This past Tuesday, Yankees Manager, Joe Girardi, once again played the role of Pinstriped Scientist, looking to concoct team chemistry, like he successfully did last season.  In 2009, Girardi mixed all the right elements from baseball’s periodic table.  The result: an on-field explosion that carried the Yankees all the way to a World Series Title.

Rivera & Rodriguez at Arcade/Photo Credit: New York Yankees

Last season, Girardi conducted a bit of an experiment with his players during Spring Training.  The club traded their bats and pine tar for pool sticks and chalk, and spent the day at a local billiards joint.  The bonding session helped solidify the foundation of the team’s close-knit group, forming relationships that, many claim, set the tone for their Championship run.

If Girardi wants to end this upcoming season the same way he did last season, he figures, he should probably start it the same way too.  It’s a new tradition for the most traditional franchise in professional sports.  This year’s class trip found the Yankees at a Tampa-based arcade for a day filled with video games, skee ball, and pop-a-shot – something that resonated very positively with the players.

The stress-free environment allowed the players to forget the daily rigors of training, trying to earn a roster spot, or just fitting in.  While at the arcade, every player was on even ground.  Royce Ring could hang out with Mariano Rivera.  Ramiro Pena could socialize with Alex Rodriguez.  There were no superstars or bench players inside the arcade, a sense of equality off-the-field that should translate well into on-field team chemistry.

Wednesday afternoon, they started putting the theory to test.  It was back to business as usual at George M. Steinbrenner Field and the Yankees picked up right where they left off last November, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 in their first Spring Training game of the new season.  They even did it in walk-off fashion, as Colin Curtis hit a three-run home run in the 9^th inning to secure the win…what, no pie?  It was a first small step towards defending their title, the 27^th in franchise history.

Unlike previous camps, 2010 has been relatively smooth.  The drama and non-baseball related storylines have been non-existent.  The only real source of controversy has been over the 5^th spot in the pitching rotation, a post to be filled by either Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, or a combination of Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, and Alfredo Aceves. 

In addition, the Yankees enter the 2010 season with some familiar faces like Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui gone, and some new additions like Curtis Granderson and Javier Vazquez onboard.  The “Core 4” of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera will again be at the heart of the Yankee Universe, as they pursue yet another Title.  It would be the sixth career ring for each franchise icon, and the 28^th Championship in club history.

First thing’s first, the Yankees have to get through eight long months of baseball before they start planning another trip down the Canyon of Heroes.  Number twenty-eight is the goal this year – the target is once again, literally, on Girardi’s back – he changed uniform numbers.  It’s a responsibility he’s thoroughly prepared for.  He methodically laid the foundation this Tuesday at the arcade, shaking things up and formulating stronger team chemistry.

After last season, he’s got this down to a science.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

Why Wait?

Looking for something unique to add to your sports memorabilia collection?  Perhaps something specific you’ve been patiently waiting for?  There’s no need to sit back and hope that exact item miraculously finds its way into the Steiner Sports inventory.  Instead, Steiner Sports offers collectors the opportunity to take a proactive approach to upcoming athlete signings.

Derek Jeter Signing at Steiner Sports

Long before a player picks up a Sharpie, Steiner Sports allows customers the shot to pre-order something special from a signing.  Specific requests, including personalizations and inscriptions, are taken in advance and presented to the athlete on the day of the signing.

Want Eli Manning to inscribe “happy birthday” on a photo?  Not a problem.  How about a ball personalized by Derek Jeter?  Done. 

Customers are even encouraged to send in personal items to be included in upcoming signings.  Such an arrangement is orchestrated via a Steiner Sports Collectibles Sales Consultant in advance of the signing.

Worried a specific piece will sell out quickly once the signing is complete?  Customers can take advantage of a pre-sale by reserving a specific photo, jersey, helmet, etc., prior to the signing.  The Steiner Sports Signings Division will make a note of the pre-order and make sure a piece is included in the signing to fulfill all requests.

