I always stress going to the weekday Braves games. Wanted to leave work around 2:30, 2:45…3 pm at the latest. Boss called me in to work on a project at 2 pm, so I didn’t leave until 3:15. Left home with the boys right at 4 pm, make a quick run through the Lower Roswell McDonalds drive-thru, and it took 30 minutes to make it to 75…going my best short cut way. Still, even with a stall on the downtown connector, we were in line at 4:55, before the games opened. The same guy was behind us in line last week. I’ve ditched my old free Clark Howard parking spot across the connector and park next to the stadium at the old ballpark lot. Getting out of the car, I realized Matthew hadn’t brought his glove.
We had the same deal as always during BP…Will on the front row, me sitting several rows back, at the end of a row. Francoeur was wandering around the outfield…Will wanted him to sign his jersey, but it was a logistical impossibility. Frenchy picked up a ball, and facing the plate, tossed it high over his head, into the stands…right toward me. I should’ve made a leaping basketball rebound, because the guy in the row in front of me knocked it away…neither of us got it (it bounced to a lady, which was nice). But then a Brave hit a BP HR to the section to my left, so I stood and turned that way, to observe. The ball bounded right, soaring past me. I reached back with my right hand and made a nice outstretched one-handed catch, which brought a few cheers. Matthew was delighted when I handed him the ball. Just a minute later Will reached across his body, in front of a few others, and speared a line drive HR himself.
For the first time, both the balls had green print on them…they were official MLB practice balls, with Selig’s signature…made in China. Aren’t game balls still made in Haiti? Andruw hit a HR off the facing, inches below in 1992 championship flag, the longest ball I’d seen hit. It seemed like he and JF were just trying to hit HRs in BP. Levian Hernandez was having a good time tossing balls into the stands, as was that long-haired Nats reliever. Soriano waved to those calling him while talking to Jorge Sosa. Remlinger chatted with John Wetteland and Mike Stanton. It was fun watching Soriano and Nick Johnson’s sweet swings. In BP Soriano hit most of the balls to RCF. Orr was in CF during BP, charging every ball and throwing home, but he was just amusing himself…seeing where the ball rolled to. Betemit stayed close to the infield, particularly 3B.
Matthew wanted to return to Tooner Field after BP, and he and Will played in the little game with the other kids. Matthew almost hit the ball out of the park, up onto the ramp to the upper deck…much further than the other kids his size. I was amazed. Will had brought his notebook to keep score of the game. We sat in RF, but Matthew and I walked around to the Coke bottle so he could run a little. We sat in a spot where we couldn’t see the Nats CF crash into the wall and get hurt…and they didn’t show a replay. We stayed to the end of the game. During last night’s game, Will decided we’d get one of those 40th anniversary patches to sew on his red jersey sleeve.
I was thinking that same thing yesterday…that while Cox sticks by his players and they win it at the end, other managers (like Larry Bowa, the Phillies and the Mets) make those daily changes. In the meantime, everyone panics when you’re not in first place, winning every game. I shouldn’t let Kincaid get to me (that’s his plan, right?), but after several days of panic over the losing streak, yesterday they weren’t happy about the victory. What will make them happy? It’s not like we haven’t had these same problems the last 14 years…we haven’t led wire to wire every year!
When the Braves hit 8 HR that Sunday afternoon in Chicago, so many were hit that Matthew made a list of who hit them. This was when Will was in Rome, Ceil was napping, and I was off shopping with Anna. Watching by himself, he was “keeping score”!
I’m taking off tomorrow…we’re going up to Lake Burton…a Little League family is up there for the week.
As my boss had suspected, this morning when a guy called from one of our Florida offices, he mentioned the upcoming move. When I boss leaves, I will get more questions about the reports that I send out.
Last December Ceil went to the same optometrist’s office we had before, in network. But a different doctor, who was out of network. Only cost $175.00 extra. I’ve used up my Flexible Medical Spending amount…next year I’ll know to raise the amount.
Saw a Georgia plate…NWOLEANS
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