Notes from Saturday
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Podcast on Mar 20, 2010 
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All spring, much of the discussion in Yankees camp has centered on the fifth-starter competition. It’s easily the biggest story in camp, which is pretty amazing considering these are the Yankees and we’re talking about the last spot in the rotation.
“I think people are interested, that’s why,” Joe Girardi said. “Because once that’s set then you iron out your bullpen from there. There’s a lot kind of up in the air because you don’t know who’s in your bullpen because of the fifth-starter spot. I’m not really surprised (by the attention).”
Some of the focus on the back of the rotation might be because the other big competition in camp is for literally the last spot on the roster, and neither leading candidate is playing especially well. Marcus Thames went 0-for-3 today. He struck out twice and saw his average dip to .107. Jamie Hoffmann came off the bench and went 0-for-1, lowing his average to .130.
“We still have time with that,” Girardi said. “That (decision) we’re not in such a big hurry to make.”
Here’s Girardi’s postgame media session. He talks a lot about the fifth-starter situation, but gets into a few other things toward the end.
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• The picture up top isn’t of either fifth-outfielder candidate, but it is a cool AP shot of Robinson Cano, who hit his first home run of the spring.
• A.J. Burnett will start on Sunday, with Phil Hughes pitching in relief. Joba Chamberlain will start on Monday, with Andy Pettitte pitching in a minor league game.
• Brett Gardner had a bunt single and a triple, both off Brett Myers, to raise his average to .281. Girardi wasn’t especially bothered by the fact Gardner was picked off first base. “I would rather see him find out what he can get now, and be more aggressive now,” Girardi said. “Then we can tone it back as opposed to being passive.”
• Another base hit for Kevin Russo, another base hit for Jon Weber and another base hit for Greg Golson, all of whom have looked really good this spring and are hitting better than .300. Reid Gorecki is hitting just .143, but he can really run. He tripled today and was flying around the bases.
• Boone Logan pitched a scoreless inning, but he did allow a hit to the only lefty he faced.
• Apparently the Yankees have been asked to speed up their games. Sounds good to me, but I’m kind of with Girardi on this one. Sometimes baseball takes a long time. I wish that weren’t the case, but that’s the way it is.
Northern Iowa…upset brewing? That would bust many many brackets I’m thinking.
I haven’t read the complaints about the Yankees. What do they suggest we do? Sign impatient hitters? Roll over and not tie up the game in the late innings?
I would like people to stop adjusting their gloves after every pitch (cough-Alex). And Ortiz could stop preening and spitting into his gloves.
But, seriously, is it any coincidence that 3 of the best teams in baseball play long games? Other than the Yankees v. Red Sox marathons (which baseball loves), I don’t see a problem with the pace.
Gloves, preening and spitting were not on the suggested adjustment list.
Multiple trips to the mound seem to have gotten on the committees nerves however.
How much time is wasted during Yankee games because the other team is making a piching change?
MLB has the nerve to criticize teams on how fast they play games? Why don’t the Yankees release press announcements “We think MLB should hire better umpires.”
If the plan is t have gardner be the biggest part of the third outfielder solution, Girardi is right. I assume that he was referring to the times last season when he put Gardner in to pinch run and steal a base and he just stood there. It was a solid bunt that he laid down, but, he needs to learn how to drag bunts, too. It would give him an extra 1 or 2 steps getting out of the box and the bunts wouldn’t need to always be perfect.
Hi mel,
I don’t have a problem with the pace of the games either. The Yankees work the pitchers and pitch count up. That’s Yankees baseball.
If the commissioner wants to control the games maybe they could sell less advertising time.
pat
March 20th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Gloves, preening and spitting were not on the suggested adjustment list.
Multiple trips to the mound seem to have gotten on the committees nerves however.
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I agree that preening, adjusting gloves and walking around on the mound or in the batter’s box wastes time, but, spitting, scratching and adjusting your cup are time-honored traditions and very important to the fabric of the game.
Yeah, we probably could do with less trips to the mound.
But did they bother to see if other teams do it, too?
