Results tagged ‘ Autographs! ’
7/15/09 Northern Division vs. Southern Division
I don’t know how long it has been since we bought these tickets, but I do know that it has been a long time.
We made the 2 hour or so long drive to Trenton, New Jersey. I had only been here once before, but I have an idea of how it is setup. No outfield seats, crummy bullpen, not much to see, and access to any part of dugout. But I had not been there as a baseball collector. There would be a Home Run Derby before the game, and I wanted to catch a baseball during it, so I needed to tour the outside of the stadium. But that would be put on hold for a bit because I needed to buy some Eastern League Baseballs. I got two of them because I figured it’d be odd to get Minor Leaguers on Major League Baseballs. So I bought the baseballs, but then a bunch of autograph collectors flipped open some binders and ran off to near the clubhouse entrance.
Naturally I ran over there as well, and when I got there, I saw three different player signing autographs. I took out two baseballs and went to Reegie Corona who signed my 1st autograph.
Then I went to Jorge Vazquez who signed my 2nd autograph.
Then I went over to Eduardo Nunez for my 3rd autograph.
So after that I finally went on the tour of the outside. There were many different points from which you could see the field, such as this one:
Did you notice that off on the other side of the field were some players? That was the Southern Division (the All-Star teams were divided into Northern Division and Southern Division. After I finished my tour, I walked over there for a peek. There was another spot in a fence over there where you could see the field, which you can see in this photo from later on:
At that moment they were warming up, and the guy right near me warming up was Chad Thall. As soon as I got there a ball tipped off the end of his glove and rolled to the wall. He saw me looking through the wall, took the ball and said: “Here ya’ go buddy,” and flipped the ball over the wall to me, my 1st ball.
I wasn’t even expecting that I would get a ball there, but I’ll take it anyway. So even before the gates open I had 3 autographs and 1 baseball. Another thing that they would be doing later would be an autograph session when each player would be signing along the foul lines, so when I ran in you couldn’t get the players to sign. Some people asked the players and ushers told them to wait until the autograph session. I wouldn’t have to do nothing for 1 hour because thanks to the Thunder’s awesome re-entry policy I was able to go outside and try my luck for BP home runs, and my neck was looking at this the entire time:
I guess that I under-expected people because there were at least 10 people out there doing the same thing as me. There were a few balls that cleared the outfield wall, but there was another wall that made balls drop to just behind the outfield wall, and here is a photo that sorta shows it:
So you had to choose either 30 feet behind the outfield wall, 15 feet behind the outfield wall or 3 feet behind the outfield wall. I choose 15 feet because then I could run back for back over the outer wall or run in through the bushes for balls that drop just behind the outfield wall. Well it worked because a ball dropped just behind the outfield wall, and I crawled through the bushes (which you can see 2 photos above) and grabbed my 2nd ball.
Remember where I got the ball from Chad Thall? The Southern Division was shagging in the outfield, and I looked up who was the player closest to me. He was Roy Merrit, and when I ball was hit within asking range I said:
“Roy, could I have that ball?”
Well I have no clue at all why he did this, but he threw it up against the scoreboard and it plopped down onto the field and then he tossed the ball over in my direction. It landed on the street and there was an adult next to me, so he started going for it, but then backed off when he realized it was for me, so I ran it down and grabbed my 3rd ball.
Pretty soon after I got that ball the crowd of 10 swelled to about 20 adults 30 feet back and 8 kids 3 feet back. By then I just decided to head back inside, and inside all the lines for the autograph sessions had formed. I picked a spot by the home team’s dugout and sat there for the rest of BP. I asked Brock Bond for a ball by the net and he was nice enough to run out there, grab the ball, and toss it to me for my 4th ball. In the phot below he is the guy all the way on the right in the group of players to the left of m splint.
When BP ended I didn’t get anything when they came in, but I got on line for the Akron Aeros because I particularly like Carlos Santana, and when the autograph session started I asked for his batting gloves at the end of the game.
“I’ll have to see.”
But here is the order on what autograph was my 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th… during the autograph session.
Carlos Santana (my 4th autograph).
Beau Mills (my 5th autograph).
Jeanmar Gomez (my 6th autograph).
