Next Year Is Here!

The 2011 baseball season is upon us. The Cubs are 1-2 and Carlos Marmol blew a save after walking the leadoff guy. So things are normal. So what is the best way to recover from a heartbreaking Cubs loss? Well go to your first game of the season of course. Sunday Night Baseball, Giants versus Dodgers, what could be better?

I am a de-facto Dodger fan; I live in LA and will watch a majority of their games. This is mostly due to the fact that they have THE best announcer to ever step into a booth. Vin Scully is as much of a part of summer as barbequing, swimming, or going to the beach. His voice will keep you entertained as you watch Aaron Miles ground into a 6-3 force out, or he will be the perfect backdrop for that mid summers day nap. I don’t really understand why they simulcast the first three innings, then after the 4^th Charlie Steiner and Rick Monday take over. Talk about your polar opposites. I heard Steiner on the radio claim that Sunday was the 4^th game in the 3 game series. At least when Vinny makes a flub you excuse him since he is 80 something years old and has been doing it for 60 years. Steiner has no excuse.

So, this year I decided that I was going to get a 10 game mini pass for some good field level seats.  So my buddy and I forked over the $250 a piece and got some good seats. The first of the 10 games was Sunday.

You can always tell how packed the game is going to be by how long it takes you to get from Sunset and Elysian Park to the Stadium. I think it took about 20 minutes. Glad we got there early.  So after we parked we got into the stadium just in time for our first free gift of the year,  “Dodgers Sleeved Blanket”  and the first pitch.

I have to say I am very happy baseball is back. There is truly nothing like watching a game at the stadium. It is even better when the game is exciting. Matt Kemp hit a bomb in the first inning but the highlight of the evening was the defense displayed by the Giants Right Fielder Aubrey Huff. I am almost certain that the girl who we hide in right on my softball team is a better fielder than Huff is. He for some reason tried to dive for a Jamey Carroll line drive and missed it terribly that it rolled all the way to the wall for a triple. 

Then in the 7^th he did about three 360’s on a fly ball by Marcus Thames, then promptly face planted into the wall for another triple. They say you can’t hide in the major leagues the ball will always find you.

Just as entertaining are the custom Dodger jerseys that Dodger fans make for themselves. The over/under is 10 that you will physically see around your section. My favorite was the “3 Saldina” XXXL piece.  But there are always more. 

The other highlight was the Jumbo-Tron interview with Rafael Furcal, where he made such revelations as his favorite movie (Rambo 2) and his most exciting baseball moment (“I make a triple play”).

After 3 beers, 2 dodger dogs and 1 ice cream helmet it was the 9^th Inning. So when Jonathan Broxton gave up his patented solo home run that means nothing, it was time to go. Our mini plan seats are right near the left field foul pole. So we watched the last out from aisle and then scurried to the car. We got out of there in 5 minutes as was home in 15.

One game down and nine more to go.