On a recent Monday (my only day off from work), my husband and I drove to Philadelphia to visit Citizens Bank Park - our eighth ball park in our quest to visit all 30 Major League baseball parks. It was a picture-perfect day for a game between the Phillies and the visiting Atlanta Braves, and because the Phillies have sucked for the past couple of years, we were able to get excellent seats (in the second row behind the Phillies' dugout). Because I wasn't going to be rooting for neither the Phillies nor the Braves, I decided to use this particular day to check an item off my "Bucket List:" scoring a live baseball game for all nine innings.
Now, many of you might be surprised to know that I, as a downright and legitimate baseball nerd, have never scored a game in my life. One reason is because when I'm watching a baseball game on TV from the comfort of my sofa (I've been told not to call it a couch), I'm usually multitasking (working on a Sudoku, browsing catalogs for inventory orders for my shop, or checking Facebook). When I have attended games in the past, I have been too focused on the game itself to take the time to stare at a piece of paper and write things down (how can I check out the players' butts if my head is down the whole time?). Plus, being legally blind, it's enough of a challenge for me to watch a game let alone try to keep score on an actual paper grid. But on this day, since I wasn't rooting for either team, I decided to keep myself entertained by keeping score.
First of all, if you're looking for my in-depth review of Citizens Bank Park itself, you're not going to get it, because I honestly have nothing to say. It was about as unremarkable as Miller Park in Milwaukee, which we visited last year and I didn't blog about because it was the most plain and vanilla-looking park ever. Or so I thought until I got to Philly. Citizens Bank Park, like Miller Park, was built in the outskirts of a bustling city, with ample parking and acres of nothingness surrounding it. Now, I know I've been critical of "shoe-horned" parks in the past (like Camden Yards in Baltimore and Progressive Field in Cleveland) because they make me feel claustrophobic, but at least they provide a better ambiance in and around the ballpark. You can spot several street vendors, many outdoor dining venues full of fans, and experience an overall exciting and fan-friendly experience before you even set foot inside the park. Not in Philly. You drive there, the nice parking attendant takes your money and tells you to park in one of the thousands of available spots in the blazing sun (the only nice person we met the entire time we were there), and you go into the ballpark because other than checking out the Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt statues, there's not much to do outside the park. Yawn!
Once inside, we got some lunch (we were told to actually stay away from the Philly cheese steak sandwiches in the park because they were mediocre, so we settled for mediocre quesadillas instead). After finding our really good seats, I filled out my lineup sheet. I had printed out a blank score-keeping grid ahead of time, so I was ready. I didn't know what I was doing, but I was ready! Luckily, I was sitting next to the most patient and wonderful human being ever (my husband, Tom), who happened to know how to score a game from his days playing Little League. Yes, that was a long time ago, but slashes, backwards Ks, and numbers haven't changed throughout the decades. So armed with my scoresheet, a good pen, and a trusty companion, I was ready.
The only thing I knew about scoring a game was that there was a difference between a regular K and a backwards K. I wasn't sure what that difference was - one was a strikeout swinging and the other was a strikeout looking - but I didn't know which was which. A quick Google search helped me realize that a regular K is when a batter strikes out swinging. OK; got that. I then had to label all the positions - Pitcher- 1, Catcher- 2, First Base- 3, Second base- 4, Third base- 5, Shortstop- 6, Left field- 7, Center field- 8, Right field- 9. OK; got that too. And because I'm a true nerd, I had to write down the weather, temperature, and umpires. Now it's time to play ball!
The first batter was Ender Inciarte, the Braves' center fielder. He hit a fly ball to center field, so I just had to write an "8" on my scorecard. Piece of cake.
The second batter, second baseman Brandon Phillips, hit to the pitcher, who threw to first base for the out. That was a 1-3 on my sheet. No problem.
The third batter, First baseman Freddie Freeman (who was playing third base that day), hit a grounder to second base, so that was a 4-3. I got this.
In the bottom of the first inning, it got a bit tricky. When Aaron Altherr, the Phillies' right fielder and third player to bat, got on base because of a base hit, I had to shade in a section of my diamond grid. Then Tommy Joseph got a base hit, so I had to shade in his section plus add to Altherr's grid. Not a problem though; hubby was right there, telling me what to do.
In the top of the second inning, I got to do all sorts of shading of the grids, because the Braves' Matt Adams, Nick Markakis, and Danny Santana all got base hits. The problem was that I shaded the first-inning grids instead of the second-inning ones. I should have bought a pencil instead of a pen! But I corrected my errors and kept going. I was determined to see this through to the end of the game (Note to self: Bring a highlighter next time to better keep track of what inning we're in ).
