tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72793529743590536312023-11-16T02:33:47.096-08:00The 30 in 38 ProjectOver a 38 day stretch during the summer of 2012, four Middlebury College students embarked on the journey of a lifetime driving around the country to see a game at all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums in just 38 days. This experience was so much more than just a road trip, and we wanted to share the highlights from every extra inning nail-biter, overnight drive, Ozzie Guillen press conference, and intra-car political debate (it was an election year, after all) with all of you!Craig Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656049237576351933noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-12459072407648613732012-10-17T20:55:00.000-07:002012-10-19T23:48:05.422-07:00Game 30: Touching Home<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHBv5ZUaBqPq1OZ6YgVeaYgW0_RS6Z6GvC0GzKZEn5w3TNlrWanehwOZce80CLHud2YyGCwPv_CsEQdNW9VS3PgcOvNn5gSqtqiF57JsKBuGAYGvoN6lXLdc8wknwRDHyjXawLkcBj1sS/s1600/30in38_738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHBv5ZUaBqPq1OZ6YgVeaYgW0_RS6Z6GvC0GzKZEn5w3TNlrWanehwOZce80CLHud2YyGCwPv_CsEQdNW9VS3PgcOvNn5gSqtqiF57JsKBuGAYGvoN6lXLdc8wknwRDHyjXawLkcBj1sS/s640/30in38_738.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">30 in 38</td></tr>
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After Game 30 in Boston on Sunday, September 9th, the four of us left Fenway and headed back to Middlebury, where it all started, and where the fall semester would begin on Monday, the 10th. The writing of this post has been sacrificed for all of the obligations that the school year entails. I apologize to our readers for the delay.<br />
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The delay, unintentionally, has lasted 38 days.<br />
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The time back at school has provided some distance in perspective that I believe will be helpful in my writing now. I hope that this post reflects that perspective.<br />
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That perspective motivates my decision to start this post with our "Thank You" section. The following is a list of individuals toward whom we are indebted for their help in making this trip possible. These are the people who collectively defined our trip, and whose willingness to provide support was a constant source of energy and motivation for us. Looking back, it is hard to believe how lucky we were and how much of a collective effort was put into our journey.<br />
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The Staff of Middlebury's Office for Education in Action</div>
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Education in Action Donors</div>
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Tim Mosehauer</div>
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Our Parents</div>
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Karl Lindholm</div>
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Jesse Golomb</div>
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Buster Olney</div>
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Julia Hatheway</div>
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Alan Kauffman</div>
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Jackie Anderson</div>
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Alice Fahs and Charlie Chubb</div>
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The Adelstein family</div>
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Ben Seiler</div>
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Gregg Lerner</div>
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Suzi and Robert Kramer</div>
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Sarah Hatheway</div>
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Joe MacDonald</div>
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Mike and Caroline Moore</div>
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Dave Hatheway</div>
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Kara Gilmore</div>
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Tom McDonald</div>
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The San Francisco Giants organization</div>
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The Fitzpatrick family</div>
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Joey Carmichael</div>
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The Sweeney family</div>
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The Chalmers family</div>
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Annette Wilson</div>
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Jason and Robert from MMP</div>
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The Larkin family</div>
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J.P. Shivanandan</div>
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Paul Soulos</div>
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John and Elly McKenna</div>
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The many people who we met spontaneously along the way</div>
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The many of our friends who joined us at the ballpark</div>
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All of our readers</div>
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To each of you, thank you so much.<br />
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320909102" target="_blank">Blue Jays 4, Red Sox 3</a><br />
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I grew up going to games at Fenway Park. It was my first, and for quite a while my only, major league ballpark. Home to my beloved Red Sox, it represented the abstract ideal to me as a youth. If you had asked me for my favorite place in the universe, I would have said Fenway Park for most of my young life. No experience brought me more joy than the first sight of the field through the concrete tunnels at Fenway, like a first glimpse of heaven from earth.<br />
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Until this trip, I really knew no other ballparks. I had been to the old Olympic Stadium in Montreal a few times, and Camden Yards once, but remembered little of either. I had never compared them to Fenway. Fenway was the best because it was mine, not because of any attempt at objective evaluation or comparison. I adored it uncritically.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLJikwTaYZMD5AaqniKhKsW4vh7uLatTorfLSoQtKOVAMy6_nLLcPgamreB1GPPTPpY8aPiIhQSuZbXBFpqovkjoD5OvyK1GRoWZ9Km-w2Kmbtt3XtwX3ytp4NVdPVf2MSbi9rDnQE7z1/s1600/30in38_714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLJikwTaYZMD5AaqniKhKsW4vh7uLatTorfLSoQtKOVAMy6_nLLcPgamreB1GPPTPpY8aPiIhQSuZbXBFpqovkjoD5OvyK1GRoWZ9Km-w2Kmbtt3XtwX3ytp4NVdPVf2MSbi9rDnQE7z1/s320/30in38_714.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Watching the last game of our 30 stadium tour at Fenway Park gave me an opportunity to return to my major league home, and to look at it through the lens of awareness that this trip had provided. It gave me the opportunity to see Fenway in the context of the 2012 MLB Ballpark Experience, and to lend some semblance of objectivity to my opinion of it.<br />
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Day 38 taught me that there is indeed something remarkably different about Fenway, something remarkably special. It is, in my opinion, the greatest ballpark in the major leagues.<br />
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Why? Let's start with the obvious: Fenway has the most natural character in design of any major league ballpark. From the Green Monster in left, to the Triangle in center, to Pesky's Pole in right, to the intimately tight confines in which the whole thing is built, Fenway's design exemplifies the uniqueness of venue that every park seeks in some form or another.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mHM6QSCfJ2vOvvyB5T2V2hwUdCUHhkUQWINrjtDPB6igxpq0nJ4tePy458DbzIwbik5Gx1lIr0MfVRSE894nBUYgMU2cklFr-1GTg51BZ3aaDIzYS_dTwfl_FV2KXll6vnqYZBm1JmRm/s1600/P1030741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mHM6QSCfJ2vOvvyB5T2V2hwUdCUHhkUQWINrjtDPB6igxpq0nJ4tePy458DbzIwbik5Gx1lIr0MfVRSE894nBUYgMU2cklFr-1GTg51BZ3aaDIzYS_dTwfl_FV2KXll6vnqYZBm1JmRm/s320/P1030741.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Fenway is also old, and in a sport so made of history as baseball, age matters. Babe Ruth and Lefty Grove pitched in Fenway; Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams hit in Fenway. When a baseball fan looks around the park, history comes alive everywhere. Whether it be Williams' 502 foot home run, Bucky Dent's 1978 season-ending shot over the Green Monster, Roger Clemens' record-setting 20 strikeout performance against the Mariners, or Dave Roberts' world-changing steal in the 2004 ALCS, Fenway Park is a theater of historical moments. No fancy roof, mammouth bleachers, or state-of-the-art architecture can do to the baseball experience what history does at Fenway. It is a shrine to baseball immortality.<br />
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But I knew and appreciated all of this before the trip. I already loved Fenway for these reasons, as any baseball romantic would after attending a Red Sox game. What then, was the source of the newfound appreciation I gained from this trip? In short, it was the uniqueness of the baseball atmosphere.<br />
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Back in May, I put a <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/05/sox-pa-accouncer-dies.html" target="_blank">short post</a> up on this blog after reading about the death of Red Sox PA announcer Carl Beane. I referenced one story from the article, about how Beane reacted to the pressure he felt to bring a more fast-paced, high-content atmosphere to Fenway. "I know what Fenway is," Beane had said. "It's a baseball park, not a rock concert, not an amusement park, not an NBA game." At the time, I thought Beane's comment was insightful and meaningful. Looking back, I realize that it was borderline heroic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VBXkO49LzGGJO4f-nyZlnUzd4kJ9_o34wKrtLoZr-V0iqHY85r9AaztG1sMO3SR0Uz8W1le2tYAvOtyzFnCz3j6LpRLCfjWs5CdJhE6E6x2AHtjKg61q-hdSGOqeXCnW5u_P4gve0Bh7/s1600/rangersgirls.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VBXkO49LzGGJO4f-nyZlnUzd4kJ9_o34wKrtLoZr-V0iqHY85r9AaztG1sMO3SR0Uz8W1le2tYAvOtyzFnCz3j6LpRLCfjWs5CdJhE6E6x2AHtjKg61q-hdSGOqeXCnW5u_P4gve0Bh7/s200/rangersgirls.png" width="193" /></a></div>
See, here's what I didn't realize before going on this trip: Most baseball parks are doing everything they can do to become more like rock concerts, amusement parks, and NBA games, in some form or another. I can only now imagine how many millions of dollars are poured into ballpark features and routines that focus on things other than baseball. Concourses are expanded to make way for ferris wheels, carousels, and swimming pools. (Not to mention <a href="http://thefanmanifesto.com/2012/09/05/the-30-in-38-project-marlins-stadium-%E2%80%94-a-strip-tease/" target="_blank">strip clubs</a>.) Squads of energetic teenagers are hired to dance on top of dugouts and shoot t-shirts to the crowds between innings. Ballpark emcees pop up on the scoreboard about ten times per game to promote an event or interview some uninteresting fan. When the crowd is supposed to cheer, music blares and "Noise Level," meters start bouncing on the video screens. And every half inning the scoreboard introduces some new form of visual entertainment, from the "Kiss Cam" to the animated character race to the game where you see how long you can keep your eye on one of three rapidly scurrying hats.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEMUhTlG3s7QROQQu4zZ-zN_o4eBOn6mwGLKEOIMc4LCd6bPXfvVy9hRgxuWsUxtZABHAYwE5I6tQ-Yh9WsG_qJxHxrgL6HvtucuuUAf3pw_-QVpw5Aa-MRA0S0lgkTp2BP5vFWhDCa0v/s1600/P1020671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEMUhTlG3s7QROQQu4zZ-zN_o4eBOn6mwGLKEOIMc4LCd6bPXfvVy9hRgxuWsUxtZABHAYwE5I6tQ-Yh9WsG_qJxHxrgL6HvtucuuUAf3pw_-QVpw5Aa-MRA0S0lgkTp2BP5vFWhDCa0v/s200/P1020671.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Baseball fans are treated as if they would not know what to do with themselves if they were given a minute without an object to occupy their attention. As if it would be the worst thing in the world if the breaks between innings were spent thinking about the game, looking back at the scorecard, explaining a play from earlier, or simply talking with friends and family. Which between-innings image ought Major League Baseball to prefer: a father and son watching a condiment race on the JumboTron, or a father and son talking about the way the shortstop takes ground balls in infield? The trend that we discovered suggests that the powers-that-be prefer the former in the vast majority of Major League cities.<br />
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So what Carl Beane was responding to was in fact a pressure so significant that it has come to dictate the ballpark experience almost universally. I appreciate Fenway's resistance to that pressure so much more after this trip. Fenway has scoreboards, but their use is limited: high-definition instant replays of the game, player photos and statistics, and historical highlight reels between innings (some of the best, by the way). There is no music cranked in during the game, there is no ballpark emcee, there are no races or hat games, and there are no gimmicks or giveaways. If you don't like baseball, there isn't much to do. If you do like baseball, however, it is ideal. The acoustics of the game dominate, from the crack of the bat to the pop of the mitt, and the visuals of the game and the park are made so much more beautiful by their being the exclusive object of attention. There is one act on stage at Fenway Park, and it is baseball.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiG9Ki6_m0g4bvyNa2POLk4QbdMmdAItfzve-pesWDGcuWSCdQlUliDQ75FFlcc5atAtc-4R1wbU6AJLESpLZugzGL5UQwRDlaOhQixpUpAcJ5hA0cjpEGN0B_naCYpEDjcPndzYP3Dryo/s1600/P1030724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiG9Ki6_m0g4bvyNa2POLk4QbdMmdAItfzve-pesWDGcuWSCdQlUliDQ75FFlcc5atAtc-4R1wbU6AJLESpLZugzGL5UQwRDlaOhQixpUpAcJ5hA0cjpEGN0B_naCYpEDjcPndzYP3Dryo/s320/P1030724.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
So does Fenway suffer from poor attendance and lifeless crowds as a result of their unwillingness to fold to the state of the art? As anybody who understands what draws people to baseball could have predicted, of course not. We were at Fenway Park for a game in September with the Red Sox in last place, the team chemistry in shambles, the manager on his way out, and the front office deep in the doghouse of the Boston fanbase. The 2012 Red Sox gave fans nothing to root for. The particular Sunday afternoon that we were at Fenway also happened to be the first weekend of the NFL season, and the Bostonians' beloved Patriots, a team and organization that does everything right from top to bottom, and that felt like the anti-Red-Sox at the time, happened to kick off their opening game thirty minutes before first pitch at Fenway. So as far as Fenway experiences go, ours was quite obviously at the bottom of the spectrum, a victim of circumstance. And yet, the bottom of the spectrum at Fenway would be the top of the spectrum at most ballparks. The crowd showed up on time and stuck around, and while there were empty seats, the place was plenty full, more so than at most of the ballparks. And the crowd was there for baseball, even if it was only last place on the line. Unprompted, the place filled with life for big moments, and instead of just cheering and booing with the ebb and flow of the game, it was clear that fans were actually paying attention. When Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz left the game after allowing four runs in eight and two thirds innings, he was given a standing ovation. Why was one of the underachieving centerpieces of the chicken-and-beer scandal given an ovation after allowing four runs? Because he had actually pitched a great game. His command was terrific and his changeup was dominant. There was only one ball hit hard off of him, and the runs came by way of dribblers through the infield, bloop hits and sacrifice flies. The fans were paying attention, and knew it was a good performance. Not to say that the fans don't sometimes lose touch with the game, only to say that the atmosphere at Fenway is conducive to a real focus on baseball, and the consequences of that atmosphere manifested themselves clearly to me. I hope it is soon realized by others around the league that lively crowds and packed houses can come from focusing on baseball, rather than from sacrificing it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdtIjDdw06i_KSELdvJP3mMXe-KlKEmvi8e7jKDGCnDe_uNitr4K0cfx0_OMHs-6SWUlQBeGbm55aauBipoSc0W61lAhvERQo7TdeW10myloSbvmUZeEtvLNjdmBy-LGmDf2_VT-ohrad/s1600/30in38_199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdtIjDdw06i_KSELdvJP3mMXe-KlKEmvi8e7jKDGCnDe_uNitr4K0cfx0_OMHs-6SWUlQBeGbm55aauBipoSc0W61lAhvERQo7TdeW10myloSbvmUZeEtvLNjdmBy-LGmDf2_VT-ohrad/s320/30in38_199.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Now, if I am really going to stand behind the claim that Fenway Park is the <i>best</i> ballpark in baseball, my work here is not yet done. (After all, one thing we learned on this trip was to <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-11-arguing-our-way-westward.html" target="_blank">never stop arguing</a>.) Of the other twenty-nine parks, only twenty-eight of them have given in to this pressure for extraneous entertainment. Wrigley Field in Chicago, which opened the same decade as Fenway, is the exception, and for all the same reasons. It is one with history, void of distractions, and beautifully unique in design. Wrigley was an amazing experience, and a must-see for a baseball fans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBNJ_T1KXipQx-qm8uOQmTnH7Hng2tfbJCyxtny3-wddwjlD0W5lLrLiVrN9P2gWb05-3kMSYXRcQOqNYbGotYHVVmYUlH8kd5pIFXGZ6AC1AgMiroyrCekkrDTKp4LSGHwMhsQVM0ed8/s1600/fenscoreboard.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBNJ_T1KXipQx-qm8uOQmTnH7Hng2tfbJCyxtny3-wddwjlD0W5lLrLiVrN9P2gWb05-3kMSYXRcQOqNYbGotYHVVmYUlH8kd5pIFXGZ6AC1AgMiroyrCekkrDTKp4LSGHwMhsQVM0ed8/s200/fenscoreboard.png" width="200" /></a></div>
I hate the implicit inferiority that comes with ranking, especially with two ballparks as great as Wrigley and Fenway. Fenway gets my nod, however, for two reasons: First, the high definition scoreboards at Fenway, because they are used only for replays of the game, add to the experience. When it is not used for games and gimmicks, technology can be a great complement to baseball. If the video scoreboard can show me pitching splits or a slow-motion replay of a great play, I am all for it. Second, the atmosphere is more baseball-centric. Wrigley, to me, felt like a party, and plenty of fans were so socially engaged that they lost track of the game. At Fenway, while there remains a similar light hearted social attitude (reflected in, for example, the singing of Sweet Caroline), the love of baseball is above all else.<br />
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Fenway in many ways remains the ideal to me. It is alive with history, beautifully constructed, and pure in its purpose. The atmosphere is energetic and attuned due only to the unprompted interest of the fans, and the scoreboards accomplish the perfect integration of old and new. It is a park which pays higher respect to the game of baseball than any other, and for that, I am glad to call it my baseball home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2kK5RE3vckVuI1javnjWwsPp5xfrvQ-na65oPU3B_4fD1T07bFcR1woYPpMSVr3hfbwzxd37SMZTovQmShfwu6smBGOk-b9ilbTna3Y6nLk-VFTGnMzbL_h_Lzp9S1q8Kf23RvbEj5uC/s1600/nine.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2kK5RE3vckVuI1javnjWwsPp5xfrvQ-na65oPU3B_4fD1T07bFcR1woYPpMSVr3hfbwzxd37SMZTovQmShfwu6smBGOk-b9ilbTna3Y6nLk-VFTGnMzbL_h_Lzp9S1q8Kf23RvbEj5uC/s200/nine.png" width="186" /></a></div>
Finally, a little note, for what it's worth: Baseball is a game of nines. There are nine innings in a game, nine positions on the field, and nine batters in the lineup. An inning is divisible into nines by its three strikes within each of its three outs. There are ninety feet between the bases, and the major league baseball schedule consists of nine-squared games at home and nine-squared games on the road. The best pure hitter in baseball history, Ted Williams, wore number nine. On Day 38, as we completed our dream-come-true baseball journey at Fenway Park, Williams' home for his entire baseball career, it was Sunday, September 9th. That is, nine-nine. A special day indeed.<br />
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Here are some closing stats and reflections from the day and the trip. We also hope to put together a final comprehensive reflection at some point in the future, and that will be posted on this blog. (And a note to all those wondering, the four of us are still friends. We even hang out sometimes. Against all odds!)<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games watched:</span> 30<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Games to go:</span> 0<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere: </span>See above (low day on a high spectrum)<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Food and Drink:</span> Fittingly, the fare is just right for baseball: Fenway Franks, Kielbasas, and Italian Sausage. It's pretty good, too.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score:</span> 61 (special thanks to Thuuz for <a href="https://twitter.com/Thuuz/status/259019125052035072" target="_blank">helping me out on this one</a>)<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Total Car Breakdowns:</span> 0<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total Rain Outs:</span> 0<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total <b>innings</b> of baseball missed:</span> 0<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total <b>outs</b> of baseball missed:</span> 2 (debatable--we arrived in Oakland before first pitch but did not get into sight of the batter until after two outs in the top of the first)<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total outs of baseball seen:</span> 811 (or 813)<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total page views on the blog (as of 10/17/12): </span>12,885<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total individual cost (for me only, all costs included):</span> $2,900<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total miles traveled: </span>15,011<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles to go:</span> 0<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Lasting memory: </span>With the Red Sox losing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Cody Ross was at the plate with a runner on first and nobody out. On an 0-2 pitch, he cranked the ball directly down the left field line, high and deep. If it was fair, it was gone. I sprang from my seat (which was on the first base side of home plate, a perfect view of the ball as it went down the line), and had a rush of emotion. Could my baseball dream really be capped off with my favorite team hitting a walk-off home run? Could that be the last play of baseball I would see in my most unforgettable summer of baseball fandom? I looked down from the ball and half-expected Cody Ross to be waving it fair, for there to be a "2" in front of the "7" on his jersey. As I gathered my arms to throw them up in the air and never let them down, the ball hooked left and went over the wall in foul territory. Ross struck out, and the Red Sox lost. But that moment, I felt like I touched perfect.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">My Final Top 5 Stadium Ranking:</span><br />
1. <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/10/game-30-touching-home.html" target="_blank">Fenway Park</a>, Boston<br />
2. <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/games-8-9-chicago-doubleheader.html" target="_blank">Wrigley Field</a>, Chicago<br />
3. <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/10/game-28-birdland.html" target="_blank">Camden Yards</a>, Baltimore<br />
4. <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-4-stadium-of-people.html" target="_blank">PNC Park</a>, Pittsburgh<br />
5. <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-12-california-dreamin.html#more" target="_blank">AT&T Park</a>, San Francisco<br />
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Click "Read more" for additional photos...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0znnU1KlUQZa8IPmZZeBQRWfQDsq3j35GZLFhxmjxUNAm2X1KZM6Cytg0MrcDUwSoht_jzO_uiefI2RsM9fKMbZkkiHaTRysPmcg4jHEZpDN3jBYTPlmPn9f19i1ixbugs0KWPyMa79vN/s1600/30in38_715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0znnU1KlUQZa8IPmZZeBQRWfQDsq3j35GZLFhxmjxUNAm2X1KZM6Cytg0MrcDUwSoht_jzO_uiefI2RsM9fKMbZkkiHaTRysPmcg4jHEZpDN3jBYTPlmPn9f19i1ixbugs0KWPyMa79vN/s640/30in38_715.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The seats at Fenway</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxD771l06syzzCDaVgTSt4eJKgHOfOZSWvR1Hr4XWsayADevSqtBGdmIs2PhhN73mqghYSPxvuh-XmxSktapt8qgVra_-PBvFew2B2nt2hbsVmPLPdEWoe_UVyAlidMspPneK2mspkDxk/s1600/30in38_716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxD771l06syzzCDaVgTSt4eJKgHOfOZSWvR1Hr4XWsayADevSqtBGdmIs2PhhN73mqghYSPxvuh-XmxSktapt8qgVra_-PBvFew2B2nt2hbsVmPLPdEWoe_UVyAlidMspPneK2mspkDxk/s640/30in38_716.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our sign, making its farewell performance</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Press Box behind home plate</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pesky's Pole</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGFQitbM1Vy3WADOWhB2eSSPnnBrZS7klfXBZ_5tD0Qi6kM6CxIMvmDP4YBAEheZhXpx93k-MMLKhgQNt7Ffg-F1jKZLsjzdZllxUWSLVNaqhMiOQ4u_g274oG-MjZU-fJ0UwSk7btIv8/s1600/30in38_729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGFQitbM1Vy3WADOWhB2eSSPnnBrZS7klfXBZ_5tD0Qi6kM6CxIMvmDP4YBAEheZhXpx93k-MMLKhgQNt7Ffg-F1jKZLsjzdZllxUWSLVNaqhMiOQ4u_g274oG-MjZU-fJ0UwSk7btIv8/s640/30in38_729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">100 years of history</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3UAHzXw6zKienqzWa3uKNNO0cbUabjCk0ej7AgeJS2MAgJOve2YuxAq3AeDeSDsXTqoc-UnsC3XTnD4bK-I5kRuiivH-vXfCSowURgHW7FqAVgI7kHMtL-ZGlIfDBz1SsLPfL5f48InU/s1600/30in38_735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3UAHzXw6zKienqzWa3uKNNO0cbUabjCk0ej7AgeJS2MAgJOve2YuxAq3AeDeSDsXTqoc-UnsC3XTnD4bK-I5kRuiivH-vXfCSowURgHW7FqAVgI7kHMtL-ZGlIfDBz1SsLPfL5f48InU/s640/30in38_735.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobby V and Buchholz</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk97tEreL_mGq92zW9I0i-Q46kfEjNgIp2h1ZBe9X1C9lIueJSfsbvTWoiW7YeaQKPDxBFjqXW1Ci6OvuhWdJ4gqDDdvbBUuXkJZgTULqYaK89v0Yuk2Q66Y7zSxvOFxgSp2LxSrdUYA2G/s1600/30in38_731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk97tEreL_mGq92zW9I0i-Q46kfEjNgIp2h1ZBe9X1C9lIueJSfsbvTWoiW7YeaQKPDxBFjqXW1Ci6OvuhWdJ4gqDDdvbBUuXkJZgTULqYaK89v0Yuk2Q66Y7zSxvOFxgSp2LxSrdUYA2G/s640/30in38_731.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our seats, of a beautiful park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSeDhVu9SpHcfNHPs4cunpUIZk7cdlNr2z6PfhxwryjMFcCnBNyA8ud_dz48TVYEbWFst9rfDGHwtz6zaJE4BRZFISSo9gmkSoHKCg9PE_YGe7J6sWNBeyGYli9OO-q5KXV8gWAoMiwx-/s1600/30in38_746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSeDhVu9SpHcfNHPs4cunpUIZk7cdlNr2z6PfhxwryjMFcCnBNyA8ud_dz48TVYEbWFst9rfDGHwtz6zaJE4BRZFISSo9gmkSoHKCg9PE_YGe7J6sWNBeyGYli9OO-q5KXV8gWAoMiwx-/s640/30in38_746.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The car, day 38</td></tr>
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Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-29044297889108629792012-10-08T19:54:00.003-07:002012-10-08T19:55:30.807-07:00Game 29: Checking in on Baby Brother<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ARPFT46uTQcpa2CUPRdMGQkcF2-ne9rVdEAzwHNNpYdOKfBv99rVZIxO8a_hjNDWqr77WRuvbEFP10DAHhfphMJ-o5ETaDkCqfJ_RT7a06Sz6h2-cOyeJqiJZu_3QalsPATELCa_L5g/s1600/P1030551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ARPFT46uTQcpa2CUPRdMGQkcF2-ne9rVdEAzwHNNpYdOKfBv99rVZIxO8a_hjNDWqr77WRuvbEFP10DAHhfphMJ-o5ETaDkCqfJ_RT7a06Sz6h2-cOyeJqiJZu_3QalsPATELCa_L5g/s320/P1030551.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Throughout the beginnings of my fandom in the mid-1990s, the Mets-Yankees rivalry was fierce. I owned a t-shirt that read "This is your brain" next to a Yankees logo and "This is your brain on drugs" next to a Mets logo; my best friend had one where the Yankees and Mets logos were switched. Our elementary school made a rule that we were only allowed to wear them if we wore our shirts on the same day. With the advent of the six "subway series" games each year with interleague play, the Mets-Yankees rivalry become so heated, they were on the same level as the Red Sox in terms of my degree of loathing. When the two teams met in a World Series edition of the subway series in 2000, the city was at once divided by allegiances and united by the thrill of late-October baseball.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ofRWdaYgxeVRfe_m9_2wPXqWQrRxaFd3jksBcbueOhl1ann6yISNtnaXYfNSDT8N-2dG8l8eMc-U898t3p3q8BWkYa9staAhmPqav00neiIj0n87InOSfrmg8HRJnRzF3bllfSFYHjE/s1600/P1030533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ofRWdaYgxeVRfe_m9_2wPXqWQrRxaFd3jksBcbueOhl1ann6yISNtnaXYfNSDT8N-2dG8l8eMc-U898t3p3q8BWkYa9staAhmPqav00neiIj0n87InOSfrmg8HRJnRzF3bllfSFYHjE/s320/P1030533.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
That was the rivalry at its peak. Lamentably, after two late-season collapses, some really bad contracts, and the crippling blow of the Madoff scandal to the ownership's ability to run the team effectively, the competitive animosity between the teams has disintegrated completely. Many Mets fans have become disaffected by recent moves like letting Jose Reyes leave via free agency while Jason Bay continues to be a blight on both the field and the payroll.<br />
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Yankees fans, meanwhile, are almost irrationally ambivolent and dismissive of all things Mets.<br />
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The Mets have always been the baby brother trying desperately to keep up with the Yankees' track record of heavy spending and winning seasons, but their past ability to run stride for stride with the Bronx Bombers has made their recent failures are all the more disappointing. Perhaps some of the novelty of interleague play has worn off, but the biggest driver behind the disintegration of the Subway rivalry has been the extreme divergence of the teams' performances.<br />
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So on Saturday, the second to last day of our trip, it felt really strange to be in the Citi Field parking lot. Because of how the relationship between Mets fans and Yankees fans has evolved in recent years, I was shocked by how negatively I reacted to arriving at the stadium. I very much liked the stadium itself, and I for one thought the food was the best of any ballpark in baseball, but it became clear immediately that some embers of the Mets-Yankees rivalry still burn inside me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaomE781QbsHigMv6DV3-2gSzkfK6T6416l7GHtcE-HhyA0BzVXtP_lTnrDAW3mt4xc8h9IspK-alLx0XwClaEJJQltpEzfcEoH2lJJ9TfjrQFllV_WY8x7reSvetYM4cJlXh3Hm2ay6g/s1600/P1030576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaomE781QbsHigMv6DV3-2gSzkfK6T6416l7GHtcE-HhyA0BzVXtP_lTnrDAW3mt4xc8h9IspK-alLx0XwClaEJJQltpEzfcEoH2lJJ9TfjrQFllV_WY8x7reSvetYM4cJlXh3Hm2ay6g/s320/P1030576.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>And then all of the signs of the dead rivalry started to hit me. The Mets had a 65-74 record. Their leadoff hitter was a guy named Mike Baxter. The cheapest game day seats in the stadium cost $32 (the $10 student discounted seats were sold out), the most expensive of any stadium by far, which led to a paid attendance of 25,000 (though the number of fans in the stands looked a lot closer to 15,000). After a 1 hour 15 minute rain delay (our first delay of the whole trip), the Mets were losing 8-3 and the stadium was practically empty. Oh, and one of the fans in our row was literally asleep. Not even nodding-off-close-your-eyes-for-a-minute sleeping; I think that if there had not been a torrential downpour in the seventh inning, he may have woken up to an empty stadium with the game already over.<br />
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And the Mets were playing the Braves, their fiercest division rival. Every New Yorker old enough to have a driver's license vividly remembers John Rocker and Chipper "LARR-RRY" Jones. Braves fans will never forget the havoc Mike Piazza and John Franco wreaked upon them. Or at least that was what I used to think; maybe some of them already have.<br />
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The worst part is that I know there are die-hard Mets fans who love to support their team even in tough times like these, but at $32 a ticket, can you really blame them for not showing up?<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Games Watched:</span></b> 29<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Games to go:</span></b> 1<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Thuuz Rating:</span></b> 19<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tnOwMSDrlfwlT9ZctajFTdoljSkjAA4nnbNQQIQymE6T7cgER7YgUan3zARMfDXyglhOevrT3JgI7_1WIL36IYiI1cK_ISUoPXkg6COBMB2b7GiPctX8VjfzqLOGTmT4GfW0OrVIc3E/s1600/P1030563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tnOwMSDrlfwlT9ZctajFTdoljSkjAA4nnbNQQIQymE6T7cgER7YgUan3zARMfDXyglhOevrT3JgI7_1WIL36IYiI1cK_ISUoPXkg6COBMB2b7GiPctX8VjfzqLOGTmT4GfW0OrVIc3E/s200/P1030563.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half-eaten Shackburger</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Food: </span></b>A+ and the best of any stadium. With Danny Meyer creations like Blue Smoke and Shake Shack, coupled with New York staples like Two Boots Pizza, it simply does not get any better.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Tim Kurkjian Award:</b></span> There was no noise when the game started, which I mention because the main restaurant plaza is located behind the center field scoreboard. As a result, we didn't even realize the teams had taken the field and the first pitch had already been thrown until we were walking back to our seats with the food.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Miles Traveled:</span></b> 14,346<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Miles to next game:</span></b> 215 (Blue Jays @ Red Sox, Fenway Park)<br />