“Our goal in every signing is to make sure the customer is taken care of,” says Eric Levy, the official Steiner Sports Autograph Handler.  “If a customer pre-orders an item from a signing, it gets flagged on our priority list and is given special attention during the course of the signing.  There is definitely an advantage to pre-ordering.”

Collectors can gain insider access to the Steiner Sports signing schedule by reviewing the Upcoming Signings page on SteinerSports.com.  This autograph calendar is updated daily and serves as a guideline for those looking to pre-order items.  While most signings are held within the confines of the Steiner Sports Corporate Offices, located in New Rochelle, NY, others are open to the public and held at venues like the Steiner Sports Store in Garden City, or one of the many Last Licks Locations.

As the leader in sports collectables and memorabilia, Steiner Sports enjoys exclusive autograph agreements with some of the biggest names in sports.  Players like Derek Jeter, Peyton & Eli Manning, Mariano Rivera, Dustin Pedroia, Hank Aaron, and Martin Brodeur are just some of the exclusive athletes consistently signing for Steiner Sports. 

Keep in mind, there are limitations on the number of items an athlete has time to sign at a given Steiner Sports autograph session.  So, collectors interested in reserving something special from an upcoming signing should give it some thought, contact a Steiner Sports Representative, and get in on a piece of the action early.

Don’t wait!

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

Mark Sanchez stood at the podium, his playoff beard finally gone, like the Jets hopes of winning Super Bowl XLIV.  His “Wonderboy” T-Shirt…no where in sight, replaced now with a blank, white one, perhaps symbolic of the clean slate the New York Jets will have the next time they take the field in 2010.

Head Coach Rex Ryan

All the big wins down the stretch, the top ranked defense and running game, the bluster…all just a memory now.  That’s the way it goes in the NFL.  One day you’re playing in the Conference Championship Game, only sixty minutes from Super Sunday, and the next thing you know, you’re staring at a blank page, pen in hand, script unwritten.

Unfortunately for authors like Sanchez, Head Coach, Rex Ryan, and the rest of the Jets organization, it’s often difficult to stick to any script in this league.  There are always so many variables, unforeseen injuries, salary cap calamities, unfavorable schedules, and inclement weather that could get in the way.

Opportunities like the one the Jets just had are rare in the NFL.  Bright futures can dim rather quickly.  Players age, become free agents, or retire, and windows propped open by hope and promise are humbly slammed shut with little notice.

The 2010 Jets should be favored to win their division, and contend for a place in Super Bowl XLV.  It’s exactly what awaited the 1999 Jets after losing to Denver in the AFC Title Game the year prior.  That team, devastated by a week one Achilles tendon injury to quarterback Vinny Testaverde, failed to reach their Super goal.  So have the ten Jets teams since.

It took eleven years to get back to where they were in January 1999 – a halftime lead in the AFC Championship Game, and only thirty minutes from the Super Bowl.  This year, like 1999, they failed to score in the second half as the Indianapolis Colts took the game 30-17, and punched their ticket to Miami at the Jets’ expense. 

Make no mistake about it though, the Jets did not lose this game in “Same Old Jets” fashion.  They were beaten by the better team, with the better quarterback.  There is no shame in the way this latest Jets team played.  They were resilient, positive, had great team chemistry, and captured the imaginations of every fan that bleeds green and white.  Ryan made everyone a believer in 2009.

In his final team meeting of the season, Ryan told his players to “wear their Jets stuff and be proud of it.”  Why shouldn’t they?  Ryan has created a new culture within this organization, an environment that players can thrive in, and one that is enticing for prized free agents to come be a part of. 

Though there is no assurance of anything in 2010 and beyond, the Jets appear to have all the pieces in place to succeed – in this unpredictable league, that’s the best any franchise can hope for.  Gang Green is set up with a young, star quarterback, a fiery, crafty head coach, a powerful defense and running game, and a brand new stadium – all components that any NFL author would salivate at the chance to write into the script.

