**Big Blue Weekend**
April 13, 2013 - April 14, 2013
Lexington, KY
When I tell people how much I absolutely love the city of Lexington, it never fails that I get a strange look from the Northerners that I am surrounded by on a daily basis. I may have been born and raised in Northwest Indiana, but my heart truly does belong in Lexington, Kentucky. Before you follow suit of those around me and start asking "why don't you just live there?", know that my husband has had to relocate us twice for work (once from Muncie, IN to New Albany, IN and once from New Albany to back up north where we were raised). Both relocations ended in a layoff. Now, he refuses to relocate ever again. It truly does sadden my heart. Northwest Indiana was a great place to grow up, but everyday I live here I am not entirely happy. People begin to question why I travel so much and I hope that this gives you some insight into that query. Whenever I can get away from this place, I take advantage of it - especially if my destination is my favorite city.
It is no secret how much I love University of Kentucky baseball (well, unless you are a new reader and just joining in all of my crazy adventures). After seeing the team during Regionals in Gary in 2012, I knew I had to actually make it down to Lexington to see them play, it was just a matter of choosing which weekend to make the six hour trip.
Hudson Valley Renegades jersey that Michael Williams wore during his first and only MiLB season
After contemplating the schedule, I saw that the Wildcats would be playing Tennessee at home. I knew that former Wildcat, Michael Williams, had a brother that pitched for UT and that Michael had been attending a good amount of his brother's games. If you recall, Michael is one of the WIldcats that I had traveled to New York to see play with his minor league team after he had been drafted. Additionally, when the team auctioned off the game worn jerseys, I became the proud owner of the #35 Hudson Valley Renegades Away Jersey (I had seen them play in an away series because a friend of mine worked for the opposing team) - AKA, the jersey Michael had worn during the three games I had attended in New York. I knew that if Michael happened to be going to the UK v. UT series, I could bring it with me and get it signed by him. And even though he is no longer playing (that's a different story for a different day), the jersey would always bring back the memories of my trip to New York and my conversations with this former Bat Cat. To some, it may seem silly to choose a series to attend based on the attendance of a person who could possibly not even be there. However, I knew that if I was ever going to get that jersey autographed, that would be one of the sparse moments that it could happen.
After determining this particular series as the best weekend for me to attend, I made a great realization. The 2013 Spring Football Game would be happening that very same weekend and it was going to be BIG with a lot of excitement for the football program drawn from the fact that UK has gotten new football coach, Mark Stoops. This was just the annual Blue v. White scrimmage but the interest to see what Stoops was going to do with this team was high. Ticket sales were through the roof compared to the previous year (more on that later). This scrimmage meant that I would not only get to see one UK team play this particular weekend, but two! You see, I am a true fan that bleeds blue for ALL Kentucky athletics, not just their ever so popular basketball team.
I began to make my plans for the weekend by buying my tickets and getting my hotel. I would be meeting a friend, Beth, from Huntington, WV who is not only a Kentucky fan, but a Backstreet Boys fan as well! I had invited Tammy, my usual Kentucky travel mate, to join me for the weekend, but she had been unable to make the trip.
When a workshop was offered to me the Friday I was supposed to head down to Lexington, I decided to take advantage of attending. The workshop would allow me to rearrange my schedule to get off work earlier than if I worked a regular day AND it was about 45 minutes closer to Lexington. Why wouldn't I take advantage of those two things? The workshop itself was also good so there were no regrets going.
As usual when I head anywhere south, I stayed with a friend in the Louisville area on Friday night so that I could continue my trip to Lexington the next morning. And as always - Indiana was as boring as ever to drive through.
Beth and I had made plans to grab lunch at Tolly Ho for some amazing burgers before heading to the ballpark so that we could catch batting and fielding practice....well, after a small detour to the Wildcat Wearhouse to browse their University of Kentucky gear. We got to the ballpark shortly after the gates opened and Kentucky was taking their batting practice. Unfortunately, my streak of sitting right behind the dugout was ended, as there is no seating in that area at Cliff Hagan Stadium and we had general admission tickets which is seating further up in the stands. I realized I was going to have to deal with another stupid net in my photography (I had this same problem the previous weekend when I had gone to a minor league game to see a former Wildcat). The camera likes to focus on the net in the foreground, rather than the subject in the background. When it does work properly, there is a stupid net in all the photos! Oh well, I guess there is nothing I can do about that.
Beth and me at the UK v. UT baseball game
While waiting for the game to start, we started a nice conversation with an older couple sitting behind us. After telling them that I had come from Indiana and Beth had come from West Virginia and discussing our love for all UK teams, we were asked if Mitch Barnhart (the athletic director at Kentucky) knew we existed. I agree with the guy that Mitch should totally give us jobs...I don't know what we would do but he wouldn't even have to pay me as long as lodging, food, and access to all games were provided. I'm just saying, that would be awesome.
I was on constant look out for Michael, as well as the mom of Kentucky player, Austin Cousino. We had been talking since Regionals on Facebook when she contacted me to thank me for the photos I had taken. I eventually spotted Michael talking to some of the players by the dugout so I wanted to wait until he was done catching up with everyone that he knew....and there were a lot of them as he made his way around the park talking to fans, family members of the players, and friends. I eventually saw an opening to grab my jersey and go talk to him. He signed my Renegades jersey and my photo with him from my New York trip. We then had what I thought was a very nice discussion. We talked about Luke and the Hot Rods since I had just seen the team play the previous weekend (many of the Hot Rods were on the Renegades with Michael). We also talked about some things that made me feel a little less bitter that he had been released from the Renegades. However, knowing that I might not get to see Michael play baseball in the future still makes me a bit sad. He was a great ball player. After our nice conversation, we got another photo together. It is always truly a pleasure seeing and talking to Michael and I am grateful that he is just a genuine good guy.
Former Wildcat, Michael Williams, and his autographed jersey and photo
After months of waiting to see these Wildcats play in person, the game finally began. They had a nice crowd since the Spring Football game was later that day. Many fans actually left early from the baseball game to head to the football game and boy did they miss out on the end of a great game, even though Kentucky lost. With one out left in the bottom of the ninth, Kentucky was trailing by five runs and bases loaded for the second time in the inning. A grand slam by AJ Reed brought us within one but we fell short in our 9th inning rally.
Not only did I get to see the grand slam by AJ Reed, who is a fellow Hoosier from Terre Haute, but Max Kuhn who is also from the state of Indiana, had a home run of his own. As much as I hate living in the state of Indiana, it feels good when those raised in the same state are successful wherever they go.
After the baseball game, we still had plenty of time to do the short walk from Cliff Hagan Stadium to Commonwealth Stadium for the Spring Football game. When we got there, the gates weren't even open yet so we did some exploring and found the UK Alumni Association tent. Beth is an alumni association member, but for a mere $10 I received enterance and access to the food, music, and prizes (I won a UK waterbottle which I was quite excited about).
Beth and me at the 2013 UK Spring Football Game
I hadn't been to a football game in a couple of years so I was so excited to be back at Commonwealth Stadium to see the Wildcats play, even if they were just playing against themselves since it was a scrimmage. There was a lot of excitement surrounding this Spring Game because of the new football coach, Mark Stoops, and the promise of a much better season than those the team has had recenetly because of hiring him. This was my first Spring Game and I could not believe how many people were there! I actually think there were more people at this Spring Game than at the last regular game I attended. In fact, they completely blew 2012's attendance out of the water!