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Click "Read More" for more pictures<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogcnI_xNhv5Bv586B1bnCwOibP_Xfol3wC3ymgduVeSlMQdaf-sp4fTWBEKfeV1nixy5fnaxJRqq8u1rpxM5pdR9x2iPsrM-yGOyzy5JOFYj8uz6CqGcZQGRNOrfROaHmIgrin-NgvQw/s1600/P1030524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogcnI_xNhv5Bv586B1bnCwOibP_Xfol3wC3ymgduVeSlMQdaf-sp4fTWBEKfeV1nixy5fnaxJRqq8u1rpxM5pdR9x2iPsrM-yGOyzy5JOFYj8uz6CqGcZQGRNOrfROaHmIgrin-NgvQw/s320/P1030524.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the sign</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-erl7rgSsgDXyRJm_d1kw4Wkc8oBBojW4c32aE7riM576kvtR5jNZdylficc_0b-YU6ALkQd3l4893VQERZBZek_9HqXVs14Gtza5c403pFyCr66e0bGnpZn2yzTebG9DUb5MD_J1qk/s1600/P1030529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-erl7rgSsgDXyRJm_d1kw4Wkc8oBBojW4c32aE7riM576kvtR5jNZdylficc_0b-YU6ALkQd3l4893VQERZBZek_9HqXVs14Gtza5c403pFyCr66e0bGnpZn2yzTebG9DUb5MD_J1qk/s320/P1030529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">29 down, 1 to go</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfZBXbrbTGxdShkf7Sv60NiRpPTyDZF9mFju52dBhQxZFx4VkgsH7YFhlUIgaSduGxY2w8UpCyMm4n8ERSadKj-bje8tfBCRnvp4txEBwzmaKu4t-31sshZ3gMduk3_uV_ETyPmKCKkQ/s1600/P1030525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfZBXbrbTGxdShkf7Sv60NiRpPTyDZF9mFju52dBhQxZFx4VkgsH7YFhlUIgaSduGxY2w8UpCyMm4n8ERSadKj-bje8tfBCRnvp4txEBwzmaKu4t-31sshZ3gMduk3_uV_ETyPmKCKkQ/s320/P1030525.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon shows off the sign</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yxVlmIq2Qe5Rr1Om0esEMbJFvE8IovRXDF3WNzVoNdtdJ4sIV2x6A2zbKr21WWMQRmfmKMKCNRmtuEleTZPBp4McPO_XcCG3DYtqfSvWxMX4c4x1yIpp1D9gMkbrW92lkhdHDwp4Z98/s1600/P1030535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yxVlmIq2Qe5Rr1Om0esEMbJFvE8IovRXDF3WNzVoNdtdJ4sIV2x6A2zbKr21WWMQRmfmKMKCNRmtuEleTZPBp4McPO_XcCG3DYtqfSvWxMX4c4x1yIpp1D9gMkbrW92lkhdHDwp4Z98/s320/P1030535.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scoreboard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYeaVxrSedTMb8xl3r-T73aOKL5wIwTMjgK-KxSlzrkiOaui5BsgbAKebjX2OVLLEQTKssvVXeeApT4HPxtReEKcdqAW3oDG7wVKTf7j8m7dUU5G3CEh9klXH55e9t9zLAudZ6wObEzc/s1600/P1030536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYeaVxrSedTMb8xl3r-T73aOKL5wIwTMjgK-KxSlzrkiOaui5BsgbAKebjX2OVLLEQTKssvVXeeApT4HPxtReEKcdqAW3oDG7wVKTf7j8m7dUU5G3CEh9klXH55e9t9zLAudZ6wObEzc/s320/P1030536.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pregame ceremony honoring Mets minor leaguers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMInundVPO84juptD9hLUowKNMwpVTAUpEhOM826kT2Dq1PnBD7_k1snrikjywbm3d1SIEOXs4YHRR8BkSSW79sFE4Ru0Ap-XhsIa687NBHLhZ9pCUP7N9mfsNuQS4_gkkzk5imD9Pl8/s1600/P1030539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMInundVPO84juptD9hLUowKNMwpVTAUpEhOM826kT2Dq1PnBD7_k1snrikjywbm3d1SIEOXs4YHRR8BkSSW79sFE4Ru0Ap-XhsIa687NBHLhZ9pCUP7N9mfsNuQS4_gkkzk5imD9Pl8/s320/P1030539.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama of the stadium</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5ZK8fXJGlf_zf1gPaBBCuCy1ngBBtTEnk5W2Ab-usq6msPiZ8a1xAmUQHgR6W2kYqTxw8HdtyUrUTydm-qzeMnGZIrPI3GxruNQIMVb-VQfti49cp32TlMtD6B4Mlufj5OahRR3FLL8/s1600/P1030540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5ZK8fXJGlf_zf1gPaBBCuCy1ngBBtTEnk5W2Ab-usq6msPiZ8a1xAmUQHgR6W2kYqTxw8HdtyUrUTydm-qzeMnGZIrPI3GxruNQIMVb-VQfti49cp32TlMtD6B4Mlufj5OahRR3FLL8/s320/P1030540.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Airplane flying noisily over Citi Field; one of many</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpb537oeYMlbi4ByINYJmRwkXurUrCvHGKmhpD19coPwHB0RJjrrb0N12UFkShrGsgDcYp4b15FEQ1rTDgIvAhKPYSsXEZC3rSuCCB7vpJHV7h8XKntuzhXKXagq9j53BIaVU_T2iFjg/s1600/P1030541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpb537oeYMlbi4ByINYJmRwkXurUrCvHGKmhpD19coPwHB0RJjrrb0N12UFkShrGsgDcYp4b15FEQ1rTDgIvAhKPYSsXEZC3rSuCCB7vpJHV7h8XKntuzhXKXagq9j53BIaVU_T2iFjg/s320/P1030541.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Home Run apple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPppmrkr_9lqlVhV8cdVOHsD8MbsDMpG-1cx1w_1aRcVk_JCz8U0s0uAJLX_iNcY5izxflkrs1PiGhfai1fmgc-1yKS5LeYgjyoTQCG5f4rSBlgS-53WAAdBj264bdgfkjOWsHsdQkBU/s1600/P1030562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPppmrkr_9lqlVhV8cdVOHsD8MbsDMpG-1cx1w_1aRcVk_JCz8U0s0uAJLX_iNcY5izxflkrs1PiGhfai1fmgc-1yKS5LeYgjyoTQCG5f4rSBlgS-53WAAdBj264bdgfkjOWsHsdQkBU/s320/P1030562.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie Freeman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10xaJ9Z8ukk1vzxz9est_7vJherabEWQzzvlyWsDIuJWhpPEfC43Guif1pXk5CiWeX8KRO9uF6GFwAw2ibRm8ApaLHX8RGM_dRQy8MuSEY47eliCU2znvRZfEO79kH1H03ArByzG6Zuw/s1600/P1030565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10xaJ9Z8ukk1vzxz9est_7vJherabEWQzzvlyWsDIuJWhpPEfC43Guif1pXk5CiWeX8KRO9uF6GFwAw2ibRm8ApaLHX8RGM_dRQy8MuSEY47eliCU2znvRZfEO79kH1H03ArByzG6Zuw/s320/P1030565.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese fries with spicy tomatoes, a Shake Shack delicacy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fZ-8t3A9m7w76psxSgxbgh-ljTZPM5OrmJrW9g1sQ0BBUygoHMD6WRniYev5Izj7l0ts367ru7eJXwLqyzk384N2vkTlueT6uR-JvL_cRTipbcF5BnONwnpv-exFFTVfG0TEz_aig5g/s1600/P1030577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fZ-8t3A9m7w76psxSgxbgh-ljTZPM5OrmJrW9g1sQ0BBUygoHMD6WRniYev5Izj7l0ts367ru7eJXwLqyzk384N2vkTlueT6uR-JvL_cRTipbcF5BnONwnpv-exFFTVfG0TEz_aig5g/s320/P1030577.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The invincible Kris Medlen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBPQkZ8hF1qFqyc9Ho374E0gCnLQ8Gx4QfZG_PG95KamwppyQ_ecXgCKr4u6_EdYTtemvr_SW7ccNdTM376ncaNpP5zKHJ5St5ZTJa7ZT_VudO9SkyVb8r1UmKlNgQOH96Fm_dhKBz5U/s1600/P1030580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBPQkZ8hF1qFqyc9Ho374E0gCnLQ8Gx4QfZG_PG95KamwppyQ_ecXgCKr4u6_EdYTtemvr_SW7ccNdTM376ncaNpP5zKHJ5St5ZTJa7ZT_VudO9SkyVb8r1UmKlNgQOH96Fm_dhKBz5U/s320/P1030580.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medlen's stats on the year</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqg4RUpa2HXTR3AY7Fu_0-bBulqXiolRjBskbDy4Bch2ctFRMIQFQGU29dVZQL8nf4ee_3f_olBJWiWnGB8azs4rC-1z00Jx2NkaAXWi39QJyoPqqmaIylBR6_pLT7ssXsNkFvIc7GxU/s1600/P1030584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqg4RUpa2HXTR3AY7Fu_0-bBulqXiolRjBskbDy4Bch2ctFRMIQFQGU29dVZQL8nf4ee_3f_olBJWiWnGB8azs4rC-1z00Jx2NkaAXWi39QJyoPqqmaIylBR6_pLT7ssXsNkFvIc7GxU/s320/P1030584.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medlen action shot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6u7fe0Lv29KmwjTV7UwuwNQYqUHPhdOqPvbOrAgE7IyIQ_6CooG_zAFThiuAFWCJbJBAGUNL0SSEn47zzdLS7I53sdVzP2oAXiom15Ykx_1uQtg8JOZhj9h4EtbL-vADsD2iiyhvIOE/s1600/P1030586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6u7fe0Lv29KmwjTV7UwuwNQYqUHPhdOqPvbOrAgE7IyIQ_6CooG_zAFThiuAFWCJbJBAGUNL0SSEn47zzdLS7I53sdVzP2oAXiom15Ykx_1uQtg8JOZhj9h4EtbL-vADsD2iiyhvIOE/s320/P1030586.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another airplane</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1rATkN03rEE574gg-n0Q5Tn8xOFxRKax5nWcw6r85krYUoLzbtKRZFPEuntWFTNnCgOqflVzmuhZrqSbzgl7TLii-1p-v49jjsvBsk1xC39D3xoVDaCFbFDKy5NiAtpG4sbyM03VjWY/s1600/P1030592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1rATkN03rEE574gg-n0Q5Tn8xOFxRKax5nWcw6r85krYUoLzbtKRZFPEuntWFTNnCgOqflVzmuhZrqSbzgl7TLii-1p-v49jjsvBsk1xC39D3xoVDaCFbFDKy5NiAtpG4sbyM03VjWY/s320/P1030592.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guys, after the end of the 5th inning made the game official</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvUHJpHQHrILWyOHEgQBHtsjGiREXqQCuRB7P97-jkHz-9n6ajdlGdIVBVYFAzBfSb6NPA_vmFEr7pRvT6eAapryyv9LaACbbsKvB4el6VtmJo8Ltd8eEc0_y80_q3OjnCM9d9C0YS-Y/s1600/P1030594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvUHJpHQHrILWyOHEgQBHtsjGiREXqQCuRB7P97-jkHz-9n6ajdlGdIVBVYFAzBfSb6NPA_vmFEr7pRvT6eAapryyv9LaACbbsKvB4el6VtmJo8Ltd8eEc0_y80_q3OjnCM9d9C0YS-Y/s320/P1030594.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joined by our friends Brad and Spencer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwq7pA-LEOJwXO3gE5Ogs2p44EYfqreXiwjuCKEAqPa3GXuwpvlNVbAL2aTXr8bz44seBvNbsr6Odpb7ojYUHJo8ziCbPwIM-1bBuRgt5u4kqveKNzbLPy4QHdbJGENbanNCI98i7cOQ/s1600/P1030595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwq7pA-LEOJwXO3gE5Ogs2p44EYfqreXiwjuCKEAqPa3GXuwpvlNVbAL2aTXr8bz44seBvNbsr6Odpb7ojYUHJo8ziCbPwIM-1bBuRgt5u4kqveKNzbLPy4QHdbJGENbanNCI98i7cOQ/s320/P1030595.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chipper Jones, in what is likely his final season</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia_EN2oFeuLAyedt7XPTCP0TyceYYjfOAGC0XHbZBbbOWYXHZO6sYc0eWBQoDk9CO3hQvsEk50Pg5IyFXnnCpCF0ldlovbSWNbtAIKMe6Pa2OGVHmNvJ1A-vNHOesnzwdoA-Wo_4CzHE/s1600/P1030599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiia_EN2oFeuLAyedt7XPTCP0TyceYYjfOAGC0XHbZBbbOWYXHZO6sYc0eWBQoDk9CO3hQvsEk50Pg5IyFXnnCpCF0ldlovbSWNbtAIKMe6Pa2OGVHmNvJ1A-vNHOesnzwdoA-Wo_4CzHE/s320/P1030599.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the game as a storm looms</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Craig Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656049237576351933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-59750547637298260282012-10-08T19:29:00.001-07:002012-10-08T19:32:38.484-07:00Game 28: Birdland<i>Editor's Note: We sincerely apologize for taking so long to publish our final blog posts. The drawback of starting classes 15 hours after the final game is that we have struggled to find the time to finish these posts. We will, however, continue to post reflection pieces even after the game posts are complete. Thank you for your patience.</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYrcyZe3rtBEaxgAOjXetK-9QjdZndYt4VF7WiDTR3FiuG_5BZG3ukmYxMcqoQm8dwEJl9Jy4XQngOXiexLIFvFVRL5lepJfcwz7k18847zs-AnlJOJWCKJXrQCNviogHrh8-qw3KM7g/s1600/P1030379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYrcyZe3rtBEaxgAOjXetK-9QjdZndYt4VF7WiDTR3FiuG_5BZG3ukmYxMcqoQm8dwEJl9Jy4XQngOXiexLIFvFVRL5lepJfcwz7k18847zs-AnlJOJWCKJXrQCNviogHrh8-qw3KM7g/s400/P1030379.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
I love Camden Yards. Opened in 1992, in my opinion it is the best of what modern stadiums can be. Jeff, Damon, Owen, and I have spent countless hours arguing over what aspects of each stadium make it "better" than any other. Ultimately, we realize, it is an impossible debate to resolve. Each team has a unique character and history, and the stadium itself is inextricably linked to the legacy of the franchise it houses. The two best examples of this are Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, both of which are differentiated by their age and quirks, but distinguished by the players who played there and the moments that happened there. When the Athletics, for example, build their next stadium, there should not be an oddly high left field field wall or any other gimmick for the sake of being unique.<br />
<br />
So while our conversations about which ballparks are our favorites may never become fully resolved, some key themes have become apparent:<br />
<br />
<b>1) Always have baseball in mind</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQ8MS7ZgdLiX-e_tTIVQ4g-ivkX_WgukYN5gTMuTlcgeoQaE8FuIKU7FKOKYYtYRtw1eM7Twyx8JRsks44mW2CH9f2rdsjqHCH_K3Cl_053ZokYgWLwexhzn7W6Ox_6Bu_f3ulDvJPkI/s1600/P1030374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQ8MS7ZgdLiX-e_tTIVQ4g-ivkX_WgukYN5gTMuTlcgeoQaE8FuIKU7FKOKYYtYRtw1eM7Twyx8JRsks44mW2CH9f2rdsjqHCH_K3Cl_053ZokYgWLwexhzn7W6Ox_6Bu_f3ulDvJPkI/s320/P1030374.JPG" width="320" /></a>With two exceptions (Fenway and Wrigley), the experience of watching Major League baseball is diluted by mascot races, scoreboard-induced "Charge!!" cheers, and a plethora of other media. Individually, they are usually somewhat entertaining and generally harmful. Collectively, however, they detract from the baseball experience.<br />
<br />
At Camden Yards, I especially loved that Eutaw Street was at the same elevation as the top of the right field wall, where there was open standing room space.<br />
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The most memorable moment for me though, was the tradition of yelling the "O! Say can you see?" during the Star-Spangled Banner, and I absolutely loved it. The cheer was unique, it made sense, it got fans into the game, and most importantly it felt completely organic.<br />
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<b>2) Create your own baseball "village"</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAT0rwcKBDQ6VkZP1ESUa7Iv6X-4nk0tJVcbt5AAz7HG-vqYmGe5im_6f3WUVmnt3eRHCbs8A8r3bnUC9e7oyBVXkKVjVW-Ym791eDdlb9bSw0zYCmTjYQwomDUAjFcbWjrfkMOS-9OQ/s1600/P1030375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAT0rwcKBDQ6VkZP1ESUa7Iv6X-4nk0tJVcbt5AAz7HG-vqYmGe5im_6f3WUVmnt3eRHCbs8A8r3bnUC9e7oyBVXkKVjVW-Ym791eDdlb9bSw0zYCmTjYQwomDUAjFcbWjrfkMOS-9OQ/s320/P1030375.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is the area where the Orioles truly excel. The advent of Eutaw Avenue, a enclosed street within the stadium's ground that houses barbeque street vendors, the team store, and a variety of other entertainment options. Wrigleyville in Chicago and Yawkee Way in Boston feature a public street that, much like an opening comedy acts, does a fantastic job of getting fans in the mood for baseball even before they enter the stadium.<br />
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Even the rooftop bar in center field was nice because the views were of the stadium, rather than tucking the bar into some air conditioned cavern and filling it with TVs. The bar was unique in that it was an experience you could only enjoy if you were at the game.<br />
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<b>3) Leverage your surroundings</b><br />
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Within the stadium, the attention of spectators should be pushed towards the field, but when a team is blessed with some unique view, like the city skyline in Seattle or the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, the stadium should be constructed in a way that connects it to the surrounding environment. The Yankees, for example, play in the South Bronx, where there are no good views of the Manhattan skyline, which almost certainly factored into the team's decision to have seating all around the stadium with no views outward. By contrast, at Coors Field we were treated to a gorgeous sunset over the Rockies in between Brewers mound visits (Milwaukee's starter, Michael Fiers, didn't make it out of the third inning).<br />
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In my opinion, Camden Yards, along with PNC Park, AT&T Park, and Petco Park, was one of four post-1920 stadiums that did everything right. What differentiated Camden for me was, admittedly, pretty game specific. With the Yankees in town and AL East division race coming down to every last game, there was probably more energy in that stadium for this weekend series than there had been in over ten years. You couldn't have told that from that night, however.<br />
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Plus, any time you can see your favorite team win an important game on the road, you're in for a good time.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Games Watched:</span></b> 28<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Games to Go:</span></b> 2<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Stadium: </span>Beautiful for all the reasons described above; in my opinion Oriole Park at Camden Yards was the most well-designed stadium of the last 30 years, and they did it even without the benefit of riverfront/bay-front property<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Thuuz Rating:</span></b> 82<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span></b> The Yankees pinch hit for three consecutive hitters, substituting Raul Ibanez for Andruw Jones, Ichiro Suzuki for Steve Pearce, and Eric Chavez for Casey McGehee<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Miles Traveled:</b> </span>14118<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Miles to go:</b></span> 201 (Braves @ Mets, Citi Field)<br />
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Click "Read More" for more pictures:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig and Damon walking up to the Stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The right-field fence and Eutaw Street behind it</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birdland</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdUmAqHLXKYDNptE3sJKv3qUcic2fYSMhJN0r9g9UhuAES5CTuooG10oG5IeD9bYMCBV8pQKFKTHOJKb10guIuFgWaawqojKxjTOnX9wCsP1eRnq6gw9-BeNhC7VfNz_D7aRx2tzS2SA/s1600/P1030416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdUmAqHLXKYDNptE3sJKv3qUcic2fYSMhJN0r9g9UhuAES5CTuooG10oG5IeD9bYMCBV8pQKFKTHOJKb10guIuFgWaawqojKxjTOnX9wCsP1eRnq6gw9-BeNhC7VfNz_D7aRx2tzS2SA/s320/P1030416.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiA70wPcpjIEYcpxVLOB7_c95MFwMs1Xs0PXQ-tgfYIxknPdMvsJzz4DOnTmrtQHiNaeKZpMptJTwqk1IEIS-ayd0GmJlqe2hP99XTVqlZhV2tuAARYzA2Ebn3P4GCoPBVtFIksJShSA/s1600/P1030421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiA70wPcpjIEYcpxVLOB7_c95MFwMs1Xs0PXQ-tgfYIxknPdMvsJzz4DOnTmrtQHiNaeKZpMptJTwqk1IEIS-ayd0GmJlqe2hP99XTVqlZhV2tuAARYzA2Ebn3P4GCoPBVtFIksJShSA/s320/P1030421.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the seats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgon3gx5tOMLdP_SwqV2FHnmi7jT2jJVfYT286B2RhMkPmApZSqUatOBxx3HHhB5H8NIn80OGP1Y0cDMbEbXqSKHeC8vSfYxGf1txZJo13M9aMCh93xiqH6PflMPN79J5gfw6Jd6OW1REU/s1600/P1030428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgon3gx5tOMLdP_SwqV2FHnmi7jT2jJVfYT286B2RhMkPmApZSqUatOBxx3HHhB5H8NIn80OGP1Y0cDMbEbXqSKHeC8vSfYxGf1txZJo13M9aMCh93xiqH6PflMPN79J5gfw6Jd6OW1REU/s320/P1030428.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Derek Jeter stepping into the box</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUx-eGlsPBLHwcIliCgMkK9TWbHVIr2mVihHOcMkry69frUlcyqyFas8YYu5ntmNFwHJiSegSe6MBCFExeh8UIeJQqJLpeWzK61PQMSdFmgu2CA88WOZNa4tFXryP_vQYFEdC4XLC758/s1600/P1030432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUx-eGlsPBLHwcIliCgMkK9TWbHVIr2mVihHOcMkry69frUlcyqyFas8YYu5ntmNFwHJiSegSe6MBCFExeh8UIeJQqJLpeWzK61PQMSdFmgu2CA88WOZNa4tFXryP_vQYFEdC4XLC758/s320/P1030432.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full house, even in the upper deck</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC27479C_xqtcKVnJHx_3hXRCNUAleJ6udNVNVvUlaBmZFG5u1gYRutww-R1xWoAZtz4G5Bz4kF6wvgYHc5F-6NdyyWwD5XTfiu0e_3byMfu3OJbL8tm2KnsyfQQW5CFunp1u6QPT9lM/s1600/P1030441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC27479C_xqtcKVnJHx_3hXRCNUAleJ6udNVNVvUlaBmZFG5u1gYRutww-R1xWoAZtz4G5Bz4kF6wvgYHc5F-6NdyyWwD5XTfiu0e_3byMfu3OJbL8tm2KnsyfQQW5CFunp1u6QPT9lM/s320/P1030441.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beyond the right-field wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUF3hD0nB0HE3EJcF6a4Wsqg1y_5_R7DEnb_ZGj90_53Oz-IhqBd5PnJzBschGaOwm1M6a5ZCnxV8b4q4NP3FYbSU9ukT1LWZza9hD-M3X7NJXfrImnOUAdmSVbqpY-SR2HosMYQRHLMg/s1600/P1030444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUF3hD0nB0HE3EJcF6a4Wsqg1y_5_R7DEnb_ZGj90_53Oz-IhqBd5PnJzBschGaOwm1M6a5ZCnxV8b4q4NP3FYbSU9ukT1LWZza9hD-M3X7NJXfrImnOUAdmSVbqpY-SR2HosMYQRHLMg/s320/P1030444.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nachos in a souvenir helmet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwX_JWBVgqdpckznWQycXTcn7NxxTSgf6DW2cANQIOYqtERodRQhGSJ9M2_NbMWDFILvT8zDdUjXlWvA9s1W9LXgPIqiE3d9TyX4Tv2L3GIzD_Z1Hk5e5GvqQ3iKc4SNOuwmKyNpfSzZo/s1600/P1030459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwX_JWBVgqdpckznWQycXTcn7NxxTSgf6DW2cANQIOYqtERodRQhGSJ9M2_NbMWDFILvT8zDdUjXlWvA9s1W9LXgPIqiE3d9TyX4Tv2L3GIzD_Z1Hk5e5GvqQ3iKc4SNOuwmKyNpfSzZo/s320/P1030459.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night view<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5YJsd632pXdshSHooSMRydCstwvlbJ3DYoIMvhywuzJhoJBbNmN6GIFjGoJLJfyqbJo67T2g0_p4w_U4WT32bdbuC3MHgu69q_fYKizmpXEk3FDm3686HPk8dCD7-vHY6AoMpTCuU-s/s1600/P1030461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5YJsd632pXdshSHooSMRydCstwvlbJ3DYoIMvhywuzJhoJBbNmN6GIFjGoJLJfyqbJo67T2g0_p4w_U4WT32bdbuC3MHgu69q_fYKizmpXEk3FDm3686HPk8dCD7-vHY6AoMpTCuU-s/s320/P1030461.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right-center field</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdT90AfGxHAN6woLp59609m48HXAks400hQY2dM899URDH9iT0cgnrAAs-cYQifdh3JZOdlw7Rncw4JG1S1EVtPcucsoaFG5V_sBOsSDLVv4A74T_RrExYyDFBs_16ZU3pUEVHOfEtOE/s1600/P1030468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdT90AfGxHAN6woLp59609m48HXAks400hQY2dM899URDH9iT0cgnrAAs-cYQifdh3JZOdlw7Rncw4JG1S1EVtPcucsoaFG5V_sBOsSDLVv4A74T_RrExYyDFBs_16ZU3pUEVHOfEtOE/s320/P1030468.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A-Rod celebrating after a 3-run HR</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fKhaMi7NeH7s3KCXhne6sFMNrjwRr5r6bNffycE_Bjy4pzkUMng1ESsNHM6b0C05kkVCPYPtIGoQtdSUvL-AWm06Tq2HKrj63EgnzP_BKUIuDW9FmKCWl_Mdhw2jf02lj8qHMjKL30M/s1600/P1030476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fKhaMi7NeH7s3KCXhne6sFMNrjwRr5r6bNffycE_Bjy4pzkUMng1ESsNHM6b0C05kkVCPYPtIGoQtdSUvL-AWm06Tq2HKrj63EgnzP_BKUIuDW9FmKCWl_Mdhw2jf02lj8qHMjKL30M/s320/P1030476.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Within the stadium walls</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3__1iFIZgcBG7n_ZINeCGJGbTzQ1nN5rqceJPaVO7mUNIEUEvVOcZwsiboc1VfupSB8DNuO3b6AGlz6SAHy6aEJV1SIRVyTb8GQC-swMLg0ImmdvDtxIZa0vPLBKFFJ9T3S3LXkDW9M/s1600/P1030478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3__1iFIZgcBG7n_ZINeCGJGbTzQ1nN5rqceJPaVO7mUNIEUEvVOcZwsiboc1VfupSB8DNuO3b6AGlz6SAHy6aEJV1SIRVyTb8GQC-swMLg0ImmdvDtxIZa0vPLBKFFJ9T3S3LXkDW9M/s320/P1030478.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crowd celebrating</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">28 down, 2 to go</td></tr>
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<br />Craig Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656049237576351933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-49248903300180685002012-09-09T05:12:00.000-07:002012-09-09T05:12:17.287-07:00Game 27: The Big Fundamental<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcbT_Xy5YaToUnhjSo6eKQi4yH92tHAJevAEimowJB9hgBTonfSp7AFOj_BoZMulhV7tKEB4sje7-LIx21_ts4u35mbEHUR2dWxCeKd7kY5sIlfVPn3CMVfpH1Mo5flH_auph5MY1SNg2/s1600/JoeyVotto30ni38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcbT_Xy5YaToUnhjSo6eKQi4yH92tHAJevAEimowJB9hgBTonfSp7AFOj_BoZMulhV7tKEB4sje7-LIx21_ts4u35mbEHUR2dWxCeKd7kY5sIlfVPn3CMVfpH1Mo5flH_auph5MY1SNg2/s640/JoeyVotto30ni38.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320905117&teams=philadelphia-phillies-vs-cincinnati-reds" target="_blank">Phillies 6, Reds 2</a><br />
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When I think of the best players in baseball, I typically think of the most exciting players to watch; players like Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen immediately come to mind. And while both are having MVP-caliber seasons, I often overrate players of a similar playing style. The allure of five tool players — players who can run, throw, field, hit for power and hit for average — creates the misconception that players who can affect the game in all five areas are more exciting, or even better, than players who are among the best in the league in just two of those areas. Players who hit for power and hit for average and do it while playing for smaller market teams are most often the players who do not get enough credit for their talent. Take Joey Votto, for example. Votto can't run like Eric Hosmer, let alone future teammate Billy Hamilton, but what Votto does well, he does better than anyone in the Major Leagues. In six seasons, Votto has a career average of .317 and an OPS of .970 with an MVP to go with it. But even after winning the 2010 NL MVP Award, Votto is as overlooked and underrated as ever. Earlier this year I read an incredible piece written by <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/tom_verducci/06/05/joey.votto.reds/index.html" target="_blank">Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci on Votto.</a> Among the highlights: the Reds first baseman has yet to pop up to the infield this season and has only popped up to the infield three times in his entire career; Votto has only pulled one ball foul into the stands in his career, during his rookie season — and has never hit a foul ball home run; and when behind in counts the Canadian born slugger hits .300 — 102 points better than the National league average of .198.<br />
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After a strong start to the season, Votto has been on the DL for the last two moths recovering from a meniscus tear. As a result, he sat out each of the first two games we saw the Reds play. Wednesday, however, he returned to the Reds lineup and was back in true Joey Votto form.</div>
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Even in person, it's easy to miss Votto's unique approach at the plate if you don't pay close attention. The secret to his success — if you could call it that — is not based on any one thing he does, but rather a number of characteristics and his consistent approach, the combination of which makes Votto less likely to make an out than almost anyone in baseball.</div>
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<b>Great Eyes: </b>Votto led the league in walks last year, racking up 117 of them en route to the best on-base percentage in the MLB. Hitting coaches tell you to watch every pitch you take, good or bad, all the way from the pitcher's release point into the catcher's mitt. Some players do it, many don't. Votto does it with every pitch he takes, giving himself as much information about the pitcher as he can. </div>
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<b>Plate Discipline: </b>Votto is as disciplined a hitter as there is. He is rarely fooled by pitchers because he allows pitches to get so deep, giving him more time to diagnose a pitch before deciding to swing or not, leading to fewer "bad" swings and higher contact and walk rates. </div>
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<b>Opposite Field Power: </b>The combination of Votto's quick hands, smooth swing and tremendous power means that the Reds' slugger is probably the best opposite field home run hitter in the Majors. Of Votto's 14 home runs this year, only two have been pulled to right field. </div>
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<b>Hitting with Two Strikes: </b>When people first learn to play baseball, coaches teach hitters to choke up on the bat with two strikes in order to shorten their swing, sacrificing power to maximize contact and avoid strikeouts. By the time players reach the Majors, however, very few of them change their plate approach significantly with two strikes. Today, baseball is a home run or strikeout league. Pitchers are "missing" bats at a higher rate than ever before and — steroid era notwithstanding — hitters are as home run focused as ever. The difficulty or unwillingness of hitters to make in-bat adjustments is evident by a .198 average among National League hitters when behind in the count. Votto, meanwhile, hits just 17 points below his career average when trailing in the count. </div>
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Having seen him hit live, Joey Votto is now my favorite player to watch. His attention to detail and desire to give himself the best chance to get on base every time he steps to the plate is second to none. His ability to hit with power to the opposite field and hit for a high average when behind in the count by slapping pitches the other way reminds me of a combination of Adrian Gonzalez and Ichiro Suzuki in his prime. Above all, however, what separates Votto from other hitters are his fundamentals. Perhaps the closest comparison to Votto is a guy who plays a different sport; for no baseball player is more suited to Tim Duncan's nickname — the Big Fundamental — than Joey Votto.<br />
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There are certainly flashier players who may bring more excitement to the game, but while raw speed and power put fans in the seats, the Reds' first baseman will be patiently waiting, sizing up one pitch after the next until he finds one that he likes.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Games Watched:</span></b> 27<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Games to Go:</span></b> 3<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Stadium: </span></b>Great American Ballpark is a sight for sore eyes from the outside. Once inside, however, the park has a midwest charm to it, similar in some ways to the feeling at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The stadium is located on the river, which is shown throughout the ballpark. In addition to its location, I liked Great American Ballpark for its thoughtful design. The scoreboard was one of the strongest we've seen so far and displayed all the necessary information clearly and concisely, while also using smaller, more discrete screens throughout the park to display other stats as well as the National League standings.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Concessions:</span></b> The Queen's City bratwurst was, in my mind, one of the three best hotdogs/sausages that we've eaten during this trip.<br />
Fan Atmosphere: We were generally impressed by the fans. Despite a weekday game with nearly 100-degree temperatures, a strong number of fans showed up for the game and were active throughout, particularly in support of Votto. </div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Thuuz Score:</span></b> 23<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span></b> In the top of the third inning, Ryan Howard took what he believed was ball four and started walking toward first base. Momentarily unsure, he turned back to home plate umpire Chris Guccione to confirm that the pitch was ball four, and, after receiving a quick nod from Blue, turned and trotted down to first base. After Howard was awarded the base, the Reds called time and pitching coach Bryan Price went to speak with struggling starter Mike Leake, allowing the umpires to have a brief conference at home plate. During their discussion, one of the other umpires alerted Guccione that Howard had in fact walked on three pitches, something that no one else in the ballpark had noticed. After the mound visit, Howard was then recalled back to home plate where he subsequently flew out to deep left center field.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Miles Traveled: </b></span>13520<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Miles to Go:</b></span> 523 (Yankees @ Orioles, September 7, 7:10 pm)</div>
Damon Hathewayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11325688386543839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-36339834564827646522012-09-08T21:20:00.000-07:002012-09-08T21:20:14.582-07:00Game 26: 90 Percent of Success is Showing Up<i>(Note: This post was written partially by Owen, and partially by Jeff)</i><br /><br /> <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320904115&teams=colorado-rockies-vs-atlanta-braves" target="_blank">Rockies 6, Braves 0</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were there, Chipper</td></tr>
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<br />After attending so many baseball games all across the country, we have become somewhat of an authority on fan behavior. Each park has its own inherent vibe and atmosphere that becomes apparent to any seasoned fan right when he or she steps into the stadium. Along the way, we have seen both the good, passion and attentiveness, and the bad, apathy and distraction. However, no fan atmosphere was worse than in Atlanta. The experience was so bad that it led fan-favorite and lifelong Brave Chipper Jones to send the following tweet after the game: "Come on Atlanta! The Ted was a morgue tonight. We need you in full force. We feed off you guys. No excuse for the loss! Just sayin..."<br />
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In light of Chipper's tweet, I have decided to present a list of rules for baseball fans to live by if they want to enjoy the game to its fullest and avoid the shame of their favorite players. <br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Be in Your Seat by the National Anthem</b></span><br />
It has been disappointing to see how many fans show up casually late to baseball games. First of all, this is disrupting to the game atmosphere as the first few innings are spent with people filing into the seats around you. Moreover, this causes many people to miss some important pre-game events. If a fan showed up just fifteen minutes before first pitch, they would be there in time to see the lineups, to watch the pre-game information and videos on the scoreboard (the scoreboard is at its best just before the game, when the best highlight videos are being played and standings and league leaders are being listed), and enjoy the national anthem. Finally, if you show up late, you miss baseball. In the first inning of games alone, we have seen so many important, fun, and interesting developments, moments, and plays. We saw the Yankees fans "roll call" their team in New York, we saw Carlos Beltran's home run set the tone for the Cardinals in St. Louis, we saw Stephen Strasburg lose command of his fastball in San Francisco (which gave the context for his adjusted pitching style in the later innings), we saw David Price throw a five pitch first inning in Texas, we saw Angel Pagan make the only solid contact of any Giants hitter all game in Los Angeles with his double to deep left-center, we saw Evan Longoria homer off the foul pole in Texas, we saw Adrian Beltre make a barehanded catch and diving throw for an out while charging a bunt in Cleveland, and we saw Jason Bay hit a grand slam in Miami. The point is, baseball fans, we've seen over and over again that there's good reason to come on time. <br /><br /><b><span style="color: orange;">Cheer at the Appropriate Times</span></b><br />There is nothing more frustrating at a game than when fans cheer more for the gimmicks and promotions than for baseball. There have been too many games where the most life the fans have shown has been in an attempt to get a free t-shirt thrown their way, when the wave comes through their section, or when mustard beats ketchup in the pre-determined animated condiment race on the jumbo-tron. The fans and the scoreboard managers are equally guilty on this, but it would be a lot nicer if fans didn't need prompting to show some excitement. There is no need to wait for the scoreboard for your cues and enjoyment. The excitement is on the field, and the best chants start organically.<br />
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<b>Never Ever Leave Early</b></div>
We have been asking a question all trip, which was originally rhetorical but became literal. That is, what would it take to get fansto stay at a game? After we saw thousands of fans leaving before the ninth inning at our first few games, we wondered if they understood that any game could turn exciting or important at any time. How close would the game have to be, we asked, for them to realize that the climax was ahead of them? Then we saw fans (less of them, but still a lot) leave during one- and two-run games, and even tie games or games with significant playoff implications, and realized that a lot of fans will leave early just about regardless of what is going on on the field. With the possible exception of emergencies, if you pay for nine innings, stay for the whole game.<br />
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This list is far from complete. These are just our intial takeaways from the first 26 games. If you have any to add, put them in the comment section below. We can work together to become better fans of the sports and teams we love.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games watched:</span> 26<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Games to go:</span> 4<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score:</span> 38<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span> B-, pretty bland, no big takeaways, although a good incorporation of history (pennants and statues) was a plus. <br />
<span style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere:</span> D, see above.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Concessions:</span> A-, great barbeque pulled-pork sandwiches, and all reasonably priced.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span> On a throw to first base, when the throw barely beat the batter, both the first and home plate umpire called him out. The home plate umpire then immediately changed his call to safe, signaling that the first baseman came off the bag to make the catch. We have not seen an umpire overturn himself and another umpire without any new information. The overturn looked like the right call to us.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles traveled: </span>13,150<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles to go: </span>470 (Phillies @ Reds, September 5, 12:30pm)<br /><br />Click "Read more" for pictures from the day<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of Empty Seats at Turner</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Atlanta Skyline</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brave Panorama</td></tr>
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<br />Owen Witekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05832570795755076091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-31819827912664540042012-09-04T23:11:00.005-07:002012-09-04T23:12:16.470-07:00Game 25: Playoff Race<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320903130" target="_blank">Rays 4, Yankees 3</a><br />
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We saw a big game at Tropicana Field on Monday. Probably the biggest game of the trip so far.<br />