You can’t tell me those trips add up to any significant amt. of time to a 4-5 hour game.
Better teams have better players who have better at-bats that extend the innings that extend the game.
Sounds like whining to me.
Ace is a future Cy Young winner. Book it
Ace is a future Cy Young winner. Book it
—-
Hahahahaha
Hi, Fran.
If they don’t like the length of games, don’t put the Yankees or Sox on t.v. Yeah, right.
Nobody would care if the Pirates or Marlins played long games. Falling tree in the forest kind of thing.
Mighty Kansas down 8 at halftime.
Who’s on that committee? Isn’t Torre on it?
I know that Cash said that it was Hoffmann’s job to lose, and Thames was signed as veteran insurance for him, but I wonder, what’s the chance that Golson (who, according to Chad is hitting over .300, plays solid OF defense, and flies) wins the job. Weber is lefty bat, Golson right, and Cash has said he wants to give Joe a righty bat off the bench.
Blake, a very good friend of mine loaded up on Northern Iowa…I stayed away ….Huskies are looking real good….The shocker ( I hope ) is Wake Forest tonight vs. Kentucky…..I hope Calapari gets his sleazy butt handed to him
Chad, love the picture choice
Any chance of the Yanks keeping Russo in addition to Pena?
I hope whoever gets that last spot on the roster EARNS IT, and just isn’t given it for no reason.
A lot of moves are done with contract status in mind.
Trading melky. Keeping Hoffman. Keeping Gaudin AND mitre.
We’re not going to lose Golson or Russo or miranda for that matter. So, let them start on AAA until the other options flame out. Nothing is lost by the kids starting in Scranton.
Pat M,
I got a lot of friends that are wake fans, they’d like to see it too.
Joe, since Golson has options, he’d have to really explode in the next two weeks to make the team. It would be nice to see him, Winfree and Gorecki finally put things together at AAA. Very similar players and it’s nice that they can play all three outfield spots. golson and Winfree are about 24 years old, so they have time, yet. Gorecki is 28 or 29, I think. Still, if they, or at least one of them can figure it out, NYY gets an outfielder for peanuts. Even if for just one year and they help NYY win 3 games, much like Gaudin last season, it will pay off. Gaudin cost NYY $100,000 plus 7 weeks of salary.
m
March 20th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Nobody would care if the Pirates or Marlins played long games. Falling tree in the forest kind of thing.
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GB – I hear you. The thing is, and I’m sure Cash factored this in, is that if Hoffmann doesn’t make the cut, he either gets returned for the 25K, or they make a deal to put him in Scranton. If you cut Thames, well, he’s on a minor league contract. Both guys will not be difficult to cut. That’s something guys like Golson or Gorecki have in their favor – it isn’t hard for the Yanks to choose them.
First, coming down on these teams for longer games is silly. They have high obp’s and score a ton of runs. That’s why theri games are longer.
But, I bet if you took out the times the sox and ynaks played each other, that the time of their avg game would be much closer to the league avg. Evry time they play it’s over 3:30 with plenty approaching 4:00. Those 18 games easily drag up their avg.
Pat,
If they pull this out your buddy will mop up I’d say..can’t imagine too many people had n. Iowa in this one.
Selig just invalidated Nick Johnson’s contract!
Chad, or anyone who might know some details:
At the Yankees “official” website, as of 6:24 p.m. (EDT) on 3/20/2010,under “Transactions,” it is reported that third baseman Mike Folli, who I thought was a St. Louis property, was “assigned to New York Yankees” on 3/19/2010. Is this fiction or non-fiction? Folli made his first plate appearance of the spring just yesterday for the Cardinals against the Nationals. He also played second base in the game. Until someone can confirm that he is in Yankee camp and can explain how his contract got to the Yankees, I tend to believe that one of those nice folks at Major League Baseball Advanced Marketing took some creative liberties with the roster mouse again.
