Here, You Throw This Out

Fan “Appreciation” Days

By all accounts Yankees fans are at the top of the pecking order when it comes to fan satisfaction. 26 World Championships, Murderers row, the genius that is Yogi Berra, Mr. October and even Mr. November. The shortcomings of the new millennium are quickly becoming an after thought as the Bronx-kateers plow through the AL East and sit pretty with the best record in baseball. Thoughts of the late 90’s dynasty suddenly don’t seem so distant. As the dog days of summer start to dull to a whimper, the Yankees continue to coast, taking 10-out-of-15 in September. Yet, for all the praise and accolades that adorn the group of superstars becoming a devastating team right before our eyes, the fans this month are batting a benign 0-for-3.

“Yes, that is in fact a plush whistle doll. And of course there are plenty of things you can do with it”

On Tuesday the 8^th, Saturday the 12^th, and tonight, Wednesday the 16^th, New York Yankees fans will be appreciated (maybe mocked is the right word) for their patronage by basking in the glory that is Soup Bowl Night, Luggage Tag Day, and Plush Whistle / Doll / IsItReallyAWhistleDoll? Night, respectively.

Now we here at Foul Weather Fan (Read: Me) are all for Giveaway days. We even appreciate when lowly college community outreach groups hand us fliers. “Hell yeah I’d love to doodle on that, and make a hot pink paper airplane, and uh…support Jane Smith for Vice Secretary Treasurer, count me in!” But are the Giveaway glove days, bat days, and non-velcro hat days, really that far gone? Yes, you could pass this off as an economic downtime and giving away the gloves isn’t all that cost effective. But wouldn’t the warm fuzzy feeling of being able to think, “Geez, fans will have this glove for years to come and always remember this day” feel a lot better than forcing fans to grab hold of a fuzzy feeling whistle and ask of their hero, “Mr. Jeter, please sign my soup bowl, and could you mention something about you passing Lou Gehrig or whatevs?”

Of course there is always a positive side. Soup bowls definitely work for catching foul balls and, with any luck, a few A-Bombs.

But maybe I’m too quick to judge. Fans of the interlocking NY may be batting just above the Mendoza line with a 1 for 4 performance this month. September 7^th was Hand Sanitizer Key Chain Giveaway Day. Swine Flu is certainly something none of the Yankee faithful appreciate…