This game turned out to be the best game for a first-time scorer. There were walks, strikeouts (both regular K and backwards K), an error by Freddie Freeman that was later removed (again - should have brought a pencil!) but an error by Ian Krol that was legit, home runs by Suzuki, Herrera, and Franco, and even a hit-by-pitch (two of them, in fact). It made the time go by pretty fast, and it forced hubby and me to pay attention and keep track of what was going on.
So what did I learn from this experience? Well, first of all, you have to appreciate your spouse and the expertise they can bring to a certain situation. I can tell hubby that there are 26 bones in each foot and recite the entire lineup of the 2008 Phillies (and the 1989 Mets), but he can tell me how to score an Infield Fly Rule on a scorecard. Without my husband there to help me along, I would have given up after the first inning.
I was also reminded of the importance of writing things down. As an Athletic Trainer in college, I was taught that "If you didn't write it down, it didn't happen." (Thanks, Charlie and Wayne!) So yeah - if I didn't keep score, I would not have remembered a few weeks later that Pivetta got the win for the Phillies that day and Foltynewicz got the loss (the Phillies won 7-6).
I also realized that you can't take cool ballparks (like Fenway and PNC Park) for granted, because of the 30 Major League ballparks, only a handful of them are going to remain fresh in your mind because they're cool or nostalgic or have pretty outfield views. As long as you have good company, eat decent food (and get a cheap-enough beer, in hubby's case), don't get too lost on your way home from the ballpark, and know the difference between a strikeout swinging versus a strikeout looking, you can have an unforgettable day enjoying America's pastime. Here's to baseball, husbands, and those who keep score day in and day out. :-)
Friday, August 18, 2017
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
"It's Just Emotion That's Taken Me Over"
One of the benefits of being a female baseball fan is that because of the estrogen that our ovaries produce, it's OK to get emotional over just about anything. Bryce Harper hits a walk-off home run in the ninth inning and we start crying? That's OK. Buster Posey throws out a runner trying to steal second base and we do a happy dance? Totally fine. Eric Hosmer does ANYTHING and our hearts skip a beat? Completely acceptable. But man, last Sunday was an emotional high for me, and now that you've started reading this, you're committed to reading until the end, so sit back and follow along as I re-live my reasons for my many emotions on a beautiful and picture-perfect day.
First and foremost, my long-time baseball crush, Iván "Pudge" Rodriguez was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. You all know how I have endlessly written about Iván and how I threw myself a pity party because I wasn't able to attend the ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York. But watching him from the comfort of my living room, sitting way up close to the TV and clinging to his every word, I could not have been more proud (and yes - I cried!). I was very impatient at first, because Jeff Bagwell, one of the other inductees, took FOREVER with his speech. It was touching, but extremely anecdotal and took way too long. It seems like he thanked everyone from his Little League coaches to the Astros custodians. Bud Selig's speech wasn't much shorter - yes, Bud, we all know how much you did for baseball as Commissioner, but you didn't have to go through year by year re-living everything like a "State of the Union" speech. Milwaukee baseball... labor disputes... the development of the Wild Card...blah blah blah - we could have gotten all this information ourselves from Wikipedia. Plus I never liked you anyway! Finally, over two hours later, it was Ivan's turn.
"Pudge" began his speech by thanking the Lord Jesus Christ for his many blessings. Classy. (That elicited an "Aw!" from me.) Then he thanked a few people, made a joke, and then addressed the crowd in Spanish. He thanked all the fans who were present for their loyalty and support, and asked everyone to raise their Puerto Rican flags way high. Yes, I cried. Reverting back to English, he thanked more teammates, coaches, and managers, throwing in little anecdotes along the way (For example, Nolan Ryan didn't care that Ivan's English wasn't very good at first; as long as he "put down the right fingers," they could communicate just fine). Then, in both English and Spanish, he told young people watching to never let anyone tell them they can't fulfill their dreams. He said to work hard, be dedicated, and always do your best. It was touching. But what got me the most emotional was when Iván thanked his parents. Speaking to them in Spanish so they would understand, he thanked his father for endless hours of batting practice and for convincing him to switch from pitching to catching. He thanked his mother for always emphasizing hard work and making her sons focus on academics as much as on athletics. He called both his parents "hall of famers," and that's when I lost it.
