Posada set to make ceremonial stadium visit

April 11, 2012 by Benjamin Kabak 15 Comments

When the Yankees return home on Friday to open the Bronx-based part of the 2012 season, they’ll bring with them a familiar face. The newly-retired Jorge Posada will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game. Posada, you may recall, was a part of five World Series teams, played in five All Star Games and has a strong case for a spot on a wall in Cooperstown. Depending upon how generous the Yanks are with uniform numbers, his could earn a spot in Monument Park as well.

The club also announced today that a star of the Broadway musical Newsies will sing the national anthem while a star of Jesus Christ Superstar will perform “God Bless America” in the seventh inning. I guess those Nederlander ties still run deep. The pre-game festivities will start at 12:40 so plan accordingly if you’re one of the lucky ones who gets to attend Opening Day in the House that George Built.

Tex, the real Big Poppi

There is not a chance that the Yankees don’t retire number 20.
2, 20, 46 and 51 will all better be retired.
- jjyank
  
  I hope so. I know the Yankees can’t retire everyone’s number, but those guys were all my childhood heros, so I will want them all retired, rationality be damned!
  
  On another note, awesome that Jorge is throwing out the first pitch on Friday. HIP HIP!
Slu

The only numbers that should be retired from that era are 2 and 42. I love Andy, Bernie, and Jorgie as much as the next guy, but you have to draw a line somewhere. And don’t even get me started on O’Neill and Torre.
- Tex, the real Big Poppi
  
  Billy Martin, a truer Yankee than Jorge Posada
  - RetroRob
    
    Mistakes made in the past should not be compounded by newer mistakes.
    
    Cease the retirment of numbers short of the truly great, meaning future HOFers Jeter and Rivera.
    - Tex, the real Big Poppi
      
      Baseball is about the past more so than any other thing in life. Should we throw away the old records too? Why respect the old traditions at all?
      By your logic if you don’t have 3k hits or most saves in baseball, you don’t deserve to have your number retired.
Jon in CUO

Can anyone clarify what the “Nederlander ties” are? Never heard the name before.
- crawdaddie
  
  A family that was partners with George when he bought the Yankees.
- A.D.
  
  Company that produces broadway shows
  - Dummies Playing With Balls (formerly Rainbow Connection)
    
    Yuck.
crawdaddie

Also, it was family with ties to Broadway shows as producers. The family might still have an interest in the Yankees.
Sean

Hail hail the lucky ones. I refer to those attending opening day.
D-Rob da man

No game thread ?
Morneau After Pill

Anyone see before the game where they asked Girardi about it and he didn’t know? “Who said that?!?”
Andrew 518

Please the time has come to end the God Bless America, I love my country as much as the next guy but sometimes things like “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” can be more patriotic than having to take your hat off and be quiet during the middle of the game. It seems nowadays that tradition has taken a back seat, everyone sits down after God Bless, missing the point of the 7th inning stretch.

The other day I was watching an old VHS copy of Opening day 2005. Tino makes his return as a deffensive replacement, and procedes to make a spectacular diving inning ending play. The crowd goes absolutely nuts, the bench goes ape, and then it all stops, the players are still high fiving, Tino is all fired up and they have to come take there hats off and be still so that an Irish anti-semite can sing God Bless America.

End of rant.