tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53600813708115499522024-03-14T01:46:52.360-04:00High Sock Mojo - Confessions of a Toronto Blue Jays Season Ticket HolderRantings, ravings, and other forms of nonsense from a Baseball fan in Toronto who has a fetish for high socks.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-5628966524356921582011-05-08T21:42:00.000-04:002011-05-08T21:42:43.639-04:00Witnessing HistoryI wasn't able to blog due to partying/internet not working at home, so I was debating on what I should blog about this time around. The answer's a little bit obvious - being no-hit by Justin Verlander.<br />
<br />
Pretty much, I just need to vent/rant about some criticism I received based on my excitement for Verlander throwing the 2nd no-hitter of his fairly young career. I was told by some people that I'm obviously not much of a Jays fans if I would have liked to witness a no-hitter when we were down 9-0 in the bottom of the ninth. Apparently, that meant that I was automatically rooting against the Jays.<br />
<br />
Yes, I'm a Jays fan and they are my team. I am also a fan of the game. Would I have been upset if we broke the no-hitter? Far from it. But ultimately, as a fan of the sport, I was somewhat hoping that I would see it happen.<br />
<br />
That's what I love about Baseball. It's one of the very few sports where despite having your favourite teams to cheer for, you have to have mad respect for the game as a whole. How many of us check out the last half of an inning when MLB.tv makes it free to watch if there's a no-no/perfect game going on even if we have nothing invested in either team?<br />
<br />
I've been to many baseball games in my lifetime and I've been able to witness 2 almost no-nos (McGowan against the Rockies and Morrow against the Rays). And being able to see a no-hitter in person as a Baseball fan even though we were the ones who were no-hit is just as exciting as seeing a Jays pitcher no-hitting another team.<br />
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But, you know, Spring Training plus road trips plus being a Season Ticket Holder shows I'm not a true Jays fan since I was excited to see Baseball History.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-26743068426329477922011-05-03T21:41:00.000-04:002011-05-03T21:41:20.414-04:00No Mojo for JoJoWell...that sucked.<br />
<br />
JoJo pitched a great game tonight. But tonight proves why the W-L record in baseball for starting pitchers is not the only stat that you can go by. Sure, JoJo isn't one of the most stellar starters out there (far from it). But tonight, he deserved to get his first win since 2008.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, a couple of bad pitches from Jon Rauch ended up in a BJ Upton walkoff.<br />
<br />
There are losses, and there are heartbreaking losses. This one was definitely a heartbreaker.<br />
<br />
JoJo kept the team in the game - but the amount of popouts the Jays hit really didn't help the cause. Anything can happen in a 2-1 game, especially in the bottom of the 9th against the Rays.<br />
<br />
Will JoJo finally get a win this season? I have faith. Just need to give him some more mojo, is all :)Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-16768311564286142982011-04-28T23:02:00.000-04:002011-04-28T23:02:52.077-04:00So....didja hear?The Jays made quite a shocking announcement after today's win against the Rangers...Travis Snider, Lunchbox, or Snideykins as I'd like to call him, was optioned to Vegas.<br />
<br />
Why? Could it be his struggles at the plate? AA has said that he will let the kids work through their struggles. So, why the demotion this early in the season?<br />
<br />
His timing has seemed a tad off all season, but why can't Murphy fix it? If it's a confidence issue, how can a demotion help? Could his rib injury still be nagging him?<br />
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Many fans are calling for AA's head on this one. Am I personally happy with the decision? Ultimately, no. But in AA I trust - and I will accept his decision to bring Cooper up to see what he can bring.<br />
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Unfortunately, the steakhouses in the city may not be as forgiving as me on this one.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-69146150872533223302011-04-25T23:39:00.000-04:002011-04-25T23:39:31.920-04:00Enter Awesomely Lame Punny Subject HereYeah, I can't come up with something tonight. I find that blogging about road games are far from being inspired.<br />
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First off - loving what Drabek is bringing to the team this season. Could he possibly be our most consistent starting pitcher this season so far?<br />
<br />
Could the possible return of Rajai Davis somehow be heating up some bats for the Jays? Patterson with a huge bomb....followed by Bautista...followed by Rivera? Hopefully the home run'll be the monkey off Rivera's back and he'll get into a groove of sorts.<br />
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Sad thing? I think every fan figured we would have issues winning tonight's game based on our lineup. Woody starting? And Dave Bush came in to pitch for the Rangers??? TOTAL trip back to 2004 :)<br />
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It'll be interesting to see what happens on the mound tomorrow with Litsch's return.<br />
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Ugh. Lamest blog post ever. Hopefully I'll have more to write about tomorrow.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-71952057817272099112011-04-23T00:56:00.000-04:002011-04-23T00:56:42.186-04:00Good FriJaysHAHA look at that. I made a funny.<br />
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What. A. Game. Jo-Jo with a non-Molina catching had an almost-quality start. Bautista so close to hitting for the cycle (and scoring almost every time he was on base). Edwin had a great night...Juan Rivera hit another single. All topped off with a walk-off by...Johnny Mac?<br />
<br />
And other than a lot of drunks acting kinda silly and people not understanding when the wave should be done (though I'd prefer it if it never existed), the atmosphere was amazing. Full count, 2 out, even with Rivera up at bat - the crowd was on their feet without the jumbotron telling them to.<br />
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If only all games could be written so perfectly. Well, except for Nix almost being killed on that botched double play *sniffle*Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-90611864507757447732011-04-22T00:20:00.000-04:002011-04-22T00:20:46.007-04:00The Obligatory "Brett Cecil was Sent Down" PostThere's something hard about writing a blog post about something that was expected - especially when it comes to your favourite player struggling.<br />
<br />
In case anybody was living in a proverbial cave, Brett Cecil was sent down to Triple-A in light of his recent struggles pitching so far this season for Chris Woodward (didn't realize I revved up my Delorean) much to the expectations (and complete shock depending on who you ask) of Jays fans all around.<br />
<br />
So what does "superfan" (don't ask) think? It's a good move. There's something not right since we've all seen Brett kick ass (led the team in wins last season). If it's something mechanical, it's better to find out what the issue is before it becomes a mental block or extreme low confidence - it's happened to pitchers in the past. Sure, Brett really hasn't pitched HORRIBLY, and his recent start at Fenway despite the rough 3rd inning showed he still has his stuff. But it's not what Brett has shown he's capable of - even in Spring Training.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, there seems to be some kind of Baseball stigma that if you're "demoted" to the minors, it's automatically a negative. Any true Baseball fan understands that the minor league system is where players are developed and work out their kinks before they get the call to the Majors working their way through the ranks.<br />
<br />
A fresh pair of eyes in Vegas (cannot remember who the Triple-A pitching coach is for the life of me right now) could be all that Brett needs to bounce back. It wasn't too long ago when media and fans figured Romero was a complete bust and everybody was calling for Ricciardi's head for picking him before Tulo. Arnie took him under his wing and now Ricky's our ace. Baseball's a funny little thing, isn't it?<br />