There was no storybook ending this year, and there is no guarantee there ever will be.  But the future appears bright and Jets fans will have to wait at least one more season for the next chapter in Jets history to be written.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

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The “house money” is all spent.  Moral victories no longer exist.  No, that’s all over now.  Complacency expired with the clock in San Diego.

Jets 17, Chargers 14. 

Mark Sanchez Turf Collage

Get greedy Jets fans.  Gang Green is in the final four.  They are about to play in a game the franchise has only seen on three other occasions, 1968, 1982, and 1998.  The New York Jets…say it with me…are going to the AFC Championship Game and are only 60 minutes away from Super Bowl XLIV.  Believe it.

With that said, every fan who bleeds green and white should be thinking big, thinking about getting two more victories and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy amid a green and white confetti rain.  Reaching the AFC Title Game is a great achievement…no doubt.  But don’t settle here.  Don’t be satisfied with just a “great” season.  Dream of a “Super” season.  It’s now within reach.

Opportunities like these are so rare.  Teams come so close, fall just short, and then prepare for a future that may never come.  One season a franchise makes it to the Championship Game, and the next season their balloon of hopes and dreams pop like their quarterback’s Achilles tendon in week one (see Vinny & the Jets circa 1999).

There are so many variables in the NFL.  Teams battle devastating injuries, unfavorable schedules, inclement weather, a salary cap, and have to peak at the right time just to have a shot at a January run.  There are no guarantees in the NFL…well…other than Joe Willie’s pledge prior to Super Bowl III.

1968 NY Jets Team Signed Jersey

Namath’s magic occurred a generation ago, the 2009 Jets are trying to exorcise the demons and do something that no Jets team has done since that unforgettable day in January 1969. 

This is no longer just a feel good story.  The Jets are in way too deep for that.  An appearance in the AFC Championship Game officially qualifies as “serious business.”  It’s an opportunity that may never come around again.  The New York Jets head into Indianapolis to face Peyton Manning and the Colts on Sunday at 3:00 PM.  A trip to Miami, and a place in history hangs in the balance. 

No time like the present.  No guarantees for the future.  No turning back now.

Get greedy Jets fans.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

The sign outside may have read “Giants Stadium,” but the building finally felt like home for Jets fans on Sunday night. 

The Jets, perhaps, saved their best performance for last as they did battle with the Cincinnati Bengals in the final game played in Meadowlands history.  Gang Green overcame frigid temperatures, and all the odds, to defeat the Bengals 37-0 in a rout.  In the process, they clinched the 5^th seed in the AFC playoffs, the franchise’s first trip to the post season since 2006.

The Jets were destined to do what their co-tenants couldn’t the week prior.  The Giants’ final Meadowlands performance left a sour taste – falling to the Panthers 41-9 in week 16.  By contrast, the Jets refused to lose, holding the playoff-bound Bengals to just 72 total yards of offense…in the whole game!

Mark Sanchez completed an up-and-down rookie season on a high note, managing the offense and feeding Thomas Jones.  Following the game, and a refreshingly frosty Gatorade bath for head coach, Rex Ryan, players did a victory lap, shaking hands with the fans and shutting out the lights at the old building in style.

It was the final great moment inside a building that provided many along the way.  Jets fans will always remember moments like the Monday Night Miracle victory over the Dolphins in 2000, the 1999 Divisional Game against Jacksonville, and the back-to-back routs of the Packers and Colts to end the 2002 regular season and start the playoffs respectively.  Giants fans will quickly forget the team’s 2009 shortcomings and focus more on the three Lombardi Trophies, hoisted after the 1986, 1990 and 2007 seasons.

Whatever your allegiance, there is tons of history oozing from within the Meadowlands walls.  A new partnership joining Steiner Sports with the Meadowlands allows fans and football historians alike to own pieces of that nostalgia. 

Interested in owning a pair of seats from within Giants Stadium?  Steiner Sports new partnership makes that possible.  Fans will have access to seats, seatbacks, pieces of the turf, goal posts, and various other items from within the building.  It’s the perfect way to commemorate the past and look forward to a bright future inside the New Meadowlands starting in 2010.

