Phillies Fans... Get Excited!

Even though the Phillies lost their first game of the season, there are many reasons to feel optimistic about this season after game one.  If for some reason your feeling down about what this season has in store, let me give you a few reasons to turn your frown upside down:

1.       Chase Utley is back.  He is finally back!  He looked good all spring, he appears to be fully healthy and in shape, and he performed on Opening day.  He was 3-5 at the plate, with a homerun, 3 RBIs, and 2 runs.  And there is no reason to even discuss his defense.  If he is healthy, he has got it.  Get used to hearing ‘Web gem nominee’ when talking Utley.

2.        Domonic Brown is finally looking confident and productive.  He belted 7 homeruns and batted close to .375 this spring.   And on Monday, he looked like he could play the role of an everyday outfielder.  I feel like he is about to have ‘the year’ we have all been anticipating.  So much so that he is competing for a starting position on ‘Kung Foo Panda’ (my dominant fantasy team).

3.       Cole Hamels is going to be fine.  So, he had a bad game?  No big deal!  Glad he got it out of the way early.  He is healthy and we all know how the support of a home crowd boosts performance.  Not to mention, The Braves batting line up is this year is pretty tough to pitch against.  If any he lost any confidence, he is sure to gain it back this weekend pitching against the Royals at home.  Maybe he was just getting used to not having that funky mustache he had this spring. 

4.       I am pretty excited about Ben Revere.  He looked great on Monday and had a good spring.  He was 1-4 with a run and stolen base on Monday.  He clearly has a lot of speed and looks like he could be the everyday lead-off man.  I also really like his energy!  He seems to bring positive energy to the clubhouse and is excited to be in Philly. 

5.       Don’t forget about Chooch on the bench!  He will be back in 24 games, but who is counting? Chooch will boost production at the plate and his defense is a given.  When Chooch comes back, Charlie Manuel will have some flexibility with Kratz who is also performing well.  Kratz had a decent spring and could give Ruiz routine days off, as well as pinch hit down the stretch. 

6.       I am confident that Roy Halladay will bounce back from a rough spring.  There is no pitcher in the major leagues as dedicated and determined as Mr. Halladay.  I have always loved him and been a fan, and my opinion is not changing.  He will forever be on a pedestal in my world.

7.       We have arguably one of the best closers in the game.  When the ball gets to Papelbon, he means business and he gets the job done.  I will admit, it is not always pretty, but a save is a save is a save, right?  Just close your eyes if you need to when he takes the mound.

So, as you get ready to gear up for the next eight straight days of Phillies action, be a confident and excited fan. Good things are happening for the Phillies in 2013. Lastly, there is something to be said for ‘flying under the radar’. I would rather start the season with everyone pointing at someone else to be the powerhouse and favorite to bring home The World Series trophy. Because we know that is not how it works out in the end.

LETS GO PHILLIES!!

-CL

 

The Final Chapter (that is not so final)

I realize that the final chapter of my Fancave experience is way overdue, however there are a few reasons it has taken me this long to write it. For one, I have needed time to process everything that happened in the past few months and think about what it has meant to me. I have had massive writers block the few times I have tried to write down my final thoughts and thank yous. In addition, I went on vacation for a week with my parents and biggest supporters. And lastly, I don’t really think of my Fancave experience as being over as it has opened new doors, brought new friendships into my life, allowed me to learn a lot about myself, and helped me to fall more in love with the game of baseball.

All that being said, there is NO way to individually thank all the people who supported me in my Fancave run, nor am I able to express the extent of my gratitude to these same people. So, a simple ‘Thank you’ is what comes next. Thank you!! I have been overwhelmed with all the people who have had faith in me to succeed in something I wanted so bad and continue to be overwhelmed with the amount of support and praise I have received since finding out I did not make it into the cave this year as a cave dweller. So once again, thank you! I couldn't have done this without all of you.

As for what comes next for my dream of working in sports, I don’t really know. I will continue to blog and to explore other opportunities to work in sports, ideally the MLB. I will definitely keep in touch with the Fancave 30 who I met in Arizona, and hope to blog and podcast with them periodically as well. These 29 people mean so much to me, as they are my first set of friends to share the same passion for the game of baseball, along with the desire to talk about it, watch it, breath it for all waking hours. I would love to do 'out of cave' legwork for the Fancave 9 as I attend weekly games in Fenway and take my ballpark tours on the road (Beavs… Detroit is on the tour this year). I plan to host members of my 'baseball family' who visit Boston and Fenway, and I plan to keep dreaming.

On a not so serious note, since laughter is life's best friend, I will share some of the pet peeves I developed along the way in my Fancave run. Here are my top five that I think the other 29 of you (you know who you are) can relate to.

1. People who call The Fancave, ‘The Mancave’.

My thought: No, No, No I am not aspiring to be in a Mancave. Does that make any sense???

2. People who cut me off while explaining what the MLB Fancave is, to say “Wait… you are going to be on a reality show? Nobody ever looked better after being on a reality TV show.” My thought: Again, NO, NO and NO.

3. The reaction, “But you’re a nurse at Children’s Hospital… You are going to leave your job to do THAT?”

My thought: You may not quite understand... but it is a dream for some of us to work for the MLB. Not to also mention that the real world will always be there.

4. “So, you are going to live in an actual cave in New York City?” No explanation needed.

5. When hearing that I didn’t make it to the cave for the season… “Oh yay, so you are not leaving us” followed by a hug.

My thought: News flash… I said that I did NOT win. The word ‘Yay’ should not be in your response!


Of course I recognize that none of this, including the laughs, adrenaline, new friends, new opportunities, sleep deprivation, pride, motivation to succeed, etc. could not be possible without the MLB Fancave and all the incredibly dedicated and talented people who work there. Thank you MLB Fancave, thank you! Although I did not obtain my ultimate goal of becoming a cave dweller in 2013, I will always have the memories! And for that I am thankful.

My Dream Fantasy Team on the Bump

I have already drafted my ‘Fantasy’ fantasy batters, so I will move on to the pitchers.  This is a little bit harder because I don’t want to just pick the obvious; that is too boring and the top projected pitchers will not all pan out as predicted.  I am going to pick based on my league’s seven stat categories which include: W, ERA, WHIP, CG, SO, SV, and K/9.  Having wins, complete games, and shut outs definitely effects fantasy picks because I don’t want pitchers who are going to be limited in their innings, and I don’t want too many pitchers on the weaker squads.

