Bruce Markusen on prison atmosphere at Legends Field

"A final thought has to do with the suffocating atmosphere around Legends Field. (Yankee Spring Training ballpark). I know some of the hosts over at MLB Radio who have openly discussed the restrictive air around the Yankees.

• Even with a new PR director and a new director of stadium security in Tampa, the Yankees still conduct spring training as if it were a penitentiary. Members of the Yankee staff, who walk the premises with cold, unsmiling looks, spend much of their time shooing the media from one location to another. Given such a joyless atmosphere, it's not surprising that the new security director recently booted some fans from box seats at Legends Field, only to realize they were members of Brian Cashman's family.
• Bruce wrote on 3/9/07, guesting on Bronx Banter with his "Observations from Cooperstown."

Bruce is correct. After my negative experience at Legends this year, I won't go out of my way to visit there again. I understand global society has evolved to celebrate rudeness, crime, and general uncivil behavior, necessitating the heavy bars, distances, and plethora of minimum-wage type "security guards" mainly there to make sure you don't laugh or look happy. But the atmosphere is so heavy, so unaware of the fan (except as some kind of animal to be moved along) I've very little respect left for whomever is managing this organization. (sm)

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