Confessions of a She-Fan

Yankeemania!

2009-11-06T21:14:41Z

If I'd been at today's parade, I probably would have made a ticker tape snow angel too. But before I get to the festivities in the Canyon of Heroes, there were still fans celebrating Wednesday night's Game 6 triumph. Remember Karissa, the four-year-old she-fan I met in the parking lot of Angel Stadium during the ALCS? Apparently, she has a brother and the two of them did a little victory dance after the Yankees beat the Phillies.

Then there was Bill "Surf Dog" Connell, who was overjoyed that the Yanks notched #27.

The celebrating continued last night when three of the "core four" appeared on Letterman.

Is it me or do ballplayers look completely different in "street clothes?" I'm so used to seeing them in uniform that it's always a shock when they show up in suits. They look bigger and somehow too otherworldly for the stuff we civilians wear. Not that they weren't adorable with Dave. And having Hideki make his cameo at the end was priceless. Good job, boys.

Today's parade was fun to watch. In addition to the usual suspects (current mayor and former mayors, Yogi and Reggie, broadcasters, Steinbrenners, and, of course, the players themselves), I was thrilled to see Freddy on a float, banging his frying pan. Remember at the beginning of the season when he was denied entry to the new Stadium? How things have changed. I feel a special kinship with that man and his pan.

And how about the player pairings on those floats? AJ and Molina? Naturally. A-Rod and Jay-Z? Why not? Jeter and Minka? Hmm. But they're not engaged? Sure.

CC and Tex shared a float (I may kidnap "Lil CC"; that child is too cute). Marte and Joba were riding together, along with Wang and his baby. Andy and Chad Gaudin? OK. Damon with Swisher? Makes sense. Melky and his mother? Absolutely. I loved how they were all holding MLB-provided Flip Video camcorders - also known as the She-Fan Cam.

What I didn't love was that the MLB Network (I don't get YES programming here in California, just the games) had the nerve to cut away during the procession for a Phillies press conference. Excuse me? Talk about raining on my parade.

A few fashion notes before the finale at City Hall:

* A-Rod's black fedora, also worn by Melky, was an interesting choice.

* Mo's scarf was oh-so-stylish.

* Suzyn Waldman's black leather outfit was very biker-chick.

The ceremony at City Hall went too fast for me - I would have enjoyed hearing each Yankee say a few words - and I thought my head would explode while they were playing that horrible Six Flags music.

But I got a kick out of Bloomberg's line about Jimmy Rollins' crystal ball, Girardi's story about his phone conversation with The Boss, Jeter's graceful thank you to the fans and the Steinbrenners, and AJ's stealth grab of A-Rod's hat. Please, Yankees. Can we do this again next year?

My Husband Couldn't Handle It

2009-11-05T23:14:32Z

While Michael was as thrilled as I was that the Yankees won their 27th World Championship, he had already gone into a depression on Wednesday before Game 6; he was grieving the end of the baseball season even before it happened. Still, I didn't think anything of it while I was driving along in my car this afternoon and a bulletin came on my local radio station saying our bank had been robbed - the very same bank where Michael had made a withdrawal on Wednesday. But then I got home, went online and read the article about the robbery - and was shocked to see that one of the suspects bore a striking resemblance to Michael. Check out the story.

Suspects Sought in Armed Robberies at Two Santa Barbara Businesses

Two men flee with cash from Bank of America and Machine Gun Deli

A photo taken from surveillance video shows the suspect in Wednesday's robbery of the Bank of America at 1096 Coast Village Road in Santa Barbara. (Santa Barbara Police Department courtesy photo)

By Michelle Nelson, Noozhawk Managing Editor | Published on 11.05.2009

Santa Barbara detectives are searching for suspects in armed robberies Wednesday at two local businesses.

At 5 p.m. Wednesday, a male robbed the Bank of America at 1096 Coast Village Road. The suspect entered through the rear doors and approached a female teller, handing her a note demanding cash.

The suspect claimed that he had a handgun and simulated one with his hand. No weapon was seen.

The teller handed over an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect took the cash and ran out the back doors.

