Yanks Honor Victims of Virginia Tech Massacre

The Yankees played Virginia Tech yesterday in a game to honor those lost in last April's massacre on that campus. This is by far the heart warming story of the spring. Granted, it's main competition was Pavano Refuses Minor-League Deal, and Jeter Pays for Last Night's Jump-off's Parking. Nonetheless, this was a great event. This morning on the fan, Carton of Boomer and Carton fame, was complaining that the Yankees shouldn't have beat the Hokies by so much. But that's nonsense, and Boomer called him on it. Yesterday was about signing autographs, showing solidarity with a still grieving community, and putting on a show for the locals. They couldn't take it easy on the kids. The point was to watch major leaguers put on a show of their skills and forget about what happened for a few hours. They didn't want Giambi laying down bunts, they wanted him slamming balls that probably haven't landed yet. This was bread and circus, and the Yankees did exactly what they were supposed to do, and most people seem to understand that and be grateful for it.

It meant a lot to that community and those kids on the Hokies to have the Yankees come up from Florida and hand it to them. Those kids got to play the Yankees, there's no way they were in full competitive mode. I'm sure there were a number of hits in the air that players just watched before they remembered they were supposed to be tracking the ball. They got to meet Yankee greats like A-Rod, Jeter, Posada, get autographs, talk baseball, and then watch some of the best players in all the game do what they do best, beat college teams. It was a great day had by all and a meaningful gesture by the always classy New York Yankees. It's times like this that remind you why you root for this team.