Well, it's been a wild weekend for the Tribe here in New York. They opened the new Yankee Stadium and ruined the party with a 10-2 win on Thursday. After a 6-5 Yankees win on Friday, the Indians lit up the record books with a 22-4 win yesterday. Cleveland's 14 run second inning tied a franchise record for most runs in one inning, broke a Yankees record for most runs allowed in one inning and set a major league record for most runs ever scored in the 2nd inning. Aside from the obvious positives from a Tribe fans perspective, what this weekend's event have really done is provide fodder for my favorite newspaper headline writers and columnists. No city can bury a struggling team better than New York. (I know from experience growing up in New Jersey during an era when several of the New York area pro sports teams were struggling mightily for wins.)
After losing the Opener, the Friday editions of the New York Post had these classic headlines in the sports section. "Day Full of Romp and Circumstance". In reference to the Yankees bullpen the words "massacred, battered, shellacked" were all used. And there was this gem, "the relievers turned the $1.5 billion ballpark into the worlds largest commode".
Personally, while new place lacks the history and intimidation the old place had, it's a beautiful ballpark with all the latest in creature comforts. Ticket prices may keep it from being a tough place to play because the die hard fans will never be able to afford the "good" seats, but there is still a good vibe coming from the bleachers, more so with the alcohol ban lifted for now. Post Columnist Joel Sherman hit the nail on the head when he wrote "the $1.5 billion couldn't buy home field advantage". He summed it up by saying the stadium is "The House that Mute Built" in reference to how quiet it was during the opener.
Which brings us to today's tabloids after yesterday Tribe offensive explosion. Daily News: back page picture of Chein Ming Wang (8 runs in less than 2 innings) with the headline "You Stink", followed by an inside story headline saying "Wang is now a Stinkballer" in reference to his suddenly lost sinker. Not to be outdone, the Post on the back page simply wrote "Stinkees". And inside the story headline read "Everything goes Wang for Yanks". Great stuff to be sure.
Can just imagine what they will write is Carl Pavano throws well for the Tribe today.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
What a Day in New York - Day 10
The most anticipated home opener in this or any season took place today in New York and the Tribe was on hand to help the Yankees open their new ballpark.
Impressions of the new Yankee Stadium. For the first time in 85 years, the Yankees are playing on a new tract of land. Yes, they played in a remodeled stadium beginning in 1976, but for all concerned it was still the original House that Ruth Built. The new version is everything you would expect for a ballpark that cost $1.5 billion to build. There are the many luxury features that have been well documented but somehow, they've managed to keep a similar feel to the place that old Stadium had. I took the subway from the team hotel and arrived at 7:30 am. I travelled with Bill McCracken, the Indians video coordinator and last year's American League Video coordinator of the year. (that's not really true, but Bill likes to believe it). The 161st street subway station in the Bronx leaves you right outside the rightfield gate. The security guard let us in and pointed toward the Indians clubhouse. Once located, we found ourselves to be the first ones inside and it was tremendous......tremendously large ! There are more hallways, side rooms, back rooms, video rooms, training rooms....well you get the idea. And that's the visitor's side. Double the size and amenities for the Yankees clubhouse.
The critical test came when it was time to look at the field. When entering the field through the dugout at the old stadium, you were overcome by the size of the place. You could feel the history, and even when empty, you could see how it would be intimidating for the opposition. Amazingly the new place has a similar feel and they've done a great job recreating the look. That sentiment was backed up by Tribe third baseman Mark DeRosa. He grew up a Yankee fan living in New Jersey about 25 minutes from the Stadium. When he first took a look at the field from the dugout, he gave it the thumbs up, especially from the standpoint of keeping the old stadium feel.
As for opening day ceremonies, all the Yankees really have to do is bring back the many stars of the past. Most of the big ones were there with Yogi Berra throwing out the first pitch. My favorite moment was after the field was cleared of all the dignitaries prior to the game beginning, Yankee pitching greats Don Larson and Whitey Ford snuck out to the pitchers mound and filled a couple of plastic bags with dirt from the mound for a keepsake. Cool stuff right there.
Oh, and on the field, the Indians spoiled things for the better than 48,000 Yankee fans by putting together a 9 run 7th inning to blow the game open. Perhaps of more importance: Cliff Lee was solid, allowing just one run in 6 innings.
