It poured this morning at 10:30. It stopped but an hour later it came down again, harder this time. But it stopped again and the old timer’s got to play for a couple of minutes before the Fox Game of the Week began. It was an impressive Old Timer’s Day with seventy-two former players on hand, including first time guys like Rock Raines, Rickey Henderson, Don Baylor and Boomer Wells. Joe Pepitone was in the piece. Moose Skowron and Oscar Gambler were there. Even Willie showed-up. The only one who was missing was Bernie (when are they going to patch things up already?).
I covered the event for SI.com. Here is the story.
The sun was beaming when Jared Weaver struck out the first four men he faced in the real game. The Yankees botched a double play that led to two quick runs, and it looked like another Halo Beat Down. But Xavier Nady reached base with a two-out single in the second and Wilson Betemit homered to tie the game. Yes, that Wilson Betemit. Weaver gave up three more dingers–solo shots to Bobby Abreu, Jose Molina and Alex Rodriguez. It was 8-2 Yankees when all was said and done.
Mike Mussina was brilliant allowing just a couple of hits and a couple of walks over seven innings of work. He retired the last sixteen men he faced. Good enough for his 14th win of what is fast becoming one of his finest seasons.
In all, a near perfect day in the Bronx for the Yanks.