Gonzai Gallery

That is the question. Starting Friday night, I had what might have been a migraine, flu, allergies, exhaustion, some combination thereof or none of the above. I'm still not entirely past whatever it is/was, but I feel like I'm in a haze. As a result I didn't do a darn thing all weekend (well, ok, a couple really small things, but not the big to-do list I intended) including skipping the Baysox' Bark in the Park day for the first time in at least 5 years. I was feeling to hazy to drive that far, esp. with dicey weather. Still feeling it somewhat, but at work all the same as I kinda don't have any sick time. The cherry on top is the rainy season all week which has my joints achy-breaky. And stink bugs. I hate stink bugs.

My original plan for today was the Baysox game. But it's 95 & humid, so that's right out.

Next option was gaming across town. But I woke up today exhausted, with a migraine and a very sore back/neck, and just sitting in the car hurt like hell. No gaming.

Oh well. I did manage to get some busy work done on the computer and play some games there, and catch up on shows. Is there another Doctor Who ep on Saturday? I thought yesterday's was the season ender, but the references to June 26 make me think there's one more. I was pretty close on my guess as to what was in the Pandorica Box. Right contents, wrong timing. Like the new guy on Burn Notice, Jesse - he's Hawt. Now halfway through 'There Will Be Blood', never seen it and not really my kind of flick, but considering how well thought of it is, figured I ought to see it at least once. A bit bored so far.

I exaggerate a bit - I left the Baysox game at 8:30 and while it was getting colder, it wasn't miserable yet. I'm told last night was not only cold, but the wind was blowing a lot. Thursday's game was suspended due to downpours. So tonight wasn't so bad. But my feet and back were killing me and I was dozing off with an hour drive ahead of me, so I boogied in the sixth inning with the score tied 2-2. This year's Baysox include two guys with the last name of Britton (not related), two guys named Figueroa (as related as you can get - identical twins) and three pitchers named Zack. Name game time...and I'm feeling very old again. Two players on the team were born after I was already in college and I'm older than the pitching coach. I must be a geezer.

Also stopped by the last Hollywood Video in Maryland, which is going out of business. They weren't in full sale mode yet but I picked up a couple things in the $4-5 range, including a couple Alan Tudyk flicks I didn't have and the timeless 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. And a stop by a game shop, they didn't have the accessories I hoped for but I did snag a copy of Ubongo. And now I'm home and nearly asleep, so off I go.

The last baseball game of the season, Bowie's Fan Appreciation day. The good news is I got a nice fleece blanket for free. The bad news is I got sunburned, didn't win any prizes, did lousy in the autograph department and oh yeah, spent part of the game sitting in front of Roger. Roger had a cowbell. He rang it on command from the two old biddies with him. My ear will be ringing for some time.

Autographs were such a bust...I needed 5 guys from Bowie. One was promoted a couple days ago. One was deactivated to play in an international tournament a couple days ago. One was the starting pitcher. One was 20 minutes late for the team signing session and the line was cut off before I got to him; then he wouldn't sign on the field. (He also played the game like there was somewhere he'd rather be. Swell.) So I got one guy. Sigh. The Baysox did win the game, at least.

Until April, adieu baseball.

Went to the Baysox game tonight, semi-involuntarily. The last time I want to be at a Baysox game is a holiday fireworks game; but they're away the rest of the weekend and the weekend after Shore Leave, so if I don't go now it could be August before I can go again. And the weather is absolutely freakin' perfect. So I went...along with over 10,000 other people. Half of whom wandered in after the game started, and they were still coming in during the 8th inning. Clearly, not there for baseball. I boogied in the 8th inning because no way am I sitting in that parking lot for 2 hours waiting to get out.

But the reason I post is - for the second time, I witnessed a triple play. And it was identical to the first one, which was in 1994, in Harrisburg, and the Senators turned it against Bowie. This time Akron turned it against Bowie. With no outs and men on 1st and 2nd, the batter, Danny Figueroa, tried to bunt. (Why he was bunting early in the game when his team had a 2 run lead, I have no idea. The manager needs his head checked.) Both runners were going in anticipation of the bunt. Figueroa popped it up to the pitcher. The pitcher throws to the shortstop covering second (that one was close) and the shortstop goes to first (not close - the runner was the catcher, and I could probably outrun him). 1-6-3 triple play. Not exactly an everyday thing. I almost saw a triple play one other time - in the ninth inning in Hagerstown, I went to the parking lot to drop off a few things I didn't want to carry after the game. While I was there, the Suns turned a 5-4-3 against Delmarva. Dangit. Still, seeing one at all - very rare.

For one day, at least, it was all about the baseball. It wasn't opening day, but it was Day Two for Frederick and Bowie and the schedule and the weather made a 'do it yourself' doubleheader possible. So I took a bath in SPF 30 sunblock and headed to Frederick.

( The Frederick half )
( The Bowie half )
I left in the 8th again; this time, it was getting cold, plus I had to get up early. When I got home, I summoned up the nerve to look in the mirror, expecting to see a lobster. Nope. No burn at all. A very light tan and that's it. Escaped one disaster!

Not all is lost in local sports - for the first time in their 17 seasons (all of which I've attended, often as a season ticket holder) the AA Eastern League's Bowie Baysox have won their division! They clinched first place last night, and will go to the playoffs for the first time since '97 on Wednesday.

More cool beans - Baysox personnel were named the EL's Pitcher of the Year, MVP, and Manager of the Year, and three of them were named to the year-end All-Star Team.

The only negative is that I only attended 7 games this year, when in the past I've been to as many as 60, and none on the road, when I've seen the Baysox play in every EL stadium. Maybe me staying away was the key to their success?

I finally manage to get to a game, New Britain at Bowie, unmarred by weather or bad traffic. In fact it was beautiful out Saturday, game time temp of 85 and brilliantly sunny. It actually became rather chilly by later in the game. 

The game was rather wacky - besides the community presentation to the visiting team (why would a Connecticut team receive a community award in Maryland?) both teams had a penchant for leaving the bases loaded. And apparently the umpires were loaded - a successful double steal by the Baysox was reversed because the home plate ump claimed he interfered with the catcher. It was clear from the catcher's face that it was the first he'd heard about it. Later the Baysox had an inside-the-park home run when Ryan Finan hit one off the top of the right field wall. The right fielder also hit the wall and then stood there in a daze, clearly unsure of who or where he was, before it finally dawned on the centerfielder that maybe he should go get the ball instead. Meanwhile Finan's motoring around the bases and going for home. The throw did beat Finan to the plate, but...the catcher never tagged him. Obviously there's no force on a home run, so Finan was safe. The umpire called him out. Unbelievable. 

I didn't do so hot on autographs before the game, in spite of having just a dozen team set cards on me. Main problem was the other people. Some day I should write up a list of rules for people getting autographs.