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The visiting Yankees came into town with their ever-shrinking lead in the AL East down to 2 games over Baltimore, and just 3.5 over Tampa Bay. The series had the potential to determine the fate of the tightest division in baseball. The stakes were high. The Rays could smell blood, and the Yankees could see their once-easy road to the playoffs vanishing. One game might be the difference between a favorable first-round series and an anything-could-happen Wild Card playoff game.<br />
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With so few games remaining in the season, and so much left to be decided, I could feel the import of every moment in Monday afternoon's game. Consider the following turn of events, taken from the eighth inning alone:<br />
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It's the top of the eighth, and the score is 3-3. Both starters, James Shields and C.C. Sabathia, have recovered from early struggles and remain in the game. They are pitching like the workhorses they are. James Shields is nearing 120 pitches, and facing Nick Swisher, after walking the leadoff man. He gets ahead 1-2 in the count. The crowd tenses in anticipation of the next pitch. He throws a slider down and in. It cuts out of the strike zone just before it arrives. With two strikes, Swisher has to pull the trigger, and the late break gets under his bat. He makes contact, but it's a ground ball to first. Not his fault, on a pitch like that. The first baseman picks it up, throws to second, and it comes back to first in time for the double play. And the Yankees' momentum is dead. All because of the impossibility of that inside slider with two strikes. Every pitch counts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcAWeKmXb0QW18w7QMdmv8VvxyM3h-Ziv-EZ7ZwhnYyy2I6bSBv0oUSIZ6WUksHjyDIxue2qFjwZUbofPTpMD4NoT3iHjcYyDkGsGj6LFOD438E58xdDpBZr70-r-GfXPXmCbaD1qM1kE/s1600/P1030176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcAWeKmXb0QW18w7QMdmv8VvxyM3h-Ziv-EZ7ZwhnYyy2I6bSBv0oUSIZ6WUksHjyDIxue2qFjwZUbofPTpMD4NoT3iHjcYyDkGsGj6LFOD438E58xdDpBZr70-r-GfXPXmCbaD1qM1kE/s320/P1030176.JPG" width="320" /></a>Robinson Cano is the next batter. He is a career .415 hitter against James Shields, who appears to have very little left in the tank. Rays relievers have been warming up for the last inning or so. They have six relievers with ERAs under 3.00, an absurd luxury. Rays fans look to the bullpen, then to the dugout, waiting for movement. If Shields blows the game, Cano is the guy who he would do it against. If Shields stays in and gets the last out, and Maddon holds back on using a reliever, the Rays are much better prepared for the potential extra innings, as well as for the rest of the series. Maddon elects to keep Shields in the game, riding him an extra batter despite the odds. If Cano gets home, Maddon will face scrutiny for his inaction. Every decision counts.<br />
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Cano brings the count to 3-2. On the payoff pitch, He lines the ball sharply toward third. The third baseman, Elliot Johnson, has just replaced Evan Longoria, and he misplays the sinking line drive, allowing it to bounce off his glove and in front of him. It is too late for Cano to take advantage of the misplay, though, because instead of running off of contact, he stayed standing in the batter's box, watching what he thought would be an out. Johnson recovers and the throw beats the now-running Cano by a step. If he hadn't watched, he would have reached base, and if he had reached base, he would have kept the inning alive, and forced Maddon to bring in his eighth inning reliever. Instead, the inning is over for the Yankees. Every step counts.<br />
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It is now the bottom of the inning, David Robertson is in to relieve Sabathia, there is a man on first with no outs, and the game is still tied. The runner breaks on a pitchout, and appears to have a great jump, but the play is close thanks to a good throw and tag. From our perspective, the runner looks safe. The umpire calls him out. Now, instead of having a man in scoring position and no outs, the Rays have one out and nobody on. Joe Maddon jumps out of the dugout, irate with the call. He starts arguing and doesn't stop until he is thrown out of the game, which appeared to be his intent. You can make that call in the second inning in July, but not in the eighth inning in September. That runner would have become a fairly easy run, and that run would have put the game firmly in the Rays' control. Every call counts.<br />
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The Rays, perhaps energized by Maddon's tirade, have now returned a man to second, still with one out. On a 3-1 count, Chris Jimenez hits a grounder to Robinson Cano's left at second. Cano ranges backwards, and is within a body's reach of the ball. Instead of diving in front of it, he lunges only his arms, allowing the ball to go through into right field. On the passage of the ball through the infield, the runner scores easily from second, and the Rays take the lead. If Cano had dove to stop the ball, that run would not have scored. Everybody watching knows it. Cano decided it wasn't worth it. The Rays would end up winning the game because of that run. The 3.5 game lead is down to 2.5. Every ounce of devotion counts.<br />
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These are the little instances that decide divisions, and decide the fate of MLB seasons. In games like the one we saw in Tampa Bay, they are incredibly apparent. The crowd is zeroed in on them, and so are the players and coaches. Every moment feels like it might be a moment the team looks back on when the book is closed on this season. That is the big game feeling.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games seen:</span> 25<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Games to go: </span>5<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score:</span> 82<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stadium design: </span>The Trop is generally considered the worst ballpark in the major leagues. There are good reasons for this, as the outside is ugly, the dome roof and lights come too far down and look awkward, and the field itself is splotchy AstroTurf. That said, it appears to have had a recent redesign, likely since the team strut out its new look (going from "Devil Rays" to "Rays", going dark blue/light blue instead of green/blue, and also becoming good at baseball). The redesign was as good as it could have been: most of the interior of the stadium (scoreboards, walls, signs, etc) looked new, and there was brick wallpaper in the concourses which was actually a pretty nice touch.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Fan atmosphere:</span> There were a lot of fans there and they were into the game, but it should have been better. There were still a lot of empty seats (and some sections remained covered), for this, one of the biggest games of the year, with two high-caliber starters on the mound.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian award: </span>With Raul Ibanez on 3rd base and 1 out, Russell Martin hit a hard ground ball that ricocheted off of Shields and toward first base. The first baseman hesitated to look back Ibanez at third, then saw that Shields was not covering first. He sprinted toward first and dove headfirst, at the same time that Martin dove headfirst. It's a bang-bang play, and the umpire calls Martin safe. In the meantime, Ibanez has darted for home and scored easily.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Concessions:</span> Note to all ballparks: provide Ken's honey mustard and ranch dipping cups with your chicken tenders. That's what they did at the Trop, and that alone won me over big time. The tenders themselves were quite good as well.<br />
Stat of the day: With his home run Monday, B.J. Upton now has 3 in the five Rays games in which we have seen. He is almost certainly going to end up with the most of anybody on our trip. And while we have only seen 4% of the Rays games this season, we have seen 17.6% of Upton's home runs.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles driven: </span>12,650<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles to next game: </span>460 (Rockies @ Braves, September 5, 7:05pm)<br />
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More pictures will be uploaded soon.Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-64195081500382198522012-09-04T23:11:00.004-07:002012-09-05T08:18:10.203-07:00Game 24: Marlins Stadium — A (Strip) Tease<a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320902128" target="_blank">Mets 1, Marlins 5</a><br />
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For my thoughts on the game, please check out <a href="http://thefanmanifesto.com/2012/09/05/the-30-in-38-project-marlins-stadium-%E2%80%94-a-strip-tease/" target="_blank">my post on the Fan Manifesto.</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Games Watched:</b></span> 24<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Games to Go:</b></span> 6<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Thuuz Score: </b></span>19<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span></b> I go into further detail in my post, but I was disappointed by the stadium. At first pleased with its intimacy — though admittedly off-put by the stadiums bright green color and horrendous centerfield statue — my feelings toward the stadium were immediately soured when Owen pointed out a glitzy bar behind the lower left field seats, which included numerous pole dancers.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere:</span></b> There was little fan atmosphere to speak of. The loudest cheer/reaction came when the Marlins' mascot tackled two racing sea creatures, therefore allowing the third place animal (still undetermined) to seize the victory.<br />
Concessions: Craig and Owen both made their way to the Latin Food stall and ordered some combination of rice, chicken and plantains — a meal that far exceeded my own. During my short perusal of the available options, however, it was clear that the stadium offered many different types of food.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Tim Kurkjian Award: </span><span class="Apple-style-span">After Ronny Cedeno led the game off for the Mets with a double, second baseman Justin Turner hit a ball sharply toward the right field corner. Giancarlo Stanton was unable to make the play, but Cedeno did not go halfway to third on the ball and therefore had to stop at third. It was the first time any of us had ever seen back-to-back doubles when the lead runner did not score. </span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Total Miles Traveled:</span></b> 12366 miles<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Miles to Next Game:</span></b> 280 milesDamon Hathewayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11325688386543839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-9942080831283306472012-09-04T13:46:00.007-07:002012-09-04T13:46:52.741-07:00Game 23: Yo Adrian!<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320831105&teams=texas-rangers-vs-cleveland-indians" target="_blank">Rangers 5, Indians 3 </a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO60AUP44a5SibcWLn2tz4d9I3REdu81TqLQaVJ_P9fuRq5IH2V3Bvz6jNY2jjeZ2VO-ZnH64uTJ_a-X2SGMGAddTHmlcAwqpKK8nXoaYL5-z_v7XoPIhAIlMj0sd4huUaE5VLKTB6QaS/s1600/P1020921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpO60AUP44a5SibcWLn2tz4d9I3REdu81TqLQaVJ_P9fuRq5IH2V3Bvz6jNY2jjeZ2VO-ZnH64uTJ_a-X2SGMGAddTHmlcAwqpKK8nXoaYL5-z_v7XoPIhAIlMj0sd4huUaE5VLKTB6QaS/s200/P1020921.JPG" width="200" /></a>By combining statistics from our games in Texas and Cleveland, Rangers third basemen Adrian Beltre is 7 for 8 with a home run, three doubles, a walk, and six RBI. None of what you just read was a typo. Even his lone out was a hard-hit line drive that required a diving effort from Indian's left fielder Jason Donald. For some players this line could be written off as an anomaly, but with Beltre it's further evidence that he is one of the best hitters in the majors. Earlier this month, he hit for the cycle and had a three home run game with only a day separating the two games, joining Joe DiMaggio as the only two players in history to do so in the same week. In August he hit .385 with 7 home runs and 21 RBIs and has forced his way into the American League MVP conversation. He accomplished all this while also playing Gold Glove level defense at third as evidenced by an excellent diving stop against the Rays and an athletic charging play on a bunt in Cleveland. At the moment, he is undoubtedly one of the best position players in the majors.<br />
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As a Seattle fan, I have a unique perspective on the Texas slugger. As some of you may know, Beltre is a former Mariner. He signed a huge contract in 2005 after finishing second in National League MVP voting with the Dodgers. Seen by most as a budding superstar, Beltre disappointed us all by hitting only .266 and slumping in every other statistical category. He was then re-energized in 2010 by signing with the Red Sox and spending a year in hitter-friendly Fenway Park. Now at the age of 33 he has regained almost all of his former luster and is a standout in the heart of the Ranger batting order.<br />
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With every screaming line drive off his bat or exhibition of defensive mastery at third, I feel a set of conflicting emotions towards Adrian Beltre. I am very happy that an entertaining player and overall great person was able to defy conventional wisdom and raise his level of play after turning 30. With his excellent glovework and trademark ferocious swing, he is a human highlight reel who can singlehandedly make a baseball game more fun to watch.<br />
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On the other hand, I am incredibly frustrated that he was not able to produce at this level wearing the colors of my team. Many statisticians and metrics experts point to an unfavorable home park to explain his five year downturn. While I accept that Safeco Field is very much a pitcher's haven, something tells me this is not the whole story. The Adrian Beltre saga fits well with an underlying inferiority complex felt by Seattle sports fans. There exists a sentiment within many of us that, try as we may, a championship will be forever outside our grasp. For example, in my lifetime I have witnessed a 116-win Mariner squad fail to beat the Yankees in the playoffs, a Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl effort undone by highly questionable refereeing, a Rose Bowl-winning Washington Huskies football team suffer through a series of horrible coaching hires en route to a 0-12 season, and a Huskies basketball team fail to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament even once, despite playing in three Sweet Sixteen games and once earning a 1-seed. On top of all that, our only professional team with a championship, the Seattle SuperSonics, relocated to Oklahoma City and has since made the NBA Finals.<br />
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As bleak as the Seattle sports scene has been, the entirety of the Adrian Beltre story can actually provide us with some hope for the future. Written off by some as a contract-year fluke, Beltre proved critics wrong and regained his All-Star caliber play. A year ago he was an out away from his first World Series title and will again be in position to win one this season. Maybe the lesson here is that after years and years of disappointment, a hardworking player, or a steadfast city, can finally find success. After all, the Mariners have a scrappy young squad that has quietly played very good baseball in the second half, Pete Carroll's Seahawks and Steve Sarkisian's Huskies seem primed to take the next step in the NFC and PAC-12 respectively, and Lorenzo Romar just signed a long term contract extension with Washington's basketball team. There are even rumors that we will acquire an NBA team with the construction of our new arena.<br />
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Above everything else, I wish Adrian Beltre the best. I hope he has a productive and illustrious remainder to his career (except against my Mariners of course). His tale speaks to players and teams everywhere that for one reason or another have been counted out. As a fan of a city who is perennially on the outside looking in, Adrian Beltre's career renaissance serves as the vindication that we as fans hope to receive for our perseverance and unwavering support.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games watched:</span> 23<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Games to go:</span> 7<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score:</span> 37<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span> B, A simple no frills stadium with modest views of downtown Cleveland and a well laid out scoreboard. The best takeaway was the center field Hall of Fame area enshrining former Indians greats. <br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere:</span> B-, Apathetic fans seemed to stick around not for the potential Cleveland comeback, but instead for the post-game fireworks show.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Concessions:</span> B+, Reasonably priced ballpark food coupled with excellent desserts made for a good overall fare. Beer selection was broad but lacking in higher quality options.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Quote of the Day:</span> "When I saw you holding a sign I thought it would be something stupid, but that's actually really cool" words of support from a passing Indians fan after reading our 30 in 38 poster.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span> After striking out for the third time that evening, Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz splintered his bat by slamming it on the plate in frustration. He was immediately thrown out of the game by the home plate umpire. Without even a word of protest, Cruz trudged back to the dugout as if he simply wanted the rest of the night off.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Total Miles Traveled:</span> 11,126 miles<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Miles to Next Game:</span> 1,240 miles (Mets @ Marlins, September 2, 1:10 pm)<br />
Click "Read more" for photos from the day <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Center field Hall of Fame</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Progressive Field</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ubaldo Jimenez</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleveland Skyline</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Concourse</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left field scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian Kinsler at bat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun loving third baseman</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-game fireworks</td></tr>
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<br />Owen Witekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05832570795755076091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-83311459207575050062012-09-02T00:14:00.001-07:002012-09-02T05:00:40.905-07:00Game 22: Loonies and Toonies from North of the Border<span style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Part One </span><i>(Written by Craig)</i><br />
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After a grueling 19-hour drive, we arrived safe and sound in Toronto, Canada. Every time I have heard someone talk about a road trip across the United States, they have been talking about driving from coast to coast: New York to Los Angeles; Washington D.C. to Seattle, Washington; or even Miami to San Diego. In each of those cases, much of the discoveries or realizations about America have comes from juxtaposing a city on the coast to a small town in middle America. The biggest contrast in culture comes not from comparing where you start to where you finish, but rather from contrasting the journey itself to its endpoints.<br />
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We certainly got a taste of what that is like earlier in our adventure, but to me by far the most striking cross-country trip has been the vertical one. Consider our timeline from the past few days:<br />
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Around noon on Monday, we were staring at mountains in Juarez less than two miles away on the south side of the Mexican border en route to the Rangers game in Arlington. Three hours later, we ate a late lunch at Angelo's BBQ surrounded by deer heads, moose heads, antelope antlers, and even a full alligator skin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game 22; all of us looking a little weary after the grueling drive</td></tr>
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By 9 pm on Tuesday, we were in Houston singing our second rendition of "Deep in the Heart of Texas."<br />
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At 8pm on Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri, I had just finished my last full meal before leaving the country: a platter of BBQ Fries topped with shredded pork and an ungodly amount of savory Kansas City original BBQ sauce.<br />
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Less than 24 hours later, I found myself paying for an artisan hamburger made with 100% grass-fed beef with a five-dollar bill and a toonie at the Rodgers Centre in Toronto, a three-hour drive north of the border.<br />
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Perhaps it was the immediacy of the changes, but while the East-West road trip drastically changed my perception of the geography in America and how it changed across states, the South-North trip revealed something much more telling about how the attitudes of people change.<br />
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In Houston, a middle-aged women scoffed at being on the "Kiss Cam," but after a pause permitted her husband to kiss her hand; In Toronto, Ace, the Blue Jays mascot, wears the equivalent of mascot skinny jeans and, <a href="http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/fan_forum/ace.jsp" target="_blank">according to the Blue Jays website</a>, his mom "works in the fashion biz as a Goose down supplier." That the culture surrounding the game had changed was not nearly as surprising as the way these cultural differences impacted how fans interacted with the game itself.<br />
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Perhaps it was because fans in the last few stadiums we have attended were so passive in their support, but the vivacity with which Canadians displayed their national pride was startling. In what seemed like an extreme effort to demonstrate that baseball is not just an American sport, the centerfield scoreboard profiled (I believe) every native Canadian in the Blue Jays minor league system and updated everyone who arrived to the ballpark early on their stats. Impressively, the Blue Jays' decision as an organization to embrace its Canadian heritage rather than be just a distant extention of America's pastime seems to be working quite well. Though the game was by no means a sellout, the fans who did attend were some of the most animated we've seen. When both national anthems were played, the Star-Spangled Banner was observed respectively, much as anywhere else we have been, but the Canadian anthem was belted loudly and proudly seemingly by everyone in the stadium.<br />
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Whereas the vast majority of games we have seen in the US were much a passive experience where fans could sit back and simply watch the game, the experience in Toronto was much more of an involved social event. This social aspect meant two things: first, even though fans cheered more loudly and far more frequently than at any other game, the focus was ultimately on the experience than the game itself, and it was perhaps this latter aspect that contributed the experience that Jeff and Damon describe in part two.<br />
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On an unrelated note, after seeing our fourth Rays game, I have to say that Fernando Rodney could well easily be the nicest, most fan-friendly player in the Majors. After having a relatively substantive conversation with him at the Rangers game in Texas about Samana, his hometown in the Dominican Republic (where I lived abroad for a few months), he threw me a batting practice ball. In Toronto, I sought his out again, and this time he supplemented the conversation (much less substantive this time, but he did remember me from Texas) with an autograph.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Part Two</span></b> <i>(written by Jeff, with help from Damon)</i><br />
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Before this trip began, we wanted to know how many people travel to all thirty major league baseball stadiums in one summer. We knew it was rare, but did not know how rare. From our research, we confirmed that it happens, that it is done by more than a few people per season, but not much more than that. (We also found that while others had done it in 38 days, nobody that we could find had done the full trip, driving and seeing every game, in fewer days than that.) One of the things that we wondered was whether we would hear about anybody else doing it this year, or would cross paths with an individual or group at one of the games, who either had done it before, or was also in the midst of it. We discussed the remote chance that this could happen, and left it at that.</div>
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Then, on Thursday night, as Damon and Owen discussed the ballparks we've seen in the elevator at the Rogers Centre before the game, a third man in the elevator looked up at them, but didn't say anything. They kept talking. When the door opened for them to get out, the man finally said, "Are you going to all thirty major league ballparks?" When they said yes, he responded, "Get out of here, so am I!"</div>
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It turned out that Tim, who started his trip in April, was indeed the person we wondered if we would ever meet. Toronto was game 25 of his 30 game tour, which he was completing over the course of the season (the major difference: he has a job, so he was doing the tour in stretches, partially flying, partially driving). Tim and Damon quickly exchanged information, and talked a bit more, letting him know where our seats would be so that perhaps we could talk during or after the game.</div>
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Two or three hours later, Damon and I were sitting in our section high up behind home plate in the sixth inning (Craig and Owen had decided to go watch from the Rogers Centre hotel room), when Tim showed up, re-greeted Damon, and introduced himself to me. For the final three innings of the game, we just talked.</div>
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We talked about our favorite ballparks, our favorite players, the difficulty of scheduling a trip of this magnitude, the best moments we saw, the things to check out at other ballparks, and everything else that we could think of. The conversation was so much fun because we haven't been able to discuss our trip in the manner in which we discussed it with him with anybody outside of our group. This trip had previously always been the focus of discussion with other fans because of its distinctiveness. With him, it was our common ground, and the rest was the distinction, and that is what made it so fun. We got to ask how he planned his trip to Coors Field, since it is in the middle of nowhere, which stadium he had just visited, and where he was headed to next. We got to ask where he sat at each stadium, recalling where we had sat just days or weeks earlier and compare our experiences. And we got to tell stories of the people we met along the way. Perhaps most importantly, we got to talk about chasing our baseball dream. About how, if you're willing to put in the work to make it happen, you can. And if you do, how it's all worth it, both for the experiences that you are guaranteed to have, and the ones you discover along the way.</div>
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As we head into the final stretch of our journey, we wish him the best in completing his.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Games Watched:</span></b> 22<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Game to Go:</b></span> 8<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Thuuz Score:</span></b> 32<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span></b> During the game we remarked that the Rogers Centre must have been incredible 20 years ago. Much like the rest of Toronto's infrastructure, however, the stadium could use a face lift. Given the retractable roof, which in addition to providing natural light allows great views of the city — Toronto's Space Needle towers over the stadium — the Blue Jays could replace the current AstroTurf field in favor of a new grass, or faux grass field.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Atmosphere: </span></b>There was a decent-sized crowd on hand for the game, which we noticed was full of young people and young women in particular. Both genders were dressed to impress and we guessed that the Blue Jays game was something of a pre-game — imagine the irony! — for the late night crowd, which we discovered later that night on a round-about trip to Tim Horton's. Canadians, it seems, know how to throw down. Unsurprisingly, the crowd took on a festive atmosphere — not dissimilar from Taco Tuesday in San Diego — with many cheers from the crowd, if not all at the correct times.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Scoreboard:</span></b> By far the most modern aspect of the stadium is its scoreboard, which is among the best around. The placement (above centerfield), picture quality and layout are all top notch, but there could have been far more highlights for our liking.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Concessions:</span></b> Jeff had a good turkey burger with diced tomatoes and what looked like cole slaw and hummus and Craig had a great 100% grass-fed burger, two things offered by very few other stadiums while Damon and Owen both had chicken tenders which were surprisingly good. We're trying to give the Rogers Centre props for being the only stadium to serve alcohol to Jeff, but whatever good came from that was erased by their souvenir cups which were decidedly lame.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Quote of the Day: </span></b>"Get out of here, so am I!" -Tim, upon hearing Owen and Damon confirm that we are also traveling to all 30 Major League Baseball Stadiums. Possibly the coolest thing we've heard on this trip.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award: </span></b>This one goes to Carlos Villanueva, the starting pitcher for the Blue Jays, who struck out six consecutive batters, starting with Jose Lobaton in the bottom of the second inning and finished with Evan Longoria in the fourth. Villanueva finished the game with just seven total strikeouts and six of them — four short of Tom Seaver's all time record, if you were wondering — happened in a span of six at bats. Yup, baseball is a weird game.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Kilometers Traveled:</span></b> 17329 km<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Kilometers to Next Game:</span></b> 473 km<br />
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Damon, Jeff and Tim after the game.</div>
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The blue bars in each row provided a nice resting spot for our weary limbs.</div>
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The view of our hotel room, with the 30 in 38 sign in the window, from our seats above home plate.</div>
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The aforementioned scoreboard.</div>
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A panoramic shot of the stadium with the roof open.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Owen in our room, an incredible view of the stadium in the background.</span></td></tr>
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Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-55713724415883003682012-09-01T00:45:00.001-07:002012-09-07T09:41:51.720-07:00Game 21: Middle of a Long Drive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320829107" target="_blank">Royals 1, Tigers 0</a><br />
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Wednesday morning, we woke up just north of Houston, deep in the heart of Texas, with the rocky deserts of the American southwest finally passing into our rearview mirror. Thursday afternoon, we would be arriving at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, some 1,700 miles northeast of Houston. In the midst of this one-and-a-half day test of our collective driving endurance, we had a game to watch at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. </div>
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Driving with smartphones and constant cell phone service means you often lose a sense of where you are at any given moment. Want to get from Houston to Kansas City? Say the words "Kauffman Stadium" to your cell phone and follow a series of simple directions, and there you will be, many hours later. Thus, Kansas City felt like a moment of settlement within the great moving abyss that was the drive from Houston to Toronto. Here are three little unrelated stories/thoughts from the game:</div>
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-Ten minutes before first pitch, when the other three guys were up getting food, an older couple behind me asked me if I knew the capacity of Kauffman Stadium, as they were trying to estimate. I guessed 35,000 (turned out to be 38,000), and told them it was my first time at the park, and we talked for a minute before I was explaining the road trip to them, giving the short-form introduction we have given to many over the past four weeks. The couple, who were from North Carolina, wanted to know how we knew each other, so I told them that we "go to college together in Vermont." Immediately, she replied, "Do you go to Middlebury?" Surprised, I told her that indeed we did, and she said she thought so. Turns out she had no connections to Middlebury (although she had done some work in the world of academia in her area), but had just pinned me down as a Middlebury student. Pretty cool, considering most people we talk to have never heard of it. </div>
