Yankees try to make best of bad situation

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/ny-spken1912897783jun18,0,5692561.column?track=rss

On a long, long day at Yankee Stadium, the comic highlight occurred in the middle of the first inning, when public-address announcer Paul Olden invited fans to move up to the field- and main-level seats.

A few lax security guards didn't act quickly enough, though, and before you knew it, SOME COMMONERS HAD CROSSED THE MOAT!!! into the infamous Legends Suites.

Look out! The revolution had begun!

But the trespassers soon trudged back into the field- level seats last night, and in short time, they smiled as Stadium employees handed them menus by which they could order popcorn for $7 and a smoked chicken Caesar wrap for $9.

In the end, the Yankees did all right by their fans, even as they suffered a second straight loss to the pathetic Washington Nationals, 3-0.

Right after pinch hitter Derek Jeter hit into a forceout to halt a two-out, bases-loaded rally and conclude the seventh inning, the team offered fans a plan to submit their ticket stub - used or unused - to admission for a future, non-premium game this year or next.

Nevertheless, Thursday, both here in the Bronx and out at Bethpage Black at the U.S. Open, reminded us of where the fan ranks on the sports industry's hierarchy.

It's pretty darn low.

The 10,000 or so folks who waited an astounding five hours and 26 minutes for Joba Chamberlain's first pitch did so because the Nationals weren't scheduled to return to Yankee Stadium this season. The best alternative to yesterday's long delay, according to a person in the loop, was a Yankees two-team doubleheader on Thursday, July 2, at the Stadium: The Nationals in the afternoon and Seattle at night.

Neither team wanted that, so they chose the short-term pain of waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more.

The problem ultimately lies in Major League Baseball's convoluted schedule. Interleague play has grown on me and many of you, and so has the unbalanced schedule, in which division foes face off in six series per season. The downside of those bells and whistles, however, is that you have several once-a-year visitors - both the interleague foes and, in the Yankees' case, most of the teams from the American League Central and AL West.

So when Mother Nature decides to express her fury on the last day of a "one-timer" series, you get the mess that occurred Thursday.

It's not the Yankees' fault, yet for the good of customer relations - especially at a time when they're getting grief for that skill set - it fell upon the Yankees to not create any more ill will.

It would've been really nice to let the resilient fans fill up the Legends Suites and live like royalty for one night. However, Yankees COO Lonn Trost already has made his feeling clear on that subject, with his memorable, "If you purchased a house, do you want people in your house?" line last month.

So those who stayed got themselves a free ballgame, essentially, and the tiny crowd allowed people to be heard.

A couple of boisterous fans expressed their displeasure with Yankees reliever David Robertson in the ninth inning. And for some odd reason, YES broadcaster Michael Kay received a series of shout-outs.

"You could hear them," Jeter said, smiling, of the vocal minority.

The Yankees have played some terrible baseball in the last 10 days, and now their offense must wake up as they kick off a nine-game stretch through National League cities, with DH Hideki Matsui on the bench.

But look on the bright side, Yankees fans:

If it rains in Miami or Atlanta or at Citi Field, it won't be your problem.