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And now, Twitter for the past couple of days have been absolutely supportive of Brett with well wishes and hashtags. #isupportCEC and I will still support him, repping my jersey at the Dome until his imminent return this season - the AL will miss his changeup. Er, except the batters. Don't mess with my non-existent logic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5C_nqC5SOeucz5IYRDKvGO3Fsi651zHkruI2Gci_bkqdsXvb7OOceHFYdM5SNP4JkYB_1atav_LjCCqUnxW4Ddx37JRBkypjtQI4nXzw8NAx_RsVeSahttlJAczWGtslvrFEuPrpgb_Cv/s1600/58450_424260270059_516000059_4963779_7515160_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5C_nqC5SOeucz5IYRDKvGO3Fsi651zHkruI2Gci_bkqdsXvb7OOceHFYdM5SNP4JkYB_1atav_LjCCqUnxW4Ddx37JRBkypjtQI4nXzw8NAx_RsVeSahttlJAczWGtslvrFEuPrpgb_Cv/s320/58450_424260270059_516000059_4963779_7515160_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-61890660660149896372011-04-21T00:07:00.000-04:002011-04-21T00:07:28.016-04:00#isupportCECOh how I wish all Yankees series at home were 2 days long. I forgot how much I dislike the atmosphere, though I do appreciate there are more butts in the seats.<br />
<br />
Tonight, in our section, a Jays "fan" broke a Yankees fan's flag when Granderson hit his home run. Seriously? It's pathetic. I'm all for playful fun when it comes to possibly heckling visiting fans provided it's smart. It's happened to me in every ballpark I've been to, though for the most part I've been welcomed with open arms for visiting the city and the ballpark.<br />
<br />
The saddest part about tonight? The Jays fans didn't get kicked out for causing shit, and the Yankees fans left really upset. Shame on you, Rogers Centre.<br />
<br />
Brett struggled again, unfortunately. It appears to be mechanical, according to Mr. Zaun. I think a stint either on the DL or in Vegas is in order before the mechanical issue turns into a confidence issue - confidence is a LOT harder to fix. I shall even use the hashtag here -#isupportCEC<br />
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Alas, I still love the team and how they aren't giving up. Walk-off win on Tuesday after Mo blew the save...and even being down by 4 runs the boys were still getting on base. I'll thank John Farrell methinks.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-72908519605321332882011-04-18T22:46:00.000-04:002011-04-18T22:46:53.755-04:00Home. Sweet. Home.Could this past road trip possibly go down as one of the worst in Jays recent history?<br />
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I'm not going to bother looking past road trips up. I'm lazy and depressed.<br />
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I'm too depressed to even rant. Yet I do have faith that the Jays'll be able to pull off a decent homestand against the Yankees and the Rays.<br />
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Unfortunately, on Tuesday, "fans" will be spending their whole time booing AJ Burnett as opposed to cheering Kyle Drabek and the boys on.<br />
<br />
As much as I want to see more butts in the seats, I'd almost prefer it if the hooliganism never showed up. I've always been a believer in positive reinforcement - and seriously, why go to a game to boo the other team instead of going to cheer for your own? I could probably understand a bit more if this was AJ's first season with the Yankees after leaving us. But seriously...this is the 3rd. Can we get over it already?<br />
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This homestand better provide me with some more creative juices. My focus is all crocussed.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-36946313241565648412011-04-16T12:58:00.000-04:002011-04-16T12:58:44.707-04:00Monkey Off Brett's BackThe one problem with drinking beer watching the game on TV with your girlfriends? Mind's a bit hazy after the 4hr game at Fenway and it makes it TONS of fun to post :)<br />
<br />
As a Brett Cecil fan (jerseys and all), even I was skeptical about how Brett was going to pitch. I had as much faith as possible, but I kept thinking back to that rough start at Fenway where he gave up 5 home runs. I was petrified it was going to be repeated. But he started the game off well, imploded in the 3rd which so far has seemed to be the regular occurrence so far this season, had a pep talk from JPFA, then calmed down to pitch a quality start and got the win (after the bullpen almost lost it again). Let's hope he can keep it up - but who knows what'll happen once Morrow comes back. Something's still wrong with his pitching (not just the velocity) so maybe they'll get him to start working on that.<br />
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Then there's the whole 3 foul/fair lines by Pesky's pole drama going on. Do I need to rehash that? Nah, I'm sure it's been spoken about everywhere.<br />
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All in all, this completely uninspiring blog post isn't going anywhere. But hey, at least the Red Sox are 2-10 with Beckett on the mound.....and Jo-Jo....*bites nails*Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-49290232437340468992011-04-13T11:08:00.000-04:002011-04-13T11:08:31.825-04:00Pacific Time? Go Eff YourselfI never thought I'd be looking forward to the Jays playing a 4-game weekend series at Fenway....<br />
<br />
This trip to the West Coast has been, sorry for the borderline vulgarity, complete and utter BALLS! I hate West Coast trips anyways due to the lack of sleep on weeknights when I've got to hit the daily grind the next morning drinking my Starbucks in hopes that my hazy mind will clear up. Er, wait, Starbucks is based in Seattle! #fail<br />
<br />
But the time difference isn't all that I hate. For some reason, we always struggle on the West Coast it seems. Jet lag perhaps? California sun or Seattle rain having an effect on the boys' brains?<br />
<br />
Sure, they're still playing with Hustle and Heart (take a shot everytime you hear that this season and your liver will be gone by May)...but the next time I see Aaron Hill pop up, I will pop a million more blood vessels (are there even that many in the human body?)<br />
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That being said, despite this somewhat horrid road trip (and possibly being swept by Wedge's Mariners), I'm still cheering my team on. It's only the 2nd full week of Baseball...and I doubt that Red Sox and Rays fans think their seasons are already over.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-23353076545076085292011-04-12T20:43:00.000-04:002011-04-12T20:43:41.048-04:00Holy Bullpen Implosion, Batman!Like most Jays fans last night, I went to bed in the 8th inning - I was exhausted and I figured we had the game in the bag.<br />
<br />
The wonders of Baseball kicked me in the ass. I woke up to find out that the Jays' bullpen blew the game. WHAT?<br />
<br />
Do I think this is the end of the team's potentially awesome season? Nope...unlike many Twitterfolk who now think our bullpen sucks, or that JPA doesn't know how to call a game.<br />
<br />
Other than Purcey, the bullpen was the same as Saturday night - when they pitched 8 innings of work without giving up a run (until Rauch blew the game). What is it with some Jays' fans and their short-term memories?<br />
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And what was this about fans on Twitter actually being MAD that Encarnacion was hitting the ball yesterday? <br />
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Some fans just want to point out the negatives instead of looking at the positives. They view it as being more passionate than other because they are "critical". I call BS. Being a fan should be a happy medium.<br />
<br />
But back to Purcey - he's been DFA'd and AA believes he'll be able to trade him. To me, not necessarily in regards to talent, he very much reminds me of Brandon League - everybody going on about his potential, but he's lucky to pitch his way out of a wet paper bag. Potential can only get you so far - and there's a point where potential just doesn't cut it anymore.<br />
