July 2010
7-29-10 Progressive Field
After getting a favorable report from Nick Pelescak about Wednesday’s batting practice, I decided to make a third trip to Cleveland. The Indians decided to open the entire outfield rather than just the right field seats on Wednesday, and they did the same thing today.
I began the day in left field and got ball #1 from Shelley Duncan on the left field wall.
STATISTICS:
Game: 4 balls (1 hit, 2 thrown, 1 device)
Season: 351 balls (178 hit, 78 thrown, 42 device, 44 found)
Games: 55 games
Average: 6.38 bal
ls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career: 929 balls
Streak: 151 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 34,455
7-28-10 Nationals Park
I didn’t feel like going through another toilsome batting practice in Cleveland, and storms were in the forecast there, so I drove down to Washington DC.
Two other ballhawks were in attendance at this game – Ian Weir from Pittsburgh, and Alex from New York City.
When the gates opened, the Nationals were just beginning to hit, so there weren’t any easter eggs.
I caught ball #1 on the fly off the bat of Wil Nieves. It was a home run that was caught in this area:
During the second group, I won a scrum for a Ryan Zimmerman home run ball that landed two rows in front of me in this area:
That would be all I would get during the Nationals batting practice. Argh. Did I make the wrong choice by coming to DC?
The Braves first group included Jason Heyward
You’re not allowed to go get those balls, as one kid began climbing over the rail, before a security guard angrily yelled at him. I motioned with my glove and string as if to say, “Is it ok if I throw this out there.” The security guard made the non-verbal signal, “Oh yeah, go ahead.”
I flipped the kid a decoy ball and then threw my glove out and nudged ball #8 close enough to the glass so that I could simply reach other and grab it. It took one fling of the glove.
I was about ready to leave the red seats to go check the left field bullpen when yet another home run landed in the gap in front of the red seats.
I glove tricked that ball for ball #9.
Batting practice ended soon after, and I was stuck on 9 balls – just short of double digits.
I really wanted to hit the road, but there were three balls laying in
the bullpen.
After standing and talking with Alex for about 20 minutes, Eddie Perez finally came out to the bullpen. He collected the three balls, and I asked him for a ball in Spanish. He ignored me. I continued in Spanish to say, “There’s also one in the flowers over there near the wall.”
Eddie went over and got it and tossed it up to me. Ball #10.
It still had dirt on it. Although, for some reason my camera didn’t focus that well.
After yesterday’s tough day, I was pretty happy I chose to come to DC. 
I then hit the road for home.
Here are today’s baseballs:
Sweet spots:
STATISTICS:
Game: 10 balls (4 hit, 1 thrown, 5 device)
Season: 347 balls (177 hit, 76 thrown, 41 device, 44 found)
Games: 54 games
Average: 6.43 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career: 925 balls
Streak: 150 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 24,263
7-27-10 Progressive Field
I had an awful day at Progressive Field.
It started at 3PM with early batting practice. Nick Pelescak, Happy Youngster and I took 10 minute shifts watching our bags while the other two were outside of the home run porch gate – trying to get a ball.
No balls would even make it out, despite a good 40 minute or so session.
To make matter worse, at 4:30, I went to look for balls in the trees at Heritage Park, but it was closed for some private party.
STATISTICS:
Game: 1 balls (1 device)
Season: 337 balls (173 hit, 75 thrown, 36 device, 44 found)
Games: 53 games
Average: 6.36 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career: 915 balls
Streak: 149 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 27,416
Ballhawk League : Week 16
Erik Jabs wins week 16, with a 44 ball week to close out a 10 game homestand at PNC Park. Erik’s personal highlight of the week was snagging two foul balls in one game. Nick Pelescak finished 2nd with 27, and Joe Faraguna 3rd with 23.
Happy Youngster and Ian Weir snagged game home runs.
Here’s the link of Happy’s snag.
The week 16 standings:
Season standings:
7-26-10 Progressive Field
With the Yankees in Cleveland, and Alex Rodriguez sitting on 599 career home runs, Nick Pelescak and I made the trip to Cleveland. So did pretty much every Yankee fan from New York.
Nick and I arrived at the stadium, hoping to catch an early round of batting practice at 2PM and maybe snag a ball outside of the stadium at the Home Run Porch.
It didn’t happen as this was the scene:
There was a mini baseball field constructed across the street from the stadium, so we spent a good 45 minutes or so throwing there.
Curtis Granderson:
Alex Rodriguez:
Mariano Rivera:
After batting practice was over, I checked Heritage Park and found one ball, hidden behind the stump of one of the trees:
I used the Cleveland Stick to snag ball #5 of the day.
Check out the job they did blocking off the trees – I assume so folks can’t run back there to grab A-rod’s 600th:
As for the game, the porch was packed.
So were the left field bleachers.
But A-Rod would not go deep.
Some pictures from the game:
View from the bullpen:
Mariano Rivera to Carlos Santana:
Mariano Rivera:
The Yankees won 3-2.
A-Rod did not go deep.
And I’ll be back in Cleveland tomorrow.
Here’s today’s balls (4 show because 1 was given away)
Sweet spots (1 was given away)
STATISTICS:
Game: 5 balls (1 hit, 2 thrown, 2 device)
Season: 336 balls (173 hit, 75 thrown, 35 device, 44 found)
Games: 52 games
Average: 6.46 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career: 914 balls
Streak: 148 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 27,224
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