In addition to Ivan's Hall of Fame induction, there was Adrián Beltré reaching an important baseball milestone on the same day. You say you've never heard of Adrián Beltré? Well it's probably because he's not white (he's Dominican), he plays for a team that doesn't wear pinstripes (the Texas Rangers), and he hasn't been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs or beating up his wife. Beltré is a workhorse with a career batting average of .286, has appeared in 4 All-Star Games, and led the National League with 48 home runs in 2004 when he played for the Dodgers. Why is reaching 3000 hits such a big deal in baseball? Because only 30 other players in history are on the list, and if Beltré's name doesn't ring a bell, how about some of the other guys on the list: Pete Rose, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Cal Ripken Jr., and Roberto Clemente? The only other current player on that list is Ichiro Suzuki, who is 22nd on the list with 3,060. For Puerto Ricans, anyone who reaches this important milestone is a special person, because he joins our beloved Clemente. So yes - I cried when Beltré hit number 3,000 - a double against the Orioles in his home park with his wife and kids running onto the field when he reached second base. Who wouldn't get teared up after a moment like that? Now I need for either him or Ichiro to pass the 19th guy on the list, who retired with 3,115 hits. He shall remain nameless, but you all know who it is I can't stand... it's time for a drug-free guy to pass him on the list!
So the season is more than halfway over, the Nationals are 45 games away from clinching the NL East, and Clayton Kershaw is on the Disabled List. But Kershaw will be back (since he's bionic), the Dodgers just acquired Yu Darvish from the Rangers, and October could potentially feature the Nationals and Dodgers in the NLCS. This means a lot of cheering, a lot of late nights staying up to watch games, and yes - a lot of tearing up and crying. Hopefully they will be happy tears!
First and foremost, my long-time baseball crush, Iván "Pudge" Rodriguez was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. You all know how I have endlessly written about Iván and how I threw myself a pity party because I wasn't able to attend the ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York. But watching him from the comfort of my living room, sitting way up close to the TV and clinging to his every word, I could not have been more proud (and yes - I cried!). I was very impatient at first, because Jeff Bagwell, one of the other inductees, took FOREVER with his speech. It was touching, but extremely anecdotal and took way too long. It seems like he thanked everyone from his Little League coaches to the Astros custodians. Bud Selig's speech wasn't much shorter - yes, Bud, we all know how much you did for baseball as Commissioner, but you didn't have to go through year by year re-living everything like a "State of the Union" speech. Milwaukee baseball... labor disputes... the development of the Wild Card...blah blah blah - we could have gotten all this information ourselves from Wikipedia. Plus I never liked you anyway! Finally, over two hours later, it was Ivan's turn.
"Pudge" began his speech by thanking the Lord Jesus Christ for his many blessings. Classy. (That elicited an "Aw!" from me.) Then he thanked a few people, made a joke, and then addressed the crowd in Spanish. He thanked all the fans who were present for their loyalty and support, and asked everyone to raise their Puerto Rican flags way high. Yes, I cried. Reverting back to English, he thanked more teammates, coaches, and managers, throwing in little anecdotes along the way (For example, Nolan Ryan didn't care that Ivan's English wasn't very good at first; as long as he "put down the right fingers," they could communicate just fine). Then, in both English and Spanish, he told young people watching to never let anyone tell them they can't fulfill their dreams. He said to work hard, be dedicated, and always do your best. It was touching. But what got me the most emotional was when Iván thanked his parents. Speaking to them in Spanish so they would understand, he thanked his father for endless hours of batting practice and for convincing him to switch from pitching to catching. He thanked his mother for always emphasizing hard work and making her sons focus on academics as much as on athletics. He called both his parents "hall of famers," and that's when I lost it.
In addition to Ivan's Hall of Fame induction, there was Adrián Beltré reaching an important baseball milestone on the same day. You say you've never heard of Adrián Beltré? Well it's probably because he's not white (he's Dominican), he plays for a team that doesn't wear pinstripes (the Texas Rangers), and he hasn't been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs or beating up his wife. Beltré is a workhorse with a career batting average of .286, has appeared in 4 All-Star Games, and led the National League with 48 home runs in 2004 when he played for the Dodgers. Why is reaching 3000 hits such a big deal in baseball? Because only 30 other players in history are on the list, and if Beltré's name doesn't ring a bell, how about some of the other guys on the list: Pete Rose, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Cal Ripken Jr., and Roberto Clemente? The only other current player on that list is Ichiro Suzuki, who is 22nd on the list with 3,060. For Puerto Ricans, anyone who reaches this important milestone is a special person, because he joins our beloved Clemente. So yes - I cried when Beltré hit number 3,000 - a double against the Orioles in his home park with his wife and kids running onto the field when he reached second base. Who wouldn't get teared up after a moment like that? Now I need for either him or Ichiro to pass the 19th guy on the list, who retired with 3,115 hits. He shall remain nameless, but you all know who it is I can't stand... it's time for a drug-free guy to pass him on the list!
So the season is more than halfway over, the Nationals are 45 games away from clinching the NL East, and Clayton Kershaw is on the Disabled List. But Kershaw will be back (since he's bionic), the Dodgers just acquired Yu Darvish from the Rangers, and October could potentially feature the Nationals and Dodgers in the NLCS. This means a lot of cheering, a lot of late nights staying up to watch games, and yes - a lot of tearing up and crying. Hopefully they will be happy tears!
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