The New York Yankees 2005 Chatter

[Bob_R]

[Bob_R]

08/10/2005 12:47 AM ET
Fan jumps from upper deck at Stadium
Teen OK after landing on netting behind home plate
By_Mark Feinsand_/_MLB.com

NEW YORK -- A fan jumped from the upper deck during the eighth inning of Tuesday night's White Sox-Yankees game in the Bronx, delaying the game for four minutes.

The fan, 18-year-old Scott Harper, climbed up the net on his own power after spending several minutes sitting with a dazed look on his face. After reaching the stands, he was led away by stadium security before being taken from the ballpark on a gurney.

According to police, Harper was at the game with three friends, and the four had been discussing whether the protective netting would support Harper's weight. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Yankees trying to mount a late rally, Harper jumped over the railing on the upper deck, landing on the netting behind home plate.

Players and coaches from both teams saw Harper on the netting and went to the top of their dugouts to see what had happened. Fans cheered and snapped pictures while Harper sat on the netting with his head in his hands.

"I didn't see him fall. But I looked up and he was bouncing. I saw him bouncing on the net. That was crazy," said Chicago reliever Dustin Hermanson. "I've heard one other story about that happening before. I don't know what he did. He's lucky he landed on the net rather than somewhere else. Just think about those people sitting below the net and what could have happened."

"I've never seen anything like that before," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Yankees manager Joe Torre had seen this very sight before, as another fan jumped from the upper deck on to the netting during the 2000 season.

"I was hoping I wouldn't see it again," Torre said. "I'm just glad that he was able to walk out."

Harper, from Armonk, N.Y., was taken from the ballpark wearing a neck brace. He was sent to Lincoln Hospital for observation, then placed under arrest.

Harper could be charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. A police spokesperson declined to say whether alcohol was involved in the incident.

"That's New York; anything can happen," said Guillen. "That's the first time I've ever seen that. Thank God that kid was all right."

[YoureAllGhey]

.

[Bob_R]

08/13/2005 7:47 PM ET
Rivera shows he is in fact human
Reliever's save streak comes to a close in Yanks win

NEW YORK -- The game was supposed to end.
With the Yankees leading the Rangers, 5-3, entering the ninth inning Saturday, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" blared over the loudspeakers and Mariano Rivera began to warm up.

But six batters and one two-run single later, the game was tied, and the Yankees' offense would determine the team's eventual success.

It was the first time Rivera blew a save in more than four months.

"What happened to Mariano is not going to happen very often," Aaron Small said. "It's a fluke thing."

After opening the season with consecutive blown saves against the Red Sox on April 5 and 6, Rivera converted 31 straight save opportunities, the longest such streak of his career.

His numbers this season are as staggering as they've ever been. Even after Saturday's setback, Rivera's ERA is 1.48. He has struck out 61 batters while walking 11 and allowing only 27 hits in 54 1/3 innings pitched.

"He hasn't been human all year," Alex Rodriguez said.

The stellar season has earned Rivera mention in early discussions regarding the American League Cy Young Award.

But for one day, Rivera proved fallible. He said that despite the heat and pitching 3 1/3 innings Wednesday and Thursday, he felt fine physically. Rivera said simply that his pitches were off.

He admitted one mistake, attempting to throw a fastball inside to Kevin Mench and instead leaving it out over the plate. Mench laced it through the hole at short for the game-tying single.

"Usually I don't miss those pitches, and today I missed a little bit," Rivera said.

Rivera said that he felt no pressure due to the streak, even though it was a career best. He didn't worry about it coming to an end because he focuses game-to-game.

It's a strategy that's been successful for Rivera all season -- and throughout his career.

"Obviously, with Mariano, it's automatic at that time in the game," Bernie Williams said. "But when they need us to step in, we have to do it. The offense has to do it."

Saturday, it did.

[Dave's PA Rental]

Originally posted by EVH FANATIC
08/10/2005 12:47 AM ET
Fan jumps from upper deck at Stadium
Teen OK after landing on netting behind home plate
By_Mark Feinsand_/_MLB.com

NEW YORK -- A fan jumped from the upper deck during the eighth inning of Tuesday night's White Sox-Yankees game in the Bronx, delaying the game for four minutes.

The fan, 18-year-old Scott Harper, climbed up the net on his own power after spending several minutes sitting with a dazed look on his face. After reaching the stands, he was led away by stadium security before being taken from the ballpark on a gurney.

According to police, Harper was at the game with three friends, and the four had been discussing whether the protective netting would support Harper's weight. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Yankees trying to mount a late rally, Harper jumped over the railing on the upper deck, landing on the netting behind home plate.

Players and coaches from both teams saw Harper on the netting and went to the top of their dugouts to see what had happened. Fans cheered and snapped pictures while Harper sat on the netting with his head in his hands.

"I didn't see him fall. But I looked up and he was bouncing. I saw him bouncing on the net. That was crazy," said Chicago reliever Dustin Hermanson. "I've heard one other story about that happening before. I don't know what he did. He's lucky he landed on the net rather than somewhere else. Just think about those people sitting below the net and what could have happened."

"I've never seen anything like that before," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Yankees manager Joe Torre had seen this very sight before, as another fan jumped from the upper deck on to the netting during the 2000 season.

"I was hoping I wouldn't see it again," Torre said. "I'm just glad that he was able to walk out."

