Home-field advantage.

"Helmets flying, bats flipping and whipped-cream pies. They've been staples of the past three finishes at Yankee Stadium, but how much more late-inning magic can the Yankees squeeze out of their new home in the Bronx?"

I don't know about the whipped-cream pies staple.

But I do know Filip Bondy sounds kinda dumb:

"The Yankees come home Friday night to their new Stadium, after a road trip that ended with another CC Sabathia gem and considerable promise. More than anything, what they need to do now is remember how to win in the South Bronx.

This is not going to be easy, because the Stadium is not the same as the last one, no matter how hard the architects tried to recreate the dimensions and the decibels. It is quieter, except for the intrusive sound system. It is emptier in the most visible seats, priced for a Wall Street aristocracy that no longer exists. At least so far, the prevailing winds have been very kind to line drives, particularly those launched by the opposition.

Like it or not, this is home sweet home. There is no crossing the street back to the old place. The Yankees are already reselling their legacy over there, one fraying, blue chair at a time. The new building will have to do for the next three decades or so, and it better start acting friendlier in a hurry."