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And lastly - I won't dwell on it...but if you're a Jays fan on Twitter and you want to make jokes about some of the players, don't be ignorant. Do some research before you end up looking like a complete douchebag. Players are human too.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-25375268041909989042011-04-10T18:43:00.000-04:002011-04-10T18:43:59.499-04:00The Tangled Web Jered WeavesI don't care how good he is, he needs to stop kicking our ass. New career high of 15 K's...he's amazing to watch. But that game was quite painful to watch for Jays fans, especially after the debacle of last night.<br />
<br />
But while the game had barely started, I could not believe how many people on Twitter were bringing the whole Jays team down. Jo-Jo sucked for giving up that one run...the whole team sucks because they can't hit Weaver.<br />
<br />
Quality start - 6IP with 3ER. Jo-Jo? 7IP with 1ER. He wasn't exactly efficient and he did give up a lot of hits - but he still pitched a good game against a good team. It will definitely make things interesting depending on Litsch's start against King Felix tomorrow night.<br />
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But I haven't had one of these in a while and I didn't want to resort to it...here's a rant.<br />
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I will never understand how anybody could wish injury upon any player in the sport. The amount of people I saw rejoicing that EE was on the bench because of his cramped hip flexor, or people thinking Davis was taken out because of his error since "he sucks".<br />
<br />
Wanting a player benched for attitude issues is something completely different IMHO...teach him a lesson. Unfortunately, some fans need to learn some class.<br />
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Kinda makes me wish people were still whining about Bob Davidson :) /end rantSiobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-75987092368183434232011-04-10T12:00:00.000-04:002011-04-10T12:00:08.668-04:00The Great Ump DebateI "woke up" this morning and checked my Twitterfeed - and it was still being flooded with vents about Mr. Davidson. Sure, he made that horrible "Interference" call against us. But that's not the sole reason the Jays lost the game. (What was it....18 runners left in scoring position?)<br />
<br />
In recent years, the Great Umpire Debate seems to be getting a little bit more heated. Instant Replay was finally instituted for home run calls. Some fans still want more.<br />
<br />
At a Blue Jays Fan Club Q&A last year with some alumni, players even seem to be divided on what should be done. Duane Ward said we need to have that human aspect to the game and that it'll slow the pace down way too much if everything could be debated. Pat Hentgen said it wouldn't take long to have a 5th umpire in the booth to quickly review if there's a challenge.<br />
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If it's possible, I do agree with both - though I tend to lean more towards supporting Ward's point of view.<br />
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Imagine Baseball with automated strike zones and the chance to reverse every single decision made on the field....what would being at a game be like not having the chance to have our emotions ramped up whether for the positive or the negative? Baseball can already be perceived as a boring game - you take 9 innings and maybe a total of 1 inning could be where all the 'excitement' happens.<br />
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I will always remember being at a Jays game at the end of 2003 - Doc was thrown out by Phil Cuzzi for arguing a balk call (did he also hit a Rays batter? I can't remember). Even though the Dome was fairly empty (about 20,000), the place exploded with anger at Cuzzi. Did Cuzzi make the right call? I don't remember. I just remember the emotions that it stirred in the Dome.<br />
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Last year was the Year of the Pitcher. No-Nos and Perfect Games galore. Is Armando Galarraga heartbroken that his Perfect Game doesn't go into the books as one? Definitely. But it's one of the most memorable Almost Perfect Games ever. Possibly could have been lost in the mix with all of the others.<br />
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Ultimately, I think widened instant replay would be detrimental to the game. Personally, it gets me going (in a positive way) knowing that every pitcher has to adapt to every single umpire when they're pitching. Maybe not to the point where it's so blatantly obvious that the pitcher's getting squeezed - but it adds another aspect to the game.<br />
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But, I do think that the MLB needs to acknowledge in some way that there are umpire mistakes (or at least they are being criticized a lot more - maybe due to social media) being made and that in some other way, something should be done about it. Especially when you have an umpire like Davidson who is known for making some of the most controversial calls.<br />
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Maybe they should start off by taking Jim Joyce's lead and admitting that they're human and they make mistakes too.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-6825691262967212292011-04-10T02:31:00.000-04:002011-04-10T02:31:17.334-04:00Um. WTF?In my almost 30 years, I have never witnessed a game like that.<br />
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Bats on fire for the first 5 innings (or iffy pitching - maybe an unhappy medium) Then to quote Sergio in Get Him to The Greek....MINDFUCK!<br />
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Johnny Mac being the star of the game and not just defensively? I still don't think he should be in the starting lineup every day, but seriously! Who expected that? <br />
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An almost completely lights out bullpen (until Rauch came into the game and got the loss)?<br />
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OK, so the Jays almost blew it on EE's error until Dotel got out of the mess....but they didn't (I still belEEve!!!). SO many close calls with juiced bases, runners in scoring position, bad pitches, bad defense (Angels had 3 errors).<br />
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Then you have the "interference" call that Bob Davidson made - I thought the whole point of the game was to run from base to base when you reach safely....Escobar did that. But, alas, it was wrong according to the Jays' archenemy Mr Davidson. That play would have a) had Edwin redeem himself slightly and b) put the Jays ahead. Instead, it was out #3 and the Angels went up to bat. Never have I heard commentators on TV sounding so unbelievably angry. Even Gregg Zaun tweeted about Balking Bob Davidson....<br />
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Then the Angels threatened in the bottom of that inning. Luckily, due to some really bad Rivera-esque type baserunning, nothing happened. Highlight? Buck and Pat yelling at Travis "Throw to first! Throw to first!". Bobby Abreu running home during the Callaspo rundown then getting called out for out #3? Epic.<br />
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Twitter was going insane throughout the whole game, despite it being late everywhere in Canada. People were still watching.<br />
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Yet, it hits 10pm here at home and "fans" leave...if they even show up to the game at all. Tonight alone showed that there are fans out there who have just as much Hustle and Heart as the guys on the field.<br />
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Alas, the Jays lost...but it was one of the most memorable games I've ever watched and it won't be one I'll forget for a while. They didn't give up. Just watching them exhausted me more than the length of the game.<br />
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Here's to hoping the team and the fans'll remember this the next time the starting pitching struggles, the next time the game goes into extras, and the next time Balking Bob Davidson comes into town.<br />
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And here's to hoping I'll never have to write a blog post after a 5 hour game at 2:30am :)Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-19793442384566036132011-04-09T12:33:00.000-04:002011-04-09T12:33:00.632-04:00The Juan Rivera Dead HorseSo, I've decided to blog about something that nobody's talking about /end sarcasm<br />
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But seriously. Juan. Effin'. Rivera.<br />