If the above photo isn't enough to convince you about how excited the Big Blue Nation was for this Mark Stoops era, let me give you another perspective on this attendance. The estimated crowd for this game was about 7,600 more than the largest crowd at a regular season game in 2012. So, there were more fans at a SCRIMMAGE than an actual GAME from the previous year. The attendance at this game also completely annihilated the previous attendance record of 20,325, set in 1987. Of the 14 teams in the SEC, UK beat out nine of them in attendance. The previous year, Kentucky came in dead last in attendance for the spring game. What is even more impressive was that of the 14 teams, Kentucky had the greatest increase in attendance from the previous year - by almost 6,000 people ahead of Auburn (who had the greatest attendance of all SEC schools). Hopefully, I have now gotten my point across at just how electrified this stadium was.
It was nice to see what the season was going to have in store for us as we watched the two sides scrimmage. Hearing the air raid sirens go off each time a team scored brought an excitement back to Commonwealth Stadium that had not been heard and felt in years. It was an excitement that had been growing since the following commercial had aired earlier in the year...
As can be expected, there were some mistakes out on the field. Overall, fans got great insight into what the upcoming football season will hold. After going into the half tied at 10, the Blue team came out the victors 24-23 when the White team's two-point conversion pass attempt failed.
2013 UK Spring Football Game
Four members of the 2012-2013 UK Men's Basketball Team
Not only did I get UK Baseball AND UK football in one day, but some of the UK basketball team was seen cheering along the sideline, as well.
Plus, there was plenty of spirit in the stands. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite moments was when The Wave graced Commonwealth Stadium and just kept going and going and going. After a disappointing football season the previous year and an even more disappointing 2012-2013 basketball season, it was great to see the Big Blue Nation excited about something again!
After an amazing day of Kentucky athletics, Beth and I weren't quite ready to leave the campus that we both love so much. We made our way over to the Wildcat Coal Lodge, which houses the men's basketball team and thought for a moment that we might get to see some Wildcats in the middle of a pickup game as we passed by a basketball court and saw that it was in use. We were kind of disappointed when those players turned out to be nobody special. After some pictures with the legendary Coach Joe B. Hall, we made our way over to the student center.
Statue of Coach Joe B. Hall outside of the Coal Lodge
Beth, Coach Hall, and me
On the way to the student center, I showed some love for my Bat Cats...
...and represented my love for all the Wildcats at Kentucky by giving the new Wildcat statue on campus some love...
It was finally time to end our day of fun and get some much needed rest for the next day of fun at the ballpark, where we would both get to see our favorite Wildcat, Corey Littrell, pitch. Beth made her way back to her friends as I took the short trip to my hotel and it's incredibly hard bed.
Beth and I met the next morning at Ramsay's, where I just couldn't quite bring myself to order a Kentucky Hot Brown that early in the morning. However, their breakfast was HUGE and I knew I wasn't going to have to eat again until dinner time. We decided that there was one more place we needed to go together...we needed to go visit a legend.
Coach Adolph Rupp is buried in the Lexington Cemetary
It was such a perfect day for a baseball game. I might have gone a bit overboard at the merchandise stand, where I bought three more Kentucky baseball shirts to add to my already large Wildcat wardrobe. While walking my merchandise back out to the car, I realized I had parked in the wrong parking lot. It just so happened that I was able to move and park right next to some of the Wildcat parents that were tailgating before the game started. I had, of course, already met some of them between the day before and during regionals last year in Gary, but it was cool to get to meet more of them. They made me feel right at home among them as a fellow Wildcat baseball fan.
Unfortunately, this game wasn't nearly as exciting as the previous day due to the fact that Tennessee was able to shut out the Wildcats and win 5-0. While the game had been scoreless in the first five innings, four Tennessee batters in a row reached base in the sixth - scoring three runs.
I had been looking forward to seeing Corey Littrell pitch again since I had decided to go to Lexington for this series. He pitched 7.1 innings, allowing eight hits and five runs. He walked two and struck out three. So, it wasn't his greatest outing but I was still happy to see him play. Having a pitcher as your favorite player can be difficult since they play so rarely. You have to stand behind them 100% during that one day a week where they do play.
Every Sunday when the Bat Cats are playing an SEC team, they have an autograph session after the game. I think this was the part that I was looking forward to the most. Beth had gotten me a team poster during one of her many trips to see the basketball team play that season but it had gotten a little beat up in the transition from her to me. Luckily, they had fresh new team posters there awaiting to be autographed. When I had seen former Wildcat, Luke Maile play just a few short days before in South Bend, he had asked me to tell everyone that he said "hello." So, as I went down the line, I informed all of those he had played with the previous year of his message.
My signed and framed 2013 UK Baseball Poster
Corey was all the way towards the end of the line and I had the photo we had taken together at Regionals for him to sign. He didn't appear to be in the greatest mood because when I asked him how he was doing, he had replied with, "I'm hanging in there." I'm sure he was probably disappointed with his pitching outing that day so I wasn't going to push anything any further. When I was finished getting all of my autographs I decided that I was going to try to wait for Corey to possibly get another photo. Many of the families of the players were waiting outside the ball park so I waited, as well.
We waited and waited and waited. When all of the players appeared to be out of the ball park and the gates were being closed, we headed back to the car. Corey had never appeared. There had been another exit that he might have taken...oh well. As we exited the parking lot, we got a nice little surprise. Corey was walking down the side walk, crossing right in front of us, with his dad. I waved out the window and got a wave back. Beth rolled down her window and I shouted out a request for a photo. When he agreed, I quickly put the car into park right there in the entry way of the parking lot (luckily there was no one around because everyone was already gone), hopped out, and had his dad take the photo (thanks again Jack). I absolutely love the photo and think it might be one of my favorites with the two of us. I thanked him again for everything and went on my way.
Corey Littrell and me
After dropping Beth at her car, I started the six hour drive back to Northwest Indiana. It had been an amazing weekend in my favorite city, filled with some of my favorite things. I made a very important decision on my drive back north....next year I wanted to earn myself a Cliff Dweller shirt. I was certain that I did not go another season without travelling down to Lexington to see the Bat Cats play.
You can see my entire album of photos from this weekend HERE.
**Title Credit - "The One" - Backstreet Boys - Millennium **
South Bend, IN - Troy, NY - Brooklyn, NY - Ft. Wayne, IN
6 days - 6 MiLB baseball games - 4 former Wildcats playing in the minor leagues - 4 ballparks - 2 states - 1800 total miles travelled - 30 hours of travel time.....That is the gist of this year's 2013 Baseball Bonanza.
Michigan City, IN -> South Bend, IN -> Troy, NY -> Woodbridge, NJ ->
Brooklyn, NY -> Ft. Wayne, IN -> Michigan City, IN
2012 New York Baseball Bonanza - Michael Williams,
Tim Peterson, Luke Maile
After last year's 2012 New York Baseball Bonanza (Troy, NY to see Michael Williams and Luke Maile and Brooklyn, NY to see Tim Peterson), I knew that going to New York once a year to see a former University of Kentucky Wildcat play was going to be a very strong possibility (note - I live in Northwest Indiana) with a friend working for the Tri-City ValleyCats in the New York-Penn League. I'd have a free place to stay and access to the ballpark all day since she had to be there. All I had to do was wait patiently to hear news of a UK Baseball player getting drafted and assigned to a team in the New York-Penn League. Last year that had been four out of the nine players drafted that played in this same league. Surely, someone would be in the same boat this year.
