All the world is Babylon

Just for comparison, I put my ticket from the Sox/Mets game in April at Citifield up against my ticket for the Yanks/Rays game at Yankee Stadium (with appropriate information on the tickets blocked out.)

Just for comparison, I put my ticket from the Sox/Mets game in April at CitiField up against my ticket for the Yanks/Rays game at Yankee Stadium (with appropriate information on the tickets blocked out)

In trying to find a positive focus I remembered that I’ll be traveling to New York next week.  It’s a quickie trip.  Down on Wednesday, to Yankee Stadium that night and then back some time on Thursday.   It wasn’t planned – hell, given what the prices are for any seats I’d want to sit in (and that even though I’ve sat in single seats in Baltimore I really couldn’t imagine doing it in New York) I honestly thought I’d never get to see the new stadium (at least not for a game).  So I’m looking forward to checking it out.

But going to Yankee Stadium for a game where the Red Sox aren’t playing brings up a conundrum:  What do I wear?

It has occurred to me that I could just wear, well, CLOTHES, and not worry about having baseball gear on me – but where’s the fun in that?  I don’t have an awful lot of casual clothes, anyway, (not that my clothes are all that dressy either but most are in that in-between stage where I either look over-dressed, too hot or just totally out of place if I wear it to a game) so it just always seems an easier decision to throw a jersey on over a pair of black slacks and my sneakers and not worry about it.    But my jerseys are all Red Sox, Paw Sox, Sea Dogs or American League (I have both an Ortiz and a Lowe ASG jersey)…and all would, likely, antagonize at Yankee Stadium.  As much as I love a good go around with opposing fans, I never get Yankees fans who walk into Fenway Park in their Yankees gear during a game the Yankees aren’t playing.  To me, that’s like wearing a giant sign that reads “I’m a total assbag looking for a confrontation, please punch me in the face”.   So there is no way I’m going into the Bronx in Sox gear when the Sox aren’t there (for the record, I’ve been to the old Yankee Stadium twice for Red Sox games and both times wore the Sox gear proudly).

Somewhere I have a black and purple Colorado Rockies jersey with Darryl Kile’s name and number on it – but I put it away long ago.  I also used to wear a black White Sox jersey years ago – just because it was really sharp, I got it cheap and I loved the way it looked – with no number or name on the back – but that was donated to the Veterans a while ago along with tons of other clothes.

So because my brain likes to focus on the frivolous when things get too serious in my life, I started thinking about what I could wear to Yankee Stadium that was baseball-related but wouldn’t get me punched in the teeth.   The only other jersey I have that isn’t Red Sox-related is a white and red Cincinnati Reds jersey with Bronson Arroyo’s name and number on it.  (I knew I should have bought that Kyle Snyder Bisons jersey!)  While, technically, not a Red Sox jersey, I imagine the name “Arroyo” emblazoned on anything having to do with baseball might make a few Yankees fans a bit chippy.  Not really my intent.   What to do?  What to do?

Enter insomnia coupled with late night browsing on eBay!!!!

As long as the USPS cooperates (as it is already en route) – on Wednesday, at Yankee Stadium, I’ll be wearing this:

I don't feel "dirty" wearing a Swisher jersey.  I liked him before he was a Yankee and I'll like him after he's gone from New York.

I don't feel "dirty" wearing a Swisher jersey. I liked him before he was a Yankee and I'll like him after he's gone from New York. This way I'm not in NY gear but look like a friendly!

I usually try to grab a t-shirt from the different parks I visit but never thought about any other gear. And since there is no way on this Earth that I would ever wear Yankees gear (and the idea of wearing Rays gear makes me feel a bit unclean as well) – I’m good with this. Admittedly, I crack myself up.

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