As the Jets prepare for their Wild Card Weekend rematch with Cincinnati, and the Giants start to prepare for what will no doubt be an exciting 2010 campaign, the lights inside Giants Stadium are now dark.  There will never be another game played inside the building that served as home for two teams, and enjoyed one glorious timeline of moments. 

It finally felt like home for Jets fans on Sunday night.  Giants fans have always felt ownership.  With both teams moving across the parking lot next season, now it’s the fans who can start to make pieces of the building their own.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

“Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Those words, once spoken by Matthew Broderick in the 1986 hit “Ferris Bueller,” couldn’t be more apropos when thinking back on 2009 at Steiner Sports.  It was a year that had Steiner Sports employees’ heads spinning with activity and customers’ heads turning with curiosity and intrigue.  Though it flew by, it was a challenging, yet rewarding campaign, filled with moments and achievements that revolutionized the sports collectibles industry…again. 

The final year of the “double zeros,” the “oughts,” or however one chooses to refer back to this decade, saw Steiner Sports prosper through three defining moments in company history, events that changed the way the company functions, and further developed the way sports fans collect memorabilia.  

The Move

In recent years, Steiner Sports has developed relationships, and partnerships with some of the most successful organizations in professional and collegiate sports.  The company currently provides exclusive access to game used collectibles from the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Dallas Cowboys, and Notre Dame, Alabama, North Carolina, and Syracuse Universities.  The growing roster of partners, presented a growing inventory for a growing company occupying, what seemed like, a shrinking warehouse.

In an effort to satisfy the company’s need for more space, Steiner Sports moved into new digs in March.  Just like their pinstriped partners in the Bronx, the company shifted across the street into a new venue, better equipped to handle their needs in an ever-changing marketplace.  The move has been a positive one for all parties involved.  The state-of-the-art facility has allowed the company to function more efficiently, better serving loyal customers – many of whom made the pilgrimage over the last nine months to check out the new place.

The Seats

In 2009, Steiner Sports urged all Yankees fans and baseball historians to “Take a Seat in History.”  In May of 2009, the company announced plans to offer authentic seats, and other stadium artifacts including sod, monument park bricks, and foul pole pieces, from the original Yankee Stadium.  A flurry of activity ensued.  Eager fans were able to gobble up pieces of the historic stadium, scooping up whatever relics became available.  Owning an actual piece of Baseball’s Cathedral was an opportunity that few fans passed up on.

In addition, Original Yankee Stadium memorabilia was on display throughout the Inaugural Season inside the Great Hall, courtesy of Steiner Sports.  The Yankees-Steiner Collectibles Store flourished inside the Stadium too, giving fans insider access on game days.  Throughout the season, Steiner Sports employees were on hand to meet fans, and explain the unique line of items pulled from the “House That Ruth Built.”

What an unbelievable season it was too!  The Yankees broke in their new quarters in grand fashion!  The Greatest Closer of All-Time, Mariano Rivera, converted his 500^th career save in June, and The Captain, Derek Jeter, passed Lou Gehrig on the all-time Yankees hits list in September.  Both historic moments served as appetizers for October’s (and November’s) main course…

The Title

The instant Mark Teixeira squeezed the final out of the 2009 World Series, the Yankees hard work towards a 27^th Championship was over.  However, the work within the Steiner Sports office was just beginning.  Commemorative collages, plaques and crystals had already been prepared weeks in advance, but the quest towards a team signed project was quickly underway. 

Over the course of about three weeks in November, twenty-nine members of the World Champions made their way through the Steiner Sports office, signing everything from team signed baseballs and photos, to game used product from the 2009 season.  Once again, Steiner Sports had the most complete and intriguing collection of commemorative memorabilia to offer customers, featuring an unprecedented collection of superstars – perfect timing for the upcoming holiday season.