After a disappointing end to what had been suspected to be a very promising season for the Kentucky Wildcats, only four Wildcats were drafted (compared to the nine of 2012). Three were juniors that could potentially return to Kentucky if they so wished, one was a senior who had not signed when drafted the year before. Research was started right away to see which minor league teams were affiliated with the teams in which these Bat Cats had been drafted and I liked what I saw. Two of the four could potentially end up in the NYP league as their first assignment. The even better news to me was that my favorite player of the four, Corey Littrell, was one of these two.
I'm not going to lie, in 2011 when Corey was just a freshman at UK, it was the last name that caught my eye first. Why wouldn't it? It was the same last name as my all time favorite singer, Brian Litrell (for those of you who may be reading this article because its a post regarding UK Baseball need to know that I might be a tad bit fanatic about Brian and the Backstreet Boys). Then I found out Corey was also from Kentucky (Louisville whereas Brian is from Lexington) and my intrigue began to grow. As the season continued, I saw the talent that Corey displayed and suspected that it would only progress throughout his college career. The thing about being a fan of college athletics is that as the players graduate or leave for the pros, a new favorite player is usually chosen. Corey quickly became my favorite Bat Cat. It wasn't until I became active on Twitter that I really began to discover who all of the Wildcats really were. By following them, you get a glimpse into who they all are off the field and I liked what I saw. Every single one of the baseball players that I followed seemed like genuinely good guys and it made me love the team even more. I was proud to support a team that had it together both on and off the field.
Usually, I tend to move away from pitchers as my favorite players because they don't play every game like those who play in other positions. I knew that if I were to try to go see Corey's team, there was going to be a chance that he might not pitch any of the games that I would attend. However, I was going to look at the schedule anyway because I love watching baseball period. If he didn't pitch, I would still get to see a game played that I love to watch. When I saw that Corey's team, the Lowell Spinners would be playing the Tri-City ValleyCats (located in Troy, NY) during the Fourth of July holiday, I could not have been much happier. It meant I would only have to take one day off of work (Friday the 5th) since I would already be off for the holiday.
Last year when I went to Troy for my baseball games, I took a Greyhound so that I could use that time to study for my GREs. This year I was not going to have that commitment and all public transportation options were more expensive than driving due to the holiday. It looked like I was going to be taking a road trip!
After writing about my 2012 New York Baseball Bonanza, I had received a great thank you message from Tim Peterson and his family. As a fan, it made me feel good to know that my dedication was appreciated by the players and their families. It is something like that that keeps someone a fan for a long time. As much as I would love to travel the United States to see every single player that has ever put on that University of Kentucky baseball uniform, time and money prevent that from happening. So, when I received the message from Tim, I knew that if time and money did allow it, I was going to like to see him play again this year - I say that in the loosest sense since even though I went to one of his games last year, he did not happen to pitch that game.
At the beginning of the regular MiLB season in April, Tim had been moved from the Brooklyn Cyclones to the Savannah Sand Gnats. Savannah, GA was going to be a long way for me to travel without having the same connections like I do in New York. When I saw that Savannah played against the Lexington Legends, I knew that was going to be my way of seeing Tim and his team play....that was until he started to get moved around. One day he was on the roster, the next day he was moved back to Brooklyn (even though the short season had yet to start), then he was back with Savannah, and so on and so forth. I know I was frustrated not knowing if I would be making the trip down to Lexington or not so I can imagine that Tim was even more frustrated since he was the one who wouldn't know if he was on the roster from one day to the next. Needless to say, the Lexington trip I had been looking so forward to (since Lexington is only my favorite city ever), never happened and I was going to have to find another way to go watch Tim. My original plan was to go to New York in September when the Cyclones played against the ValleyCats but that trip would have happened right before a trip I will be taking to Vegas for a Backstreet Boys concert - to the point that I would have had to fly directly from New York straight to Vegas. I was willing to do it, but it was just going to make things more difficult. Note - all of this planning had happened before the 2013 draft and the placement of Corey into the same league.
After deciding that I would go see Corey in Troy from July 4th - 6th, I saw that the Cyclones were home on Sunday, July 7th. Brooklyn was just a short 3 hours from Troy and, by going, it would eliminate the trip in September I had been contemplating. The idea became an even better one when I realized who Brooklyn would be playing - the Spinners. I would be seeing former Wildcat versus former Wildcat, as Corey and Tim would be playing one another. It did mean taking an additional day off on Monday for travel purposes....but it's easy to do that when you only work part time and can make up that missed time on another day of the week. My trip was now planned and finalized...or so I thought.
Brian Adams (Fort Wayne Tin Caps), a former Wildcat drafted to the Padres in 2012 was going to be playing in South Bend (just 45 minutes away) the days before I was scheduled to leave for New York. My original plan was to attend the Tuesday, July 2nd game and then head out to New York the next day right after I got off of work at 6pm. On Monday, I decided that I had way too much to get done before I left for New York and made the decision that I would attend the South Bend game on Wednesday after work and then leave from there to go to New York. It would still give me plenty of time for the 12+ hour drive and some time to sleep on the way before I had to be there for the first game. What made me even more excited about going to this South Bend game was the fact that Trevor Gott, one of the four 2013 draftees, had just been moved up from the Eugene Emeralds (located in Oregon) to the Fort Wayne Tin Caps the previous week. Brian and Trevor would be playing together once again and I was going to get to see another former Bat Cat in the MiLB that I had not originally thought I was going to get to see.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013 - Fort Wayne TinCaps at South Bend Silverhawks - South Bend, IN
After what seemed like the longest day of work ever, I was able to leave to begin my 2013 Baseball Bonanza! I had packed my car up during my lunch hour so that I could go straight to South Bend after work to see Brian and Trevor play. I had not gotten tickets yet and I somewhat regretted that decision when I saw just how busy the park was that day. Only general admission seats were remaining and I did not like the idea of not being able to sit right along the field like I am so used to doing. Luckily for me, there were some seats empty thanks to season ticket holders that chose not to use their tickets for that evening. I made my way to a seat and sat back to enjoy the game. I wasn't sure if I would get the chance to see Trevor pitch or not, but I was still look forward to meeting him after the game for the first time.
Brian had an 0-4 night but did get on base with an uncaught third strike. Then with a throwing error, Brian found himself on second base. Sometimes I forget just how fast Brian is! Then I remember that he was a dual athlete at Kentucky that was also a wide receiver on the football team. So, of course he is fast! He eventually made it to third when a teammate ground out, but was left in scoring position. The last time I had been to South Bend to watch Brian, he had played centerfield, this time he was playing right field. Two batters flew out to Brian and one singled to him.
I was very excited when I saw Trevor Gott start to warm up in the bullpen because I had not been sure if I was going to get to see him pitch or not. Trevor came in to pitch in the bottom of the sixth, just after the Silverhawks scored two runs, with two outs, and an inherited runner at second. Trevor then did what Trevor does best....take care of business on the mound. The TinCaps got out of the inning after a ground out. Trevor then came out in the seventh to strike out two and throw a batter out at first.
The outlook for this game looked promising when the TinCaps tied the game at 2 in the fourth and then scored a go ahead run in the fifth. Two runs in the sixth by the Silverhawks that went unanswered the rest of the game, led to a 3-4 loss by the TinCaps. It was the first loss I would experience in my six day trip.
I had, however, received some awesome news through a text from a fellow Corey Littrell fan that Corey would actually be making his debut on Sunday in Brooklyn. Man, was I happy I had decided to add the trip to Brooklyn after all!
