Happy Opening Day, everyone! For real this time!
It's been a long off-season since that depressing October night in the Bronx against the Astros, but that same bunch is back today as the Yankees seek to avenge the Wild Card loss and get off on the right foot in 2016. As always, we will be providing game threads and recaps throughout the season in addition to our regular coverage. The popular Baby Bomber Recap prospect coverage will be returning on Thursday as well!
Before all that happens though, it would be fun to reconnect with the community after the off-season. There's a good chance that we've picked up some new readers over the past year or so, and it's been awhile since we did a community questionnaire. Our longtime readers are fairly familiar with the veteran members of the writing staff, but we have some new names on the masthead, too.
I asked the staff if they would answer the following questions, and they kindly obliged. Our answers are below, but we want to hear from you, too! Answer as many or as few of the questions as you'd like. If there's anything you'd like to share about yourself that we didn't cover in the questions or something you'd like to know about everyone else, put that in there, too. We'll keep this pinned throughout the day.
Hope to see you in the comments!
First name:
Location:
How/when did you become a Yankee fan:
Favorite current Yankee:
Favorite childhood Yankee:
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer:
Favorite baseball movie:
Hypothetical walk-up music:
Favorite TV character:
Waffles or Pancakes:
On Twitter I am:
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card:
***
Tanya Bondurant: Managing Editor
First name: Tanya
Location: North Carolina
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: My dad wasn't about to let his first born child not be a Yankee fan, so I was taught from a young age what the right choice was. It didn't hurt that I got to see the Core Four play minor league baseball near our house.
Favorite current Yankee: Greg Bird
Favorite childhood Yankee: Derek Jeter
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Alex Rodriguez
Favorite baseball movie: The Sandlot
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Heat of the Moment" by Asia
Favorite TV character: Daenerys Targaryen
Waffles or Pancakes: Waffles
On Twitter I am: @TanyaBondurant
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: Greg Bird once hit three home runs for me.
Andrew Mearns: Editor
First name: Andrew
Location: Atlanta, GA
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: I grew up in northern New Jersey, so the Yankee fan bloodlines were always there. I actually started watching games in 2001, which was kind of unfortunate timing since I missed most of the fun of the dynasty except for highlights, but so it goes. I've been hooked ever since.
Favorite current Yankee: Dellin Betances
Favorite childhood Yankee: Even though Robinson Cano didn't come along until I was a teenager, he was definitely number one the longest for me.
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Brandon McCarthy
Favorite baseball movie: Moneyball
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Typical" by Mute Math
Favorite TV character: Current: Arya Stark. All-time: Michael Scott (or maybe Creed Bratton).
Waffles or Pancakes: Waffles
On Twitter I am: @MearnsPSA
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: I have every World Series memorized, so given a year, I can pretty much instantly name who won it and usually some other facts (the other team, a few highlights, etc.). It's a highly marketable skill that totally belongs on my LinkedIn page.
Jason Cohen: Editor
First name: Jason
Location: Brooklyn, NY
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: Everyone made a big deal about the Yankees being in the 1996 World Series, so I watched and liked what I saw. It wasn't until college that I became obsessed with the sport though. Weird, I know.
Favorite current Yankee: Greg Bird
Favorite childhood Yankee: Derek Jeter
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Greg Bird
Favorite baseball movie: The Sandlot
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie
Favorite TV character: Ben Wyatt
Waffles or Pancakes: Waffles
On Twitter I am: @Jason00Cohen
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: There is photographic evidence of me in Mets gear as a baby.
Caitlin Rogers: Editor
First name: Caitlin
Location: Southern California
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: Parked myself on the couch when my step-dad was watching the ALCS in 2004 and decided I liked the Yankees.
Favorite current Yankee: Mark Teixeira
Favorite childhood Yankee: Mariano Rivera
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Alex Rodriguez
Favorite baseball movie: I haven't seen very many, so Angels in the Outfield is my default
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Africa" by Toto
Favorite TV character: Fox Mulder
Waffles or Pancakes: Pancakes
On Twitter I am: No
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: I have never had wisdom teeth. #Blessed
Greg Kirkland: Staff Writer
First name: Greg
Location: Big Apple. 3AM.
