Rocket has far more opportunies left.

"This works out to 153 games in 479 hours, 24 minutes of baseball. This is 11.5% of the 4,152 hours that have passed between April 3, 2006 (opening day) and today."

No wonder my income, productivity and client satisfaction are all down this year. I think I actually double that time watching or listening to every game, then reading recaps, blogs, box scores, and staring at the standings for 15 minutes after a win. Never mind talking on the phone with my baseball-minded buds. Then — when the morning paper arrives, I'll read the same f'n AP report, the stuff I read 8 times online the night before, stare at the standings and pour over the box score — again, the same ones I read the night before. How sick is that?

Again, mehmattski, thanks for the info. That took some doing, much appreciated!

231 For Sterling, it probably felt like "far and away" the shortest game of the year because Suzyn wasn't there.

I've actually gotten used to Waldman to the point that she doesn't bug me anymore. I'll listen to the radio a lot more during the playoffs as I can't stand the Fox and ESPN guys.

It was great listening to Tino last night.

I have Extra Innings and MLB.TV and therefore get to watch most games (of course I don't always get the YES broadcast). I was wondering if I would be better off switching to a dish instead of cable so I could get YES in a sports package (if that is even possible) and save the cost of EI.

Does anyone else do this (get YES on a dish outside the NY area)? I guess I would also need someway to get My9 on the dish as well (since they show a lot of the games as well). Maybe I'm just better off sticking with what I have. Any advice?

BTW, good one about Sterling thinking the game was shorter because of the absence of Waldman. I agree that she is better than the FOX guys, but I would like to hear some variety in the booth every now and then (mostly on Saturdays, since that is when I usually have to listen... Stupid FOX blackout).

This is shaping up to be a good day, think I'll have waffles.

Is everyone saying that getting YES on Satellite OUTSIDE the NY area is still NO good... subject to 'local' blackouts?

When the Yanks and Sox play, regardless of where, I get the NESN feed, never YES. I hate this even though Remy and Orsillo aren't bad announcers.

Except for Red Sox games:

When the Yanks are at home and the game is on YES, I get the YES feed.

When the Yanks are at home and the game is on My9 (local NYC station) if the away team is broadcasting the game on their cable channel, I get that feed. If the away team is showing it on a local channel, no game.

When the Yanks are on the road, and the home team's game is on their cable channel, I get that feed.

When the Yanks are on the road, and the home team's game is on their local channel, if YES is broadcasting the game, I get the YES feed. If My9 has the game instead, no game.

I really wish I could just pay whatever amount of money and get the Yankee feed for each Yankee game. But that would be too simple.

It seems that YES is an exclusively CABLE channel... while MY9 is the local Yankees station (was WPIX channel 11 when I was a kid)?

Jeez... its complicated. Do you get other YES channel stuff (pre/post game, specials, etc)?

It seems MLB.TV for TV is the best alternative, as it has ALL games except for FOX blackouts (or so Comcast says). Do you have Comcast? If not, does your cable provider offer MLB.TV for TV like Comcast does?

Its hard for me to believe that someone who WANTS to go to a live Baseball game, would decide NOT to because it was on TV. Plus, there is a TV advertising revenue lost (I would guess) when games are blacked out.

Do 'TV Blackouts' really produce better game attendance? Has this been studied?

What a freakin'pain in the ass.

Thanks for your help.

At present, 474.3 TPAs are needed to qualify, so Cano needs to average 3.1 PAs/game PLUS add 3 more PAs. Or if 503 PA's are needed at season's end, Cano needs 31 more PA's over the next 9 games. So he can actually sit out ONE game and still qualify, if he averages 4 PA's (x 8 games) per game.