2018 MLB Thread

[PSUinNC]

Sorry, but I'll be heading out a number of times, just because I enjoy spending summer nights in that park.

And as a non-Pirates fan (well, or not, either way) that's entirely up to you.  But if your rooting interests were with the team for 30+ years and you simply weren't interested in a nice night at the park but good, invested competitive baseball you'd not be going either.  When I come back to visit, instead of heading west, I'll head east and do the same thing as you only in Altoona.  

[OrangeAfroMan]

Welp, my week of games starts tomorrow.  I'll be visiting 6 different ballparks and 8 games in 8 days.  Starting off in Goodyear for the Reds.

I'll share here and there anything that sticks out.  

[MarqHusker]

I haven't been to Goodyear in years.  It's out of my usual 'territory' but I need to return some time.  That sounds like an excellent week ahead.   I know you are avoiding Scottsdale Stadium and Sloan, so there's no doubt you'll have a great time.

My friend texted me in horror when she looked into seats for a Giants game the week of the 17th.   $56 for lawn seats!!!!  (Face).

[OrangeAfroMan]

I will be going to Sloan on St. Patrick's Day, only because a lady friend of mine likes to go to a Cubs game every St. Paddy's Day, and she didn't realize those prices aren't normal.

Well I guess they're the new normal.  Again, next year, it's probably all Brewers and Reds games for me - it's the principle of the thing.  

[OrangeAfroMan]

SEA @ CIN

I get berm tickets for every game (lawn) and find my way to a good seat.  I went with a lady friend and my buddy from Vegas.  It was drizzly all day, and when the game started it was overcast and 60 degrees - odd for the Cactus League, but what I imagine is normal weather in both Seattle or Cincinnati.

They had 'happy hour' prices on PBR and hotdogs before the first pitch, which was cool.  We sat up the 3rd base line under an awning, in case it started to rain (it didn't).

The Reds got up on a Mesoraco HR.  He later nearly hit a grand slam on 2 straight pitches, but wound up flying out to CF, where Dee Gordon gunned the runner out at home for the double play.  A guy on Seattle hit an inside-the-park HR, which was cool.  We had moved out to the right-center berm in the later innings and the ball hit the wall near us, and the RF chased it back towards CF right in front of us.  

I enjoyed a cider (I don't like beer) and a footlong corndog with some nacho cheese sauce to dip it in.  Amazing combination.  Lindsey got a hotdog before the game and a chili cheese coney during it.  I don't remember what Eric ate, but he had the shits the last 4 innings, lol.  He missed the inside the park HR because he was in the crapper.

Goodyear Ballpark is way out on I-10, but it's a good one.  Simple layout, but little games and things for kids along the RF area.  The gift shop is great, and I bought the official 2018 Cactus League ball, with all the logos on it, for $10.  Not a lot of Chief Wahoo, obviously, but you could find him here and there on some merchandise.  For the longest time, they had a huge yellow-skinned bust of him in that gift shop.  That's gone now.  

LAD @ COL today at 1:00.

[OrangeAfroMan]

Early rains cleared up in time for the Dodgers @ Rockies at 1pm at Talking Stick.

Same 2 friends joined me - and we sat in RF on a blanket.  The berm was a little damp.  Love the warm weather (upper 70s) when mixed in with the families and baseball dudes the talented ladies get their sun.

I had some cold stone ice cream and a coke.  Friends had beer, burger, and nachos.  Gift shops had a new, impressive variety of hats for ARI and COL.  Dodgers had a bunch of crooked numbers on the scoreboard, getting up 13-4.  I'm not sure about the final score. 

Matt Kemp, who had been salary dumped twice, is back in blue and daring LA to get rid of him.  3 for 3 with a HR - he's looked good.  Grandal also hit a HR for the good guys.  Ryu looked up and down, but when the starters were all out there, LA dominated.

I saw PHI signed Jake Arrieta today....boy, that's from out of left field.  

