By Jason Klein
Originally Written For New York Yankee Legacy Magazine – October 2009
Click each individual thumbnail below to read the feature story, exactly as it appeared in New York Yankee Legacy Magazine:
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By Jason Klein
Originally Written For New York Yankee Legacy Magazine – October 2009
Click each individual thumbnail below to read the feature story, exactly as it appeared in New York Yankee Legacy Magazine:
Connect With Jason
By Jason Klein
Originally Written For New York Yankee Legacy Magazine – October 2009
Click each individual thumbnail below to read the feature story, exactly as it appeared in New York Yankee Legacy Magazine:
Connect With Jason
By Jason Klein
Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 10/1/09
Steiner Sports is always prepared. No matter what occurs on the field, the leader in sports memorabilia and gifts is always equipped to offer a timely product assortment to its loyal customer base. When something historic occurs, no one is quicker to go to market with the corresponding collectable than Steiner Sports. It is this dedication to excellence that keeps Steiner Sports at the top of their game and their customers anxious to see what comes out next.
But how many Steiner Sports customers truly know the full story behind every piece of authentic memorabilia created? According to Chris Amoroso, the Executive Vice President of Purchasing and Player Relations for Steiner Sports, the process is often overlooked.
“Our clients are very knowledgeable, but I think a lot of them don’t fully realize what goes into creating a product,” he says. “They might look at the amazing piece hanging on their wall and don’t fully understand what went into creating it for them to purchase.”
At Steiner Sports, this process begins with the Product Development Team. Relentless preparation and creativity allow this division to fuel the collectables industry with the innovative product it demands.
This was never more evident than what transpired in September 2009. It had been widely assumed that New York Yankees Captain, Derek Jeter, would pass Lou Gehrig as the All-Time Yankees Hits Leader – the only question was: when? As the world waited in anticipation, the Steiner Sports Product Development Team had been brainstorming for weeks, developing new commemorative collages and engraved items for Jeter to sign.
The historic moment finally came on September 11, 2009 at Yankee Stadium. By the time Jeter reached first base safely for the 2,722nd time, the only thing missing from the new line of commemorative product was his signature. All items had already been designed, approved by Major League Baseball, introduced to the Steiner Sales team as samples, and were ready to be introduced to market. Yankees fans quickly benefited, scooping up new Jeter items at a record pace.
However, due to circumstance, there are times the Product Development Team must rely more on creativity and hustle than on preparation. On August 2, 2009, Yankees Centerfielder, Melky Cabrera, unexpectedly achieved one of the rarest feats in all of baseball. While doing battle with the Chicago White Sox, Cabrera collected a single, double, triple and home run to hit for the first Yankees cycle in fourteen years. The next day, Steiner Sports went to market with a limited edition engraved baseballshadowbox commemorating the achievement.
According to Cristiana Salcedo, the Director of Product Development for Steiner Sports, the ability to react quickly to unforeseen events like the Cabrera cycle is what places the Steiner team at the top of the collectables world.
“No one responds faster than we do, and we always get great feedback from our customers as a result,” she says. “What happens on the field at night directly affects what we do the next morning in the office. It’s challenging at times, but our team is always organized and prepared.”
As long as there are games being played, and records being broken, the Product Development Team at Steiner Sports will continue their efforts to capture the moments for fans to own. According to Salcedo, the best is still yet to come.
“We have a lot of great new items in the works to commemorate the Inaugural Season at Yankee Stadium,” she says. “Plus, if the Yankees get on a run, and make some noise in the Post Season, we’ll really raise some eyebrows with what’s in store.”
Be Prepared.
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By Jason Klein
Originally Written For New York Yankee Legacy Magazine – October 2009
Click each individual thumbnail below to read the feature story, exactly as it appeared in New York Yankee Legacy Magazine:
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By Jason Klein
Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 6/25/09
Mariano Rivera is always comfortable. Even holding a bat, with a #91 helmet awkwardly sitting on his head…he’s comfortable.
In the bottom of the 9th inning, last night in Atlanta, the Great Rivera strolled up to the plate with the bases loaded, and an 8-4 lead. Mo had just ended the 8th inning in dominant fashion, striking out the only batter he faced. Because of a late Yankee rally in the National League Park, he had to either take his cuts, or be pulled from the game.
The situation screamed for Rivera to take three straight pitches, walk off the field healthy, and then close the game from the mound in the bottom of the frame. Rivera had other ideas. Like the natural he is, Mo lined an 0-1 fastball from Manny Acosta to centerfield. The laser was caught for the final out of the inning, yet very impressive. Even so, it wasn’t the most remarkable thing the 39-year-old slugger…ummm…pitcher did last night.
Rivera did what he does best – end games. In vintage form, Mo struck out all 4 batters he faced to earn his 16th save of the season. The effort moved him just two saves shy of the magical #500 in his Hall of Fame career. When he does reach it, he will be only the second pitcher to do so, following the only man he trails on the all-time saves list: Trevor Hoffman(571).