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-In one of the early innings, there was a very close 5-4-3 double play turned against Austin Jackson, where we thought that he might have been safe, but the first base umpire called him out. The unusual part was that a replay of the play was shown on the Kansas City jumbotron. One thing we noticed immediately about baseball stadiums is that none of them play the video of close plays. Whether it is a called third strike or a diving catch that could have hit the ground, or a play at first, they never show it. One can understand their reasoning: the MLB likely does not want to give more fuel to the fire of booing umpires for every close call, they do not want umpires to see the replays during the games, and they do not want managers to see the calls in time to come out and argue. Yet for fans, it is incredibly disappointing, and is one of the drawbacks of watching a game in person versus on television. So it was nice to at least see one close play, and as fans, we hope they find a creative solution to the dilemma so that more replays can be shown. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwGBCemws9XYVRV81615EFt6s6d0RudXFWv5QQVlMf9V2lR5lLhVgWn5m0wxs9ImmbKvw2Yxur7WbejvG2g5p2_vqNn8zAou69B-fQrJ3n9yboWgLu6YOBkSCTbGWTzxdmW8k3WE6scCg/s1600/P1020744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwGBCemws9XYVRV81615EFt6s6d0RudXFWv5QQVlMf9V2lR5lLhVgWn5m0wxs9ImmbKvw2Yxur7WbejvG2g5p2_vqNn8zAou69B-fQrJ3n9yboWgLu6YOBkSCTbGWTzxdmW8k3WE6scCg/s320/P1020744.JPG" width="320" /></a>-Kansas City is home to the Negro League Hall of Fame, and my favorite thing about Kauffman was the presence of a recognition and admiration for the Negro Leagues, which showed itself in several forms. Though we missed the introduction to the first pitch, it was thrown by an old black man wearing a Kansas City Monarchs jersey, who it seemed had at least some historical connection to the team. Throughout the game, I saw multiple people wearing Kansas City Monarchs hats and jerseys. At the team store, they sold Negro League hats, not only of the Kansas City Monarchs, but also the Homestead Grays and the Indianapolis Clowns (Damon and I bought two, see right). It was great to see, and unlike any other ballpark thus far. I took a course at Middlebury on the Negro Leagues, and many of my all-time favorite baseball stories and players came from the Negro Leagues (among just those three teams mentioned above were Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Hank Aaron). There are few moments in baseball history I would rather relive than a game featuring some of those greats. I feel that in baseball fandom today, the Negro Leagues are not given their fair share of inclusion into our view of history. For example, when you hear about the best team of all time, why are the 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords, who boasted Gibson, Paige, Cool Papa Bell, Judy Johnson, and manyt lesser-known studs, never put in the discussion? The same goes for questions about the bests-of-all-time, where so many great players forgotten because they were in the wrong league. (For those wondering, by the way, the Negro Leaguers got to play the Major Leaguers in the off-seasons for many years, outside of league play, and the teams of Negro League players proved time and again that they could keep up with the teams of Major League players.) The Negro Leagues were an integral part of baseball history, and I would love to see more recognition of that fact, so I appreciated that it was there in Kansas City. <br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games watched: </span>21</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Games to go: </span>9</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score: </span>63</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Concessions: </span>Great barbeque fries and beef brisket sandwich. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;">New experience of the day: </span>We decided to try to scalp tickets to see what it was like, and did pretty well, getting four tickets, usually priced at $30 each, for $80 total. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Stadium: </span>My favorite thing about Kauffman stadium was that there was not a bad seat in the house, They designed the upper deck so that it would remain close to the field, and would taper as it went down the baselines, essentially eliminating the nosebleed seat. They did this without sacrificing too much capacity, as mentioned above. No other stadium has as few places where it would be hard to watch a game. Aside from that design aspect, we also really liked the water fountains across the outfield, and the appearance of the stadium in general. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Southern trend:</span> During one of the inning breaks, the whole stadium joined in the seemingly traditional singing of the Garth Brooks song, 'Friends in Low Places.' It was the third stadium in a row, after Texas and Houston, where they had their own trademark song to define the ballpark experience. </div>
<span style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere:</span> The most notable part of the fan atmosphere was the friendliness that you could sense from discussions with strangers to reactions from the crowd, to the overall positive mood that was obvious when walking through the concourses. <br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span> At one point on a ground ball hit to first base, Prince Fielder bobbled the ball and hesitated, just barely beating Royals batter Mike Moustakas to the bag. As he touched the bag, his momentum carried him into Moustakas, and they collided, bringing each other down--all 490 combined pounds. For a second, there was tension, as it had looked more like a football tackle than an inadvertant collision, but before you knew it, they were hugging and helping each other up. Nice to see.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Quote of the Day: </span>"We got to see a one-zip game, you caught a foul ball, life is good." -A father to his son as they left the game.</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Miles Traveled:</span> 9,830</div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Miles to next game: </span>1,001 miles (Rays @ Blue Jays, August 30, 7:10pm)</div>
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Click "Read more" for pictures</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The outfield fountains</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoreboard, topped with a crown</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outfield fireworks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon holding up our sign</td></tr>
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Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-42346885771945679082012-08-31T08:47:00.002-07:002012-08-31T20:45:28.665-07:00Game 20: Friendly Confines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320828118" target="_blank">Giants 3, Astros 2 </a><br />
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As we walked around the concourses in Minute Maid Park we noticed that the stadium's supporting columns were adorned with life-size images of current Astros players. While many Major League teams use different areas of the stadium to promote their own,and often their very best players, what was remarkable about Houston's choice of decor was how few of the players we recognized. This invariably led to a game of "can you name that Astro?" which quickly became — ok, always was — an uncouth celebration of the team's insignificance. This, a sparse crowd littered with Giants fans, and our desire to see Matt Cain throw a no-hitter meant that we were altogether too harsh on the Astros in the early going.<br />
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Around the 3rd inning we took advantage of the empty seats all around us to relocate from the nosebleed seats above the left field line to the upper deck behind home plate. Shortly after we arrived in our new seats, two fans sitting in the row behind us engaged us in conversation about our trip. The best part of these discussions, which we have at nearly every game, is our chance to pick the brains of fans of every team and get their perspective on their team, their stadium, the owner, etc. In this case the fans we spoke with were named Herb and Armando, two longtime Astros fans who had been with the team through the best of times and the worst of times. Talking with them reminded me of one of the countless reasons why we love sports — the feeling that, no matter how bad it is now, things can always get better.<br />
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The Houston Astros are the worst team in baseball right now and it's not even close. Not only are they headed towards a 100-plus loss season, but their minor league system is also void of any true talent. Needless to say, the organization has fallen on hard times. And yet, Astros fans have much to look forward to. The team was sold last year and the new owners agreed, as part of the purchase, to move the Astros from the NL Central to the AL West to balance the number of teams in each division and each league. In addition to the move, the Astros will also be changing their uniforms and logos — something that has worked wonders for the Orioles this year — though the team has not yet unveiled the new, or old school look, I hope, of the future. The success of both the Orioles and Rays speaks to the effectiveness of the uniform overhaul.<br />
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Joking aside, however, Astros fans can take solace in Minute Maid Park and the great people who work there. At no other stadium have we received as warm a welcome as we did in Houston. Halfway through the game Robert, a member of the Astros' PR department, walked over to our seats and welcomed us to Minute Maid Park and asked us about our trip. He would return to our seats three more times and handed each of us personalized first visit certificates. In between Robert's visits, Jason, an usher, would come over to talk to us and attempt to convince us that Minute Maid Park should be the number one stadium on our list of rankings. Though Minute Maid will not pass Wrigley or some of our other favorite stadiums, it has the friendliest staff of any park we've visited and their hospitality and generosity enhanced our viewing experience. So thank you, Jason and Robert.<br />
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<b style="color: orange;">Games Watched: </b>20<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Games to Go: </b>10<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Thuuz Score: </b></span>93<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Stadium: </b></span>Minute Maid Park is a quirky place, both good and bad. The park does some things really well: the wall and ceiling above and behind right field stretching into center is made totally out of glass, leading to a lot of natural light flooding the stadium; the right field wall is made out of white brick, which recalls the stone used in the old Yankee Stadium. Other things, however, are designed poorly — namely the hill in centerfield and the placement of the American flag, the pole of which is actually in play.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Fan Atmosphere: </b></span>This was by far the smallest crowd of any game we've attended, but it's hard to blame them. To their credit, though, the fans that were engaged in the game and stuck around to the very end.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Concessions: </b></span>The stadium offered a variety of different food options, including a "healthier" Turkey burger, nachos and barbecue. The food was not exceptional, but it was safely in the top half offered at the stadiums we've attended so far.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Quote of the Day: </b></span>"You two be politicians, you read my mind, and you tell me how much money I can't make." -An usher from last night's game upon hearing that Owen and I are political science majors, Jeff is a philosophy major (which we think she mistaked for psychology) and Craig is a math major.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><br />Tim Kurkjian Award: </b></span>I could try to explain this play with words, but I think it's much better done visually. Take a look:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Miles Traveled: </b></span>9032<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Miles to Go: </b></span>745 (Rays @ Royals, August 29th, 7:05 pm)Damon Hathewayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11325688386543839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-51938293055654748462012-08-29T05:12:00.001-07:002012-08-29T05:27:12.953-07:00Game 19: Texas Forever<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320827113&teams=tampa-bay-rays-vs-texas-rangers" target="_blank">Rangers 6, Rays 5</a><br />
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As discussed <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-11-arguing-our-way-westward.html" target="_blank">here</a>, there is little that all four of us easily agree on. We debate everything from sports to politics to music to food and more. However, one thing we do all agree on is that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758745/" target="_blank">Friday Night Lights</a> is one of the best television shows of all time. If you are unfamiliar with the show (shame on you), it chronicles the struggles and triumphs of high school football coach Eric Taylor and his wife Tammy in the football-crazed West Texas town of Dillon. Beyond being just a masterpiece of modern television, the show paints a particular picture of life in the Lone Star State. Despite all of the area's problems (the show pulls no punches in that regard), the vast majority of the characters love Texas with a passion that goes beyond normal regional pride. There is something about this part of the country that causes its inhabitants to wholeheartedly believe that they live in the best place on earth. As we rolled across the New Mexico-Texas boarder, we expected this sentiment to be on display in full force.<br />
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A taste of Texas in FNL </div>
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I must confess that I slept through a lot of West Texas. We've had a long few days and I needed some rest. From what my fellow travelers told me, it came and went much in the way we expected. The landscape was full of old water towers, oil wells, and cattle ranches. I got my first taste of the atmosphere when we stopped for lunch in Angelo's Barbecue. The exterior of the wood structure was plain and could just as easily been found in a Wild West film as downtown Fort Worth. The interior practically oozed Texas. Various Lone Star memorabilia coated the walls and hunting trophies were lined up all over the place. For those of you who have seen the show, I practically expected Buddy Garrity to be chowing down on the beef brisket at the next table. The fare was excellent by the way for anyone planning a trip through the area.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lone Star Flags in Center</td></tr>
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The Texas love continued when we arrived at Rangers Ballpark. The outside of the stadium is covered in red, white, and blue banners and carvings depicting the state's historical events. Inside the stadium we quickly noticed how prominently the Texas flag was flown. Not only was the flag displayed at the same height as the American flag, there were at least ten of them flapping out in center field. To top it all off, we enjoyed a rousing rendition of "Deep in the Heart of Texas" in the middle of the 5th inning. This was the first time all trip where the entire crowd was united in a song other than "Take Me Out to the Ballgame". The culture in Texas is unlike anywhere else we have visited and attending a baseball game in Arlington is a great way to experience it.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games watched: </span>19<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Games to go: </span>11<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score:</span> 65<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span> B+, A interesting closed design that combines some old school looks with new architecture and technology. Scoreboard in right field is huge, as is everything in Texas. Upper deck seats are very far from home plate.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere:</span> B, We hoped for a better turnout for a nationally televised game between two playoff contenders, but the fans that were there did a decent job supporting the stadium's constant assertion that Ranger fans were the loudest in the major leagues.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Concessions: </span>B-, The food selection was basic ballpark food at average prices and the beer selection suffered greatly in comparison to the West coast stadiums.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Quote of the Day: </span>"Sports communicate a code, a language of the emotions, and a tourist who skips the stadiums will not recoup his losses at Lincoln Center and Grant's Tomb." This quote is from literary critic and fellow sports traveler Wilfrid Sheed as quoted in The New York Times.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stat of the Day: </span>David Price threw nine pitches to the first seven Ranger hitters, and gave up two runs. Texas's strategy of first-pitch fastball hitting was quite obvious.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span> In the second inning, the Rangers had four hits on four pitches, two home runs and two singles. Their lineup is very very dangerous.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total Miles Traveled: </span>8,775<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles to Next Game:</span> 257 (Giants @ Astros, August 28, 7:05 PM)<br />
Click "Read more" for photos from the day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angelo's finest</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shadows over Ranger Stadium</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Monday Night Baseball Crew</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6gcISg9QiLrMV9n6W11NQxIQVp0sFd5uOK8x_tlT8SHWZRE3Vw4M3S6Kf6DlcA5y2XIY13wOEevuK-6TYIGkwV2vSUR8UGEc6wEu3JkPU9GmU0Yq5dMQGovRuwRytNo-OEQUxwip4Mo/s1600/P1020592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6gcISg9QiLrMV9n6W11NQxIQVp0sFd5uOK8x_tlT8SHWZRE3Vw4M3S6Kf6DlcA5y2XIY13wOEevuK-6TYIGkwV2vSUR8UGEc6wEu3JkPU9GmU0Yq5dMQGovRuwRytNo-OEQUxwip4Mo/s400/P1020592.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Kirkjian, friend of the blog</td></tr>
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Owen Witekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05832570795755076091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-12689223199872132652012-08-27T06:32:00.001-07:002012-08-28T00:41:55.757-07:00Game 18: Getting a Little Help from Our Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320825129" target="_blank">Padres 9, Diamondbacks 3</a><br />
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Three remarkable events happened yesterday in our "30 in 38 World," and from our perspective Justin Upton's inside-the-park home run was easily the least memorable. And that is definitely saying something, considering it was not only the first inside-the-parker any of us had ever seen in person, but also likely clinched a victory for Damon in our prop bets (he bet everything on it happening).<br />
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The first event came in response to the first serious car issue we have faced since the trip began, which was particularly scary given the hot, empty desert we traverse between Phoenix and Dallas. Ironically, the issue (our front bumper was nastily dislodged and ripped by a fire hydrant) happened while pulling in to a Jiffy Lube in Tempe for a car check up. Since it was Saturday and already the early afternoon, finding a place to repair the bump in time for us to drive east into New Mexico that night after the game (or even by Sunday) was impossible. For about two hours, we feared that some delay to our trip was inevitable, and
that at best continuing may not have been safe. Serendipitously, however, we
happened to be staying with the family of Eric Chalmers, one of Owen’s friends,
whose dad, Seth, spent the entire afternoon securing, mending, and reinforcing
the bumper to the point of being even sturdier that it was before the
debacle began. Given that the game time temperature was easily over 100 degrees, we can only surmise that in the early afternoon thermometers read closer to 110. Definitely an act I will never forget.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcS3FLbokj2RaasE9Nee1WArifsfFPqfSp42XvGerUEA-Y1lXgLNYmBnkRGf12jRHsReju44lNiWDp9AqHJSGr4KN_ci2jlWWXPVf4oR9E6M3rBFru0h8AIPxXW7xrr8stIQ4rCb13EM/s1600/P1020359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcS3FLbokj2RaasE9Nee1WArifsfFPqfSp42XvGerUEA-Y1lXgLNYmBnkRGf12jRHsReju44lNiWDp9AqHJSGr4KN_ci2jlWWXPVf4oR9E6M3rBFru0h8AIPxXW7xrr8stIQ4rCb13EM/s320/P1020359.JPG" width="320" /></a>Then we got to the game. Much like Petco Park in San Diego, I felt that Chase Field had
everything right. It will never have the sense of history that permeates
through Wrigley Field, but especially for a one-time visit, Chase Field was a truly unique
and interesting experience. For starters, this game was the first we attended
under a closed roof. The field, which was built in 1998, was the first
retractable-roof stadium built in the United States, and yet everything about
the stadium still appears very much state of the art. Even at 5pm, the
temperature outside was 105 degrees, hence we were pretty pleased to be in a climate-controlled
environment. Within this environment, we had the pleasure and excitement of seeing Justin Upton slam a ball over Cameron Maybin's head in center field, which took an oddly strong bounce off the wall to give Upton just enough time to sprint all the way around the bases.<br />
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Right as the game ended, however, we had an encounter that not only topped anything else that happened today, but also in a sense vindicated the mission of the entire trip. To understand the sheer improbability, and therefore the awesome incredibility of the encounter, I need to provide some background info. Way back on August 7th, when we were driving from Pittsburgh to Detroit after the Pirates-Diamondbacks game the evening before, we passed a car (in Ohio) with Arizona license plates and a Diamondbacks rear bumper sticker. Somehow, this prompted the only debate we have had about whether there would be anyone else in the world to see the same games we saw: the Pirates game in Pittsburgh on the sixth and the Phillies-Diamondbacks game in Philadelphia on the fourth. Despite knowing full well that this argument could never possibly be solved, we arrived at the conclusion that while someone else could feasibly have gone to those two games (albeit incredibly unlikely), there was no way that anyone would have seen those two games on that Saturday and Monday and missed the D-Backs game on Sunday, as we did, since in all likelihood the hypothetical fan who would attend both games would be a D-Backs fan.<br />
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Flash forward to shortly after the Padres closed out a 9-3 victory over those very Diamondbacks in Arizona, when we noticed two people sitting in front of us staring at our 30 in 38 poster. At first we assumed that Michelle and Drew, the two fans with whom we spoke, were ordinary Diamondbacks fans out to see the game. In fact, Michelle is a die-hard fan who shares our passion for exploring the variety of Major League stadiums. Having heard great things about PNC Park in Pittsburgh, she decided to fly to the Pennsylvania with her son to see the Diamondbacks play in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh earlier this month.<br />
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"You weren't in Pittsburgh on August 6th, were you?" I asked Michelle, excitedly.<br />
"Yes! I remember because Wade Miley was pitching, and we got his autograph in Philadelphia two days earlier when Joe Saunders was pitching," she responded<br />
"So you saw Saunders pitch against Halladay on the fourth?!"<br />
"Yep!!"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff, Craig, Michelle, Damon, Owen</td></tr>
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I was incredulous. First of all, it was amazing to meet someone at the ballpark who not only shared our passion for traveling to see as many stadiums in as many cities as possible, but also had taken the initiative to actually travel to parks they wanted to see. To meet someone who did some of that traveling at the same time we were was even more amazing. The fact that she had not only seen the same three Diamondbacks games as we had, and that we had debated the possibility of someone else attending those exact games made this encounter absolutely absurd. Absurdly awesome. By far the most amazing interaction we have had with anyone at the ballpark, and the highlight of my trip.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Games Watched:</span></b> 18<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Games to Go:</span></b> 12<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Thuuz Score:</span></b> 40<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span></b> A-; I think that always watching a game in a closed environment could easily get repetitive, and as I said above, the Diamondbacks basically did everything right, given their location in the startlingly hot Arizona desert-climate. I was also amazed at how state-of-the-art it seemed, especially relative to other stadiums built in more recent years like Miller Park, Comerica Park, and U.S. Cellular Field.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Concessions:</span></b> B+; the food was by and large quite good, and there was plenty of variety, as we sampled food from Panda Express, the Grille, and a gluten-free food kiosk. It was tough the not be on the West Coast anymore from a beer standpoint, though, as the quality and quantity of microbrews greatly diminished.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span></b> Justin Upton's inside-the-park home run, which ended the Diamondbacks' 19-inning scoreless drought in games we say them play.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Total Miles Traveled:</span></b> 7,712<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Miles to Next Game:</span></b> 1,063 (Rays @ Rangers, August 27 7:10 PM)<br />
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Click "Read More" for Photos:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Legends Race; Mark Grace literally never wins</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panda Express at the game</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Justin Upton</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI6sMkiWRvL0rf7vRNyXuzuUfmu6DtwHX4jDWidqNm-fxeta2gCKZDwpeIZmuRJLmvmQXoxcdNJ8HT972th6YZea-keHkxquMv3hIqJHYWODjRdbaLZAojobHOC6K3VrFPdAwIpofxvo/s1600/P1020400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaI6sMkiWRvL0rf7vRNyXuzuUfmu6DtwHX4jDWidqNm-fxeta2gCKZDwpeIZmuRJLmvmQXoxcdNJ8HT972th6YZea-keHkxquMv3hIqJHYWODjRdbaLZAojobHOC6K3VrFPdAwIpofxvo/s320/P1020400.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon and Craig with Michelle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOAd2D3DaLloyyLy9egCHSycAz7_H7kpP3hulqhOTqFXEfSQ5Y1qV12Vd-F-RKDPC_EZoawfTDAw7cSty9c_uWYkhCTMBAjpLbXYD-suWAvu0b5GHdY_yF7qAPvUKMyKTLl9g44TXXCs/s1600/P1020279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOAd2D3DaLloyyLy9egCHSycAz7_H7kpP3hulqhOTqFXEfSQ5Y1qV12Vd-F-RKDPC_EZoawfTDAw7cSty9c_uWYkhCTMBAjpLbXYD-suWAvu0b5GHdY_yF7qAPvUKMyKTLl9g44TXXCs/s320/P1020279.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detour through the Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen staring into the Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2eh6nGnPePW7BbC9bt1mXXlr3E40crI_9olde89njVtnz9K2uUuL9Jdt6xgKzyWB0Z41vuHvTY5xO73dO23on8K0OEYi51qzOCYtMkzaBFtSoKsfopq4u1TK3zZmz7QfUOwKTHAGMhc/s1600/P1020281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2eh6nGnPePW7BbC9bt1mXXlr3E40crI_9olde89njVtnz9K2uUuL9Jdt6xgKzyWB0Z41vuHvTY5xO73dO23on8K0OEYi51qzOCYtMkzaBFtSoKsfopq4u1TK3zZmz7QfUOwKTHAGMhc/s320/P1020281.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot of the Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY1hvqki5hkwQqe6bxJXLhnnlResYS8lBbYf_YdGZmRWr3G_qSl_I4hpG-YgrQoZeu5sdF8VejApT86NXOxwTTx89mXcUvYZK3GNCnEm7EHD9klYI0fgraeW8l0kKEC5xkoNKx7OtfrI/s1600/P1020282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY1hvqki5hkwQqe6bxJXLhnnlResYS8lBbYf_YdGZmRWr3G_qSl_I4hpG-YgrQoZeu5sdF8VejApT86NXOxwTTx89mXcUvYZK3GNCnEm7EHD9klYI0fgraeW8l0kKEC5xkoNKx7OtfrI/s320/P1020282.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a third</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmO24IqWCq1sjUO-NE-KMYMPIqp90twSLdYM5s1Je_9e7UoSLuWq3w7L1jy8CTpZiaJ1X64TQ3puBN1G_yjVYMPVpymVSfdYDjiFu3XJhyHxr-zVXz5whdREgYikARpr7YBUjY3VW_uVE/s1600/P1020343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmO24IqWCq1sjUO-NE-KMYMPIqp90twSLdYM5s1Je_9e7UoSLuWq3w7L1jy8CTpZiaJ1X64TQ3puBN1G_yjVYMPVpymVSfdYDjiFu3XJhyHxr-zVXz5whdREgYikARpr7YBUjY3VW_uVE/s320/P1020343.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the Ballpark</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhA1Tv-aKCMtivlTgwYZlJcXimMY2f_uRvMV-f9XWqiUL5tpiGOR3zwebMseB7pj2Ccm14hWkx-dQevcAna7PG6kGwfUCoJTm6MXy57HeHRbz-N0SuTqhlEWOETNIqjRrzTSDavkw7KNk/s1600/aP1020261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhA1Tv-aKCMtivlTgwYZlJcXimMY2f_uRvMV-f9XWqiUL5tpiGOR3zwebMseB7pj2Ccm14hWkx-dQevcAna7PG6kGwfUCoJTm6MXy57HeHRbz-N0SuTqhlEWOETNIqjRrzTSDavkw7KNk/s400/aP1020261.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elk at Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTM8AluilQBdliB6vB9AEjoe_W8Zh29LtAgF3tRDCCu-_tc9ZNnxOsmneGFkmrL1diBxqW8gYH81fZCBmKzILWIpihi74AonxJFwOsWccBWCdq73zCMJOVubtZClIoWMZzJwlq43PauM/s1600/aP1020265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTM8AluilQBdliB6vB9AEjoe_W8Zh29LtAgF3tRDCCu-_tc9ZNnxOsmneGFkmrL1diBxqW8gYH81fZCBmKzILWIpihi74AonxJFwOsWccBWCdq73zCMJOVubtZClIoWMZzJwlq43PauM/s400/aP1020265.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMxOnO9Aox4FsyBxlCZ7XTsiTIK_2uAV-8cC1BkDJ_j-noaIeuVyfEN01lRff9vSoIAtOrdbRaHqblNixjM3u9LmLHL9fPB6ffhcJmH7qWoNOIuMPDIqLPS39ApdlAzYF-2vCz6UuHys/s1600/aP1020267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMxOnO9Aox4FsyBxlCZ7XTsiTIK_2uAV-8cC1BkDJ_j-noaIeuVyfEN01lRff9vSoIAtOrdbRaHqblNixjM3u9LmLHL9fPB6ffhcJmH7qWoNOIuMPDIqLPS39ApdlAzYF-2vCz6UuHys/s400/aP1020267.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UVOViGpvS2cTIVFOMGOnVkb6wRKAGzq-sr3nWdD8HTS0OX2m-SkMLAno3pdgCtMK7d78vTVQX1KS9SjM0PxyL4x0w1AZrx4HzKaabqifbmKKy9_iQhDlUdyq-BHmfpB8I3xLtCJdMRs/s1600/aP1020285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UVOViGpvS2cTIVFOMGOnVkb6wRKAGzq-sr3nWdD8HTS0OX2m-SkMLAno3pdgCtMK7d78vTVQX1KS9SjM0PxyL4x0w1AZrx4HzKaabqifbmKKy9_iQhDlUdyq-BHmfpB8I3xLtCJdMRs/s400/aP1020285.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLXOK4Ev7pWYDF5OpIx5nUZ76jI512K06GIVy2J5qMhlxTa9vzL7a_H7oSak3y2mYv-7VM93aDtDYVS4O0KzjlJgBt8SVxiffa1e51o4kVYPTvlqR5vr_Xum2kVI58NGlb_UHFVBrUlM/s1600/aP1020292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLXOK4Ev7pWYDF5OpIx5nUZ76jI512K06GIVy2J5qMhlxTa9vzL7a_H7oSak3y2mYv-7VM93aDtDYVS4O0KzjlJgBt8SVxiffa1e51o4kVYPTvlqR5vr_Xum2kVI58NGlb_UHFVBrUlM/s400/aP1020292.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQ1_nAgDWtNkb7ndPg_sZlxcabD2D8JkHyBwBko4zlKX4c4FG7gK6j52PGC23DmnRINmI3m7Nz7KxPBnvqljnLDP87BEX-yq4KQoeXILX7o7ce61bKmkvqq21U6TQqZ8PcaeskVFCvXw/s1600/aP1020301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQ1_nAgDWtNkb7ndPg_sZlxcabD2D8JkHyBwBko4zlKX4c4FG7gK6j52PGC23DmnRINmI3m7Nz7KxPBnvqljnLDP87BEX-yq4KQoeXILX7o7ce61bKmkvqq21U6TQqZ8PcaeskVFCvXw/s400/aP1020301.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Canyon</td></tr>
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<div>
<br /></div>
Craig Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656049237576351933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-90813824917795840352012-08-26T04:03:00.003-07:002012-08-26T19:36:40.531-07:00Game 17: A Walk-Off Win on Taco Tuesday<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWzHdq5AjKarcQjzLAyBoj0pj-utAJfRqX5ERCwqNtnMBZtXmHZ20cjgOWOY9hVKwbSerzCKxpfRNJC55CeZ5Btk3ysKNDL1sLNzp9_42brCjBBtj6Cw_H2h7gekPOFP25_Mcsn4vLDok/s1600/PadsWalkoff30in38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWzHdq5AjKarcQjzLAyBoj0pj-utAJfRqX5ERCwqNtnMBZtXmHZ20cjgOWOY9hVKwbSerzCKxpfRNJC55CeZ5Btk3ysKNDL1sLNzp9_42brCjBBtj6Cw_H2h7gekPOFP25_Mcsn4vLDok/s640/PadsWalkoff30in38.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320821125&teams=pittsburgh-pirates-vs-san-diego-padres" target="_blank">Pirates 5, Padres 7</a></div>
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Baseball is a hard-to-predict game. As Jeff <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-16-focus.html">wrote</a> in his last post, good matchups aren't necessarily a strong indicator of good baseball. Starting pitchers play a significant role in determining how interesting a game will be, but even then there are few guarantees. Luckily for us, the Dodgers-Giants game lived up to its hype.</div>
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But the difficulty of knowing how interesting or entertaining a game will be is just another example of the many differences between baseball and other major American sports. In baseball, the premium placed on individual achievement and the sport's relative single game parity — there are no "upsets" during the regular season because the best teams lose 60-plus times a year and the worst teams win 60-plus times a year<sup><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7279352974359053631#1">1</a></sup> — means that your Wednesday afternoon game between two last place teams might be more entertaining than the Sunday Night Baseball game featuring the league's best teams. When Felix Hernandez throws a perfect game or Aaron Hill hits for the cycle twice in a week, the rest of baseball looks on, regardless of how important that game was or what we thought of the teams beforehand.</div>
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All of this is to say that it was foolish of me to believe, as I did, that we were in for a snoozer at Petco Park on Wednesday night in San Diego. First, however, I would be remiss not to mention how much I enjoyed the Padres' stadium. Petco, which opened in 2004, is as well done as any of the other new stadiums. The structure is sand-colored, which, coupled with the wide, open concourses filled with the aromas of all sorts of different foods creates a light, airy environment. The feel of the stadium, the quality of the food and the great views from the stands make Petco one of the best places to see a game. </div>
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And the game itself! There have been more impressive performances, undoubtedly, but it's hard to say that any other contest was more enjoyable than the game Wednesday night. AJ Burnett, who pitched for the Pirates and who has been enjoying something of a career renaissance, was far from his best. Burnett surrendered 17 baserunners, allowing 12 hits while walking five, but continually made just enough pitches to stay in the game. One out into the seventh inning, Burnett was finally pulled, but only after stranding an astonishing 10 runners. When it was all said and done, the teams combined to strand 22 total runners. </div>
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With runners here, there and everywhere, the game took on a festive atmosphere, though this was probably because we were in San Diego, where tacos turn Tuesday from an ordinary day sandwiched between Monday and Wednesday into a reason to party. </div>
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As the game progressed, each baserunner took on a little more significance and the crowd focused its collective energy on the game. When Burnett was finally removed the game was tied, though not for long as Chris Denofria drove a runner in with a sacrifice fly to regain the lead for the Padres. The home team scored once more in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a two-run lead into the top of the ninth inning.</div>
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With a runner on base, Garrett Jones stepped to the plate as the potential tying run having already homered once in the game. Sure enough he deposited a ball over the center field wall — the only hitter-friendly part of the ball park — to tie the game. </div>
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The game appeared to be headed for extras, but with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, consecutive hits gave the Padres runners on second and third. With the Pirates outfield playing in, Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera hit a moon shot to deep center field that hung up in the air just long enough for Andrew McCutchen to make a running catch on the warning track to send the game into extra innings.</div>
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The drama certainly didn't end there though. After the Pirates failed to score in the top half of the tenth inning, San Diego made Taco Tuesday a little more exciting. Will Venable singled to lead of the inning and then stole second. The next 90 feet were considerably more relaxed, however, as Chase Headley crushed a 3-2 pitch over the right field wall for the walk-off win. </div>