[MarqHusker]

Yeah, the Arrieta deal was a little surprising.  Phillies believe they are on the move up.  I suspect the Twins were out after signing Lynn to the 1 year deal.  Not sure what, if any offer the Brewers made, as they were rumored suitors for Arrieta.  I suspect they may still be looking at Alex Cobb, but I really don't want to see them throw 3 years at the guy.  I think he's a bit expensive and not worth it.   Of course by not signing the guy, they are going to have a medley of guys fill the rest of the rotation., as they await Jimmy Nelson's return.  Not an ideal situation.

[OrangeAfroMan]

I think the Twins are already a solid playoff team.  

[FearlessF]

Twinkie fans are cautiously optimistic 

[OrangeAfroMan]

Yesterday I saw ARI @ COL (same home ballpark).
My lady friend was all upset because her fella broke up with her.  All I can say about the game is that her DBacks lost and ice cream didn't help her mood.  Heavy drinking later did, though.

Today I attended the TEX @ MIL game - walked to it from my apartment.  I went with 4 ladies this time.  2 of them don't care about baseball at all, which sort of stunk.  The game was very slow and boring, but Milwaukee won.

My takeaway from the game, though, was Maryvale's lack of staffing.  It's stupid.  All the other parks, fully-staffed concessions, lines move fast, makes sense.  Brewers?  2 cashiers open out of 4 available.  1-2 people behind them doing all the work.  It's crap.  Very disappointing.  

[MarqHusker]

You know I was talking to the staff at the team store at Maryvale.  A lot of those folks are retirees (not surprisingly) some from WI as snowbirds.   She said they are way short during the week, vs Fri/Sat/Sun, which I suppose makes sense the first couple weeks, as the Crew rarely gets 4,000 during those games vs wknd.  Not a good experience though.   I suppose it is better than fall league, when they basically only have one stand open for the whole park (Talking Stick or Sloan).  Granted, maybe 750 people are at those games.

[OrangeAfroMan]

Yeah, I hated that almost every Fall League game was at 1:00.  For those of us with a job, it's a waste.  The Fall-Stars game was fun to attend, though.

Went to Rockies @ Dodgers tonight.  Met 3 friends with me and my lady friend.  Boy, traffic was a SOB getting out to Camelback Ranch at rush hour (leaving the city going west).  Not fun.

Enjoyed a Dodger dog, pizza, cokes.  2 of our party got the BBQ mac & cheese in a helmet and loved it.  It's between the small soft-serve ice cream helmet size and the full you-can-put-it-on-your-head helmet size.  Meh.

Dodgers had 3 errors, but Kike Hernandez hit a HR early and a double later for LA.  Someone else hit one out for LA for a comfortable lead, but later, prospect Verdugo hit one out, but since a fan reached over the wall and caught it, they called it a ground-rule double.  The nearest ump was at 2nd base.  Meh.

Tomorrow I'll be in Peoria at another evening game.  

[OrangeAfroMan]

Peoria - saw the Giants play the Padres.  SD had 3 big HRs hit to RF, but the Giants stormed back to tie it at 5.  Had BBQ at Famous Dave's before the game and walked straight over to the ballpark.  Man, I miss BBQ back in FL/GA.
The berm has a very low angle at Peoria.  It was "Bring your dog" day, and they had the LF berm roped off for dogs and owners.  That's fun, I guess.  

Today was my last Spring Break Spring Training game - Indians @ Cubs in Mesa.  Sloan Park is pretty and FULL.  I went with 2 lady friends.  Had a meatball sandwich which was large and hard to eat without looking like I murdered an Italian chef.  But it was good eatin'.  We had 2 little ones with us, and they had fun at the mini-field.  The gift shop is huge, lots of good stuff in there.  The Indians won, but Jose Ramirez hurt himself sliding into 3rd base and left the game.  Hope he's alright.  

[ELA]

I guess it's baseball season now...

(Checks Tigers roster)

...crap