This is the first of a series of articles I will write for WGR550.com as I have the fortunate assignment of covering the MLB All-Star Game this year at Yankee Stadium, the last in the distinguished ballpark. 

Upon visiting Yankee Stadium on Sunday to pick up my credentials and take a walk around the hollowed grounds, I began thinking…is this the best sports venue of all time that I will ever see?  It seems easy to argue for and I know there are other candidates….Fenway, Wrigley, Madison Square Garden, Lambeau Field, Notre Dame Stadium, Boston Garden, maybe Church Hill Downs or Indianapolis Motor Speedway depending on your interest.  I am not old enough to have seen the Polo Grounds or Ebbets Fields or some others, but for me, I think the history of events that occurred at the Stadium puts it slightly ahead of the rest.  Getting to walk on the field was a moment that I’ll never forget Sunday. 

The Future-Stars were taking batting practice in preparation for their game Sunday afternoon and the media has access to the field during this time.  I walked down the Yankee clubhouse hallway, up the steps of the dugout and onto the field like other great players have done.  It was surreal.  The sun was shining, the grass was perfectly cut, and I did all I could to try and take in the feeling of what it must be like to have the place filled and hear your name introduced to come to bat.  Looking up from the field is really the spot to realize how massive the stadium really is.  Watching BP on a warm, summer day in NYC just seemed so right even with these players being the undercard to the All-Star week’s events.  I was watching a couple of field workers reapply spray paint on the left field line.  Why is watching three guys spray a white line on grass so entertaining?   This clearly has me ready in the right mood for the rest of the All-Star festivities.  I’ll write more on the Stadium in the coming days.

I know that the ‘true’ Buffalo sports fan pays attention to the Bills and Sabres 365 days a year and we sometimes forget about America’s pastime with no major league team in our city.  In case you fully haven’t been locked into the first half of the 2008 season, here are a couple of things to ponder…

Tampa Bay Rays:      No doubt, in my mind, the story of the year so far.  Yes, I know they’ve lost seven-straight heading into the break, but to have the worst record in baseball last year and one of the best this season, it will be interesting to see if they can keep it up.  I think Boston will eventually take the pennant in the AL East, but this story is hard not to root for.  Can you name a player from their roster?  If not, you will hear about rookie sensation 3B Evan Longoria this week in New York.  Longoria was the one of the final two players to be chosen to play in the All-Star Game based upon fan voting. 
 

He's only the third AL rookie in the past 70 years (joining Fred Lynn in 1975 and Devon White in 1987) to take at least 50 RBIs, 15 homers and 20 doubles into the All-Star break. He was the first rookie in 79 years to string together three straight games of at least three hits and at least one homer.Longoria also will take part in Monday night's Home Run Derby. 

New York, New York:  Firstly on the Yankees…they gambled that their young starters would be apart of a quick rebuilding process, but Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Darrell Rasner have been disappointing, underachieving and side-lined with injuries.  The remaining old pieces that are left are not enough to chase down the AL East crown with Boston and Tampa Bay in the way.  Alex Rodriguez continues to be solid and Jason Giambi has been hot at times, but the hitting has to be on virtually every night for the Bombers to have a chance.  With their shaky pitching, I don’t see any sign of it getting better for the second half.  The cross town Mets were on their way to being a BIG disappointment this year, but the managerial change from Willie Randolph to Jerry Manuel seems to have sparked this team back in the right direction.  The race between Philly, NY and little known Florida should be fun down the stretch.  Speaking of the Marlins, SS Hanley Ramirez may be the best player in baseball you never heard of. 

Troubled Tribe:  Oh, how one win away from a trip to the World Series seems like so long ago.  That’s the position the Indians were in last year in the ALCS against Boston.  Instead, they are my biggest disappointment of all this year and threw up the white flag by trading CC Sabathia to Milwaukee.  All that young talent and all they can do is look up at the Royals.  Ouch.  Is Pedro Cerano or Roger Dorn available?

Chase Utley:   Now, I may be a little biased here, but Utley could be in the discussion for NL MVP-- with the first place Phillies and he does it in all the right ways.  He’s a solid fielder, who is showing signs of power this year with his 25 HR.  My first memory of Utley was before my senior year of college, I did color commentary for my college radio station in Brockport and we had the broadcast rights to the Batavia Muckdogs who were the NY-Penn League(A) affiliate of the Phillies at the time. 

Utley was one of the talked about prospects at the time who played for Batavia and I’ll never forget how nice he was to talk with, in an age where interviewing athletes can be down right boring and meaningless.  Utley will also take part in the HR Derby Monday night.


More from the Bronx tomorrow.