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I'm all for supporting players through their struggles since nobody's perfect. And I still hold onto that (I belEEve). But there's no excuse for Rivera's attitude.<br />
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Sure, 2 hits against the Angels last night and I believe one ended up resulting in a run. Sure, he leads the team in walks (or as Rivera plays - long leisurely strolls down to first).<br />
<br />
There are how many Baseball players in the minors who would almost kill for a chance to be in the MLB? So many of them work their little uniformed tushies off and can barely scrape it up to Triple-A? Instead you have a guy like Rivera getting paid $5.25 mill showing he doesn't give a crap about the team or winning.<br />
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Is he miffed because he knows the team wants to get rid of him but can't? Shouldn't that be more of an accelerant to a fire that he should already have in the first place? At least he's promoting good Twitter debate/discussion. But not $5.25 mill worth.<br />
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Juan - just take the money and run. Literally.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-58020475914126959952011-04-09T00:58:00.000-04:002011-04-09T00:58:48.750-04:00Rally Monkeys Are PetrifyingAnd I don't mean when the Angels start a rally. I mean the monkey literally will give me nightmares. I love monkeys. But in an Angels jersey and a stadium filled with stuffed monkeys? I need therapy.<br />
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The Jays pulled through for the win tonight against the Angels. Despite the ump's non-existent strike zone, defensive blunders, and Drabek's walks, it was an amazing game. Drabek with a quality start including 5Ks? Even despite the errors and the inconsistent strike zone, Drabek kept his composure. I'm quite pleasantly surprised at the maturity the 21yr old showed on the mound tonight.<br />
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And Jayson Nix...I obviously still belEEve, but so far it looks like getting Nix was another rabbit pulled out of a hat move for AA. <br />
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In other news: Thank you, Gregg Zaun, for answering my question about why road pants cause saggy bum/crotch. It's been haunting me for years.<br />
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Just a short post tonight thanks to time differences.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-695592888930497962011-04-07T23:17:00.000-04:002011-04-07T23:17:28.291-04:00What's Your Favourite Colour?Mine used to be blue. Now it isn't.<br />
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Not that it was a huge shocker on the first Tweeting Tuesday/post Opening Weekend game against Oakland. Slightly over 11,000.<br />
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Sure, the Leafs had the chance to not be eliminated from the playoffs and hockey means everything to everybody in the city. But I'm pretty sure that really didn't have an effect considering it happens every dang year!!!!<br />
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I truthfully don't get it. Going to ball games can be cheaper than taking your whole family to the movies. Sure, money doesn't grow on trees (/end cliche). But there's no reason the Dome should be that empty. Breaks my heart.<br />
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But enough ranting and raving about the attendance issue, beating a dead horse (/end cliche).<br />
<br />
Casey Janssen was sent down to Vegas to make room for Dotel today. I must say, I love it when Twitter allows me to feel SMART about Baseball :) The amount of fans saying that Frasor should be sent down instead of Janssen because he "sucks". I won't lie. I was still confused about options and outrighting and waivers and all that gibberish.<br />
<br />
Sure, Baseball's a sport...but it seems like a lot of people don't understand the fact that it's also a business. Performance-wise, should Frasor have been sent down over Janssen? Yeah, there's an argument for that. But then you risk losing Frasor blahblahblah. Again, won't even try to "explain" it.<br />
<br />
It all boils down to this - if you have options and you play in a position that the team is STACKED with, guess what? You're gonna get sent down. I don't think this is a shocker to anybody.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, it means there's even less high sock mojo on the Jays now *pout*<br />
<br />
(disclaimer: Still exhausted from Opening Weekend - brain is at 1/3 strength)Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-3425843944389617402011-04-04T21:41:00.000-04:002011-04-04T21:41:27.608-04:00Opening Weekend's Shenanigans (or lack thereof)Who knew that a weekend of amazing Blue Jays baseball could be so damn exhausting?<br />
<br />
This weekend proved to be one of the most exciting opening series I've ever been a part of. The crowd and the atmosphere matched how this team is making me feel - POSITIVE!<br />
<br />
Sure, asshats decided to start throwing their rally towels onto the field in the 7th....inning(?) along with their full beer cans (holycrapmuthaeffinbeerinacan!!!). And of course, there were mandatory 500 level fist fights. But it was all electric.<br />
<br />
During the pre-game show - when they unveiled Pat Gillick's and Roberto Alomar's HOF banners above, ugh, "Jaysvision", it was a feeling I have never felt before. I got goosebumps and I started to well up. Sooner than later, we'll all get that feeling again when we reveal our next banner. <br />
<br />
This whole weekend, I couldn't get over Farrell's style. The speed on the basepaths AND the power on Friday night...pinch hitting Snider for Rivera the moment Liriano was taken out of the game...and *gasp* a sac bunt with runners at 1st and 2nd????? How much of our bullpen pitched all 3 games of the series?<br />
<br />
It all goes back to my 2 most overused words - FEELING EXCITED!<br />
<br />
(I'm still recovering from the extreme adrenaline rush the first 3 games of the season provided - too much adrenaline makes a non-sensical blog post)<br />
<br />
Anybody have any thoughts/comments about the Jays' Opening Weekend? <br />
<br />
P.S. I still belEEveSiobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-1373416990537859372011-03-31T22:54:00.000-04:002011-03-31T22:54:51.257-04:00'Twas the night before....opening night...Nope. Not rewriting it. I'm sure every Baseball blogger's already rehashed that "parody" over and over and over again. Plus, that's way too much effort.<br />
<br />
Since Jays' Opening Night is sold out, I won't lie - I'm kinda worried.<br />
<br />
In previous Opening Night related posts, I've mentioned how many asshats go to the home opener. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the deafening atmosphere. But what's gonna happen when all the morons who can't hold their alcohol decide to be hooligans?<br />
<br />
My mind doesn't always go to the negative when it comes to one of the best nights of the year. Will something special happen? I still get goosebumps thinking about the first home opener after Tom Cheek passed away and Bengie Molina hit a home run that hit Tom Cheek's name on the Level of Excellence. This year, Robbie and Pat Gillick are going to be honoured somehow - not quite sure what they're doing but I cannot wait. Could this be the first retirement of a number for the Jays?<br />
<br />
I'm already getting chills. I can already here the "Robbie" chants before he potentially makes a speech. I can picture the standing ovation Jose Bautista's going to get in the pregame ceremony as well.<br />
<br />
6 months of waiting and torture all boil down to this moment. It's on.Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-10170576848606536942011-03-30T22:15:00.000-04:002011-03-30T22:15:56.210-04:002 More Effin Days!<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's here. The longest six months of the year are finally over, and us Jays fanatics can go back to partaking in the best addiction of all - Baseball.</span><br />
<br />
It's been quite an eventful offseason for the Blue Jays - new manager in John Farrell, new bench coach in Don Wakahotsu (uh, I mean Wakamatsu), Cy Young award winner Pat Hentgen has returned to the team as the bullpen coach...not to mention the departure of Shaun Marcum and a past franchise player in Vernon Wells.<br />
<br />
