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.

MLB Fancave... Chasing a dream!

“It’s only weird if it doesn’t work”. 

Or so that is what Anheuser-Busch says in their witty commercials.  If you thought that the idea of me carrying around a neon orange sign all last baseball season stating “MLB Fancave 2013 I want you” was weird, I beg to differ!

I found out last Thursday that I have been selected as one of 52 finalists to be a cave dweller in the MLB Fancave for the 2013 season.  Since last Thursday, my life has been a whirlwind.  I haven’t slept, I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything, and I haven’t strayed from conversation involving me getting into the MLB Fancave.   I initially learned of the news while serving as juror number one, on day number two of a case in Superior Court.  I saw a text message from a good friend that simply stated “I think I saw the orange sign?” I immediately froze, possibly stopped breathing for a few seconds, and then started shaking.  I had to wait another half hour before the judge gave us a break to actually see the announcement from the MLB Fancave myself.  I was thrilled, stunned, honored, speechless, and yes, I had less than ten minutes to regroup and lead my fellow jurors back into the court room.

Since that moment, everything has felt surreal.  Text messages, emails, Facebook messages, and tweets came pouring in.  I have never felt so thankful in my life; the amount of support and encouragement that I have received has been overwhelming.  To top it all off, a representative from the Phillies contacted me to congratulate me.  I mean, my favorite team in all of sports was calling me… could this be real?? And the MLB Fancave was following me on twitter??  Following me??   

I am still not sure if I am dreaming, but I really do hope not.  I have put so much time and energy into my campaign because however this ride ends, I want no regrets.  I have always been one to see my goal and stare it in the face until I have achieved it.  So that is what I am going to do.  I always tell the kids I work with that you are never too old to dream, and that no dream is ever too big to pursue.  I am now putting my own advice into action.

As I stated in my Fancave application essay, I have fallen in love with the game of baseball.  It is a game that has never let me down, that is there for me every summer night, and returns without fail every spring.  And it is my dream to spend a season in what one would consider ‘Baseball Heaven’ with people who love the game as much as I do.  MLB Fancave, I want you and I won’t let you down!   I have never been one to care much about my birthday, but this year it falls one day after the Fancave announces the 30 finalists they will take to Spring Training.  I definitely know what I want for my birthday this year… and it is priceless!

 "People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." - Rogers Hornsby  

-CL

Young vs. Veteran QBs

This past weekend defined playoff football.  It involved improbable comebacks, amazing young quarterback talent, a double overtime game, upsets, set records, and most importantly to the fans, constant excitement.   As an already mourned and healed (as much as possible) Eagles fan, I watched diligently with nothing at stake but my own entertainment.   And wow, was I entertained.

As I watched these four amazing games, something that stood out was the difference in play between the younger quarterbacks and the veteran quarterbacks.  The newer NFL QBs are explosive, with a lot of running, jumping, and diving in their game.   In addition, the level of fear seems non-existent for example, in young Kaepernick and Wilson, as they play every down as if it is their last.   The defensive cores are not as adjusted to this type of flashy play, thus these younger quarterbacks are having successful outcomes so far.  In comparison, Brady and Manning, two veteran quarterbacks, are most comfortable and productive standing protected in the pocket.  Despite the differences in these offensive strategies, the outcomes of both are outstanding and fun to watch.

In thinking about these differences in execution, it is interesting to think about what qualities make up an ideal franchise quarterback.  While Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick have proved they can compete in the NFL, they both leave me wondering how long they can stay healthy with their aggressive nature of play.  In addition, Kaepernick especially, worries me that his ability to make quick decisions could easily lend him vulnerable to picks and turnovers.  After watching these young quarterbacks play, Brady and Manning seemed almost boring in comparison with their ‘old school ways’ of working in the pocket.  Despite frequently making fun of Brady for his ‘sissy slide’ and at times, non aggressive play, he manages to stay healthy through an entire season and postseason.  In addition, when the ball is in his hands, I always have confidence that he is going to take care of it and get it where it needs to go.  Despite looking routine and awkward at times, Brady gets things done consistently, wins games and wins championships.   I am curious to see if the position of quarterback is overall changing into one of a more aggressive nature, where one needs to possess the qualities of a running back in addition to a precise arm in order to survive in the NFL.  Or if this ‘fad’ will end when these younger ‘fearless’ guys start getting injured and are thus forced to be more conservative.

Lastly and unrelated in regards to this past weekend of football, I can’t help but to comment on post-game press conference outfits.  Brady looked like a pretty boy model out of GQ magazine; too pretty if you ask me.  Wilfork looked like he walked straight out of a rap video, Schaub looked like an uptight lawyer after a stressful day in court, Kaepernick looked like he should be clubbing in Miami all tatted up, and Belichick , well he looked like his usual disheveled self.   