So, here is my starting five in no particular order:

Justin Verlander:  Verlander has definitely proved that he is durable, pitching well over 200 innings in each of his past five seasons.  Coming into the year fully healthy, he has had a solid spring and The Tigers have it in them to make a good playoff run this year.  Verlander is no stranger to the complete game either.  The one thing that worries me however, is the question mark at the closer position for the Tigers.  Although if Verlander is pitching complete games, who cares in my fantasy world! 

David Price: The reigning AL Cy Young winner is 27, in his prime, and the face of the Tampa Bay Rays.  With James Shields gone, Price is going to be the man in Tampa.  He had 20 wins last year and a 2.56 ERA and I only see that improving.  He is fully healthy to start the year.  Price is also pretty hilarious and was very involved in MLB Fancave events last year.  One of my favorite skits from last year was when Price and Shields were pranked by teammate Rodriguez.  They were put in front of a green screen and were told they were filming a commercial.  It was all bogus and they did a bunch of hilarious things.  Price is also very active and entertaining on twitter. 

Cole Hamels: Hamels is going to be the Phillies ace this year.  He had 17 wins last year; I will take the over on that this year.  He is durable and healthy; if he can take his games into 7 or 8 innings, I feel confident that Paps can close him out.  I feel like Hamels will be in 2008 World Series form all season long.  I also have to give him bonus points for being one of the only pitchers to just admit that he was intentionally throwing at a batter to make a point.  And I LOVE that it was Bryce Harper.  Harper needs some humbling.  He will thank Hamels for that one day… Probably not one day soon, but one day!

Gio Gonzalez: Even though he will be opposing Hamels and The Phillies, I do like Gonzalez and give him a lot of credit.  He was a reliable strength to my fantasy squad last year with 21 wins and a 2.89 ERA.  As much as I hate to say this, the Nationals have a strong pitching squad with a quality bullpen from middle relief to closer, so I feel like Gonzalez has a very strong year ahead of him.  He also gets bonus points in fantasy because of how many times he will face the Mets.  Guaranteed wins and Ks/9… Oops, did I say that out loud? Sorry Mets fans!!

RA Dickey: Mr. Dickey is someone who I want to do well every time he steps on the mound.  I have so much respect for the enthusiasm he has for the game and for the dedication he has put into his major league career.  He is one of my favorite players in the Bigs and you can tell he is honored to be in each and every game he plays.  I don’t think that he will be able to top the year he had last year, but he has a good squad behind him in Toronto.  So, I think he will thrive off of that and put up some good numbers this year.  I have trouble when he faces the Phillies because I always want him to do well.  I am glad that he is in the AL now and I won’t have to deal with that dilemma too often.

When it comes to relievers that’s where fantasy gets tricky for me.  I am not good at drafting middle relievers because they seem to fall between the cracks in a draft.  They are however a good way to boost Ks/9 and occasionally get wins and saves.  Relief pitchers and closers are also not something I put too much stock into because you can usually hawk the waiver for saves.  Two years ago, I accidently drafted Neftali Feliz and was initially so annoyed because I had never heard of him.  Well well, didn’t that one turn out in my favor?  That is just an example of how it works with relief fantasy pitchers.  So, here are my top four:

Jonathan Papelbon: I know that it has been a rough spring for Paps, but he has what it takes to get the job done.  With the Phillies pitching staff being a bit older, Paps is going to get the ball in the majority of games that the Phillies are winning come 8^th or 9^th inning.  I also love how intense he is on the mound and how hilarious he is off the mound.  He has definitely brought me some good laughs in Boston and in Philly.  Along with Hamels, the Phillies are going to be relying on Paps this year.  I will take his tendency to walk batters for his tendency to close games!

Jim Johnson: Johnson killed it last year and I think that the Orioles are going to be better than people expect.  With the AL East being pretty weak this year, I see the Orioles making a strong playoff run.  51 saves last year and a clean bill of health… sign me up!

Vinnie Pestano: With Chris Perez having an injured shoulder, Pestano should get the early opportunity to close out games.  With him recently announcing to his Twitter family that he is in ‘the best shape I have been in a long time’, I feel like he is coming into the season with confidence.  I know he only got 2 saves last year, but he had a 2.57 ERA through 70 innings pitched.  I feel like he is just waiting for his moment, and it feels like his moment is coming.  This is one of my non-traditional draft picks that I feel like I need every year to round out my squad.  He is going to be my break through reliever.

Drew Storen: Ok, as much as it pains me, I feel like with the strength of the Nats pitching rotation, I have to go with one of their relievers on my dream team.  It was between Clippard and Storen here and now that neither of them will be closing games regularly with the addition of Soriano, Storen is my choice to lock in better stats.  I feel like he is a young pitcher on the brink of a breakout.  And should Soriano get hurt, Storen will have an even bigger role.  

So there is my Fantasy dream team.  Similar to how my fantasy teams tend to look at the beginning of each season, my bullpen is the most random part of the team, and where I made wildcard choices.  I am okay with that in fantasy however because there is always more than a few relievers on the waivers that turn out to be monster pick-ups as the season progresses.   When I hear of an injured closer, I get to the waiver wire immediately and pick up his replacement…

I had a really good time putting together a no rules fantasy team and encourage you to do the same.  It was a fun way to prepare for my upcoming fantasy draft and opens up exciting discussions.  Please let me know if you have any thoughts after analyzing my fantasy dream team.  T minus 23 days until we start setting our fantasy rosters!  As exciting as that is, please always remember that reality trumps fantasy.  For example, don’t ever hope for your favorite team’s starting pitcher to get shelled because you are playing against him in fantasy.  That’s just not cool!! 

-CL

My Dream Team Infield

Ok, before I work on my dream team infield, I want to back up to my last blog and put Jay Bruce into my outfield bench rotation.  He blasted two homeruns yesterday and after meeting him in Arizona two weeks ago, I want to and will become a big fan of his this year.  Not of the Reds obviously, but of Jay!  Btw, I love creating my own rules for my dream fantasy squad; they are a lot more fun than Yahoo’s rules! 