Impressions of the new Yankee Stadium. For the first time in 85 years, the Yankees are playing on a new tract of land. Yes, they played in a remodeled stadium beginning in 1976, but for all concerned it was still the original House that Ruth Built. The new version is everything you would expect for a ballpark that cost $1.5 billion to build. There are the many luxury features that have been well documented but somehow, they've managed to keep a similar feel to the place that old Stadium had. I took the subway from the team hotel and arrived at 7:30 am. I travelled with Bill McCracken, the Indians video coordinator and last year's American League Video coordinator of the year. (that's not really true, but Bill likes to believe it). The 161st street subway station in the Bronx leaves you right outside the rightfield gate. The security guard let us in and pointed toward the Indians clubhouse. Once located, we found ourselves to be the first ones inside and it was tremendous......tremendously large ! There are more hallways, side rooms, back rooms, video rooms, training rooms....well you get the idea. And that's the visitor's side. Double the size and amenities for the Yankees clubhouse.
The critical test came when it was time to look at the field. When entering the field through the dugout at the old stadium, you were overcome by the size of the place. You could feel the history, and even when empty, you could see how it would be intimidating for the opposition. Amazingly the new place has a similar feel and they've done a great job recreating the look. That sentiment was backed up by Tribe third baseman Mark DeRosa. He grew up a Yankee fan living in New Jersey about 25 minutes from the Stadium. When he first took a look at the field from the dugout, he gave it the thumbs up, especially from the standpoint of keeping the old stadium feel.
As for opening day ceremonies, all the Yankees really have to do is bring back the many stars of the past. Most of the big ones were there with Yogi Berra throwing out the first pitch. My favorite moment was after the field was cleared of all the dignitaries prior to the game beginning, Yankee pitching greats Don Larson and Whitey Ford snuck out to the pitchers mound and filled a couple of plastic bags with dirt from the mound for a keepsake. Cool stuff right there.
Oh, and on the field, the Indians spoiled things for the better than 48,000 Yankee fans by putting together a 9 run 7th inning to blow the game open. Perhaps of more importance: Cliff Lee was solid, allowing just one run in 6 innings.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The "New" Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City - Day 9
Quite a road trip for the Indians from a ballpark perspective. Of course tomorrow they will help the Yankees usher in a new era in New York with the opening of the new Yankee Stadium. Today they are playing the finale of a 3 game series here in Kansas City with the Royals at a ballpark that has undergone more than $250 million in renovations.
The New Kauffman Stadium - Let's get this out in the open right away. At 37 years old, Kauffman Stadium before the renovation was always one of the prettiest ballparks in the American League. It was always spotless, never seemed to show it's age and was known for a 322 foot wide spectacular water and light show put forth by huge fountains beyond the left center and right centerfield walls. The fountains are still there, decreased slightly, but in their place is outfield seating. For the first time, fans in KC can sit above the outfield wall and catch home runs and enjoy the game from a perspective that's second nature for Cleveland fans who enjoy the bleachers at Progressive Field. Above those seats is a wide concourse area that features rides for kids and mini baseball field for youngsters as well. You can now actually walk all the way around the ballpark on the same main concourse. There is a new party deck and restaurant in rightfield and a soon to be completed Royals Hall of Fame featuring the retired numbers of George Brett, Frank White and Dick Howser. A brand new office area and entrance way greets the fans as they make their way into what was always a great ballpark and is now updated with the very latest in fan amenities. Does it affect the Royals on the field ? Manager Trey Hillman says it's a much different feel and players and coaches should have an extra bounce in their step when they walk in each day.
Cy Young's in New York - Even if it weren't Opening Day for the new Yankee Stadium, tomorrow's Indians - Yankees game in New York would be special. The past two Cy Young Award winners in the American League, Cliff Lee of the Tribe and CC Sabathia for the Yankees will match up. Believe it or not this is not that uncommon of a feat. Tomorrow's Cy Young matchup will be the 38th time that the previous 2 Cy Young's from the same league have met. However, this is the first time that the two pitchers won the award for the same team. Thanks to STATS LLC for the info.
The New Kauffman Stadium - Let's get this out in the open right away. At 37 years old, Kauffman Stadium before the renovation was always one of the prettiest ballparks in the American League. It was always spotless, never seemed to show it's age and was known for a 322 foot wide spectacular water and light show put forth by huge fountains beyond the left center and right centerfield walls. The fountains are still there, decreased slightly, but in their place is outfield seating. For the first time, fans in KC can sit above the outfield wall and catch home runs and enjoy the game from a perspective that's second nature for Cleveland fans who enjoy the bleachers at Progressive Field. Above those seats is a wide concourse area that features rides for kids and mini baseball field for youngsters as well. You can now actually walk all the way around the ballpark on the same main concourse. There is a new party deck and restaurant in rightfield and a soon to be completed Royals Hall of Fame featuring the retired numbers of George Brett, Frank White and Dick Howser. A brand new office area and entrance way greets the fans as they make their way into what was always a great ballpark and is now updated with the very latest in fan amenities. Does it affect the Royals on the field ? Manager Trey Hillman says it's a much different feel and players and coaches should have an extra bounce in their step when they walk in each day.
