Baseball season is back! So to kick it off this guy, along with some good friends, went out to the Rangers opening day to watch them play the Toronto Blue Jays. It's honestly been a good 20 years or so since I've been to an opening day game, so this one was technically my first. I admit it, I popped my opening day cherry with the first crack of cold beverage. It was a magical Monday morning while everyone else was driving to work, or sitting in their office working on their TPS reports, we were enjoying the cool, brisk morning air. The wind whisking by our faces, flavored with the aroma of burning charcoal briquettes, beef and barbecue sauce. All around were sounds of people laughing, talking, taking in the brevity of the moment and sharing it with those closest to them. Then a kid riding by on a motorized scooter, followed by the annoying sound of the whistling spiral football and some random lone kid cheering and doing a fist pump while sitting in the back of a pickup truck under the bed cover. I think it's time to go into the game.
To kick the game off we got to see an F-16 fly by, which is always enjoyable, then the first amputee Army Paratrooper jump in to deliver the game ball to Roger Staubach for the ceremonial first pitch. All of that is well and good, but I'm ready for some baseball. I was a little leery the week before when I heard the Rangers named Scooter Feldman as the opening day pitcher (Trust in Maddox). Feldman didn't do anything spectacular, but also didn't do horribly. Feldman was able to get through 7 innings, and aside from the 2 run shot he gave up to Adam Lind in the third inning, he seemed to settle down. It was a pretty slow game overall because up until the 7th inning it was a 3-0 game. That was until Nelson Cruz came to bat in the bottom of the 7th and hit a 398ft, 3 run home run into the Rangers bullpen in right-center field that tied the game. Neftali Feliz got a big pop from the fans when he came in during the 8th inning, but he had no control. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was jumping, and stretching all over to grab his pitches. I figured it was opening day jitters, but he did not look good in his 2010 season debut. Unfortunately Feliz gave up a home run that put the Blue Jays back up front.
You can't complain when you're at an Opening Day game, away from work, sitting in a sold out stadium, in the bottom of the 9th inning with your team down 1 run. Michael Young comes up and hits a double like the clutch player he is with Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero and Nelson Cruz to bat. What was awesome, and I wish I had more memory on my camera phone, but the entire stadium became electric chanting "Let's Go Rangers" "Let's Go Rangers." Hamilton struck out. Next up was the Rangers new bat, Vladimir Guerrero. Images of this exact scenario flashed before me when Vlad was with the Angels, and when the Rangers had a small lead in the 9th I always cringed when Vlad was at bat, but this time, he's ours. The chanting got louder, the people trying to start the wave a couple sections over gave up and decided to actually watch the game., as Vlad hit a single to move Young to third. Here comes our Home Run Derby king Nelson Cruz who already hit a home run earlier in the game. The chanting continues and I've got goose bumps. Cruz swings, and doubles to right center scoring Young, and moving Vlad to 3rd. Game's tied bitches, with Chris "Crush" Davis. Toronto walks Crush with a smattering of boo's from the crowd and up comes Jarrod "The Jewish Bomber" Saltalamacchia (I have no idea if he's Jewish but I want to make this stick). The Chanting is in full affect again and with every pitch that's fouled off, you hear the collective gasp and release from the crowd. Until he finally gets solid contact with a pitch that score David Murphy, who came in to run for Vlad. Now the crowd, myself, and every is going crazy and the bench clears to tackle Salty.
It was a great day, capped off by a great game. I hope this team can maintain a sense of competitiveness this season. It truly is so much more fun when you're watching a game with as many fans as were there especially when it's not a Yankees or Red Sox game. Having the entire stadium actually out, supporting the Rangers was awesome. The Garlic fries were as good as always and a generic hot dog is always tastier while it's in the accompaniment of a cold beverage at a baseball game. I'm sure there will be more games I attend this season. I like to try and get to several games a year. Not necessarily all Rangers games, because the Frisco Rough Riders have a fantastic stadium and I enjoy seeing the up-and-comers before they hit the majors (I got to see Neftali Feliz pitch in Frisco, and when you're sitting close enough that 100mph pitch is insane). You gotta love baseball season!