He was described as a white male in his mid-50s, 5 feet 5 inches tall with a medium build, gray hair and a gray goatee.

Detectives with the FBI and the Santa Barbara Police Department are conducting a joint investigation.

***

A "white male in his mid-50s with a medium build, gray hair and a gray goatee?" Hello? Sounded like my husband to me. And doesn't the guy in the surveillance camera photo look like him?

I questioned Michael a few minutes ago and he wouldn't give. So I contacted the FBI. They're grilling him as I type this. I really hope he's exonerated, because I plan on watching the parade tomorrow morning, not holding his hand in jail.

On a happier note, today was all about the Yankees for me - and about checking in with other fans. Peggy, who comments frequently here and who watched Game 6 with her Yankee fan friends at Mickey Mantle's last night, sent this pic along.

And ladyjane, another friend of the blog, was at Game 4 in Philly and had the good fortune to have Mo toss her a ball. That's right. MO. See how she's holding it? Like's it's a precious gem? That's exactly what is it. I mean, the man touched it!

(Of course, I would have asked him to write "I love you, She-Fan" on it, but that's just me.)

Guess what? The cops just finished interrogating Michael and he confessed to robbing the bank! It turns out the motive was totally unselfish: he needed cash to buy me all the World Series gear my closet could hold. Luckily, the FBI guys were understanding - their wives were she-fans too - and they let him keep the money. So here's what I'm buying:

Who says crime doesn't pay?

World Series Game 6: Dreams Do Come True

2009-11-05T06:55:20Z

The Yankees won # 27 and made me cry with joy. What a game for Andy Pettitte, Damaso Marte, Mo and, of course, Hideki Matsui, the series MVP. Much more on the game itself, but for now the players are celebrating and so am I.

No ginger ale this time. I popped the real stuff. I taped plastic sheeting to the wall, just like they did in the clubhouse (OK, it was a Hefty garbage bag), shook up the champagne and let it soak me. Man, did it burn my eyes and make my mascara run. I finally get why the players wear goggles. But I'm not complaining, believe me. It's a great, great night to be a Yankee fan.

Congratulations to the Yankees and to my buddies on this blog. We held hands through this entire season and I'm high-fiving each of you right now. To my friends Jenn and Sue, who were rooting so hard for their Phillies, I'll just say, "Your guys battled to the bitter end. I know you must be proud of them."

And My Tarot Card Reader Says....Yankees Will Win!

2009-11-04T04:28:47Z

Some of you may remember that I wondered about the Yankees' future back in February, sought answers from Santa Barbara-based tarot card reader Patricia Diorio, and wrote about the reading in The New York Times.

While Patricia did predict the Yanks would win the 2009 World Series all those months ago, I needed reassurance on the eve of Game 6. So I went to see her this afternoon - with the She-Fan Cam in hand. The reading is split in two parts. Yes, they're long by YouTube standards. But if you want the whole story, here it is. God, I hope she's right about everything.

I will now go to sleep visualizing Yankees pouring out of the dugout, jumping all over each other on the field, spraying champagne in the clubhouse, waving to people during the parade, all of it. Sweet dreams.

World Series Game 5: A.J. Should Have Stayed In Bed

2009-11-03T04:51:47Z

So much for the Good A.J. showing up tonight. I don't know if he pitched badly because of the belabored-to-death "short rest issue" or if he would have pitched badly if he'd been rested for six months. I also don't know if Chad Gaudin would have done any better, although I doubt it. What I do know is that the Phillies were up 5-1 in the third when Girardi told A.J. to take his stuff and go away.

Robertson did a nice job in relief, as did Aceves. (Great catch by Gardner at the wall on Werth's fly ball.) But Coke? I won't even make a Pepsi joke. There was nothing funny about the homers he surrendered to put the Phillies up 8-2 by the time Hughes arrived in the seventh. OK, I can't resist.

Maybe no pitcher on the planet can keep Utley from hitting homers. He's put on a brilliant show during this series, and whoever can get him out deserves a medal.

