LA Angels Wednesday News Crash: STAN THE OWNER

So let me start by saying – I can’t stand the Yankees now and love to see them lose almost as much as the Dodgers. But I lived about 4 miles from the old Yankees Stadium for about 5 years. One of the coolest places ever to watch a game. When I started going – pre-Jeter – they were terrible. You could scalp tickets right behind home plate for chump change. I would go to games often – but just to see baseball. But have to admit – when they weren’t playing against other teams I kind of liked, I’d get caught up with the fans and join in the cheering and jeering – but deep down not really caring. There’s just an energy there.

One year, my buddy and I had started having a few before the game and decided it was nice out – let’s go to the game to see Frank Thomas. Well Thomas sat – and Dave Martinez was at 1B for the White Sox. By the time the game started – we had a pretty good glow going. We got lucky and had second row seats right be 1B. In the first or second inning, Martinez botches a ground ball. My liquid confidence was running high. I heckle him better than the typical Yankee fan – yes – I was an ass. “Hey Martinez – you know that’s why they gave you a glove.” “Hey Martinez, I didn’t know Nike made boots.” The guy scores, “Hey Martinez – that’s your run. Totally on you.” Even though he smirked a couple of times, I could see the look on his face as he shook his head, “These Yankees fans are the biggest assholes.” Little did he know I wasn’t really one of them, I was just drunk.

The next half of the inning, my memory has it that Martinez smokes a two run double and the Sox take the lead. He comes out to take the field and looks over at me with a shit eating grin – and a look of like “how about that – what do you have to say now?” I tip my hat to him – he smiles and takes a bow. When he turns to watch the pitch I yell, “It should be 2-0 (or whatever the score was) and he almost couldn’t stop laughing.