A 1:10 start and a 10:40 am gate opening today meant an early morning. Left the house at 8:30 and was in the dollar line shortly after 9:30. There hadn't been time to clean up the spent fireworks casings. Passed the time chatting with the bobble collector next to me, as well as LJ, John, Kevin, and Johnny.
With the day game after the a night game, there was no batting practice. When we arrived several Nationals players were batting around a volleyball. I collected two bobbles, then helped LJ get his. Hung out in the fan plaza for a while.
The Nationals came out to throw. A few players ran pass routes. Pretty sure that's Bryce Harper going long.
Nice bobble, with Bobby being carried off by Chipper (L) and Tim Hudson. I had one sold before I arrived, and quickly sold a second on Facebook.
We checked out the game used store, talked to our usher friend, and headed to the upper deck for Cokes. Sat behind the plate.
It was Girl Scout day. A young girl belted out a beautiful national anthem. Both teams came out and lined up on the grass and stood at attention. From our seats it looked like almost all the fans walking around out in the Fan Plaza stopped and paid attention.
Nine little Girl Scouts took the field to greet the Braves starters. One was so small she looked like a cap and long T shirt. This time centerfielder Ender Inciarte did not mess around. I noticed the Girl Scout sitting in front of us had a Turner Field patch on her right shoulder, and a Zoo Atlanta patch on her left. When I was a kid the patches seemed impossibly hard to attain. Guess the times have changed.
We were in our seats in time to see the relievers take their walk out to the bullpen, but I missed seeing pitching coach Roger McDowell talk to the fans along the right field line.
From our seats we could see the Mercedes Dome rising behind the stands in left field. I bet once the Georgia Dome is torn down fans in the upper deck at SunTrust Park will be able to see the Falcons' new home as well.
Nice crowd, with lots of kids. In honor of Steph Curry I wore my old man white leather Pumas. Also my Braves facilities Nike golf shirt and khaki shorts. Too hot to wear a jersey, which requires a navy tee underneath.
Hadn't really noticed the Bullpen Rib House right next to the stadium.
After four innings we walked downstairs, grabbed a second Coke, and stood on the mezzanine behind the plate.
The Braves loaded the bases and sent nine men to the plate. Dansby battled, but struck out.
Looks like Dansby has established himself enough to switch from black shoes to red. We walked around again before heading out. As we crossed the street I spied our usher friend, so we talked to her as we walked under the interstate bridge. She lives in Douglassvile and will work "at least one year" at the new ballpark. She was worried about the traffic, but I assured her it would be no worse.
As usual downtown traffic was jammed, but I breezed by the new park doing 75 MPH, crossing four lanes of traffic to my exit with no trouble.
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