The Yankees are on the road playing the Orioles in Baltimore because the pope will be holding mass at Yankee Stadium today and that is just fine with the bombers’ skipper.

“You’d like to be home a little bit more,” said manager Joe Girardi. “But who’s going to argue with the pope? No, not me.”

When Pope Benedict XVI holds mass at the stadium today it will be the third time a pope has done that in the history of the stadium. The first time a pope ever held mass there it was in 1965 when Pope Paul VI did it and the and Pope John Paul II held mass there in 1979 as well.

In preparation for the pope’s arrival the Yankees’ staff removed gear from the home and visitors clubhouses as well as an auxillary clubhouse and the umpire’s room according to chief operating officer Lonn Trost.

The field will also need to be prepared as the Vatican’s colors will adorn the pitchers mound and an alter will be placed above second base.

There will be nearly 500 priests and deacons on hand at the stadium who will offer communion to the 57,000 people in attendance.

There is no word on how long it will take to restore the field to it’s initial condition, but the Yankees don’t return to the stadium until April 29 when they play the Detroit Tigers. They will be on the road until then in Baltimore, Chicago, and Cleveland.