However, the legend of Mariano Rivera runs deeper than just numbers. Since making the transition from ineffective starter, to celebrated closer, he has been the most important and dominant player at any position, on any team in baseball. Period. He’s been so consistent that teammates, fans, and even the opposition expect him to succeed at all times. Any aberration to perfection is shocking.
Rivera’s failures over the years are so few and far between, fans can often recount the individual moments with relative ease. Sandy Alomar’s 1997 ALDS home run and Luis Gonzalez’s blooper in game 7 of the 2001 World Series immediately come to mind…there were also the games 4 & 5 losses to the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS. After that, most struggle to find any meaningful Rivera meltdowns. Sans a few insignificant regular season blowups against Boston, Rivera has been flawless over a 14 year period. Remarkable.
So, Mo takes his 498 career saves across the river this weekend for 3 games with the Mets at CitiField. Though he’ll be only the second man to accomplish the feat, he may be the last to ever do so. The only active closers detectable in his rearview mirror are Billy Wagner (385) and Troy Percival (358) – both in their late 30s and currently on the DL with career-threatening injuries.
Over the past 14 seasons, dominant closers have come and gone, but Rivera has been a model of consistency. Sure, his career ERA is a miniscule 2.31, and his Post Season ERA is an unheard of 0.77, but again, more than just stats, Rivera gives his team a psychological edge.
When the “Sandman” enters in the Bronx, everyone in the building feels comfortable, except for the man standing in the batters box. Looking as though he still has plenty left in the tank, Rivera could make a legitimate run at Hoffman over the next couple of years – putting him in an a place where he is always most comfortable: on top.
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By Jason Klein
Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 6/2/09
Chief Wahoo was the only one left smiling Saturday night in Cleveland. Well, Chief Wahoo and the thousands of happy Yankees fans filing out of Progressive Field, in town to witness a 10-5 pinstriped victory. For the locals, a day filled with so much promise ended exactly like so many others have in the past – in disappointment.
Downtown Cleveland was buzzing on Saturday afternoon – not only because millions of those pesky midges decided to show up with the Yankees in town again. The city was hungry. The appetizer: CC Sabathia’sreturn. The main course: Lebron James and the Cavs facing the Magic in a pivotal Eastern Conference Game 6.
It didn’t take long for things to go sour off the shore of Lake Erie. Half filled with Yankees fans, Progressive Field sounded more like the Bronx as Sabathia took a no-hitter into the 5th inning against the hometown Indians. Simultaneously, the Cavs got off to a slow start, trailing by 18 at the half in Orlando.
Sabathia finished strong, tossing 7 innings, allowing only 3 runs on 5 hits en route to a 10-5 Yankees victory. Fans piled out of the building, long before the final out, and walked across the street to an empty Quicken Loans Arena to watch the second half of Cavs-Magic on the big screen. It wasn’t much of a show.
Though everyone in the place was down with King James and all his men, it was all his men who ultimately brought King James down. Aside from Delonte West’s 22 points and the 25 put up by James, the rest of the team never really got started, dropping the game 103-90, and surrendering their place in the NBA Finals.
Dejected Cleveland fans added another day of frustration to their already trying resume. The city that hasn’t raised a championship banner since the Browns won the NFL Championship in 1964, saw a golden opportunity slip through their fingers with this latest Cavalier loss.
So, NBA Commissioner, David Stern, those ABC execs, and those cool puppets, will have to cope without their much anticipated Kobe-Lebron Finals. And the city of Cleveland will have to move on once again, without a title. To add insult to injury, after the game, James, the prodigal son of Cleveland, spoke to the media and reflected on the lost season while wearing his controversial Yankees cap.
Though the MVP candidate wouldn’t commit to staying in Cleveland following the 2009-2010 season, many suspect the free agent-to-be will leave town – another potential blow to this passionate sports city.
When Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn helped defeat the Yankees to capture the pennant for the Indians in 1989’s “Major League,” it was a fictional account of what it would be like to actually win in Cleveland. Saturday in Cleveland, the real Indians were rocked by the Yankees, and fans watched the Cavs’ dream season end. Sometimes, a dose of reality hurts. In Cleveland, the only thing you can do is try and keep on smiling.
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By Jason Klein
Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 5/26/09
Dedicated collectors take great pride in watching their memorabilia collection grow, but the latest collectible to come out of the Bronx is unprecedented! Yankees-Steiner Collectibles is giving Yankees fans the opportunity to own a living piece of Yankee Stadium that will be sure to grow their collection – with proper food, water and sunlight, that is.
Many considered the field at Yankee Stadium to be the most sacred turf in all of sports. Now fans can own an actual piece of the legendary sod. Personal pieces of pinstriped real estate can be transplanted directly from the Yankees former backyard to private homes.
