8-10-09 Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Since the Pirates are out of town for a week, and I'd like to snag my 500th career ball sometime in 2009, I decided that I needed to make a road trip or two this week. My first stop would be Camden Yards in Baltimore.
I attended this game with two friends, one of whom is in the ballhawk league (Andrew).
We arrived at 3:30 and got our tickets. There are two gates that open at 5:00. The Eutaw Street gate near the Babe Ruth statue...
And the one on the opposite end, nearest to the right field foul pole.
I figured that since I'm not 100% recovered from my back problems, that it would be beneficial to get in line in the gate closest to the right field foul pole. That way I wouldn't have far to go to enter the main seating bowl with my season ticket.
We were the first ones in line, which was great. I'd have a decent shot at some Easter Eggs.
While we were waiting in the 97 degree heat, this guy showed up:
His name is Greg. I've seen him all three times I've attended Camden Yards this year. He passes out baseball cards to fans waiting in line prior to the gates opening. To receive a card, you must say, "Hit me," and allow him to spray you in the face with a water bottle.
By the time 5:00 rolled around, the gates still hadn't opened. I watched a small herd of people walking (some running) at the opposite side of the B&O Warehouse. Of course, our gate opened a minute late, and by the time I got into the seating bowl, there were already several ballhawks prowling around in left field.
There would be no Easter Eggs for me today.
When I made it over to left field, I saw this Zack Hample. I hadn't known that he was going to be in attendance, so it was a surprise. In case you're not familiar with him, Zack is first place in the ballhawk league this year, and has snagged over 4,100 baseballs in his ballhawking career. He was there today with a writer from ESPN.com, who was documenting and observing his every move.
Zack came up with the first six or seven balls that were hit into the left field bleachers, it was a dominating start.
I made my way over to foul territory when left handed batters came up. When a right handed batter came up, I would move back into left field.
I caught ball #1 when I was in transition from foul territory to fair territory. It was a line drive home run, that I scurried over a bit to my left, and made the two handed catch.
That was all that I would get in the Orioles' portion of batting practice.
When the Athletics came out, I changed into my Athletics gear and made my way over to watch the pitchers warm up. I was hoping I could coax one of them to toss me a ball.
It didn't happen. The A's started hitting, and many of the pitchers weren't able to be identified because of their pullovers, so I made my way over to left field.
After a while, I caught ball #2 in the left field bleachers on the fly. It was about two sections over from the bullpen area. I didn't have to barely move. The ball came right to me. A "can of corn."
Meanwhile, Andrew, from the ballhawk league had snagged three balls, including this catch. He's in the black shirt and A's hat. Hample is three-four rows ahead of him.
(photo credit: Zack Hample, Jona)
Around 6:00, I went over to center field to look for any balls in the gap that might be glove trick-able. There were none. I decided to stay in center for the rest of batting practice, since there were two left handed batters in the last group.
That decision paid off, when a lefty launched a high fly ball towards me. I moved over to my left and reaches out to make the catch. There were two other guys also trying to make the catch, and I reached over their gloves at the last second. The ball hit in my glove, but was knocked ajar when their gloves collided into mine. The ball popped out, and into my bare hand. It was ball #3, and the guy a row in front of me was p***ed. He felt I robbed him. Whatever.
Batting practice ended, and I had snagged just those three balls. I tried to get a cop to toss up one of the baseballs that landed in the batter's eye area, but he distributed those to little kids.
I posed with the balls I had caught in BP.
Then went to my seat behind the first base dugout.
I only stayed there for an inning, and then went to the oufield to wait for a home run ball to come my way.
Which didn't happen.
We stayed long enough to watch all of the batters from each team hit, and then left the game early. We had a four hour + drive, and made it back home a bit after midnight.
Here are today's baseballs:
And the sweet spots:
STATISTICS:
Game: 3 balls (3 hit)
Season: 263 balls (137 hit, 84 thrown, 42 device)
Games: 56 games (5 of which didn't have BP)
Average: 4.70 balls per game
Career: 429 balls
Streak: 71 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 14,688
I attended this game with two friends, one of whom is in the ballhawk league (Andrew).
