Just back from Friday's game...WoW

[VR]

I've been to a lot of baseball games....but this one may be tops (Tough to beat game four of the 90 Series...I'll hold off on final judgement until this one sinks in a bit more)

I'm doing a father/son weekend with my 11 yr old....and we've been looking forward to this for quite a while.

I inadvertantly put a baseball in our backpack, that would come in quite handy.

We got to the game just as Griff was ending bp. Caught all of Hamilton's...he hit some crazy shots. Freel was gathering balls in short center behind the screen...at least I think it was Freel...maybe it was Farney.

As bp was ending...Hammy came over to just below where we were standing to sign autographs (the only player to do so). I then realized I had the ball, and quickly grabbed it. Went down to where Josh was signing, and borrowed a kids pen after Hammy signed his glove. He was about 8. After standing there like a doofy 41 year old trying to get him to sign it....the little guy finally asked for my ball and got Hammy to sign it. Very cool. Johnny Narron had to come and get Josh...as all the equipment and players had left the field. Very classy.

The Griffey ceremony was just unreal. Not one single boo could be heard...and people had tears in their eyes all around. The Buhner/ Edgar entrance was just groovy. It seemed like his ovation was 15 minutes, and would have been longer had people not started yapping at the mike.

The game. Long overdue. Quick observations;
The ball just sounds different off the bat when Ross hits em. Just absolutely crushed the first one.
Hammy's catch was remarkable. He was frozen...and then covered ground at a rocket's speed to snare it.
Harang...had them off balance all night. Just a couple of hard hit balls, lots of cheese.
Conine looked like Bobby Dernier running the bases on Dunn's double. My brother asked who the speedster was.
Lots and lots of Reds hats in the crowd, about the only fans left after Jr. was pulled.

anyway...good times.

[dougdirt]

I was supposed to head to Seattle for this weekends series but I just couldnt muster the courage to get on a plane (I have an extreme fear of flying).

I think I regret that decision now.

[Redsland]

Thanks for sharing that, VR.

[westofyou]

Pedro and I are heading up soon for tonight... I'll be likely wearing my red vintage Red Wings cap... that is the only way any you guys out there can spot me.

[traderumor]

What a beautiful ballpark and a night, magical, a homer by Jr. would have been too Disney, but to see the spanking by his current team, all in all made it a little surreal. I think many of us came to appreciate what Jr. means to that city. I had no idea. Now I do.

[VR]

I've got seats about 10 rows up from 1b tonight, should be fun. Hopefully will have good pix to share.

[Eric_Davis]

VR, SeaRay was right about where you were tonight. I was 7 sections over in 115....went and spoke to GM, where he was with his son.

I went over to SeaRay after the top of the 2nd and he had already commented to his brother-in-law the same thing that I had commented to my sister (Mariner's fan), that Narron handed this one to the M's as a gift by starting Castro.

I think the REDS are now 3-14 in games that Castro starts.

I had a good time...rooted for both teams, but the outcome was written in stone when Narron made up his lineup. It's terrible that he's allowed to just throw these games away like that.