The Future

While 2009 was a legendary year in the history of Steiner Sports, the future is bright for the innovative leader in sports collectibles and gifts.  There are many exciting announcements on the table for 2010, events that will fire up customers, and further transform the collectibles industry.  2009 was fast.  2010 will move just as quick.  Just be sure to stop and look around.  Big things are coming so pay attention!  Bueller?

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

*Story as appears in “Yankee Legacy Magazine” (updated 11/30/09)

Destined for Yankee greatness from day #1, a young Derek Jeter was assigned to wear #2.  All the pinstriped greats wore single digits.  By the time the scrawny kid from Kalamazoo, MI arrived in the Bronx, there was only one such number left to choose from – all others had been retired, and his manager, Joe Torre, was doing his best to take #6 off the board.  So, with expectations high, Jeter was given #2 – everything else had to be earned.

The kid didn’t disappoint.

#2 Waives to the Yankee Stadium Faithful

For fourteen seasons, Jeter has done nothing but validate his numerical assignment.  The 1996 American League Rookie of the Year has appeared in 10 All-Star games, won 4 Gold Glove awards, and won 5 World Series titles.  In 2000, he was named MVP of both the All-Star Game and World Series.  In 2003 he was named team captain.  He has led his team to the Post Season in 13 of his 14 seasons, including 7 World Series appearances.

He is perhaps the most clutch performer to ever don the pinstripes, consistently coming up big in big spots.  At age 35, and showing no signs of slowing down, Jeter continues to produce at a staggering clip, breaking club records on a nightly basis, and passing single-digit-wearing legends in the process.

On November 30, 2009, just weeks after leading the Yankees to their 27^th World Series title, Jeter was named the 2009 Sports Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year.”  He becomes the first Yankee to ever earn the title, and does it during a year that saw many great accomplishments for the Captain of the Yankees.

This season, he batted a stellar .334, won a Gold Glove for his defense, a Silver Slugger for his offense, and a 5^th ring for his thumb.  In addition, on September 11, 2009, Jeter etched his name deeper into Yankees lore when he collected his 2,722^nd career hit.

Playing within the confines of his new home – he is the all-time hits leader at the original Yankee Stadium – Jeter singled to right field in the third inning of a game with the Baltimore Orioles.  The base hit moved him past Lou Gehrig and into first place all-time on the Yankees career hits list.

Teammates poured out of the dugout to surround the newly-crowned hits king, congratulating him on his accomplishment.  The always stoic Jeter showed true emotion as the packed house in the Bronx chanted his name over and over, as if to thank him for his years of service.

Within hours of collecting the monumental hit, fans swarmed SteinerSports.com looking to grab one of many commemorative items released to honor Jeter’s accomplishment.  Since that historic night in the Bronx, Jeter has hand signed images of the moment, jerseys embroidered with the date and hits total, and inscribed baseballs detailing the moment.  Along with commemorative 2009 World Series items, they remain among the hottest Yankees collectibles on the market today.

By passing Gehrig, the next hits milestone for Jeter will be #3,000.  No Yankee has ever reached the benchmark number – like being named “Sportsman of the Year,” Jeter seems destined to be the first.  It also appears certain that one day, #2 will find its way into Monument Park, joining the other single digits enshrined in Yankees lore.

There was really never any doubt from day #1 that Jeter deserved to wear #2.  But, following a season that saw Jeter pass Lou Gehrig, lead his team to another World Series Title, and earn “Sportsman of the Year” honors, it would be tough not to argue that #2 is really #1.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

“It’s one of the coolest things…being called a champ,” said the newly crowned Nick Swisher.  “You can’t ever take that away.”

No matter what path his career takes from here, he will forever be a World Champion.  According to Swisher, it is an honor he would not be enjoying without the efforts and contributions of every man to wear the pinstripes in 2009.

Following My Interview with Swisher

“For ten months straight, you work as a team to accomplish great things,” he said.  “This season, we all had the right mindset, and the right group of guys working together.  That’s why we were able to win the whole thing.”