Trevor Gott - UK v. Kent State - Gary
Regional - June 1, 2012
I made my way out to the bus while most fans stayed to watch the fireworks. It was dark thanks to the lights being off for the fireworks and I was going to have to do my best to find Trevor when he came out. Just like most other ball players, trying to recognize them out of uniform is difficult. It actually didn't take long for him to come out and I actually was able to recognize him out of uniform, although I was hesitant at first. Like any other Wildcat I have met, he was more than willing to give me a hug and thanked me for coming. He was more than happy to sign a photo I had taken of him during the 21 inning regional game and agreed to take a photo with both him and Brian once they both got out there, as he was headed back to the locker room.
Left: Brian Adams - Fort Wayne TinCaps - April 17, 2013
Right - Brian Adams - UK v. Kent State - Gary Regional -
June 1, 2012
Brian came out but had a few other people he was talking to first. The last time I had gone to see him, his agent had been there. I honestly couldn't remember if this is who he had been talking to or not. I waited patiently for Brian to finish...even though I really had to get on the road. I really was not in any hurry and interrupting conversations with other people is just rude. He eventually made his way over and expressed how nice it was to see me again. The last time I had been to South Bend to see him, I had not had time to print out a photo of him playing at UK to sign, like I do all the former Wildcats I see in the minors. This time, I was prepared as his photo was also from the 21 inning regional game. I also came prepared with the photo we had taken together at the last game and he made a comment about just how different the weather was (it was cold and rainy last time). It wasn't until the next day when I really looked at the two photos that I realized what he had written in addition to his name and number...the name and number of a bible verse. On the photo us together it was Romans 12:2, and on his UK photo is was John 3:16. Like Michael Williams, who I had travelled to New York to see the year before, this was another Kentucky ball player who's faith was strong and that I could be inspired by in my own journey to grow as a new Christian.
I will have to say that Brian is extremely good at paying attention to details that show he truly is interested and thankful for his fans, as he asked about my upcoming trip. I explained that I was actually leaving as soon as I was done talking to them to head to New York that evening to see Corey and Tim. I got my photo with the two of them and then with just Trevor since I already had a photo with Brian from earlier in the season.
With Trevor Gott (RHP) and Brian Adams (Outfield) -
Fort Wayne TinCaps - July 3, 2013
With Trevor Gott (RHP) - Fort Wayne TinCaps - July 3, 2013
At just after 11pm on Wednesday night, it was finally time for me to start my journey to New York. I hopped on the toll road and headed east. The GPS said I would be reaching my target at 11am the next morning...but I knew it would be later than that with a stop to sleep. My goal was to get through Indiana and Ohio, leaving just a very small portion of Pennsylvania and New York for the morning. If I could get at least half way that evening I would be happy....but that would still put me at taking a break at about 4am to sleep. I have done plenty of road trip where I have been driving that late so I knew it would not be an issue. The key to late night road tripping is to take frequent breaks (I drink a lot of water to always ensure this).
After two hours on the road, I made my first stop. Because I have no access to data or internet on my phone, I always try to stop where I will have WiFi available to update all of my Facebook and Twitter followers about my progress. When I checked my iPod, I noticed a Twitter notification right away and what I saw put the biggest smile on my face...
As I had left the ball park, Brian had thanked me again for coming and wished me safe travels. That would have been sufficient for me. Yet, here he was again publicly thanking me for my support and telling me to drive safe. Why did it make me so happy? I was being appreciated and who doesn't want to feel that? When I go to these games and follow these players, all I ever want is to see some good ball being played and to be appreciated. That is exactly what this tweet did for me on that evening. I will tell you that as long as he continues to show this appreciation to his fans, Brian will never lack a fan base.
I always get mixed reactions when I take these long trip by myself. Some people are amazed that I'm willing to drive 12+ hours to go somewhere by myself. Others think I'm just flat out crazy. Some wonder why my husband doesn't ever go with me (he doesn't care for traveling or baseball). Most ask me what my husband thinks of me taking trips like this. Few truly understand why I do it. However, those few know that the experiences I am able to come away with are why I will travel by myself for hours. I'm in a car and it is just me and my mind. There is no one or nothing that serves as a distraction. There are no bosses to answer to, no family to please, no friends to assist, and no strangers to drive you crazy for various reasons. I get to just think about life....where I've come from, what I've done, what I'm doing, and where I'm going. I get to think about how life might be different if I had made some different decisions and how I'm glad I do have the life that I do because of the decisions I have made. Sometimes my mind goes to the most mundane thoughts, such as how happy I was that I got that EZ Pass for the toll roads or that I can't believe I had more than sixteen hours worth of Backstreet Boys music to listen to. Other times, I don't think at all as I just have my own singing and dancing party to the music playing in the car. These trips are my "me" time - a way for me to get rid of stress and manage my anxiety. As I drive, I know that I will have some great experiences coming my way - I will meet new people and make new friends, see new places, catch up with old friends, and have story upon story to tell those that are willing to listen. While I don't necessarily love the area in which I live, I DO NOT take these trips to try to get away from my husband. Many times, I wish he were there in the seat next to me. However, he has his special interests and I have mine. While a married couple is a team, it is still so important to maintain that individuality that made each person fall in love with the other in the first place. Forcing a significant other to do something they do not want to do is not the way to maintain a healthy relationship. At the same time, trusting and allowing a significant other to maintain that individual freedom is important. In the end, if the right balance is attained, the relationship will grow and prosper. I'm not saying that my husband doesn't get frustrated at times because I know I do go on a lot of trips, but we're still going strong after six years so we must be doing something right!
The drive to New York was pretty uneventful. One of the things that I love about traveling at night is the fact that I just don't have much traffic with which to deal. I was making great time and after about six hours of driving, at 4:30am, I decided that I was good to go for at least a few more hours. I had made it about half way, which had been my goal. Just to be safe, I was going to use one of my five hour energy shots but did not want to take it on an empty stomach. All I needed to do was find a McDonald's with a 24 hour drive-thru. You wouldn't believe how difficult it actually was. I finally found a truck stop with a 24 hour Subway. Yeah, who knew I could eat Subway at 4:30am but not find a McDonald's???
Thursday, July 4, 2013 - Lowell Spinners at Tri-City ValleyCats - Troy, NY
As the day began to dawn, I took in the gorgeous scenery around me in the state of New York. The fog covered the surrounding hills and if I wouldn't have been driving I would have been more than happy to snap some photos. At noon, I pulled into the parking lot of Joseph Bruno Stadium, home of the Tri-City ValleyCats. No, I didn't forget to write the part about me stopping to sleep because I didn't. Thirteen hours after talking with Brian Adams and Trevor Gott in South Bend, Indiana, I had arrived in Troy, New York. That is thirteen hours of straight through the night travel. My friend gladly offered to give me her apartment key so that I could go take a nap before the game that evening. I knew that if I slept, I was not going to wake up easily to get back to the ballpark. I freshened up at the park but I really needed to find something to eat and some place with WiFi to update everyone that I had made it! I knew Corey Littrell wasn't going to be playing any of the three nights I was there but I was still looking forward to seeing the games and talking with him afterwards.
I wasn't sure how long I was going to have to wait until Lowell got to the park, but when I returned I found the place under the picnic pavilion at the park that I had spent so many hours studying last year and began to read one of the books I had brought to pass the time. When I had made the trip last year, I had been studying for my GREs to get into grad school. This year, I was going to have to keep myself occupied with other things since I did not have this same commitment to make. Luckily, I'm not a stranger to starting and finishing a book in one day because I absolutely love to read so I was content sitting under that pavilion that overlooked the ball field. To tell you the truth, I could spend all day out at a ball park with nothing to watch. I just find it incredibly peaceful.