But how about walking him? Or moving him off the plate? Just a suggestion. The Yankees actually made a ball game of it tonight against Cliff Lee. Down 8-2, they mounted a comeback in the eighth when Damon singled and Tex and A-Rod doubled, chasing Lee. Cano's sac fly tacked on another run. Could they tie it up in the ninth? I had hope after Posada doubled and Matsui singled. Up came Jeter, the Captain, the guy you want at the plate with the World Series on the line. And what did he do?

Double play, right. Yes, another run scored for 8-6, but now we had two outs. Damon pulled off another single - go, Johnny, go! - but Tex struck out to end it. I have one question for Marky Mark: Where are you hiding your fearsome bat?

And so the Phillies live another day. Well, two days. The series goes back to the Bronx for Game 6 on Wednesday night. My friend Judy is always happy when the Yanks are home. She lives in Florida now, but her dad was a ticket taker at the Stadium when she was a kid.

And Brendan, who comments frequently on this blog, met up with someone who vowed to help the Yanks put the Phillies away. Jesus, it turns out, is a Yankee fan.

World Series Game 4: Damon Phlummoxes Phillies

2009-11-02T03:00:16Z

Johnny Damon couldn't throw me out, and I'm as klutzy as it gets.

But he can still hit, steal and play heads up baseball. Not only was he 3-for-5 in tonight's stunning 7-4 victory over the Phillies, but he had a nine-pitch at-bat in the top of the 9th against Lidge that resulted in a two-out single....

....and then he stole second AND third when nobody was covering.

Could the Yankees find a way to bring him home? Uh-huh. Tex was hit by a pitch, and A-Rod lined a double to left to lift the Bombers to a 5-4 lead in what was another wild, seesaw, come-from-behind battle. Jorge's two-RBI single decided the game offensively, and Mo took care of the Phillies in the bottom of the frame for his 39th postseason save. Of all the games in this series, this one nearly put me in restraints.

It was nerve-wracking, to say the least, but it had enough twists and turns to keep any fan riveted. For me the other key moments included:

CC's gritty performance (short rest or no short rest).

Jeter's two singles.

Swisher's leadoff walk in the fifth.

Melky's infield hit (hope his hamstring is OK).

Cano's hit (finally).

Marte's emergence as our premier lefty reliever.

Joba's strikeouts of Werth and Ibanez.

Joba's fat pitch to Louise Feliz.

A-Rod's third plunking in two games.

That last item requires that I ask: Why would the umpires warn both benches when the Yankees hit nobody? I know. They wanted to keep things under control just in case.

The main thing is that the Yankees are now up 3-1 in the series, which means that my lucky pizza worked again tonight. Here's what it looked like before I ate it.

Here's what I looked like after I ate it.

Talk about taking one for the team. I'll be downing another pie tomorrow night. My other lucky ritual will be to pay another visit to Bill, also known in these parts as "Surf Dog." I stopped by his hot dog cart this afternoon before the game to see if he had any words of wisdom. Here's what he had to say. He was right on the money until he got to Joba and that last fastball.

World Series Game 3: Pettitte Gutty in Yankees Win

2009-11-01T05:12:39Z

Andy didn't have his best stuff. He kept getting behind hitters. He gave up three runs early. He told the media he felt "gassed." But he turned in a gutty performance over six innings, and the Yanks beat the Phillies 8-5. It was his major league-leading 17th postseason win, which is nothing to sneeze at. He even drove in a run in the fifth. Gassed or not, he was a double threat tonight.

What an odd game and so appropriate for Halloween. Hamels was unhittable in the first three innings - literally - and made me wonder if he'd come to the ballpark dressed in a Cliff Lee costume. But he walked Tex in the fourth and A-Rod hit a double homer, and he fell apart for good in the fifth, departing after Damon's two-RBI double put the Yanks up 5-3. Maybe he should have worn a scarier red costume.

Swisher's benching seemed to have snapped him out of his slump. That homer was sweet, as was his little somersault after scoring on Andy's hit.

When his playing days are over, I can easily see him moving into this arena.