So, now onto my dream infield…

Catcher: Buster Posey:  Posey is a no brainer. I don’t feel like I need to justify this pick.  He is almost worth a first round pick in a normal draft due to the drop off in catcher position after Posey and Yadi.  I am not confident that Mauer will stay healthy all year, and he will most likely take more than usual routine days off.  Plus, he just had twins (makes for a good pun), so he is entering the season sleep deprived no doubt!  Posey is in his prime, coming off a World Series title and will likely outdo his .336 average from last year.  He is a sure bet!

First Base: Prince Fielder: This one is hard for me.  I feel like there used to be a plethora of options at first base, but now I am not so sold on what is out there.  Fielder has been steady the past few seasons and has proved that he is durable to play everyday, so I will take him.  Ultimately it would be great to put Posey at catcher and first since he is eligible for both in Yahoo, but a man can’t be in two places at once.  I also am really tempted to say Eric Hosmer here.  I know that sounds a little out there, but he is killing it this spring and I feel a big year coming on for him!  And he is joining the USA team at the World Baseball Classic which is a classy act!  When it comes to first, I am just not confident that Pujols or Votto can stay healthy all year.

Second Base: Ian Kinsler:  It is REALLY hard for me not to plug Cano in here, but Kinsler has been in that corner for me the past three years and is one of my favorite players.  This is definitely an emotional pick; I am worried about his health but can’t find it in me to replace him on Kung Foo Panda.  ‘Nuf said.  I like him and am proud of it!!! And hey, there were whispers about him picking up some time at first, so maybe down the road, he will be eligible for both, thus a good plug in player. 

Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins: J. Roll is going to have a big year.  The Phillies need him to be a leader, both in the batting order and in the clubhouse.  I just have a feeling that he is going to raise his average of .250 from last year significantly.  This position is a weak one fantasy wise, so this is where I am going to rely on my boys to pick up the slack!! 

Third Base: Miguel Cabrera: I feel like my infield is becoming a little generic but how can I pass up the Triple Crown winner and captain of my squad last year.  He carried us!  And I fully expect him to keep it up.  Plus, he can also play first if need be in a pinch so maybe down the pipeline he will become muliti-base eligible.  Third base is where it’s at this year in my opinion.  The options are stellar… Brett Lawrie, Kung Foo himself, David Freese.  These are all favorites of mine.  I wish Kung Foo was still fantasy eligible for catcher!!  Worst third base option in my opinion: AROD, that is if he even plays again.  NOT A FAN!!

Utility: I am going to use this position to plug in some favorites that I had to pass up previously.  I could go on and on, but names on my laundry list here that I haven’t already mentioned include: Mike Moustakas, Manny Machado, Mark Trumbo, Juan Pierre (because he is the most undervalued player in the game), CHOOOCH (despite his 25 game suspension).

And I will stop here before this becomes a list of my favorite players, which I have already made clear in a previous blog.  Again, I love comments, disagreements, agreements so feel free to give me a shout out with your thoughts!!   Next up, putting some studs on the bump and filling up a bullpen… 

-CL

My 'Fantasy' Fantasy Team... Starting with the Outfield

With Spring Training in full swing and opening day only 26 days away, it’s time to start talking ‘smack’ in fantasy baseball leagues, listening to Fantasy Focus Podcasts, arguing over who has the best team name in the league (side note, my name going four years strong is the best), reading Rotoworld’s daily columns, and of course watching the game to see who looks good, and who just doesn’t have it this year.   In honor of prepping for ‘Kung Foo Panda’ to have yet another dominant year, I am going to put together my ‘fantasy’ fantasy team.  I realize that this team would never be possible, and also realize that some of my fantasy picks are emotional picks and thus may not make sense.  But it’s fun to do, so I am going to do it!

I play in a ten team, daily lineup, head-to-head, mixed league.  We have 7 batting and 7 pitching stat categories.  I am the only girl in my league and when I first joined in 2008, the guys couldn’t stop with the ‘you belong in the kitchen’ jokes, in addition to all living in extreme fear of ‘losing to a girl’.  Well, let me just say that they got over that quick.  I have always been a strong competitor and a hawk on the waiver wire.  And I will continue to dominate!!

So, all draft rules aside, I am going to lay out how my team would look if I could pick whomever I wanted based on how our league is set up.  I will start tonight with my dream team outfield…

My ideal starting three are:

Mike Trout: Ok, who wouldn’t say Trout.  Despite being highly underpaid which is another conversation, he is 21, has been a monster in the Bigs and is looking great so far this spring! His 49 stolen bases last year should stay pretty stable if not increase (and no, his ten added pounds are not going to jeopardize that), his .326 batting average will only get better with more experience under his belt, and he should outdo his 30 homeruns with a few extra pounds behind his swing.  I am psyched to watch this kid play this year… I bet being underpaid will only serve as motivation for him to kill it!

Josh Hamilton: We all know how much I love Josh Hamilton.  I love his story both on and off the field and have more fun cheering for him than any other player in the MLB.  If Texas really wasn’t a very conducive environment for him to thrive, as he has made clear in the offseason, I can’t wait to see what he does in Anaheim.  I can only think that his RBIs will stay close to 128, and I feel like he has the potential to win a triple crown before his career is over.  I also love watching him play with my bobble head doll next to me, bopping around with excitement similar to my own.



I love that Colleen and I are creepin' in the backgroud! Ha



Carlos Gonzales: The third starter  was a tough one to nail down, but CarGo’s stats are ridiculous.  He is still in his prime at 27, and both his .303 batting average and health are huge upsides.  Plus, he is good for at least 20 stolen bases as he had last year.  Not to mention that he is nailing the ball this spring.

Now on to my dream team outfield bench (in no particular order):

Andrew McCutchen: In addition to being hilarious, and a face of the MLB, this guy is FAST, gets on base, steals bases, drives in runs, and is a leader.  I LOVE fast guys who get on base when it comes to fantasy.  And Cutch plays with 100% intensity at all times.

Michael Bourn: Speaking of fast, Bourn also falls in this category.  I am still bummed that he is not in a Phillies uniform this year, but I am excited to see him do great things for Terry Francona!