By having a friend that worked at the ball park, I consider myself very lucky to be able to spend the entire day in the park because I get to see things that most people do not, such as warm-ups, workouts, batting practice, fielding practice, bullpen warm up, and so much more. Sure, when you call out to your favorite player as he walks by, he gives you the strangest look like "what is that crazy girl doing in here already?" It is just a small price to pay for being able to witness the behind the scenes of game day at the ball park.
All week, I had been watching what the weather was going to be like during my trip. While it had been calling for a 30% of scattered or isolated thunderstorms all week, the sun stayed out and the rain stayed away....and it was really warm. But, what better place is there to be on the 4th of July than at a baseball park watching a great American past time? I couldn't think of anywhere I would rather have been than at that park. My favorite player wasn't going to be playing (sometimes I really wish he wasn't a pitcher) but I was going to enjoy every minute of that game regardless. My friend had done a brilliant job of getting me seats right behind the dugout which is my favorite place to sit.
Corey Littrell - Lowell Spinners - July 4, 2013
The fact that the Spinners won 4-2 made it more than enjoyable. They had come out strong in the 4th inning with three runs and the ValleyCats had only been able to answer with one. When the ValleyCats scored again in the 5th, the Spinners were only up by one and needed some insurance runs. One would come in the top of the 8th. The ValleyCats were not able to answer in either that inning or the ninth. The final score of this game by no means reflects the high number of hits by each team - 11 for the Spinners and 9 for the ValleyCats. This meant that both teams were hitting the ball, but defense was also taking care of business because the score could have been so much higher.
Like most games I go to with post-game fireworks, I watched them from outside the ballpark as I waited by the bus for Corey. After a nice hug, he asked about my trip. By that point I had been awake for about 36 hours and had been sitting out in the sun all day...I was flat out exhausted! It was also worth every single mile driven. We chatted about how excited he was to be making his pro debut on Sunday in Brooklyn, even though he was only going to be limited to two innings. He hadn't pitched in a game since the University of Kentucky baseball season had ended and he was pumped to be able to get back out there again. I also made sure I explained to him why I had been in the park so early. The last thing I needed was for him to think I was some kind of crazy stalker lady - I did have a reason to be in that ballpark so early. Unlike my typical after game conversations with the players, there was no photo signing or picture taking. I just used that time to have a nice friendly conversation with a nice guy that just happens to be my favorite baseball player.
That night when my friend and I made it back to her apartment and went to bed, I had been up for 40 straight hours. This was actually nothing new to me, as last year when I had made this trip, I had gone to sleep after 39 hours of being awake. I totally blame my anxiety on this...I get so excited about these trips, about going to these games, and about seeing and talking to these players that there is no way I can sleep. Most people don't get so excited about going to baseball games....what can I say, I love the game.
Friday, July 5, 2013 - Lowell Spinners at Tri-City ValleyCats - Troy, NY
Because I had actually driven to New York this year instead of taking the Greyhound, I didn't have to actually ride to the ballpark with my friend in the morning and had planned to sleep in. I still woke up when she was headed to the park that morning but decided to use the time at the apartment to catch everyone up on my trip thus far through e-mail and Facebook. I noticed that even though it was only 9am, it was already 81 degrees (whereas it was only 59 back home). It was going to be another incredibly hot day. I headed to the ballpark so that I could eat lunch with the staff at about 1pm and upon reaching my car, I realized that the city of Troy had welcomed me graciously with a parking ticket (my friend had instructed me where to park). That was great and I realized this friend might just be bad luck, as I once got a speeding ticket when traveling down to Memphis with her and some other sorority sisters of mine (we were running late for a tour of St. Jude Children' Research Hospital thanks to some car problems the previous evening).
On this day, I was wearing the Lowell Spinners shirt I had gotten personalized with Corey's name and number (I had gotten one done for both Corey and Tim for this trip) because even though I knew he wouldn't be pitching, I wanted to get a photo with him afterwards with me in the shirt. I got a lot of teasing from the ValleyCats staff, but most of them remembered me from last year when I had worn my Hudson Valley Renegades shirts (Michael Williams and Luke Maile) around the park all day. I told them that when the Astros draft a Wildcat (they actually did have one last year, Neiko Johnson, but I didn't really know him like I did Michael and Luke), I will be more than happy to be there to cheer for them. I even named some current Wildcats that they would be very lucky to get next year.
The weather was kind of weird on this day. Most of the day, it was nice and sunny. Every now and then, a single large rain cloud would come by and drop some rain for very short periods of time. Once it made the grounds crew put the tarp on the field, but it never lasted long enough or was hard enough to impact whether or not the game would be played that evening.
I wasn't able to get my seat in the row behind the dugout, but I was right next to the dugout in the first row right next to the field. I was sitting next to and in front of some people that started asking me if I was from Massachusetts since I was the only one in the area cheering for the Spinners (even though the guy behind me had on a Red Sox shirt). Like usual, I got a weird look and more questions when I told them I was from Indiana. When I told them I was there to see Corey because he had been my favorite college player, the next logical question for them to ask was whether I had been a student at UK. More questions followed when I mentioned that I had not been a student there. I had to explain that I had become a Kentucky fan in 1996 when "The Untouchables" won the NCAA Basketball Championship. I had been raised an Indiana University fan but there was something about that team that just made me fall in love with the University of Kentucky. Because the school was out of state, attending there was out of the question and I had to settle for a school in Indiana (Ball State University). Trust me, there is not a day that goes by that I wish I could have worn that blue and white and been a Wildcat myself. The conversations I have with people when I travel like this is one of my favorite parts. The fact that I can so easily confuse them and appear to be so complicated to them makes me chuckle.
The starting pitcher for the ValleyCats that evening was the 2013 number one overall draft pick, Mark Appel. The hype surrounding this player from the staff, media, and fans was kind of crazy. When I got to the park, there was already a group of autograph seekers stationed outside and waiting for him to arrive. Everyone told me how lucky I was that he happened to be making his pro debut while I was there so I could see it...I just sat quietly in my Corey Littrell shirt thinking that my lucky day was actually going to be on Sunday when I saw his debut. I could honestly have cared less about seeing Mark Appel. I'm sure if I would have been a ValleyCat fan, I would have been a little more excited. However, he wasn't a Wildcat...it is the Bat Cats that get all of my support. I kind of chuckled on the inside when Appel was hit off of on the very first pitch of his pro career. And it wasn't just a single...no, the batter got a triple! That was then followed by two more singles in the inning. Everyone around me talked about how he just had to get the nerves out and he did pitch much better in the second. But the fact of the matter is that he pitched just two innings, getting hit off three times, having two runners score, and only having one strike out. His 9.0 ERA for the game made me hope that Corey had a much better debut than this number one draft pick.
I got some extra baseball with this particular game, as it went into extra innings. The Spinners had been leading by one going into the bottom of the seventh, but then the ValleyCats tied it. Lowell scored nothing in the 10th and all they had to do was hold Tri-City to force another inning. I almost don't want to discuss how this game ended because it was so bad. I've never quite seen a game end like this. Two singles put a man on 1st and 3rd for the ValleyCats. With just one more out needed to get out of the inning, the last batter struck out swinging....but the ball got by the catcher. The runner at third made it safely home on the uncaught third strike and the ValleyCats won the game. I seriously just sat there for a few minutes as the ValleyCats rushed the field. Had I really just witnessed an ending that badly to a game? The Spinners had lost 3-4 and once again there had been an extraordinary amount of hits for both teams (11 hits each). Shaking my head, I left the park to wait for Corey. As I was waiting, the bus driver recognized me from the night before and we started chatting. He was very interested in my story and it was nice to kill some time while I waited for Corey to come out.