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The ensuing party at home plate was echoed throughout San Diego, where life became just a little better on Taco Tuesday. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7279352974359053631" name="1">1 </a></b>This is actually a pretty interesting dichotomy. In the NFL people use parity to discuss the relative equality of success between teams on a yearly basis. In a given year, however, there will be an NFL team that wins two games or fewer — it has happened eight times since 2008 and in every season since 2003. And though the NFL has a reputation for big upsets, in many cases, the idea of Any Given Sunday doesn't ring true. In Major League Baseball, meanwhile, parity exists on a game-by-game basis. When you consider that the best regular season team of all time lost 46 times in a single season and the worst team of all time still won 40 games (or 24.7% of the games they played that season) you come to the conclusion that parity exists in both leagues, but in remarkably different ways. <sup><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7279352974359053631#top1">↩</a></sup></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><b style="color: orange;">Games Watched: </b>17</span></div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Games to Go: </b>13</div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Thuuz Score: </b>100</div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Stadium:</b> Petco is a really well put together park. Jeff and I walked around the entirety of the park and were continually impressed with how many fun and interesting displays there were. At one end of the stadium there's a pitching cage with a turf mound and a radar. (I had my Dennis Quaid in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265662/" target="_blank">The Rookie</a> moment, hitting 69 mph on the gun before hanging it up). There were also areas dedicated to the history of the military in San Diego as well as the history of baseball in the city. The view from the seats was also tremendous. From the upper deck behind home plate we looked out over "The Park at The Park" — the grassy area in centerfield, which actually extends all the way into the city, making Petco the first (and only stadium to our knowledge) that is open to the city. </div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Concessions: </b>Petco boasts probably the best food of any ballpark we've visited. On the lower levels, every concession stand/restaurant is different and is highlighted by the emphasis on local cuisine. The fish tacos were particularly good, but there was all kinds of good food. There was also a beer stand that advertised pretty much any kind of beer you could want — Craig approved.</div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Scoreboard: </b>Petco also has one of the best scoreboards around. The screen is very large, organizes the necessary information in a clean, concise manner while also providing some great facts about each player — did you know, for example, that Carlos Quentin was on the same high school basketball team as both Mark Pryor and Luke Walton?</div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</b> In the ninth inning, Garrett Jones homered to tie the game and send it into extra innings. The ball cleared the center field wall, hopped into the Padres bullpen and nestled itself in the sweatshirt pocket of a Padres reliever.</div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Quote of the Day: </b>"I've seen vendors who have made better calls than that!" -Me, yelling after a vendor publicly, and proudly, expressed his dismay at a call made by home plate umpire Joe West.</div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Total Miles Traveled: </b>7,350</div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Miles to Next Game: </b>355 (Padres @ Diamondbacks, August 25, 5:10 PM)</div>
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Petco provides a great view of downtown San Diego.</div>
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Beyond the center field wall lies "the Park in the Park" which extends all the way back into the city, making Petco the only truly open stadium we have visited. </div>
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The view from the other side of park which looks over the harbor. </div>
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Another look into the ocean/harbor which is spanned by an iconic bridge.</div>
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Damon Hathewayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11325688386543839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-39085848477370499932012-08-23T05:06:00.003-07:002012-08-25T02:42:55.706-07:00Game 16: Focus<a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320820119" target="_blank">Giants 2, Dodgers 1</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Dodgers Stadium we saw two of the best pitchers in baseball, Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw</td></tr>
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Watching a different baseball game in a different city so often can make it difficult to fully engage yourself in every game. Sometimes you just watch, but don't necessarily think. You let the game play out in front of you, but feel that it is somewhat distant, that you do not appreciate it like you would a game of your own team's. This is not to say you aren't interested, or that you are at all bored; just that while baseball is a joy to watch without the extra enrichment, you do sometimes notice the difference of context.<br />
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Other times, you get pulled into the action without even trying. You care too much about the performance being played out on the field to notice the conversation going on next to you or the rumble in your stomach. Such was the case for me at Dodgers Stadium Tuesday night. I believe there were four main factors that contributed to making the Dodgers-Giants game the most engaging of the trip for me.<br />
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The first factor was the one I knew would influence me going into the game: it was between two of the league's fiercest rivals, and involved a very tight division race. Both the Dodgers and the Giants are title contenders this season, and they share a storied rivalry, from their days across boroughs in New York City, to the recent headlines of fan altercations and beatings. The then half-game separating the two teams in the NL West, as well as the new playoff rules establishing the importance of a division title over a wild card, added to the importance of the matchup. We knew heading into the trip that this might be our most high-caliber game. The baseball world had its eyes on this series, for obvious reasons. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbxeLDeqUCwNTU7U1OspHP5u-zyoeeEg7T9lgZGx9W_56Xs5G7DNIk9r-LenrYVLKFCSn5jhK1U92KOOGztr3wnTC-wXV2CuNw4KaLJosI48A1X0uwqhRVUN9Er3gflPFpA6TJ4dbxA-i/s1600/P1020160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNbxeLDeqUCwNTU7U1OspHP5u-zyoeeEg7T9lgZGx9W_56Xs5G7DNIk9r-LenrYVLKFCSn5jhK1U92KOOGztr3wnTC-wXV2CuNw4KaLJosI48A1X0uwqhRVUN9Er3gflPFpA6TJ4dbxA-i/s320/P1020160.JPG" width="320" /></a>Yet it was certainly more than the context that made this game standout so much to me. Plenty of hyped-up games can turn into bores. Not this one. From the first pitch, you could tell these teams were dialed in, as both pitchers brought their A games. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers lefty, and one of the top ten pitchers in the league, was working his usual stuff: a plus fastball and a deadly curve, with twenty miles per hour separating the two. In eight innings pitched, the only well-hit ball against Kershaw was Angel Pagan's lead-off double. After that, he was lights out. The catcher was hardly moving his mitt for Kershaw, and the Giants batters could not keep up: two runs scored, ten strikeouts, in eight innings. Kershaw even went a perfect 2-2 from the plate, and added a gritty diving catch (see below). It was an amazing performance. Yet he was out-dueled by the Giants 23-year-old star, Madison Bumgarner, who made one less mistake than him, pitching eight shutout innings and allowing only four men to reach base, all on singles. Bumgarner was simply in command, never losing control of an at-bat or even a pitch. He struck out ten as well, and lowered his ERA to 2.83. Watching these two pitchers go at it, it was clear that they could feel the pressure, that they knew these were the games they were paid to win single-handedly. As a fan, to see two competitors step up for a game like Kershaw and Bumgarner did was an absolute treat. They were enough to keep me in my seat for as long as they could go. <br />
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There was an atmosheric factor in play in my immersion as well: the fans came out in droves for the game. On my walk through the gates I picked up a few conversations going on around me, picking up a one keyword that described both the import of the game and the feeling at the stadium: playoffs. The fans were there because their Dodgers were in a playoff race, not because they wanted to play scoreboard games or take their kids to a concourse-playground, like at many games we have attended. Their minds were on the game. They cheered, booed, gasped, and sighed with every turn in the game. The energy was palpable, and contagious.<br />
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Finally, the stadium itself was conducive to the big game atmosphere. It holds 56,000 fans, more than any other major league ballpark, and the seats are packed in, keeping the fans close to the action. The concourses are simple, and don't take attention away from the game. Perhaps the most important factor, though, was the location of the stadium, in a little quiet valley north of the city. The hills that form the backdrop behind the outfield have no inhabitants, and so, when darkness sets in, there is nothing to be seen outside the stadium. Somehow, in the second biggest city in the nation, the organization has managed to create isolation. It makes it feel like the Dodgers game is the only thing going on in the world. In a game like this, that is just the way it should feel. <br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games watched: </span>16<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Games to go: </span>14<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score: </span>44<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stadium: </span>There was a lot of divergence within the group on Dodger Stadium. It is not new, and the coloring is a little strange (light blue and yellow), which could be a reason for disliking it. Personally, though, I loved it. It is simple, minimizes the advertisements, and feels unique. The location is also great, with beautiful views of nearby hills and distant mountains before the darkness sets in. <br />
<span style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere:</span> Very good, as noted above. Few left early (though still a notable amount), and everybody was tuned in to the game. <br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Food and Drink:</span> Best pretzel of the trip award goes to Wetzel's Pretzels (no relation). Beer was pretty basic. <br />
<span style="color: orange;">Scoreboard:</span> The Dodgers showed really cool highlight reels from the team's history throughout the game, and also had the best in-game facts of any team thus far. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpx_pP1iKbmDmodWEFBB2ewVxD0mVzNjebRl419rMtTUqwIu-hd941uAoGyorpi9j6v_lEEYiGPwbhWuOs9zwElN-K6rGz2jeIT4iRzwxQtPNq7Z9NURGynbmJ1BnJI250QodTGRUL7Yy-/s1600/P1020151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpx_pP1iKbmDmodWEFBB2ewVxD0mVzNjebRl419rMtTUqwIu-hd941uAoGyorpi9j6v_lEEYiGPwbhWuOs9zwElN-K6rGz2jeIT4iRzwxQtPNq7Z9NURGynbmJ1BnJI250QodTGRUL7Yy-/s200/P1020151.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="color: orange;">Play of the game:</span> In addition to his gem on the mound and his producing of half the Dodger's total offense against Bumgarner, Clayton Kershaw also turned in a brilliant defensive play, dashing twenty feet away from the mound and laying out to catch a pop-up bunt before it hit the ground. <br />
<span style="color: orange;">Total Miles Traveled:</span> 7,240<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles to next game:</span> 110 (Pirates @ Padres, August 21, 7:05pm)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFCXFKJVwWgeke0J5eCpDJKhj_hEHhnJ1qHOl7ZFOxAgzt1QM_-KKmPwYX-UnuvPB5KHED5nYa76Oh-iYzykQBOsRGVpL_VtWUMPdF6zdmx_3DZUWRwvStFLHfv5pCwgRNXrTj9cyImzx/s1600/P1020123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFCXFKJVwWgeke0J5eCpDJKhj_hEHhnJ1qHOl7ZFOxAgzt1QM_-KKmPwYX-UnuvPB5KHED5nYa76Oh-iYzykQBOsRGVpL_VtWUMPdF6zdmx_3DZUWRwvStFLHfv5pCwgRNXrTj9cyImzx/s400/P1020123.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the seats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibn5cJX_WF8XzYKc4LMzDgj9WkPevvfviI3MeHwMWe7243LdMIbJp1-jb34T2uYF_CgTVUekoum28HgVsm_GCMLR8eMeY7Rt3eYXMGzuWv02ucnO-oFv2ZVADOsnFgdpS7bLZs0ElDqsL_/s1600/P1020141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibn5cJX_WF8XzYKc4LMzDgj9WkPevvfviI3MeHwMWe7243LdMIbJp1-jb34T2uYF_CgTVUekoum28HgVsm_GCMLR8eMeY7Rt3eYXMGzuWv02ucnO-oFv2ZVADOsnFgdpS7bLZs0ElDqsL_/s400/P1020141.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Massive bleachers (pre-game)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4xaR7p-5PzXeJca1a-HRoxnUVeF2khZ8sTY0GdyVadJcrYFMxcP7Vvv0SW2nYVo-uNBQy57td8JWg2M1jFPQ-mLKi3iMHG5YB7QABTU-Q1lgGhqnz70JsIFF0Zq3wY1YyJXWv6z3Wqzq/s1600/P1020132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4xaR7p-5PzXeJca1a-HRoxnUVeF2khZ8sTY0GdyVadJcrYFMxcP7Vvv0SW2nYVo-uNBQy57td8JWg2M1jFPQ-mLKi3iMHG5YB7QABTU-Q1lgGhqnz70JsIFF0Zq3wY1YyJXWv6z3Wqzq/s400/P1020132.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved the look of the center field flags</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4sIiDnkCjS5ADKuSg444nHGIwzl9lQvy-Io8u4d_jgCIj_VNprnnIJ3cpc3iK73ytbwHvqEIcwM1Qtp3aw3LfzSdEwj-s9VLOa2lthjDt1TOJnX6ZgFLCCwKF13vfjFZ15a0Zwlyylp2/s1600/P1020156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4sIiDnkCjS5ADKuSg444nHGIwzl9lQvy-Io8u4d_jgCIj_VNprnnIJ3cpc3iK73ytbwHvqEIcwM1Qtp3aw3LfzSdEwj-s9VLOa2lthjDt1TOJnX6ZgFLCCwKF13vfjFZ15a0Zwlyylp2/s400/P1020156.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vin Scully, the legendary voice of the Dodgers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3P3z2jh-9VIkT69NFInnHzs9iw4xxb0VJ9N2-W5azyx5vJjcQpSnic7kQTEci7is-FfD-v5D4JPp-fOHqi1Zj3i1EdVny3n8cqASi2fNrI8qKQySmldFWwuJwwymOYPeHU19VnxkyZqVt/s1600/P1020157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3P3z2jh-9VIkT69NFInnHzs9iw4xxb0VJ9N2-W5azyx5vJjcQpSnic7kQTEci7is-FfD-v5D4JPp-fOHqi1Zj3i1EdVny3n8cqASi2fNrI8qKQySmldFWwuJwwymOYPeHU19VnxkyZqVt/s400/P1020157.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kershaw</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD45SGRVMRM6tmaHCiVs1XxE-XDBIvhCuvZ_1x96S33T5ZIsEjBpbOgqZwBDmVIkoH0ZvfXbMjPuXDrZh71Mo-9PyXStg2SGNcrrS6u4O6QYLt7UjaR_YI3HEQjYhtuFyYz3ddvcGADkZ/s1600/P1020165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD45SGRVMRM6tmaHCiVs1XxE-XDBIvhCuvZ_1x96S33T5ZIsEjBpbOgqZwBDmVIkoH0ZvfXbMjPuXDrZh71Mo-9PyXStg2SGNcrrS6u4O6QYLt7UjaR_YI3HEQjYhtuFyYz3ddvcGADkZ/s400/P1020165.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right field scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvT0m6jdqTNzd7OPsQqZPdD6tTNcSVHdOVFJpY0ODMyXKr19PelMKIrgf0EFXhyphenhyphennBYwpqAx3qTCPER9J7PmjvicGq3KgViBlvMEx-LCYgM9esgg5moLG6qUakPtq6vD3LOxSOhDtERF0z/s1600/P1020185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvT0m6jdqTNzd7OPsQqZPdD6tTNcSVHdOVFJpY0ODMyXKr19PelMKIrgf0EFXhyphenhyphennBYwpqAx3qTCPER9J7PmjvicGq3KgViBlvMEx-LCYgM9esgg5moLG6qUakPtq6vD3LOxSOhDtERF0z/s400/P1020185.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The packed house</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHnhTIVQTb7rCLTKjIufBPrGHViNfvUGzJlU35G8hAm6ZcWZbFfLmKONXHxHFw4mvqHHX3QiPe627CFNWfPZFIsw4ECa2co8t2mOAXrIjJvibIJHF5J5oidkpQiI1lApXFfgD2hmkISc4/s1600/P1020171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHnhTIVQTb7rCLTKjIufBPrGHViNfvUGzJlU35G8hAm6ZcWZbFfLmKONXHxHFw4mvqHHX3QiPe627CFNWfPZFIsw4ECa2co8t2mOAXrIjJvibIJHF5J5oidkpQiI1lApXFfgD2hmkISc4/s400/P1020171.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olympic gold medalist Misty-May Traenor</td></tr>
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<br />Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-8095746279767361832012-08-22T19:32:00.000-07:002012-09-01T12:09:53.416-07:00A Week with the Boys of Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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-</style><i><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Thanks so much to Anna G. Stevens for guest writing this post. Anna joined us for a leg of the trip, from Chicago to Seattle, and we loved having her join in on the experience. </span></i></div>
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I have been told numerous times that reverse culture shock is significantly more intense than the culture shock one experiences when going to a foreign country. Therefore when I told people that straight upon my arrival in America I was to join my boyfriend Damon and his three friends on a leg of their journey to watch a game at all thirty major league baseball stadiums, I was greeted with reactions of bewilderment. My lack of experience as a sports fan paired with the amount of time I would be spending in a cramped car, trying to get over jet lag and participate in something I had minimal prior knowledge about further compounded the skepticism I was met with. Returning home to America would not be like returning home at all. I was certainly out of my league.<br />
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I can attribute a five-month absence from Damon to the reason behind why I wanted to fly to the Windy City and to a sport I knew nothing about—yup I had missed Damon a lot. But, my motives for asking if I could come along did not just stem from my need to see Damon. Befriending Damon, and then subsequently Craig, Owen and Jeff, meant being introduced to a world that was so foreign to me. Two years ago I knew little about the sports world and had no idea there was even a fantasy one. I didn't understand how sports could be so important—so consuming—that people would remove themselves from their immediate environment, so that they could witness "an important game" or "an important draft." Furthermore it seemed to me that there was "an important game" every three days. How was this possible? I wanted to be on this trip because I wanted to try to understand why and how these guys felt so passionately about this sport—passionate enough to dedicate thirty-eight days to it. I wanted to have first hand experience ant not just live through Damon's commentary. Fortunately, becoming the fifth road-tripper on the 30 in 38 tour changed my perspective, albeit differently than expected and only for baseball, on the accessibility to sports and the culture that comes along with it.<br />
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The first stadium I visited in the 30 in 38 tour was Wrigley Field and it was here my interest in baseball started to blossom. The rusted stadium supports, the simplicity of the scoreboard, the hard metal seats and the peanuts, crackerjacks and beer in plastic cups supported in preconceived notions about the baseball experience. To gear up for my immersion back into America I had spent the last week of my semester abroad in Germany watching old baseball classics: Bull Durham, The Sandlot, Angels in the Outfield, Fever Pitch and Field of Dreams. These movies filled my head with images of old baseball fields, rickety bleachers and plain clothes men walking about, a large box on their heads, selling concessions; I came to assume that this was what baseball was like. Wrigley Field exemplified this authentic baseball experience, or at least what I perceived to be the authentic baseball experience. I could not have been happier. Although I was slightly disappointed to learn that Wrigley Field is an anomaly to baseball stadiums, just knowing that this field existed gave me reassurance that my baseball beliefs had some merit to them. Each game I attended I grew less interested in the experience as a fan and more curious about the sport. I asked questions—what does it mean to throw a no hitter?—I ate hotdogs, hell I even stood up and cheered on my own accord. Welcome back to America.<br />
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I did not like the film Field of Dreams when I watched it. I found the acting mediocre to bad, the storyline confusing and the feasibility of it ridiculous. Seriously, why would someone mow down his cornfields to build a baseball field simply because he was hearing voices? When I found out that we were to spend our day off driving many hours to nowheresville Dyersville, Iowa to visit the location where the 1989 classic had been filmed I was super indifferent and believed it would be a waste of time. However, as we drove down the gravel driveway and saw the small, iconic field next to the white farmhouse my cynicism was replaced by understanding. I felt as if, unlike Shoeless Joe Jackson, Archie "Moonlight" Graham and other players in the film, I was transported back into time as opposed to into the future. For me, the importance of the Field of Dreams lay not in the fact that it was used in a Hollywood film, but rather that it evoked nostalgia for the past while making me appreciate my present. I could feel the presence of others who had been there before, the believers and the non-believers who, like me, had that minds changed about America's favorite pastime. I watched Jeff, Damon, Owen and Craig play catch and I understood the truth behind Terence Mann's favorite quote:<br />
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"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh...people will come Ray. People will most definitely come."<br />
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Being a part of the 30 in 38 baseball tour has changed my opinion about sports, most specifically baseball, and about my own country in unintended ways. I would say that I did encounter reverse culture shock, but in a very positive way. I discovered the thrill and excitement of going to a sporting event and feeling as if I was a part of it. Outside of high school Nordic skiing and crew races, I have never felt that before. As I stood and watching the American flag blow, while singing along to the National Anthem and looking out onto the Rocky Mountains in Denver or McCovey Cove in San Francisco, I was filled with an unfamiliar sensation: a pride for my country I had never before felt. It was amazing to be in such geographically different parts of American and be able to share the same experience with thousands of other people and to think about the thousands who had been there just the day, or week or year before. Watching a baseball game is like watching a movie made of still frames; the players and stadiums may change, but the ebb and flow of the game will remain the same. The excitement.The disappointment. The confusion. The joy.<br />
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I know that in many ways I did not deserve to have ridden along on this journey—I provided little in the way of conversational topics regarding the theme of this trip and I am sure that I paled in comparison to the scores of other sport-enthusiastic friends Damon, Owen, Jeff and Craig have, in recognizing just how <i>cool </i>the whole trip is. But, the beauty of this trip, was that these four guys have made not only their goal—their dreams—attainable, but that they made baseball accessible to me and gave me the opportunity to discover its charm for myself. Over the course of nine days I witnessed a walk-off home run, walked onto the field at AT&T park, saw Barry Bonds, watch an Aurora shooting victim throw the ceremonial first pitch and was able to finally watch a Mariners game at Safeco Field sitting next to my steadfastly-loyal-Mariners-fan boyfriend.<br />
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This formerly unfamiliar world now seems a bit more manageable, and a lot less confusing. In a selfish way I wish I was still along for the adventure, but for now I will sit back and, like hundreds of others, live vicariously through their pictures and blog posts.<br />
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As Ray Kinsella says in Field of Dreams: "It would kill some men to get so close to their dream and not touch it." I am so happy these four are fulfilling their dream and able to take us along for the ride. It's a pretty special thing.</div>
30 in 38http://www.blogger.com/profile/05312258625610547257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-40231883279843144512012-08-22T01:13:00.002-07:002012-08-22T09:49:18.071-07:00Game 15: Rounding Second<div>
<a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320819103" target="_blank">Rays 8, Angels 3</a><br />
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<i>Note: Our blog was recently mentioned by Middlebury grad Spencer Wright on his own blog, and we were very happy to read <a href="http://www.theidleist.com/2/post/2012/08/30-in-38-project.html" target="_blank">what he had to say</a>. Hope you guys check out his <a href="http://www.theidleist.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>. Thanks Spencer!</i><br />
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As the four of us left the Angels game on Monday night, we had successfully completed the first half of our thirty game schedule. In the proverbial baseball diamond that is our trip, the end of the Angels game marked our arrival to second base: halfway from home, and halfway to home; a thirty game slate down to fifteen. In light of that benchmark, I was hoping to provide some of our reflections from the midway point. After the game, we discussed the highlights of the trip. I asked four questions, open to the car, and we each gave an answer. They are shared below. As for the game, it was not too exciting, except for the fact that we saw Albert Pujols and Mike Trout, the best hitter of this generation and the best hitter of the next generation, each hit home runs. More on the game in the rundown below this post. <br />
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: inherit;"><u><b>Who was the most exciting hitter to watch?</b></u></span></div>
<span style="color: orange;">Andrew McCutchen (Craig)- </span>The Pirates superstar and National League MVP favorite McCutchen put on a show for us in Pittsburgh. He energized the crowd, with his bat and his legs, putting up two base hits and creating a run with his aggressiveness on the base paths. His skill level is electrifying in person. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYJa2jScqoIDu3V45JL79Gzy9Ogu4CvHF73uvsHqepDytzZ5ju1PLq9rCxCPVzNdg4TJZ5oKLAhYpdjuiNmmKJRT31M3QUGkAYyXMYbPVENHov1qVWrk03g2h5Gmeud6j2JJv3aKdy6NS/s1600/P1000980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYJa2jScqoIDu3V45JL79Gzy9Ogu4CvHF73uvsHqepDytzZ5ju1PLq9rCxCPVzNdg4TJZ5oKLAhYpdjuiNmmKJRT31M3QUGkAYyXMYbPVENHov1qVWrk03g2h5Gmeud6j2JJv3aKdy6NS/s200/P1000980.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yoenis Cespedes</td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange;">Mike Trout (Owen)- </span>Trout, the best young hitter in baseball, had us on the edge of our seat every at-bat. He delivered with a home run into the right field bleachers, and even his ground-out was exciting because of how fast he looked running down the line. The biggest disappointment of Monday's game was having the final out come with Trout on deck.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Yoenis Cespedes (Damon)- </span>The Cuban outfielder, in his first year in the United States, has the raw power to crush major league pitching. We saw the action the ball gets off his bat multiple times in the two games we watched of his, most notably with his line drive home run to left at the Coliseum.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miguel Cabrera (Jeff)-</span> If Trout does not win American League MVP, it will likely go to Cabrera. He seemed like the best pure hitter we saw play, knocking in three runs with a double and a home run, and doing it all with his beautiful, effortless swing that seems more perfect in person.<br />
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="color: orange;">Who was the most exciting pitcher to watch?</span></u></b></div>
<span style="color: orange;">Aroldis Chapman (Jeff)-</span> The Reds closer, who has been clocked at 105 miles per hour, threw his fastball at about 99 in the game we watched. His status as one of the best arms in baseball was confirmed by his three strikeouts in a perfect 1.1 innings pitched.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXdygKBp_Lwxp6avnsMDVNgfo5iTphbn2einiJULNC3Pov4uieVT5Nxx1qJRSm2GWMLX7kgqcP4fB9xq9tJQIn-gqhnQjjI-6a7E-4MTHQxFmYOZ7AviIoCQ1Y5onV0kIcVKgozhESotz/s1600/P1000942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXdygKBp_Lwxp6avnsMDVNgfo5iTphbn2einiJULNC3Pov4uieVT5Nxx1qJRSm2GWMLX7kgqcP4fB9xq9tJQIn-gqhnQjjI-6a7E-4MTHQxFmYOZ7AviIoCQ1Y5onV0kIcVKgozhESotz/s200/P1000942.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aroldis Chapman</td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange;">Mat Latos (Damon)-</span> Another Red, Latos dominated over seven innings in Milwaukee, allowing one run and striking out eight. He seemed to have the most movement on his pitches, considering the number of swings-and-misses we saw.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">David Price (Craig)- </span>Price led Tampa Bay to the win in Minnesota, and the young ace seemed to have control of the game from beginning to end. His mechanics, as well as his control, movement, and ability to dictate the game with his arsenal of pitches, make his pitching performances special to watch.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stephen Strasburg (Owen)-</span> The Nationals ace did not have his usual fastball control in San Francisco, but he showed why he is considered so great by adjusting and beating hitters with his off-speed stuff, then turning to his fastball selectively (and effectively).<br />
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<b><u><span style="color: orange;">What was the most exciting play to watch?</span></u></b></div>
<span style="color: orange;">Walk-off home run in Chicago (Owen)-</span> Nothing better than a walk-off home run, and that Jordan Danks did it in a game with playoff implications made it that much sweeter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmp1SPEyt9PbpVGyEbSvseUs1DgYd5HAwWCn_osoNp-GUzsxMHUkhvux-l9ubxIbZcFZAhvEGmzJGSfQ9vy1pXoqGowt9EOF5ryO49lBdolJYlnv3Osv_qSL5xOOeopV9XnnjcB5HFnylp/s1600/P1000408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmp1SPEyt9PbpVGyEbSvseUs1DgYd5HAwWCn_osoNp-GUzsxMHUkhvux-l9ubxIbZcFZAhvEGmzJGSfQ9vy1pXoqGowt9EOF5ryO49lBdolJYlnv3Osv_qSL5xOOeopV9XnnjcB5HFnylp/s200/P1000408.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew McCutchen</td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange;">Andrew McCutchen creates a run (Damon)-</span> After a bloop single in the middle of a 0-0 game in Pittsburgh, Andrew McCutchen made a dash for second base when the ball was bobbled. The throw in was mishandled and bounced back toward the outfield, and before it was picked up McCutchen was on third. He then scored on a groundout, giving the Pirates a lead which they would not let up. What stood out about McCutchen was that he knew the team needed a spark, and he willed it to happen.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Russell Martin double in Detroit (Craig)-</span> With the Yankees down three, and Tigers' closer Jose Valverde needing only to strike out .192 hitter Russell Martin to finish the game, Martin doubled home two runs (against all odds), bringing the tying run to the plate. Though the Yankees lost, it added a dose of temporary uncertainty to what appeared to be a done deal of a game.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Aramis Ramirez diving play (Jeff)- </span>With two outs and a man on third late in the game, the Brewers third baseman made a phenomenal full extension catch on a ground ball down the line, then got up and made the throw across the diamond in time to get the hitter, ending the inning, and keeping the Brewers within reach of the game. It was a game they would eventually come back and win, by one run.<br />
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<u><b><span style="color: orange;">What are you most looking forward to in the second half of the trip? </span></b></u></div>
<span style="color: orange;">Going to Marlins Park (Owen)-</span> Marlins Park opened just this year, and it will be the newest stadium we see this trip. It should be interesting to see the state of the stadium-designing world.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Marlins_First_Pitch_at_Marlins_Park,_April_4,_2012_.jpg/300px-Marlins_First_Pitch_at_Marlins_Park,_April_4,_2012_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Marlins_First_Pitch_at_Marlins_Park,_April_4,_2012_.jpg/300px-Marlins_First_Pitch_at_Marlins_Park,_April_4,_2012_.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marlins Park</td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange;">Seeing the Red Sox play (Jeff)-</span> As a Red Sox fan, I have been longing for the last day of the trip, the only time we get to see my team. It's disappointing to not see them play more (we have seen the Mariners and Yankees play twice), but it will make that last game even better.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Staying at the Rogers Centre (Damon)-</span> After an all-night drive from Kansas City to Toronto, we are staying in the hotel built-in to the stadium. The room overlooks the field, an experience unique to Rogers.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Sweet Caroline (Craig)- </span>Since we finish at Fenway, it sets up a special moment in the 8th inning of the final game. With the first 268.5 innings behind us, and 1.5 to go, we will join the Fenway Faithful in their musical tradition, singing Sweet Caroline before the bottom of the 8th, and cherishing our last moments of summer.<br />
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Here's to hoping we have the same luck in the second half as we had in the first. Thanks for reading along so far.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Games watched:</span> 15<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Games to go: </span>15<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Thuuz Score:</span> 29<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span> Angels stadium was a bit disappointing. The waterfall over the rocks in center field is nice, as are the giant helmets outside, but it seems that Angels stadium came just a little too early for the state-of-the-art wave of the 2000s.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Food and Drink:</span> Enjoyed the California hot dogs, the halo dog, and a wide selection of beer. <br />
Fan Atmosphere: We were disappointed with the turnout at the game, which was sub-par. How can you not come out to see Mike Trout during this historical season? <br />
<span style="color: orange;">Scoreboard:</span> Angels Stadium might have had the best scoreboard so far. From the pregame videos, which showed highlights from the team's history, to the highlights of comebacks and great plays throughout the game, Angels Stadium was as good as it gets.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award: </span>With men on first and second, Rays batter Jose Molina walks on a pitch far outside the strike zone. Angels catcher Bobby Wilson steps out to catch the pitch, then throws down to first, attempting to pick off the runner who now has the right to go to second because of the walk. Learn the count, Bobby. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;">Miles traveled:</span> 7,203<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Miles to go: </span>30 (Giants @ Dodgers, August 20, 7:05pm)</div>
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Click "Read more" for more pictures, and for my first half stadium rankings.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Because I am writing the halfway post, I wanted to include a ranking of the first fifteen stadiums. This ranking reflects my gut feeling, a far cry from our more in-depth rankings which have come out previously. I just wanted to give a big picture summary of the relative quality of the ballparks. Bear in mind that every stadium has been impressive.<br />