A final bench spot would be a fight between Bryce Harper and a long-time favorite Curtis Granderson.  I just don’t know if I could cheer for Harper all year, and am afraid that as he gets more ‘cred’ in the league, he is going to start flapping his mouth too much.  And then I would just straight hate him, and could not even think of cheering for a Nat.  Honestly, the whole ‘Natitude’ thing rubs me the wrong way.  And they are beyond obnoxious to Phillies fans.  Ok, I digress.  So, at the end of the day, Granderson just may win out that last spot.  He is a great, reliable veteran player who I want to see succeed…

Being that I do not have any Phillies in my outfield, I just want to throw in that I think Dominic Brown is going to have a monster breakout year, so definitely draft him and be proud of it.  I am not sure what spots on my ‘fantasy’ fantasy team I will fill in next, but definitely tweet, email or send me a Facebook message if you have any thoughts after reading this.  After all, in addition to being entertaining, these discussions also serve as a good way to prepare for your upcoming draft

Punked...

It's one week+ out from our amazing trip to Arizona.  I am still reliving every moment over and over as I see new friends who haven't heard about my trip with the MLB Fancave 30 yet.  And it never gets old!!  Here is one of the funniest things that happened on the trip.  We got 'Punked' only not by Ashton Kutcher, but by Jay Bruce.  He was awesome and I am excited to watch him play this year having met him.  I don't know about drafting him first in fantasy, but I will draft him and will cheer for him! 
I have heard from multiple friends and family that they have seen this prank on MLB Network, on CNN/ SI Hot Clicks, the MLB Fancave home page obviously... So it's getting a lot of laughs.  The guys who come up with these ideas for the Fancave are brilliant!  They are so creative and come up with these ideas left and right.
Ok, enjoy your viewing experience:

http://mlbfancave.mlb.com/fancave/video.jsp?content_id=25627335&topic_id=19224580&fbid=9f3xgdfNanm

And as usual, love feedback so email me, tweet me (@tinelorigo), facebook message me, etc. and let me know what you think!! 
-CL

Video recap of Fancave30 in Arizona... Amazing Trip

Did That Really Happen??

-->

It’s 11am, Noon, 1pm on a Thursday…

Somewhere in the middle of the country

Well, I said goodbye to the Fancave family this morning and am heading back home, back to reality.  I am somewhere mid country so time is irrelevant; pretty similar to how its been the past three days.  It is a weird feeling knowing that the 29 wonderful people (29 + all the great MLBFC staff) who I just shared the most amazing experience of my life with, will never all be together again.  But I am okay with that because we all have the memories and I feel lucky to have been a part of it at all.  Not sure how I am feeling right now… for one, I am definitely exhausted which kind of stinks because I will be up for the next 20 or so more hours as I work the night shift tonight.  I will plow through it fine though on my adrenaline and then have a massive sleep tomorrow, which I am already psyched about.  I am also feeling sad that this week is over, but on the same note very thankful to have made 29 new friends scattered all over the country and Canada.  And who also share the same passion of baseball with me.  And who knows… I could be spending all summer with some of those peeps in the Fancave aka ‘Baseball heaven’.  So, I guess it’s a bitter-sweet feeling.  Honestly, I am not nervous about the outcome because it is out of my control.  And whatever happens will work out for me.  I love my life in Boston, and would love my life in the Fancave.  I have frequently reminded myself this week of a quote I say often “Life happens… and all that I can control is how I react to it.”

While I am all over the place with my feelings, I have never been more proud to be a Phillies fan, representing my team amongst some of baseball’s most passionate fans.  And I have never felt more proud of myself for pursuing a dream and achieving all that I could have up until this point. 

The final night was great as would have guessed.  We all piled in the bus and went to Lucky Strike.  Again, a well planned and thoroughly thought out event, with bowling, catered food, drink, and good company.  We had four lanes and the entire back room of the joint to ourselves.  It definitely made all of us feel special as we took our pictures in front of the MLB Fancave backdrop screens hanging up (is that what you call them), and told stories of the past week, while relaxing and having fun.  It was neat to catch back up with all the Fancave staff too and show our appreciation for all they have done and talk in a more laid back environment.  While at Lucky Strike, I had a conversation with Danny, one of the other finalists, about how this has been one experience that we will never be able to express our gratitude for no matter how hard we try.  True story!!  After Lucky Strike all 30 of us hung out at the hotel, gave each other pep talks and agreed that we left it all on the table… and that at the end of the day regardless of what happens, have friends in multiple cities to bond over baseball with. 

This morning after a very little bit of sleep, I packed my stuff and headed to breakfast to say as many goodbyes as I could then took off for the airport.  Those of us on 9:55 flights had one last pow-wow in the airport and here I sit in the middle seat heading back to Boston.  I have had a great last week off of work; got to see my family, two adorable nephews, go on a trip to Arizona and live in a baseball bubble for three days.  So, going back to reality only seems fair.  I now just wait to hear back from the Fancave and in the mean time get to tell my stories to all my family and friends reminding myself of the important things in life that I am so thankful for.

I appreciate everyone who has supported me in this Fancave adventure.  You are all amazing and I know you will continue to support me regardless if I am sitting in the Fancave on opening day, or on my couch.  Either way, T minus 38 days until opening day!!  Woohoo!

Also, if you want a chuckle, check out the video posted of our parody of a Les Mis song that we made on Tuesday at Chase Field.  Pretty hilarious!!

http://mlbfancave.mlb.com/fancave/video.jsp?content_id=25607055&topic_id=19224580&fbid=AQDEAGJ4TTw

It's 5:00 PM on a Wednesday

-->

It’s 5:00 PM on a Wednesday…

In Arizona

You would never think we were in Arizona today though… it hailed.  Wowzer!  But it didn’t stop The Fancave 30.  We had stuff to accomplish and honestly, I don’t think that the weather would have phased any of us anyways.  We are all in such shock over our past few days, that rain, sun, snow… what’s the difference?  There is none!