Cy Young's in New York - Even if it weren't Opening Day for the new Yankee Stadium, tomorrow's Indians - Yankees game in New York would be special. The past two Cy Young Award winners in the American League, Cliff Lee of the Tribe and CC Sabathia for the Yankees will match up. Believe it or not this is not that uncommon of a feat. Tomorrow's Cy Young matchup will be the 38th time that the previous 2 Cy Young's from the same league have met. However, this is the first time that the two pitchers won the award for the same team. Thanks to STATS LLC for the info.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Catching Up - Day 7
I know what you are thinking. Where has the blog been the last 3 days. Well, the whirlwind, 72 hour homestand got the best of me and the blog paid the price. But after 3 days of setting up, unpacking, repacking and watching the Tribe get in the win column on Sunday, Indians Inside Pitch is back in business from Kansas City.
Sad Day in Baseball: Monday was one of those sad days in baseball where you put away the box scores and remember that baseball truly is a people game. How else can you explain the reaction to the sad news that two of the games most colorful characters (for different reasons) passed away.
Longtime voice of the Phillies, Harry Kalas, collapsed in the radio booth in Washington, where the Phillies were 2 hours away from taking on the Nationals. He was 73. I tuned into the Phillies broadcast toward the tail end of the pre game show and they paid tribute to Harry by playing his call of the 9th inning of last years World Series victory for the Phils and then followed that with his historic call of Mike Schmidt's 500th home run. Perfect on both fronts. How Scott Franske and Larry Anderson called the game less then 3 hours after their friend passed away I'll never know, but they did and should be commended. My good friend Scott Lesher, the Buffalo Bisons Director of Baseball Operations, is a Philly guy through and through. We talked after the news broke and he summed up his thoughts by saying Harry Kalas was the last of the great voices he grew up with as a Philadelphia sports fan. With legendary Gene Hart (Flyers) and 76ers Public Address announcer Dave Zinkoff also having passed, Philly sports has a huge void to fill as most fans have never listened to a Phillies game without hearing Harry.
Mark "the bird" Fidrych also died yesterday in an apparent accident while working on a truck. The Bird burst on the scene in 1976 winning the AL Rookie of the Year award with the Tigers. But lets face it, as good as he was on the mound, for a young baseball fan, the fact that Fidrych talked to the baseball, smoothed out the mound dirt with his hands and had what seemed like a million other idiosyncrasies was what made him special. Injuries cut his career short, but he left behind a long list of memories
Tribe Getting Closer: The first week of the season has been anything but easy for the Tribe after falling to 1-6 following last night's 4-2 loss here in KC. But the pitching has been showing better signs. Anthony Reyes looked very sharp in win on Sunday and Fausto Carmona settled down after a difficult first last night. Offensively the Indians are struggling to bring runners home when they are in scoring position, but the upside is they are getting plenty of opportunities.
The New K: 250 million dollars worth of renovations were done to Kauffman Stadium here in KC and they are now complete. I'll have a full review tomorrow.
Sad Day in Baseball: Monday was one of those sad days in baseball where you put away the box scores and remember that baseball truly is a people game. How else can you explain the reaction to the sad news that two of the games most colorful characters (for different reasons) passed away.
Longtime voice of the Phillies, Harry Kalas, collapsed in the radio booth in Washington, where the Phillies were 2 hours away from taking on the Nationals. He was 73. I tuned into the Phillies broadcast toward the tail end of the pre game show and they paid tribute to Harry by playing his call of the 9th inning of last years World Series victory for the Phils and then followed that with his historic call of Mike Schmidt's 500th home run. Perfect on both fronts. How Scott Franske and Larry Anderson called the game less then 3 hours after their friend passed away I'll never know, but they did and should be commended. My good friend Scott Lesher, the Buffalo Bisons Director of Baseball Operations, is a Philly guy through and through. We talked after the news broke and he summed up his thoughts by saying Harry Kalas was the last of the great voices he grew up with as a Philadelphia sports fan. With legendary Gene Hart (Flyers) and 76ers Public Address announcer Dave Zinkoff also having passed, Philly sports has a huge void to fill as most fans have never listened to a Phillies game without hearing Harry.