Who's on First? Red Sox Offseason...

With these unusually warm January days, I can already smell Fenway Franks in the air.  This premature spring fever serves as a small reminder that before we know it pitchers and catchers will report, spring training will start, and opening day will be upon us.  This makes me giddy, excited, and anxious at the same time.  For Boston fans, there is a lot of uncertainty about how the team will come out of the gate, thus anxiety is high on the list of feelings when thinking about opening day.

A lot happened in the offseason, but it’s hard to find an underlying theme.  In my mind, the Red Sox offseason actually started last August and has all along has been more about what they have gotten rid of than what they have gained.  Some would refer to their trade with the Dodgers last August as the biggest trade in baseball history.  I think of it as the most successful purge in baseball history.  They got rid of attitudes, laziness, and a lot of cash.  Bye bye Beckett, Crawford, Gonzalez, and Punto… don’t let the door hit you on the way out!!  That day was the first time last season I felt like I wanted to cheer for the team.  It was more fun to cheer for random guys you never heard of, than to cheer for losers and over rated players. 

The end of the 2012 season and the end of the Valentine era could NOT have come soon enough.  And with that, came the hiring of new skipper, John Farrell.  This move was probably the most logical of the entire off season.  For one, Farrell is a familiar face and one that is well liked in Boston.  Secondly, and more importantly in my mind, he was previously the pitching coach of the Sox.  Pitching is what wins championships, and the Sox did not do much to improve their pitching, that was lackluster at best last year.  I am counting on Farrell to bring out the best in Buchholz, Lester, ahem Lackey (I won’t even get started on Lackey).  Dempster, the one addition to the starting rotation, is 36 and inconsistent.  I am not sure that they were thinking this one through.  The Sox need an ace.  An ace!!  Why didn’t they go after someone like Greinke or last season CJ Wilson.  Or just to make a point (as I would clearly not agree with this move as a Phillies fan), why wouldn’t they give up an injury prone Ellsbury while he is still valuable and go after someone like Cole Hamels??  And let’s be honest, the Sox have not had good luck shopping in Japan, yet they picked up Koji Uehera a 37 year old Japanese reliever.  I don’t know much about him, but I already don’t trust him.  Most recently, they did acquire Joel Hanrahan to close out games instead of Andrew Bailey, however this now leaves them with two ‘should be closers’ to shank in relief and cause a lot of frustration (Bard also falls in this category).  So, bottom line is that I am counting on Farrell to do something with all this mess that awaits the bump in Fenway Park this year. 

So far, I have been pretty negative in my twisted opinion of what the Sox are trying to accomplish going into 2013. There are some positives though.  As a long time Phillies fan, one of my obvious favorites would be the addition of Shane Victorino.  I am not sure how much fans realize that he is a very likeable guy.  He will be a positive influence in the clubhouse, a leader, a face in the community, and a tough player who brings 100 % to every game of the season.  He is the cohort that Pedroia needs to rally the team, the personality that Remy and Orsillo need to keep it interesting in the booth, and the guy to count on to play in every game.  Along with Victorino, the Sox picked up Jonny Gomes who is also supposedly a ‘good clubhouse guy’, and catcher David Ross.  They clearly weren’t targeting young guys to rebuild for the future, but yet instead positive attitudes and hard workers. 

In discussing the offseason, it can’t go unmentioned that the Sox will always have a weakness at shortstop.  It is beyond me why they would sign Stephen Drew, brother of JD Drew who is one of the biggest disappointments in Red Sox history, to fill that never ending void at shortstop.  We can only hope that Stephen doesn’t have as many complaints, ailments and missed games that his older brother did.  I was SO relieved when the sox rid of that waist of space they used to throw in right field, and now I have to hold my breath again watching the latest ‘Drew disaster’ unfold.  

I can honestly say that I have no idea what to expect out of this team in 2013.  One thing I do know is that there is still an empty corner to be filled, and Opening day is less than three months away.  Let’s hope that we aren’t sitting in Fenway on April 8^th saying “Who’s on First?”

-CL

MLB Fancave Experience... One great night!!

As an adult, there are few opportunities that give you the chance to do something that makes you feel like a kid again.  There are less and less things that give you that giddy excitement that prevents you from being able to sit still, that give you nervous energy, and that leave you smiling and talking about it non-stop for days after.  That is why I felt so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend last Friday at the MLB Fancave in NYC.  I got to experience all those feelings, just like I did when I was a kid on Christmas eve. 

For those of you who don’t know what the Fancave is… shame on you!  But I will explain it so that you can follow along.  The MLB describes The Fancave on the website as something that ‘allows fans to interact with the game in an entirely new way’.  It “hosts fan events, concerts, MLB player and celebrity appearances, as well as the nine Cave Dwellers who are attempting to watch every game of the 2012 MLB season while chronicling their experiences online through videos, blogs and social media.”

