Walk-Off Winner

I've been writing about my Baseball Road Trips for the last three seasons, and it always seems like these final postings are the hardest to write. I try very hard to go over all of the stories and tales of the summer and lay them out in a cohesive and intelligent blog post, but sometimes it evades me. The 2011 season has been no different. This season was unique in so many ways, and, for those of you who have been reading this blog with regularity have noticed, Baseball Road Trips were only a small part to the story of Baseball Extravaganza 2011.

The journey of 2011 started on that cold, cold February evening at PK Park. With the bitter windchill in the teens, I was warmed with optimism at this season. I had planned out three monster trips to all over the country, and I was gearing up for a record year when it came to games to be seen. Sure, I was freezing, but it was a small price to pay to kick off what was sure to be an epic season.

The adventure only got more interesting with my trip down to Arizona. I have said it on here before, but the Cactus League trip was the most enjoyable Road Trips I have ever gone on. Seven games in four days tested my passion for the game, but the whole fact of seeing two games in a day and prefacing them with scouting at the practice facilities still fills me with giddiness. The whole concept of Spring Training is really novel, and that is why I loved the Cactus League trip so much. It was the baseball fan's perfection, in my view.

Fulfilling a bucket list item also plays a large part in this season. While playing in city league softball doesn't add any games to the logbook or requires me to bring along the backpack, it has made me understand the game more. It has also had the benefit of keeping me in great shape and, for once a week, a needed positive diversion from life. Sure, our team just was plain awful, but playing strategies and running around the bases made that all melt away. I've signed up for a Fall League, so I'll be playing through the end of September and maybe into early October. This is an activity I will do every year from here on out.

After a brief trip up to Seattle, I went down to Southern California and the Surfliner trip. After going to my first game at Dodger Stadium, I appreciated more the role baseball played in a community and how an organization responds to crisis. Seeing the degradation of Dodger Stadium and the atmosphere there filled me with with some sadness and sort of a morose attitude. However, my attitude took an uptuck visitng San Diego the next day and seeing Petco Park. After going to Petco for a second time in two years, I have grown to appreciate the park among the best in baseball, and to assess San Diego as one of the finer cities I've visited.

Finally, to close the season, the trip up to Portland for Old Time Baseball. I poured so much adulation into those blog posts and experiences, and I will continue to do so. It was a unique pleasure that I had never glimpsed before on a Baseball Road Trip. Taking Baseball Road Trips to a new aspect of experience is something that I will do every year. The trip up to Fort Vancouver is easy and relatively cheap. The late summer trip up there makes a fun bookend to the summer.

Then there was the news about the Emeralds. For the first time in eight years, I would not be working for that organization. To be honest with all of you, that struck me really deep and hurt my dedication to this game. I seemed to have lost my will to go to the ballpark and enjoy the game I had once loved. I guess when you are around the game so much, like I was, it was much easier to appreciate the subtle nuances and essence. But without the Emeralds, I feel like I have gone astray.

Going to that first Ems game was one of the hardest things I had ever done. Sitting on the other side of the operation was awkward and difficult to grasp. Facing the organization that spat in my face tested my character and my nerves. It was something that needed to be done, however. Standing up straight and confronting that demon will help in the healing process. Will I grow stronger from this? Most definitely. The last time I got fired, it turned out to be the best thing in the world and opened my life up to a whole new reality of success. Maybe this whole situation with the Emeralds will turn out like that.

Life also played a huge part in this season. I just really was distracted this season. There were a variety of reasons for this, but lots of stuff went on that diverted my attention and finances from Baseball Road Trips. I had not foreseen these extenuating circumstances at the beginning of the season, and I would have done some things differently had I known. There were times when I would be so busy and stressed out that I would sit in front of my computer and stumble upon this blog or the pictures of the trips themselves. I'd scroll through them and gain some measure of happiness and contentment amidst the stress and frantic scrambling.

With these thoughts in mind, what does the future of Baseball Road Trips hold? That's a great question. There are still lots of places that I would like to go. First and foremost would have to be a trip to Cooperstown and the Hall of Fame. After going to Old Time Baseball, the experience-related Road Trips are very enjoyable, and a trip to the Hall of Fame would be, I think, along those same lines.

As for stadiums and cities, I'd like to maybe make a trip to New England to see some games headlined by a trip to Boston and Fenway Park. During the planning of trips for this season, I explored trips down to the Dallas Metroplex for a few games in Texas, a trip to the Salt Lake City area, a team-centered trip back down to Arizona for Spring Training, a Grapefruit League jaunt in Florida, or an international trip to Japan and the Nippon League. As you can see, lots of options and certainly destinations that would appeal to my desires.