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<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/games-8-9-chicago-doubleheader.html" target="_blank">1. Wrigley Field</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-4-stadium-of-people.html" target="_blank">2. PNC Park</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-12-california-dreamin.html" target="_blank">3. AT&T Park</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-3-photo-day.html" target="_blank">4. Yankee Stadium</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-10-mauer-power.html" target="_blank">5. Target Field</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-6-six-things.html" target="_blank">6. Miller Park</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-14-every-park-deserves-second.html" target="_blank">7. O.co Coliseum</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-5-volvo-in-motor-city.html" target="_blank">8. Comerica Park</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-1-natitude.html" target="_blank">9. Nationals Park</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-2-brotherly-rivalry.html" target="_blank">10. Citizens Bank Park </a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-7-decade-of-pitcher.html" target="_blank">11. Busch Stadium</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-13-chasing-perfection.html" target="_blank">12. Safeco Field</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-11-arguing-our-way-westward.html" target="_blank">13. Coors Field</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-15-rounding-second.html" target="_blank">14. Angels Stadium</a><br />
<a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/games-8-9-chicago-doubleheader.html" target="_blank">15. U.S. Cellular Field</a><br />
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I know for certain that Craig, Damon, and Owen, if they were to make their own lists, would diverge significantly from mine on certain ballparks. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the stadium, and the huge Angels helmet</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Centerfield, nicest part of the park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef brisket sandwich</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albert Pujols after a home run</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig and his uncle Charlie</td></tr>
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Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-49240332370515553612012-08-21T16:30:00.003-07:002012-08-21T16:30:53.271-07:00Game 14: Every Park Deserves a Second Chance<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320818111&teams=cleveland-indians-vs-oakland-athletics">Athletics 8, Indians 5</a><br /><br />
After finalizing the trip back in the spring, I can remember the four of us having many conversations about our expectations for the journey. One in particular that comes to mind now is our discussion of the ballparks we were most and least looking forward to visiting. The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (now known simply as O.co) was consistently on the latter of those lists. The reasoning was pretty logical: an old stadium that doubles as the Oakland Raiders football field, bland appearance both inside and out, apathetic California fan base. Basically we were visiting it because it was one of the 30, but otherwise none of us would ever make the trek to the East Bay for a game. We should have known better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxvBBna8Haysq1pIO5UvSTMce1rn-HICMw67AiLAorK_k3K4SHsWAAXXDqbOAlzgiCG0YeBDn1qCA2x0iDfeAGF_2gLIoumGWZlSJKF-ZQE_UJMIVDvaUSMzWvFM645WKUtCvk6VtoPU/s1600/P1010986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxvBBna8Haysq1pIO5UvSTMce1rn-HICMw67AiLAorK_k3K4SHsWAAXXDqbOAlzgiCG0YeBDn1qCA2x0iDfeAGF_2gLIoumGWZlSJKF-ZQE_UJMIVDvaUSMzWvFM645WKUtCvk6VtoPU/s200/P1010986.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Coliseum</td></tr>
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Upon arriving in Oakland, we were bound and determined to give the stadium a fair shake despite our perceived flaws. Surprisingly this was easy to do. Qualities that we previously viewed as negative became remarkably charming. The odd shape of the stadium provided us with very interesting perspectives from our second deck seats, the drab concourses and stands focused the fan's attention on the baseball action, much like the highly-ranked Wrigley Field, and the small but passionate group of fans were a pleasant surprise. I left the stadium that day with the sense that like a good book, the Coliseum should not be judged by its cover.<br />
<br />There is also considerably more than meets the eye with the 2012 version of the Oakland Athletics. Inexplicably to most, the A's are deep in contention for one of the two American League Wild Card spots. With a combination of aging veterans (Bartolo Colon, Coco Crisp, Brandon Inge) and exciting youngsters (Jemile Weeks, Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Reddick), this squad sits solidly ahead of teams with more perceived talent like the Anaheim Angels and the Detroit Tigers. While the on-field strategy has changed somewhat, it's easy to see similarities to the bargain-hunting Moneyball system that was made famous in the early 2000s. Situated at his weight bench deep inside the Coliseum, Billy Beane must be pleased with this team.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late night Moneyball</td></tr>
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Speaking of Moneyball, Saturday night's game featured a promotion commemorating Scott Hatteberg's game-winning homerun to cap off Oakland's incredible 20 game winning streak in 2002 that was a prominent moment in the book. As a part of the celebration, the Athletics screened the movie adaptation post-game in the stadium. Since three of us had not yet seen it, we decided to sacrifice some sleep and stick around for the full A's experience. It was almost surreal to be sitting on the center field grass watching film of memorable games played within that very stadium. Definitely an evening I won't soon forget.<br />
<br /><span style="color: orange;">Games watched: </span>14<br /><span style="color: orange;">Games to go:</span> 16<br /><span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score:</span> 18<br />
<span style="color: orange;">Stadium: </span>B+, As I mentioned above, it totally exceeded our expectations. Simple construction focused attention on the game rather than flashy gimmicks. Scoreboard was small, but provided good information and took nothing away from the action.<br /><span style="color: orange;">Fan Atmosphere:</span> B+, Tarps that cover the upper deck seats detract from the overall stadium capacity and bring down attendance figures. The fans that did attend were vocal from the first inning and seemed to have a longstanding devotion to the team as we saw many more old jerseys than other parks.<br /><span style="color: orange;">Concessions:</span> A-, Very good sandwiches and Mexican cuisine. Beer selection was excellent, which has been a theme at all western parks.<br /><span style="color: orange;">Quote of the Day:</span> "I'll bet you 500 dollars he doesn't hit a homerun" An unfortunate quote from yours truly in response to Damon's desire for the Indians' light-hitting utility infielder Brent Lillibridge to make the game interesting with a 9th inning pinch hit homerun. Lillibridge put the next pitch over the 388 sign in left center field to bring Cleveland within three runs of the A's. Luckily for me we did not shake on it.<br /><span style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award:</span> A foul ball hit behind home plate was caught cleanly by a roaming drink vendor just as he emerged from the concourse. Never have I heard a louder applause for a play made in the stands.<br /><span style="color: orange;">Total Miles Traveled:</span> 6,784 miles<br /><span style="color: orange;">Miles to Next Game:</span> 401 miles (Rays @ Angels, August 19, 12:35 pm)<br /><br />Click "Read more" for photos from the day<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqfUrgeIH1WyflAYQJIp95hfvcFYe3VdJzf2ap-qCNhkYQm8hyWPOIpE52q88Vsp6DyBubTyXqAWFh8oxb-EMLCuiN4DsZkbeB4DgAD8QCZ0YAhkYCXH7RNcnWLELPqEqKeReO5Ts_CA/s1600/P1010955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqfUrgeIH1WyflAYQJIp95hfvcFYe3VdJzf2ap-qCNhkYQm8hyWPOIpE52q88Vsp6DyBubTyXqAWFh8oxb-EMLCuiN4DsZkbeB4DgAD8QCZ0YAhkYCXH7RNcnWLELPqEqKeReO5Ts_CA/s400/P1010955.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group pre-game</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ljuTh5vbEnE4AefeKY3qQZkya9uDq5EduHNLrcVgJNKyEHSYhiPXL-3ITOUhW8XzXNsRE2Cjs9R5k7Uc8ke0_wDntnTcvYw1Rfo9hVdtH6Gi9q1tqwrMfNIHiHDE_NYG4fi0pwjAizY/s1600/P1010962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ljuTh5vbEnE4AefeKY3qQZkya9uDq5EduHNLrcVgJNKyEHSYhiPXL-3ITOUhW8XzXNsRE2Cjs9R5k7Uc8ke0_wDntnTcvYw1Rfo9hVdtH6Gi9q1tqwrMfNIHiHDE_NYG4fi0pwjAizY/s400/P1010962.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remembering old A's regulars</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgju4I4DQaG_dJO0BE0RhqS3pSVOolVZcnbUtsWSgrbiLy2tLktlUrNimCejl8xZPrSjS2H5ClDHEB3JXF2L7ZwdLcu5-sEWdomqBYhNxBUZlrdmLSwuzAnOZKgnu3UrcRy4etjU_ZISaE/s1600/P1010966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgju4I4DQaG_dJO0BE0RhqS3pSVOolVZcnbUtsWSgrbiLy2tLktlUrNimCejl8xZPrSjS2H5ClDHEB3JXF2L7ZwdLcu5-sEWdomqBYhNxBUZlrdmLSwuzAnOZKgnu3UrcRy4etjU_ZISaE/s400/P1010966.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roast Beef Sandwich</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCI4VbFHR5wBzTx13ZG4xoPpvOgAe8lPkHNola2XHiFsN-XFPWbVHnqjlO0g-6kPW9so_1O8APT1qsEgZsnCPO3V_qbgQ-nJf9c_hNOa0pV1JlD3rkboRiVPwtUneFy4NolWxIPWDP20/s1600/P1010971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCI4VbFHR5wBzTx13ZG4xoPpvOgAe8lPkHNola2XHiFsN-XFPWbVHnqjlO0g-6kPW9so_1O8APT1qsEgZsnCPO3V_qbgQ-nJf9c_hNOa0pV1JlD3rkboRiVPwtUneFy4NolWxIPWDP20/s400/P1010971.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jemile Weeks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34_-_1OdEi1XgiKLUwerKVHw_LcOzQbuCqgKMDpxIZsPFIe9DJ2kV4nMDtvafpLa_Il5E_QK3kihaJrzTJvixH4ixVtC8WOMmWSvzfQdrDyW1xlLY8tXxnmWo0qIt9bZAaxBJsKA_zyQ/s1600/P1010984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34_-_1OdEi1XgiKLUwerKVHw_LcOzQbuCqgKMDpxIZsPFIe9DJ2kV4nMDtvafpLa_Il5E_QK3kihaJrzTJvixH4ixVtC8WOMmWSvzfQdrDyW1xlLY8tXxnmWo0qIt9bZAaxBJsKA_zyQ/s400/P1010984.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honoring retired stars or covering potential seating?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vAP0fTijFA4D_SkJWpM2pH85Iu4TvuiXtNMIBiWGRmJH2encF4WVB45dYJk7OzdBqRJ3aozX6ZdqbKFL-fozf0RRSQxOikagAQXfFIJz7dH8eBXtWEpcwPUK6MkPDQV16UOvhYtNeY4/s1600/P1010997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vAP0fTijFA4D_SkJWpM2pH85Iu4TvuiXtNMIBiWGRmJH2encF4WVB45dYJk7OzdBqRJ3aozX6ZdqbKFL-fozf0RRSQxOikagAQXfFIJz7dH8eBXtWEpcwPUK6MkPDQV16UOvhYtNeY4/s400/P1010997.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picking a good seat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9oxevRGn6RuY4f-gIrfzE84crESxMo5DGr31gGUM4M0Q_KhxJe1rnZ3l3u15xEtDfl896qjqbpiqvlWIPjFzcO-0NCi2btYoWPTUQXQyZiMJ1d5SoJ8O5Zl9n1yT4oJY1zLwM25sHbk/s1600/P1020001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9oxevRGn6RuY4f-gIrfzE84crESxMo5DGr31gGUM4M0Q_KhxJe1rnZ3l3u15xEtDfl896qjqbpiqvlWIPjFzcO-0NCi2btYoWPTUQXQyZiMJ1d5SoJ8O5Zl9n1yT4oJY1zLwM25sHbk/s400/P1020001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toes on the field</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aea8Ik0Ro2OhKt0P7Ci02CMHp0lcxAYVf-WSH0qCjWkhvygTj8iRexMdt_h8T8i4L9UH3w-I5bdKWcNjlTy5pYMBxSHCmoGSgyVcTn8jo62tYqm_5QAt975_u56AYaVEHWQuwJgptkM/s1600/P1020010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aea8Ik0Ro2OhKt0P7Ci02CMHp0lcxAYVf-WSH0qCjWkhvygTj8iRexMdt_h8T8i4L9UH3w-I5bdKWcNjlTy5pYMBxSHCmoGSgyVcTn8jo62tYqm_5QAt975_u56AYaVEHWQuwJgptkM/s400/P1020010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real Scott Hatteberg addressing the crowd</td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="color: black;"> </span> </span>Owen Witekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05832570795755076091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-45562990205327361432012-08-21T16:30:00.002-07:002012-08-25T01:48:17.449-07:00Game 13: Chasing Perfection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cUv7s6ekcxEsAbroOMEdPN7DTNO_gfEccWVGWQR5K-jvDYi1VbDaSlutwhBYnJVbUykVA7yPOuOz9EOmnMC69dZn2KeyvvT3PTwQSlIgifGRm6ICrCdggqEdMoBmN4Q8HbS1M4SsngbS/s1600/P1010897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cUv7s6ekcxEsAbroOMEdPN7DTNO_gfEccWVGWQR5K-jvDYi1VbDaSlutwhBYnJVbUykVA7yPOuOz9EOmnMC69dZn2KeyvvT3PTwQSlIgifGRm6ICrCdggqEdMoBmN4Q8HbS1M4SsngbS/s640/P1010897.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320817112" target="_blank">Mariners 5, Twins 3</a><br />
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<i>Note: We apologize for the delay on the blog, but we have a series of posts on the way in the next two days. We will be caught up before leaving San Diego. That includes additional pictures to come in the posts being put up tonight. Thank you for your patience, and for following along. </i><br />
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During the middle of the of the Giants game on Wednesday afternoon, Owen sent me a text informing me that Mariners' ace Felix Hernandez was perfect through five innings. I promptly uploaded Twitter on my phone in order to follow Felix's progress.<br />
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Before the trip started, one of the things we discussed was the possibility of just missing a great game by arriving in a certain city a day before or a day after a particularly memorable performance. I figured at some point we would miss a a great pitcher's duel or a big comeback; never did I imagine that we would narrowly miss a perfect game, much less one thrown by Felix Hernandez.<br />
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As the game progressed — my eyes lit up as I learned that Felix struck out the side in the sixth inning and then again in the eighth — my emotions became more and more conflicted. Did I want Felix to throw the perfect game? Of course. But did I also want to see it happen in person, or on TV at the very least? Absolutely.<br />
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Mariners fans have had very little to cheer about over the last decade. Please don't mistake that for a complaint — it's not. As a fan of any team, you should very rarely expect success. There are, in this case, twenty-nine sets of other fans, most of which also won't root for a successful team in a given season or, for some, over the course of a decade. Being a fan of a team — and, as those close to me know, I use the word fan to describe only those very loyal people — is about failure more than it is about success. Those people who expect success, or whose interest or passion is contingent upon the success of their team, are the people who leave a game during the eighth inning or who jump on and off the bandwagon as they please.<br />
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But watching a bad team or a losing team is not an exercise in futility. You watch them play to see them improve (you hope) and to better understand the future of the team. You devote time and resources during even the worst seasons because you know — or you think you know — that the painful seasons will make the best seasons that much sweeter. And above all, you watch them play for the same reason you watch any team play — the hope of seeing something in a game that you have never seen before.<br />
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And so, with Felix just three outs away from completing the twenty-third perfect game in the history of the Major Leagues I stood up out my seat and legged my way up the steps of AT&T Park into the club area above our seats. Immediately I found an usher sitting in a corner watching the televised version of the Giants' game that I had, for the moment, abandoned. I strode over to him and asked, as politely as I could muster, "Excuse me, is it possible to change the channel? There's a perfect game going on in the ninth inning of the Mariners game." To which he replied, in a get-that-weak-shit-out-of-here kind of way, "Come on man, this is the Giants." So much for that.<br />
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I walked the length of the club section, searching in vain for a television that was showing something other than the game that was taking place 30 feet behind me, alternating between watching the televised game in the hope of seeing an in-game update and peeking out to see if the JumboTron might cut to Felix's ninth inning. But in the end, I was relegated to scanning 140-character updates on Twitter, which, of course, chose that time to stop working, to find out if Felix completed the perfect game or not. Ten minutes after I confirmed with Owen that he had indeed, finished the game, AT&T showed the final out on the JumboTron.<br />
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Sitting there, I was elated for Felix but in equal part, selfishly feeling hollow disappointment that I missed his performance.<br />
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Since Felix's third year in the majors — the first year he showed signs of reaching his sky-as-the-limit potential — it seemed like only a matter of time before he would make a run at a no-hitter. In his second start of the 2007 season, he threw seven innings of no-hit baseball against the World Series bound Red Sox. And then, after approaching the brink of throwing a no-no Felix didn't threaten again — until Wednesday.<br />
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Since then I have watched replays of Felix's performance and attended the Mariners' game following his performance, before which the team commemorated his performance. But the hollow feeling in my stomach has remained. At times, it has made me feel almost sick. I wanted to be at his performance; I needed to witness it live on TV at the very least.<br />
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Sports fandom is about proximity through experience. Watching your team lose the last game of the season will always hurt more than reading about it the next day; seeing Dustin Ackley slide head first into third base can never be accurately portrayed through an MLB.com gamecast; and no matter how many times I watch replays Felix's performance, it will never be as special as witnessing it in the moment — sweating out every pitch, calling my dad in between completed innings and above all, feeling the explosion of adrenaline with the final called strike.<br />
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The only guarantee you have as a sports fan is heartbreak. Even the most successful fan bases have had their hearts broken. Twenty-seven World Series is no defense for a Luis Gonzalez broken bat single and for most, one World Series only occurs after twenty-seven of the latter.<br />
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But on Friday night as the sun set over Seattle and the Mariners took the field, I was reminded that despite all the pain and failure, nowhere do I feel more alive, or more connected, than at Safeco Field.<br />
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<b style="color: orange;">Games Watched: </b>15<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Games To Go: </b>15<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Thuuz Score: </b>23<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Stadium: </b>A- Safeco features great views of the Seattle skyline and also boasts a retractable roof in one of the country's rainiest cities.<b style="color: orange;"> </b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Fan Atmosphere: </span>B- While Safeco's neighbor, the stadium formerly known as Quest, boasts the loudest fans in the NFL, Mariner fans are of a meeker sort.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Concessions: </span>B+ Safeco offers a variety of different cuisines and a good, though limited selection, of beers.<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Tim Kurkjian Award: </b>Miguel Olivo entered the game 10-21 lifetime against Twins' starter Nick Blackburn. True to form he lined a 419-foot home run over the left field wall on the first pitch he saw. What came next, however we had never seen before. In Olivo's second and third at bats of the game, Blackburn splintered Olivo's bat.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Miles Traveled: </span>5,975<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Miles to Next Game: </b>809 (Indians @ Athletics, August 18th, 6:05 pm)<br />
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"Read more" for pictures<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvi4ddrbx1NBKAWWkOCF6L_oO5lOBIx0HsDX02yqli1mPpBNUDyt63wizWPQWxMbYu2Nk3u_khov2Y3qYdaQDExj7jhykkFCqIGKbgfx1jkncEa8kVoFju-lWXTgPEKSwYzMyoh16WRX2w/s1600/P1010896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvi4ddrbx1NBKAWWkOCF6L_oO5lOBIx0HsDX02yqli1mPpBNUDyt63wizWPQWxMbYu2Nk3u_khov2Y3qYdaQDExj7jhykkFCqIGKbgfx1jkncEa8kVoFju-lWXTgPEKSwYzMyoh16WRX2w/s400/P1010896.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the seats</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoreboard, Qwest Field in the background</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seattle skyline</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpbvC5NnKGWoSMGeFb3STnT9OQpCLPzYoNaDtlf8E9mfav1apr4e0reggAg8vuP-YXE1vdgQGQ8PA6KYOdV8dk9qTXV0R-9vs9SLjuba8DbWfpjwrTMWCw2WgSRTDxkUl0OqU_YCFBUt5/s1600/P1010906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpbvC5NnKGWoSMGeFb3STnT9OQpCLPzYoNaDtlf8E9mfav1apr4e0reggAg8vuP-YXE1vdgQGQ8PA6KYOdV8dk9qTXV0R-9vs9SLjuba8DbWfpjwrTMWCw2WgSRTDxkUl0OqU_YCFBUt5/s400/P1010906.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the Sound</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0qKK-HJVhj5wYdW__B10N2ALyv_oytkm2dbeXODcxeqvWmPR1m_l2jqKfwGRkFfq9blHkaqnc2450Y2cYmaRxeHULDt2Maa_aYfs-WGT94U-c4MQn7hDXtEM0m_8sNp17_elA8eqyfHl/s1600/P1010915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0qKK-HJVhj5wYdW__B10N2ALyv_oytkm2dbeXODcxeqvWmPR1m_l2jqKfwGRkFfq9blHkaqnc2450Y2cYmaRxeHULDt2Maa_aYfs-WGT94U-c4MQn7hDXtEM0m_8sNp17_elA8eqyfHl/s400/P1010915.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends and family (we had a large Seattle contingent; thanks to all who came!)</td></tr>
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<br />Damon Hathewayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11325688386543839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-34411436389320991552012-08-19T04:55:00.000-07:002012-08-22T09:38:57.671-07:00Game 12: California Dreamin'<a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320815126" target="_blank">Nationals 6, Giants 4 </a><br />
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After leaving Denver at 3am and braving the 20-hour drive through Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California before arriving in San Jose, California the night before the Giants game in San Francisco, we could not have been more excited. Making it to the West Coast marked the one-third mark in our trip and the completion of nearly 5,000 total miles driven, but more importantly, it meant we were about to experience the odds-on favorite for best game of the trip.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRyUimV6vtz-S6RpGsnwLBym9tMSjQgTAE6RRWEqv7Dj8DFYUMN77Bx1x5cgv1HtKfKxFQEhOcW2a2imYrpOSzLrbdYjO6S14QJUJMAHhM6W5dpScPG09CdG3ZXbyFO9OqutaAYREt6A/s1600/P1010593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRyUimV6vtz-S6RpGsnwLBym9tMSjQgTAE6RRWEqv7Dj8DFYUMN77Bx1x5cgv1HtKfKxFQEhOcW2a2imYrpOSzLrbdYjO6S14QJUJMAHhM6W5dpScPG09CdG3ZXbyFO9OqutaAYREt6A/s320/P1010593.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
The major league-leading Washington Nationals were in town to face the Giants, who entered the game tied for first place in the NL West. What's more, the pitching matchup featured former Cy Young-winner and amateur contortionist Tim Lincecum and perhaps the most electric pitcher in baseball today, fireballer Stephen Strasburg. Moreover, at AT&T Park we were treated to so much more than just a marquee matchup between first-place teams; we were also given a guided tour of the stadium, scoreboard room, broadcast room, pre-game field access, and club-level seating.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXMc2wMTJ7sF66XBTj-QZIBClMZ8HqCXpk6G9JkL55OZT7BOTzjT2CvMbMWq4GNNP4lggMePX6yPA_m9n15dJ721Dgj8n03-EMxXaBp5GOcZRkJWECuI9JKeWy2muwCy96fXsUIKpvrM/s1600/P1010724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXMc2wMTJ7sF66XBTj-QZIBClMZ8HqCXpk6G9JkL55OZT7BOTzjT2CvMbMWq4GNNP4lggMePX6yPA_m9n15dJ721Dgj8n03-EMxXaBp5GOcZRkJWECuI9JKeWy2muwCy96fXsUIKpvrM/s320/P1010724.JPG" width="320" /></a>Thanks to the generosity of Damon's uncle, the Project Executive for the construction of the Giants' stadium, and of the Giants organization, we had what was undeniably the highlight of our trip thus far. In many ways, the photos speak for themselves. As with most of this trip however, there are so many intangible features that a still frame can never capture: the openness and genuine interest from Giants fans and employees alike; the sense of vindication and accomplishment we got from seeing the palm trees the sprouted up from behind the Coca-Cola bottle/slide in left field, a sure sign that we had finally arrived on the West Coast, after driving through countless miles of corn fields, mountains, and desert; and the omnipresent (and perfectly-struck) balance between history and modernity that permeated throughout the ballpark.<br />
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We were able to see the Giants' 2010 World Series Trophy, feel a Barry Bonds game-used bat, and examine memorabilia from both Matt Cain's recent perfect game and Willie Mays' heyday when the Giants first moved to San Francisco from the Polo Grounds in New York.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2xOiX108wrzZJciJjb9VC7njANdL94YhmJ8hYz9t6Sg5TvNmohYZq_1mUgEjuHrkKB2mU_RktpjWtn7fqX0_0xIp8uAk_IUCpAiMqQkzudLfSx2egpSh8umfRR2KuioLZ8j58NtS9NQ/s1600/P1010680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2xOiX108wrzZJciJjb9VC7njANdL94YhmJ8hYz9t6Sg5TvNmohYZq_1mUgEjuHrkKB2mU_RktpjWtn7fqX0_0xIp8uAk_IUCpAiMqQkzudLfSx2egpSh8umfRR2KuioLZ8j58NtS9NQ/s200/P1010680.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Shrine to Matt Cain's perfecto</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuXBG_a2y8jn48jOO3rxAg8ltP_DN_TOZ5lAh4RC_bnINZ4vY5kPrWZFkKpcPsKYUGVp2vMwkLo5pF8oUHiy9KQK7p3zbw2MN5iUmaSFJAIXlgA7dqUa5XlqiRJsQ1MX27k1eAhstEbM/s1600/P1010671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuXBG_a2y8jn48jOO3rxAg8ltP_DN_TOZ5lAh4RC_bnINZ4vY5kPrWZFkKpcPsKYUGVp2vMwkLo5pF8oUHiy9KQK7p3zbw2MN5iUmaSFJAIXlgA7dqUa5XlqiRJsQ1MX27k1eAhstEbM/s200/P1010671.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Old game-used bats</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cZyt29Qly1r688ZjSFoJ2DrMycedSscu8cbwe8klxDGZloqf-lpvl1ucVQGKwQ5a3otzS42I5Op2yfwO3Fo60qsWDG9JCHPabRGupwZDrI0DwbupnjcovaBNbzxPGeMz-JEmJk1Jgx8/s1600/P1010768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0cZyt29Qly1r688ZjSFoJ2DrMycedSscu8cbwe8klxDGZloqf-lpvl1ucVQGKwQ5a3otzS42I5Op2yfwO3Fo60qsWDG9JCHPabRGupwZDrI0DwbupnjcovaBNbzxPGeMz-JEmJk1Jgx8/s320/P1010768.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">12 down, 18 to go; wearing our brand-new T-shirts</td></tr>
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To top off the whole experience, Damon's family even designed "30 in 38 Project" T-shirts, which not only looked amazing, but also provoked a record number of conversations with other fans and members of the Giants' staff. As soon as we do our next laundry cycle, we have made it a priority to make sure that at least one of us is wearing the shirt for each game. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Games Watched:</b></span> 12<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Games to go:</b></span> 18<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Stadium:</b></span> A; the Giants handled every feature of the ballpark beautifully. The giant glove in right field was an excellent feature, and even the Coca-Cola bottle/slide next to it provided both a unique ballpark feature and entertainment for smaller children without blocking too much of the view of the San Francisco Bay marina or being too much of a distraction<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnwGlNpVkcyGdhqn4svFTtZk5-YHTf7MTSv9emA-h3F_0PATcm51HWl7tLgfhWRsn716mJ4fBhPW0LL0IRNKC7DHNlrW4lt_Qxz4VjYtNn9DOV3A4NX4xqyNMcISvsQboZgy-TSXocWc/s1600/P1010761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnwGlNpVkcyGdhqn4svFTtZk5-YHTf7MTSv9emA-h3F_0PATcm51HWl7tLgfhWRsn716mJ4fBhPW0LL0IRNKC7DHNlrW4lt_Qxz4VjYtNn9DOV3A4NX4xqyNMcISvsQboZgy-TSXocWc/s200/P1010761.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Atmosphere:</b></span> A-;<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Concessions:</b></span> A;<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Tim Kurkjian Award:</b></span> as<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Miles traveled:</b></span> 5,110<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Miles to next stop:</b></span> 810 (Twins @ Mariners, 7:05 on 8/17)<br />
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Click "Read More" for more photos (you really don't want to miss these!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMpovbm8bYzAjOqiqE74qRVV8cQqba2xBFpicR11-va_qxoGXXjJFJ3RpQy0FSMzmO5N_fO1QfD4v5XfAjOegWGdYa8GbQicoiktxjQ1kB_cbS_SKlzBgg2_zunqd0eUmzHeBTiDsjjo/s1600/P1010605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMpovbm8bYzAjOqiqE74qRVV8cQqba2xBFpicR11-va_qxoGXXjJFJ3RpQy0FSMzmO5N_fO1QfD4v5XfAjOegWGdYa8GbQicoiktxjQ1kB_cbS_SKlzBgg2_zunqd0eUmzHeBTiDsjjo/s320/P1010605.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the field behind home plate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXosa6QMNpc1rOwA6Ubs6IatY8CAa1zVb6oIFdrD8tOefKNeSJxjQ3OO7pqyxkmmYzYYkY5owZKaXv77z7k_gjhyphenhyphen8MX363YlU5sQOdz1KQebi6MZ9vZtKH4UNEggVhr6InxNW-CnXO1c/s1600/P1010588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXosa6QMNpc1rOwA6Ubs6IatY8CAa1zVb6oIFdrD8tOefKNeSJxjQ3OO7pqyxkmmYzYYkY5owZKaXv77z7k_gjhyphenhyphen8MX363YlU5sQOdz1KQebi6MZ9vZtKH4UNEggVhr6InxNW-CnXO1c/s320/P1010588.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the front office</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfH4MQ8ZxzT0RycMs2uDDiC4zlVzL48KIQ8gMKV-AflmYCxS6gPw7-kIPdE_hhEx3lkR8wCQ5OakQScjPRDOPw2ruxf0j1jzgdYkmmDkpQHfBFdAAyQs1eNkGgROf3fY-Awh0AZUhb2l8/s1600/P1010612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfH4MQ8ZxzT0RycMs2uDDiC4zlVzL48KIQ8gMKV-AflmYCxS6gPw7-kIPdE_hhEx3lkR8wCQ5OakQScjPRDOPw2ruxf0j1jzgdYkmmDkpQHfBFdAAyQs1eNkGgROf3fY-Awh0AZUhb2l8/s320/P1010612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Just outside the Giants locker</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2zspUag9RPpwgzfwTJQPd8PS3h_dD92Rl_tQMK4TG8_7cfwnZPnTIbw954sVlXur_lDmTiO4zEHtemW4bispHSiSftdYykb7HHJTh0YlaGgHlxNaywpHifzNUBrETni86-H6y4YymfI/s1600/P1010614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2zspUag9RPpwgzfwTJQPd8PS3h_dD92Rl_tQMK4TG8_7cfwnZPnTIbw954sVlXur_lDmTiO4zEHtemW4bispHSiSftdYykb7HHJTh0YlaGgHlxNaywpHifzNUBrETni86-H6y4YymfI/s320/P1010614.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self-explanatory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNchakiBoi3PSs7mxon1VhYRk1JMxvmGqcPMU2kYUITO39RekDLkECvLMlMbOHfLywIK4X53AD-8FuXWLR2rwC3j2RGk-V8vvF8Lk1JTr1IP8DkZIWWjkTop9xDVU8xXWN98UihE4I5sc/s1600/P1010616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNchakiBoi3PSs7mxon1VhYRk1JMxvmGqcPMU2kYUITO39RekDLkECvLMlMbOHfLywIK4X53AD-8FuXWLR2rwC3j2RGk-V8vvF8Lk1JTr1IP8DkZIWWjkTop9xDVU8xXWN98UihE4I5sc/s320/P1010616.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Control room; one of many</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutP7sG_1JaCK3AA5vbtH9f1kpclozqrRVSVG657f3wQqKj7kMqA3yz_g0heu-hSFCyRlwcS9BIqNWtxntLKgx4h5lqL6-48fKUy5hEaRT73nrIuYCsAcwEW0yfZut2-zQbLnErfLDUiI/s1600/P1010618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutP7sG_1JaCK3AA5vbtH9f1kpclozqrRVSVG657f3wQqKj7kMqA3yz_g0heu-hSFCyRlwcS9BIqNWtxntLKgx4h5lqL6-48fKUy5hEaRT73nrIuYCsAcwEW0yfZut2-zQbLnErfLDUiI/s320/P1010618.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf9krdMdJo49rlWlsw6lyV6lW_0WKLu2KSSDqc5oal9XJb3dwTWo9HDjtX3zJX8foqccamBNSD7rwD_5dhWneF5amjO1EWkhmFgucIeacs48qbY9NDSMmXcu2mo8fT1rKwESTSxX3oBA/s1600/P1010621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAf9krdMdJo49rlWlsw6lyV6lW_0WKLu2KSSDqc5oal9XJb3dwTWo9HDjtX3zJX8foqccamBNSD7rwD_5dhWneF5amjO1EWkhmFgucIeacs48qbY9NDSMmXcu2mo8fT1rKwESTSxX3oBA/s320/P1010621.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giants of the past</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVaTnbmHJv039ptddLDx4HWJM5fDqv52NKqRbPdlkqVJPZVUIGbm04KQEfXlU48kPNQ_tgZfJIZt6Uihymfyj3uHQbA_AX5gCSsm552i5OrUhMbfXEAGUQFnvz3kLODw-qIxyDomgssU/s1600/P1010636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVaTnbmHJv039ptddLDx4HWJM5fDqv52NKqRbPdlkqVJPZVUIGbm04KQEfXlU48kPNQ_tgZfJIZt6Uihymfyj3uHQbA_AX5gCSsm552i5OrUhMbfXEAGUQFnvz3kLODw-qIxyDomgssU/s320/P1010636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slides inside the Coca-Cola bottle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The marina beyond the left-field wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuXMATxlO3vN6C1-JFbV41xRqnlSZapQCiL6wMRGrMqIatTXHp51a8FAV82QckPiJisO5a4nq7M7WBFyQYERKiiBxkECYX1l6EhYTC74xLTVAQgKzavm8Evgpde_95uu05sAG2VusDEU/s1600/P1010639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuXMATxlO3vN6C1-JFbV41xRqnlSZapQCiL6wMRGrMqIatTXHp51a8FAV82QckPiJisO5a4nq7M7WBFyQYERKiiBxkECYX1l6EhYTC74xLTVAQgKzavm8Evgpde_95uu05sAG2VusDEU/s320/P1010639.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting advise of what to see at AT&T</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAn1LdjDySHMrAQtgZe7GsMrpUVaJ3AInfZ34ZTqWRjlA4PKwcbjIESLpiV0dkFEipGd0ps-xQEF6nZouii7X9E6RQ1dVo7I-22AZZM_g-kd3M4wbJt20rOwMviZd3ytuL75ojasaBfo/s1600/P1010641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAn1LdjDySHMrAQtgZe7GsMrpUVaJ3AInfZ34ZTqWRjlA4PKwcbjIESLpiV0dkFEipGd0ps-xQEF6nZouii7X9E6RQ1dVo7I-22AZZM_g-kd3M4wbJt20rOwMviZd3ytuL75ojasaBfo/s320/P1010641.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eMESrbzXb06GeiG4QFPSpD78xeNYMu6nlOOs9HienONc-F22bkst75B665WnK1Ubf3JwDkDF6UjZLb8PkyC46iJuLIu0K7EEpdAH0ZkWeqmxK2yQ8OqhWKmqsbCT07PlG57zOvB_qlw/s1600/P1010657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eMESrbzXb06GeiG4QFPSpD78xeNYMu6nlOOs9HienONc-F22bkst75B665WnK1Ubf3JwDkDF6UjZLb8PkyC46iJuLIu0K7EEpdAH0ZkWeqmxK2yQ8OqhWKmqsbCT07PlG57zOvB_qlw/s320/P1010657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takeoff to the Club-level seating</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKwnti-pgrU1_i0Js6HQWLDqbcG2cy7bnQxLfojYEz6SueEo-k_XqyQl1NbAMxOeDVfKxZnAjmhm2Yd7CyvcqMZ9iV3k4BdjIBDzfWWqp9sECRYz5Wqu_xgWtdGO4mp6sPxxMU4he2LU/s1600/P1010663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKwnti-pgrU1_i0Js6HQWLDqbcG2cy7bnQxLfojYEz6SueEo-k_XqyQl1NbAMxOeDVfKxZnAjmhm2Yd7CyvcqMZ9iV3k4BdjIBDzfWWqp9sECRYz5Wqu_xgWtdGO4mp6sPxxMU4he2LU/s320/P1010663.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many cartoons the adorned the walls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DldEnDtBu3GPzG1NZCkrtiqewQZM1qNvgF_71JenwIO8JB7-7yqxqECwTQwUA9nq15LROYA_Emv5VND0SwNdGtMsIeMadmcYkcsKtBhz7Tok7BgLvL5VeBdVYM4H0ZIhkkXAMdl_Ym8/s1600/P1010664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DldEnDtBu3GPzG1NZCkrtiqewQZM1qNvgF_71JenwIO8JB7-7yqxqECwTQwUA9nq15LROYA_Emv5VND0SwNdGtMsIeMadmcYkcsKtBhz7Tok7BgLvL5VeBdVYM4H0ZIhkkXAMdl_Ym8/s320/P1010664.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the scoreboard room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YYwhNx41VPsKwRC8j8l0oDz6im5pfTYZovOJPihRsWB6_3LuvAi6UrqGHHrQjk0JrPbN1Cb3UjftuygYpm5icrsMDj_GkY-H6rz58juK-iaXFmUgUXXKl-VWvQg_kaVkmYfQSfPRB4E/s1600/P1010670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YYwhNx41VPsKwRC8j8l0oDz6im5pfTYZovOJPihRsWB6_3LuvAi6UrqGHHrQjk0JrPbN1Cb3UjftuygYpm5icrsMDj_GkY-H6rz58juK-iaXFmUgUXXKl-VWvQg_kaVkmYfQSfPRB4E/s320/P1010670.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barry Bonds bobblehead; one of maybe three Bonds-related items we saw <br />