But all of that has been rehashed many a-time by all those other reputable blogs out there. I'm behind on the times :)<br />
<br />
Words cannot describe how excited I am about the 2011 season. This year, I was finally able to go to Dunedin to catch some Spring Training action. Even though the Jays only won one of the "fake" games I saw, I could tell this team would be different than last year's. They seem nowhere near as "uptight" (for lack of a better word) as last year.<br />
<br />
But how can I define my excitement for a team which Sports Illustrated believes will finish last in the AL?<br />
<br />
Last year, the Jays seemed to follow the philosophy of hitting the ball long and hard with a former hitting coach at the helm. Leading the majors in HRs, and having Bautista slugging 54 dingers in the season probably won't end up happening in 2011 as much as we all would like it to.<br />
<br />
I'm a fan of the "smallball" - home runs don't excite me unless they're in a clutch situation. Everybody who follows me on Twitter knows I love the bunts, and triples absolutely drive me wild. Could that be why I'm giddy about the acquisition of Rajai Davis? Tremendous speed, great bat (in ST), and - yes, I'm going there - he's got the high sock mojo.<br />
<br />
With our past pitching injuries, no matter what the theories may be (*ahem* Arnsberg), how will our young pitching staff be handled now that the manager is a former pitcher/pitching coach? Better? Worse?<br />
<br />
How often during Spring Training have us Jays fans been so excited to see a player be called up? The acquisition of Brett Lawrie had mostly a positive reaction from fans when AA pulled the trigger on the trade with the Brewers. There were attitude concerns, but those all dissipated after he tore it up in Spring. Last year, the excitement was 99% about Bautista's chase to 50HRs which came out of nowhere. But to have this much excitement about a player before he even gets the callup and to even be upset he didn't make the team out of Spring Training? It's been forever since I've seen that kind of passion.<br />
<br />
And, I'm sorry - I have complete faith in Edwin Encarnacion this season. Sure, it was a bit of a surprise that he came back to the Jays in the first place after being claimed by Oakland (correct me if I'm wrong - I truly can't remember how Oakland got him!). After seeing him play, though it was at 1B in Spring, he seems to have a different attitude as last year. Many disagree with me, but I think he could have a better offensive season than Bautista. Who knew after Bautista's career thus far that he would have had a season like last year's? I also think Butter can work wonders on his defense if EE puts his mind to it. I BELEEVE!!!!!!<br />
<br />
Of course, no one can forget Roberto Alomar's induction into the HOF this year with Bert Blyleven and Pat Gillick. The first player to be inducted as a Blue Jay is excitement that fans have not yet felt. Unfortunately, Tom Cheek isn't being inducted this year which would have made it an even more amazing induction. <br />
<br />
My final reason for being so excited has nothing to do with what happens on the field and within the game. It wasn't until August last year that I started to make new friends through social media (primarily Twitter) and the amount of Twitterfriends that I'll be seeing in the next 6 months can bring me more joy than a walk-off Grand Slam. To me, Baseball isn't just a game - it's an atmosphere, and getting a bunch of Jays fans together to root for the guys says more about the game to me than 25-men on paper.<br />
<br />
So, speaking of Twitterfriends, to add some sanity/non-rambling to my blogpost, I asked what some Tweeps were excited about for 2011. I got a decent response, but I'm going to quote as much as I can with the wonders of 140 characters. So in no particular order, here are the highlights!<br />
<br />
<b>@Alleycat17</b><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(she said a lot haha so here's some of what she said)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>"There is no doubt that if you look at your time<br />
line everyone is talking about the Jays - has Twitter made the excitement over<br />
baseball in Canada more popular or has that been AA's work too?"<br />
<br />
<b>@PowerofGiggle</b><br />
<b> </b>"I'm excited about Farrell and having fresh leadership. How will he progress as the season progresses?<b> </b> [Wakamatsu] too. Looking forward to his guidance. The young pitching staff!! So much support for each other. Hill and Lind - pulling for them! And visits to TO to just watch them play as much as possible! Keeping the excitement alive!"<br />
<br />
<b>@BullpenStarter</b><br />
"Farrell and the game he brings...small ball, speed. Hoping for bunts, hit and runs, double steals, super excited for Roberto andthe HOF. Players I like most: Snider, Escobar and Cecil. I think if these guys reach potential then we're set. I'm most excited for my new Blue Jays Tweeps!"<br />
<br />
<b>@biggles14</b><br />
"i am excited about jpa of course, as well as the young pitching and the excitment around the team! also ditching flashbackfri." <br />
<br />
<b>@5thStarter</b><br />
"I'm looking forward to Lawrie's first game."<br />
<br />
<b>@sboulton</b><br />
"This year's inevitable John McDonald feel-good moment."<br />
<br />
<b>@davepoaps</b><br />
<b> </b>"I'm excited to see the young guys get a full time opportunity to prove themselves and showcase their skills to us."<br />
<br />
<b>@hustleandheart</b><br />
"The development (Snider, Drabek, JPA) just excited to see those guys in the line up. Future is bright! looking fwd to Lind @ 1st. Can Lind/Hill bounce back, is Cecil for real, who emerges as closer, Farrell decisions..."<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>@GValentino</b><br />
"I'm excited about what a new manager can bring to this team in terms of strategy and philosophy."<br />
<br />
<b>@ryankinsey</b><br />
"different change in offensive strategies. Small ball and Rookies :)"<br />
<br />
<b>@michealiaboni</b><br />
" I'll go out and say it...the #Jays make the post-season this year. Not even a biased opinion here. stats don't lie. Youth, power and solid arms trump big bank accounts. Hey, the Rays did it a few years ago, right?"<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> @thesleepingwolf</b><br />
"it just feels right, a sign of the season, love the sport, and (insert James Earl Jones speech from field of dreams)"<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> @jonah_n</b><br />
"I'm stoked to see how Lind does at 1B (w/@VernonWells10 gone, my favourite Jays player). The emergence of Drabek in rotation."<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>@AlanClough</b><br />
"Excited about #Jays multifaceted offence & young/soon-to-be top tiered starting rotation. Morrow/Romero 1-2 punch & speed! U can add comraderie and chemistry to the list as well!"<br />
<br />
<b>@MassF</b><br />
"What excites me most is seeing if the young starting rotation can build off the successes they had last year."<br />
<br />
It's crazy to see how many Jays fans are excited pretty much about the exact same things. Remember when AA said this team wasn't rebuilding, it was just building? Fans seemed to freak out before last season...now with all of this excitement, hopefully there'll be less blue in the stands (excluding hats and old school jerseys) and the Jays'll make the postseason this year!Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-62758273791212270972010-12-11T16:36:00.000-05:002010-12-11T16:36:12.543-05:00WTFBBQBLOGPOST?Time for the hopefully new and improved blog. I've decided to at least try to make it a little bit more personal. I'll always admit that I'm not one for stats or fully knowing how the whole business works.<br />
<br />
So I figure as a Season Ticket Holder, Baseball fan and a semi-frequent roadtripper....I'll write about that. Along with the occasional stereotypical female fan postings once in a while :)<br />
<br />
Of course, I say this now...and then I won't blog for another 6 months haha<br />
<br />
