Florida Marlins @ Washington Nationals Game Wrap Up

Today I went to the Nats game with my mom since she could be here today, but will not be able to stay for the final home game of the season on Thursday, which I have tickets to. Today ended up being a good choice. For one, it was T-shirt Tuesday and I now have two Final Homestand of the 2008 Inaugural Season t-shirts. Secondly, the Nationals actually won. It was an overall good game and way more enjoyable as a Nats fan than Sunday's game. Read my full wrap up on my D.C. blog here. Also, click on the thumbnail photos below to see the whole gallery of photos I took at the game.

Padres @ Nats Game Wrap Up

Today I went to the Padres @ Nationals game as the final game that came in my partial season ticket package. It was not a good game if you are a Nats fan like me, as the Nats lost 6-2, but at least they got on the board including a home run by Ryan Zimmerman. Plus, I picked up my free leftover promo item of a Panda Webkinz. Also, blogging from my phone worked out good. Anyways, I have a more full game wrap up on my D.C. blog here.

Click thumbnails below to see the whole gallery of photos I took at the game.

Padres @ Nationals and Testing Blogging from my iPhone

Today I am at the final Nats game part of my partial season ticket. I
decided it was a good time to see how well it works sending blog
entries from my phone since next summer of may be hard to post using
my laptop sometimes. Basically this is just a pre-game test post with
picture from my seat. Will probably post the post game wrap up from
laptop when I get back to hotel after the game.

Go Nats!!!!

Washington Nationals Picnic in the Park

This season I had Nationals Season Tickets, which my parents got me for my birthday last year. Today there was a Season Ticket holder event at the Nationals Park. It was not all that interesting, but there was autograph stations with pretty minimal lines and I got some autographs of some Nats players and the pitching coach. They also had photo stations, but I did not really care about waiting in line for that. I am definitely more excited about going to the Padres game tomorrow and the final home game on Thursday.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame Stamps

The U.S. Postal Service released a new baseball themed stamp last month on July 16, 2008. It is titled Take Me Out to the Ballgame and commemorates the 100th anniversary of the song that is now traditionally sung during the 7th inning stretch. The stamp was designed by Richard Sheaff of Scottsdale, Arizona.

The stamp is pretty cool looking with the 42 cent marking on the top inside a baseball. The scene on the stamp is a historic looking scene of a pitcher and the rest of the field and players smaller in the background. The scene is framed by the words "Take Me Out to the Ballgame. In small numbers on the bottom left is the year 1908 and the bottom right is the year 2008.

Arizona Diamondbacks @ San Diego Padres Game Wrap Up

Last night we went to Petco Park to see a game as something to do while in San Diego for a family reunion. Partly went because we love going to baseball games and mostly because Mik's favorite team was in town. The Diamondbacks lost, but it was still a pretty exciting game with lots of scoring. I was a little disappointed that Jon Rauch, who was recently traded to the Diamondbacks from the Nationals and is the tallest Major League Baseball player ever, did not pitch at all.

The Padres got on the board with a 2-run home run by Khalil Greene in the 2nd inning. The Diamondbacks then came back in the 3rd with a 3-run home run by Montero. The Padres put the game out of reach, though, with a 9 batter inning that included a 3-run home run and a total of 6 runs. The Diamondbacks kept the Padres from scoring the rest of the game, but were only able to get 1 more run in the 6th themselves. Thus the Padres won 8-4.

Overall this was a fun game, but we did have some annoying people behind us and distractions of security coming by several times to confiscate alcohol that group brought in. Plus they were using a lot of foul language and we certainly did not appreciate them using that foul language to bash the Diamondbacks. I do not care if people root for their own team, but I do not think it is ever appropriate to bash other teams and I think the players themselves can agree with that.

Also, Petco Park is one confusing ballpark that is pretty horrible for being among the new ballparks. I remember sitting next to the building in the left outfield the first year it was open and we could not even see the scoreboard. We could see it this time from the Right Outfield seats, but getting there with Mik in his wheelchair took us quite some time and involved us going up and down elevators and up ramps. I did not mind too much since we got like a small tour of the ballpark, but it is sad that the three ushers gave us bad directions and the signs are not at all clear about where the elevators are at for specific sections.

See more photos I took at the game here.

Iowa Cubs @ Tucson Sidewinders Game Wrap Up

Yesterday my dad and I went to the final Thirsty Thursday ever for the Tucson Sidewinders. We mainly went to get at least one more game in before the end of their 40th and final season in Tucson, as next season they will be moved to Reno, Nevada. We almost went to the game on Tuesday, but decided it would be cheaper to go Thursday with the $1 sodas and beer. Big mistake the more expensive drinks would have been worth it because it would have meant less annoying drunks in our section and beer would not have been spilled from the row behind us stockpile onto my bag.

Anyways it was not an enjoyable game atmosphere wise, but the baseball action was at least eventful. The Iowa Cubs basically slaughtered the Sidewinders by winning 15 to 7, but at least the Sidewinders did hit a Grand Slam in the 3rd inning and that is the first one I have ever seen in person.

I love going to the AAA games since it is a local team and will definitely miss having a team. I can remember going to them as early as 1994 when we moved to Tucson and the team was the Tucson Toros playing at Hi Corbett Field. Since then they became the Sidewinders, we got two more Major League teams Spring Training here, and we have had a professional softball team. The softball team failed after its 2nd year (the league is still going well, just the AZ team failed). The Sidewinders are being moved away and the White Sox are moving their Spring Training to the Phoenix area. Basically it is sad that baseball action is quickly diminishing here, but at least there is at least some Spring Training action staying here.