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Game 75: Old Timers’ Day

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(Presswire)
(Presswire)

There isn’t another team in sports that can pull off an event like Old Timers’ Day, at least not on the same scale as the Yankees. Hall of Famers, bench players, solid regulars, and a whole bunch of World Champions will be on the field today as the team celebrates its history. The awesomeness of Old Timers’ Day doesn’t translate well across television — it really is an event everyone should experience in person at least once. I highly recommend it.

The full roster of Old Timers can be found right here. Among the first timers are Orlando Hernandez, John Flaherty, and Andy Phillips. I am most looking forward to seeing El Duque again; hopefully he pitches in the Old Timers’ Game. Jorge Posada will not be making his debut this summer, but it’ll happen eventually. I am definitely looking forward to it.

The ceremony and baseline introductions start at 11:15am ET with the Old Timers’ Game to follow. All of that can be seen on YES. The Yankees and Rays are scheduled to start at 2:05pm ET, which you’ll be able to watch on YES locally and TBS nationally. Enjoy all of it.

Update (11:34am): Here is the lineup for Yankees-Rays, which is identical to yesterday’s:

  1. CF Brett Gardner
  2. RF Ichiro Suzuki
  3. 2B Robinson Cano
  4. DH Travis Hafner
  5. 1B Lyle Overbay
  6. LF Zoilo Almonte
  7. SS Jayson Nix
  8. 3B David Adams
  9. C Chris Stewart

The roster move has not been announced yet, but Ivan Nova will be summoned from Triple-A to start the game. The rotation was thrown out of whack by Tuesday’s rainout.

Injury Updates: Mark Teixeira (wrist) was checked out by the doctor yesterday but has not yet been cleared to resume any kind of activity. They’ll re-evaluate again soon and go from there.

Roster Move (12:04pm): Thomas Neal has been optioned to Triple-A Scranton to clear a spot for Nova. He went 2-for-11 (.182) in four games with New York after being called up last week, but Almonte has since zoomed passed him on the outfield depth chart. The Yankees currently have a 13-man pitching staff and a three-man bench, but it seems likely Nova will be sent down following the spot start.

Friday Night Open Thread

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The Yankees announced their plans for Old Timers’ Day yesterday afternoon — Chad Jennings has the details — and one name stuck out from the roster: Orlando Hernandez. El Duque will make his Old Timers’ debut next weekend, and I haven’t been this excited since Mike Mussina made his debut a few years ago. Hernandez was the best and I can’t wait to see the leg kick one more time.

Here is your open thread for the night, or at least until the regular game thread comes along in a few hours. The Mets are playing the Cubs (Jackson vs. Marcum), plus MLB Network will air the Giants and Braves (Bumgarner vs. Medlen). No NHL or NBA action tonight, unfortunately. Talk about either of those games or anything else here. Have at it.

Game 78: Old Timers’ Day

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(Photo Credit: Flickr user bump via Creative Commons license)

I’ve always felt that Old Timers’ Day is one of those events you have to attend in person to really appreciate. Watching on television is fun and all, but you can’t really appreciate the gravity of the situation. I was at the 2007 event, which was Paul O’Neill’s first year back. The chants for him were just unbelievably loud, and then you had Don Mattingly and his chants. Then Reggie Jackson. Then Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra. It was amazing and having watched on television the last four years just isn’t the same. It’s fun, don’t get me wrong, but it’s much more enjoyable in person.

Anyway, this year’s crop of newcomers is headlined by retired and long-time trainer Gene Monahan, as well as Sterling Hitchock, Matt Nokes, and Tanyon Sturtze. Jorge Posada will not be there this year, but he won’t stay away forever. Most guys take a few years off before coming back. The full roster of Old Timers can be found right here.

The Old Timers’ Day festivities start at 11am ET and can be seen on YES. The series finale against the White Sox will follow at 2:05pm ET, and you can watch that on YES locally and TBS nationally. I’ll add the lineup once it’s posted. Enjoy.

Update: Here’s today’s lineup…

SS Derek Jeter
CF Curtis Granderson
1B Mark Teixeira
2B Robinson Cano
RF Nick Swisher
DH Raul Ibanez
3B Eric Chavez
C  Russell Martin
LF Dewayne Wise

RHP Phil Hughes

Monahan highlight’s Old Timers’ Day rookies

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The Yankees announced the roster for this year’s Old Timers’ Day, with retired and long-time trainer Gene Monahan highlighting the crop of first timers. Early-1990s manager Stump Merrill will also make his Old Timers’ Day debut, as will Sterling Hitchcock, Matt Nokes (!), and Tanyon Sturtze. Standbys like Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson, Whitey Ford, Bernie Williams, and Paul O’Neill will be there as well. No Jorge Posada though, I figured he’d take at least year away first.

Old Timers’ Day is this Sunday, July 1st. The ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 11:15am ET before the Yankees take on the White Sox that afternoon.

Open Thread: The Old Timers’ Day Roster

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(Photo Credit: Flickr user bump via Creative Commons license)

The 2011 edition of Old Timers’ Day will take place ten days from now on Sunday, June 26th. Earlier today we learned that Bernie Williams will be there, and earlier this year we heard that both Joe Torre and Lou Piniella will be there as well. The full roster of attendees was released today and can be seen here. Aside from those three, other first timers include Clay Bellinger, Brian Boehringer, George Frazier, and former first base coach Jose Cardenal. Here’s a fun fact: three Old Timers (Aaron Small, Homer Bush, and Ramiro Mendoza) are younger than Mariano Rivera. Crazy.

Anyway, here is tonight’s open thread. The Mets are playing the Braves (Dickey vs. Minor) and MLB Network will carry a game as well (teams depend on where you live). That’s it, the NBA and NHL seasons are over. Talk about whatever your heart desires, go nuts.

Joba Update: Joba Chamberlain had his Tommy John surgery, and he tweeted afterward that everything went well. Based on his feed over the last few days, he seems to be in pretty good spirits considering how much an injury like that sucks.

Bernie Williams to make first Old Timers’ Day appearance

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Via Peter Botte, Bernie Williams will make his first Old Timers’ Day appearance this year on June 26th. Bernie’s been back to the Stadium a few times since unofficially retiring, specifically the final game at the Old Stadium, but this will be his first as an Old Timer. It’s always fun whenever former great makes his first appearance at the event, so I’m excited. Bernie was probably my favorite player during the dynasty years.

Lou Piniella will attend Old Timers’ Day

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Via Ken Davidoff, Lou Piniella will attend Old Timer’s Day this summer, his first time in a Yankee uniform since 1988. He’s currently a “special consultant” with the Giants, a cushy job that affords him the luxury of staying home with his elderly mother. I’m too young to have seen Piniella play, and I don’t remember anything about his time as a manager either. I was like, five when he was running things. Either way, it’ll be cool to see him there.

Joe Torre will be there this year as well, in case you missed it over the winter.