Harper, from Armonk, N.Y., was taken from the ballpark wearing a neck brace. He was sent to Lincoln Hospital for observation, then placed under arrest.

Harper could be charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. A police spokesperson declined to say whether alcohol was involved in the incident.

"That's New York; anything can happen," said Guillen. "That's the first time I've ever seen that. Thank God that kid was all right."

I remember that happening twice before...the 2000 game (im 99.99% positive that it was against the Red Sox...) and once in the early 90's, again, against the Red Sox...

[Bob_R]

After shutting down the ChiSox today and the Red Sox losing to the Angels we're now down to 3 games out.

[redblkwht]

Bring out the brooms..
Kill the Sux Tomorrow please!!
17-3 lmao id pay for that score

[Bob_R]

Yankees win 5-4. BoSox winning 5-0 in the 8th.

A's lost.
Indians won.
Twins won.
Angels won.

[Bob_R]

Yankees lost . Boston lost .

A's won.
Angels won.
Indians lost.
Twins lost.

[Bob_R]

KC took 2 of 3 from the BoSox. We get 'em this weekend. They swept us early in the season in KC. Time for revenge... hopefully.

Yanks 2 1/2 out of first place.

Yanks, A's, Indians in a tie for the wildcard.

[Bob_R]

The Yankees just scored 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth to win 8-7.

[Bob_R]

Boston choked big time tonight.

The lead is down to 1 1/2.

[Bob_R]

W L GB
Boston 74 54 -
Yankees 73 56 1.5


3 teams from this group:

Yankees
Red Sox
A's
Angels
Twins
Indians

are probably going to finish with between 87-95 wins and NOT make the playoffs.

[Bob_R]

Red Sox hero to become a Yankee


Mark Bellhorn, one of the heroes of the Red Sox's 2004 postseason run, will join the rival Yankees once he clears waivers at 1 p.m. Tuesday, FOXSports.com has learned.

Bellhorn, a switch-hitter, will give the Yankees infield depth and a left-handed bat off the bench. The Yankees currently are without backup infielder Rey Sanchez, who has been on the disabled list since June 10 with a bulging disk in his neck, and designated hitter Ruben Sierra, who has been on the D.L. since July 20 with a hamstring injury.
Bellhorn, 31, batted only .216 with seven homers and 28 RBIs before the Red Sox released him on Saturday, striking out 109 times in 283 at-bats. He had a career year for the Sox last season, posting a .817 on-base/slugging percentage with 17 homers and 82 RBIs.

After going 1-for-14 in the first four games of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees, he went 4-for-12 in the final three games, including home runs in Games 6 and 7.

He also hit the game-winning homer in Game 1 of the World Series, breaking a 9-9 tie with a two-run shot in the eighth inning off the Cardinals' Julian Tavarez.

[Bob_R]

09/01/2005 12:03 AM ET
Yanks donate $1 million to Katrina relief
Team duplicates amount contributed to tsunami cause


SEATTLE -- With the Gulf Coast reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Yankees made a sizeable donation on Wednesday to assist with relief efforts.

"The New York Yankees, in heeding the President's call to help the people devastated by this hurricane in the affected areas, are going to donate $1 million to the relief effort," said owner George Steinbrenner in a statement. "This is one of America's greatest natural disasters and tragedies and it is the responsibility of the American public to step up and help those in need."

This is the second donation of $1 million that the Yankees have made to aid victims of a natural disaster this year, as the club made the same gesture in April following the tsunami in Asia.

Gulfport, Miss., one of the areas hit hardest by Katrina, is the hometown of outfielder Matt Lawton. His parents, as well as about a half-dozen of his other family members, have been riding out the storm in his home, though it suffered about $200,000 in damage. Lawton said that the roof and floors will need to be replaced, as will some walls in the house.

"That type of stuff, I'm not really worried about it," Lawton said. "My main concern is trying to get my mom and dad out of there. The next few days aren't going to be much fun."

Wednesday, he spoke to his mother, Lynette, for the first time since last weekend, and she assured him that everyone was OK. His home is without electricity and gas, leaving just snack food for his family to live on.

In addition, the lack of open gas stations has limited his family's ability to leave the area, where temperatures are registering in the 90s.

"It's so hot down there now, and there's no ice, no water," Lawton said. "The generator ran out of gas, so that's another problem now because the house is shut down. They don't have enough gas to drive anywhere, either. It's been one thing after another."

Lawton's wife and children are still in Chicago, and they will join Lawton in New York next week when the team returns home. Lawton said he will try to get a charter plane to Gulfport to bring the rest of his family up north, though the area airports remain closed.

When told of the Yankees' donation, Lawton seemed touched by the gesture.

"There are so many people there who are going to be in need of some sort of help," Lawton said. "Mr. Steinbrenner, I definitely want to thank him for helping. The people are going to be very appreciative."

Lawton wasn't the only member of the Yankees with relatives caught in the hurricane, as the niece and nephew of manager Joe Torre were vacationing in New Orleans when the storm hit.

Torre said that they were able to take a bus to Houston on Tuesday, then fly home to Cincinnati on Wednesday.

"It's really devastating; I don't know what other word to use," Torre said. "You watch it on TV on every station, read about it in the newspaper, and there's no immediate help for anybody. You'd certainly like to be able to do something. It's very sad for these people."