Carlton Smith (my 7th autograph).
Nick Weglarz (my 8th autograph).
Vinnie Pestano (my 9th autograph).
Then I went over to the New Britain Rock Cats:
Brian Dinkerman (my 10th autograph).
Anthony Slama (my 11th autograph).
Whit Robbins (my 12th autograph).
Rene Tosoni (my 13th autograph).
Matthew Fox (my 14th autograph).
Then off I went over to the Portland Sea Dogs:
Dustin Richardson (my 15th autograph).
Jorge Jimenez (my 16th autograph).
Junichi Tazawa (my 17th autograph).
Chris Province (my 18th autograph).
Lars Anderson (my 19th autograph).
Then I went over to the Harrisburg Senators:
Jack Spradlin (my 20th autograph).
Marvin Lowrance (my 21st autograph).
Josh Wilkie (my 22nd autograph).
Then I went over to the Altoona Curve:
Daniel Moskos (my 23rd autograph).
Jason Delaney (my 24th autograph).
Brian Friday (my 25th autograph).
Then I went over to the Connecticut Defenders:
Eddy Martinez-Esteve (my 26th autograph).
Brock Bond (my 27th autograph).
Dan Otero (my 28th autograph).
Joe Paterson (my 29th autograph).
Then I went over to the Trenton Thunder with a few minutes to spare:
Zack McAllister (my 30th autograph).
Michael Dunn (my 31st autograph).
Josh Schmidt (my 32nd autograph).
Jesus Montero (my 33rd autograph).
There was more Trenton Thunder players, but the autograph session ended right when I was at the Thunder, so the last player during the autograph session that I was able to get was Jesus Montero, the #3 prospect in all of Minor League Baseball. But as they were heading off the field I was able to get Thunder Pitching Coach Tommy Philips to sign my 34th autograph. So not bad for 1 hour and 15 minutes; I averaged 1 autograph for every 2 minutes and 12 seconds.
Soon after the Home Run Derby would start, so I went back outside. Early on I didn’t see any position from which you could see the field AND be in a good spot to catch a ball. There was a view good for lefties where you could look through the scoreboard to judge balls, but then had to run back to get in position.
Then there was the spot where I got the balls from Roy Merrit and Chad Thall, but you had to run back even further. There was another spot where you could stand on an air vent and be able to clearly see the field, but I was told by an employee to get off it.
Then near the end I realized why most of the adults were in one crowded spot; you could see the batter and run *forward* for balls. So that is where I stood for righties, but competition was insane and I couldn’t get anything.
Nothing for me at the Home Run Derby, High-Schooler out-slugged 2 of the Top 25 Best Prospects, and other who were in this year’s Futures’ Game. I had to wait for an hour for the game to start, and spent the time by watching the players warm-up. I also asked Brian Friday for his batting gloves at the end of the game.
“Sure just be by the dugout.”
One maybe and one definite.
I didn’t try that hard to get baseballs during the game though. But in the top of the 6th I took off for the Northern Division’s dugout to try and get a ball. I was going to the outfield end, but then a pop up was hit to Jorge Jimenez at third base. So I rushed down to where he was going to go in and he flipped the ball high up. I’m talking about 40 feet or so, plenty of time for someone to interfere. Well I backed up, reached up, caught it, and got my glove knocked by an adult who made an effort at the last second, but my 5th ball was still in the glove, barely.
I had seats right behind the dugout where I wanted to be because I got tickets so early, so I didn’t have to move much to get a seat. Well I wasn’t the only one who wanted to be at the inner corner of the dugout because when a ground ball was hit with 2 outs in the 9th about 20 people charged the dugout. The ball went through the hole and there was at least one more ball to be thrown. When the real thing happened though, the same 20 people rushed down and I was able to get a spot just where I wanted.
The Southern Division won (correct dugout) so they all came back on the field. While Brian Friday was on the top step of the dugout I called him out and he remembered me. So when he got over to me, he handed me a pair of batting gloves, my 1st game used item of the day.
1 out of 1, would it be 2 out of 2? Nope, Carlos Santana snubbed me. Can’t always have it your way, like I asked Jesus Montero for his wristband, but he wouldn’t give it away. I am not sure when the next time this 2 hour drive will be made.