We arrived at 3:30 and got our tickets. There are two gates that open at 5:00. The Eutaw Street gate near the Babe Ruth statue...
And the one on the opposite end, nearest to the right field foul pole.
I figured that since I'm not 100% recovered from my back problems, that it would be beneficial to get in line in the gate closest to the right field foul pole. That way I wouldn't have far to go to enter the main seating bowl with my season ticket.
We were the first ones in line, which was great. I'd have a decent shot at some Easter Eggs.
While we were waiting in the 97 degree heat, this guy showed up:
His name is Greg. I've seen him all three times I've attended Camden Yards this year. He passes out baseball cards to fans waiting in line prior to the gates opening. To receive a card, you must say, "Hit me," and allow him to spray you in the face with a water bottle.
By the time 5:00 rolled around, the gates still hadn't opened. I watched a small herd of people walking (some running) at the opposite side of the B&O Warehouse. Of course, our gate opened a minute late, and by the time I got into the seating bowl, there were already several ballhawks prowling around in left field.
There would be no Easter Eggs for me today.
When I made it over to left field, I saw this Zack Hample. I hadn't known that he was going to be in attendance, so it was a surprise. In case you're not familiar with him, Zack is first place in the ballhawk league this year, and has snagged over 4,100 baseballs in his ballhawking career. He was there today with a writer from ESPN.com, who was documenting and observing his every move.
Zack came up with the first six or seven balls that were hit into the left field bleachers, it was a dominating start.
I made my way over to foul territory when left handed batters came up. When a right handed batter came up, I would move back into left field.
I caught ball #1 when I was in transition from foul territory to fair territory. It was a line drive home run, that I scurried over a bit to my left, and made the two handed catch.
That was all that I would get in the Orioles' portion of batting practice.
When the Athletics came out, I changed into my Athletics gear and made my way over to watch the pitchers warm up. I was hoping I could coax one of them to toss me a ball.
It didn't happen. The A's started hitting, and many of the pitchers weren't able to be identified because of their pullovers, so I made my way over to left field.
After a while, I caught ball #2 in the left field bleachers on the fly. It was about two sections over from the bullpen area. I didn't have to barely move. The ball came right to me. A "can of corn."
Meanwhile, Andrew, from the ballhawk league had snagged three balls, including this catch. He's in the black shirt and A's hat. Hample is three-four rows ahead of him.
(photo credit: Zack Hample, Jona)Around 6:00, I went over to center field to look for any balls in the gap that might be glove trick-able. There were none. I decided to stay in center for the rest of batting practice, since there were two left handed batters in the last group.
That decision paid off, when a lefty launched a high fly ball towards me. I moved over to my left and reaches out to make the catch. There were two other guys also trying to make the catch, and I reached over their gloves at the last second. The ball hit in my glove, but was knocked ajar when their gloves collided into mine. The ball popped out, and into my bare hand. It was ball #3, and the guy a row in front of me was p***ed. He felt I robbed him. Whatever.
Batting practice ended, and I had snagged just those three balls. I tried to get a cop to toss up one of the baseballs that landed in the batter's eye area, but he distributed those to little kids.
I posed with the balls I had caught in BP.
Then went to my seat behind the first base dugout.
I only stayed there for an inning, and then went to the oufield to wait for a home run ball to come my way.
Which didn't happen.
We stayed long enough to watch all of the batters from each team hit, and then left the game early. We had a four hour + drive, and made it back home a bit after midnight.
Here are today's baseballs:
And the sweet spots:
STATISTICS:
Game: 3 balls (3 hit)
Season: 263 balls (137 hit, 84 thrown, 42 device)
Games: 56 games (5 of which didn't have BP)
Average: 4.70 balls per game
Career: 429 balls
Streak: 71 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 14,688
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