Also, in the Double A workgroup that Donnie Collins posted on 3/11/2010, Myron Leslie is listed as a catcher. Really? Are the Yankees actually going to try using him as a catcher in the regular season or is he just assigned that way in the spring to have someone to catch the abundance of pitchers in minor league camp while many of the real catchers are in the major league camp? Or, is it just a mistake? In six past professional seasons, according to Baseball Reference, which is linked on this site, Leslie played 330 games at third, 264 games in the outfield, 69 games at first base, 7 games at second base, and he pitched twice. There is no record that he ever caught or played shortstop in professional baseball, but I can’t blame him to try either one. You know what Emerson, who is not linked on this site, said about a foolish consistency.
Joe from Long Island
March 20th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
GB – I hear you. The thing is, and I’m sure Cash factored this in, is that if Hoffmann doesn’t make the cut, he either gets returned for the 25K, or they make a deal to put him in Scranton. If you cut Thames, well, he’s on a minor league contract. Both guys will not be difficult to cut. That’s something guys like Golson or Gorecki have in their favor – it isn’t hard for the Yanks to choose them
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I figure if NYY really wants to keep Hoffmann, they can deal Gaudin or Mitre to the Dodgers for Hoffmann and a B level prospect. The question is, who gets the $25,000? NYY or Washington, who paid the waiver cost.
Thames probably won’t find a ML job any time soon, so, maybe he stays with NYY unti May or June before getting his release if he’s not on the 25 man roster.
Personally, I haven’t seen Hoffmann do much on offense or defense, so far. Looks a lot like Lonnie Smith in the outfield, with the bad footing and slipping all of the time.
Give me better umpires who will call the strike zone that’s in the rulebook and you will have shorter games.
Longer games areore a byproduct of bad umpiring than it is teams abusing the rules.
Rawk Chawk, lets go!
go UNI!!!! my bracket is done anyway
Nick in SF in Larkspur
March 20th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Selig just invalidated Nick Johnson’s contract!
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It must have been invalidated because he was seen speeding on the bases today.
m -
I agree. When the Yankees play the Red Sox it is a given that you’re in for a marathon. 4 Hours would be considered average, 3 and a half hours a short game.
Also, I was thinking the same way: so, what, Yankees (Red Sox, Dodgers) hitters are not allowed to (a) foul off pitches; (b) work walks; (c) attempt to pick-off runners, (d) shake off a sign of a pitch they don’t want to throw?
Sure, it would be nice if the hitters wouldn’t adjust themselves and the pitchers wouldn’t walk around the mound, but those aren’t the things that take the lion’s share of time.
I would like to know exactly how they can enforce this directive.
Didn’t see or watch the game and haven’t read any commentary until this particular thread.
Almost ready for vacation. The last is the non-clothing stuff. I am soooooooooo tired.
Was it a good game today?
NYY and Baltimore and Boston/Baltimore generally have extremely long games, too.
Great game right up to the 5th inning, Doreen.
Thanks GB7 -
That’s about right for ST.
Until next week. Then we extend to 7 innings, right?
Villanova lost and screwed me up really bad. I had them winning the whole thing. I was conservative except for that. I told my husband, if I had known how bad Villanova had been leading up to the tournament, I never would have picked them to win it all. So, I told him that I was changing my brackets. And I did. Because I have no money on the thing and I want to have some fun. I already lost ND. Hubby said Villanova was not seeded correctly. Did I know that? NO!
Yankees would get 25K back from Dodgers if Hoffmann returned to Dodgers.
If you want to speed up a damn game then strike zone has to be widened like from batter’s box to other sided batter’s box.
I love pictures of fielders in mid-air. Great picture, Chad.
I’ve never seen such ticky-tack fouls like the ones that are favoring the favorites in this tourney.
Doreen,
Are you going anywhere fun?
And I’ve never seen such enthusiastic officiating like there has been for UK in this game. I mean do you really need 5 whistles to call a foul on the UNI?
Its gonna happen!
Okay, I give up on brackets. Officially. Now Kansas is out – they’re my second team to go to the finals. Wow. I mean, great for the underdogs and all, but wow.
m -
The funnest.
Disney World.