But next time when there is an All-Star Game here, go to Trenton and get yourself a load of autographs from people who will soon be playing in an All-Star Game two levels up.
Stats:
- 34 Minor League Autographs Today
- 5 Minor League Baseballs Today
- 1 Pair of Minor League Batting Gloves Today
- 90 MLB Autographs in this Season
- 34 Minor League Autographs in this Season
- 129 Total Autographs in this Season
- 141 MLB Balls in this Season
- 162 Total Balls in this Season
- 4 BP, 1 During
- 4 Thrown, 1 Hit
- Attendance: 7,474 People
- Competition Factor: 37,370
4/9/09 Orioles vs. Yankees
We arrive at the hotel early because yesterday, an autograph collector told me that the bus would leave at around 9, and since it’s a day game, most of the players would take the bus. We arrived at about 8:15, so we sit against a building. After a while Mick Kelleher and Kevin Long come out in suits and Mick says: “Good Morning”. That’s pretty much the only action for a while. At about 8:55 the bus arrives.
We walk over and get a spot against the ropes and wait for the players. It takes a while, seems like 30 minutes, for one player to come out. It’s Nick Swisher and he comes over and signs my ball first for my 1st autograph of the day. Originally he says “only one,” but I say that it is for my brother and he signs the other one.
Then a bit later Brett Gardner comes out and signs two for my 2nd autograph of the day, and he signs for everyone else. There are no more pictures from the hotel because my camera battery dies, but we have another at the hotel. Melky and Edwar then come out. I have Edwar already, so I want Melky. I thought that ‘Mr. Big Shot’ wouldn’t sign for the fans, but he does. And he signs for me (only 1) which is my 3rd autograph today. Other people come out, like Tex, Nady, Matsui, and Pettitte, but none of them sign. They all just walk past. I head back to the hotel because the bus left, but from my window I can see the bus pulled up again. Oh well, I’ll just wait until the stadium.
We arrive to the stadium later than I wanted, and there is already two huge lines that turn around and form squares. Since we are stuck in center, and Adam Eaton is throwing, I wait until he is done, but he goes into the bullpen. My mom then tells me that we can go into around the stadium, so I rush over to where Eaton is throwing in the bullpen. The Yankees are almost out stretching, so I have to decide between Yankees or Eaton. I will be the only one looking for Eaton’s ball. Then I see Rick Kravitz has a ball, so I ask him when Eaton is almost over, but no ball. I ask him a bit later, but Adam Eaton throws me the ball, but misses. It’s ok because it falls in this area beneath me (see the ball?).
So, I get my 1st ball with my glove trick. Then it goes dead, no other balls for the rest of BP.
I go over to Boog to get his autograph because I promised myself I would, so I get Boog for my 1st autograph today and 1926th MLB autograph of all time.
The Yankees come out to stretch, so I go over there and guess who comes over to sign? Johnny Damon, so I get him, my 2nd autograph, on both balls. It was then I learned that Nick Adenhart died. I am shocked. I expected him to be a good pitcher, and I remember seeing him in the Futures Game in 2006. It’s amazing how quickly they go.
I was really surprised at it, shocked even, but they had to get on with the game. So after the moment of silence for Nick, I ask Rob Thompson for the next infield warm-up ball. He says he’ll ask Mick because it’s his job. But when the time comes, Mick gives me no ball. I want more than one ball. I am worried because last time I tried for a ball during the game, I got nothing and the crowd was smaller that day. But good luck in the bottom of the 4th, Mark Teixiera tosses me the 3rd out ball, my 2nd ball, after pointing me out in the people at the dugout for the 3rd out ball, cool.
It has an interesting mark whipping some print off. I try for the infield warm up ball again at the inner corner of the Yankees dugout, but some woman in the front says you already have a ball, let someone else get it. How did she know that I already have a ball (but not two)?
I head to the bullpen because I see a Yankee warming up and some seats near the bullpen empty. When I get there, I see the bullpen catcher tossing a ball to some other fans. So he is giving today, eh? Jose Veras is warming up with him, so when they are finished, I ask the catcher for a ball, and he hooks me up with my 3rd ball today.