Blog post coming later tonight. Need to get my creative juices flowing :)Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-64312081730640432812010-06-20T20:20:00.004-04:002010-06-20T20:45:19.783-04:00Sappy Emotional Stuff w/ Johnny Mac Love<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPkE_hIUIx61usavNtktaLEuhI5iSovfKkXHwXA2PDXx5WiPW5DB1rT9H0u8MU8-d3VN_tCaBPgp1ENQdNUR9LTghYjBAbjdVCp9_4XbDCThHKi50HL7A5c9KWbpqYrbhQWjO3ZfH0qdO/s1600/JohnnyMacHomer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPkE_hIUIx61usavNtktaLEuhI5iSovfKkXHwXA2PDXx5WiPW5DB1rT9H0u8MU8-d3VN_tCaBPgp1ENQdNUR9LTghYjBAbjdVCp9_4XbDCThHKi50HL7A5c9KWbpqYrbhQWjO3ZfH0qdO/s320/JohnnyMacHomer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485016362917095186" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I know I've openly criticized Johnny Mac many times....some people view that as a form of undefined "hate". Completely not the case, and completely not the time to talk about it. But I just wanted to clear that up before I went on.<br /><br />What transpired at today's game is still hitting me, no pun intended.<br /><br />Johnny Mac was put in as a defensive replacement, and the very few people still in attendance were cheering their hearts out. Many also gave a standing ovation.<br /><br />Speaking from personal experience of having a devastating loss of a parent (my Mom to cancer as well), it's hard to get back into stuff that's even a daily routine as much as you want to make everything "go back to normal." It hasn't even been a week for Johnny Mac.<br /><br />I personally didn't realize until it was the bottom of the ninth that Johnny Mac was due up to bat. Just his name being introduced had all these emotions build up inside of me, which I know was a zillionth smaller than the emotions for J-Mac. He smoked the ball, and it barely made its way over the LF wall. I started to scream as loud as I could, possibly louder than I have for some walk-offs to hide that I was ready to sob.<br /><br />There's no doubt in my mind that Jack McDonald was somewhere in the Dome today cheering louder than anybody else as John was trotting around the bases.<br /><br />And despite the game's loss today, I'm pretty sure that it put things into perspective for many Jays fans that it's not always about ensuring a W, and that even Baseball players are human.<br /><br />For a better read than my emotional mumbo-jumbo - Check out Bastian's blog post:<br /><br /><a href="http://mlbastian.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/06/happy_fathers_day.html">http://mlbastian.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/06/happy_fathers_day.html</a><br /><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-1349710353684578202010-06-03T20:28:00.003-04:002010-06-03T21:14:07.437-04:00Shame On You, Rogers Centre SecurityIt's June. I haven't blogged all season. It's mostly because I don't really feel like I have anything intelligent to say. Unless I have a rant. So...guess what? It's rant time!<br /><br />I know this story's already been around on the Jays forum and on Twitter, but as a witness to this bullshit (yes, I made a swear. Shut up), I feel as though it's my duty to document it...whilst bitching about it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Lowdown<br /><br /></span>Last night's game vs. Tampa Bay is one that we all want to forget. Marcum being left in too long....JayFray....ScottyDowns being beaten badly by Crawford. But that's not what's getting me down.<br /><br />A friend, whom I didn't know before Opening Day and who is a 40-game Flex Pack holder, was ejected from Rogers Centre. Why? Literally no reason.<br /><br />He spent a bit of the game heckling Carl Crawford, by calling him Cindy. But other than that, he spent most of his time chatting up a family that was visiting from England and who were there to enjoy the ballgame. Suddenly, it's the bottom of the 8th and I see one of RC security coming down to the front of the aisle and he asked to speak with our friend. We were all confused. Then my sis says to me, "They brought COPS?"<br /><br />We figured some kind of warning would be issued....but we knew once the cops were there that our buddy was getting the boot. Again, literally, for no reason.<br /><br />To add insult to injury, though our friend wasn't there to see it, people in our section started swearing pretty loudly when Scotty gave up the grand slam. Nobody batted an eye and everybody was allowed to stay.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Rant<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>I'm not one to shy away from pointing out how silly the staff during Jays games can be. They're having a problem finding a happy medium. I find that the staff is mainly divided into 2 groups. The first group is the, "It's Only A Summer Job/I Get Paid To Watch Baseball" group. This group is comprised of the staff who literally spend the whole game just standing there and ignoring everything going on around them...because it's a sweet job getting paid $11 an hour to watch Baseball. The other group is the "Powertripping Asshat" group...the people who think that wearing a Tennis Ball Green polo shirt makes them a Corrections Officer at the Don Jail.<br /><br />Now, because of the two groups being complete polar opposites of each other, I will say that I have filed concerns to Guest Services based on their actions. This is because, in the past, I've seen people getting ejected who had no reason to be ejected and I've seen people being allowed to stay while being completely hammered out of their mind to the point where they can't even stand up and the only words you can understand through their slurring are ones that make sailors blush.<br /><br />I always go back to my 2 stories....which I will re-iterate again. Scroll down if you don't want to read :P<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story #1<br /><br /></span>Last season on a weekend matinee, there were a group of guys sitting next to me and my sister. They were semi-heckling but they really didn't care. They ended up spending most of the time talking amongst themselves. All of a sudden, the designated driver of the group has security coming down the aisle telling him to leave the premises while his friends were allowed to stay. They obviously didn't stay. But the people who SHOULD have gotten kicked out were allowed to stay - a couple of young guys sitting a couple of rows behind them who were swearing and just being completely unpleasant.<br /><br />The guy who got kicked out had told us earlier in the game that he had a 10-game flex pack and that was finally his first game of the season. We didn't see him once, let alone 9 more times after that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Story #2</span><br /><br />Last year, on one of our designated "Beer and Wing Nights" that we would do on Flashback Fridays, we were personally heckled. These guys came in halfway through the game and started heckling Joe Inglett since he was playing in left...then saw that I was wearing his jersey. They continued to start heckling all 3 of us to the point where we couldn't take it anymore.<br /><br />We got supervisors to come by....they said, "Well, we can relocate you guys." We stated that we were Season Ticket Holders and we paid to be in those seats...the guys heckling us were causing all the problems - they were the ones that should be moved. "Sorry, we can't do that."<br /><br />So they proceeded to watch as the guys continued to heckle us, not doing ANYTHING about it. They walked off shortly after and the guys got worse. We went back to Guest Services to complain, and the Supervisors were there. We stated that they were still harassing us. "Sorry, can't do anything." So we go back, and the guys moved down into our seats. We went down, and told them to get out. Our usher, bless him, was doing everything he could to get these guys to stop but he was failing. We went back up, told the Supervisors that they were taking our seats. They STILL didn't kick them out. Their reason? "The guys aren't drinking...but you ladies have had a couple of beers each."<br /><br />So apparently that put us in the wrong automatically. After the game, we went and drank and drank and I don't even remember what happened the rest of that night...except almost passing out on the Vomit Comet on the way home.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Rant Continued<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>So, here's a question: How can somebody stop doing something that's apparently offensive if nobody tells them that they're doing anything wrong in the first place? Where was the warning in this instance?<br /><br />Our friend had 2 beers at the beginning of the game. Did they see the beer cups and say, "Oh, he's drunk...he must be doing something wrong"?