Baseball season is back! So to kick it off this guy, along with some good friends, went out to the Rangers opening day to watch them play the Toronto Blue Jays. It's honestly been a good 20 years or so since I've been to an opening day game, so this one was technically my first. I admit it, I popped my opening day cherry with the first crack of cold beverage. It was a magical Monday morning while everyone else was driving to work, or sitting in their office working on their TPS reports, we were enjoying the cool, brisk morning air. The wind whisking by our faces, flavored with the aroma of burning charcoal briquettes, beef and barbecue sauce. All around were sounds of people laughing, talking, taking in the brevity of the moment and sharing it with those closest to them. Then a kid riding by on a motorized scooter, followed by the annoying sound of the whistling spiral football and some random lone kid cheering and doing a fist pump while sitting in the back of a pickup truck under the bed cover. I think it's time to go into the game.
To kick the game off we got to see an F-16 fly by, which is always enjoyable, then the first amputee Army Paratrooper jump in to deliver the game ball to Roger Staubach for the ceremonial first pitch. All of that is well and good, but I'm ready for some baseball. I was a little leery the week before when I heard the Rangers named Scooter Feldman as the opening day pitcher (Trust in Maddox). Feldman didn't do anything spectacular, but also didn't do horribly. Feldman was able to get through 7 innings, and aside from the 2 run shot he gave up to Adam Lind in the third inning, he seemed to settle down. It was a pretty slow game overall because up until the 7th inning it was a 3-0 game. That was until Nelson Cruz came to bat in the bottom of the 7th and hit a 398ft, 3 run home run into the Rangers bullpen in right-center field that tied the game. Neftali Feliz got a big pop from the fans when he came in during the 8th inning, but he had no control. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was jumping, and stretching all over to grab his pitches. I figured it was opening day jitters, but he did not look good in his 2010 season debut. Unfortunately Feliz gave up a home run that put the Blue Jays back up front.
You can't complain when you're at an Opening Day game, away from work, sitting in a sold out stadium, in the bottom of the 9th inning with your team down 1 run. Michael Young comes up and hits a double like the clutch player he is with Josh Hamilton, Vladimir Guerrero and Nelson Cruz to bat. What was awesome, and I wish I had more memory on my camera phone, but the entire stadium became electric chanting "Let's Go Rangers" "Let's Go Rangers." Hamilton struck out. Next up was the Rangers new bat, Vladimir Guerrero. Images of this exact scenario flashed before me when Vlad was with the Angels, and when the Rangers had a small lead in the 9th I always cringed when Vlad was at bat, but this time, he's ours. The chanting got louder, the people trying to start the wave a couple sections over gave up and decided to actually watch the game., as Vlad hit a single to move Young to third. Here comes our Home Run Derby king Nelson Cruz who already hit a home run earlier in the game. The chanting continues and I've got goose bumps. Cruz swings, and doubles to right center scoring Young, and moving Vlad to 3rd. Game's tied bitches, with Chris "Crush" Davis. Toronto walks Crush with a smattering of boo's from the crowd and up comes Jarrod "The Jewish Bomber" Saltalamacchia (I have no idea if he's Jewish but I want to make this stick). The Chanting is in full affect again and with every pitch that's fouled off, you hear the collective gasp and release from the crowd. Until he finally gets solid contact with a pitch that score David Murphy, who came in to run for Vlad. Now the crowd, myself, and every is going crazy and the bench clears to tackle Salty.
It was a great day, capped off by a great game. I hope this team can maintain a sense of competitiveness this season. It truly is so much more fun when you're watching a game with as many fans as were there especially when it's not a Yankees or Red Sox game. Having the entire stadium actually out, supporting the Rangers was awesome. The Garlic fries were as good as always and a generic hot dog is always tastier while it's in the accompaniment of a cold beverage at a baseball game. I'm sure there will be more games I attend this season. I like to try and get to several games a year. Not necessarily all Rangers games, because the Frisco Rough Riders have a fantastic stadium and I enjoy seeing the up-and-comers before they hit the majors (I got to see Neftali Feliz pitch in Frisco, and when you're sitting close enough that 100mph pitch is insane). You gotta love baseball season!
1 comments:
Love this and I love the way you write about it! Gary was at the game too - he and his "men friends" go every year as a tradition. I watched it on tv at home and will hopefully be going to a game this weekend to start my baseball season! Can't wait to have a good hot dog and an o'doul's (at least for now)
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