Mark "the bird" Fidrych also died yesterday in an apparent accident while working on a truck. The Bird burst on the scene in 1976 winning the AL Rookie of the Year award with the Tigers. But lets face it, as good as he was on the mound, for a young baseball fan, the fact that Fidrych talked to the baseball, smoothed out the mound dirt with his hands and had what seemed like a million other idiosyncrasies was what made him special. Injuries cut his career short, but he left behind a long list of memories
Tribe Getting Closer: The first week of the season has been anything but easy for the Tribe after falling to 1-6 following last night's 4-2 loss here in KC. But the pitching has been showing better signs. Anthony Reyes looked very sharp in win on Sunday and Fausto Carmona settled down after a difficult first last night. Offensively the Indians are struggling to bring runners home when they are in scoring position, but the upside is they are getting plenty of opportunities.
The New K: 250 million dollars worth of renovations were done to Kauffman Stadium here in KC and they are now complete. I'll have a full review tomorrow.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Day 3: One more day in Texas
Long road home: After 2 months of spring training, 2 days in Houston and a 5 day stay in the Dallas - Ft.Worth area to start the season, Indians players and coaches can't wait to get back to Cleveland for the home opener tomorrow. Not only are they excited about playing in front of the home fans at Progressive Field, but for many it's a chance to reunite with wives and kids. With any type of school vacations not taking place during spring training this year, some members of the Indians family have not seen their families, or only seen them for a long weekend, for almost 2 and a half months. There are very few downsides to what is an enjoyable profession for any player or coach, but time away from family is one of the challenges.
Tragedy hits Angels: What a difficult start to the season it has been for the Angels organization. On opening night in Anaheim, a concrete slab fell into an area of seats at Angels Stadium and fortunately no one was injured. However, following the game, a brawl resulted in the death of a fan as he was leaving Angels Stadium. Then in the early hours of this morning, Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was one of three people killed in a hit and run accident in the Los Angeles area. Adenhart was on his way home from the ballpark following his first start of the season and only fifth major league start of his career. He had thrown six shutout innings against Oakland, confirming what most baseball people already knew: the 22 year old was one of the brightest young pitching prospects in the game. I first learned of the tragic news while in the Indians clubhouse this morning prior to the Tribe game here in Texas. As is usually the case, baseball being a close knit fraternity, most players knew of or knew someone who knew Adenhart. Needless to say, it was a quiet scene as players watched the news unfold on television.
Staying the course: Tough start to the season for the Tribe with today's loss in Texas. It was the 3rd consecutive lackluster outing for an Indians starting pitcher as Carl Pavano allowed 9 runs in less than 2 innings. Manager Eric Wedge has always been a patient supporter of his players who appreciates the length of the baseball season. That philosophy will come in handy as the Indians negotiate the early portion of the 2009 season.
Tragedy hits Angels: What a difficult start to the season it has been for the Angels organization. On opening night in Anaheim, a concrete slab fell into an area of seats at Angels Stadium and fortunately no one was injured. However, following the game, a brawl resulted in the death of a fan as he was leaving Angels Stadium. Then in the early hours of this morning, Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was one of three people killed in a hit and run accident in the Los Angeles area. Adenhart was on his way home from the ballpark following his first start of the season and only fifth major league start of his career. He had thrown six shutout innings against Oakland, confirming what most baseball people already knew: the 22 year old was one of the brightest young pitching prospects in the game. I first learned of the tragic news while in the Indians clubhouse this morning prior to the Tribe game here in Texas. As is usually the case, baseball being a close knit fraternity, most players knew of or knew someone who knew Adenhart. Needless to say, it was a quiet scene as players watched the news unfold on television.
