Pirates Season Ticket Holder Batting Practice
Recently, the Pirates invited their season ticket holders to come and take batting practice on the field at PNC Park.
This was the second year that the Pirates have done this, and the second year that I would participate. If you're a long time reader of this blog, you may remember this entry from last year.
I had asked my dad if he'd like to go hit again, but he indicated that he wasn't interested. So, I decided to ask Zack Hample, winner of the ballhawk league in 2009, if he'd like to come to PNC Park as my guest. Hample enthusiastically obliged, and brought along his mother and his friend Brandon.
Zack, two fellow ballhawks and friends, Nick and Bryan Pelescak, and I met at the stadium at 9AM. We promptly entered through the right field player's garage door and walked down towards the field.
This was the view at the end of the tunnel.
We were met by Pirates in-game entertainment announcer and ballpark host Joe Klimchak, who went over some guidelines for the day.
There were about 100 of us (up from the 40 or so that attended the same time slot last year), and we were divided into three groups. Group 1 would hit in the cage first, group 2 would shag the balls put into play from group 1, and group 3 would catch fly balls in right field from a pop up machine.
I was in group 3, so I would be one of the last batters to hit. This was a large disadvantage, because the balls were absolutely soaked by this time - due to the heavy morning dew that had drenched the grass.
The session began a little after 9, and I wouldn't make it into the cage until 10:15ish. While waiting, I fielded balls at third base and shortstop, and wandered around the park for awhile.
Some views of the field:
Looking down the right field line towards home plate. (I'm not exactly sure why there's some random foul ball line drawn into the right field grass)
The view from a runner's perspective taking a lead from second base.
Checking out the 325 sign in left field, looking at the bleachers which were my "playground" at batting practices during the 2009 season.
I then made my way towards the bullpens.
To me, the bullpens were rather boring. There were tarps that covered the mounds. I did however notice that the player's bathroom doors were cracked open. I had to take a look to see how luxurious the accomodations were for these big league pitchers.
And, they weren't anything that I expected. In fact, the bathrooms on the main concourse for fans are classier.
Visiting team's bathroom:
Pirates' bathroom:
I noticed another door to the right of the visiting team's bathroom, so I entered it. There was no security anywhere, so I figured it couldn't hurt.
I wandered around in some hallways underneath the center field and right field stands.
There really wasn't much to see. Just some grounds crew materials and a parking lot. The hallways eventually led to the driveway that we had walked down upon entering the park.
I went back to the field and awaited my turn to hit.
Nick Pelescak takes a cut:
When group three was finally called to hit, I decided to bat at the very end of the group. I wanted to take a few practice swings and stretch a little, but I couldn't do it with the set up that the Pirates had. Basically, you stand in a line and wait your turn.
I walked over to the warning track near the Pirates dugout and loosened up a little bit.
I eventually got into line when I noticed some people who had already had a turn were sneaking into the group three line.
I watched Zack Hample hit - he made some solid contact - and his session was over in the blink of an eye; 8 pitches. The pitching machine feeder even counted a ball that was chin high as one of his 8.
It would soon be my turn. Zack's friend Brandon snapped a few photos of me as I was awaiting my turn:
Another shot:
It was then time for me to get into the cage.
I got into my open stance:
And proceeded to take some cuts.
I didn't have the machine timed. In fact, I was out in front of most of the pitches. I swung and missed at half of the pitches, and was disappointed by my performance.
I was kicking myself for not getting some cage time against pitching machines in the weeks leading up to today. Nick and Bryan Pelescak and I had done lots of hitting in the past weeks, but it was all off of live pitching, which is a bit different than hitting off a machine. I hit a few decent balls in my first round, but nothing that came close to being a home run.
When I was finished, Joe Klimchak announced that there would be a lighting round for any batter that would like to hit again.
I jumped back in the cage after a few batters. This time, it was just four pitches.
I hit much better my second time, making contact with all four pitches. I fouled one into the screen and hit three line drives or hard grounders into left field. (Can you spot the ball in the photo below (look above the right wheel of the platform) Again, nothing that remotely had a chance of leaving the field.
It was 10:30 AM, and I was forced to leave due to other commitments. My friends stayed well into the afternoon. I wish I could've stayed, but it will give me some more motivation for next year to finally take one out of PNC Park on the fly.
