Ramblings of a Technology Addict

Friday, February 28, 2003

Brewers and A's, Maryvale Baseball Park

Well, I've been to my first baseball game of the season. We left Black Canyon City this morning around 11, driving down through a light rain and patchy clouds. I-17 stretches North between Phoenix and Flagstaff, winding through the mountains, the Bradshaw range on the West, the New River range on the East.
Phoenix Municipal Stadium sits among the red rocks in East Phoenix, amidst Papago Park. However, due to the rain, it was more like a pool than a baseball stadium. So as we pulled into the parking lot, instead of taking our five bucks, they apologized, and told us we'd be headed for the Maryvale Baseball Park and gave us directions. The game was to be free.
We wandered over toward the Maryvale Baseball Park amidst some dark black clouds and sunshine. Parking was a bit of a nightmare, with no staff on hand to direct traffic, but we found a space eventually and wandered toward the entrance. MBP has four baseball fields, to make a circle in the lazy Phoenix sun. Our nicest suprise was that the ticket price would be free today, as the tickets we had would be usable for another Spring Training Game this year or next. The Brewers field at MBP looks a lot like Raley Field in Sacramento, an open grass outfield beyond the fence, good seats along the baselines and behind homeplate.
You just wouldn't believe the grass. The field had a perfect manicure, its grain so smooth and effortless, the verdant green of spring and summertime at the ballpark. I'd never seen a sight so moving.
There were a lot of familiar faces for the A's, with Mulder starting from the mound, Tejada at shortshop (who made a play in the fourth inning I didn't expect to see in Spring Traing), Scott Hatteberg at first, Dye in the DH slot, and a several faces I hadn't expected, Matt Johnson behind the plate, for example. The A's did pretty well, coming out on top 6-5. Scott "Hatty" Hatteburg hid a dinger in the first that was likely 450 feet. Eric "Skippy" Byrnes and Esteban Germàn both had doubles that should've triples, but they weren't watching Ron Washington, who spent some of the day telling Chris Singleton to "Get 'em on the Table".
There was some light sprinkling in the late part of the game, but the A's kept it going and came out on top. Some notes:

Tim Hudson is clean shaven, and maybe 10 pounds lighter than last season
Mark Mulder is the best shape of his career
Miguel Tejada is still the MVP
Chad Bradford pitches UP at the world.
Brown, the backup catcher, looks like he could stand to lose a few pounds.

6:16:41 PM  comment []

Friday Five

Today's Friday Five is brought to you by Valencia orange juice, a saguaro catcus, and the hummingbird outside the window.
1. What is your favorite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)?
I'm a big fan of prose. Though I spend a lot of time working through various types of prose at various peoples' blogs.
2. What is your favorite novel?
That's a real tough one. I don't have one that I come back to, time after time. I have favorite authors, David Weber, Kim Stanley Robinson, Neal Stephenson. Okay, okay, The Wild Shore by Kim Stanley Robinson.
3. Do you have a favorite poem? (Share it!)
Many, many of them. My Sister writes excellent poetry, but I won't post without her permission.
4. What is one thing you've always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read?
I'd go back and read a lot of the classics again. But I'd want a discussion group for them.
5. What are you currently reading? Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. See link at right for amazon info.
9:30:37 AM  comment []

Arrival

I stepped off the plane onto the jetway amidst a medium misting of rain, apparently Phoenix has been getting drenched for the past few days. Two 2"+ rainstorms in as many weeks. This, in an area where they may have seen an inch of rain in the six months prior. Dad was talking about the water absorbency of the saguaro cactus and how they can hold some ridiculous amount of water in their substrate, surviving through these long droughts.
In a few hours, we'll pack up our gear and drive the 40 minutes south to Phoenix to see the A's play the Brewers. I can feel the baseball slowly infusing itself into the culture here. It's like that morning, a few days before Christmas here. You can feel the coming of the event, it's very special stuff.
Dad said something last night I may well keep as a mantra...I'm giving up lent for baseball.
9:13:21 AM  comment []