Staying the course: Tough start to the season for the Tribe with today's loss in Texas. It was the 3rd consecutive lackluster outing for an Indians starting pitcher as Carl Pavano allowed 9 runs in less than 2 innings. Manager Eric Wedge has always been a patient supporter of his players who appreciates the length of the baseball season. That philosophy will come in handy as the Indians negotiate the early portion of the 2009 season.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tidbits from Day 2 of the season
Random notes prior to Wednesday night's Tribe game in Texas:
Garko, been there done that: When President George W. Bush visited the Indians clubhouse prior to Monday afternoon's season opener it was a once in a lifetime thrill for most players and coaches. For Tribe first baseman Ryan Garko it was the second time he had met the President. Back in 2001, Garko was a sophomore catcher at Stanford. The Cardinal had reached the College World Series and were playing the Opening game in Omaha against Tulane. To commemorate the first game, President Bush threw out the first pitch......to Cardinal catcher Ryan Garko. And to give the story more of a Cleveland flavor, the starting pitcher for Stanford that day was former Indians pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. And to take it a step further, Tulane featured current Triple A Indians Michael Aubrey and Andy Cannizaro. When President Bush arrived in the Tribe clubhouse Monday, Garko was ready with a photo of that moment and the 43rd President gladly signed it was remembering his meeting with the Indians first baseman.
Scott Lewis ready for home opener: When the Indians take the field on Friday for the home opener, lefthander Scott Lewis will be on the mound, making just his 5th major league start. After growing up in the Columbus suburb of Washington Court House, Ohio and then attending Ohio State, Lewis is excited about the starting assignment for his in state team. Surely he must have been a Tribe fan growing up, or at the very least a Cincinnati Reds fan. Not so says Lewis. "I was a big Atlanta Braves fan as a kid. They were always on TV and they had pitchers that I loved to watch like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz." Still the home opener in Cleveland will be special to a young man who seemed to be a dark horse to make the starting rotation coming out of spring training.
Welcome to the other side: You have to be a die hard Tribe fan to remember Mike Bascik. The lefthander pitched in only 3 games for the Indians in 2001, but gained major notoriety for serving up the home run that Barry Bonds hit to surpass the great Hank Aaron on the all time home run list in 2007 while pitching for Washington. Bascik was in the Indians clubhouse prior to tonights game working as a reporter for a local all sports radio station. He says he tried to find work on the mound for any team that would have him this spring, but found no takers. An avid fan of all sports in the Dallas area, he says he is now doing the next best thing. I got to know Mike when he pitched for Triple A Buffalo and I was the play by play man there. He is knowledgeable, well spoken and seems ideal for his new line of work.
Tribe falls to Texas: A frustrating night for the Indians as they went just 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position and lost the Rangers for a second straight game, this time by an 8-5 final score. Fausto Carmona was not as sharp as he was in spring training allowing 6 runs in 5 innings.
Garko, been there done that: When President George W. Bush visited the Indians clubhouse prior to Monday afternoon's season opener it was a once in a lifetime thrill for most players and coaches. For Tribe first baseman Ryan Garko it was the second time he had met the President. Back in 2001, Garko was a sophomore catcher at Stanford. The Cardinal had reached the College World Series and were playing the Opening game in Omaha against Tulane. To commemorate the first game, President Bush threw out the first pitch......to Cardinal catcher Ryan Garko. And to give the story more of a Cleveland flavor, the starting pitcher for Stanford that day was former Indians pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. And to take it a step further, Tulane featured current Triple A Indians Michael Aubrey and Andy Cannizaro. When President Bush arrived in the Tribe clubhouse Monday, Garko was ready with a photo of that moment and the 43rd President gladly signed it was remembering his meeting with the Indians first baseman.
Scott Lewis ready for home opener: When the Indians take the field on Friday for the home opener, lefthander Scott Lewis will be on the mound, making just his 5th major league start. After growing up in the Columbus suburb of Washington Court House, Ohio and then attending Ohio State, Lewis is excited about the starting assignment for his in state team. Surely he must have been a Tribe fan growing up, or at the very least a Cincinnati Reds fan. Not so says Lewis. "I was a big Atlanta Braves fan as a kid. They were always on TV and they had pitchers that I loved to watch like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz." Still the home opener in Cleveland will be special to a young man who seemed to be a dark horse to make the starting rotation coming out of spring training.
Welcome to the other side: You have to be a die hard Tribe fan to remember Mike Bascik. The lefthander pitched in only 3 games for the Indians in 2001, but gained major notoriety for serving up the home run that Barry Bonds hit to surpass the great Hank Aaron on the all time home run list in 2007 while pitching for Washington. Bascik was in the Indians clubhouse prior to tonights game working as a reporter for a local all sports radio station. He says he tried to find work on the mound for any team that would have him this spring, but found no takers. An avid fan of all sports in the Dallas area, he says he is now doing the next best thing. I got to know Mike when he pitched for Triple A Buffalo and I was the play by play man there. He is knowledgeable, well spoken and seems ideal for his new line of work.