When I first heard about the Fancave last year, it became something I dreamed about and thought of as way out of my reach.  When I first mentioned the idea of applying to be a cave dweller for this season, I wasn’t really intending on following through with the application.  However, my friends and family convince d me that The MLB Fancave seemed made for someone like me due to my love of baseball, and passion to work in sports down the road.    So I applied, however much like other aspiring cave dwellers, I was surprised when I pressed ‘submit’ and then found out I needed to include a two minute video.  I rushed to make one before the application deadline, however I didn’t have enough time to be as creative as I would like, and unfortunately didn’t win in 2012.

As the 2012 season unfolded, I became engrossed with following the happenings at the Cave as well as following and getting to know the nine cave dwellers.  I talked to a bunch of friends about a ‘marketing’ approach for being in the Fancave in 2013 and decided that I would start my campaign on day 1.  I made what is now a signature neon orange sign and started carrying it around, and taking pictures with it at every baseball related stop I made starting with Spring Training in March.  The sign has met some stars of the MLB including Justin DeFratus of the Phillies, Larry Lucchino, Don Orisillo, and also been to a ton of games in a handful of different parks this season.  It has become a Where’s Waldo on Twitter and maybe even an annoyance to the cave dwellers who I have tweeted a ridiculous amount of times. 

Along with my campaign, I have got to know the cave dwellers by following them on social media, mostly twitter.  Prior to getting to meet them last week, they had become almost reality stars in my world.  Thus, you can only imagine my excitement when I bid on ‘The MLB Fancave Experience’ in The Jimmy V Auction and actually won.  Yes, I was going to get to go to the MLB Fancave for the night and hang out.  It has been hard to explain to others how excited I was about this opportunity.  Other than being a great addition to my campaign, I couldn’t wait to meet the cave dwellers that I have followed all year, hear their stories, see all the awesome memorabilia in the cave, watch all 15 MLB games at once, and talk hours of baseball with people who love the game as much as I do.  The five year old kid in me came out, and I was thrilled to be so lucky!!

So, you can only imagine the excited nervous energy I had last Friday as I made my way to NYC via car, then train.  I about drove all my friends crazy in the meantime, but my two good friends who came with me to the cave were able to feel my excitement and lived in the excitement with me.  Our night at the cave began shortly before the 7:05 starts and ended after the last west coast game was over around 2 am.  The night was everything I had been excited about and more.  I was jaw dropped for the first hour or so and in awe that we were actually there.  The three remaining cave dwellers, Ashley, Ricardo and Kyle, were so awesome; everything I imagined them to be like after following them for 5 months online.  They were engaging, passionate, funny, so welcoming and laid back.  We just hung out in the cave like we were hanging out on our own couches, but we had the ‘Cave Monster’ with 15 big screen TVs, and other passionate baseball fans to watch games with.  It was ‘Baseball heaven’ as one of the dwellers described it, with baseball everywhere all the time. 

I can see why the three cave dwellers who are left are still there and I know that they will be successful in their futures.  I can also see myself in the MLB Fancave next year, every single day of the 2013 season, enjoying every minute of it.  And if I win next year, I will never miss a home run slide rally parade!
-CL

West Coast MLB park tour 2012

Happy First Sunday of football everybody!  You would think that my blog today would be football related, especially since I am on the verge of my fantasy baseball season being over not making the playoffs for the first time EVER, but I am still in baseball mode folks.  In addition to this Friday being the day I go to the MLB Fancave, I just returned from 2012’s Ballpark tour out West.  On a mission to hit up all thirty parks in major league baseball, one of my best friends and I have become the Siskel and Ebert of MLB parks.  With each new park we visit, we find something new to appreciate about parks we have already been to in comparison, and of course we learn to appreciate something new about the game of baseball.  And as we are walking out of each respective park, we always say to each other “I love Fenway”. 

So, the first park we hit up in California was Petco Park in San Diego.  It was a day game against the Braves and the weather was perfect.  We stayed in the hotel connected to the park so the process of pre-gaming and getting to and from the game could not have been easier.  Both the park and the hotel were new, clean, and modern.  All things that are very important to me!!  I am not much of an ‘old charm’ type of person (with the exception of Fenway charm). Before the game we had lunch and drinks at a great little sports bar where we sat outside and enjoyed the city of San Diego.  So far, all this would make you think that Petco was my favorite park, but I should have known that something was up the night before when we arrived into town and the Padres game had just ended.  The streets around the park did not flood with people as they do when a game ends in Fenway, and the people that were on the streets were all decked out in Braves gear.  Hmmmmm….  So as we sat behind home plate in amazing seats, beers quickly in hand because there were no lines, we quickly realized “wow, this place really lacks in atmosphere” in terms of engaging the crowd.  There was no music played between innings, no fun games on the big screen to engage the casual fan who could care less about the game, minimal announcing, and very few people there who even cared about the Padres or could name more than one player on the team.  Not to mention, that we didn’t see one person eating peanuts or a hotdog the whole game.  HUH??  At the end of the day, the convenience, cleanliness, comfort level of the park were amazing, but if you want a down and dirty ballpark experience with ballpark food and real fans, Petco is not the place for you.