Just hours removed from capturing the 2009 World Series Title, Swisher found himself inside the Steiner Sports Corporate Offices commemorating the achievement.  Along with other members of the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees, Swisher was there, adding his signature to team signed World Series baseballs, photos, jerseys, bats and helmets.   

Swisher marveled at the new product line, referring to select pieces as “bad-ass,” and even requesting some photos for his personal collection.  Feeling nostalgic throughout the signing, he was eager to discuss his first season in the Bronx and the important role team chemistry played in the Championship run.

In 2009, the Yankees made key additions to their roster, bringing in players to round out an already potent group.  Coming to New York, where the team’s objective from day one always includes a parade down the Canyon of Heroes, can be intimidating for many.  Over the last eight title-less seasons, many have come and gone with little success.  The 2009 club was different though.

“This wasn’t about myself, or CC [Sabathia], or AJ [Burnett],” said Swisher.  “This was about everyone.  We needed the whole team on the same page and we all were able to bond together.”

The foundation of their close-knit group can be traced back to February 23, 2009.  That’s when the club united during a much publicized spring training field trip to the pool hall.

“At the time, we had a lot of work to do,” said Swisher.  “We had a season to get ready for and then Skip [Manager Joe Girardi] comes in and tells us to drop everything, we’re going to play pool for the day.  It was big for us.  Everyone bought into it, we had a great time, and we were able to carry that onto the field.”

That’s where the Yankees won an MLB best 103 ball games, including a dominant 57-24 mark within the confines of their new home in the Bronx.  Their success was the perfect blend of old and new.  Though the integration of new personalities like Swisher, Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira was important, according the Swisher, a lot of the harmony can be attributed to members of the old guard.

New Celebration Shot Signed by Swish

“It’s the big four, [Jorge] Posada, [Derek] Jeter, [Andy] Pettitte, and [Mariano] Rivera,” he said.  “They are who the Yankees are.  They represent the team extremely well and are real leaders.  None of them came up to us new guys and said, ‘this is how we do things.’  It’s unspoken.  We all followed their lead and learned from them.”

The Yankees enter this offseason with a few issues to address.  Questions about the futures of Johnny Damon, Andy Pettitte, and World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui all loom.  The core of this roster will remain intact for 2010 when the Yankees try to defend their title – a challenge Swisher is already anxious to take on.

“I can’t wait to go back to war with these guys.”

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

It’s October.  The leaves are falling…that means the Yankees are on the rise.  Twenty-six times, the New York Yankees have captured the ultimate prize: a World Series Championship. Tonight they begin their mission for #27.

Derek Jeter Hand Signed 2009 World Series Jersey

Sweeping the Twins was a nice accomplishment.  Knocking off the Angels exorcized previous Post Season demons.  Defeating the Phillies in the Fall Classic will answer the pinstriped mission statement put forth every spring – be the last team standing in October.

It’s been nine years since the Yankees owned the baseball world.  In that time, fans have realized how difficult it is to win a ring, a sobering and frustrating process for many.  While the franchise has now captured 40 American League flags in their illustrious history, fans have recently learned how hard it is to convert a Pennant into a ring.

“Our customers are hungry for a Yankees World Series victory,” says Brett Schissler, Director of Retail Sales for Steiner Sports.  “Yankees fans were spoiled in the 90s, but a lot of people now realize just how difficult it is to win the whole thing, and how special this season could be.”

For the first time in 85 years, the Yankees will attempt to win a championship while playing in a new building.  They turned the trick way back in 1923, the inaugural season for the original Yankee Stadium, defeating the New York Giants 4 games to 2.  Now they attempt to make history in their new digs, officially making the “New House” a “Home.”

This playoff run is the perfect historical storm in the collectibles industry.  The most storied franchise, boasting some of the biggest names in baseball, is looking to add more hardware to their collection while attempting to christen a new ball park.  It’s a collector’s dream.