It was great to watch Matsui enter the game as a pinch hitter in the eighth and take Myers deep, giving the Yankees an 8-4 cushion. Joba and Marte were excellent in relief, but then there was Huuuuuughes. When he served up that fat pitch to Ruiz in the ninth and was pulled after yet another disappointing outing, I felt sorry for him. He's got to be pretty depressed right now.

Mo got a couple of quick outs (I guess Rollins hasn't "figured him out" just yet), and that was the ball game. Part of me worries about Mo. How many innings can he throw in this series without becoming fatigued? On the other hand, he can rest all winter. It's now or never. He says he's OK and he looks fine, so I believe him.

The Yanks go up 2-1 in the series, and while Andy was the Player of the Game, I must also give credit to the lucky pizza. It worked its magic once again.

I'll be having another pie tomorrow night, hoping for the best. But Yankees? If you care about me at all and don't want my arteries to fill with clogging, cheesy plaque, I suggest you win this thing in 5. Thanks.

She-Fan and Amber Go Trick or Treating

2009-10-31T02:36:52Z

It's Halloween and it's scary out there.

It's especially scary if you're the Yankees and you're in Philadelphia looking at costumes like this.

But not everyone is dressed like a monster. I met up with Amber Sabathia, and - surprise! - we both had the same idea for Halloween. Take a look.

Back in California, I went in search of Bill, the guy who owns the Surf Dog concession at the beach. Last time he gave me a free hot dog, along with his thoughts about the Yankees. This time he presented me with my very own Surf Dog shirt. I do love swag, but what I love even more is a Yankee fan willing to let his freak flag fly, so to speak. Here's Bill hoisting the pinstripes.

GO YANKEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!

World Series Game 2: AJ Handcuffs Phillies

2009-10-30T04:56:44Z

The above photo is of Ryan Howard after AJ struck him out three times tonight. OK, no it isn't, but I'm sure that's how Howard felt - especially after Mo struck him out too, making him eligible for this.

Everybody was so nervous (including me) about AJ and whether he'd be able to control his emotions, avoid the wildness that's plagued him in the past and perform on the big stage.

Obviously, he performed so well that the Yankees beat the Phillies 3-1.

He wasn't just good. He was masterful, working seven innings and only giving up a run on four hits. After the game, he told the media: "It's the funnest I've ever had on a baseball field." So what if "funnest" is not an actual word. It was AJ's night and if he wanted to say "funnest," then "funnest" it was!

Pedro was keeping the Yanks off balance in the early innings, and when the Phillies jumped out to a 1-0 lead I thought, Please don't let this be a repeat of Game 1. But Tex came to the rescue with a solo shot in the fourth to tie the score and break out of his slumber.

After Matsui put the Yanks ahead with his own blast into the seats, I decided it was safe to eat dinner. The "lucky" turkey club sandwich had lost its effectiveness during the ALCS, so I turned to the only food that was deliverable to my house at that hour.

The pizza was delicious, but then - after Posada knocked in Gardner in the seventh for 3-1 - the umps made that questionable ruling on Damon's "double play ball" and I needed some of these.

Not to beat a dead horse, but is the umpiring bad or what? Seriously. These guys....

...were reminding me of these guys.

With AJ done after seven, Girardi went right to Mo for the six-out save and got it - Mo's 38th career postseason save. It's staggering how many times Yankee fans have witnessed this scene over the years.

Other plays of note:

Molina's pickoff of Werth in the fourth.

Singles by Hairston and Melky in the seventh.

Jeter getting the Clemente award and Fox not showing it.

Ditto for Paul O'Neill's first pitch.

Alicia Keys' purple boots.

Oh, and Pedro's post-game press conference during which he wore a dark pinstriped version of this.

"If I was on the Yankees, I'd probably be like a king over here," he told the media.

The man is never dull. And he can still pitch. But AJ was better, and the Yanks evened the series at 1-1. Now they're off to Philly by train. All aboard, boys.

World Series Game 1: Lee Mows Down Yankees

2009-10-29T04:05:50Z

Chase Utley hit a couple of solo shots off CC, who otherwise pitched seven solid innings and was more than good enough to win on any given night. There was just one problem: Cliff Lee. The guy was lights out.