We own a Disney Vacation Club membership. It’s a great vacation for our family – I don’t want to go on and on here, but suffice to say when you have a kid with autism, routine works really well and sand does not.
I have given up my dream of an island vacation. So much so that I forget what I’d even do if I should happen to get to go on one!
We have fun, and that’s the most important thing.
What a great ending. That 3 to put them up by 4 was huge.
OH!
That’s a bit of a change of plans for Kansas.
SJ, if you’re still around, I just have a question. When I mentioned at one point that Phil wanted to be a starter, you said that it only mattered what was best for the team. Therefore, why should it matter what Joba wants to do ? I’m just looking for clarification because maybe I misunderstood you. Thanks!
Doreen,
We love hearing about it, don’t let one person make you hold back on your enthusiasm.
You’re the best! Have a safe vacation, and no checking in on the blog. (I’ll hold down the fort for you and fight the good fight.)
They don’t call it March Madness for nothing.
I see Joba and Mo were joking around. IMO, I don’t see what that reveals or doesn’t reveal about Joba ; it appears that it was just two pitchers joking around. I also don’t think the Yankees should be making any decisions as to whether Joba can be a #1 or #2 starter just yet; to do so now would be premature – and that goes for Phil as well. Consigning Joba to the pen permanently doesn’t make much sense and it would tell me the Yankees have no patience with young pitchers.
Doreen – 2010 GTLU
March 20th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
I have given up my dream of an island vacation.
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Doreen-two words: Disney Cruise.
Now the only thing left is for The Cal-Berkley Bears to punish the Dukies tomorrow and Dickie V will be silenced until next year as all his favorites are gone…..Love it……..The money line was 6-1 if you wanted N. Iowa. of 8-1 if you wanted Kansas……Come on Wake Forest
Is someone going to Disney World? I haven’t been in over 10 years – I adore Disney and I think I’m going to go in September/October (when the kids are mercifully back in school). Whoever is going, I have some advice. If given a choice between two lines, choose the one to the left; most people are right-handed and tend choose right over left.
Thanks, m.
(You’re gonna make me cry.)
Betsy – Romine wasn’t built in a day
March 20th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Is someone going to Disney World? I haven’t been in over 10 years – I adore Disney and I think I’m going to go in September/October
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How cool!! I’m jealous. I think it’s been about 12 years since I’ve been there-I’d go back again in a minute. My cousin went down with her kids last month. I tried to invite myself along, but wasn’t successful.
lol, Doreen You’re such a boob (can I say that here?)
Here’s the real bracket in case anybody burned theirs up:
http://espn.go.com/mens-colleg.....nt/bracket
Mel,
I tore my bracket sheet up since I had Kansas winning it all.
Doreen,
Have a great vacation. I love Disneyworld.
I HAD THE BEST TIME!!!!!!!
PatM I hope you are here because I have a few pictures that I’m going to put up. I took them with my phone so they’re not so great. They are of the team that will win it all, and of course now my favorite team, St. Mary’s.
Funny story how I decided to root for them. When they guy next to me sat down he said hello and I asked where he was from. He said Providence. I asked if he had a favorite team and he said he didn’t but that since St. Mary’s was catholic and he was catholic he was rooting for St. Mary’s. So I said, “I am too! I’m rooting for them too!” Well a few seconds later I remembered that Villanova is a catholic school too.
HOWEVER, St. Mary’s was the underdog. So was there any question? It was a FANTASTIC game, right down to the wire.
The second game not as much fun. Pretty much decided in the first few minutes. Ohio just looked overmatched. My BF’s husband took me there and picked me up so I wouldn’t have to try to find parking. On the way down he said that he had picked Kansas and Texas AM to be in the finals.
Lots of upsets.
Gonna try to get the pictures online. I didn’t bother taking many in the second game. (I was rooting for Ohio by the way, just because they looked so sad.)
My bracket is hosed but that was a good game and I was totally rooting for UNI
So who won the golf fungo? Hmm, how could I choose between Phil or AJ, lol?
