Tag: Baltimore Orioles

The day I’ve been waiting all winter and spring arrived yesterday: the home opener for our Baltimore Orioles. Baseball is back in Baltimore! It’s spring! And we’re gonna be competing all year.

I’ve bought season tickets just to keep abreast of the team. I’ll be there when they win. I’ll be there when they lose. Hopefully, more wins that losses. I’m expecting a 75 win season from them — just a several games shy of .500, a winning season, because that’s a realistic expectation. So I’m going to be rooting for them.

My tickets for Opening Day was extra, so I chose not to sit in my season ticket seats. I’ve got 13 games there. I need a different angle. I’m in the upper deck section 348 close to the railing. It’s on the third base side and you get pretty views of all the hits.

This I was actually a we. I invited my nephew to watch since he’s got spring break. This is actually the first uncle-ish thing I did for the kid. Weird. I must suck as an uncle. He’ll enjoy this though. Baseball could be his sport.

We take the light rail up from Severn. First time I travelled north to go to the Yard. It’s filled with strange sights, but the trains are packed. They are filled with happy Birds fans. The first visit to Birdland of the year fills everyone with joy. The nephew and I pile into the train.

We get to the yard and join the throngs of fans amassing at the gate. First, we get some soda and drinks to bring in. After entering, we get some snacks. First hot dog of the year. We make it to our seats. The atmosphere was electric. The weather was cold though. Lucky we brought our jackets. We get to our seats and cheer on the opening day ceremonies. Brooks and Boog throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The night before, the Birds won their first game of the season. The team looks to make it two in a row. Brad Bergesen, the ace of last season, is the starter. He doesn’t have it today, the top of the first inning he allows 3 runs. Our line up is raring to go.

We get those 3 runs back in the bottom half. But then our bats go cold, while Bergesen struggles all game. He allows the leadoff batters to reach base and he struggles to end innings. Meanwhile, Toronto’s starter who was wobbly in the first, walking three, settles down and gets several strikeouts. Come on! Where are our bats?

In the fourth inning, the nephew and I go for food. Last year, it was easy to get food. Walk up there was no line. Opening day is different, and we spend two innings in line missing Toronto go up 2 runs and the Orioles tying it up with Tejeda’s 2 run homer. The visitors go up again, but we storm back and take the lead. Pie pinch running for god, Matt Weiters, takes it from first to home on a single by Cesar Izturis. Last, year C-Izzy hit a homer in the bottom of the eighth to win the opener. This year it looked as if he got the game winner again. Pie was dead to rights out, but the catcher could not handle the ball. Why he was sent is a mystery? These great seats we had made all this plainly visible. Pie was only rounding third as the relay was coming home. He would’ve been out by three steps if the catch was made properly. Yet, Pie scores! PIE SCORES! THE ORIOLES ARE UP!

And then our closer comes in. The least said the better. Mike Gonzales’s line for the game 0.2 of an inning 1 walk, 1 passed ball, 2 hits, 2 earned runs. The Boo Birds were out in force. I was shaking my head. The nephew was booing loudly too. Gonzales wouldn’t be getting the grief he’s been getting if his delivery wasn’t so unorthodox. It’s a rocking motion which exaggerates his wildness.

But we lost. The final was 7-6. Blown save and all.

We cram back into the light rail and go home. Leaving the sad times behind. Maybe next time we’ll win. Next time is Monday. Who wants to go?

As soon as I got home yesterday from Fan Fest I posted some pictures of that fun day.

Here’s how the day went…

Got down to the convention center around a quarter of. The hardcore Baltimore fans were already filing in dressed in black and orange.

First listened to a bit of Dave Trembley and Andy McPhail talking. But I came to get some autographs so jumped in the smallest line available: Ken Dixon, Jeremy Guthrie and Jimmy Johnson. I went to see Jimmy Johnson. That dude doesn’t have a baseball card.

Then found out Nolan and Felix would be signing soon and made a bee line to their table. We had to wait as Felix and Lou Montanez were 15 minutes late. They must’ve over slept or something. After getting their autographs on their Topps T206 cards, I go and get some memorabilia: a Gregg Zaun! bat and a “This is Birdland” flyer.

Standing in lines started making me tired, so I seek a chair while listening to the coaches talk. Interesting. Hopefully, these guys can make the team 20 wins better.

There’s a lot of bobbleheads out there!

I’m tiring so I go get in one last line for Josh Bell, Jason Berken, and Brad Bergesen. I almost don’t get in line. I went to get a picture of Brian Roberts as the line to Bell, Berken and Bergesen fill up and closes. The lady was sympathetic and she lets me in as well as a few more. I chat with a bunch of collectors in line. These guys are hard core. One guy has a flag that he gets Orioles players to sign as long as they have played a game in the majors. Two guys from the Eastern Shore go to minor league games to get everyone’s signature. Some girl’s got all 83 Orioles and Phills on a ball. One dude with an oversize baseball has been for 2 years continuously striving for current players. Me, I just want my cards signed. I’m not as hardcore as these guys.

I leave early to do the tour of Camden Yards. Is this the one you pay money for during the season? If it is, it is kind of a rip off. Maybe this year, I’ll check it out.

Looking forward to the season. I felt like baseball was soon around the corner. Can’t wait.