Jeter had three hits and scored the Yankees' lone run in the 6-1 loss. But Lee took care of everybody else. He could have been pitching in his backyard in Arkansas, not a care in the world, especially on Damon's pop up in the sixth. He hardly moved a step to catch it and was like, "Oh. Yawn. I think I'll just stick my glove out and see what happens."

I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher so relaxed. Even on Cano's tricky eighth-inning comebacker, which Lee corralled from behind his back, he could just as easily have been doing this.

So I'll simply tip my cap and say: "Good job, Cliff. Now get back on that Amtrak train so I never have to see you again."

The Yankees didn't play badly, but I'm concerned about the bullpen. Marte was effective, but Robertson, Bruney and Coke? Stinkeroo. And Phil Hughes? What happened to Mr. Setup-for-Mo? He hasn't pitched well in the postseason and I want to know why. Is it some mechanical problem? A glitch in his delivery? Or just playoff butterflies?

There really isn't much else to say about the game, except that the Stadium looked beautiful all decked out in its World Series finery, even with the steady drizzle. And I loved seeing Yogi walk out to the mound during the pre-game ceremony, flanked by two heavy-duty she-fans.

But my favorite moment was right after the ceremonial first pitch. I snuck into the Yankees clubhouse, stole one of those nifty World Series sweatshirts/jackets/whatever they were, and rushed onto the field - just as Jeter was approaching Yogi and the others. What a thrill it was when Jeet leaned over and planted a kiss on my cheek!

Talk about a World Series to remember.

She-Fan Exclusive: How To Beat The Phillies

2009-10-28T00:49:45Z

Yes, they're the defending champions. Yes, they have an excellent team. Yes, Ryan Howard is big. But there are ways to deflate their confidence.

In other words, they can be beaten and they must be beaten. While it's true that my tarot card reader already declared in the pages of The New York Times that the Yankees would win the 2009 World Series, I figured I'd better do a little scouting as backup. Here's what I've unearthed about certain players in the Phillies lineup. (Full disclosure: I went to grad school at the University of Pennsylvania, lived in downtown Philly and loved it. But there's no conflicting loyalty going on. None. I swear.)

#1) Jimmy Rollins

Last year he led all NL shortstops in fielding percentage (.988) and he finished the season with 295 career stolen bases - the most by any Philly in the modern era.

So he's fast and he can play short. What's more, he's a switch-hitter who's had three postseason leadoff homers. But here's the good news: he only batted .250 this season. And another thing: he's single. Tip to Yankees: Put some good looking women near the Phillies dugout and try to distract him.

#2) Shane Victorino

Another switch-hitter, the "Flyin' Hawaiian," as he's affectionately known in Philly because he hails from Wailuka, Hawaii, is batting .361 in the postseason. And how about this little tidbit to tie my Yankee fan stomach in a knot: He hit the first grand slam in Phillies playoff history in Game 2 of the NLDS last year against - guess who - CC Sabathia. Scary, right?

But he only hit 10 homers all year with 62 RBIs. Not scary. And his bio lists his favorite hobbies as fishing and diving. Tip to Yankees: Pitch him low and outside and make him fish and dive.

#3) Chase Utley

Chase Cameron Utley had 31 homers this season, and he's batting .303 in the postseason. He can steal a base and he's patient at the plate. (Last year he became the third player in NLCS history to walk four times in a game.) His other claim to fame in '08 was that he led the NL in HBP; the guy was plunked 27 times!

But he made two errors in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers. Tip to Yankees: Pitch him away, away, away. He can't get hit by a pitch if the ball is outside. And hope he makes more errors at second.

#4) Ryan Howard

OK, so he has 45 home runs and 141 RBIs this season. And he already has a couple of dingers in the postseason, not to mention 14 RBIs. He's a beast with the happy-go-lucky personality of a puppy.

But he's struck out over 190 times in '09. That's a lot. Tip to Yankees: Forget about the intentional walks and just let him swing and miss.

#5) Jayson Werth

The right fielder has 41 homers this season. And he has quite the pedigree. His grandfather, Dick "Ducky" Schofield, played in the majors for 19 years. His uncle, Dick Schofield, played for 14 years. And his mother, Kim Schofield Werth, competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the long jump.