Tribe falls to Texas: A frustrating night for the Indians as they went just 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position and lost the Rangers for a second straight game, this time by an 8-5 final score. Fausto Carmona was not as sharp as he was in spring training allowing 6 runs in 5 innings.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Opening Day 2009 in Texas
Hello everyone and welcome to the first edition of Indians Inside Pitch for 2009. With so much great information out there regarding the on field exploits of the Tribe from reporters like Anthony Castrovince from MLB.com, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal (just to name a few), I'll try to focus on some of the other aspects surrounding the ballclub as it makes it's way through the 2009 schedule.
Let me just say there is nothing quite like Opening Day in major league baseball. After 6 weeks at spring training, the players are ready to go for the first game of the year. I'm always amazed at how much things change for the fans as well. Yesterday (Opening Day, Monday April 6th) I took the team bus to the ballpark in the morning. In many cases players will walk to the ballpark or take some type of public transportation. Here in Arlington, the Indians hotel is about 30 minutes away from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington so most players take the team bus. As the bus made its way through the stadium parking lots, you knew it was a big day for Rangers fans. A good 4 hours before the first pitch, tailgating was going strong. It looked more like an NFL or college football game as you had a wide array of tailgating staples like campers, barbecue grills, and plenty of beverages. Most fans were decked out in football jersey's touting there favorite Texas college teams, and oh yes, there were some Rangers and even Indians jersey's as well. It was a great atmosphere and didn't go unnoticed by the players on the bus.
Once batting practice was underway, the amount of television reporters and camera people, writers and other media types was similar to what you would see at a playoff game. The Indians blended in on a day that was all about the Rangers for the home fans. It's been a lengthy playoff dry spell for Texas and hopes are as high this season for the Rangers as they are for the Tribe.
Opening Day usually features something you just don't see that often. President George W Bush, not only threw out a first pitch, but also visited the Indians Clubhouse about an hour before the game. Many players secured autographs from our 43rd President and to a man all said it was a once in a lifetime experience.
Unfortunately for the Tribe, President Bush's clubhouse visit was the highlight of the day. A rough outing for Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and a quiet day for what should be a high powered batting order resulted in a 9-1 Rangers win.
Off day today and then it's Game 2 of the season Wednesday night. Toyota Indians Warm Up gets it started from Arlington, Texas at 7:37 PM Eastern Time. Fausto Carmona throws for the Indians. Judging by the way he threw the ball this spring, and more importantly, made adjustments when he ran into trouble, this could be a big year for Fausto. Veteren Vincente Padilla is on the hill for Texas.
Let me just say there is nothing quite like Opening Day in major league baseball. After 6 weeks at spring training, the players are ready to go for the first game of the year. I'm always amazed at how much things change for the fans as well. Yesterday (Opening Day, Monday April 6th) I took the team bus to the ballpark in the morning. In many cases players will walk to the ballpark or take some type of public transportation. Here in Arlington, the Indians hotel is about 30 minutes away from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington so most players take the team bus. As the bus made its way through the stadium parking lots, you knew it was a big day for Rangers fans. A good 4 hours before the first pitch, tailgating was going strong. It looked more like an NFL or college football game as you had a wide array of tailgating staples like campers, barbecue grills, and plenty of beverages. Most fans were decked out in football jersey's touting there favorite Texas college teams, and oh yes, there were some Rangers and even Indians jersey's as well. It was a great atmosphere and didn't go unnoticed by the players on the bus.
Once batting practice was underway, the amount of television reporters and camera people, writers and other media types was similar to what you would see at a playoff game. The Indians blended in on a day that was all about the Rangers for the home fans. It's been a lengthy playoff dry spell for Texas and hopes are as high this season for the Rangers as they are for the Tribe.
Opening Day usually features something you just don't see that often. President George W Bush, not only threw out a first pitch, but also visited the Indians Clubhouse about an hour before the game. Many players secured autographs from our 43rd President and to a man all said it was a once in a lifetime experience.
Unfortunately for the Tribe, President Bush's clubhouse visit was the highlight of the day. A rough outing for Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee and a quiet day for what should be a high powered batting order resulted in a 9-1 Rangers win.
Off day today and then it's Game 2 of the season Wednesday night. Toyota Indians Warm Up gets it started from Arlington, Texas at 7:37 PM Eastern Time. Fausto Carmona throws for the Indians. Judging by the way he threw the ball this spring, and more importantly, made adjustments when he ran into trouble, this could be a big year for Fausto. Veteren Vincente Padilla is on the hill for Texas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