Landscapers took a scalpel to the field on March 14, 2009, removing the layer of grass, one row at a time. Throughout the 2-day process, each row was rolled up like carpet, and numbered according to which portion of the field it originated from. After being loaded onto the back of a truck, each spiral of Yankees turf was escorted out of the stadium, to be inventoried. Afterward, the lavish green field, once a stage performed on by DiMaggio,Mantle, Mattingly, and Jeter, resembled a mud pit better suited for the demolition derby.
Yankees-Steiner Collectibles recommends some simple steps to ensure the relocated territory flourishes in other yards as it did in the Bronx. Direct sunlight exposure of 4-6 hours a day is key, as is selecting a prime location free of standing water or excessive moisture.
Just like tending to any living plant, Yankee Stadium Sod will need proper maintenance. A gentile mow once a week for the first 3 weeks is necessary, and providing ample water (1 inch per week) will contribute to a healthy lawn. Turf fertilizing is also important, and it’s recommended to contact a landscape contractor for specific instructions, as lawn conditions vary from house to house.
Freeze-dried sod is another option available for fans looking to preserve the hallowed turf. During this process, the “life” is literally “sucked out” of a round sod patch, measuring 3 inches in diameter. No maintenance is required here, as the keepsake lacks any living properties.
While the freeze-dried option is great for decorating around the living room or office, transplanting actual living sod is the latest way to preserve the memory of the most celebrated field in all of sports…or, at the very least, it’s a great surface for backyard wiffle ball.
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By Jason Klein
Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 5/19/09
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact date, but it started sometime last summer. The topic remained scorching hot throughout the frosty winter months. It continues to be the number one question being asked by Yankees fans, and sports collectors alike: when are the seats from Yankee Stadium going to be available for purchase?
The wait is over!
These precious gems are starting to be unearthed, pried from withinbaseball’s cathedral in the Bronx, available for fans to take a seat in history, within the comfort of their own home. This summer, throw some dogs on the grill, grab a beer from the fridge, and watch the Yanks while resting in an actual Yankee Stadium seat – from your living room!
Last Tuesday, May 12, 2009, Yankees-Steiner Collectibles and the New York Yankees announced the beginning of this historic opportunity, immediately giving fans the opportunity to purchase seats from the club’s former home. The press conference set off a flurry of phone calls as thousands pounced on the once-in-a-lifetime items.
A set of seats, and other Yankee Stadium artifacts, were put on display at Gate 2 of the New Yankee Stadium and remain there for all home games. Thousands of fans have stopped by, admiring the relics during the game – and reserving their own personal pieces of The House That Ruth Built.
If looking to purchase the iconic blue seats, it’s important to know there are many different packages available. The first basic package gives fans the opportunity to purchase a pair of non-specific seats, not designated for regular season ticket packages. These seats will be chosen at random and will sell for $1,500 a pair.
If fans are looking to scoop up the actual seats, specific to their season plan, the second basic package is the way to go. For $2,000 fans can own the actual pair of seats they sat in while personally witnessing history each summer. These fans must have their Yankees season ticket account numbers handy, and have had either a full plan, or partial plan A or B to qualify. Seats are being sold in pairs, not individually. Additional packages, including hand signed and game used collectibles, along with seats are also available.
To reserve a set, anxious fans won’t have to dive headfirst into a pile of seats like their Captain did in July of 2004. Seats are available through Yankees-Steiner Collectibles via web or phone. Each set of seats will come complete with a Yankees-Steiner letter of authenticity.
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By Jason Klein
Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 5/12/09
Fifty-seven thousand empty blue seats quietly rest in the Bronx. They are the last remaining witnesses of the historic grounds. There is a sense of tranquility inside the most decorated venue in sports. Gone are the nightly throngs of Yankees fans anxious to greet “mystique” and “aura.” In its place is…silence. It is the “calm” following an 85-year pinstriped storm – a whirlwind that brought 26 World Championships to town.
True, the famous blue seats currently filling “The House that Ruth Built” are not the original occupants. But they have certainly observed their share of history since the Stadium’s renovation in the mid-seventies. They were there every step of the way as recent Yankees teams dynastically rebuilt themselves. Now they will be part of history one last time as the building dramatically comes down.
It is an eventuality that draws varied emotions. Many are sentimental about losing such an iconic stadium. After all, change can sometimes be difficult to accept. Still, others have embraced the team’s new digs across the street. Ready or not, the Yankees have moved!
There will never be another game played at the original Yankee Stadium, a structure dripping with history. Every crevice contains a valuable memento, a keepsake sparking memories to last forever. These souvenirs are now available for Yankees fans and baseball historians alike to personally own, thanks to a joint partnership joining the New York Yankees and Yankees-Steiner Collectibles.
As the stadium is methodically taken apart, each piece will be preserved and transformed into an instant collectable. Pieces of the clubhouse, dugout, and private offices will be available. So too will famous stadium signage, pieces of freize, the foul poles, turnstiles, bricks from Monument Park, and yes, those fifty-seven thousand empty blue seats, each with so many stories to tell. Throughout this exciting and unprecedented process, I will share some of them with you.
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Jason Klein 