But despite all that athleticism in the family, he only batted .268 this year. Tip to Yankees: Don't sweat it. He's good but not that good.

#6) Raul Ibanez

He'll be DH-ing for the games at Yankee Stadium, and although he's 37 years old he can still hit - 34 homers in the regular season and another one in the postseason. He was a Yankee killer when he was with the Mariners.

But nobody remembers him from his three years with Kansas City. Tip to Yankees: Pitch to him the way you did when he was a Royal.

#7) Pedro Feliz

The Dominican born former Giant had the second best fielding percentage among NL third basemen in '08. Oh, and he drove in the winning run in the seventh inning of the Phillies' World Series clincher against the Rays.

But he had back surgery in November. Tip to Yankees: Bunt the ball in his general direction and make him bend over.

#8) Carlos Ruiz

The Phillies catcher made his major league debut in 2006. His biggest hit to date was his walk-off infield single in the bottom of the ninth in Game 3 of last year's World Series against the Rays. He's from Panama, the land of Mo, so he must be good.

But he only threw out 14 of 79 potential base stealers in '08 for 17.7 %. Tip to Yankees: Run! Run! Run!

#9) Ben Francisco

I don't know anything about him except he'll probably be playing left field instead of Ibanez. Oh, and he was with the Indians in '07 and '08.

Like Rollins, he's single. Tip to Yankees: Try the distraction tactic as discussed in #1.

#10. Cliff Lee

The Phillies' Game 1 starter is the reigning Cy Young Award winner. And his full name is the intimidating Clifton Phifer Lee. In 2002 he was named the Hog Nation Minor League Player of the Year.

Tip to Yankees: You can beat the Hog Nation Minor League Player of the Year, can't you?

GO YANKEES!

Missing The Empire State

2009-10-27T04:02:26Z

I'll focus on Yankees-Phillies in my next post, complete with an exclusive "She-Fan Scouting Report," but today I was feeling mopey. People kept asking me if I was going to the World Series and I kept having to say no. Even my best friend from high school, a Red Sox fan, called to say, "So are you flying to New York?" I told her I was staying in California. I was so ashamed.

If I hadn't been so busy with work, I might have hopped on a plane so that I could be in attendance for at least one game. But I didn't make any plans, so now I'll just have to watch on TV and deal with it. Still, it's times like this when New York seems far away and I miss it. I miss my family. I miss New York accents. I miss people walking fast and elbowing each other out of the way. And here's what else I miss:

* Fall foliage in Central Park.

* Mickey Mantle's Restaurant.

* Cheesecake.

* The subway.

And I miss everything having to do with Yankee Stadium:

* Freddy.

* Frank Sinatra.

* The fact that they've already painted the field with this.

* The fans....

Big ones...

Small ones...

And "artistic" ones.

I was so down in the dumps this afternoon, wishing there were other Yankee fans in Santa Barbara, that I left my desk and went for a beach walk. It was a gorgeous day, and this was my view as I did my five miles.

Nothing to complain about, right? I was starting to perk up until my Yankees cap began to attract some unfavorable attention. You could tell people wanted to shake their fists at me and demand, "Why aren't you a Dodgers or Angels fan? What's wrong with you?"

And then a mirage....or so it seemed.

No, it wasn't a hot dog concession in the Bronx, but close. It was the Surf Dog cart owned for 16 years by Bill Connell - a local celebrity for having won a major case against the state of California last week.

A 55-year-old disabled veteran, Bill fought for an exemption for street peddlers like himself who were being forced to pay sales tax on their wares. It was a victory for disabled vets and it made him a hero. And - just my luck - Bill turned out to be a huge Yankee fan. When I told him I was a fan too, he not only handed me a free hot dog but let me interview him on the She-Fan Cam - a happy ending to my day.

To The Winner Goes The Champagne

2009-10-26T05:57:03Z

Oops. They did it again.

The Yankees clinched their 40th American League Pennant tonight with a 5-2 victory over the Angels in Game 6. They won because they pitched better, hit better and played better defense. It was a formula that worked for them all year long.