(including Barry Bonds himself, who attended the game)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JPDgC_q-Fu-2Xjmnnter2AOgYWZ_SQZENnU9elq2cwLlF2KiUHIRbXvPag2aM7hB2S_wHczICPyj7OuhDZIIdUaMoEMkJrVu_KnBben9uylIty2rEGLjihycqhR_0XDDTYTRGilDeZI/s1600/P1010669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JPDgC_q-Fu-2Xjmnnter2AOgYWZ_SQZENnU9elq2cwLlF2KiUHIRbXvPag2aM7hB2S_wHczICPyj7OuhDZIIdUaMoEMkJrVu_KnBben9uylIty2rEGLjihycqhR_0XDDTYTRGilDeZI/s320/P1010669.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Brian Wilson garden gnome</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUINiM2WVYyZZQmj-1jympnIu5_JxTair1EFNtGOi8hAkP3GSfbQKBlz-ufG7lF1hHgL_FYRFyMX3z88HeG6YXF3b_DfjMvqYLBBAtuFRDMeLU7EV1A229_2m_1j1M67IMIxDfrqROWro/s1600/P1010677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUINiM2WVYyZZQmj-1jympnIu5_JxTair1EFNtGOi8hAkP3GSfbQKBlz-ufG7lF1hHgL_FYRFyMX3z88HeG6YXF3b_DfjMvqYLBBAtuFRDMeLU7EV1A229_2m_1j1M67IMIxDfrqROWro/s320/P1010677.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game-used bases</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkTAKI4o1nQSFXm9BDGSVCEzo-SMBiSnUVbIpTx-aOZRZlwt1_2Ty8_12QiWEq8sH_fKJJ54p9JsziUQvVrPo3Yw83bAGwArnbZ3WB-f1XrZatpkbwPgNKVE0kR7HIMF6uJVeG9yM2gw/s1600/P1010682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkTAKI4o1nQSFXm9BDGSVCEzo-SMBiSnUVbIpTx-aOZRZlwt1_2Ty8_12QiWEq8sH_fKJJ54p9JsziUQvVrPo3Yw83bAGwArnbZ3WB-f1XrZatpkbwPgNKVE0kR7HIMF6uJVeG9yM2gw/s320/P1010682.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY10KnKJwIVQ50s3P1rdfQOmRDZD2VxK3GBc1DeV2laIjhjadk41f5cXXfdtbXNMyVgR5o84q59vQckPr0h1vj-NVMxKzDdocsWpx18oy0wtbOkWRbjEbS7KBzkQZ1PTSVp7StRsPgbs/s1600/P1010684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZY10KnKJwIVQ50s3P1rdfQOmRDZD2VxK3GBc1DeV2laIjhjadk41f5cXXfdtbXNMyVgR5o84q59vQckPr0h1vj-NVMxKzDdocsWpx18oy0wtbOkWRbjEbS7KBzkQZ1PTSVp7StRsPgbs/s320/P1010684.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AT&T Park in the best in baseball at diverting waste from landfill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBLqe0dGtmn_kMGGhvmbiG5bioti_ksRB5Amnfk5p8pttbVDELnf9v9CDbgFk5X2m8ALzCv__rZx17EXKM6z-U8Q7jfn-mMIcqQfYJo4b7ym4r51bIdIIUB4R-4aTBwjUuNhZZb_f9io/s1600/P1010696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBLqe0dGtmn_kMGGhvmbiG5bioti_ksRB5Amnfk5p8pttbVDELnf9v9CDbgFk5X2m8ALzCv__rZx17EXKM6z-U8Q7jfn-mMIcqQfYJo4b7ym4r51bIdIIUB4R-4aTBwjUuNhZZb_f9io/s320/P1010696.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon and Anna's tickets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQZtzw7b2yVTKZXjZ7oSF8C-lCeZ6wuECH8RGBqDp-Z8r7wz14zxrO9s4FD2Wj-hlNZjSmWZvaRzVewpIe9y2WkHawY7w_FpFee_0N0-ZEzcChR7ftOW-anvazl6caKBEmSjusVn3xkw/s1600/P1010697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQZtzw7b2yVTKZXjZ7oSF8C-lCeZ6wuECH8RGBqDp-Z8r7wz14zxrO9s4FD2Wj-hlNZjSmWZvaRzVewpIe9y2WkHawY7w_FpFee_0N0-ZEzcChR7ftOW-anvazl6caKBEmSjusVn3xkw/s320/P1010697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig's ticket</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIJKM4ZaNRU3PNN0P7-xb9OaTSOe7I3jaFXfifVCf0_4hE-r6TonwE9DNbmOYv6iMohXTMzn-issJn06RsPkQ3wlYtXIx_yYK-G8iODIQ-W-TdRWjsiKtwTXnqI99K6gw9vb9f_KBufM/s1600/P1010699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIJKM4ZaNRU3PNN0P7-xb9OaTSOe7I3jaFXfifVCf0_4hE-r6TonwE9DNbmOYv6iMohXTMzn-issJn06RsPkQ3wlYtXIx_yYK-G8iODIQ-W-TdRWjsiKtwTXnqI99K6gw9vb9f_KBufM/s320/P1010699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power couple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiFhd3Reh2MdQA9yeyNJ1_kzZltRKj5W7VwvuIx9zhqwSFHa-JhQv7pCbpLdw2DCIvJIeKY1uLkRWpFoCNypjAWboUr-kFiIFa6KGNuKaCK7dq3r06oqQr4il96IwCVrB7x-Gevu4egE/s1600/P1010704.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiFhd3Reh2MdQA9yeyNJ1_kzZltRKj5W7VwvuIx9zhqwSFHa-JhQv7pCbpLdw2DCIvJIeKY1uLkRWpFoCNypjAWboUr-kFiIFa6KGNuKaCK7dq3r06oqQr4il96IwCVrB7x-Gevu4egE/s320/P1010704.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL_f5ZsgJJpK0AOfikREphOkEfLMbDgEIY7vCE1gUIimprruYDYcZBAx0Pvx0mUqBiFD5ORbrBa0nydAR4fZSrm1nHxBNv-XOJpwFqVvt0_yMLFNl7nzaTU6aSvDScsXwMNU7bKiq9EA/s1600/P1010718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL_f5ZsgJJpK0AOfikREphOkEfLMbDgEIY7vCE1gUIimprruYDYcZBAx0Pvx0mUqBiFD5ORbrBa0nydAR4fZSrm1nHxBNv-XOJpwFqVvt0_yMLFNl7nzaTU6aSvDScsXwMNU7bKiq9EA/s320/P1010718.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZJig22EiGTlnFWYV1YQc7E0KrvnoBrok9UEPtKfbkrSv2BsO2dQ-ztKb1RH90ijjpg2LTluGFpEzFLBf0HneKkg78-QPfHA7utgE1l-csFsXkJdeVKMxmnYvgth3FKFyyl7myluZ3Zo/s1600/P1010721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZJig22EiGTlnFWYV1YQc7E0KrvnoBrok9UEPtKfbkrSv2BsO2dQ-ztKb1RH90ijjpg2LTluGFpEzFLBf0HneKkg78-QPfHA7utgE1l-csFsXkJdeVKMxmnYvgth3FKFyyl7myluZ3Zo/s320/P1010721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Lincecum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjqUfx4KoaWYHe2sbiOTdRTBqWQNi2sKpZzIpOBmYkafvkaDGumkybYPmErbZpMQo3ZaWM1uItjGS0mc-bdt1DrdTxh_Y2dTNPh43g5JxAe31ONMpt0iqXct0BmeFRm2YzuQpcIPPQwU/s1600/P1010723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjqUfx4KoaWYHe2sbiOTdRTBqWQNi2sKpZzIpOBmYkafvkaDGumkybYPmErbZpMQo3ZaWM1uItjGS0mc-bdt1DrdTxh_Y2dTNPh43g5JxAe31ONMpt0iqXct0BmeFRm2YzuQpcIPPQwU/s320/P1010723.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Freak"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXMc2wMTJ7sF66XBTj-QZIBClMZ8HqCXpk6G9JkL55OZT7BOTzjT2CvMbMWq4GNNP4lggMePX6yPA_m9n15dJ721Dgj8n03-EMxXaBp5GOcZRkJWECuI9JKeWy2muwCy96fXsUIKpvrM/s1600/P1010724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-pMKvBEGnjtJVSE0IQABUp1G-YV7ULj1NhaZcc_pMCB_b-aG0v5KxykrtqnDDI9KljKDL02yulpklNzxQQUWeJ2Cpgp8_x3ALvyDU8YpndKz9wD4Jv7aJHR_Km0L1ypOv0sYVnogi0U/s1600/P1010727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-pMKvBEGnjtJVSE0IQABUp1G-YV7ULj1NhaZcc_pMCB_b-aG0v5KxykrtqnDDI9KljKDL02yulpklNzxQQUWeJ2Cpgp8_x3ALvyDU8YpndKz9wD4Jv7aJHR_Km0L1ypOv0sYVnogi0U/s320/P1010727.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryce Harper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen Strasburg</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buster Posey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Counter for balls hit into McCovey Cove</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon spreads the 30 in 38 message, but fails to appear on the center field scoreboard</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaG9nmICvl4re-97jb_mX1qCChID3gviz7VZB0IjmbfOfdY0xw4f8qYzp_P2GrbUIwY3-_kTaKbrP9HLQR1VROhEg44xsZOFuQDuUxpu0CnSwZplAy7COcMCBdi2QsuQyuwIpBjo1x314/s1600/P1010754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaG9nmICvl4re-97jb_mX1qCChID3gviz7VZB0IjmbfOfdY0xw4f8qYzp_P2GrbUIwY3-_kTaKbrP9HLQR1VROhEg44xsZOFuQDuUxpu0CnSwZplAy7COcMCBdi2QsuQyuwIpBjo1x314/s320/P1010754.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garlic fries, and AT&T Park favorite</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHX-M577LOhUyHea6YgQyvKqXSfaJxafLf0EDrRp-DGuL-GffLbJTYO-XRZGlC0HUTz7nR9L8QSVN7dLpJPlgo0Cf__NAHaBlWly50EgCUVNOZkeh6ZSJdHu1loQKO4FvT172bV6SEfo/s1600/P1010763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHX-M577LOhUyHea6YgQyvKqXSfaJxafLf0EDrRp-DGuL-GffLbJTYO-XRZGlC0HUTz7nR9L8QSVN7dLpJPlgo0Cf__NAHaBlWly50EgCUVNOZkeh6ZSJdHu1loQKO4FvT172bV6SEfo/s320/P1010763.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And we watched the last three outs live on Owen's MLB.tv iPhone app</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama of the ballpark</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz8xkR_-KHAtze5uaLSNoX6jCHQw0B1EFE8tmoY820qioJ6j9rcZnUuVuf1WuAHQTtYJ_PP4lau5_i1YUKcLnUGwmIW_zeThCM6wNda_T_sSVJnPvWELEMDSMCrp3eKLtunRo5xytfrg/s1600/P1010772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz8xkR_-KHAtze5uaLSNoX6jCHQw0B1EFE8tmoY820qioJ6j9rcZnUuVuf1WuAHQTtYJ_PP4lau5_i1YUKcLnUGwmIW_zeThCM6wNda_T_sSVJnPvWELEMDSMCrp3eKLtunRo5xytfrg/s320/P1010772.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quotation from "Field of Dreams," which we visiting just two days earlier</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdWeToiq4N9Pe5LcLRPIuiled0mluOZlWgtAyDh_ytOEDPXXaJxNW0bHXo39eSx2Ke-ok2rvm2HZK0xsad3tcit_FRxyiqJn_kgGutcUBh9Fykywqk6vxmx73kvvAnMNsHBUAN3mvrs0/s1600/P1010773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdWeToiq4N9Pe5LcLRPIuiled0mluOZlWgtAyDh_ytOEDPXXaJxNW0bHXo39eSx2Ke-ok2rvm2HZK0xsad3tcit_FRxyiqJn_kgGutcUBh9Fykywqk6vxmx73kvvAnMNsHBUAN3mvrs0/s320/P1010773.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34cJYpELpJVrweMDTxe2GDH6b5lL0Xy3-eYsV4aaLPY5-6D95awCcRu5ySQQ6di23zqY75eLXZee_zRYE2zCJdC83A0bnwcfO5zHyMb4AAEldeoZh583J36IJhmNoDBuskHY_gG42Zbg/s1600/P1010776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34cJYpELpJVrweMDTxe2GDH6b5lL0Xy3-eYsV4aaLPY5-6D95awCcRu5ySQQ6di23zqY75eLXZee_zRYE2zCJdC83A0bnwcfO5zHyMb4AAEldeoZh583J36IJhmNoDBuskHY_gG42Zbg/s320/P1010776.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the park with Kara, our amazing guide who works in the Giants' marketing dept.</td></tr>
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<br />Craig Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656049237576351933noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-79877469004080908692012-08-14T08:28:00.000-07:002012-08-14T08:28:39.112-07:00Game 11: Arguing Our Way Westward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320813127" target="_blank">Rockies 9, Brewers 6</a><br />
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<i>Note: This post has nothing to do with the Rockies game. Some reflection on that will come in the quick-hit section at the bottom. One of our goals on this trip had been to discuss the dynamics of a sports roadtrip at a personal level. I hope that our personal story here at least leans slightly toward the universal. Also, this post is followed up with a small summary of our off-day trip to the Field of Dreams ballfield in Iowa, so please read onto the next page if you are interested. </i><br />
<br />
During the fifth inning of what had become a lackluster game at Coors Field in Denver tonight, I realized that the four of us on this roadtrip argue a lot. More accurately, I realized that argument is our dominant form of interaction, and that the subjects of argument range endlessly.<br />
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At the time, this endless range was showing itself, as our argument was among the silliest imaginable. We were discussing whether or not it would be possible to coast on a bicycle from Denver, where we had just arrived, to the Colorado-Nebraska border, some 150 or so miles east, from which we had driven. The question had come up when we realized that we had gotten to Denver, the Mile High City, without going over any big mountains, but rather by going on "150 miles of gradual uphill," almost just a slanted upward plain. Or that's how it was first described. But, if it was really all gradual uphill, somebody could coast the whole way to Nebraska. And to the intuitive mind, that seems unlikely. So, naturally, after the claim was made, it was questioned ("You couldn't actually do that, there <i>were</i> some hills, it was just <i>generally</i> uphill."), and then immediately defended ("Actually, he might be right, those little uphills <i>all</i> came after bigger downhills.").<br />
<br />
Then all bets were off, and the reasons for each side came flying in.<br />
"As long as you start with a big enough downhill, and you're bike is low friction, the downward trend will be enough to keep you going. It's physics."<br />
"But you have to brake in certain places, to maintain control, and to turn."<br />
"I don't even know if that would be a problem, can you remember a single hill we went over?"<br />
"There was that one by the water"<br />
"Yeah but that came right after a downhill."<br />"What makes you think you could even bike on that road? It's a highway."<br />
And so on, for ten minutes, until we were micro-analyzing the logic of each side, looking to latch on to the slightest contradiction to settle the matter. In this case, there was no settlement; we remain split on the question.<br />
<br />
The point isn't the argument, though. This much was probably clear from the content of the dialogue above; who really cares if you can coast from Denver to Oklahoma? None of us did. The point is, that didn't matter. This is just what we do. All the time.<br />
<br />
It doesn't take much for it to start. Somebody will make a claim, like the "all uphill" claim above, or will look up from a moment of thought and say, "I wonder if..." or "Do you think...", completing his sentence with some hypothetical or speculation about anything in the world. Then we align based on our initial reaction, explain why we have so aligned, and the argument begins. The most common topic is baseball--comparing players, evaluating trades, explaining trends--but just about anything can serve as our subject. Take some examples:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Today in the car, I told Damon I thought Matt Holliday, the Cardinals outfielder, was underrated, and that he was one of the top ten or fifteen hitters of his era. Damon wasn't so sure, and opened the question up to the car. For the next hour, we were bringing up names of other top hitters, discussing their careers, looking at their statistics online, and trying to see how much we could agree upon in our evaluations. For example, there was no dissent on the claim that Holliday was below Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and David Ortiz over that time. After that, there were some questions. By the end of the discussion, though, we had agreed that Holliday had to be considered at least one of the top ten hitters of the era. In the meantime, we discussed the value of at least twenty other of the great hitters of the past decade. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>At the Twins game on Saturday, Damon and Craig took opposite sides of the question of the best hitter in Minnesota's lineup. Craig believed it was Joe Mauer, who is hitting well over .300 and has been consistently great for the Twins. Damon said it had to be Josh Willingham, the breakout player who is leading the Twins in every power category, and is near the top of the league in home runs (29) and runs batted in (85). After their initial shock at the other's position, the two discussed everything about the two players: their positional values, their wins above replacement, their projections over the next half season, and their projections going forward in their careers. Craig agreed that Willingham had better statistics over the first two-thirds of this season, but maintained that Mauer was the better hitter going forward. </li>
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<ul>
<li>About a week ago, Damon was reading Grantland columnist Bill Barnwell's advice to bettors on the upcoming NFL season. Damon told me that Barnwell picked the "under" on a line of 12.5 wins for the Patriots, on the basis that it is unlikely any team lives up to that sort of preseason hype. I took offense, being a Patriots fan, and also thinking that Barnwell's reasoning was flawed. I said that I would agree with that reasoning for most teams, but not the Patriots: their success over the last decade shows that they can and do live up to the hype. Damon replied that Barnwell's betting strategy holds up generally, and I (now joined by Craig, a Jets fan) explained that it's different when almost every Brady-led team has lived up to the hype, and this year's team is expected to be as good as any since 2007. We cited statistics, but we more analyzed the logic of Barnwell's argument, his intended meaning, and its implications. About half an hour later, the three of us had agreed that it might make sense to take the "under" on the 12.5 line, but it would have to be for a reason more convincing than the weak general principle that Barnwell cited.</li>
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<ul>
<li>While walking through a grocery store parking lot in the midwest, Damon and I asked Owen and Craig an ultimate Hollywood football hypothetical: If you could pick from the legendary Alexandria High School football team from <i>Remember the Titans</i>, as well as from the Dillon Panthers and East Dillon Lions teams from <i>Friday Night Lights</i>, to create your ultimate starting offense and defense, which players would you choose at each position? Damon and I had discussed this a few weeks earlier and come to a general agreement. We were shocked when Owen and Craig decided they would put Vince Howard, the East Dillon Lions scrambling quarterback, under center instead of the Titans lefty Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass. Damon and I argued that Sunshine was a far better traditional quarterback, that he had a better arm and better accuracy. Moreover, Vince, the superior athlete, could be put at running back, next to Sunshine, and he would lose very little in marginal effectiveness. And so we went on, analyzing their games, making NFL comparisons, citing certain scenes where a certain skill was displayed, before realizing that we had made just about every point that was left to be made and we still disagreed. If only our two imaginary compilations of fictional teams could play each other, we thought.</li>
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At this point, our roadtrip might sound completely insufferable. All we do is argue about stupid stuff for way too long. But to even think of it as argument, as I have, isn't quite right. It is more like a spontaneous debate, or a clash of conflicting ideas, in which everybody knows that the discussion is going on in the abstract, not the personal, sphere. And much is gained in the process. First of all, we usually come to an agreement at the end. We realize that four heads are better than one, that somebody else thought of something in a way we never had, or that one of us used better reasoning than another. If we don't end up agreeing, as is sometimes the case, the issue always seems to be more clear to each of us than it was at the beginning. We get closer to the heart of the issue, or to the truth. And we learn about our way of thinking and presenting ideas in the process. The key is that we know each other well, we know we all have interesting ways of thinking, and we know we don't have to worry about offending somebody simply because we present a counter-argument to their position.<br />
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We do it because we want to figure out the answers to our questions, because we like testing our arguments, and because it is fun to see where the conversation goes. Most of all, we do it because we appreciate the value of discussing ideas for the sake of discussing ideas.<br />
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We are caricatures of ourselves, four liberal arts students driving around the country and writing on a blog, feverishly caught up in abstract discussions about (seemingly) meaningless and esoteric topics.<br />
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We think, for the sake of thinking, and we discuss, with no tangible product in mind. We did not set out trying to do this, but it seems to be our collective nature. Liberated from our normal daily pursuits, an intellectual adventure ensues. A microcosm indeed.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Games watched: </span></b>11<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Games to go: </b></span>19<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Thuuz score: </span></b>13<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Play of the day: </span></b>A tie between Aramis Ramirez' diving catch on a bunt that popped up down the third base line, and relief pitcher Adam Ottavino's behind the back snag on a sharp ground ball hit up the middle.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Stat of the day:</span></b> Home teams are now an amazing 9-2 in our first 11 games.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Accomplishment of the day: </span></b>At the beginning of this trip, we decided to see if we could spot a license plate from every state on our trip, and if so, how soon. Going into today, we had 40 out of 50. On the way to the game, we had our most successful run yet, knocking out every plate except Alaska and Vermont. Then, as we were leaving the game, Craig spotted a Vermont plate in the other lane. One to go.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Stadium:</span></b> A typical stadium in most respects with an incredible view of the Rocky Mountains from the first base side and the outfield. The scoreboard had all the right info on it but the font and color choice made it hard to read. The pre-game pump-up video on the scoreboard was great, though.<br />Atmosphere: The Rockies faithful have fallen off the map since the days of attendance records in the 1990s, when the franchise's youth was sparked by the Blake Street Bombers, and the fans came out in droves. At this game, the attendance was very low, and the empty seats were the runaway majority.<br />
Food and Drink: Great. From fresh salads to cheesecake to fruit-kabobs to inexpensive ballpark fare, Coors was as good as any stadium on the food front. Beer was stellar, best we have had yet, according to Craig and Owen. Not only do they feature microbrews, but as they own Blue Moon, Coors is able to offer a better array of premium beers.<br />
<span style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Tim Kukjian Award:</span> Two relief pitchers bat in a nine-inning game.<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Quote of the day: </b>"If the the team was good, and the game was good, and there were people here, this would be really awesome." -Craig, on the empty theatre for beautiful baseball that is Coors Field.<br />
<b style="color: orange;">Miles traveled: </b>3,430<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Miles to go to next game:</span></b> 1,350 (Nationals @ Giants, 12:45)<br />
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"Read more" for a recap of the driving day between Minneapolis and Colorado, during which we stopped at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. Following that are pictures from the last two days.<br />
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<b><span style="color: orange;">Field of Dreams</span></b></div>
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After we had finalized our schedule this winter, we realized that our drive through Iowa could bring us to a 31st baseball field, the iconic diamond built in an Iowa cornfield in the 1989 film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/" target="_blank">Field of Dreams</a>. The diamond remains open to the public, and it was a no brainer for us to add it to the itinerary. It was well worth it.</div>
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Craig played the most memorable scenes from the movie on his laptop as we neared the field--"people will come Ray, people will most definitely come." Once we arrived, we grabbed our gloves and wandered out onto the field. There were a few families there, kids throwing the baseball and running around the bases. We staked our claim to the outfield, next to the cornfield, where we threw for the next half hour. There wasn't much talking, just soaking in the atmosphere, the cornfield fencing in the outfield, the low rolling farmlands over the horizon. After catch, we explored a bit more. We walked in and out of the cornfield, imitating the White Sox team that emerges from the cornfield in the film, then we took infield, turning double plays and catching fly balls. Craig and Damon played long toss diagonally across the outfield, and the rest of us sat in the bleachers, watching them, watching the field, watching baseball. </div>
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There are pictures from our day at the Field of Dreams after the ones from the Rockies game.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The midwest; flat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mountains come into view</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catch outside of Coors</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig buying tickets. We got a great deal: tickets, a free hot dog, and a free drink, for $15</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon waiting for a ball in batting practice</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen caught a ball during batting practice; our first</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Denver Cheesesteak, a hit</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above the scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fruit-kabob (strawberry and banana covered in chocolate)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating 20 years of Rockies baseball</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The turnout</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom to top: baseball field, rockies, sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the rockies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QaL8BkxSqHEFDllB4oZv3P28WJMZJtvRF1J0LO3dgWAnE6Y4fqadnk6LGuvmH96iRp7MakcY6klyr8werOz3cKNufHzUhvJ2DO97Kae0LWCtrMBcFZtzu7R-hkyIRL1VGDpIJltGA9he/s1600/P1010479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QaL8BkxSqHEFDllB4oZv3P28WJMZJtvRF1J0LO3dgWAnE6Y4fqadnk6LGuvmH96iRp7MakcY6klyr8werOz3cKNufHzUhvJ2DO97Kae0LWCtrMBcFZtzu7R-hkyIRL1VGDpIJltGA9he/s400/P1010479.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheesecake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXuMPq7ZvWNeod1ntY012ytYmQSFmimGs3tjGX4JBm19kghUTKnEK2_lDCIFPyzQ2BSuAxjFhBxEshXKvg-l8mH71b3hY01KPK5rlCdwsSRQiysSSM6OeDCQfbDGFHvYoMaw6bPS9y_DW9/s1600/P1010489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXuMPq7ZvWNeod1ntY012ytYmQSFmimGs3tjGX4JBm19kghUTKnEK2_lDCIFPyzQ2BSuAxjFhBxEshXKvg-l8mH71b3hY01KPK5rlCdwsSRQiysSSM6OeDCQfbDGFHvYoMaw6bPS9y_DW9/s400/P1010489.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vermont. 49/50.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoAgwKDFeY8njTwUjkmQKJQZ05MsGjfNkrqzaYwjKBJfvfxcrlres-vnhS8Q8GoPvjmpFpQl0kdBGM9o6rmuUWqBW7gx9f5Wnfu16qG9mxHS508ww-W9yDCo9ySC2allOyCqbcssCpMSW/s1600/P1010241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoAgwKDFeY8njTwUjkmQKJQZ05MsGjfNkrqzaYwjKBJfvfxcrlres-vnhS8Q8GoPvjmpFpQl0kdBGM9o6rmuUWqBW7gx9f5Wnfu16qG9mxHS508ww-W9yDCo9ySC2allOyCqbcssCpMSW/s400/P1010241.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infield at the Field of Dreams</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHnr4_hIz8czDsHHlRWIZJsgUV_hJEyBvpOoVLsHAES440ZcaX1eApbgSW7VoS8MJZQIKia2VGeVlrcy7XYrnNc9NTSnH7Ek9Q41dYuadHFA2HI2AoFI24OvWKF0Iv8syqJP2u6t-7gwo/s1600/P1010299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHnr4_hIz8czDsHHlRWIZJsgUV_hJEyBvpOoVLsHAES440ZcaX1eApbgSW7VoS8MJZQIKia2VGeVlrcy7XYrnNc9NTSnH7Ek9Q41dYuadHFA2HI2AoFI24OvWKF0Iv8syqJP2u6t-7gwo/s400/P1010299.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to the Field</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5uTK35NGatk0cbYBQmDhf8eOHrramAP_kKawprwDjOYJkBnPdgj11fS3sc1rzG6I-ZOXUvi352738HJ-D7fxYQxezX2t24N1NCIgGCdic_0gA9ktfmtCXWW3aymFaEuJWrLV2IsSzPPk/s1600/P1010296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5uTK35NGatk0cbYBQmDhf8eOHrramAP_kKawprwDjOYJkBnPdgj11fS3sc1rzG6I-ZOXUvi352738HJ-D7fxYQxezX2t24N1NCIgGCdic_0gA9ktfmtCXWW3aymFaEuJWrLV2IsSzPPk/s400/P1010296.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna and Damon play catch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx2L8T4gOFLJOYIBBGkISYVywx0Wt1Hu1jmoWMrfQKTIIYfgz4ckvbCEF82asBf4S5qRaRMyOhHB0gghDIQI-RqJQZtEiJwANcurBwN4XTptd7vVp1sLtwJyZSHnRoOLkHgV0fNTg8Lkh/s1600/P1010281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx2L8T4gOFLJOYIBBGkISYVywx0Wt1Hu1jmoWMrfQKTIIYfgz4ckvbCEF82asBf4S5qRaRMyOhHB0gghDIQI-RqJQZtEiJwANcurBwN4XTptd7vVp1sLtwJyZSHnRoOLkHgV0fNTg8Lkh/s400/P1010281.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon and Craig come out of the cornfield</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNL6DxI3wnXUFjkorJQ9U6swdwQUt87bcRGcInyrhyphenhyphen4MuZ5r0jgZgGchSBadMAKszPMefT4d8hebhSdRJXjV9iPmqr7r4KmpKRfz7VkzcuspEIJaamaye1ofOHXycLJyn6s72Q5C_WzAq/s1600/P1010266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNL6DxI3wnXUFjkorJQ9U6swdwQUt87bcRGcInyrhyphenhyphen4MuZ5r0jgZgGchSBadMAKszPMefT4d8hebhSdRJXjV9iPmqr7r4KmpKRfz7VkzcuspEIJaamaye1ofOHXycLJyn6s72Q5C_WzAq/s400/P1010266.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking infield</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSogGc9fWNTl-EI69sdApVeLYsRdiHXPgW6jOGHRJ8_sZJB8Z-s5Ty1kClxAjq8VAh400oo6Bv2cirtKgwBtlpSjSm0ajciXVKfTsisKUP8qdiAJfHgxKSt9OzSYIQ-BcTZDERRvcveq_h/s1600/P1010267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSogGc9fWNTl-EI69sdApVeLYsRdiHXPgW6jOGHRJ8_sZJB8Z-s5Ty1kClxAjq8VAh400oo6Bv2cirtKgwBtlpSjSm0ajciXVKfTsisKUP8qdiAJfHgxKSt9OzSYIQ-BcTZDERRvcveq_h/s400/P1010267.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon about to turn the 3-6-1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6soU8JqqgbQdkNKc4zpocaTZa6wMkWk0XeLyDbmxj1t94EkWE4Qn4xZCKNqbnyOtdOiuFd43DvBg4QcfjbRaUl8Qs0ozZKmgoJdaMjVINCSqBUuaLhC6HSrjtDqIdIguitjO-qGy4OgCv/s1600/P1010272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6soU8JqqgbQdkNKc4zpocaTZa6wMkWk0XeLyDbmxj1t94EkWE4Qn4xZCKNqbnyOtdOiuFd43DvBg4QcfjbRaUl8Qs0ozZKmgoJdaMjVINCSqBUuaLhC6HSrjtDqIdIguitjO-qGy4OgCv/s400/P1010272.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craig at short</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJLt5jlWCGTRKsnslhZQLZUdjBAdi_jLskjUjDjZGQBkjYHMIEI3lGb9v1mzuA267T_s13QBASExXdZ2dIvQoEUGT8Znr3KPTdbzY7vEl5XiqEiVrrLmbp7ZmoKP33zdujFSz105ZyILo/s1600/P1010229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJLt5jlWCGTRKsnslhZQLZUdjBAdi_jLskjUjDjZGQBkjYHMIEI3lGb9v1mzuA267T_s13QBASExXdZ2dIvQoEUGT8Znr3KPTdbzY7vEl5XiqEiVrrLmbp7ZmoKP33zdujFSz105ZyILo/s400/P1010229.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMUWh5dDat_J2GXLG9nEs0pGNhD5SwLq9s7gtskrCw5FOt9aClkpaKz52p8TrF_Hu0SsCSUC6LIDNysb3qNbCoYUG6O-UaHBgiPr5tM5UJ-4f7ChYp-YF-yVJSqmAQ1JhzNfAr2j1C32W/s1600/P1010230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNMUWh5dDat_J2GXLG9nEs0pGNhD5SwLq9s7gtskrCw5FOt9aClkpaKz52p8TrF_Hu0SsCSUC6LIDNysb3qNbCoYUG6O-UaHBgiPr5tM5UJ-4f7ChYp-YF-yVJSqmAQ1JhzNfAr2j1C32W/s400/P1010230.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Infield, bleachers, cornfield</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uQWSdzYtsrVcfx8Q55blvkuzxKwSYsdMR3kh0wrF_C-jYISAXsn7vFR0rCNwMiixF2JCrviaqYoLWtvk0CdYpBZY9Z3jeg8HWNef-UvCxqW3d_Q1qPtjB2vABfPOgdNeIghVLDhvZn7S/s1600/P1010078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uQWSdzYtsrVcfx8Q55blvkuzxKwSYsdMR3kh0wrF_C-jYISAXsn7vFR0rCNwMiixF2JCrviaqYoLWtvk0CdYpBZY9Z3jeg8HWNef-UvCxqW3d_Q1qPtjB2vABfPOgdNeIghVLDhvZn7S/s400/P1010078.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catch in Wisconsin, a few days ago</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKlil7ADrgLFFwRk4xUZeIxvdVPEmWXRKza8gN9mQCSPBO4c2TLjRVLsQ_BMqgWsa7omPnUxMZhEV1ScMwQU44twZNW95YLKsTIyD2HXYqwK6kKNU7a4dyw3VWCRNOfsN_TJA3NtQRljQ/s1600/P1010069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKlil7ADrgLFFwRk4xUZeIxvdVPEmWXRKza8gN9mQCSPBO4c2TLjRVLsQ_BMqgWsa7omPnUxMZhEV1ScMwQU44twZNW95YLKsTIyD2HXYqwK6kKNU7a4dyw3VWCRNOfsN_TJA3NtQRljQ/s400/P1010069.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More catch in Wisconsin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY99MuluMAV-kTLkM5FK6yiiEM7AVpf3Ycxs8GkYP_XJRK7uDWrFINRdSDtr1ppKOvIgcknHFykbUuufrOf_SHRmHinJUtZNK8ApzVnr-yzcGZ3kqzBgwJIyyx8w8MJq2oSl5PUamJFysQ/s1600/P1000500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY99MuluMAV-kTLkM5FK6yiiEM7AVpf3Ycxs8GkYP_XJRK7uDWrFINRdSDtr1ppKOvIgcknHFykbUuufrOf_SHRmHinJUtZNK8ApzVnr-yzcGZ3kqzBgwJIyyx8w8MJq2oSl5PUamJFysQ/s400/P1000500.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding bumper stickers to the back, one from each stadium</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HPa9y6Svjq5UlP2tv2nwvqkFnes2rswi4YCkjPk3oT4Y1iUSGps2_YZZGXxbevRqsjwKaAaUf0BhSa9avKEt7MaibeRIJ9e68OdmSCqwCsbcvcY-ltq1ELxGNM5NhPm1jF2iXg4xoDAO/s1600/P1000315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HPa9y6Svjq5UlP2tv2nwvqkFnes2rswi4YCkjPk3oT4Y1iUSGps2_YZZGXxbevRqsjwKaAaUf0BhSa9avKEt7MaibeRIJ9e68OdmSCqwCsbcvcY-ltq1ELxGNM5NhPm1jF2iXg4xoDAO/s400/P1000315.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Midwest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasqz7v9HPxBwrFJzpcIMMQfqXJ6UezWGD7_lyBLnsX6gbQr_ZQMXr2rxgmOH7eP6z18APB5Y723HPN-PnyXKj5ByPqrDKXRIcYBJaRbXEmewZSCTHVs1EIrXAA5L65L1roK4L3bpftcWu/s1600/P1010318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasqz7v9HPxBwrFJzpcIMMQfqXJ6UezWGD7_lyBLnsX6gbQr_ZQMXr2rxgmOH7eP6z18APB5Y723HPN-PnyXKj5ByPqrDKXRIcYBJaRbXEmewZSCTHVs1EIrXAA5L65L1roK4L3bpftcWu/s400/P1010318.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gas in Iowa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDyvN8AwdqocRh9EhDz6G_AS4lljAn9ry-dyrq0zcDXFB1RVcc3G6yqRJ7wer_tTuY9KiteiJ4bEJAi53Gx5VtXiqGRpAYVCIsRVmFE7UFXAicbix1z_EjFVQYJkM-oj6dZMzubCOWrVo/s1600/P1000826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDyvN8AwdqocRh9EhDz6G_AS4lljAn9ry-dyrq0zcDXFB1RVcc3G6yqRJ7wer_tTuY9KiteiJ4bEJAi53Gx5VtXiqGRpAYVCIsRVmFE7UFXAicbix1z_EjFVQYJkM-oj6dZMzubCOWrVo/s400/P1000826.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I can't believe those two would take Sunshine over Vince..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Eje_QotUTH3BsRwC299W06yVOmpViZGxbktLnAwJ8Tp3RlfS8un3J48PcL-VOLrXHhaTLl79DlDl41Z0af9isBwV6lxpZg6sZPjLIop5aMLylXoUPECP1hYl1E9iVDURfhzFWlgMJ6R8/s1600/P1000814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Eje_QotUTH3BsRwC299W06yVOmpViZGxbktLnAwJ8Tp3RlfS8un3J48PcL-VOLrXHhaTLl79DlDl41Z0af9isBwV6lxpZg6sZPjLIop5aMLylXoUPECP1hYl1E9iVDURfhzFWlgMJ6R8/s320/P1000814.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-57477499392029994032012-08-13T10:41:00.003-07:002012-08-13T10:45:16.432-07:00One Third of the Way Home: More Thoughts and ReflectionsWhile we have only been on the road for 10 days, one third of the total number of games on our trip have come and gone. We spent yesterday traveling through Iowa and Nebraska which allowed for some reflection. Using the same scoring system from the first week, we ranked the last 5 stadiums. Again we had lots of difficulties coming up with the list because despite some minor drawbacks, the experience at each ballpark has been fantastic.<br />
<br />
We score stadiums in the following five categories: stadium design, scoreboard/music, concessions, atmosphere, and the game itself. Overall rankings are then determined through the combined average of these scores. To clarify, stadium design deals with both the architecture and placement within the city, concessions are food and drink, and game is a measure of quality of play only. In case you missed it, <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-first-five-quick-hit-reflections.html">here</a> is the ranking of the first five stadiums. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOJ5Rm2IzDLWGqpy9spTdBr2WQMA9RdC7g8Hdc-GdVkzAf7QFAUg_MEvptAjTDlVCEIyBSAhoIMmIjSeURRhG1PIzbJJl61jXBZr2w_mtUHsAvAjsEUY-OyP-WHI3KgPk5QXgzhH794Q/s1600/P1000928.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOJ5Rm2IzDLWGqpy9spTdBr2WQMA9RdC7g8Hdc-GdVkzAf7QFAUg_MEvptAjTDlVCEIyBSAhoIMmIjSeURRhG1PIzbJJl61jXBZr2w_mtUHsAvAjsEUY-OyP-WHI3KgPk5QXgzhH794Q/s200/P1000928.JPG" /></a><b><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">1. Wrigley Field, Chicago</span></b><br />
Stadium Design: 1st<br />
Scoreboard/Music: 2nd<br />
Concessions: 4th<br />
Atmosphere: 1st<br />
Game: 3rd<br />
There is no other experience in baseball like attending a game here. The stadium practically oozes baseball history and lore. The lack of a state-of-the-art JumboTron and loud blaring music makes the Wrigley Field experience all about the game in its purest form. Fan support from the Northsiders was excellent despite the lack of talent on their team. The only downside was that the food seems to be trapped in the 1950s as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGutjBGxqoZCZDr-sHWivz4S7WaXML-2z4qyliLWcrQrFzOPwFyb4KW1fjDuzf_jk3i_Wz8CxwLvtUpI4HGZse6Og8xdIiaMq1hrhEPBcsquTkClnTEtLX8bUCsDUplEJ3iNRV6yXiug/s1600/P1010119(1).JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGutjBGxqoZCZDr-sHWivz4S7WaXML-2z4qyliLWcrQrFzOPwFyb4KW1fjDuzf_jk3i_Wz8CxwLvtUpI4HGZse6Og8xdIiaMq1hrhEPBcsquTkClnTEtLX8bUCsDUplEJ3iNRV6yXiug/s200/P1010119(1).JPG" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: orange;">2. Target Field, Minnesota</b></span><br />
Stadium Design: 2nd<br />
Scoreboard/Music: 3rd<br />
Concessions: 1st<br />
Atmosphere: 2nd<br />
Game: 5th<br />