In summation, I was pleased with the trips I did take. They were a lot of fun and I would do any of them again in a heartbeat. But it will take an off-season to rekindle the flame of passion for this game. I guess I never realized just how linked my passion was with the Emeralds, so it will take some time to find myself once again. There is a long off-season ahead, and I will take the opportunity to fulfill these deficiencies. I'm optimistic for a quick recovery and, maybe, the lack of games this year will spurn me to work harder and save more money to take even more trips next season.

So, for the last time in 2011...

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Closing Out

After much deliberation and decisions, I have decided to end Baseball Extravaganza 2011. Considering the circumstances, I am comfortable with this decision as I have accomplished a lot this season. I ended on a high-note, so I am content. While I definitely would have liked to see more games before the actual baseball season ends, this seems like the appropriate time to cease Baseball Road Trips for the summer.

I'm going to wait a few days until I write up my Final Thoughts entry.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

A Gentleman's Game

I remember when I was a Sophomore in High School taking a Sports in American Culture class. We spent an entire week watching Ken Burns' documentary Baseball. The first few episodes were all about how the game developed and the players that made the game the National Pastime. I remember thinking to myself what it would've been like to live during that time and to play a part in the development of the greatest game ever. This baseball road trip gave me a glimpse into the storied past of baseball and allowed me, at least for one evening, to live in the history I had read about.

Our trip up to Old Time Baseball started with a romp at the Oregon Zoo. In what is becoming a strangely consistent routine of going to the zoo on Baseball Road Trips, my girlfriend and I met up with her friend to see what the Oregon Zoo had to offer. We were certainly pleased after going through the dinosaur exhibits and seeing every conceivable animal that was there. Trying to pick out my favorites are tough because I love animals, but the crocodiles and polar bears stand out in my mind.

To top off our trip to the zoo, we decided to take a ride on the zoo's narrow-gauge railway. The Washington Park and Zoo Railway is a 30-inch gauge railway that takes visitors on a 35-minute 2-mile tour around the zoo and the adjoining Washington Park. It is, interestingly, the last passenger train in the country that still offers mail service. The train actually has it's own unique postage cancellation stamp that is still in use. Sitting behind a replica 1950's diesel locomotive, we paraded through the park on the train taking in the sights and beautiful scenery in Washington Park.

After our excursion, we met up with two more friends of ours to head up to Fort Vancouver. Sitting just north of the Columbia River, Fort Vancouver played a huge role in the settling of the Pacific Northwest. First used as a base for the Hudson's Bay Company, the Fort became a trading post, stop-over for Lewis and Clark on their expedition, an Army base, and now a national park. It is an expansive park that covers several hundred acres including the fort re-creation, barracks, parade ground and officers quarters.

After we parked, we made our way to the Parade Ground where the Old Time Baseball game was to take place. I was surprised to see quite a crowd gathering along the baselines. We threw down a blanket on the third base side and waited for the game to start.

The experience was put on by Fort Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest Vintage Baseball Club. The experience included all players in period uniforms, authentic equipment, a brass band playing tunes, and a howitzer cannon to signal the start of play.

I guess now is as good of time as any to explain the differences and similarities between the present-day game and the 1867 re-creation we were about to see. The bases are still ninety feet apart, there's three outs to an inning and nine innings to a game. The pitcher is referred to as the "hurler", the batter as the "striker" and the catcher as the "behind." The ball is pitched underhand by the hurler. The striker can request where he wants the ball in the strike zone. There are no walks or called strike threes, but you are out after three swings-and-misses. In addition to being put out via force out or fly out, outs can also be made by throwing the ball at the striker and hitting him before reaching the base. Outs can also occur if a fielder fields a batted ball after the first bounce off the ground.

I think that covers the main rules differences. Now on to equipment. Mitts were not yet invented, so fielders had to field with their bare hands. The ball was "dead" as the winding of yarn around the center was not as tight as today's ball making the ball squishy and pliable, almost like a T-Ball. This resulted in the ball not traveling as far as today's game. To compare, the farthest hits during the game went about as far as my hits for softball would go. There were no restrictions on bats, so the types of bats varied from three feet to over four feet and from a few ounces to sticks that weighed twice or three times as more as bats of today do. 

Our place along the third base line allowed us to interact with the players in the game. With no stands to sit in, our place on the grass gave me a field level view of the game. I was able to ask questions throughout the game and converse with the participants. I learned so much and the entire operation fascinated me. This is a side of the game that I have never seen.

In the midst of all this, an actual game did take place. The goal was to recreate the rivalry between the Occidentals of Vancouver and the Portland Pioneer Baseball Club of the 1860's. While I didn't keep score, the game had to have at least 30 errors (makes you appreciate the leather A LOT more) and only two strikeouts. In the end, the Occidentals brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but the scoring threat ended as the tying-run was thrown out at third leaving the Occidentals defeated 15-14.