* Pettitte earned his 16th career postseason "W" - a new MLB record.

* CC was named the series MVP, going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA.

* Mo notched his 37th postseason save - another record.

* Joba threw a scoreless hold.

* Cano singled, walked twice and made three terrific plays at second.

* Swisher broke out of his slump with a hit and a bunt.

* Tex had a huge sac fly/RBI and dazzled at first base.

A-Rod seemed to be on base every inning.

* Jeter got his walks.

* Melky got his hits.

* Everybody contributed.

* Girardi made it to the World Series in only his second year as Manager.

* Hal Steinbrenner accepted the trophy on behalf of his father.

* Mike Scoscia was gracious in defeat.

* Torii Hunter said he's rooting for the Yankees to win it all.

When the champagne started flowing in the clubhouse after the game, my phone started ringing. Friends were congratulating me, as if I'd actually done something. Even an Angels fan friend called to say, "Your team played better than mine. They deserved to win." And my Florida friends, Paul and Judy, called just so they could scream, "WE WON! WE REALLY WON!"

I was so excited that I decided to celebrate the way the players were celebrating.

I put on my husband's snorkeling goggles and had him shake up a bottle of ginger ale and pour it on my head. (I didn't have any champagne, and I thought red wine would make me look like Carrie.) Here's the result.

Terrifying, isn't it? It took me a half-hour to wash and dry my hair. But it was so worth it. Your team doesn't win a pennant every day.

Waiting....

2009-10-25T00:46:07Z

I've never been any good at it. Waiting, I mean. Not for the phone to ring. Not for a red light to turn green. Not for the woman ahead of me at the supermarket checkout to fish around in her purse for her debit card.

I was OK with Friday's day off from Yankees-Angels, figuring I could use the time to drive to LA and get some work done, but to have to wait until Sunday for Game 6? That's just plain torture.

I've been reading all sorts of speculation about which team the postponement helps and which team it hurts, and to me the question is silly. The team that plays well on Sunday night will win. Period. The delay gives them both more time to "think about it" - but it also gives the media more time to write nonsense. I went out and did some real reporting. I checked in with various Yankees to see how they were spending their free Saturday night.

(Pettitte lives pretty well, doesn't he? Those contract incentives paid off.)

(That was Mo. He said he was staying loose by the fire in case Joe called for him in the sixth inning.)

(I'm glad Damon and Swisher are having fun, but could they please get some sleep?)

(That was Hideki. He said he just finished having both knees drained in case Joe wants him to steal a base or two.)

(Wouldn't you think A-Rod would have a personal chef to cook dinner? What if he cuts himself with that meat cleaver and can't play?)

(That's me, trying to get a comment from Jeter. He never likes to make himself the story, so he wouldn't talk. I still love him.)

OK, the waiting is over. As Mariano Duncan used to say, "We play tomorrow. We win tomorrow. Das it."

There's No Place Like Home

2009-10-24T05:07:49Z

I was trying not to think about the playoffs, I really was. I drove down to LA on Friday for a lunch meeting arranged by my agent with a woman producer who is interested in my novels for TV movies. We were sitting in the restaurant, talking business, when I slipped and said the word "Yankees." I expected her to roll her eyes or stare blankly at me or launch into a speech about her love for the Angels or Dodgers, given that we were in SoCal. Instead, she beamed and asked, "Are you a Yankee fan?" Well, forget the TV movies. All we did for the rest of the lunch was discuss Jeter, A-Rod and everybody on the roster. She said Andy Pettitte was her favorite Yankee and I said wouldn't it be great if he nailed down the victory at the new Stadium, and we went on and on about the Bombers. It was an omen; I had found yet another she-fan in the last place I expected to find one, and it had to mean the Yankees would beat the Angels in Game 6. She and I decided that it all boiled down to home field advantage.

And so, with Hollywood and the Bronx in mind, I'm posting this video to remind everybody that we're home. We're in our house. We survived the Wicked Witch and her flying rally monkeys, and are now safely back where we belong, just like Dorothy. The pennant will be ours.

Go Yankees.