So, today we split up into groups of ten and went to three different spring training sites.  My crew headed off to Goodyear, home of the Indians and the Reds, while the two other crews headed to Surprise and Salt River.  It was neat being in a smaller group because we got to know more about the people we were with, both finalists and Fancave staff.  It was really neat being at Goodyear and seeing their facilities.  Very nice for spring training if you ask me.  There weren’t many players on the fields because of the weather but we were lucky enough to meet Jay Bruce and film a skit with him.  He was such a good sport!  We did rapid fire trivia, where we ran up to him one by one and asked a quick one word answer question for him to answer.  His answers were pretty hilarious.  I asked him what round he would pick himself in fantasy baseball and he had the perfect answer “first”.  Obviously!  When asked what Disney princess he would date, he said The Little Mermaid. Haha.  Good answer… she is my favorite too.  We got to take pictures with him which was awesome to have for the memories.  I enjoyed meeting him and now have a tiny reason to cheer for the Reds, well maybe just Jay Bruce.

We then split up into teams of five and did a few challenges with our teams in which we filmed ourselves completing tasks that were given to us.  Hopefully I will be able to share those videos soon with my fan base, (or mom, dad and friends;) who read my blog.  We were sent out on our own with a camera and had 45 minutes to complete it.  I am psyched about our teams end result and can’t wait to see it… hoping they show them tonight at our event.  It was exciting to work under pressure and of course our free flowing adrenaline came in handy.

We then headed back to the hotel and had some downtime.  It was nice to all just hangout in a room and get to know each other better.  It’s really neat to just chill out with people whom you don’t know much about, yet you have so much in common.  We got to hear the stories of what the other finalists did today at the other parks. One of the finalists, Angela is a Royals fan and she definitely had the day of her life.  Got to meet some of the Royals and even got the hat off George Brett’s head.  I mean… that is cool!  More like unbelievable and amazing!!

Been hard to grasp all of the details but I am trying so that I can remember this forever and update folks who are interested in my adventures.  Getting ready to go bowling at Lucky Strike with everyone.  I am feeling pretty good about my bowling skills… Or maybe just in comparison to my karaoke skills, my bowling skills are looking pretty good. 

One last fun video to watch.  Here is a montage that was put together last night of all of our submission videos.  I could watch it a million times.  It’s so fun to watch the videos again now that we have met each other!   Check it out: http://mlbfancave.mlb.com/fancave/video.jsp?content_id=25606349&topic_id=19224580&fbid=c7kgNj1hMD_

Time to start stretching so I can be on my bowling game tonight.  More to come…

11:45 PM on a Tuesday

11:45 PM on a Tuesday

In Arizona…

Day 1 recap

It is kind of hard to call this a ‘recap’ because I don’t think I will be able to do this day justice in a blog… but I will try.  Starting off where my last update left off this morning, we all boarded a bus to Chase Field.  The bus ride was neat because it was the first time we were all together in one place.  There was good camaraderie immediately.  There was a lot of excited energy in the bus that continued to carry with all of us through out the day.  When we got to Chase Field, we were introduced to the MLB Fancave team.  They welcomed us to Arizona and gave a very inspiring speech about this experience and the process of getting to this point in the competition.

It was a very upbeat way to start the day.  It made me feel very proud of myself and proud of all my peers around me for making it this far.  It made me feel like there really is nothing I can’t achieve if I put my mind to it.  After this, we ate lunch and mingled with the Fancave Staff.  Everyone was so welcoming and down to earth.  I immediately felt comfortable with the surroundings and was thus able to truly be myself, which is what they encouraged us to do.  I then had an interview with about 15 of the staff.  It seemed intimidating walking into the room with them all sitting around in a horseshoe… my seat in the middle.  However, they were so laid back and just wanted to have a conversation with me.  I felt good about it!

Then we had our 60 second elevator pitch which involved the entire Fancave team again in a room that resembled the Price is Right.  I walked down the isle to the front where I stood in front of a microphone and a ‘gong’.  Gong would sound at one minute, and it was ‘go time’.  I was not as nervous as I thought I would be as I do like public speaking and I had just had my interview so felt loose and ready.  I tried my best to not sound rehearsed and be myself, which I think will show.   While other people did their interviews, the rest of us waited in a room together and bonded.  We did some talent show stunts, listened to music, chatted baseball, told some fun baseball memories, etc. 

We then got some more food and worked on shooting a fun skit around the park.  It was neat to go through the process of shooting a ‘commercial like skit’.  After this, we had dinner in the park, and then a fun game of trivia, and karaoke.  I mean… we were doing karaoke inside Chase Field.  Really?  It is just kind of unbelievable when you think about it.  Karaoke turned into a massive dance party with the finalists and a lot of bonding.  Afterwards, we took the bus back to the hotel and hung out for a while by the hot tub chatting. 

Something that strikes me about today is how much more comfortable I feel tonight than I did 24 hours ago.  Everyone here has so much to offer and I have learned something from every single cave dweller here.  I am also so impressed with how thorough and organized the Fancave team has been.  They are on their game and it feels like a compliment that they have put this much time and effort into this process and me.  Getting to know me, caring about why I am here, referencing things that I did during my campaign, etc.  It is evident that they care about all of us and are extremely dedicated to the Fancave and the process of filling it with great peeps. 

I am very tired but feel very fulfilled going to bed tonight.  I had a great time today and feel accomplished and proud of myself for all the effort I put in today.  Can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store.  Thanks for following my Fancave experience!  

It's 10 am on a Tuesday...

It’s 10 am on a Tuesday…

In Arizona (not Philadelphia)

Day 1 of MLB Fancave Spring Training

This is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!  No other way to describe it than that!  Last night still seemed surreal and ‘huh, what is going on’-esc.  It was exciting and overwhelming to meet 29, well 28 (we had one missing who didn’t fly in until late) new people all at once.  I felt like a little timid kid going to camp for the first time not knowing anyone.  Good news mom and dad, I survived!!

The best part of last night was meeting such animated people who were all as excited as I was, and who love baseball as much as I do.  I feel like we only touched on some fun baseball conversations, but that just adds excitement and anticipation for what we still have to discuss…

I can’t wait to talk to my fellow NL East pals about the dominant teams we have going into this season.  I mean, the Mets may not be a team to associate with the word dominance… but I am sure the two Mets fans here could gang up on me and beg to differ.  Braves and Nats are both going to have a good heated discussion about the potential dominance of their teams.  Unfortunately the Marlins are not represented here.  I am excited to talk to the Dodgers fans about all the ‘trash’ they received from the Sox last season and what they are expecting out of that.  I want to know what the Rangers fans think about Josh Hamilton.  Losing him, his latest statements, etc.