A nice, new stadium well situated in downtown Minneapolis. Target Field sports an excellent video screen and some of the best stadium food you can find anywhere for very reasonable prices. Twins fans showed a remarkable amount of attentiveness and passion, even in late innings when they were behind.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6qNwHN6xEdzTiFQ4c5zr3m2G-mfhq-IB8QCpCROlR0xht0L7ZgqpqsWGh1ScyW3s0pAvhf8uzM5Gio7u6sdFgTlR6qsqQEM8db5a42uq9OmlZVEdMjmXV5M_AQYXdwCTXWexbvMg0Mc/s1600/P1000678.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6qNwHN6xEdzTiFQ4c5zr3m2G-mfhq-IB8QCpCROlR0xht0L7ZgqpqsWGh1ScyW3s0pAvhf8uzM5Gio7u6sdFgTlR6qsqQEM8db5a42uq9OmlZVEdMjmXV5M_AQYXdwCTXWexbvMg0Mc/s200/P1000678.JPG" /></a><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>3. Miller Park, Milwaukee</b></span><br />
Stadium Design: 3rd<br />
Scoreboard/Music: 1st<br />
Concessions: 5th<br />
Atmosphere: 3rd<br />
Game: 2nd<br />
Our first retractable roof stadium of the trip. Miller Park has the best scoreboard we have seen in terms of clearly providing the appropriate information and avoiding gimmicky animations. Even on a Wednesday day game, the Brewer faithful showed up in force and willed their team to victory in the late innings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCbIBI64hx9GNmbLs9jIxm8hKEcoO2LtpeClGm8ICvLPzhwtu1cZbmOCRouc6kcYF7lZVM49m7ffzepbSr0uaiJshbRqcvUhzyYAVXg819xDii4nLPECnhUW0Uxm4SUUCQMYKi1fFqiU/s1600/P1010012.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCbIBI64hx9GNmbLs9jIxm8hKEcoO2LtpeClGm8ICvLPzhwtu1cZbmOCRouc6kcYF7lZVM49m7ffzepbSr0uaiJshbRqcvUhzyYAVXg819xDii4nLPECnhUW0Uxm4SUUCQMYKi1fFqiU/s200/P1010012.JPG" /></a><b style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. US Cellular Field, Chicago </span></b><br />
Stadium Design: 5th<br />
Scoreboard/Music: 5th<br />
Concessions: 2nd<br />
Atmosphere: 4th<br />
Game: 1st<br />
The Southsiders love their White Sox, but there are few appealing characteristics in the bland US Cellular Field. Their scoreboard is heavily biased towards the home team and too complicated. Low priced concessions, an excellent game, and the post-game fireworks helped the score significantly here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsTk14YeQ5zeB2l-feODlJ3flD_Rp3fAU-eBMcvyMvC2mug7CPDMbsgZ5_DZdTDokWbhxgQEbygB-jg7VUaCwh4BMYr-0qprf2BRJO1ADqeGEVbzS0_OBhAVvLDEukVxtrjO5hkC_rJ0/s1600/P1000799.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsTk14YeQ5zeB2l-feODlJ3flD_Rp3fAU-eBMcvyMvC2mug7CPDMbsgZ5_DZdTDokWbhxgQEbygB-jg7VUaCwh4BMYr-0qprf2BRJO1ADqeGEVbzS0_OBhAVvLDEukVxtrjO5hkC_rJ0/s200/P1000799.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: orange;">5. Busch Stadium, St. Louis </b></span><br />
Stadium Design: 4th<br />
Scoreboard/Music: 4th<br />
Concessions: 3rd<br />
Atmosphere: 5th<br />
Game: 5th<br />
The turnout may have been depressed by the weekday day game and high temperatures, but even then it was pretty disappointing. Busch Stadium is coated in Cardinal red, but other than the view of the St. Louis Arch in center field it has very few redeeming qualities. The food and beer selection was excellent if you have the money to pay for it. A slow game lowered the ranking.Owen Witekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05832570795755076091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-17769461872970566862012-08-13T06:23:00.002-07:002012-08-13T10:59:05.816-07:00Game 10: Mauer Power<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfp0OBW7R9kH-a0yyB3kserxTVEVFmc9Y_4irjZMiFOqWyto72a-jDTXyDKwNL-ABQBcWyQU5KNEB2j-SGFYBsgZ9HOQ-DGbllfy4_QoaggqhnD1y8RickmSR-F5lqcrFpe0d9FTvNEs/s1600/P1010136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfp0OBW7R9kH-a0yyB3kserxTVEVFmc9Y_4irjZMiFOqWyto72a-jDTXyDKwNL-ABQBcWyQU5KNEB2j-SGFYBsgZ9HOQ-DGbllfy4_QoaggqhnD1y8RickmSR-F5lqcrFpe0d9FTvNEs/s320/P1010136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of the packed hou</td></tr>
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Last night at Target Field in Minneapolis, as we watched a very strong Rays team defeat the much weaker Minnesota Twins, I was struck by the uniquely upbeat atmosphere we found at Target Field. Despite a brilliant performance from Rays' ace David Price, the Twins fans that packed the stadium not only stuck around longer than other fans, but they were also much more generally engaged in the game. Fans booed after BJ Upton and Matt Joyce hit back-to-back home runs to spur a three-run first inning, but though that early lead ultimately proved too much to overcome, the crowd's interest never waned. Even from the right field bleachers, people seemed to appreciate the pitching performance Price put on. Of course, it helped that he was not flawless; Price made enough mistakes to surrender two runs, including a solo bomb from Brian Dozier that really got the crowd excited. I cannot imagine how the park would have exploded had we seen Joe Mauer hit one, for it seemed clear the Joe Mauer is in a class of his own with Twins fan over both former MVP Justin Morneau and the player currently leading the team in all power categories, slugger Josh Willingham.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu80O4THWNiG8eQRDADm2if0jUaC7vuQM3-wEPw7FCYTbLJkE0U-7V8s2AxxRyAqIXXIyC_jrYW3wQHdRmY8rAQ8nk4b3xeYYTpcLr0cpSkI8O_fBUpISOCawRvMZbEKNp0-j6wCBBjWI/s1600/P1010126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu80O4THWNiG8eQRDADm2if0jUaC7vuQM3-wEPw7FCYTbLJkE0U-7V8s2AxxRyAqIXXIyC_jrYW3wQHdRmY8rAQ8nk4b3xeYYTpcLr0cpSkI8O_fBUpISOCawRvMZbEKNp0-j6wCBBjWI/s320/P1010126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rays' ace David Price</td></tr>
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Perhaps the biggest indicator of Twins' fans unusual dedication to their team was the presence of not one but two bachelorette parties at the game, which we saw on the center field scoreboard. I never really thought of a baseball game as a great place for a bachelorette party though, and while nightlife in the Twin Cities were nothing like what we saw the night before in Wrigleyville, you don't come to the ballpark for that kind of event without really caring about the team. The fact that women were dedicate their night out to the baseball game is truly remarkable. Another indicator of the Twins' popularity is that Joe Mauer jerseys are 12th in jersey sales among all major league players, despite the Twins being a small-market team that is tied for last place in the AL Central.<br />
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Even beyond the fans appreciation for the team, though, the aspect of our time at Target Field that distinguished it from the other stadiums we have visited is the extent to which nearly all items were produced locally. From the beer selection (Grain Belt Beer and Summit to name two) to the gelato stand (which was delicious), our group was very impressed with the quality and uniqueness and the Target Field concessions. Of course, this sentiment holds true for the larger experience, too.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>Games Watched:</b></span> 10<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Games to Go:</b></span> 20<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Thuuz score:</b></span> 40<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Stadium:</b></span> B+, well-designed new stadium chock full of local food and beverage options (including a fantastic gelato stand by the right field entrance) with a view of the Minneapolis skyline over right field<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Fan Atmosphere: </b></span>A, phenomenal given the relatively dull game and poor outcome for the hometown crowd<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Concessions: </span></b>A, not only were the food, snacks and beverages excellent, but for the most part they were also locally or regionally produced, a welcome reprieve from Nathan's hot dogs, Dippin' Dots, Bud Light.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnZ3y8Df6jFvjixd5sNjKfu8UFCeLomu2DLq3Vq77jeI3RecfyANRXrKHA6kwTqlt9FVaJWeE8eyUg4B_0VTUDPXo_dOs_6LMKcKHhvXWIIhVESj_E8EKxyoxwVIouIfdTrFj0b9OlI8/s1600/P1010180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnZ3y8Df6jFvjixd5sNjKfu8UFCeLomu2DLq3Vq77jeI3RecfyANRXrKHA6kwTqlt9FVaJWeE8eyUg4B_0VTUDPXo_dOs_6LMKcKHhvXWIIhVESj_E8EKxyoxwVIouIfdTrFj0b9OlI8/s200/P1010180.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Prophet, spreading word of Jesus (Montero)</td></tr>
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<span style="color: orange; font-weight: bold;">Quote of the Day: </span>"Embrace Jesus, for only He will save you" - Damon, referring to Mariners prodigy/prophet/perennial disappointment Jesus Montero. Damon loudly proclaimed this as we exited Target Field following the Twins' loss, and he said it holding up our "30 in 38" sign and wearing his beloved Dustin Ackley Mariners jersey. As an aside, we're pretty sure it was the Mariners jersey that kept us from being on the Target Jumbotron that night.<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Tim Kurkjian Award:</b></span> To Twins first baseman Justin Morneau. After a successful pickoff throw with runners on first and third caught Desmond Jennings off the bag at first and sprinting for sceond, Morneau decided to throw to third base to hold that runner close to the bag (it did not look like he was going anywhere) rather than get the dead-in-the-water Jennings at second. Jennings even stopped ten feet shy of second base, assuming he was caught in a pickle.<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Miles traveled: </span></b>2,412<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Miles to next stop:</span></b> 1,105 (Brewers @ Rockies, 6:40pm)<br />
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Read more for pictures:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDq4nFZdhAMu4BYPvFlrNCXJCsVxYf7r7pGaYTwJ4TazYL7I2y09luTMZJOS_jgaeHuQ6dij1zgMUXimonRqfHikgDuYOLF534jUyiKFUa__lOlA3S2pS3x_AtbVKgVrOjDXNNEg0Az0/s1600/P1010084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDq4nFZdhAMu4BYPvFlrNCXJCsVxYf7r7pGaYTwJ4TazYL7I2y09luTMZJOS_jgaeHuQ6dij1zgMUXimonRqfHikgDuYOLF534jUyiKFUa__lOlA3S2pS3x_AtbVKgVrOjDXNNEg0Az0/s320/P1010084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Midwest farmland in Northern Wisconsin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_X3VQS2YJ_BFIrSvrqLuQj9H7Qaim0ZNCmIVY7Tmoqb4QKyhAE9zCrFDjrl1WL0aA_V2ySTV-JfjoN_T7mklqKIBAG8uY44yvbEp-yjOakigInslbfWFX_jfc4z96O-qb3szeT0aPwg/s1600/P1010109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA_X3VQS2YJ_BFIrSvrqLuQj9H7Qaim0ZNCmIVY7Tmoqb4QKyhAE9zCrFDjrl1WL0aA_V2ySTV-JfjoN_T7mklqKIBAG8uY44yvbEp-yjOakigInslbfWFX_jfc4z96O-qb3szeT0aPwg/s320/P1010109.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our seats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2XPkzqDNTdHKVxiTGxVU6doRlCNgxC8eJhk6jN5zbUDDYs5bYZG5uXOeVvTRGGhyphenhyphenRoVpNQ7CPkpe6qIYEavlDCdWpIKNxHCtekTy8ftEbVKzBOJJGewimCA59JdKcNPVWbtLz874jY8/s1600/P1010110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2XPkzqDNTdHKVxiTGxVU6doRlCNgxC8eJhk6jN5zbUDDYs5bYZG5uXOeVvTRGGhyphenhyphenRoVpNQ7CPkpe6qIYEavlDCdWpIKNxHCtekTy8ftEbVKzBOJJGewimCA59JdKcNPVWbtLz874jY8/s320/P1010110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Center field</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLx9va9gL4fdle_zV0S1nk8uJMBMN9-D02MCcaY_4-gG4a0Yc70IANAIBC7fpXN4nrNqpzZCJVo5DqNnfccfGEg3YCJMbjF4d_WNFEzZau9X0aKSRVdzIbdAwDBX7XDTpIe7q-mU_uaw/s1600/P1010115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLx9va9gL4fdle_zV0S1nk8uJMBMN9-D02MCcaY_4-gG4a0Yc70IANAIBC7fpXN4nrNqpzZCJVo5DqNnfccfGEg3YCJMbjF4d_WNFEzZau9X0aKSRVdzIbdAwDBX7XDTpIe7q-mU_uaw/s320/P1010115.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoreboard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5yQWqMLYfWVZa0cREUxoyA0tYylhhffHSETkH69euLZoqJJNXgnNbnuCVY5QGtiWYa5bnjltNjU6_cMSoeWimk1xKiwihAGr_Zpb6Dmbfc-xBhL58uvokDSzJmXnQRqytLgbhJe95Yw/s1600/P1010117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5yQWqMLYfWVZa0cREUxoyA0tYylhhffHSETkH69euLZoqJJNXgnNbnuCVY5QGtiWYa5bnjltNjU6_cMSoeWimk1xKiwihAGr_Zpb6Dmbfc-xBhL58uvokDSzJmXnQRqytLgbhJe95Yw/s320/P1010117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH7XVr3xJsGwGFmjv8ugBe0D4eqai47IvdatkcpGZko9iAiY8Y6XmeokrX8CXlUbiQl4Wbneb2P50553jWD8PWd7I-ag_75obo07s0nZiaZCFEbcfso68kOOqzaLJzTSkiwtn_rj45Yc/s1600/P1010119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoH7XVr3xJsGwGFmjv8ugBe0D4eqai47IvdatkcpGZko9iAiY8Y6XmeokrX8CXlUbiQl4Wbneb2P50553jWD8PWd7I-ag_75obo07s0nZiaZCFEbcfso68kOOqzaLJzTSkiwtn_rj45Yc/s320/P1010119.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Mauer, local legend</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVere7HH4DLfD7bHGrbg0bTVoRFJ1FdbIHMNB0Kye7DCdPcnfD9KN7TLV5v1GWlebNqvfRyy7OArF85wEmCvFcO9ncWWwypr_l_xqGHuC_32F4q2YNY8dE1aALef_rFg5chioeebP5m4U/s1600/P1010143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVere7HH4DLfD7bHGrbg0bTVoRFJ1FdbIHMNB0Kye7DCdPcnfD9KN7TLV5v1GWlebNqvfRyy7OArF85wEmCvFcO9ncWWwypr_l_xqGHuC_32F4q2YNY8dE1aALef_rFg5chioeebP5m4U/s320/P1010143.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken tenders basket</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skyline over right field</td></tr>
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<br />Craig Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16656049237576351933noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-78993326715125336152012-08-12T23:34:00.000-07:002012-08-12T23:34:02.983-07:00Games 8 & 9: A Chicago Doubleheader<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320810116" target="_blank">Cubs 8, Reds 10</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320810104" target="_blank">White Sox 4, Athletics 3</a></span></div>
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Gale force winds whip our faces, sweeping debris — empty hot dog wrappers, plastic lids, abandoned score cards — up the concourse and into the chain link fence directly behind us. From below, the PA announcer's voice is drowned out by the wind's howl. A pillar obstructs our view of home plate. <div>
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Welcome to Wrigley Field. <div>
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The walk from the metro station takes you through Wrigleyville, one of Chicago's plushest neighborhoods. And then there, where there were chic stores and expensive bars before, stands Wrigley Field — a nearly century's old structure, surrounded by considerably younger buildings and even younger patrons.</div>
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As we walked to the stadium, every step evoked more of the Cubs' tragic history. In this case we explained, in hushed tones, the legend of the "Billy Goat Curse" and, even more quietly, the story of Steve Bartman. My girlfriend, Anna, upon hearing the way Cubs fans harassed and threatened Bartman after the game, responded, "God, that's so dumb." And she's right, of course. It is dumb — not to mention inexcusable — but it also speaks to the irrational devotion of a desperate fan base. And when the collective emotions of the Wrigley faithful are directed towards more positive things, it is undoubtedly an awesome experience.</div>
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While the stadium, like its fans, has its rough patches, the venue is unlike any other in professional sports in this country. You enter, not into some wide, outdoor concourse as is the case with most of the new stadiums, but directly into the bowels of the building. Though in some places, such as Busch Stadium, it seems as if half the fans spend the game inside, enjoying the air conditioned dining areas, Wrigley's narrow walkways and the bustling fans create a desire to escape — to surface above ground and see the field for the first time. And what a sight it is; the first glimpse out of the tunnel makes you feel as if you've been taken back in time to the 1930s or so and makes you consider, with goosebumps rising, just how many people have stood in the same spot, admiring one of America's greatest landmarks. </div>
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The Wrigley Field atmosphere is one that needs to be experienced in order to be understood. Even with the Cubs mired 20-plus games under .500, the fans show up in droves. There is no JumboTron blaring music or mascot blasting free shirts into the night sky; the weather is cold and the wind is biting; the Cubs make five errors, though it easily could have been seven. The fans are not showing up to be entertained or to spend an afternoon in the sun. They're not even showing up to watch good baseball. They're coming for Wrigley. And to interact with one another. </div>
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During the middle innings of the game, a group of friends converged in the bleachers on the first base line. Without enough seats for everyone, a number of them just sat down in the aisle. While this would be spotted and weeded out at almost any other stadium, such behavior is accepted at Wrigley. A couple of minutes later, a vendor came by, made an offhand joke about fire code safety and continued on his way after sharing a laugh with the group. </div>
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Sitting in front of us were two Brits, a man and a woman from London. It was their first-ever baseball game and they were curious about Wrigley Field — how it compared to other stadiums, how old it was, etc. In response I told them that Wrigley Field was the American equivalent of Old Trafford, Manchester United's historic stadium. And the more I thought about it, I realized just how similar the atmosphere at Wrigley is to many Premiership venues. </div>
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One of the lamentable aspects of spectator sports in the US is the overuse of artificial sounds and cues. That fans need any sort of prompt from the JumboTron to know the right time to clap or stand or cheer — and believe me, they do — is an indictment of our culture. Fortunately, this is not the case at Wrigley, where the wind makes even the PA difficult to hear and where the fans cheer and boo liberally and lustily. And much like many of the Premiership teams that have fallen on hard times, the fans always show up, if for no other reason because they don't know anything else. </div>
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The same, unfortunately, cannot be said of their crosstown rivals, the White Sox, who sit in first place in the AL Central, but drew fewer fans to a Friday night game against the Wild-Card-leading A's than the Cubs did earlier that day.</div>
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Such is the reality of the White Sox and always has been. But to their credit, they have never tried to be the Cubs and US Cellular Field has no desire to be Wrigley Field. Lacking both the diehard fans of the North side and without a historic venue, the White Sox decided long ago that they would need to draw fans a little more creatively. </div>
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Starting in the 1970s then owner Bill Veeck decided the best way to bring fans to the park was to use gimmicks — to attract fans using other forms of entertainment. While some of his ideas, such as Disco Demolition night backfired spectacularly — the White Sox had to forfeit the second game of a doubleheader to the visiting Tigers because fans wouldn't stop frisbeeing discs all over the stadium — other innovations, like the exploding scoreboard and commissioning radio broadcasts were excellent for the game of baseball. And, on this night, one of Veeck's innovations — setting of fireworks any time the home team hits a home run — was particularly appropriate.</div>
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On Fireworks Night at US Cellular Field, White Sox left fielder Jordan Danks ended the game with a bang, crushing a walk-off home run and the first home run of his career into the bleachers in right field. The ensuing fireworks that lit up the night sky and the post-game show, which nearly everyone stayed for, reminded me that, while there can only be one Wrigley Field, there is more than one way to experience, and enjoy a baseball game. </div>
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<b style="color: orange;">Games Watched: </b>9</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Games to Go: </b></span>21</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Thuuz Scores: </b></span>70 (Cubs), 75 (White Sox)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Stadium: </b></span><b>Wrigley:</b> A, It was my first time visiting Wrigley and is something I will never forget. Though I have been to Fenway and the old Yankee Stadium, neither has the same timeless feeling that Wrigley exudes. <b>US Cellular:</b> B, It doesn't hold a light to Wrigley, but the stadium is adequate and is a suitable place to watch a good baseball game.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Fan Atmosphere: </b></span><b>Wrigley:</b> A, As I wrote earlier, Wrigley is one of very few places where fans do not need, nor do they receive, a cue to cheer or clap. There is also a strong sense of community at Wrigley, something that I have only experienced in Pittsburgh, though it manifests itself differently in each park. <b>US Cellular: </b>C+, The fans who did go were alert and into the game, but for a team in first place and with a potential Wild Card rival in town, fans should have packed the building.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Concessions: </b></span><b>Wrigley: </b>B, The food at Wrigley was decent, though hardly the best we've had. I was surprised, however, at how relatively inexpensive (for baseball game's of course the concessions were.) <b>US Cellular: </b>The South siders had some good food — in particular their nachos were quite good — and once again, reasonably priced.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Quote of the Day: </b></span> Tim: "I've got a joke — what's name of the team that plays in Texas?" Me: "The Rangers." Tim: "I wasn't expecting that. That's unfortunate, really." Short pause. Still Tim: "Doesn't fit into my joke, does it?"-One of the many hilarious conversations we had with Tim, one of two Brits sitting in front of us, who provided more than enough entertainment for the six of us over the course of the game. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Tim Kurkjian Award: </b></span>In the sixth inning of the game, Drew Stubbs stole second base, advanced to third on a throwing error by Cubs catcher Wellington Castillo and then scored when centerfielder Brett Jackson failed to cleanly field the ball, allowing the ball by him and into centerfield. Safe to say none of us had ever seen a baserunner score from first base on two separate errors on the same play. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Total Miles Traveled: </b></span>2,418</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b>Miles to Next Game: </b></span>407 (Rays @ Twins, August 11th)</div>
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The famous entry to Wrigley Field.</div>
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Pre-game showers made way to an afternoon of blustery baseball. </div>
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The stadium is devoid of almost all electronics. The old school scoreboard hanging above a section of covered seats are just two of Wrigley's quirks. </div>
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The apartment buildings around Wrigley have bleachers on the roof so tenants can watch the games from home.</div>
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This chain link fence acted as a vacuum for the wind escaping the field.</div>
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Our British friends who were hilarious and responsible for our quote of the day. </div>
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Jeff's wish came true, as we saw Aroldis Chapman close out the game. </div>
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A view from our seats at US Cellular Field, where we were disappointed by the fan turnout.</div>
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Though hardly iconic, US Cellular is a solid venue. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct2Eg7DcL9lsX5Ezu4C7jxY1uqrKNb4d_Rph9BicZPxCVNPEsvIBLSDq9MH4fu8msl-G4gH6afkMlrKuaJw_WmwYA0zOr4zssuHmbWwlQHCkAn6cPs9lUhhSlXFfiKW1HTQJ7R1w-B3Rs/s1600/P1000997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct2Eg7DcL9lsX5Ezu4C7jxY1uqrKNb4d_Rph9BicZPxCVNPEsvIBLSDq9MH4fu8msl-G4gH6afkMlrKuaJw_WmwYA0zOr4zssuHmbWwlQHCkAn6cPs9lUhhSlXFfiKW1HTQJ7R1w-B3Rs/s400/P1000997.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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White Sox players mob Danks at home plate after his walk-off home run. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8y_iPaywKTKNHiozS7xKvIh8gdj5V-faN9g5jyNc7OIKabS27_Aq49JY2No11KzV2nHZcAJkDkM5hDmpKDFhHE9pxE_PXFv6ZIotIooWSLTBjgac3bWc8_Vu2K-VjWAFFDQ3QJHxIwAxa/s1600/P1010012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8y_iPaywKTKNHiozS7xKvIh8gdj5V-faN9g5jyNc7OIKabS27_Aq49JY2No11KzV2nHZcAJkDkM5hDmpKDFhHE9pxE_PXFv6ZIotIooWSLTBjgac3bWc8_Vu2K-VjWAFFDQ3QJHxIwAxa/s400/P1010012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Fireworks night — an idea conceived by Bill Veeck during the 1970s — is a regular promotion at US Cellular Field. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegr7Vkfw07n2ghVJ-AfiiUitQIvN4m-9MJhkJQtQ1fo-b7XjWUUCKCQ87Ri1CXy1fyKk6kKoIC6WKuRO8Nu0BGX09CAI97G0s0IN9LQnAxlKXGwDRe8KmY13iVtu4cREUF7OV2lYTXzQ2/s1600/P1010029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegr7Vkfw07n2ghVJ-AfiiUitQIvN4m-9MJhkJQtQ1fo-b7XjWUUCKCQ87Ri1CXy1fyKk6kKoIC6WKuRO8Nu0BGX09CAI97G0s0IN9LQnAxlKXGwDRe8KmY13iVtu4cREUF7OV2lYTXzQ2/s400/P1010029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Anna and me with a great shot of the Chicago skyline in the background. </div>
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Damon Hathewayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11325688386543839476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7279352974359053631.post-16049800315390993192012-08-11T02:14:00.001-07:002012-08-11T02:14:46.587-07:00Games 8 & 9: Chicago<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320810116" target="_blank">Reds 10, Cubs 8</a></div>
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<a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=320810104" target="_blank">White Sox 4, Athletics 3</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRNY43edxQVSTismhGOxg8zOtQW5tdMO7MHSDEdix213Wa-zZgmY0BRJyayQnE7G2SirbtcGcrMforAIALBKSakuKdbZrkQ1ixqrnDrqdFsrSb8RRunnwId_QskYL34T2_Vd4Q2Nn1VAZ/s1600/P1000977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRNY43edxQVSTismhGOxg8zOtQW5tdMO7MHSDEdix213Wa-zZgmY0BRJyayQnE7G2SirbtcGcrMforAIALBKSakuKdbZrkQ1ixqrnDrqdFsrSb8RRunnwId_QskYL34T2_Vd4Q2Nn1VAZ/s640/P1000977.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpi7pODpeP74XAFwrqMOeIjGT5zgIj7ZhDKypv72R38_RB_kLWys76ilTwnIGeuE_gJB9Mh8sSfgIV1zURunmLl43ZtYwfdhXNQLl-bR2RseW87W5Ldr6kUqPhyHxCKzyYi2TRNYLEK_S/s1600/P1000950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpi7pODpeP74XAFwrqMOeIjGT5zgIj7ZhDKypv72R38_RB_kLWys76ilTwnIGeuE_gJB9Mh8sSfgIV1zURunmLl43ZtYwfdhXNQLl-bR2RseW87W5Ldr6kUqPhyHxCKzyYi2TRNYLEK_S/s640/P1000950.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We had a long and amazing day in Chicago, seeing the Cubs host the Reds at Wrigley Field in the afternoon, then the White Sox host the Athletics at U.S. Cellular at night. The blog post will come tomorrow night, the delay being due to a difficulty we are having with our in-car internet, but we wanted to share some photos with you now.<br />
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Until the blog is up, it is worth giving a quick recap of the day: Wrigley Field was everything we imagined it to be and so much more. Easily in a class of its own among stadiums thus far. A longer description is necessary, but even that will not do it justice. U.S. Cellular could not live up to Wrigley in any way, but it was a state-of-the-art stadium and we appreciated that. Moreover, we saw a walk-off home run by White Sox outfielder Jordan Danks, making it the most thrilling game yet. Afterward, we were treated to a firework show at the stadium, and then we went back to Wrigleyville to watch a local comedy performance, which was a lot of fun. That wrapped up our longest and most exciting day of the trip. </div>
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Oh, and <a href="http://30in38.blogspot.com/2012/08/game-6-six-things.html" target="_blank">we got to watch Aroldis Chapman pitch</a> this afternoon. He lived up to the hype.</div>
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We are headed to Minnesota tomorrow to see the Twins host the Rays at Target Field. After that game, we will have seen ten baseball games, at ten major league ballparks, in nine days. </div>
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P.S. You will notice in the pictures that a fifth road-tripper, Anna, has joined us. We picked her up from the airport last night, and she will be staying with us through Seattle.</div>
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Click "Read more" for the photos<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh37k8hyphenhyphenTCX_ipk_CKgsovstip1Lie1Tr6Y7-_AT6tfoAgpHih2U2z9j1g6jBGw9paKsifg5lVJIytgjYOpkDt9kqctbf0pMQ_ZdBfJrbDs-c7QvPRZWJFZaJwocI_zKYEugulFOXzIJBX/s1600/P1000837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh37k8hyphenhyphenTCX_ipk_CKgsovstip1Lie1Tr6Y7-_AT6tfoAgpHih2U2z9j1g6jBGw9paKsifg5lVJIytgjYOpkDt9kqctbf0pMQ_ZdBfJrbDs-c7QvPRZWJFZaJwocI_zKYEugulFOXzIJBX/s400/P1000837.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicago deep dish pizza</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5_AZo1Uj3UH7u-hoacNyPe47BG4fJX0FPPma4COH8crSwkagFv4PG5Hz1HKsZ_2jAY8i0vucFaZsgMcrxKVyu-FEJkYxM5tMzATeWVOAnlCyB8dFvZcztbQEwuXyro_idl22_kiYwt-0/s1600/P1000843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5_AZo1Uj3UH7u-hoacNyPe47BG4fJX0FPPma4COH8crSwkagFv4PG5Hz1HKsZ_2jAY8i0vucFaZsgMcrxKVyu-FEJkYxM5tMzATeWVOAnlCyB8dFvZcztbQEwuXyro_idl22_kiYwt-0/s400/P1000843.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: Anna, Grapefruit, Damon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKCDTe7zrcnrBp3rzYxZGFyqAyiTmtj5erq2osQgK4_3bpqpZqkyf1nEzCQzCd1GEkv60AFobj2bZKLyjRuf4cpdMidwCFyzvdEZI2TdEL1z0svBYDN1_USmTGkXctrhGUZId273mO8NL/s1600/P1000866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKCDTe7zrcnrBp3rzYxZGFyqAyiTmtj5erq2osQgK4_3bpqpZqkyf1nEzCQzCd1GEkv60AFobj2bZKLyjRuf4cpdMidwCFyzvdEZI2TdEL1z0svBYDN1_USmTGkXctrhGUZId273mO8NL/s400/P1000866.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpVuuaGbyOpAS8a8jrKiHcVxGMcK5th1R0ssy4mx-TM1cxcK73QLpnrZ86X_YTyxDSfnv_JNie50cHPhRBMass2dd5PRrPcjWkqqf_OlIFYpiKyDmFUNcdq_gQGHlSTxU23LFJeZXPmhO/s1600/P1000870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpVuuaGbyOpAS8a8jrKiHcVxGMcK5th1R0ssy4mx-TM1cxcK73QLpnrZ86X_YTyxDSfnv_JNie50cHPhRBMass2dd5PRrPcjWkqqf_OlIFYpiKyDmFUNcdq_gQGHlSTxU23LFJeZXPmhO/s400/P1000870.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPXw3THDqgDGUQV7RweLSp7eELY4f-y4D9fJV-wKT4_W9EW3ioIF0SQCNORXSldZY-aNkAIVZSSB-tzfFMXjmFd6nU0Oxd0VgMUaXG6t67qYvp95gwD-cXE4Y6593NGiQflhBK8IKcclt/s1600/P1000885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPXw3THDqgDGUQV7RweLSp7eELY4f-y4D9fJV-wKT4_W9EW3ioIF0SQCNORXSldZY-aNkAIVZSSB-tzfFMXjmFd6nU0Oxd0VgMUaXG6t67qYvp95gwD-cXE4Y6593NGiQflhBK8IKcclt/s400/P1000885.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bartman's corner</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGGsZ90rvyd0b_RkMvM5pTZx-wcDbTGoLKf7kJO9V2j1apNCAsruqJkX1PgBE30wl6bV0-wa2NWz7x4QwHfUg7E-vkE7Bw443pRv1AUiG9FmSabybcC16e6m6svgBswOGvKJHPzrYZtQt/s1600/P1000914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGGsZ90rvyd0b_RkMvM5pTZx-wcDbTGoLKf7kJO9V2j1apNCAsruqJkX1PgBE30wl6bV0-wa2NWz7x4QwHfUg7E-vkE7Bw443pRv1AUiG9FmSabybcC16e6m6svgBswOGvKJHPzrYZtQt/s400/P1000914.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view behind our seats, toward Lake Michigan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcgDeCsJx-pfz8SGMbL6vwM9mzkasL0RA0idQkT2EjYQpMhmEHiSr_aIHSsUNd-bYXrT3MkH06TEV6YclwF2mLUYIN_Yvhd96YLfatkETCJZ98IV2GZglegFt7lO3IZPmoVCNgF4oQxc0/s1600/P1000918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcgDeCsJx-pfz8SGMbL6vwM9mzkasL0RA0idQkT2EjYQpMhmEHiSr_aIHSsUNd-bYXrT3MkH06TEV6YclwF2mLUYIN_Yvhd96YLfatkETCJZ98IV2GZglegFt7lO3IZPmoVCNgF4oQxc0/s400/P1000918.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our favorite fans, a funny and charming British couple at their first baseball game</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLILVGrCs3RoPE5Iuyz_To1muY8FX3Z8wGJQKrWKH0VZfVVcGzUFPudGOjzH7T73mu10H0xQP6f6HhmEvv4Tx5DpCMP-N8puGSWDEkwnzLoSkDpsnB7bausAEXtXhBPCrJFx7JtETtIsER/s1600/P1000939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLILVGrCs3RoPE5Iuyz_To1muY8FX3Z8wGJQKrWKH0VZfVVcGzUFPudGOjzH7T73mu10H0xQP6f6HhmEvv4Tx5DpCMP-N8puGSWDEkwnzLoSkDpsnB7bausAEXtXhBPCrJFx7JtETtIsER/s400/P1000939.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aroldis<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hU_z76ZcXvOn3LsdWhTuiwUKbKVNcA4tIkj6F0y12xQnS-WMrduPX1y9xkrl9iisLmAofb5lwuNWJXnhw2r5K48hyphenhyphenMDs_oj_uD53FkTbhbO1XBDP3PPPTaQXJ1qQrnTxmPjzQWsbhpUF/s1600/P1000972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hU_z76ZcXvOn3LsdWhTuiwUKbKVNcA4tIkj6F0y12xQnS-WMrduPX1y9xkrl9iisLmAofb5lwuNWJXnhw2r5K48hyphenhyphenMDs_oj_uD53FkTbhbO1XBDP3PPPTaQXJ1qQrnTxmPjzQWsbhpUF/s400/P1000972.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sky at U.S. Cellular</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDj3rTWcJv8xxqNZRzctIhGkY3CEA30mGVZLlwCqGV6oCElouYDGg7Og1ZnwRP2BUYmFKGoUkOVV4QQ6__ckS5TxNOWd7GxWHxA7XAjVjV7fgVFsReyZ9mZxdXJJ3qm2CXxbGpAD26Dyl/s1600/P1000987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpDj3rTWcJv8xxqNZRzctIhGkY3CEA30mGVZLlwCqGV6oCElouYDGg7Og1ZnwRP2BUYmFKGoUkOVV4QQ6__ckS5TxNOWd7GxWHxA7XAjVjV7fgVFsReyZ9mZxdXJJ3qm2CXxbGpAD26Dyl/s400/P1000987.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our seats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWHPSvo4ivrdJTaCsBOPsd0Q51EjlRs8FPwsx4Pv4mN8D9mlfxQ3sN60dJ2ct2E-eSk_ku_qCVV1jIL7Kf6lRsdWE7M7A2o6B-jeFkAbDtyOdywkbsnzA1m2AgsoiG9PP1JPvYmiAftWl/s1600/P1010029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWHPSvo4ivrdJTaCsBOPsd0Q51EjlRs8FPwsx4Pv4mN8D9mlfxQ3sN60dJ2ct2E-eSk_ku_qCVV1jIL7Kf6lRsdWE7M7A2o6B-jeFkAbDtyOdywkbsnzA1m2AgsoiG9PP1JPvYmiAftWl/s400/P1010029.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon, Anna, Chicago skyline</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM15b_RsYmWM57QjKH0M2dpkPhCeDnx18Yfv8GkD480-wkURMN0Ie9M0cmXHcZsi_jhyWY-6PVIrDyU_UZ6iBTEpCBx1flpPpsDFL2TcGWnn2eYKLpFbR2IEofQTxkF81qlb3MRUSZqZZ/s1600/P1010016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM15b_RsYmWM57QjKH0M2dpkPhCeDnx18Yfv8GkD480-wkURMN0Ie9M0cmXHcZsi_jhyWY-6PVIrDyU_UZ6iBTEpCBx1flpPpsDFL2TcGWnn2eYKLpFbR2IEofQTxkF81qlb3MRUSZqZZ/s400/P1010016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fireworks over U.S. Cellular</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8meSga9EJaHnUPo8XOSLxsfWd9HelC47EjzyZAFfj9k6CeBRmkleV-pILqeEVF22XGpbmsQDYitfQPxEsfWatBH_B04kb1gLP2E70ckgr1QHCdJiGJ5Hj6CQDdFqBWY7c79C3bNrVw_Vk/s1600/P1000997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8meSga9EJaHnUPo8XOSLxsfWd9HelC47EjzyZAFfj9k6CeBRmkleV-pILqeEVF22XGpbmsQDYitfQPxEsfWatBH_B04kb1gLP2E70ckgr1QHCdJiGJ5Hj6CQDdFqBWY7c79C3bNrVw_Vk/s400/P1000997.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danks' walk-off</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBalp0zP6qYkkDASnOq6clzXjHKaAIrD5FoJv3mdJDCLUisgvLh8edfGrPQwFhhtQalkCr-7FCHjRmJbUs7a15_ctvIvGQVtDAtaHAjuB7sF-nnUmN43AqZbW8PfZ2eaOqeJjr65EaDLhd/s1600/P1000933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBalp0zP6qYkkDASnOq6clzXjHKaAIrD5FoJv3mdJDCLUisgvLh8edfGrPQwFhhtQalkCr-7FCHjRmJbUs7a15_ctvIvGQVtDAtaHAjuB7sF-nnUmN43AqZbW8PfZ2eaOqeJjr65EaDLhd/s400/P1000933.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrigley's scoreboard; no video screen<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyPfxYCJ5oeJ662B_B0Te0QE6lLo2HcsMhyknMAVqzAqV2pvQhn00pP8dYo6_5zmiVXR3abElyV8QEbkcH99DqNB0Y_LyAYCkxyKMgHptzGe8FuplrtDX1uarsDk8-5wjpg7Fdm1zZM18/s1600/P1000929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyPfxYCJ5oeJ662B_B0Te0QE6lLo2HcsMhyknMAVqzAqV2pvQhn00pP8dYo6_5zmiVXR3abElyV8QEbkcH99DqNB0Y_LyAYCkxyKMgHptzGe8FuplrtDX1uarsDk8-5wjpg7Fdm1zZM18/s400/P1000929.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our seats at Wrigley</td></tr>
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<div>
<br /></div>Jeff Hetzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02846705416662164797noreply@blogger.com0