Expose: Yanks last year often subjected fans to controversial torture tactic known as "bullpenning"

New York _ During a six-month period last year, the New York Yankees repeatedly subjected fans to an outlawed torture-tactic known as "bullpenning," according to internal sources, freedom of information requests and a review of last-year's standings, obtained at considerable expense, by this website.

During that period -- in which the team sought to extract money for 2009 season ticket packages -- the organization used Jose Veras 60 times and Edwar Ramirez as many as four sessions per week. This occurred despite public warnings that so-called "bullpenning" could undermine the team's world profile.

"They wanted to extract whatever they could from the fanbase," a source told IT IS HIGH. "And it came straight from the top: Cheney ordered it."

The controversial tactic, thought to be outlawed following the Torre administration, invokes within fans the false experience of drowning.

Pitches far outside the strike zone are slowly poured over fans' faces until all bases are full. Then, with two outs and two strikes on the batter, a grand slam is hit, turning a one-run game into a blowout. Then, in excrutiatingly slow detail, the entire process is repeated.

Disclosures of the Yank torture tactics have renewed calls for a special prosecutor to look into the signings of Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa and others, and the termination of Joe Torre.


Yankee officials declined comment on the charges and directed all inquiries to spokesperson Selena Roberts, who was said to be perched in a bush in a residential neighborhood of Tampa and therefore unavailable for comment.