Spring Training Day Two
Driving away from Hammond Stadium, Myr said (and I quote) "I don't feel good. I think it's because I don't want to leave Rich Harden."
YUS! CONVERTED AND SHE'S NOT EVEN DENYING IT ANYMORE.
Today, Rich (and the other pitchers) started warmups at the big practice field next to Hammond Stadium. This was incredibly awkward for me because all the infielders (read: Mauer and Morneau) were elsewhere, which meant so were the fans. So it was just me standing next to this field taking photos and half the time the players were facing my direction.
After stretches, we moved over to another field, the one furthest from Hammond Stadium. Once again, I was in danger of sticking out like a sore thumb - but then the M&M boys came over to assist with PFP so I was able to blend in. A little.
I was kind of waiting for Harden and Morneau to have a "remember that time you threw a ball from the outfield and busted my upper lip" discussion/moment (I tried writing slash about it once) but instead all I saw was Richie slapping Mauer on the back as he passed him during a drill. Of course, it's early days and the players are still pretty segregated by position.
Btw, for PFP - Rich soft tosses to the plate (which Pelfrey, also recovering from surgery, does too) and mimics throwing the ball to second (Pelfrey actually does make the throw). After that's done, M&M take batting practice and I wander into the outfield to snap pics of Pelfrey & Richie shagging balls. Well, Rich retrieves the balls while Pelfrey keeps talking.
After awhile, this catcher (I think he's a bullpen catcher because I swear I saw him driving a golf cart around later) came along the warning track and whistled to get Richie's attention. I was pretty offended, but Rich came over to join him and then they made the walk across the complex to Hammond Stadium's bullpen. And when I say "they", of course I mean "we". Try to look inconspicuous as you're speed walking the length of two fields alongside Rich Harden, I dare you.
Rich did some long toss, then a short session on the mound. It was an easy warmup and everyone seemed satisfied. No sudden interruptions, no random windmilling of his arms in between pitches. Afterwards he chatted with the coach.
Then peeled off his hat and warmup shirt and he took off to do some laps in the outfield with a running partner whose name I know not.
After all that, he headed for the dugout but stopped to sign when someone asked. There was a very small group of people in the stands (because there were a very small number of players at this field) so there were only about 5 people to sign for. Myr and I were a few rows up (where we could get an overhead view of the bullpen) so we headed down to see him. (Myr was totally slow about it -- probably because I told her I wanted a photo of her and Rich -- and he was already at the end of the line)
We get down there with the camera and I say "Rich, can I get a photo of you with my girlfriend?" I'm pretty sure at the start of the sentence, he thinks I'm going to ask for another photo myself, by the way he starts to shift over. Ever obliging, he says "Sure" and I FINALLY get a photo of my two favourite people together, then thank him and wish him luck before he heads for the clubhouse.
Myr insists she never cared about getting a photo, and also insists that Rich-Harden-Brain doesn't happen to her after meeting him, but whatever. I notice she didn't manage a word in his presence this time, after being all up in his personal space.
So, that was our first spring training! For anyone like me who's never been before - the nearest I can explain it is like an amusement park for baseball fans. There's drills and warmups going on at several different fields and you can wander around and between them and pick the one you like. Everyone always talks about the accessibility of the players - which I used to think mean you were closer to them but I think now just means they sign more (probably both because their paths to the fields are through the fans, and because it's a loose environment). I didn't feel like we were a lot closer to their warmups (there was less foul ground, sure, but there was also a chain link fence in between us). On the other hand, there's no way I could've gotten to talk to Richie two days in a row during the regular season.
Lots more photos (and some short videos of Rich throwing) added to my Photobucket folder: Florida 2013. There's even some there of Mauer and Morneau, if that's your thing.
YUS! CONVERTED AND SHE'S NOT EVEN DENYING IT ANYMORE.
Today, Rich (and the other pitchers) started warmups at the big practice field next to Hammond Stadium. This was incredibly awkward for me because all the infielders (read: Mauer and Morneau) were elsewhere, which meant so were the fans. So it was just me standing next to this field taking photos and half the time the players were facing my direction.
After stretches, we moved over to another field, the one furthest from Hammond Stadium. Once again, I was in danger of sticking out like a sore thumb - but then the M&M boys came over to assist with PFP so I was able to blend in. A little.
I was kind of waiting for Harden and Morneau to have a "remember that time you threw a ball from the outfield and busted my upper lip" discussion/moment (I tried writing slash about it once) but instead all I saw was Richie slapping Mauer on the back as he passed him during a drill. Of course, it's early days and the players are still pretty segregated by position.
Btw, for PFP - Rich soft tosses to the plate (which Pelfrey, also recovering from surgery, does too) and mimics throwing the ball to second (Pelfrey actually does make the throw). After that's done, M&M take batting practice and I wander into the outfield to snap pics of Pelfrey & Richie shagging balls. Well, Rich retrieves the balls while Pelfrey keeps talking.
After awhile, this catcher (I think he's a bullpen catcher because I swear I saw him driving a golf cart around later) came along the warning track and whistled to get Richie's attention. I was pretty offended, but Rich came over to join him and then they made the walk across the complex to Hammond Stadium's bullpen. And when I say "they", of course I mean "we". Try to look inconspicuous as you're speed walking the length of two fields alongside Rich Harden, I dare you.
Rich did some long toss, then a short session on the mound. It was an easy warmup and everyone seemed satisfied. No sudden interruptions, no random windmilling of his arms in between pitches. Afterwards he chatted with the coach.
Then peeled off his hat and warmup shirt and he took off to do some laps in the outfield with a running partner whose name I know not.
After all that, he headed for the dugout but stopped to sign when someone asked. There was a very small group of people in the stands (because there were a very small number of players at this field) so there were only about 5 people to sign for. Myr and I were a few rows up (where we could get an overhead view of the bullpen) so we headed down to see him. (Myr was totally slow about it -- probably because I told her I wanted a photo of her and Rich -- and he was already at the end of the line)
We get down there with the camera and I say "Rich, can I get a photo of you with my girlfriend?" I'm pretty sure at the start of the sentence, he thinks I'm going to ask for another photo myself, by the way he starts to shift over. Ever obliging, he says "Sure" and I FINALLY get a photo of my two favourite people together, then thank him and wish him luck before he heads for the clubhouse.
Myr insists she never cared about getting a photo, and also insists that Rich-Harden-Brain doesn't happen to her after meeting him, but whatever. I notice she didn't manage a word in his presence this time, after being all up in his personal space.
So, that was our first spring training! For anyone like me who's never been before - the nearest I can explain it is like an amusement park for baseball fans. There's drills and warmups going on at several different fields and you can wander around and between them and pick the one you like. Everyone always talks about the accessibility of the players - which I used to think mean you were closer to them but I think now just means they sign more (probably both because their paths to the fields are through the fans, and because it's a loose environment). I didn't feel like we were a lot closer to their warmups (there was less foul ground, sure, but there was also a chain link fence in between us). On the other hand, there's no way I could've gotten to talk to Richie two days in a row during the regular season.
Lots more photos (and some short videos of Rich throwing) added to my Photobucket folder: Florida 2013. There's even some there of Mauer and Morneau, if that's your thing.