Our Boys Are Pumped And So Are We!

First quotes from George A. King III:

"I can't wait, I am fired up," Andy Pettitte said of the Stadium he has never seen live. "I am like a little kid at Christmas. I will probably go in there [last night] when we get home."

After spending a winter seeing pictures of its development and talking to people who have been inside, Brian Bruney wasn't waiting until today.

"I am going [last night]. I can't wait any longer. It's like Christmas," the reliever said.

A.J. Burnett hasn't been inside since his December press conference to announce his signing, and he couldn't wait until today to see the park.

"I can't wait," said Burnett, who also planned to visit last night.

Mark Teixeira, who hasn't been back since a press conference in January, is anxious, too.

"We are all excited to break camp and to go to a new stadium is icing on the cake," Teixeira said.

Now, Kat O'Brien:

"I think everyone's extremely excited to see it," Girardi said Wednesday before the Yankees' final Grapefruit League game. "I'm sure a lot of guys will walk in it tonight instead of maybe just going to their cars and getting to wherever they're sleeping tonight. I'm extremely excited."

"It's going to be pretty special, opening a new stadium," Posada said. "The last time they opened a stadium was [1923], and this is pretty much like that. If we look back a couple of years from now, it's going to be meaningful - who hit the first home run, who got the first base hit, all that first stuff."

Said Derek Jeter: "I think everyone here is excited about getting up there and seeing it."

John Rodriguez, who did not make the opening day roster but will be on the roster for the two exhibition games had this to say:

"It's what I've always dreamed of, being a little kid and watching it on TV," he said.

"I'm just hoping I'll be the first of something good," Rodriguez said.

THOUGHTS FROM A DIE-HARD YANKEES FAN:

The new place is going to have more features and have more activities. The amenities for the players are even more impressive than the amenities for the fans and that's more necessary. The key thing is for them to feel at home.