To make matters better, never before have fans enjoyed access during a championship run like they do in 2009.  The memorabilia industry has changed immensely since Bernie Williams caught the final out of the Subway Series at Shea Stadium.  The Yankees-Steiner partnership now gives fans the opportunity to own one-of-a-kind Post Season gems like game used bases, baseballs and jerseys used during actual game play – something that wasn’t possible in 2000. 

Those looking to immortalize this remarkable season will have many delicious options to choose from.  Commemorative World Series items signed by players like Jeter, Rodriguez, Rivera, Posada, and Sabathia, among others, were available for sale within hours of the pennant-clinching out.  Those lucky enough to attend a game in the Bronx will be able to mail their ticket in and have a personal collage created to celebrate the day.  Team signed photos, baseballs, jerseys and bats will also be available in limited quantities.

Mariano Rivera Hand Signed 2009 World Series Ball

“Fans recognize the urgency here,” says Schissler.  “We’ve pre-sold a bunch of World Series baseballs already and have long waiting lists filled with customers looking to snag game used jerseys from the [World] Series.  Everyone wants to take home a piece of history.  You just never know when something like this will happen again.”

Starting tonight, “Let’s Go Yankees” chants will fill the crisp Autumn Bronx air, Jeter will have his fist pump locked and loaded, “Mystique” and “Aura” will make their way across the street to be in attendance.  Soak it in.  Grab something to commemorate the journey.  The last nine years prove that this sort of thing doesn’t happen every season.  This is special.  It’s history in the making.  It’s history for the taking.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

The swagger is back in the Bronx.

As the New York Yankees prepare for their American League Championship Series with the Los Angeles Angels, it’s clear, there’s something different about this team.  In the eight seasons immediately following their Subway Series victory in 2000, the New York Yankees morphed into a collection of highly-paid, corporate superstars.  Team chemistry was weak.  Anxiety levels were high.  These days, the Yankees are wearing their ties a little looser and having a little more fun at the ball park. 

So what changed?  That’s easy…easy as pie.

Nick Swisher Enjoys a Little Pie

In 2009, the most traditional team in all of sports established a new ritual – a good, old fashioned, pie to the face – courtesy of AJ’s Bakery, Co.  All pies were hand delivered by Pitcher, AJ Burnett, on cue, to any player to notch a walk-off hit in the Bronx. 

Early on, critics scoffed at the amateurish celebration tactic adopted by the business-like Yankees.  Many argued that such a childish act seemed out of place among these men in pinstriped suits, claiming it was not “Yankee-like.”  As irony would have it, a little silliness was exactly what this team needed.

Unlike so many other Yankees teams that have come before them, the 2009 club seems more relaxed, and free from all the stress that comes along with the yearly “World Series victory or bust” mentality.  The additions of free-spirits like Burnett and Nick Swisher have served as the perfect compliment to the older, more business-like core of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada. 

Initially, there was some question as to how a member of that “old guard” would react when greeted with a face full of whipped cream.  That was answered on July 4, 2009 when Posada stole the game from the Blue Jays with a walk off single in the 12^th inning.  Like clockwork, the catcher’s postgame interview turned into a pie eating contest, much to the delight of on looking fans.

Each walk-off pie – there have been 16 of them so far, including Mark Teixeira’s ALDS Game 2 pastry punch – has served as much more than a show of celebration.  It has developed camaraderie, calmed nerves, and tasted much sweeter than the humble pie they’ve been forced to eat in recent years. 

Timely hitting, lights out pitching, and the addition of team-first players like Teixeira and CC Sabathia have all been major reasons this club has succeeded.  Most importantly, this team has been reminded that winning can be fun.  A little whipped cream is all it took to ease the tension of the daily New York baseball rigors. 

The 2009 Yankees are all having a blast.  It seems as though this baseball machine is destined to return to glory.  The roster is a perfect blend of experience, youth, and journeymen – all hungry for the same thing: a World Series title, and perhaps some pie for dessert.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com