<br /><br />Fans didn't ask him to stop. Security didn't ask him to stop.<br /><br />One the glaring things about this season is the amount of blue being seen in the stands despite the fact that this is an exciting team to watch.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> The fans that cause problems are the ones who show up to one or two games a season, and think the Jays don't deserve to have a team because Doc is no longer with us.<br /><br />Yet here, the Jays have a fan who (as far as I know) is a first-time 40-Game Flex Pack Holder DESPITE the fact that everybody talked about how the team was going to be complete garbage this year and they embarrass him for no reason and kick him out. He's the type of fan that SHOULD be filling the seats. He's courteous to the people around him, he's welcoming, and he cheers for the team through thick and thin. And now he's going to have a label on his forehead anytime he comes back to the Dome as being "A drunk who got ejected for causing problems."<br /><br />After visiting a few other ballparks, and after this incident, I can now fully and truly say that I'm ashamed to call Rogers Centre the home of my team.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(And...yeah, I had a good ending to this post but I completely lost it. It was a really deep thoughtful sentence too :P</span></span>)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-79802249012366130052010-03-27T13:22:00.005-04:002010-03-27T13:53:52.483-04:009-Day Countdown Related Vent & Apology9 days until Opening Day. 16 days until the Home Opener. I love feeling all warm and Basebally. Yet, I also feel some dread.<br /><br />A few days ago, I was confronted about my opinions of Toronto "fans" who attend Jays games. In the confronter's defense, I didn't specify that I was speaking about the Jays and not about Toronto fans in general. I expressed my disappointment and borderline disgust at how the fairweather fans think about the athletes on the field and how they act at the games.<br /><br />I expressed my feelings to Dirk Hayhurst on Twitter who appeared to be a bit down in the dumps due to his shoulder. I mentioned that I wish that all fans could see what he was writing since for some reason "fans" seem to think that athletes like being injured since they still get paid to "do nothing".<br /><br />I was speaking specifically about how I've seen "fans" act. I attend every home game and the amount of BS I've seen in the past 3 seasons as a Season Ticket Holder makes me embarrassed to be a true Jays fan sometimes. I know I've mentioned in a past post about being harassed at games solely on my jersey of choice. But that's just a tip of the tip of the iceberg.<br /><br />The amount of fans who, just yesterday, were cheering because Lyle Overbay hurt his knee and having wishful thoughts that he'd be out the whole season or that he'd never play again with his injury. It's disgusting in general (obviously there are a few exceptions), let alone in Sports, to applaud injury onto anybody. When Gabe Kapler hurt himself during his home run trot in the Dome and couldn't finish running, the amount of fans I heard cheering and laughing was probably louder than those cheering for the Jays when they scored. It's something I'll never understand.<br /><br />I've seen "fans" rush down or sit behind the bullpen to start shouting profanities and threats to the pitchers. What "fans" don't realize is that athletes KNOW when they "suck" and are the first to criticize themselves. They don't need an asshat to shout it down to them to remind them, let alone shouting down trying to pick a fight. Said asshat gets kicked out, causing other "fans" to heckle even more. Why would you even go to a Jays game to insult BOTH teams that are playing?<br /><br />And I'm all for heckling the other team, provided it's tasteful. As annoying as the Tropicana Field Heckler was, he at least heckled with stats. Fine, laugh your ass off when you believe "<enter>.....YOU SUCK!" is the best heckle ever. It's annoying, not distasteful. But some of the heckles I've heard have been racist, homophobic, sexist, and sometimes all of the above.<br /><br />I've seen "fans" insult and harass visitors to the city and the ballpark. I'm all for poking fun at the team as a joke to people around your age. But I've seen people insult 6-year-old kids who are visiting the city, making them cry then LAUGHING when the kids cry. I've visited a few ballparks, wearing my Jays jersey and excluding Philadelphia (where we had 2 really drunk guys insult us for being Canadian), we've been welcomed with open arms to the city/ballpark. Seriously, it's a damn game.<br /><br />But nothing will beat the wonders of the Home Opener where all the asshats come out in full force to their only game of the season. 2 years ago, a fan was almost thrown over the side of the 500 level. In 2005 vs. Boston (Arroyo Vs. Bush), the giveaway of free fridge magnets ended being an epic failure with the magnets being thrown onto the field from the 500 Level en masse. It prompted the Jays to hand them out after the game ever since.<br /><br />That's nothing compared to the last home opener vs. the Tigers when fans in the 200 Level decided it'd be funny to throw baseballs at Josh Anderson's in LF (one during a play, and one narrowly missing his head) causing a delay in the game and threatening a forfeiture of the game where the Jays were whomping the Tigers. The delay caused "fans" across the stadium to throw their bottles (including empty liquor bottles "smuggled" into the Dome) and other forms of garbage onto the field. It made me sick to my stomach as a Baseball fan.<br /><br />I can't wait to see what this Home Opener will bring. I'm wondering if Rogers Centre staff will finally get their act together and do their jobs in making sure the players and the fans are safe from morons. I wonder if anybody's going to throw stuff at Alex Rios if he's playing since he "sucks". I also wonder if it's going to be worse since Doc's no longer with the team.<br /><br />So I'm sincerely sorry if I'm "painting with a wide brush" with how much I dislike Jays "fans" (who unfortunately seem to overpower the true Jays fans) with all the BS I've seen.</enter>Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360081370811549952.post-29358602469999099082010-03-13T21:46:00.018-05:002010-03-14T00:09:02.938-05:00Road Trip Tidbits/Tips: Post #1 - Miller ParkYes, it's Spring Training. Yes, there's Baseball news. But for some reason, I just don't feel motivated enough to blog about what's been happening with the Jays so far this Spring. Well, other than Marcum and Romero's combined awesomeness.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />So for today, and also on upcoming days when I feel like blogging but I don't have anything to blog about, I will blog about Ballparks/Cities I've visited...sometimes the route we took, rest stops, etc. It might not be that coherent, but I'm just hoping I get all important details in.<br /><br />Here's my first one - dedicated to my current fave non-home ballpark. All photos taken by our group.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjyOz4bFW71b16LnbvZKRVnJCbmWb250Gu1cKOOjiS1n1IMhIdMJWB3td8FxoIjKvH3M6aQ_BHHcWL5MRwz1lk25KFJJQ0WeWghsFKzSmZMSEe9meC7XVaF4IhcrEtBJIzqWEhsbdm4XO/s1600-h/DSCN2231.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjyOz4bFW71b16LnbvZKRVnJCbmWb250Gu1cKOOjiS1n1IMhIdMJWB3td8FxoIjKvH3M6aQ_BHHcWL5MRwz1lk25KFJJQ0WeWghsFKzSmZMSEe9meC7XVaF4IhcrEtBJIzqWEhsbdm4XO/s320/DSCN2231.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448319103633430626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Miller Park</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Visited July 10-12, 2009 - Brewers hosting LA Dodgers</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photo taken by Sis</span></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">We drove around to Milwaukee from Toronto, spending the night in Kalamazoo on the way. The Motel6 we stayed at was VERY cheap...but sketchy. Served its purpose, but next time we go we probably won't stay at that particular motel again. One thing we've learned from our various road trips is to be sure to stay at a hotel with restaurants around, especially if you don't have included breakfast at the hotel. There were no rest stops along the interstate which caused some worries, but there was a really nice Pilot in Indiana not too far before the exit to drive through Gary. Drove through Chicago's parking lot :P Took us an hour just to get through the city thanks to lovely lunch hour traffic....in the rain.