I am less anxious now with 3 balls, but I want a 4 ball average for this trip.
Nothing else really happens for the rest of the game, memorabilia wise, but I do see a lot of foul balls hit to spots near the press box. I should take note of that for the Tampa game…
Well, at the end of the game, I see Mick Kelleher, trying to see if he’ll keep his promise. I ask him for a ball, and he nods. He points at me and tosses me my 4th ball above the crowd at the dugout after the game, and it was a crowd.
After everyone goes into the clubhouse, the usher kicks everyone out. I make my way merrily along to Eutaw Street, while collecting 3 or 4 ticket stubs that I find lying on the ground in many different places. So I make my average so far for this trip 4 balls a game, I hope I can get more than that with the hopefully 5,000 person crowd for the rain soaked Tampa game.
- 5 MLB Autographs Today
- 4 MLB Balls Today
- 12 MLB Balls in This Season
- 32 MLB Autographs in This Season
- 35 Total Autographs in This Season
- 28 Total Balls in This Season
- 1,927 MLB for All-Time
- 2,335 Total Autographs for All-Time
- Attendence: 28,534 people.
- Competition Factor: 114,136
- 4 balls/1 game (for 3 games this season)
4/8/09 Orioles vs. Yankees
We go back to the Intercontinental before the game to see some players leaving and try to get autographs. A couple minutes after I get there, I see somebody going out and in the Intercontinental. It’s Brian Bruney. He decides to walk out instead of taking a cab, and it’s only me and another guy there, so he signs 2 baseballs for me for my 1st autograph today.
Bruney is about a foot taller than long.
Kevin Long is doing the opposite, walking down the street into the hotel, and he stops to talk with Bruney. I decide to get Kevin Long on my baseball for my 2nd autograph today.
I count coaches because most of them have had some playing or managerial history. Speaking of coaches, Tony Pena walks out, but he does the old “can’t sign on the cell phone” trick and waves us off.
I wait for about 10 more minutes when Damaso Marte comes out with a guy who we mistake for Melky (because they are wearing almost the same ugly hoodie) and I get Damaso for my 3rd autograph today.
Damaso keeps walking with his friend down the street, until he stops to talk to Jose Veras. I decide not to bother him since I already have his autograph twice and have gotten 3 baseballs from him in the past WEEK.
My mom and I then leave to go back, but who do we see coming outside of a mall called the Gallery? We see Tony Pena. Originally he was reluctant even though I am the ONLY person asking him, and I am wearing a Yankees hat, and he is not talking. He didn’t sign back there because he “doesn’t want this stuff on eBay.” So he signs me my 4th autograph today and we go on our way. After we head back to our hotel, I decide to go to the player’s entrance to get autographs.
That’s the Player’s Entrance.
It isn’t that successful. Koji Uehara arrives, but doesn’t sign. Kimberly Jones arrives, but I don’t ask her. Pretty much no one comes, except for Jeremy Guthrie.
He comes back from jogging, I assume, and he only signs one for me, so I get him for my 5th MLB autograph today and after him, no other players sign or come.
See a little orange at the top of my jersey?
What can I say?
And to make this confusing, one guy at the home plate gat sys that only people with season tickets can enter the gates at 5 o’clock. All other ticket holders enter at 5:30. Whaaaaaaaaaaat??
Since it has been a long drought, we go to the Eutaw Street Gate. It’s good to arrive early because a long line has formed, and then they split lines in bag check and no bags. After I scan my ticket (yes I can go in without season tickets) I run to the Center Field area. I see two players off near the bullpens. One of them is Alfredo Simon because he is the only African-American pitcher on the Orioles. The other is either Danys Baez or Dennis Sarfate. I look at the cheat sheet. If he has a dimple, then it’s Dennis Sarfate, if there’s no dimple, it’s Baez.
A ball rolls to the wall, no dimple.
“Danys, can I have that ball?”
“This ball is for her,” he says while tossing the ball to a lady in the front row.
“Can I have the next ball?” He nods.
The next ball that rolls to the wall, he scoops up, and under hands me my 1st ball today.
