The kids got a kick out of it. Then again, when you’re 4 or 6 years old, it doesn’t take much for something to give you a kick.

Very cool. So how did the family react to seeing you on video?

Thanks Patrick.

Congrats on this, Steve.

Granted, the Yankees will not face a bunch of push-overs in July. But, home cooking is still home cooking.

Besides, look at it this way – it’s July or never for this team. If they don’t make hay in July…it may never happen.

Check out August and September – as I wrote back in January:

http://waswatching.com/2008/01/21/2008-yankees-schedule/

In August, the Yankees have 12 home games – compared to 16 on the road. And, one of their road trips is a 10-game journey going from Texas to Oakland to Minnesota. In fact, in this month, the Yankees play the Angels six times, the Red Sox three times, and the Blue Jays six times. August is going to be the dog days for the Yanks this year, indeed.

In September, the Yankees have just 10 home games – compared to 15 games on the road. And, all those 10 home games come in a row, from September 12th through September 21st. The Yankees start this month with a road trip that’s a 9-game journey from Tampa Bay to Seattle to Los Angeles. And, the Yankees close this month with three games in Toronto followed by three games in Boston. September, schedule-wise, looks even worse for New York than August.

This is a trial by fire for the Yankees. This run will determine if they have the goods. I really don’t know if they do or not at this point with their pitching,but their saving grace might be their offense. BTW Toronto is dangerous because of their pitching which is spectacular. That we can agree on,Once was a Yankee fan. Cito Gaston and Gene Tenace (hitting coach)has lit a fire under their butt and they are starting to hit too. Gary Denbo, former Yankee hitting coach, overemphasized OBP to the point of their hitters losing their aggressiveness at the plate.I think that they will be a surprise team in the second half of the season.

You mentioned July, Steve, and I knew that they had so many home games in that month. But only yesterday did I finally look at the teams on the schedule:
Texas
Boston
Tampa
Toronto
Oakland
Minnesota
Boston
Baltimore
LA

Every team except Toronto is above .500, and you know Toronto is potentially dangerous due to their pitching. Boston, Tampa, Oakland, Minnesota and the Angels are all strong post-season contenders.

Aside from being at home for all but six of those games, that is NOT an easy group of opponents.