My Yankee story

I love sport, football, cricket, snooker, darts, pool, formula 1, the list could go on and on. I had enjoyed watching the NFL for a couple of years but baseball had never appeared on my sporting radar. However one night I was up late and I found some living sport on Channel 5, game three of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Earlier that year a family friend had given me a Derek Jeter NYY batting jersey and I had heard all about a guy called Roger Clemens so I decided to sit and watch it, the Yankees won.

The next night of course was amazing as the Yanks won it in the 10th after being two down with two out in the bottom of the 9th only for Tino to launch a two-run shot off BK Kim. The next night and it happened again, this time though it was Scott Brosius who launched the game-tying HR and it took until the 12th for the Yanks to win the game. I watched Games 6 & 7 and although the Yanks lost, they had to be my team.

In 2002 I watched as the Yanks went out at just the ALDS to the pesky Angels, and 2003 saw another trip to the postseason only for the Marlins to beat us out, although we had fun on the way in the ALCS. However it was in 2004 that my love for the sport exploded with the addition of MLB All Access allowing me to watch live and condensed games. In 2003 I had enjoyed a few lives games but I must've seen 130 of the Yanks games last season and this I expect to at the very least match that.

A sleeping pattern can be well and truly screwed up my Major League Baseball if you are based in the UK but the love of the sport keeps you going. I have taken exams and assessments on less than two hours sleep thanks to the Yankees and the time zone differences. 2005 promises to be another close run thing and between Mr Hay and myself I hope you'll enjoy reading our thoughts on our respective clubs as the season unfolds.