Results tagged ‘ easter egg ’

8-8-10 PNC Park

My plan for today was to go and search the Riverwalk weeds/tall grass for baseballs.  If I found one, my streak in tact, I would enter the stadium and try and get a few more baseballs, regardless of if there was batting practice or not.

There were a good number of balls that left the stadium the previous two days, and I had not yet searched outside to see if any got caught up in the grass.

After about five minutes of searching, I saw this:
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It was ball #1.
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STATISTICS:
Game:  5 balls (3 thrown, 1 device, 1 found)
Season:  408 balls (211 hit, 91 thrown, 52 device, 54 found)
Games: 62 games
Average:  6.58 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career:  986 balls
Streak:  158 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 22,716

8-7-10 PNC Park

It was a Saturday game at PNC Park – but it was also a Skyblast (Fireworks + George Thorogood concert), so there would be a sellout crowd on hand today.

My goal was to snag seven balls to give me 400 on the season.

I was second in line at the gate and was the first one into the bleachers.  There wasn’t anything going on in the cage, but a few Pirates must’ve taken some early swings because I found two balls laying in the front row here:
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I then made my way over to foul territory as a few of the Pirates position players were warming up.  New Pirates catcher Chris Synder threw me his ball as he walked off the field for ball #3.
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STATISTICS:
Game:  10 balls (6 hit, 1 thrown, 1 device, 2 found)
Season:  403 balls (211 hit, 88 thrown, 51 device, 53 found)
Games: 61 games
Average:  6.61 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career:  981 balls
Streak:  157 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 38,147

8-6-10 PNC Park

Today was Andrew McCutchen bobblehead night, so I was in for a bit more of a crowded BP than the previous few days.

After entering the bleachers first, only to find two fans already there (with special vip guest passes), I would eventually catch an Andy LaRoche home run on the fly in the second row here:
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I would only get one other ball during the Pirates BP, and it was a ground rule double off the bat of Pirates future star Pedro Alvarez. 
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STATISTICS:
Game:  6 balls (2 hit, 3 device, 1 found)
Season:  393 balls (205 hit, 87 thrown, 50 device, 51 found) *fixed totals after checking mygameballs.com
Games: 60 games
Average:  6.55 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career:  971 balls
Streak:  156 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 30,711

8-4-10 Camden Yards

The day started out with me swinging by PNC Park.
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I looked in the Left Field gate at 10:30 am and didn’t see any signs of cages or screens.  There would be no batting practice – understandable, since last night’s game didn’t end until around 11:15 PM.

So, I went home and checked the weather for Baltimore.  It was looking a little iffy.
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STATISTICS:
Game:  5 balls (1 hit, 1 device, 3 found)
Season:  379 balls (193 hit, 84 thrown, 44 device, 49 found)
Games: 58 games
Average:  6.53 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career:  957 balls
Streak:  154 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 13,467

8-3-10 PNC Park

There was a threat of rain throughout batting practice today.

In fact, it rained lightly for at least 15 minutes, usually a death sentence for batting practice at PNC Park.  The groundscrew was certainly ready to pull the plug.
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But we made it through and got a full BP today.

Upon entering, I found ball #1 laying in the front row near the foul pole.
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Throughout the rest of the game, I split time between left and right field, but Lastings Milledge was being inconsistent with his mid inning
toss ups.  Sometimes he would throw the ball to the crowd, other times he was content to let the bullpen pitcher take it. 

I decided to try Tabata one more time in the 8th inning.  I took my hat off to alter my appearance, hoping he wouldn’t remember me from four innings early.

It worked.  Tabata fired another ball right to me for ball #10 in the 8th.  Thanks Jose.
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The Pirates would go on to win the game as Joel Hanrahan earned his first save as a Pirate.

Here are today’s baseballs:
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Sweet spots:
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STATISTICS:
Game:  10 balls (5 hit, 4 thrown, 1 found)
Season:  374 balls (192 hit, 84 thrown, 43 device, 46 found)
Games: 57 games
Average:  6.56 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career:  952 balls
Streak:  153 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 13,623

8-2-10 PNC Park

With chief competitor Nick Pelescak out of action for the next two weeks, and my favorite BP team, the Cincinnati Reds in town, I was hoping I would have a big day. 

I would – setting a personal 2010 high for balls snagged.

The day would get off to a great start.  When I ran in, I spotted a ball in the front row. 

Before I could grab it, Andy LaRoche hit a home run into the front row.  I tried to make the basket catch leaning forward over two rows, but just missed it.  My glove killed the balls’ momentum and I just needed to pick it up in the front row for ball #1.  Seconds later, I grabbed that easter egg for ball #2 in this area:
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Sweet spots: (1 was given away)
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STATISTICS:
Game:  13 balls (9 hit, 2 thrown, 1 device, 1 found)
Season:  364 balls (187 hit, 80 thrown, 43 device, 45 found)
Games: 56 games
Average:  6.50 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career:  942 balls
Streak:  152 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 15,172

7-24-10 PNC Park

Its Sunday night and I’m preparing for my trip to Cleveland to catch Alex Rodriguez’s 600th home run.  I’m pressed for time, so let’s get to it.