Putting this incredible experience into words is very difficult. I had so much fun just watching the game and being a part of something like this. The authenticity of it all made me feel like a "krank" in the 1860's. Seeing the game in it's purest most infant form was such a rush. My friends commented that I looked like a little kid watching the game. That's really how I felt. It almost was as if I were being a part of history. The pictures I see in baseball history books seemed to come to life, and I was a part of it. Baseball Road Trips aren't just about visiting new stadiums and tracking the games. They're much more than that, and this trip really showed me a side of this hobby that I hadn't yet explored. Again, I'm almost at a loss for words.

I'm still saving money, but baseball season is quickly coming to a close. If this is the last trip, then I am content with how things have transpired. If it isn't, then more adventures await. We'll see how finances shape up in the next month.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Old Time Baseball

Has it really been almost a month since I last wrote on here? I guess so. Unfortunately, I haven't gone to any baseball games in the past month because of my drying-up finances. The Tacoma-Seattle trip was a good idea, but it will just have to wait until next year.

However, all is not lost. One of the most endearing qualities of baseball road trips are their spontaneity and their resolve. This next trip will uphold those values to the fullest. Tomorrow, I will be boarding the train up to Portland for a baseball game.

You might be asking yourself, didn't the Portland Beavers leave town? You are correct, but I am not going to see the Beavers play. Every year, around this time, the Pacific Northwest Vintage Baseball Club organizes an Old Time Baseball game at Fort Vancouver. They dress up in period apparel, play with the old equipment, and abide by the seemingly ancient rules of play.  It is free to go, so I had to jump at the chance for this unique baseball road trip. Seeing the game played like that is sure to be very interesting and entertaining.

Baseball Road Trips aren't just going to professional games and stadiums, it is the experiences that surround the game. Old Time Baseball, while it won't count in my log book, it will be the experience of uniqueness that makes this trip worthwhile.

I'm also going to use the opportunity to go on a bike ride up there, thus meshing together my two desires from this summer. It should be a fun trip and I will make sure to update the blog when I get back into town.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

The Return

Last Saturday night was my much-anticipated return to PK Park to see the Eugene Emeralds host the Vancouver Canadians. This was my first time to the ballpark since my unceremonious and ungrateful dismissal as an employee of the Emeralds organization. My trepidation at this event was extremely high and my anxiety was also, regrettably, elevated. I thought that it would be an appropriate measure to write about my thoughts on this whole thing on this blog.

In the last two years, I have been fired from two jobs that I absolutely loved. However, this is the first time that I was able to return to the site and see the faces of those individuals who dismissed me and confront my trepidation and anxiety head on. Going back to PK Park would not at all be classified as my ideal baseball road trip, but it is something that had to be done. This was a demon that was hanging over my head since the beginning of my season, and I needed to face it and elicit closure.

The awkwardness began early on as I saw so many of my old co-workers. These were people that I established bonds with and, in some cases, close relationships. Being on the other side of the craziness felt very out of place an unnatural for me. Eight years behind the grill and serving customers made me accustomed to a viewpoint. Now that I am not there, it was like being an outsider.

Interacting with said former co-workers was also difficult. Everyone had asked where I had gone and why I wasn't working for the Emeralds anymore. Normally I am very fluid when speaking with people, but I found that I was very disjointed and apprehensive when talking to them. How do you say, politely, that the organization THEY work for fired YOU? I will admit that I might have come off as vindictive, at times. It was a challenge.

From what I could tell, the grounds crew works the scoreboard now. You hardly saw them and the days of sitting in the bullpen seemed to have vanished as the operators take refuge on the players bench, thus blending in. While watching the game and seeing the movements of the operators, the scoreboard seemed to take on a spirit that was screaming my name yearning for my care and tenderness to return. It was also imploring my fandom and passion for the game to come back to that corner in right field.

The Emeralds won 2-1 on a go-ahead rbi single in the bottom of the eighth.

The return had to happen, and now that it has, I am glad I went back. I went to one Ems game this year, which keeps my foot in the local baseball door. They are no longer my team of choice and I do not follow them anymore. I've pulled up all stakes of allegiance with that organization.

Do I miss working there? Yes, very much so. I loved what I did there and how I did it. I was such an integral part of that organization in the past that by not being there almost feels like a part of me is lost. Like my dismissal from the Peace Corps, I will get over this, but it might take some time.

I'm hoping to save up some money and make a trip up to Tacoma and Seattle in a few weeks. I will let all of you know how that transpires.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

A Victim of the Free-Market Economy

Baseball Road Trips are what make me happy. The thought of traveling around on buses and trains, finding and experiencing new ballparks and cities, and exploring communities and neighborhoods fills me with joy, but empties my pocketbook. I have gotten on here before and complained about how expensive Baseball Road Trips can be, but now I am putting my foot down.