Wow, I am overwhelming myself.  So much to do in two days…

This morning we head to Chase field, Spring training home of the Diamondbacks for a welcome lunch and our 60 second elevator pitch and I am sure more fun thrown our way.  I like the adrenaline pumping to stay on my feet, not knowing what’s next or coming my way…

This is such a fun, once in a lifetime experience!  Maybe in three weeks I will actually be able to fully process it!  I am so thankful to be here and feel like a lucky girl today!  Never have I been more proud to be a Phillies fan!  Thank you MLB Fancave for everything.  This experience is priceless!   

One final thought, this experience reminds me a little of my favorite part in The Cutting Edge.  Doug (a former hockey player) and Kate (a figure skater) are about to go on the ice for a two minute figure skating routine.  Doug is very nervous and Kate is shaking him telling him to loosen up.  His response, ‘I am this nervous at the beginning of every hockey game, but five minutes in, I am fine’.  Kate ‘our routine is only two minutes long’.  Doug ‘then I will be fine three minutes after it ends’.    I am Doug… three weeks from now this will all set in and I will be able to put my feelings into words.  For now, take my word for it… AMAZING! UNBELIEVABLE!

My ten fav players in the MLB

On my flight to Arizona I decided to have a little fun to help me sit still for five hours.  I made a list of my ten favorite current players in the MLB.  The reason I like each of these players is completely random, and they are not in any specific order.  So, here we go…

1)   Roy Halladay (Phillies): Ok, how can I not start with this workhorse?  I just love how intense he is all the time.  He has great composure and is always dedicated to making himself, and everyone around him, a better pitcher. He is a role model to all pitchers, Phillies and non-Phillies.  I feel comfortable with him on the mound.  I know that he has been battling injury recently but I feel confident that he will be the first to let the trainers know when something ‘isn’t quite right’.  He just makes me want to run up the ‘Rocky steps’ in Philly with every piece of Phillies gear on that I own!

2)   RA Dickey (Blue Jays): I figured I would keep up the pitching theme and go with Dickey next.  His story is so inspiring that it is really hard not to like him.  He recently published a book “Wherever I Wind Up” that tells the story of his very troubled childhood and how hard he worked to get to where he is today.  He has overcome so much adversity in his life that it is hard to believe that he is as humble as he is with his recent success.   He is the only straight knuckleball pitcher left in the Major Leagues… and he doesn’t even have an ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm.  He was told so many times in his life that he wouldn’t succeed at baseball.  In my eyes, he just continues to defy the odds and is the model of someone who was persistent at pursuing his dreams.  True inspiration!!

3)   Josh Hamilton (Angels): While talking inspirational stories, makes sense to go with Hamilton next.  He also wrote a book about his life struggles, called ‘Beyond Belief’.  His story really is unbelievable, and in a different way then Dickey’s.  He had a pretty ‘normal’ childhood and was always a baseball star.  However, when getting hurt early in his professional career, he slowly spiraled down the path of alcoholism, to the point of almost killing him.  After hearing him talk about near death experiences, its amazing that he could not only recover, but recover and win a home run derby, hit four home runs in a game, lead his team to a World Series, etc.  I can’t imagine how hard it is to keep his head up with all the negativity that people throw his way.  I know that I get very defensive when people talk sh*@*$ about him (same as with Michael Vick).  Don’t try me… I think that those who have, would second that.  Ha

4)   Juan Pierre (Marlins):  Juan Pierre defines my favorite type of player to watch, and to also have on my fantasy team.  I love guys who get on base, regardless of how, who can steal bags on any pitcher, and who keep everyone in the field on their toes.  You never know what Juan Pierre is going to do when he is on the base pads!  I know, I know... his arm in the outfield is a downfall, but he is always working on it.  He dives for every ball that comes his way, and his play never lacks effort.  I read Tim Kurkjen’s book and will never forget a story he told about Pierre.  He talked about how he is the first one to show up to the field everyday.  He recalled a time that he witnessed Pierre being the only one in the park hours before a game, rolling a ball down the foul ball line over and over to study the movement a ball will take when hit down the line.  I have to admit, I shed a few tears when he left the Phillies in the off season.  He is a reality, and a fantasy steal!

5)   Dustin Pedroia (Redsox): Sticking with small fast guys here… Dustin Pedroia is a player who never comes to the park without his game face on, and never leaves without a dirty uniform.  He plays 100%, one hundred percent of the time.  His energy projects into the stands in Fenway park, thus he has the potential to motivate every player in the dugout as well.  Unfortunately the Redsox have had a toxic clubhouse the past few years, so he hasn’t been able to rally players like he is capable.  All last year, I just felt sorry for Pedroia with all the controversy and negativity that surrounded the team.  That just isn’t how he rolls!  I am hoping that the new faces in the Sox clubhouse, specifically John Farrell and Shane Victorino, can help Pedroia define leadership.  Dustin Pedroia is also made of steal… rarely gets hurt or complains about an ailment!

6)   Shane Victorino (Redsox): Since I just mentioned Victorino, makes sense for him to be next.  I have always loved Victorino for his great personality and attitude.  Every time he is on the field, you can tell that he loves the game of baseball, that he is having fun, and that he is living his dream.   He also falls into the category of a fast guy, who gets himself on base.  And his defense is exciting; he never fails to make a ‘web gem’ worthy catch.  He is also very involved off the field in charity work and other events in the community.  He has done a lot of work speaking out in support of ADHD diagnosis and treatment and has made himself a role model for those who suffer from it.  And yes, I also shed a tear when he was left the Phillies.  I did scream my head off cheering for him when I went to Dodger stadium last year though…

7)   Carlos Ruiz (Phillies): CHOOOOOOOCH!  Chooch is probably my favorite current player on the Phillies.  He has been Mr. Clutch the past few years.  Last year, he led the Phillies in hitting and was probably the only player on the team who didn’t go through a massive hitting slump. And his plays at the plate take my breath away.  He plays with NO fear! Last year at Spring Training he threw a baseball up to me in the stands from the bullpen and it made my day.  If only he spoke English, maybe we could have had a conversation.  Haha.  And he has the best nickname in the MLB! 

