June 18 2000: I’m Gonna Wear My Cap, Yankee Fans At Fenway

season2000So here it is, the night before the Yanks start a four game stand at Fenway Park, against the Red Sox, who are ahead of them by half a game in first place in the AL East. And Toronto is only a half a game below them.
My team needs picking up. They were swept by the White Sox (who are leading the AL Central by a lot) in four games that were by turns frustrating, humiliating, and heart breaking.

We’ve got a second baseman with a load of mental anguish about his mysteries throwing malady. We’ve got a slew of guys pressing now and worrying about the trade deadline. Some red hot guys have cooled off, and some veterans haven’t got hot yet. We’ve got a rookie pitcher in the starting rotation who got absolutely shelled in his debut, and we’ve got a veteran ace who got shelled just today for nine runs in a single inning–the first inning. We’ve got another veteran pitching ace on the DL.
sox-ticket

Yeah, my team needs picking up. So how can I even think to go to Fenway Park tomorrow in anything other than my full fan regalia? Midnight blue cap with the white interlocking NY. Dark blue turtleneck with the interlocking NY embroidered on the neck. Blue t-shirt with the Yankee top hat logo on the front. That’s everything I have that’s Yankee, unless you count the Dairy Queen mini-batting helmet sundae cup, and the umbrella I got on umbrella day.

If the Yanks were on another unstoppable tear through the year, like they were in ’98, well, maybe I would tone it down. Out of respect for my friends who are Red Sox fans, and out of mild concern for my personal safety.

But not when it’s like this. Not when the season seems on the verge of falling apart. Not when Chuck and Shane and Mendoza (and even Westbrook) need the support. Not when Scottie’s still trying to find his clutch instincts again, and Georgie and Bernie are trying to get hot again. I gotta do my part.

So I’ll be there guys, screaming from the loge deck of Fenway Park, no matter what you do, win or lose, hit or miss. I’ll be there, probably drowned out among all the Sox fans, but I’ll be there, no matter what.

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