The Yankees then start to warm up, so I run over there. When I get there, Dave Eiland is already warming up with A.J. Burnett. When he finishes I ask him for the ball, and Dave winds up and fires the ball. It’s too fast that I can’t raise my mitt up in time and the balls ricochets off and 5 rows up, where it is grabbed by a man who finishes his chips and then grabs the ball.
I remember the gap in Center, and my glove trick. I don’t want to run all the way over there unless I see a baseball, so I climb up the aisle nearest to the bullpen and I see a ball, so I bolt off. When I get there I find not one, but two balls. One of them is tucked under a pipe connected to the wall, so I figure I’ll go for the easier one. That’s one is a couple inches out from the wall. I lower my glove over it once, pick it up, but drop it. A lot of people are looking on. I hear some comments from fans.
“It needs to be tighter.”
“It’s not gonna work.”
“How does that work.”
“How’d you come up with that? Did you see it on T.V?”
1 is the first ball and 2 is the second ball that’s tucked under the pipe.
Eventually I reel it in slowly for my 2nd ball today, and my 1st using the glove trick. I am confident now, and nobody stopped me, so I go over to the other ball. I knock it out from underneath, but it rolls to the other side of the wall, so I knock it back into the perfect spot. All I need now is for my glove to stop spinning. It does, and I reel in my 3rd ball today.
My first two “glove trick balls”, thank you Zack!
After BP ends, and all the Yankees go in, I see someone toss a ball to some fans near the gap, and it drops (I thought) into the gap, so I rush over. When I get there, I see no ball, but there’s one on the warning track. A groundskeeper tosses the ball to some fans, but they swat it back down. This time the groundskeeper tosses the ball straight towards me and I catch my 4th ball.
The Yankees come out to stretch, so I go over to where they are. I learn that a kid there got 3 balls, almost out-snagging me. He wasn’t my age, he wasn’t a year or two younger, and he was 1 year old or so. And he was able to get Johnny Damon to come over and sign his jersey, so I get Johnny Damon and the ball I used at the hotel for my 6th autograph today.
That’s me with the Jersey and a little bit of orange on top.
I want 2 more balls for 10 in the last 2 games, so I switch sides. After a while, I get nothing. I go to the bullpens, nothing. I try for after the game stuff, nothing. So now I need 12 balls in the next two days. I hope Tampa Bay has BP.
That’s it for the day, here are some shots of the empty stadium:
It was amazing. I looked at Camden’s attendence for past Yankee Games, and they all drew at least 40,000 a game, but this had a little more than 20,000! I was really shocked.
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6 MLB Autographs Today
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27 MLB Autographs so far this Season
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30 Total Autographs so far this Season
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4 MLB Balls Today
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8 MLB so far this Season/Trip
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3 BP balls, 1 Pre-Game ball
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2 Thrown Balls, 2 Glove Trick Balls
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22,856 People in Camden Yards
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Competition Factor: 91,424
4/3/09 Yankees vs. Cubs
This time, instead of taking the long, scenic route, I take the short, less-scenic route around the parking garage. We arrive about 30 minutes late (4:30), but it is ok because the tarp is on the field, so no BP and no players are stretching. It is still drizzling so I am the only one in my section. I realize that anyone who brings the glove trick, you probably won’t be able to do it because they have an usher at the bottom of almost every aisle.
At 4:35, 2 Yankees start throwing, but guess where it is. It is in the $2,650 Legends Seats. Then the waiter brings and tells us that we have waiter service. Apparently all of field level has waiter service, and guess some of the prices for food. $6 for a cracker jack, $8 for a medium popcorn, $8 for a small (smaller than 2 baseballs) kids pizza pie and here is something $9 for a cheeseburger. Wow.
And also, the largest popcorn has 2,473 calories, 1/5 of the Michael Phelps diet. You can get your daily dose of food with this, and 13 ½ tic-tacs.
Since no Cubs are throwing, I take some field level photos, here:
The Old Yankee Stadium through the New’s Windows
The Meat Carving Station:
The Great Hall, or something, in Left:
It’s a pain to upload photos.
That thing that only people with field level tickets can be on field level, yeah, not true, unless they build a 50 ft wall of Yankees Ushers at the entrance, or this:
Oh wait, they already have a couple, but they guard the seats.