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: Apparently before many of my fellow PSA writers were bunting born. You know, back in the early '80s when not one single Yankee fan uttered the phrase "If the Boss were here..."
Favorite current Yankee: Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner, although Didi Gregorius is creeping right on up the fav meter
Favorite childhood Yankee: Bernie Williams
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Didi Gregorius
Favorite baseball movie: The Sandlot
Hypothetical walk-up music: "The Fire" by The Roots, "X Gon Give It To Ya" by DMX, "Corridors of Time" from Chrono Trigger (This varies every year)
Favorite TV character: Barry Allen, the fastest man alive!
Waffles or Pancakes: The correct answer is Waffles
On Twitter I am: An idiot who tweets a lot of nonsense, especially when The Flash is on. @ImNotAHRHitter
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: I have the incredible ability to find free street parking in NYC almost whenever and wherever I want. Also, I love to write parody lyrics. MORE IMPORTANTLY, in 2009 I interned at SNY. I was on the field for Opening Day at the new Yankee Stadium (Citi Field as well), and had many opportunities to be in the locker room with the Yankees post game. One of the greatest experiences of my life.
Matt Ferenchick: Staff Writer
First name: Matt
Location: Dupont, PA
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: Since birth. Both of my parents are Yankees fan.
Favorite current Yankee: Didi Gregorius
Favorite childhood Yankee: Mariano Rivera
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Chris Archer
Favorite baseball movie: Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch
Hypothetical walk-up music: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" - Whitney Houston
Favorite TV character: April Ludgate
Waffles or Pancakes: Waffles
On Twitter I am: @MattF15
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: "Matt Ferenchick enjoys bad baseball way more than he does good baseball."
Matt Provenzano: Staff Writer
First name: Matt
Location: Ithaca, NY
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: I was asked by my first grade teacher to pick a side in the Subway Series, and I chose the Yankees. (Editor's Note: AHHHHHHHHHHH)
Favorite current Yankee: Masahiro Tanaka
Favorite childhood Yankee: Derek Jeter
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Bryce Harper
Favorite baseball movie: Pride of the Yankees
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Famous" by Kanye West
Favorite TV character: April Ludgate
Waffles or Pancakes: Pancakes
On Twitter I am: @mattprov94
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: Makes a mean omelette.
Kunj Shah: Staff Writer
First name: Kunj
Location: Union City, NJ
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: I was around 10 years old, when my brother introduced my family to his now-wife. She was (and still is) a big Yankees fan, so that always had me rooting for them (see: back of my baseball card for more on this). However, I didn't really start paying attention until 2008/2009, when Giambi was growing his silly 'stache. That's when I got to college and made friends with people who were way more into sports than I was.
Favorite current Yankee: I think I'm leaning towards Sir Didi.
Favorite childhood Yankee: Andy Pettitte/Derek Jeter
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: (Still proud of this one) I'd love Teixeira beer with Mark.
Favorite baseball movie: Major League
Hypothetical walk-up music: Pokemon theme (original)
Favorite TV character: Shawn Spencer from Psych. Come on, son.
Waffles or Pancakes: I don't feel comfortable taking sides here. But one of my all-time favorite quotes relates to this and the previous question: "Just 'cause you put syrup on something don't make it pancakes" - Shawn Spencer (granted it's from the movie Juice originally, but I heard it on Psych first)
On Twitter I am: #TwitterlessKunj
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: The exception to me rooting for the Yankees at this time was the Subway Series, when I shamefully rooted for the Mets because the girl I had a crush on was a Mets fan and 10-year-old me thought this was the right play ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Oh, and if you come up with a good enough idea, I'll probably try and GIF/Photoshop it for you.
Harlan Spence: Staff Writer
First name: Harlan
Location: Queens, NY
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: When I was a kid, Don Mattingly embodied what a baseball player was supposed to look, act, and play like. He's what drew me to the Yankees.
Favorite current Yankee: Mark Teixeira
Favorite childhood Yankee: Don Mattingly
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Mike Mussina
Favorite baseball movie: Major League, but by default
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Don't Tread on Me" by Metallica
Favorite TV character: C. Montgomery Burns
Waffles or Pancakes: Waffles
On Twitter I am: Not
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: Writes left, throws and bats right. The most useless combination there can be.