These last few months have really been a drain on my finances. Car repairs, student loans, moving into a new apartment and transportation costs have stretched my savings to nearly nothing. I'm sorry to say, but the prospects for future extended road trips are bleak and distant. They cost so much money and take so much out of me that I cannot afford to go bankrupt because of a trip to Reno or Utah. I am disappointed with this reality and a little ashamed to be admitting to it, but it will only allow me to work harder and save more so that Baseball Extravaganza 2012 can be more epic than 2011. That is a promise and pledge to all of you.


So, now what? I was planning on going to San Francisco this week, but I have nixed that for some more hours at work. I would really like to save up at least a partial amount to do a Tacoma/Seattle trip in the middle of next month. Maybe at the end of August I can have enough to make the trip to Reno or Salt Lake for some games. I don't really know what's going to happen, but I will just play it by ear.

One thing that I have to do before the end of the season is confront my demons and go to an Ems game at PK Park. I don't know when I'll go, but I am very reluctant to go, but I know that I have to go. I love baseball too much to simply ignore the hometown team. I know that my employment was terminated and that I have sworn off allegiance to them, but I have to confront this head on. I have to face the wrongs and show the world that I cannot be put down. There are some other factors that fuel my apprehension, but I will confront those as well.

I wish that I had more uplifting news to report. As the summer drew nearer, I was very optimistic that I could follow through on a lot of the plans I made, but that didn't happen. However, with the baseball season half over, I still have had a season that is unequal to all of the other years that I have taken Road Trips. That is something that I can reflect back on and smile.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Final Thoughts on the Surfliner

 
Sometimes being opportunistic is the best way to spawn new adventures. The Surfliner baseball road trip epitomized this. I can clearly remember sitting in Union Station last year and reading up on the Dodger Stadium Express and the FlyAway and saying to myself, "Gosh, it would be kind of fun to come down for a Dodgers game next year." The trip was in my mind through all the adventures last year and up through the Cactus League trip in March. It finally came to fruition and became a reality. The humorous irony of this trip is that I have concocted a few more spin-offs for next year.

I had only been through Los Angeles, but never made it a destination. On this trip, it received the same scrutiny and praise as every other city I have been to since BRTs began. That being said, Los Angeles probably ranks as the worst city I have ever been to. The combination of heat, smog, lack of public transportation options and abject poverty just knocked it down so far in my book. It hasn't been very often when I was walking around a city, whether it be day or night, and not felt safe. On a Saturday morning at 9am, looking for a pharmacy, I felt vulnerable and exposed. I had read about this reputation that Los Angeles had, but viewed it with a little bit of skepticism. I believe all of it now.

What would be one word I could describe my experience at Dodger Stadium? Sadness. This ballpark has held up well with it's age (it is the third-oldest park in the Majors), is in a beautiful location and houses a team steeped in history. So how could it be so low in my book? To put it simply, it is the atmosphere. It just is not a fun experience. The tense environment of all the police officers mingling with the gang members makes for a tinder-box like atmosphere. A baseball game should be a respite from all of that, not a gathering place. The ownership of the Dodgers has, literally, let that organization go to hell.

However, I would very much appreciate the chance to go back to Dodger Stadium when there is a new owner. The only place the Dodgers can go is up, so it might be an interesting comparison to go back in a few years and see if new ownership has changed things.

My second trip to San Diego was just as revealing as the first. I am always amazed at the stark differences between San Diego and LA, and this trip cemented those views. After my second time, I have a very good handle on the public transportation in San Diego, the neighborhoods, where the good places to eat and drink are, the ferries to Coronado and some history of the city. Would I call myself a local? Not by any means, but I would dare to call myself a seasoned tourist. The sights we saw and the events we experienced showed us that San Diego is a jewel of a city that should be visited as many times as possible.

Petco Park still remains one of my favorite parks. The whole aura of the place just screams acceptance and hospitality. It was, again, a stark difference from its northern ballpark counterpart in Los Angeles. While I'm not ready to jump on the Padres bandwagon, I can jump on the Petco train and spout off the wonderful times that will be had and the exceptional nature of the park.

This was a rewarding trip with lots of memories. I'm glad to be home safe, but I am very eager to head back out to explore new adventures on the road and see some more baseball.

I'm still debating where to go next. My money situation is a bit tight due to me moving into a new apartment, so I might be modifying some trips. Tentatively scheduled is a trip to Reno, Sacramento and the Bay Area in three weeks, but that might change. I will let all of you know what happens with that.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)