The first thing Corey and I discussed was how neither of us had seen a game end like that. I've seen a lot of baseball in my time and he's played a lot of baseball, it was just totally unbelievable to the two of us. Anytime a game goes into extra innings, I think back to the 21 inning regional game in Gary from 2012 so we chatted about that game and how the Wildcats had also had an 18 inning game this year. I had been glued to the computer listening to that game. Sure this game result had been disappointing, but it led to some more great conversation with Corey. Unfortunately, I didn't get my photo that night with Corey like I had wanted to because there had been no one else out by the bus that evening. He promised me a photo the next night though.
Saturday, July 7, 2013 - Lowell Spinners at Tri-City ValleyCats - Troy, NY
I had to get up early to go to the park with my friend the next morning. We had decided that after getting my parking ticket the day before, it would be smarter to leave my car at the ballpark and just ride with her.
It was another exciting day at the park because Tommy John was going to be there doing a fundraiser for ALS (amyotropic lateral sclerosis - AKA Lou Gehrig's Disease). My guess is that for most of you reading this, you are probably baseball fans and know who Tommy John is. For those of you who have no idea who I am talking about, Tommy John was a major league pitcher (Indians, White Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Angels, and Athletics) that ranks seventh highest in career victories amongst left handers. A revolutionary surgery later named after him (Tommy John surgery) was performed on a ligament in his pitching arm and well over half of his career wins came after this surgery. I also have to note, that Tommy John is a fellow Hoosier from Terre Haute, IN. My friend was supposed to get me the tickets to this fundraiser but in the hype of Appel being there the day before and of Tommy being there that day, she forgot. Honestly, at the time that the fundraiser was going on, I was watching Corey throw some pitches in the bullpen and had forgotten all about it. I later saw a text from my dad letting me know that Tommy John actually knew my uncle (he served as the president of the Eastern League from 1993-1997). Now, I wish I would have been able to meet him because that would have been a story!
Corey Littrell - Lowell Spinners - July 6, 2013
When the game started, I was back in my seat right behind the dugout and little did I know that there would be another interesting ending to this ball game. While the ValleyCats had been able to score a run in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th, the Spinners were scoreless going into the top of the 9th (yes, read that as they were down 3-0). ValleyCats fans were leaving the park and the only thought going through my mind was, "you shouldn't be doing that." Sure, I had my doubts about this game but one thing I've learned is that ANYTHING can happen in baseball. The Spinners opened the inning with a single. The next batter caused a force out at second but was safe himself at first. One out and a pitching change occurs. The next batter singles and the runner that had been at first makes it to third on a throwing error. The next batter walks. The bases are now loaded, there is one out, and another pitching change takes place. What happens with the next batter? GRAND SLAM, putting the Spinners up 4-3! The next two batters strike out swinging but now all the Spinners have to do is get a quick three outs to end the game. They had me a little nervous when with one out, there was a runner on first and second. All the ValleyCats needed was one or two good hits and the game would be over. The pitcher pulled through in the end, striking out two batters to end the game at 4-3. The ending to this game had been the complete opposite of the game the night before. Whereas that game had ended on a lucky run caused by an error, this game had ended with the talent of a team that had pulled together to come out as the victors.
Lowell Spinners - July 6, 2013 - Win over Tri-City 4-3
During the game there had been a family next to me that had been cheering for Lowell and that had two small boys who had been thrown game balls during the game. I saw that they were waiting out by the bus afterwards with their baseballs but had nothing with which the players could sign their souvenirs. Luckily, I come prepared in cases like this! I let them borrow my Sharpie and the joy on their faces with each signature made my heart grown with happiness. There had also been a boy out there with a bat that had no marker to get signatures. When I told him I had one he could also borrow, he stated the fact that the bat was black so a regular marker would not show up. His smile when I pulled out my silver Sharpie was priceless. I had just made the nights of three boys and it made me thankful to be able to experience that happiness. Sometimes, nothing is more precious in the world than a child's smile.
Corey asked if I would be headed to Brooklyn that evening. I had plans to leave the next morning, as I was going to stop and have some lunch with some friends in New Jersey. He mentioned that they would be leaving that evening. I asked if he was getting nervous about the next day and he confidently stated that he was not at all. I think I might have had enough for the both of us. Our conversation wasn't very long this evening but I did finally get my photo!
With Corey Littrell - Lowell Spinners - July 6, 2013
There is one thing I noticed during my time in Troy. Corey appears to be one of those teammates that, as a former athlete, I would be grateful to have. I had noticed that before every single game he had approached every single one of his teammates to give them a high five, do a handshake, and all of those other things that athletes do to wish one another a good game. He knew he wasn't going to be out there on that field but he was showing his support for each one of his teammates. He did not wait for them to come to him, he went to them. As a former athlete I know that not all teammates get along, sometimes personalities just don't mix well. I also know that as a good teammate you forget about those differences during game time so that the team work can get you through. Whether Corey gets along with all of his teammates or not, he showed his loyalty to them on those days as he wished them good luck. It was just one more factor that made me a proud fan. Sunday, July 7, 2013 - Lowell Spinners at Brooklyn Cyclones - Brooklyn, NY
I woke extrememly excited on this morning. I was going to get to see some friends for lunch that I hadn't seen since January, I was going to get to see Corey make his pro debut, and I was going to get to see Tim Peterson, as well. Unfortunately, I had seen that Tim had pitched on Friday, which meant that, more than likely, he was not going to pitch on this day. I was kind of bummed about that but I knew at least I would still get to chat with him after the game.
After picking up my car from the ValleyCats ballpark, I started the 2.5 hour journey to have lunch with two of my Jersey girls. I was ecstatic to be able to see them again after seven months and was even more excited that I would actually be seeing them just two weeks later for a concert I was going to be going to in Connecticut. Because of the distance between us, two times a year is usually the most I ever get to see them. I was going to get to see them twice in the same month and it just made an already great day even greater.
When I had planned to make the trip to Brooklyn, I had been warned by two different people to factor in an extra two hours for the holiday traffic I would hit. I was nervous about driving into Brooklyn...after all, I'm just an Indiana girl that would take the train into Chicago to avoid the traffic. I only got honked at once so I thought it was quite a success. I'm sure it is quite a site seeing a car with an Indiana plate and University of Kentucky plate holder in a city like Brooklyn. I got to the park much earlier than I had planned because it had taken me just the hour that the directions had said it would. Two hours for traffic, my butt. It was another hot day (94 degrees at the start of the game) but I decided to walk around Coney Island anyway. Last year, I at least had my friend to enjoy the boardwalk with but it isn't quite the same when you are by yourself. It was the one time during the trip that I wish I had just one friend that loved baseball as much as me and was able to do the same traveling I was able.
I did see the Spinners bus and when the bus driver saw me walking toward it, he got off to chat with me for some time. He was happy to see that I had made it and it was nice to have someone to talk to while I waited for the gates to open to the ball park.
I would have loved to have gotten into the park early on this day to see those moments before Corey made his pro debut. I had no way of knowing what was going through his head but I was nervous for him. I wanted him to be able to show everyone there what I knew he was able to accomplish on that mound. He already had a fan there in me, I wanted him to be able to use the two innings I knew he was going to pitch to gain even more because I believe he deserves it.
As soon as the gates opened I entered the park and found my seats. Neither team was out yet so I decided to head to the Cyclones bullpen area to see if I could see Tim like I had last year. When I saw some Spinners headed to the bullpen I gave up on that and headed to the other side of the stadium to catch Corey's warm-up.