Erin, I’m really a big kid at heart, so Disney is like heaven for me. I still love repeating the fact that the Magic Kingdom parking lot is bigger than the Magic Kingdom itself, lol. I haven’t been on Test Track yet or the Aerosmith Rock and Roller Coaster…I may also go to Universal, not sure. I also haven’t been to Animal Kingdom yet. MGM is my least favorite park by far as I don’t care about movies.
Tricia, I knew you’d get into it….I bet St. Mary’s but it wasn’t because I’m an Irish Italian former Altar boy…..I’ll be looking forward to the pics…..Aren’t you glad you went today ????
My bracket got busted as soon as Georgetown lost.. wow, Northern Iowa, lol. I had Villanova going to the final four, so I don’t have any reason to look at my brackets anymore.
Betsy – Romine wasn’t built in a day
March 20th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Erin, I’m really a big kid at heart, so Disney is like heaven for me. I still love repeating the fact that the Magic Kingdom parking lot is bigger than the Magic Kingdom itself, lol. I haven’t been on Test Track yet or the Aerosmith Rock and Roller Coaster…I may also go to Universal, not sure. I also haven’t been to Animal Kingdom yet. MGM is my least favorite park by far as I don’t care about movies
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And I love the Tower of Terror.
Betsy-I’m the same way about being a big kid.
MGM is my favorite, since I’m a big movie buff, and plus it has the Muppets 3-D experience. Best thing ever. lol
I’d love to go on the Aerosmith roller coaster. I’ve heard it’s amazing.
I have the best idea!!!
Blog Outing to Disney World!!!!!!
I haven’t been there since 1989 and I am dying to go back!
m
March 20th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Doreen,
We love hearing about it, don’t let one person make you hold back on your enthusiasm.
====
Seconded.
Doreen, your storytelling – plus your very thoughtful baseball posts – is some of the best reading in here!
Pat M. – are you regretting passing on N. Iowa? I bet a lot of people are. My wife is ecstatic about St. Mary’s winning. She’s from Philadelphia, and positively hates ‘Nova. (She went to Penn.)
Erin, I did the Tower of Terror once and it was quite enough. The best part was the cool Twilight Zone stuff, but no thanks – not again. I do want to do Space Mountain, though. When I was a kid, I remember being on line and then running away because I was scared. Not now – Space Mountain is a straightforward roller coaster, which is just fine for me; it’s about all I can take, lol.
greetings from florida. no I’m not joking. lol.
you know the braves location is pratically next to Disney right? lol
“Doreen, your storytelling – plus your very thoughtful baseball posts – is some of the best reading in here!”
Agree 100%.
Doreen
Have a great time!! You do know about the special needs pass? It’s a life saver.
Joe From Long Island…..The line was 11.5 this morning and as much as I wanted the Jayhawks to lose I just didn’t view the match up as a very favorable investment……By the way, once again I thank You for your response to nonsense earlier today….It had a very profound effect…..I’m certain that I speak for the many here…..The topic disappeared quickly as a result of you input……Well Done !!!!
Erica – always OPPC
March 20th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I have the best idea!!!
Blog Outing to Disney World!!!!!!
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I’d sign up for that
Betsy – Romine wasn’t built in a day
March 20th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
Erin, I did the Tower of Terror once and it was quite enough. The best part was the cool Twilight Zone stuff, but no thanks – not again. I do want to do Space Mountain, though. When I was a kid, I remember being on line and then running away because I was scared. Not now – Space Mountain is a straightforward roller coaster, which is just fine for me; it’s about all I can take, lol.
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I love the Tower of Terror. The day I went, there was no line, so my dad and I just kept going on again and again. It was awesome! My mom thought we were nuts. lol
You have to do Space Mountain-there’s really nothing to it. I always loved Splash Mountain too.
Erica – always OPPC
March 20th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I have the best idea!!!
Blog Outing to Disney World!!!!!!
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I’d sign up for that
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Me too!
I know what I want is irrelevant when it comes to Girardi’s final decision but…
Starters:
C Posada.
1B Teixeria.
2B Cano.
3B Rodriguez.
SS Jeter.
RF Swisher.
