The Angels are making their final regular-season visit to old Yankee Stadium this week. The stadium will be replaced by a $1.3 billion version next season.
It has been a good place for them to visit in recent seasons. They have won 12 of their past 19 games here and were the only team to have a winning record against the Yankees (61-55 overall) during Joe Torre’s time as manager (1996-2007).
Rookie right-hander Darren O’Day took time before the game to wander around the park and tour Monument Park out beyond left field. It is his first visit to Yankee Stadium. Angels left-hander Joe Saunders took the field for batting practice, joking about taking a souvenir with him.
“I can’t believe I’m stealing Babe Ruth,” he joked, referring to the Hall of Famer’s monument near the Angels bullpen. “(Derek) Jeter said I could have it.”
Angels manager Mike Scioscia told the story of his first visit to Yankee Stadium. As a 17-year-old high school player, he was invited to work out for the Yankees before the draft.
“It was 1976,” Scioscia said. “I met Billy Martin, used Graig Nettles’ bat, put on a Yankees uniform. I remember we stayed for the game. My whole family came. Reggie Jackson was playing for the Orioles. I think it was his last year before he came to the Yankees.”
Scioscia remembered hitting two home runs during the workout and feeling pretty proud of his power display — until his father pointed out how close the right-field wall is at Yankee Stadium.
“He said, ‘You know, on your high school field those would probably have been fly outs to right,’” Scioscia said. “He was trying to level me off.”
Scioscia was asked if he would take anything from the visitors’ clubhouse this weekend as a souvenir.
“The only thing I take out of that clubhouse is gas from all the Italian food,” he said. “The food is great. But those peppers and sausages kill me.”