Corey Littrell - Pre-game warm up - Brooklyn, NY - July 7, 2013
During this time, they announced the starting lineup for the Spinners and I smiled when I saw this come on the board for the starting pitcher, even though they did pronounce his last name wrong...
July 7, 2013 - MCU Park - Brooklyn, NY
I then headed to one of the four seats I had...yes, I had four seats for just one of me. Let's just say that I'm a person that doesn't like to be surprised and I wanted to make sure that if certain people didn't pull through for me on their promise, I was going to have back up. In the end, both people that had made their promise pulled through and for that I am truly grateful. On may way to my seat, I found the starting lineup board. They had mispronounced his last name when calling out the starting lineup, now his last name was misspelled. Couldn't these people do anything right?
Starting lineup - July 7, 2013
I was very happy with the set of seats that my friend had acquired for me, as I had specifically requested the first base side as close to the field as possible. Even though I was going to be sitting behind the Cyclones dugout, I wanted Corey to be facing me when he pitched (he's a lefty) for my photos. I was only three rows behind the dugout so it was plenty close to make sure I got some decent ones. My other two tickets had been on the third base side (in the very last row) and all I would have gotten was his back. If I hadn't been so concerned about getting some great photos because it was his debut, I would not have cared either way.
Tim Peterson - Brooklyn Cyclones - July 7, 2013
I noticed that Tim was right in front of me in the Cyclones dugout and tried to get his attention to say hi before the game started but his attention was elsewhere. I knew that with him being in the dugout and not in the bullpen, he was not going to be pitching that evening. That would make me 0-2 in going to see Tim and him not pitching. I also knew that with me just going to one game at a time, there was going to be less of a chance to see him pitch. I really need to make it to an entire series to have a greater chance to see it.
I had decided that I was going to get photos of Corey's warm-up pitches and then get all of his actual pitching on video. Sometimes there are just moments you can't get with a photo. Taking both would provide him and his family, friends, and fans that could not be there with something that could be looked back upon and cherished.
The nerves that had been eating away at me subsided as Corey pitched to his first batter. He had told me the previous evening that he wasn't nervous at all, so why should I be? Here is breakdown of the seven batters that Corey faced:
First Inning:
- Ground out to first baseman.
- Single on line drive to center field.
- After a throwing error on a pick off attempt by Corey, runner reaches 2nd. Batter flies out to center field. Runner to 3rd.
- Called out on strikes.
2nd Inning:
- Grounds out to short stop.
- Flies out to center field.
- Grounds out to short stop.
So, at the end of the day, Corey had what I believe to be a very successful debut, with 2 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 strike out, and no runs scored. He would end his debut with a 0.00 ERA. Man, I would have loved to have seen more pitching by him but I know that teams can be very strict with the number of pitches and innings their pitchers can have. The following is the video I put together of Corey's debut:
Unfortunately, the Spinners lost this game 0-3. However, with there being a Kentucky player on each team, I wasn't really rooting for one team over the other. Brooklyn had scored their first two runs in the 4th and another in the 8th. There was not a repeat of the night before with the grand slam win. Even though Lowell got shut out, I was glad that none of the Brooklyn runs had come under the pitching of Corey. I later found out that Corey had been named the Lowell Spinners player of the game.
Signed ticket stub from Corey's debut - July 7, 2013 (one of
my two Player Pass List tickets)
There were way more people waiting outside after this game than I had seen in the last four days combined. I think because both the Cyclones and the visiting team come out the same door, there is always a much larger crowd there because it was the same story last year. When Corey came out, he seemed incredibly happy with his outing on the mound, as he should have. I knew he was also excited to get to see Tim again after such a long time. I had him sign my ticket stub as I think having that piece of memorabilia from his debut is great to add to my collection. When some kids saw me getting this autograph, they came over to do the same, even though they were Cyclones fans and had NO idea who Corey was.
Tim Petereson - Brooklyn Cyclones -
September 2, 2012
Tim eventually came out and I didn't want to keep the two of them too long because I knew they had some catching up to do. So I didn't get to talk to Tim for as long as I maybe wanted. I learned that it is maybe not the most ideal thing to attend a game where there are two Wildcats playing one another, especially if they had been such close friends while playing together at school. They still both took their time for a fan, but I knew I didn't want to keep them too long.
Tim and I did talk about the frustration of when he was with Savannah and them taking him off and putting him on the roster. In the end, he had just not been getting enough innings with Savannah and was placed back with Brooklyn for good when their season had started. Hopefully, a trip to Lexington when they play Savannah will be in the cards for both of us next year! Tim also signed my photo of us from last year.
Both Corey and Tim then graciously took a photo with me together. I'm not going to lie, I absolutely adore this photo.
Tim Peterson (RHP - Brooklyn Cyclones) and Corey Littrell (LHP - Lowell Spinners)
July 7, 2013 - Brooklyn, NY
And because I had already gotten Corey's photo on the trip, I got one with just Tim.
Tim Peterson - RHP - Brooklyn Cyclones - July 7, 2013
By this point, I was very much considering staying an extra day. I didn't have to be back at work until Wednesday and the dentist appointment I had on Tuesday could have easily been changed. I knew that even if I stayed, neither player would be pitching the next day but I honestly just was not ready to go home. I knew that if I found a hotel for the evening, it was probably going to be more expensive than I really wanted. So I finally made the decision that I was, in fact, going to start the long drive back to Indiana. I should have had something to eat before I left...after all, Nathan's hot dogs was right there, but I decided to hit the road and then stop after awhile.
The first four or five hours of my trip back home were the worst hours of a road trip I have ever taken! First, almost as soon as I left, it started to storm....hard rain, lightening, strong wind...the works. It was the type of weather that no matter how hard your windshield wipers are going, you still can't see. That wasn't even the worst of it. It would rain like that for fifteen or twenty minutes and then just stop. Just when I thought I was in the clear, it would come pouring down again. This lasted the good part of the first hour and a half or so. When it finally did stop, I decided it was time for me to grab a bite to eat. It was about 10:30 so there wasn't going to be much on a Sunday night that was open this late. I was probably going to have to just find a 24 hour fast food joint. At three different exits I saw a sign for a McDonald's. When I got off on the exit, there was no McDonald's to be found! At one of the exits I decided to drive down a bit to see if it was just further down. After a mile or two when I didn't see one, I decided I needed to turn around. There was a problem with this. I was in New Jersey and they have some crazy rules against U-turns and left turns. They have what they call "jughandles" to use if you need to make a left turn.
It appeared that I was going to be dealing with the Type A. When I took the first one and came upon the light to then turn left, the traffic light was out and flairs set up in the intersection prevented me from taking the left turn I needed. Apparently, the storm I had driven through had knocked the power out on this stretch of road. So, I had to turn right and continue down the road. I noticed that all of the lights were out and each intersection had flairs set up. I finally came to a portion that the traffic light was working and was able to head back to the highway. By the time I had made it back, I had spent about 45 minutes just trying to get back to the highway. I was so angry by this point. I was hungry and all I wanted was food. I didn't want to be going back home. I wanted to be in Brooklyn to see another baseball game the next day.
I did eventually find an Arby's at a truck stop but by that point I was so frustrated I hardly touched what I had ordered. I thought it might be best to just call it a night and catch some sleep. Maybe the drive would be better in the morning. At 1am, I finally called it quits about half way through Pennsylvania and fell asleep about 2am.