Finally 2 Cubs start throwing, in the Legends Seats. But all the Cubs come out to throw at 6, 1 hour before game time. First I ask Carlos Marmol, in Spanish, but nothing. Then I ask Luis Vizcaino, and he tosses one, in between a group of people, and I barely miss it. And at last I get a ball, from David Patton, my 1st ball. Nobody else knew, or had a clue to who he was; except me and my cheat sheet.
Now I get some autographs. First Rich Harden walks over, but it is too big a crowd. Then Luis Vizcaino walks over and signs to a smaller crowd. I walk over there and get Luis Vizcaino on two (my 1902nd MLB Autograph), my 1st today. Then I walk over to Rich Harden and get him on 2 (my 1903rd MLB Autographs), my 2nd today. One good thing about the New Yankee Stadium policy is they send you back to your seats about when the National Anthem starts, not 45 minutes before hand.
Top Left: David Patton Ball. Top Right: Luis Vizcaino Autograph. Bottom Right: Rich Harden and Me. Bottom Left: Rich Harden Autograph
I usually go to the players stretching, but the Legends block them off, so I do something I could ne-he-ver do at the old Stadium (miss it still), go to the bullpen for the pitcher’s warm-up ball.
I ask someone next to me who the bullpen coach is, its Lester Strode. I ask him for a ball, but he says wait. He is watching Ted Lilly warm-up. I am trying to get Ted Lilly’s warm-up ball. When Ted finishes I ask him, but he puts his glove down because it is the National Anthem. When it finishes I ask him again, but Lester takes the ball and hands it to me. Problem is, the ball won’t fit under the fence, so I have to work it to the edge and pull it around, which I do. And I get my 2nd ball today.
Afterwards I try to catch the 1st Home Run, like I did in Citi Field. Aaron Miles’ shot in 2nd got me out of my seat, but Cano’s Home Run in the second was the real deal. It lands in the very corner of the bleachers; no way could I get that. I walk up there to see the ball, if it is special. When I get up there, nothing has been done yet and the ball is regular. Security comes a couple minutes later to pick him up and take him off. Some of the fans are yelling “You are a sellout!” If I were him I’d see what they have to offer.
I travel back to my seats until the 5th inning, where I go to Yankees bullpen to try and get a warm-up ball. I ask Mike Harkey, the new Bullpen Coach for one, but he waves. Jose Veras is warming up, so when he finishes I call his name. But Mike Harkey is looking at me and pointing to the catcher, codeword for you will get his ball. Thanks to the obnoxiously large flower bed and Ad blocking my view of the bullpen, I can’t see anything. Mike Harkey tosses up my 3rd ball, but I am not sure if it is Veras’ warm-up ball. It has interesting G-O-O-K (they censored that?!?!).
After that, I give the ball to my mom to hold onto, so I can try to sneak to the dugouts for after the game stuff. I learn that Paul Simon is sitting near the Home Dugout, but I get a ticket about 5 minutes after the game ends, so I get nothing. That’s it. 3 Balls, 2 Autographs. I wonder how tomorrow will be…
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3 MLB Autographs in This Game (1,903 MLB, 2,311 Overall Autographs)
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9 MLB Autographs in This Season
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11 Total Autographs in This Season
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3 Exhibition Game Baseballs
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13 Total Baseballs in This Season
4/2/09 Workout at New Yankee Stadium
This is the first ticketed event in Yankee Stadium, so naturally I had to be there. I drive there with my mom, my dad and brother are already in the stadium. But she drops me off far away and I have to basically go to the other side of the stadium. I was dropped off at the River Avenue Parking garage, but I needed to go to the Gate 4 Legends Entrance.
My dad was able to get us Legends Seats for this, and I thought this was going to be relaxed, less than 50 people in the legends seats, probably less than 4,000 in the stadium. But I was wrong. It had more people, wait, way more people than I expected. But the legends seats made it ok for us.