8)   Ian Kinsler (Rangers): Ian Kinsler has been my fantasy second baseman for three years in a row, and he has been a consistent corner for me.  He is definitely one of those players who is a good fantasy player and reality player. I have seen him play tons of times in Fenway and he is exciting to watch; very dynamic player who keeps his cool in the media and on the field.  He was also very supportive of Josh Hamilton during his time in Texas. You can feel his passion when you watch him play.  And I love how he always wears old school short pants with his socks up.    

9)   Andrew McCutchen (Pirates): Obviously he also falls into the category of a speedy player who gets on base, and is unpredictable on the base pads.  I will never forget watching him round all four bases in his rookie year in some insane amount of record time.  He is a very well rounded player; you can tell he is insanely athletic along with having innate baseball talent.  Off the field, he has a great sense of humor and is interactive with fans, making the game more fun for everyone.  He has done some hilarious stuff with the MLB Fancave and I definitely listened to some of his advice prior to submitting my 2013 application.  Thanks Cutch! 

10)                    Derek Jeter (Yankees): Who doesn’t respect Derek Jeter?  I honestly get so heated when people wear those stupid shirts “Jeter Sucks” and/or talk about hating him, etc.  It’s just SO annoying!  What is there to hate?  He is one of the best baseball players of all time.  He is so humble and well spoken.  He gives his all every time he steps on the field.  He is turning 39 this year, and is still thought of as one of the best players in the game.  I put people who say they hate him in the category of people who say they hate Payton Manning.  These people just hate people who are good.  Stop drinking the Hatorade people and respect good baseball!!

Like I said, this list is completely random.  I just put it together for fun and to pass time.  Some of the honorable mentions on my list include: Robinson Cano, Kung Foo Panda, Evan Longoria, Cliff Lee, Paps, Sergio Romo.

If you have any thoughts after reading this, feel free to tweet, email, or send me a Facebook message.  I love talking about this stuff.  Fun stuff to debate!

#MLBFC 30...

Speechless?!?  Yes, I think for the first time in my life I have been speechless the past two days.  Or maybe I have just been unable to organize my thoughts enough to put them into words.  Whatever the case, these past two weeks have been a whirlwind that I would sign up to live through again and again.   Two weeks ago I was in jury duty when I found out I was in the top 50 finalists for the MLB Fancave.  Since that day, let me summarize what has occurred.  I have worked 5 night shifts, one of which was a 16 hour shift into a day shift, worked 5 day shifts, served three days of jury duty, got buried in a blizzard, drove through it to work, spent endless hours campaigning myself into the MLB Fancave top 30 finalist, celebrated a birthday, lived, breathed and dreamt baseball (not that much sleep has occurred).

So, now as I sit in my Jetblue seat with a broken TV, I am taking a deep breath to try and put my thoughts into words.  First off, I am overwhelmed thinking about the amount of people who have done amazing things for me in the past two weeks.  Friends, friends of friends, The Phillies organization, The MLB Fancave, my family, people I haven’t talked to in years, people I have never met have all been a part of this journey with me.  I am so thankful to have all this support as I am in the midst of living out a lifelong dream to work in the world of sports.  I would have never dreamed of getting a package in the mail from the Phillies with a personalized jersey, or being promoted on The Phillies Facebook page or twitter feed.  And now I am sitting on a plane with a suitcase packed full of Phillies gear, and of course great jeans and fun shoes, in preparation for Spring Training in Arizona with the MLB Fancave and other 29 finalists.

Many friends who are on the brink of loving baseball as they live through this experience with me, want to know what is next.  All I know is that I will spend three days in Arizona doing a lot of work, while having a blast with 29 new friends who I know as ‘@.....’ via our two week old twitter relationships bonding over our love of baseball.  It is now up to me being myself, to get into that Fancave to represent the Phillies, and finish out the rest of this dream.   The 30 of us will work together to figure out who the ideal cave dwellers will be for the 2013 season to represent the fans of baseball in the MLB Fancave in NYC.  I have my computer, my iphone, itouch, etc. with me, and will be updating everyone from Arizona via Twitter, Youtube, Facebook… all things social media. 

I have felt a full range of emotions from elated, to anxious, to overwhelmed, to beyond grateful, to exhausted, to proud, to pure excitement over the past two weeks.  I get to spend the next three days with my family who are the best support system I could ask for.  They allow me to pursue my dreams.  I get to see the two little faces that make me smile most in my nephews.  And when Monday comes, I head out to Arizona to spend three days ‘everything baseball’.  I can’t remember a time I felt this content.  And no matter what happens from here, I will have no regrets. 

  Now, Phillies fans and baseball fans (wait, aren’t they the same thing), LET’S DO THIS!!  I love The Phillies and the game of baseball even more today than I did yesterday!!  And I want you to as well.  #PutChristineInTheCave  #MLBFC30

-CL

In honor of a 'fancaving' conversation on Twitter tonight, I am reposting my Carl Crawford rant, originally written in January of 2012.  I have not made one edit to this... I will tell you, that I have been wrong before, but not about this one.  Carl Crawford is over rated!!! No offense to any of his fans!
So, here you go:

For those of you who need a distraction from being sour grapes over your squad missing the Super Bowl, here comes a baseball related rant.  After all, pitchers and catchers report in less than a month…

If you live in Boston, you have definitely heard of 98.5 The Sports Hub and are hopefully able to listen to the station on a regular basis (and if you don’t, you should).  All four daily shows have unique redeeming qualities that make me a dedicated listener.  Each host is as entertaining as the next and much of their time is spent arguing with each other and analyzing every detail of Boston sports. The hosts on the afternoon show, Phelger and Mazz, are known for their colossal rants for which they scream at the microphone about a single topic to the point that blood vessels burst in their foreheads.  Following Phelg and Mazz, comes the solo host of the evening show, Damon Amendolara (AKA DA).  Every night at the end of his show, DA picks a call that qualifies as the epic failure of the night.  It is usually a rambling caller who doesn’t know what they are talking about.  As these failure callers go on and on it becomes apparent that they are clueless, most likely just calling in to hear their own voice.  These are usually the people who DA has to tell to turn their own radio down because you can hear it in the background.