Monday, July 8, 2013 - Fort Wayne TinCaps v. Great Lakes Loons - Fort Wayne, IN
I had not set an alarm the previous night. I figured I would wake up when I was ready to wake up...I just didn't think it was going to be at 6am! I had gotten four short hours of sleep and just hoped that the rest of my trip was going to be decent. I seriously thought that maybe my drive the night before had been so awful as a way to tell me that I should have stayed back in Brooklyn for some reason. Was I going to be mad when I got home and found out that maybe Tim had pitched on this day (he didn't).
I did run into a few storms but because I was in no hurry to get home, I would usually stop at a service station (I was back on the toll road in Ohio) and try to wait out the worst of it. As I got closer to the Indiana border my mind began to turn. I would practically be driving through Fort Wayne on the way home (or at least I thought and later found out it was about 30 minutes off the highway) so I wondered if the TinCaps were playing at home on this day. During one of my many stops to delay me returning home, I looked up the schedule. It looked like I was going to be stopping in Fort Wayne for some more baseball and to see Brian and Trevor again!
I hoped the weather would hold off for the game and I got there just before the gates were opened. I had been meaning to pick up two TinCaps shirts to get personalized with Brian and Trevor's names and knew this would be the perfect time to do it so that I would have them the next time they came to South Bend. When I saw the merchandise store was offering $1.00 personalization, I decided just to get it all done there. They were going to be a nice addition to my collection.
I saw Brian on the field signing some autographs almost right away (he's so tall, it is not hard to miss him). I made my way down to the field and he asked how my trip was. I didn't keep him long but then I saw him talking with someone else. I recognized her because she had contacted me back in November to see about getting the original copies of some of my photos from the 21 inning regional game for a Christmas present she was working on for him - it was his girlfriend. I introduced myself and we chatted for a bit, she was so friendly.
Brian had the best game of the three I had seen of his, going 1-4. His one hit was a double on a pop up right behind second base. It was definitely his speed that got him to second base because for anyone else it would have just been a single. Seriously, the guy is FAST! On his fourth at bat, Brian struck out swinging on a wild pitch, which allowed him to make it to first on the uncaught third strike. Brian then stole his 11th base of the season to get onto second and scored off of a single by a teammate. So, a double, a run, a stolen base....not too bad at all. Defensively, he had two batters fly out to him.
To make things even better, I got to see Trevor pitch again when he came in as relief in the top of the 5th with two outs and men on first and third. Once again, Trevor took care of business and got the third out with a strike out. In the 6th, Trevor had two batters ground out (one to him) and one batter fly out. He had a successful 1.1 innings pitched, with one strikeout, and no runs scored (another 0.00 ERA day).
This was actually another very good game. The TinCaps were down by one run in the first but tied the game in the fourth. Once again in the fifth, the Loons were able to score one more run than the TinCaps had been able to, putting Fort Wayne down by one once again. In the seventh, Fort Wayne was able to get ahead by scoring two runs (one of those being Brian). The rest of the game was scoreless and Fort Wayne came out on top with a 6-5 win.
Trevor Gott - RHP - Fort Wayne TinCaps -
July 3, 2013
My conversation with Brian after the game was short because his girlfriend had an early flight the next morning. While Trevor had been one of the first out on Wednesday in South Bend, it took him quite awhile this evening. I realized why when I saw him exiting with some large suitcases. Trevor had actually not yet had the chance to move in since being moved to the TinCaps roster. He asked how Corey's debut had gone and I was able to have him sign the photo we had taken together in South Bend.
I realized during the last two and a half hours of my drive back home that if I would not have stopped to sleep when I had, I would not have had the chance to go to this last ball game. So maybe the awful start of the trip wasn't because I was meant to stay in Brooklyn for another game, maybe it was so I could attend another game at another park in another city. After this game, I was satisfied and was finally ready to go home. The dread I had felt when leaving Brooklyn was no more. Granted, going back home meant getting back to work and the grind of daily life. I was satisfied with the trip and what I had been able to experience while I was gone.
Over the last two years, I have seen six former Wildcats at the minor league level (two of which I have seen both this year and last - Tim and Luke Maile). There is one thing I would like to make perfectly clear though...I am NOT a "cleat chaser." Before meeting my husband, I dated a share of baseball players (there were some basketball players and a hockey player in there, as well). More importantly, some of my best guy friends growing up were baseball players, they were like brothers to me. I have always enjoyed the game of baseball, going into Chicago quite often to see White Sox games. I practiced baseball with my brother and his teams when I wasn't at my own softball practices and games. The truth of the matter is that I love the game of baseball. It is one of the only games that a player probably fails more than he succeeds. Yet, these players continue to stay with it because they love the game. This is what entices me to travel for these players and to show them my support by waiting for them after the games. It is the conversations with these players that I cherish the most. The photos and autographs are secondary - just momentos for experiences that I want to always remember. I can also say that I have been thanked by family members on numerous occasions for the photos and videos that I share. I don't just do it for me, I do it for all of the family and friends that aren't blessed enough to be able to be there to support their loved one. Whether these players make it all the way to the major leagues or play in the minors for the rest of their careers, I will be there to support them as fan, as long as they continue to show me respect as a fan.
Unfortunately, I think my strong personality makes some believe that I'm a little too....well, crazy or over the top. Trust me, this is the last thing I want to come across as and it is by no means my intention. If a player cannot accept someone like me as a fan, they need to very much think about what they are getting themselves into as a pro athlete because I've seen how bad some fans can actually get. A player can easily lose the respect of a fan by doing things that they may not see as a big deal but can mean the world to that fan - a few days blocked on Twitter, once friends on Facebook but not any longer. To some, it may seem silly. To me, it is even the littlest things that can bring a smile and joy to a person. By having access to a fan, a player is showing him or her that what that fan does matters, that the athlete cares enough to show interest. When a fan doesn't feel appreciated, their dedication begins to waver. The athlete may have plenty of other fans and just not care. If so, that is sad they must think that way. Please realize that I am talking in generalities based on experiences I have had in the past. All four of the players that I have written about in this post were friendly and cordial to me when I was with them after the games, but a recent event has put these thoughts into my head and I just needed to get them out.
Please feel free to check out all of my photos from this trip in my Former Wildcats in the Minor Leagues - 2013 album. The album also includes photos from the previous times I have seen both Brian Adams and Luke Maile play in South Bend this year.
Title Credit: "One in a Million" - Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable
Beth and I had made plans to grab lunch at Tolly Ho for some amazing burgers before heading to the ballpark so that we could catch batting and fielding practice....well, after a small detour to the Wildcat Wearhouse to browse their University of Kentucky gear. We got to the ballpark shortly after the gates opened and Kentucky was taking their batting practice. Unfortunately, my streak of sitting right behind the dugout was ended, as there is no seating in that area at Cliff Hagan Stadium and we had general admission tickets which is seating further up in the stands. I realized I was going to have to deal with another stupid net in my photography (I had this same problem the previous weekend when I had gone to a minor league game to see a former Wildcat). The camera likes to focus on the net in the foreground, rather than the subject in the background. When it does work properly, there is a stupid net in all the photos! Oh well, I guess there is nothing I can do about that.
After the baseball game, we still had plenty of time to do the short walk from Cliff Hagan Stadium to Commonwealth Stadium for the Spring Football game. When we got there, the gates weren't even open yet so we did some exploring and found the UK Alumni Association tent. Beth is an alumni association member, but for a mere $10 I received enterance and access to the food, music, and prizes (I won a UK waterbottle which I was quite excited about).
Plus, there was plenty of spirit in the stands. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite moments was when The Wave graced Commonwealth Stadium and just kept going and going and going. After a disappointing football season the previous year and an even more disappointing 2012-2013 basketball season, it was great to see the Big Blue Nation excited about something again!