It was another ridiculously hot day, as the east coast sweated out another day of this heat wave.
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Upon entering the stadium, I found ball #1 in the seats near the left field foul pole in foul territory.
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STATISTICS:
Game:  9 balls (5 hit, 1 thrown, 2 device, 1 found)
Season:  331 balls (172 hit, 73 thrown, 33 device, 44 found)
Games: 51 games
Average:  6.49 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 5
Career:  909 balls
Streak:  147 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 36,967

7-21-10 PNC Park

The weather looked a bit questionable earlier in the day, with the hourly forecast calling for a 60% chance of thunderstorms at 5 and 6PM.  Luckily, it didn’t happen, and batting practice was on.

After getting shut out during the first Pirates’ group, I got a Ronny Cedeno HR ball that sailed over my head and bounced into the general admission bleachers.
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I eventually found the ball after a short search in about the fifth row up.

My second ball was a home run snagged off the bat of Lastings Milledge.  It was a line drive right at me that I caught in the air.

In his next round in the cage, Milledge sent another shot to left field which I also caught on the fly here:
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STATISTICS:
Game:  8 balls (7 hit, 1 found)
Season:  312 balls (167 hit, 70 thrown, 31 device, 44 found)
Games: 48 games
Average:  6.50 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 3
Career:  890 balls
Streak:  144 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 13,532

7-19-10 PNC Park

The Brewers were in town, which is a good thing.  The Brewers and Reds are my two favorite BP teams, as they put a good deal of balls into the seats.

Also in town was Milwaukee’s top ballhawk, The Happy Youngster.  If you’re not familiar with him, you can read his blog here.  Happy came in third place in the ballhawk league last year with 372 balls.

I had to exchange some tickets for games that I wasn’t going to attend, so I left early for the stadium – I ended up being first in line.

It paid off, because when I ran in, I found two balls laying near the base of the foul pole (picture taken a bit later):
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The balls were no less than about a foot from each other.

The first group for the Pirates produced nothing.  They were all lefties except for Andy LaRoche – who rarely if ever hits home runs anymore in BP.

When the Pirates final group came up containing the likes of Jose Tabata, Lastings Milledge, Ronny Cedeno and Neil Walker – I was ready.

I got ball #3 of the day from Cedeno.  It was a high fly ball that landed on the warning track and bounced over the wall.  I was three rows deep and got up on the bleacher. 
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Sweet spots:
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STATISTICS:
Game:  8 balls (5 hit, 1 device, 2 found)
Season:  295 balls (156 hit, 67 thrown, 29 device, 43 found)
Games: 46 games
Average:  6.41 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 3
Career:  873 balls
Streak:  142 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 12,375

7-17-10 PNC Park

The day began for me at 4AM.  I had spent the previous week in South Carolina at Myrtle Beach. 

I arrived at PNC Park at 3:45 PM and I was back in action for the first time since July 3rd, exactly two weeks off from ballhawking. 

It was a much needed break.  But I was ready to get back to one of my hobbies.

Upon entering the stadium at 4:30, batting practice had not yet begun.

After 5-10 minutes, it got underway and I snagged a ground rule double from Bobby Crosby, who was hitting in the first group.  The ball barely cleared the wall, as it was a line drive. 
7-17-10 (10).jpgI lined up with the ball and made the snag about three rows back.

Things were really slow during the first two groups, and I had the opportunity to talk to two of the Pirates relievers.
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Things then slowed down to a ridiculously boring pace.  The Astros weren’t hitting many home runs, as they appeared 100% dedicated to taking inside out swings to hit the ball to right field.

Luckily, near the end of batting practice, I snagged a ground rule double off the bat of an unknown Astro.

Also, at the end of batting practice, I got ball #7 thrown by Matt Lindstrom as the Astros were running off the field. 

At the end of batting practice I gave one of my extra balls that I bring from home away to a young fan with a glove who had gotten shut out.

I left right after Batting Practice to go home and get caught up on some sleep.

(PS:  As for Sunday, Nick and I went to the stadium, waited outside for over a half an hour and then left, as there were no signs of cages in sight.  I’ll be back in action on Monday, and Milwaukee’s best ballhawk will be in attendance at the game…)

Here are today’s baseballs:
<br /> 7-17-10 (2).JPG” src=”http://mlblogscountingbaseballs.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/7-17-102028229-thumb-550×412-2254041.jpg” class=”mt-image-center” style=”text-align:center;display:block;margin:0 auto 20px;” width=”550″ height=”412″ /></a></span><br />Sweet spots:<br /><span class=7-17-10 (1).JPG

STATISTICS:
Game:  7 balls (3 hit, 1 thrown, 1 device, 2 found)
Season:  287 balls (153 hit, 67 thrown, 27 device, 41 found)
Games: 45 games
Average:  6.38 balls per game
2010 Game Balls: 3
Career:  865 balls
Streak:  141 consecutive games attended with at least 1 ball snagged.
Attendance: 36,665
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