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Morning Report: Bronx launching pad awaits Phils

The Phillies will get their first look at the new Yankee Stadium tomorrow, and by all accounts, their fearsome lefthanded hitters should be grabbing a bat with even more fervor than usual.

The Phillies will get their first look at the new Yankee Stadium tomorrow, and by all accounts, their fearsome lefthanded hitters should be grabbing a bat with even more fervor than usual.

The Phillies play in a "hitter friendly" park. They're about to enter a "hitter ridiculous" park.

To quote Wallace Matthews of Newsday: "At the new Yankee Stadium, the only thing cheap is a home run."

Well, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez won't be buying those $10 beers, but they'll be taking dead aim at the right-field fence in a stadium already renowned as a launching pad.

And right field is definitely Homer Alley.

The Yankees and Orioles combined for six more homers in New York last night, three by each team. That's 64 so far for the Yanks, who lead the majors, and 71 in Yankee Stadium, also tops in the majors.

According to Matthews, the Yankees conducted wind studies before construction on the new park began and were prepared for some extra shots to left field.

"But the jet stream to right, in which anything hit above neck level has a chance to go out, seems to have taken everyone by surprise," he wrote today.

Worse, when the old Yankee Stadium is completely removed, the team could have the same wind-blown homer alley in left.

Phillies fans will remember that one of the reasons the Phils were taken by surprise at the numbers of homers flying out of Citizens Bank Park was that wind studies had been conducted before Veterans Stadium was demolished.

Whatever the reason, though, the new Yankee Stadium is sure to become a favorite road trip for the Phillies.

Batter up!

Hot 100. Maxim magazine released its "Hot 100" list recently and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick was No. 78.

Hardy perennial Anna Kournikova was No. 35.

It seems to me those two should have been reversed.

Mixed Martial Arts star Gina Carano was No. 16, boxing glove and all.

Other faves included Julianne Hough of Dancing With the Stars at No. 25; singer Fergie at 45; country music star Carrie Underwood at 60; pro wrestling personality Stacey Kiebler at 77; Chelsea Handler of Chelsea Lately fame at 91 and First Lady Michelle Obama at 93.

But Danica clearly deserved better.