Yankees vs. Rays on July 2nd

On Wednesday afternoon we went to Yankee Stadium to see the Yankees play the Tampa Bay Rays -- the Yankees lost 3-to-6 to the Rays.  It was the first time that we'd been to the new Yankee Stadium, which opened in 2009 after several years of controversy over using city parkland, spending $1.5 billion to build it with city-backed bonds, possibly leaving the Bronx for Manhattan, you name it.  We wanted to see the stadium and also see Derek Jeter in his last season with the Yankees.

Central facade of Yankee Stadium.  Photo by McClure

The new Yankee Stadium seats just over 50,000 spectators.  There are 4,300 Club Seats and 68 Luxury Boxes.

View from our seats - Section 211, Row 11, Seats 20 & 21 - before start of game.  Photo by McClure

There are five tiers of seats including two tiers that make up the 'lower bowl' which contains about two thirds of the total seats.

Outfield bleachers, bull pens and signs before start of game.  Photo by McClure

On Wednesday afternoon the stadium was only about two-thirds full.  In addition to its being a weekday afternoon game, neither the Yankees nor the Rays have been very good so far this season.  

Infield during the game.  Photo by McClure

Our seats were in the second tier about midway between first base and the right field foul-ball pole.  

Derek Jeter, #2, at bat.  Photo by McClure

Derek Jeter, who just turned 40 in late June, has lost some of the agility and grace that made him one of the most compelling players in Major League Baseball ten years ago, but he still has the natural presence that makes him a star in the sport and draws your eye to him on the field.  Jeter didn't have much of a day at the plate -- he flied out three times; got a base hit; and struck out once.

Derek Jeter, #2, at short-stop.  Photo by McClure

At short-stop, Jeter helped set-up an out at second base made by Alfonso Soriano that was challenged by the Ray's manager and delayed the game for about 10 minutes while the four umpires reviewed the instant replay.  He stayed 'out', but the Rays had also scored a run on that same play.

Alfonso Soriano's out at second base 'is under review' by the umpires.  Photo by McClure

The game seems much slower than we remembered from our last visit to the old stadium.  In addition to the '7th inning stretch', there's a break for presentation of the 'military veteran of the day' (complete with a sing-a-long with Kate Smith to 'God Bless America') and the break for the grounds keepers to drop their rakes and break into 'YMCA'.

Yankee grounds-keepers dancing to 'YMCA' with Jeter behind them.  Photo by McClure

With thunderstorms beginning to threaten, we left at the 7th inning stretch, when the score was Yankees 3; Rays 5.

Yankee Stadium main facade at end of seventh inning.  Photo by McClure

The new Yankee Stadium may be a sleek limestone palace compared to the dump that the old stadium had become, but it wasn't nearly as much fun attending a game there as we remember at the old place.