9/12/09 Yankees vs. Orioles

            Would my luck from last game carry over to this game?

            When I got my first glimpse of the field I saw that the field was tarp-less, the outfield tarp was lying on the outfield grass, and the grounds crew was working on the field. What was going to happen?

            I just waited 1 hour for something to happen. It was a couple pairs of Yankees throwing at the bullpen.

 

Action at Bullpen

             I got nothing from there because of competition, but I saw that Sergio Mitre and an unknown player were throwing at the foul line. So I went over there, to where it was less-crowded.

            But the competition made me worry a bit. Forget about the glove-less kid to my right screaming whenever a ball was lifted up, in the Legends was a fully decked out kids in Yankees gear, wearing a glove, and he was younger than me. In the photo below, I am indicated by the Red Arrow, the glove-less kid is the Green Arrow, and the little kid is the Black Arrow:

 

Sergio Mitre throwing

            I was sure that the players would give the ball to the kid there, but then I saw that the kid wanted autographs, he had a baseball! Yes! They would see that he already had a baseball, look at me and toss it to me. And they did toss me the rubbed up commemorative baseball, my 1st ball.

Ball No. Two-Eighty

            When they finished I went over to the Orioles bullpen to try for a ball after Jason Berken was done throwing. But then I saw that two Orioles were throwing at the barely crowded foul line.

            When I got to the foul line I observed the scene: One ball in use, another ball on the ground, basically no competion.

            I would not get the ball they (Dennis Sarfate and an unknown Oriole) were using. But I did get the unknown Oriole to toss me the ball lying on the ground, my 2nd ball.

Ball No. 281

            The only other Orioles action was in the bullpen, so I started making my way over there, but before I could get there they finished up. They came out of the bullpen door and started walking in my direction. I noticed that Dennis Sarfate was walking towards me with a baseball in his hands, so I held up my glove, but instead Jason Berken pulled a baseball out from his glove and flipped it to me, my 3rd ball, one that I didn't notice he had.

Scrape on Baseball1

            The people from the bullpen moved over to the foul line, and more Orioles came out of the dugout and headed to the foul line.

Orioles at Foul Line

            Oh, and Dennis Sarfate started signing. I got him for my 1st autograph.

Dennis Sarfate Signing

            There were a couple pairs of mainly pitchers throwing by the Legends Seats. I had been watching Chris Lambert and Chris Waters when they were throwing. I waited until they were done throwing, and when they were I held up my glove and shouted "Chris!"

            But sort of like the Berken baseball, Jim Johnson turned towards me and threw me the ball, my 4th ball. Another un-expected, easy baseball (pointed to by the red arrow). My next ball was just the latter.

Me catching Jim Johnson Baseball1

            Jeremy Guthrie finished throwing with a coach. The coach ended up with the ball, and he threw me my 5th ball over the Legends. The ball, I can't find it. Can you?

Me Catching Ball From Coach 91209

It was just as simple in reality and is was in the description. That was lifetime baseball 284.

            I am attending at least 4 more games this season, so it is likely that I'll get No. 300. My next baseball of the day would push me a bit closer, and it would also be a special ball. 442nd double, 2515th hit, 783rd rbi, 1565 run.

            I snuck over to the dugout to try for pre-game throwing. I got nada, but I rook a 1st row (excluding the Legends) and tried for third out balls.

            I was watching to see if the third out ball was a Hit, RBI, Run, Walk, Strikeout, etc, so when Mark Teixiera hit a sac fly that scored Derek Jeter I watched carefully to see if they would continue to use the ball. They would! But when Alex Rodriguez hit a double that went all over the place I got nervous. It hit the dirt and wall. The Third Base Ump inspected it, and left it in play! I was probably the most excited person when Nick Swisher flew out to Jeff Fiorentino to end the inning. That meant that the first baseman wouldn't switch baseballs. Nobody would understand that they'd have a chance for a ball, so it was too easy to be true. I stood up, had my Orioles cap on, and waved my glove. Jeff Fiorentino spotted me and threw me the ball on a line over everyone in the Legends. And I caught my 6th ball, A-Rod's 2515th Hit, 442nd Double, Mark Teixeira's 783rd RBI, and Derek Jeter's 1565th Run. All in one baseball.

A-Rod's 2515th Hit, The Baseball Itself

That baseball would be my last baseball because I left the area behind the dugout because people started grumbling and complaining, even though I was trying to help another kid get a baseball. I ended the day with 285 baseballs. One Angels game, one Red Sox game, one Kansas City game, and one Houston game? I think that I can get No. 300 in that time.

Stats:

Haul From 9/12/09

 

  • 6 MLB Balls Today
  • 1 MLB Autograph Today
  • 189 MLB Autographs in this Season
  • 228 Total Autographs in this Season
  • 285 MLB Balls in this Season
  • 306 Total Balls in this Season
  • 6 Thrown
  • 5 BP, 1 During
  • Attendance: 46,497 People
  • Competition Factor: 278,982
  • 44 Consecutive Games with at least 3 MLB Baseballs
  • 34 Consecutive Games with at least 1 MLB Autograph

 

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