TDA Bullpen - Our Writers' Blog

Sunday, September 14, 2003

Fun at Pac Bell
On Friday and Saturday I saw the Brewers play the Giants at Pac Bell Park. It's amazing what a difference good company can make. Friday night I went alone (my wife wasn't feeling up to it), and my seat was surrounded by people who showed up drunk and got worse as the game went on. They weren't happy drunk, they were ugly drunk, and to top it off, they didn't know baseball. Any time at the ballpark is going to be a good time, but it's no fun having to tune out the crowd. On Saturday I went with Bob and Craig. The contrast was amazing. We discussed Ritchie Sexson's height, and how that allowed him to stand almost outside of the batter's box, and that this meant that a pitcher couldn't throw an effective inside pitch. We tried to remember the 1954 Cleveland rotation (Early Wynn, Mike Garcie, Bob Lemon, Art Houtteman and Bob Feller). But on top of that we could also kick back and discuss the highlights of the Art Institute of Chicago. That's a little deeper than "Tastes Great! Less Filling!"

To top things off, Bob got us great seats. Five rows back, right behind home plate. When I was a kid back at Candlestick, I had a trick. I would go to the ticket returns window, and wait for men with big suitcases to trade in their seats. Inside those big suitcases were radar guns, these were scouts who were playing hooky (imagine that, playing hooky by not going to the ballgame). I'd then step up to the window and say "give me the ticket he just gave you." One of those nights I saw Doc Gooden in his prime. I was right behind the plate, three rows back. It was an amazing thing to see up close. In the bottom of the eighth Barry Bonds simply crushed a ball into McCovey Cove. Again, at close range it was a very impressive sight.

Speaking of that homer, the last time I had seen the Brewers face Barry he hit #499. I just missed a milestone. I did it again. After the two games Barry had 2061 career walks. Babe Ruth clocks in at #2 with 2062. I'm surprised the media aren't making a bigger deal about this, passing up Ruth in a major statistical category should get more attention. Rickey is at 2190. This time next year Barry will be closing in on the all-time walks record.

posted by David 4:52 PM