Next, we drove up the coast to Anaheim to see our beloved tanking Redsox take on the Angels.  Now for those of you who aren’t aware of geography (like myself), Anaheim is pretty set off from action and is a good 45 minutes to an hour outside the city of LA.  Needless to say, there is not much to do around the park and accessibility is definitely not a strength of Angel stadium.  Case in point, it was five dollars to park which tells you something about location.  There were a few bars and restaurants nearby however, and the area around the park appeared safe.   We pre-gamed at a hole in the wall local gem that one of my favorite Fancave dwellers recommended to us.  We were shocked and pleased when the bill came and beers and mixed drinks were a whopping four dollars.  We did however enter the park hungry and were not happy to see that the food options were slim.  I will take the blame for that one though… not the fault of the park!  Honestly though, there isn’t much to note about Angel Stadium.  I compare it to watching a baseball game in RFK, which was the home of the Nationals their first few years.  There were definitely more fans of baseball at the Angels game which was nice, however oddly enough it seemed to be 50/50 Redsox to Angels fans which I thought was a little strange.  We ran into Don Orsillo before the game just hanging out, talking to fans in the park, which did make for an exciting night before the game even started.  Once at our seats, we noticed a lot more fan engagement than at Petco Park.  It was interesting because everyone around us appeared to have brought their own food… ziplock bags of peanuts, and candy, homemade sandwiches, etc.  It was kind of funny to watch, however I guess I was jealous because I left the park hungry!!  After the game, the schlepp to our hotel in LA was not ideal but of course we were glad we made the stop in Anaheim and got to see some AMAZING players on the diamond.  The Angels have one good squad despite their slightly disappointing season.  That is really what the whole night was about… baseball 101 would be my theme of the experience.

Our next endeavor was Dodger Stadium, also referred to as Chavez Ravine (who knew).  We had a day off between the Angels and Dodgers game to explore LA, go to the beach, shop Rodeo Drive, etc.  As we explored LA, we asked multiple people about where we should go before the game to get the ‘Dodger experience’.  It was interesting because everyone we asked, would hesitate, and then spat out “Well, there is this dive bar called Short Stop that people go to?”   Always with a question mark at the end. That definitely raised a red flag for us, but we were determined to try it.  We should have known what we were getting into when we drove past it multiple times in broad daylight, despite the GPS stating that we had reached our destination.  Our destination was a black narrow building, with no windows and no sign, that looked like it had been shut down ten years ago following a crime scene investigation.  We walked in anyways, and even sat down at the bar.  I think that we were both trying to ‘roll with it’ but honestly, I was a little scerrrred.  First of all, I couldn’t even see a foot in front of me because it was so dark.  Secondly, there was this random room next to the bar that had no tables and people sitting around the edges of the room like they were waiting in line at a DMV or something.  It was hard to comprehend what that room was all about though because you could barely see.  Ok, I am rambling on and on about this bar that we didn’t even get a drink in, but it makes the point that Dodger Stadium was in the GHETTO!!  Despite being in the ghetto however, the park had the most beautiful view of the mountains, the setting sun on the clear sky, and again perfect weather.  We sat in great seats, again behind home plate, and we were impressed with the food and drink options (which include Dodger Blue Margaritas that are bright blue).  Despite being the third oldest park in baseball, Dodger Stadium provided a great viewing experience.  It was hard to tell how into the game Dodgers fans really were, but there was a lot of fan engagement.   They played music to get people involved, it was ‘take your dog to the park day’, people were eating peanuts and drinking beer, and the majority of the fans were decked out in Dodgers gear.  I knew I was going to have fun at this game regardless for many reasons.  The week prior the Dodgers acquired four Redsox in a blockbuster trade and Beckett was on the mound, Shane Victorino, whom I will always love was recently acquired, The Diamondbacks had Tyler Skaggs on the mound who is one of the best rookie pitching prospects right now…  Needless to say, I was a little rowdy at this game and had a GREAT time in Dodger Stadium. 

All of that being said, one of our most random observations at all the parks we have been too is that  there is a common thread of fans being obsessed with their team’s version of the Hawiian short sleeved collared shirt.  I am not even sure what else to say about that…  

Happy Sunday Funday to all!! 
-CL