Just the Left Field line
I walk in the entrance behind home plate to the left in the legends, and it has changed, the dugouts especially. I went on a tour in December of the stadium, and it’s changed. I see somebody signing in the inner corner of the dugout, so I walk over and it’s Andy Pettitte, so I try to get him to sign 2 baseballs (1 for me, 1 for my brother and I do this all the time), but I only get him on one. That is my 1,896th MLB autograph. After he leaves I go to the top of the dugout because the people aren’t allowed in the first two rows of the corner unless someone is signing. Also I recognize a lot of the ushers from last season. It looks like they kept the same ushers they used last season, and they are in the same place also, huh.
While at the top of the dugout I see someone, number 48, just leaning against the railing looking out onto the field. I have my cheat sheet, but I don’t use it. I remember it is Phil Coke (a-cola). I call his name out, he turns around, I toss him 2 balls, and he signs both of them, and then disappears. Cool, 1897 MLB autographs. And then I see Shelly Duncan. I call out his name, flip him the balls and he signs them. 1898 MLB, nice.
After this autograph somebody says “backpack” from behind. I am wearing a Knicks backpack. It is a woman asking me to get her an autograph. I say I’ll try, but 3 autographs is going to be hard. I feel sorry for them. Even though I am in the Legends Seats, I feel this is unfair. They are cutting off the real fans who want to meet their favorite players. They make the first 9 rows for people who pay $600 dollars a game ($100 food credit included). After a while, and no more autographs, I think that this is too much, so I give her the ball back.
By the way, my mom talked a reported into interviewing me, so apparently I will be on 1010 wins in the morning to 7:05 tomorrow, yeah!
So now the workout has officially started, and all the players are out stretching including C.C. and A.J. This reminds me of 9/21/08 when we could watch Yankees BP. Andy Pettitte started signing again down the line, so I got him for my brother. And now I get baseballs. First comes Jose Veras, who I ask in Spanish for it. I get it right over the dugout when he is done throwing. Nobody tries to snatch. In fact, that is the way for each ball.
And then I get Nick Swisher, who I remember getting on the White Sox last year. Same player, two different teams.
And finally I get another ball from a staff member who I see has it in his hand. At first I think he isn’t going to give it to me, but he flips to me right before he goes into the dugout.
Then after that, Johnny Damon comes into the dugout, stands on the steps and signs balls. I only get him once (my 1899th MLB and my 2,307th overall autograph). But I don’t care about getting him once because I have him before. I would say either he and Mariano are the nicest Yankees. Mariano once signed in the rain for 30 minutes or so and usually always signs when asked, and Johnny Damon was told he had to go once, but he kept on signing until he got everyone. Who do you think is the nicest player in the Major Leagues from experience?
And on a side note, the Yankees want NOTHING on their precious dugouts. You can’t lean on them, put bags on them, and sit on them. The Mets on the other hand, have bubbles on their dugouts. And their dugouts are peeling after 1 game. Another thing between the Yankees and Mets, it costs $3.75 for a water at Citi, but $5.00 for a water at the New Yankee Stadium.
Back to the autographs. Joba starts signing so I go over there, but then Nick Swishers starts signing for a group of guys. Nick has a lesser crowd, so I go over to him first, and get him on 1 baseball, which is my 1900th MLB autograph! After I get him, I get Joba for my 1901st autograph, 1 for me and 1 for my brother. I didn’t get anything else while I stayed by the dugout until the end. Afterwards, I went to the bullpen to see if there were any balls to get with my glove trick, but the Yankees had an obnoxiously large flower bed blocking my view. It was at least 4 ft wide, so I couldn’t see the balls, so I couldn’t get any.
I don’t really know what to think about the New Yankee Stadium. I like the old one because it has more opportunities to get stuff there, and I had figured out all the tricks of the trade, but the new one has all this space to explore and my new seats are in the perfect spot, other than the Legends, for autographs. I heard that they had 2 ushers, one at the top of the aisle, and one at the bottom, so I am not sure if I will even be allowed to the front row! I would say I like the old one better for now…
P.S. It took about an hour to get from the garage to the highway. 3 cheers for Yankee Stadium parking!
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6 MLB Autographs in This Game (1,901 Total MLB, 2,309 Overall Autographs)
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6 MLB Autographs This Season
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8 Total Autographs This Season
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3 Workout Baseballs
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10 Total Baseballs This Season
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