I said goodbye to Zack:
And that, was that.
See you April 5th 2010, PNC Park.
This was the second year that the Pirates have done this, and the second year that I would participate. If you're a long time reader of this blog, you may remember this entry from last year.
I had asked my dad if he'd like to go hit again, but he indicated that he wasn't interested. So, I decided to ask Zack Hample, winner of the ballhawk league in 2009, if he'd like to come to PNC Park as my guest. Hample enthusiastically obliged, and brought along his mother and his friend Brandon.
Zack, two fellow ballhawks and friends, Nick and Bryan Pelescak, and I met at the stadium at 9AM. We promptly entered through the right field player's garage door and walked down towards the field.
This was the view at the end of the tunnel.
We were met by Pirates in-game entertainment announcer and ballpark host Joe Klimchak, who went over some guidelines for the day.
There were about 100 of us (up from the 40 or so that attended the same time slot last year), and we were divided into three groups. Group 1 would hit in the cage first, group 2 would shag the balls put into play from group 1, and group 3 would catch fly balls in right field from a pop up machine.I was in group 3, so I would be one of the last batters to hit. This was a large disadvantage, because the balls were absolutely soaked by this time - due to the heavy morning dew that had drenched the grass.
The session began a little after 9, and I wouldn't make it into the cage until 10:15ish. While waiting, I fielded balls at third base and shortstop, and wandered around the park for awhile.
Some views of the field:
Looking down the right field line towards home plate. (I'm not exactly sure why there's some random foul ball line drawn into the right field grass)
The view from a runner's perspective taking a lead from second base.
Checking out the 325 sign in left field, looking at the bleachers which were my "playground" at batting practices during the 2009 season.
I then made my way towards the bullpens.
To me, the bullpens were rather boring. There were tarps that covered the mounds. I did however notice that the player's bathroom doors were cracked open. I had to take a look to see how luxurious the accomodations were for these big league pitchers.
And, they weren't anything that I expected. In fact, the bathrooms on the main concourse for fans are classier.Visiting team's bathroom:
Pirates' bathroom:
I noticed another door to the right of the visiting team's bathroom, so I entered it. There was no security anywhere, so I figured it couldn't hurt.
I wandered around in some hallways underneath the center field and right field stands.
There really wasn't much to see. Just some grounds crew materials and a parking lot. The hallways eventually led to the driveway that we had walked down upon entering the park.
I went back to the field and awaited my turn to hit.
Nick Pelescak takes a cut:
When group three was finally called to hit, I decided to bat at the very end of the group. I wanted to take a few practice swings and stretch a little, but I couldn't do it with the set up that the Pirates had. Basically, you stand in a line and wait your turn.
I walked over to the warning track near the Pirates dugout and loosened up a little bit.
I eventually got into line when I noticed some people who had already had a turn were sneaking into the group three line.
I watched Zack Hample hit - he made some solid contact - and his session was over in the blink of an eye; 8 pitches. The pitching machine feeder even counted a ball that was chin high as one of his 8.
It would soon be my turn. Zack's friend Brandon snapped a few photos of me as I was awaiting my turn:
Another shot:
It was then time for me to get into the cage. I got into my open stance:
And proceeded to take some cuts.
I didn't have the machine timed. In fact, I was out in front of most of the pitches. I swung and missed at half of the pitches, and was disappointed by my performance.I was kicking myself for not getting some cage time against pitching machines in the weeks leading up to today. Nick and Bryan Pelescak and I had done lots of hitting in the past weeks, but it was all off of live pitching, which is a bit different than hitting off a machine. I hit a few decent balls in my first round, but nothing that came close to being a home run.
When I was finished, Joe Klimchak announced that there would be a lighting round for any batter that would like to hit again.
I jumped back in the cage after a few batters. This time, it was just four pitches.
I hit much better my second time, making contact with all four pitches. I fouled one into the screen and hit three line drives or hard grounders into left field. (Can you spot the ball in the photo below (look above the right wheel of the platform) Again, nothing that remotely had a chance of leaving the field.
It was 10:30 AM, and I was forced to leave due to other commitments. My friends stayed well into the afternoon. I wish I could've stayed, but it will give me some more motivation for next year to finally take one out of PNC Park on the fly.I said goodbye to Zack:
And that, was that.
See you April 5th 2010, PNC Park.
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