So, in honor of my favorite peeps on the radio, I am about to embark on a rant about Carl Crawford and why his signing by the Redsox was an epic failure.  I have been his least favorite fan ever since I wasted my first round fantasy baseball draft pick on him in 2008.  He was a terrible fantasy pick and I couldn’t get rid of him for anyone that season.  He underperformed and over disappointed.  He messed up my team and my season and made my blood pressure rise every night.  He was one of those players that I was afraid to take out of my lineup for fear that would be the day he had a monster night, steal four bags, hit two homeruns and two doubles.  And then I would have to stare at those stats on my bench all week as I was behind in my match-up by one stolen base and two homeruns.  You know that feeling?  It stinks!

Just like Crawford!!  His numbers may look good at the end of the season, but they come in sporadic doses.  He is very streaky and inconsistent.  He will steal twenty bags in one week, and then go on a slump for a month.  He is far from a role model for his teammates and in fact, couldn’t be a leader if he tried.  This year, when questioned by the media after a controversial loss, his response was ‘I am not the one with the ‘C’ on my jersey’ and referred them to Tek.  Seriously??? Who says that?  NOT a leader, that is for sure.  If you don’t know me, you may try to call me a Monday morning quarterback, but trust me, I was the first to question the Sox monster signing of Crawford last offseason.  Every baseball fan disagreed with me, and blamed me for being a negative Sox fan.   My friends were like “well, you only care about the Phillies anyways…” 

Well, well, well… come the middle of the 2011 season some people started jumping on my bandwagon and my argument suddenly didn’t seem so irrational.  And come end of the season, after arguably the greatest collapse in baseball history, most people were on my bandwagon and were feeling disappointed with Crawford’s production.  And of course most recently to top it off, we find out about an off season wrist injury that needs surgery?!?  Things that make you go ‘hmmmmm’!!  So as DA would say, signing Carl Crawford to a seven year, 142 million dollar deal with a 6 million dollar signing bonus, was an EPIC FAILURE!!!  An epic failure!  And while I am on a tear, it feels good to also throw in that JD Drew and Dice-K were close seconds in the land of Redsox epic failures!!

I realize this baseball rant comes at an odd time of year with the Super Bowl right around the corner, so I won’t finish without throwing in my two cents on the big game.  I still firmly believe that offense wins games, defense wins championships.  Hear that as you wish…

Who Doesn't LOVE baseball??

If you know me well, you were probably already anticipating this blog. Yep, it is my annual blog where I remind you that being a fan of baseball is the best type of fan to be. For starters, the gap between the Super Bowl and Opening Day is close to non-existent. Within two to three days of the Super Bowl, dedicated baseball fans watch their equipment truck take off from home base, and land at their team’s designated Spring Training site. Then within days of that ‘holiday’, it is time for pitchers and catchers to report. Just the mere thought of the players on the diamond creates anticipation of a new season, and Opening Day just around the corner. With a new baseball season, comes spring, summer and everything else that makes baseball ‘America’s sport’. I often hear people complain that baseball is ‘boring’ or that ‘the season is too long’ or the ‘game is too slow’. To that, I DISAGREE and thus beg to differ. I perceive it as a challenge to change your opinion, and make you appreciate every pitch, anticipate every play, and enjoy each summer night spent in a ballpark. Where the casual fan experiences boredom, the baseball fan experiences excitement and suspense.
If you think that baseball is boring, I want you to think about a few things that may help you gain a better understanding of the game and thus appreciation for the sport. Yes, the season is long: 162 games long per team and 2430 games long per MLB season. It is not realistic for anyone to watch every game, unless of course you are a lucky cave dweller in the MLB Fancave, which I strive to be in 2013. However, you need to realize how much work the players and coaches put in each day to keep up with this volume of competition and strain on one’s body. There is no time to rest, recover from a cold, go on a vacation, or ‘take your head out of the game’. Thus, the life of an MLB player is admirable and says a lot about one’s character. In addition, once the season starts, baseball is always there for you as a fan. Once you fall in love with a team like the Phillies, you can look forward to a game almost every day of the week. The Phillies play after a bad day at work, they play on a boring Sunday afternoon, they play on a 70 degree Friday night. They are friends in your living room day after day, regardless if you screamed obscenities at them the night before. Of course, I am not promising that your team won’t break your heart once, twice or 100 times…but that is all part of the fun. It isn’t exciting if your squad always wins 10-0.
Once you discipline yourself to actually ‘watch’ a game, you start to realize how hard it is to play baseball. It takes a lot of precision and concentration to throw a ball in the strike zone at 90 mph; and not just once, but sometimes over 100 times per game. Keep in mind that the strike zone changes for each player that comes to the plate. Have you ever tried to catch a foul ball at a game? Think about having to dive for one in the outfield, with the sun in your eyes, as it is carried by a 20 mph wind gust. Then having to stand up while seeing double and have to make a split second decision as to where your best play is…This is NOT easy and takes a talented and focused player to do so on a major league level. There is a ton of strategy in each play of baseball. As a player, you have to know your opponents individually. Who is a likely steal? Who covers a lot of ground in the outfield? Who throws a nasty sinker? Who should be walked intentionally? Instead of watching a game and feeling bored, think about all these things and appreciate each play. Learn what a balk is, ask why a pitcher would intentionally load the bases with two outs in an inning, understand why a pinch runner would come in the game in the ninth. Don’t just be a passive fan; become part of the game. Once you start to appreciate multiple aspects of the game, you will realize that what once made baseball seem slow, is really what makes it intense and suspenseful. You have to wait between pitches to see the next play, you have to pay attention at all times to catch a good steal, etc. Eventually you will find yourself biting your nails off or plowing through a bag of peanuts to help with the feelings of angst when watching a game.
On top of all that the actual game has to offer, there is nothing like spending a summer afternoon or evening in a ball park. As a friend and I have embarked on our mission to watch a game in every MLB park, I have learned to appreciate the things in each park. The museum of Yankee stadium, each seat facing home plate in Citifield, the bar in the outfield at US Cellular, the Liberty bell that rings at The Bank every time a home run is hit, the good ole Fenway Frank, the fans and traditions that each park holds…These are all things that keep a fan coming back day after day; year after year.


I realize that everyone isn’t going to fall in love with baseball as much as I have, but as the 2013 season unfolds, promise me one thing. Slow down, take a look around the diamond, take a deep breath in, and try to appreciate the little things the game has to offer. And at the end of the day, becoming a Phillies fan may also help you learn to love the game.