November 2, 2009 [LINK / comment]
Last night's game was a real classic, as the Yankees took an early lead, scoring twice in the first inning, and the Phillies kept closing the gap. Chase Utley got another home run off C.C. Sabathia, and in the eighth inning Pedro Feliz got one off Joba Chamberlain, tying the game. But in the top of the ninth, Johnny Damon hit a two-out single, then stole two bases in one fell swoop, taking advantage of the Phillies' defensive shift for left-handed batter Mark Teixeira. Nobody was on third base! Teixeira was then hit by a pitch, and mighty A-Rod stepped up to the plate. Even though he hasn't been getting many hits during the World Series, he has been getting clutch RBIs. A double to the left field corner got Damon across the plate, after which Jorge Posada batted in Teixeira and A-Rodriguez. Mariano Rivera pitched in the bottom of the ninth, three up and three down. Final score: 7-4, and the Yankees now enjoy a commanding 3-1 lead in the World Series. I won't be able to see the first part of the game tonight, to my immense consternation. I almost wish the Phillies would win tonight so that New York fans would get to share in the victory celebration on Wednesday or Thursday...
Attendance at both Game 3 and Game 4 exceeded 46,000 -- more than 2,500 in excess of Citizens Bank Park's seating capacity. That's a lot of standing-room-only fans. In contrast, attendance at Games 1 and 2 was about 2,000 less than the 52,325 official seating capacity at New Yankee Stadium. It sounds like the same problem as at Nationals Park: the seating price structure is out of sync with economic realities. After the crash on Wall Street, there's not enough rich fat cats left to pay for the elite box seats and luxury suites.
In response to a request for some detail enhancements from Mike Zurawski, I have made a slight revision to the Citizens Bank Park diagram. The grandstand in left-center field and nearby structures are affected, and the "387" distance marker has been added. I'll also be making a slight revision to New Yankee Stadium.
As for Sportsman's Park, which has been "on deck" forever, it seems, I recently came across some conflicting information about the 1920s era that needs to be reconciled... 
Mike [Zurawski] informs me that the new Cubs owner, Tom Ricketts, plans to make intermediate-scale changes to Wrigley Field, costing about $200 million altogether. That means they won't be replacing the upper deck, as has been discussed. No flashy jumbotron scoreboard either, thank God. See Chicago Tribune. Also, the long-term plan to build a new hotel/entertainment complex is still alive, pending economic recovery: see addisonparkonclark.com.
Also, they just took the letters off Old Renovated Yankee Stadium. See demolitionofyankeestadium.com