my summer in baseball photos
I'm still a Mariner's fan. I still keep up, listen to the games on via the web (or if it's after about 8:15pm in the evening, amazingly I can get KOMO in Sacramento). But I've become a fan of the Rivercats - Sacramento's AAA affiliate of the Oakland A's. I root for Rivercats but not for the A's, as they're the closest thing the Mariners have to a rival.
The A's have always seemed to have the M's number. I went to a game with my cousins (who live in the East Bay) a few months ago, but then swore I wouldn't be back. It's too depressing, the A's always win. Here are some photos from that game:
Ichiro taking warm up tosses
JOHJIMA!!! (especially for lightingguy)
In June I got to take my dad to a Giants game as a late father's day gift. He grew up a Giants fan but had never been to the new park (Pac Bell then SBC now AT&T... sigh). We saw a fun game, from about 7th row on first base side thanks to some sweet season tickets that a coworker has. At one point I yelled "Hey Barry!" and he turned to look at who was yelling:
(Ok, not really but it kinda looks like that).
Last week I went to a Rivercats game, and one of my missions was to get some autographs for Sara, who I work with at B Street. She has snagged 2 foul balls and 2 hot dogs at Rivercats games this season (they drive around between one of the innings shooting hot dogs out of a hot dog gun - all to "Who Let The Dogs Out"). Sara is on vacation and may not catch another game (unless the Rivercats make the playoffs), so I was entrusted with a ball and a sharpie upon her departure.
Here is former Mariner Hiram Bocachica signing autographs:
Dan Johnson, demoted from the Oakland A's recently, signs as well:
All in all, I got 4 autographs on Sara's ball. And it was a great game... trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the ninth, with only the diehard baseball fans still there, the Rivercats came back to within 2. The closer hit a batter then walked another, putting the go ahead run at the plate. The closer was pulled for a new reliever was put in. And with one pitch to Bocachica, the game was over - he jacked a walk offhome run over the left field wall. Bocachica's been my favorite player - majors or minors - this year. I saw him win a game for us when he was acting as first base coach (he yelled "what the hell was that!" at an ump, who proceeded to call a balk on the opposing pitcher). Pretty cool.
Ok, bonus footage if you've actually made it to the end of this entry. Safeco Field has Rick the Peanut Guy, Raley Field has Red Rope guy (aka Sara's sweaty boyfriend):