Nikhil Chaturvedi: Staff Writer
First name: Nikhil
Location: Miami, FL
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: Unofficial story: I'm one of the chosen people. Official story: My dad grew up on the East Coast and is a Yankee fan.
Favorite current Yankee: Masahiro Tanaka
Favorite childhood Yankee: Derek Jeter
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Juan Uribe
Favorite baseball movie: The Sandlot
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Knuck If You Buck" by Crime Mob
Favorite TV character: Adam West (from Family Guy)
Waffles or other lesser breakfast item: Waffles
Twitter: Not on Twitter, I've been slacking on that front
Fun fact: I once won three straight MVP awards in MLB 2K12's career mode.
Jake Devin: Staff Writer
First name: Jake
Location: Binghamton, NY
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: Well, the Yankees had this nasty habit of winning the World Series all the time when I was a young impressionable child in the late '90s. Couldn't resist the ringz.
Favorite current Yankee: Alex Rodriguez
Favorite childhood Yankee: Robbie Cano
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Zack Greinke
Favorite baseball movie: The Sandlot
Hypothetical walk-up music: "679" by Fetty Wap
Favorite TV character: Avatar Aang
Waffles or Pancakes: Waffles
On Twitter I am: @JakePDevin
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: I can recall from memory the opponent, score, and location of every New York Giants game from the past nine years. (This is less a fun fact and more evidence that I may be a sociopath.)
Jim Griffin: Staff Writer
First name: Jim
Location: Philadelphia, PA
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: Probably 1986 as a 3-year-old living in Flushing and rooting for both the Mets and Yankees before I knew any better. Eventually I stuck with the Yankees.
Favorite current Yankee: Brett Gardner?
Favorite childhood Yankee: Don Mattingly
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Russell Martin, he's been around a while, played for the Yankees, and Canadians are polite.
Favorite baseball movie: The Sandlot
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
Favorite TV character: Right now? Jimmy McGill
Waffles or Pancakes: French Toast
On Twitter I am: @gorillapresslam
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: Named his childhood dog Mickey in honor of Mickey Mantle.
Jason Hecht: Staff Writer
First name: Jason
Location: Ithaca, NY
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: My family relocated from NYC to Boston and my dad encouraged me to make the right choice.
Favorite current Yankee: Brett Gardner
Favorite childhood Yankee: Mariano Rivera
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Curtis Granderson
Favorite baseball movie: A League of Their Own
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Baba O'Riley" by The Who
Favorite TV character: Peggy Olson
Waffles or Pancakes: Chocolate Chip Pancakes
On Twitter I am: @jdhecht42
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: My younger sister buys sneakers for me and she's awesome at it.
Tom Scibelli: Staff Writer
First name: Tom
Location: Long Island/ Fordham University in Da Bronx
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: My dad read me the Yankee encyclopedia while I was still in my mom's stomach. The obsession has only grown since then.
Favorite current Yankee: A-Rod
Favorite childhood Yankee: Alfonso Soriano
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: A-Rod (I'd do almost anything to pick that brain for an hour)
Favorite baseball movie: The New York Yankees 2009 World Series Champions DVD
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Till I Collapse" by Eminem
Favorite TV character: George Costanza
Waffles or Pancakes: Pancakes
On Twitter I am: @TomScibelliWFUV
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: I once "acted" in and then (apparently) appeared in a Checkers/Rally's Burger commercial and have since spent more time googling "checkers burgers commercials" than the rest of humanity combined.
Chris Novak: Staff Writer
First name: Chris
Location: New Jersey
How/when did you become a Yankee fan: 1996, thanks to my grandmother who has been a lifelong Yankees fan. She turned me into a Yankee fan while my parents were Mets fans. I think I made out pretty well in that deal.
Favorite current Yankee: A-Rod
Favorite childhood Yankee: Bernie Williams
MLB player you'd most like to meet for a beer: Mike Trout
Favorite baseball movie: The Natural
Hypothetical walk-up music: "Killing in the Name of" by Rage Against the Machine
Favorite TV character: Matt Saracen #QB1
Waffles or Pancakes: Waffles
On Twitter I am: @ChrisNovakBECB
Fun fact on the back of your baseball card: Never drank chocolate milk until I was a junior in college.