CF Gardner.
LF Granderson.
DH Johnson.
Reserves:
C Cervelli.
IF Pena.
IF Russo.
OF Hoffmann
OF Winn.
Starting Pitchers:
1. Sabathia.
2. Burnett.
3. Pettitte.
4. Vazquez.
5. Mitre.
Relievers:
CP Rivera.
SU Melancon.
LP Marte.
RP Robertson.
MP Aceves.
MP Park.
Never been in any Disney places. Dunno which one should I visit first. lol.
where is smilies list? Or do I have to memorize the codes?
Erin,
my dad tricked me onto going to the tower of terror when I was a kid. he made me cry in front of everyone, lol.
Splash Mountain is fun! Any ride where I can get wet is good for me………..and I’m all in for a blog outing to Disney!
Pat M. – You’re welcome, but, just reading some of that stuff got me going.
Good luck on your picks. My wife is threatening to make me watch some Harry Potter movie that she DVRd. Lucky me.
ed – 2010 season is right around the corner
March 20th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Erin,
my dad tricked me onto going to the tower of terror when I was a kid. he made me cry in front of everyone, lol.
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Oooh…that’s mean! What a way to be introduced to the Tower of Terror! lol
I would go if GB and LGY promise to ride the Tower of Terror together.
Erin,
it is a wicked way. my dad was like “oh we going on top of that building to see the whole MGM”. the next thing I knew, boom. lol
ok good night…going to get dinner then off to see pujols vs Jason heyward tomorrow. lol
Joe from Long Island…I prefer the earlier Potter movies, they’ve grown much darker moving forward…..Harry and Rowlings are big in our household…..My wife and daughter have all the hardcovers and the DVD Special Editions….Enjoy, and go with the Light Butter Popcorn…. Paul Newman’s, the only way to go…..
Dukies will not be denied this year.
Doreen – HAVE THE BEST TIME!!!! You deserve it. I’ll be sure to keep whatever shared opinions we have on issues cooking here!
strange Joba is given the start and andy’s going to pitch in a minor league game, while Hughes gets to pitch in relief of AJ. If AJ has a good outing and wants to get his work in he could go 6 innings, that would leave Hughes with only 3 innings of work. I thought the yanks wanted to see both of them as starters not long relievers. We already know how they pitch i relief.
Hi SJ44,
I still have a P E R F E C T bracket.
How about you?
“Dukies will not be denied this year.”
what a trip back to Durham?
Ryan, AJ can’t go 6 innings as he’s not even been able to complete 3.
Oh, my. I just typed a humongus post and it got eaten by the filter.
Thanks for the well wishes everyone.
Tarheel Yank –
We started to use the special needs pass a couple of years ago. We always resisted because we figured we went so often, we could skip the attractions with the long lines and do them “next time.” We finally realized that there is so much she misses out on, that we were silly not to take advantage of something that would be a benefit to her. It works really well – like a permanent fast pass. You blend in.
Trisha -
Glad you had a great time today and that your underdog won!
I’m taking the laptop with, and might try and post some stuff on my blog (the one with the GTLU rules). I’ll let you know if I do.
We try to do something different each time we go. About 3 years ago, we did go to see the Braves play a ST game at the complex at Disney. Great park. We had a lot of fun. This year we’re taking the behind the scenes tour at Magic Kingdom. Looking forward to that.
For years, we called the Tower of Terror, “Tower of Terror No Way.” That was it’s full name. Alas, I am the lone holdout these days. Got stuck in elevators too many times when I was little, and while I have no problem going on elevators, the thought of intentionally going on a ride that mimics a broken elevator seems crazy to me!
Rock-n-Roller Coaster became my favorite ride, but it took me 3 years to go on it.
Expedition Everest – I got to the front of the line and chickened out TWICE before finally going on.
Both those rides are closed-eye experiences only for me.
Toy Story Mania is a great ride/game/attraction. Last year, there were pictures posted here of Joba and CC on that attraction.
Anyway, I guess it’s time for me to shut it down and get some sleep. 4 a.m. comes quickly.