The Yankees announced 2012 ticket prices today and while their press release boasts "more than 70 percent of the Yankees ticket prices will be unchanged or reduced,'' buried at the end of the third paragraph is this: "Non-obstructed bleacher tickets will increase by $5.''

That means it will now cost $20 for the right to sit on about 18 inches of steel bench 350 feet from home plate, but close enough to get a personal pre-game salute from Nick Swisher. And it's always good to know that the highest-priced seats, the ones occupied by those most able to afford them, will not be going up while the remote seats set aside for what is left of the "real'' Yankees fans will be hiked a whopping 33 percent.

No word yet on whether parking, which cost $35 in the regular season and $45 for the three home playoff games, will go up as well.