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKx31nEvLl_dkmcPeMEH4R4DjHKR6NE-T34ZKGqXQvUcZZE7EBmN206saptMNTnfZsq-3oAf_JQRQytDUSwAFaUftFJp6-B_KfvGGOsRVaGjpljV0RmzaITQCmyI62SLL5WTTXwa0_HYk/s1600-h/DSCN2208.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKx31nEvLl_dkmcPeMEH4R4DjHKR6NE-T34ZKGqXQvUcZZE7EBmN206saptMNTnfZsq-3oAf_JQRQytDUSwAFaUftFJp6-B_KfvGGOsRVaGjpljV0RmzaITQCmyI62SLL5WTTXwa0_HYk/s320/DSCN2208.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448333893660341106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">US Cellular Field Drive-By Photo<br /></span></span></span></div><br />The hotel we stayed at in Milwaukee is located in West Milwaukee and was recommended online as being the best if you are going to watch the Brewers - Best Western Woods View Inn. The parking lot is a bit small, but parking is free. If you get there close enough to check-in, you should have no problem getting a spot. A big plus is that if you check out the day there's an afternoon game, they have no problem letting you stay parked there after you check out. The hotel has a free continental breakfast included. HUGE bonus. The elevator's a bit small, but our room was located on the 2nd floor so we just took the stairs. The staff is extremely courteous from the moment you walk in the doors.<br /><br />I'm not sure if all rooms are the same, but our room had a mini kitchen area that included a fridge and a microwave along with plates and cutlery. The beds are double beds, so it can be kinda squishy if you're sharing.<br /><br />Being in West Milwaukee, there isn't really THAT much around so we didn't really get to check anything out. We were within walking distance from a couple of bars, a Taco Bell/Long John Silver's and a Walgreens (perfect for photo printing opportunities and drink/snack shopping). I'm not sure if it's changed since we last went, but Wisconsin still allowed smoking in bars back then, so we weren't able to partake in any form of nighttime fun due to not being able to breathe from the heavy smoke. We DID order pizza our first night there from Pepe's Pizza (number was available in the hotel guide) and the pizza was REALLY good. Perfect if you're in a tight bind :)<br /><br />But the biggest perk about the hotel was the location to the ballpark. It's literally a 10-minute walk maximum from Miller Park. Front Desk even provides maps on how to walk there. The walk is a tiny bit secluded but it is very safe to walk.<br /><br />Our first game was on a Friday night. Now, the Brewers only have this promotion for kids 14 and up now. But last year it was available to everyone. Autograph Fridays. Select players would sign autographs - one at each section with about 6-7 players/coaches/alumni signing. We went because I wanted to meet Ryan Braun and he was one of the players scheduled to sign that day. Absolute mayhem, and the line was cut off before we even got to the section. It didn't stop me from having the chance to meet him, though that was mostly because of the usher in the section and Ryan's awesomeness. But I digress, somewhat :P<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6fDDHrd0gQl0PT6V_0sjFBjj708kQyy200CbMGoZxnbhEL25rJcrwUK6gsmsSwU9jN6Qtow0bu5zm6e_lLgY7mC1h26xM3CspggqjmF9UXW_xPAVZVtxVRAp7Mh3fnAP41mZMo9SOlDz/s1600-h/ryan4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6fDDHrd0gQl0PT6V_0sjFBjj708kQyy200CbMGoZxnbhEL25rJcrwUK6gsmsSwU9jN6Qtow0bu5zm6e_lLgY7mC1h26xM3CspggqjmF9UXW_xPAVZVtxVRAp7Mh3fnAP41mZMo9SOlDz/s320/ryan4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448334387264138674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ryan Braun signing autographs for fans at Autograph Friday<br /><br /></span></span></span></div>The staff are very friendly at Miller Park, and quite competent. But then again, I'm used to the Rogers Centre where 99% of the employees probably don't even know the team's name. To add to the staff, the fans were absolutely amazing. We met a few people that we started to talk to, and when they found out we were from Toronto, they started asking us questions about our team, along with "so when are you gonna trade Halladay to us?" But one of the best things about the fans was that they thanked us for visiting Miller Park and their city and they hoped we'd have a great time.<br /><br />I can't really comment on ticket prices too much since we splurged on StubHub since tickets were quite sold out due to the visiting team being the Dodgers. Though for one game we did purchase tickets behind the visitor's dugout for $100US each through the Brewers online ticketing. The seats were DEFINITELY worth the money. Friday night we sat 2nd row between 3rd Base and LF. Our last day there we didn't splurge, but we sat in the bleachers behind the Dodgers bullpen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dxhW3t2UAwFGuwdqcA28u6y6QGaCTEIKscXzeDwZvcPLdTxQDL9na7pUIQ-QoxjttSxQ6zWDM-YajqmlYDZI8Oao5HlFNSz95ohjRdHlvUZimE-R3QMioNtAQnSeK0AiuIFjIG1AJMPY/s1600-h/DSCN2348.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dxhW3t2UAwFGuwdqcA28u6y6QGaCTEIKscXzeDwZvcPLdTxQDL9na7pUIQ-QoxjttSxQ6zWDM-YajqmlYDZI8Oao5HlFNSz95ohjRdHlvUZimE-R3QMioNtAQnSeK0AiuIFjIG1AJMPY/s320/DSCN2348.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448335598154522274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Friday Night View (with zoom) - Prince Fielder at bat<br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqfSKxRdSKNs9bX6M7HO3h13n9vTlXYxxdgkq_58atn_uU4AkoobR4YifHB9_7NYiD8cAIxKGT8Z6KHJ-z4TZL3_wp7K9G0A3R96jqyI43dJAivkwqISuzYej0gZBeBIY7yi5Gh12P6by/s1600-h/DSCN2608.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqfSKxRdSKNs9bX6M7HO3h13n9vTlXYxxdgkq_58atn_uU4AkoobR4YifHB9_7NYiD8cAIxKGT8Z6KHJ-z4TZL3_wp7K9G0A3R96jqyI43dJAivkwqISuzYej0gZBeBIY7yi5Gh12P6by/s320/DSCN2608.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448337134011831394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday Night View (partial zoom)<br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBZMRVIcO9v9TdKSUY5naC94Yo90PwZb-KIF3EKzYFeVUgPqDV8Qrx7Y21_4NS8TwcZkZl-sOtCfyr3LF3O1ijwvWh7BI-2t7Q9ab_YjcXgEcFlcEas0Mmf_oUjZHuFUKO-nN8FThBnTc/s1600-h/DSCN2684.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBZMRVIcO9v9TdKSUY5naC94Yo90PwZb-KIF3EKzYFeVUgPqDV8Qrx7Y21_4NS8TwcZkZl-sOtCfyr3LF3O1ijwvWh7BI-2t7Q9ab_YjcXgEcFlcEas0Mmf_oUjZHuFUKO-nN8FThBnTc/s320/DSCN2684.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448337683461233106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday View - Dodgers Bullpen<br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></div>The atmosphere was electric all 3 games, even when the Brewers were losing. Actually, for about a half hour during Batting Practice (or between BP and the game), the only music played is on the ballpark organ. There's Bernie going down the slide anytime a Brewer hit a home run. When Catalanotto went up to bat, his at-bat music was "Your Love" by The Outfield and the whole crowd sang along. I also got goosebumps when it was Trevor Time. Something about hearing Hell's Bells in person with a future Hall of Famer running to the mound was just so completely epic.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy56xYvs6XNQ8mDVUzc3PxoPqdOI4Tjkug80U1XODS1Ni9KnXlGLtdr-Mf0TC3Vckr9AecEVsrBoDYatw8RLwdQoZ4BQ9Wf0MjnRItTWbQOdfAw63kVGU2BlOgXR9hhyi8nMqu8ahCsUF/s1600-h/DSCN2342.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMy56xYvs6XNQ8mDVUzc3PxoPqdOI4Tjkug80U1XODS1Ni9KnXlGLtdr-Mf0TC3Vckr9AecEVsrBoDYatw8RLwdQoZ4BQ9Wf0MjnRItTWbQOdfAw63kVGU2BlOgXR9hhyi8nMqu8ahCsUF/s320/DSCN2342.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448334898818090066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bernie<br /><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdCsHbsfCFkbgrVSgAAy2aS805-Q-sIBr4D5uztu6UIuQrPdJ2iMJ4CqoajA-XIPwcCMKI7grOgieE_M40KJwe2EnUFaevIJSIo4h9F4sdye6bxW2ze0ofZw1P-nBXmE7marRi2tU9ye3/s1600-h/DSCN2371.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdCsHbsfCFkbgrVSgAAy2aS805-Q-sIBr4D5uztu6UIuQrPdJ2iMJ4CqoajA-XIPwcCMKI7grOgieE_M40KJwe2EnUFaevIJSIo4h9F4sdye6bxW2ze0ofZw1P-nBXmE7marRi2tU9ye3/s320/DSCN2371.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448332616982473842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">It's Trevor Time<br /><br /></span></span></span></div>The Sausage Race is even better in person than on TV. The Friday night we were there, one of the physiotherapists or something for the Dodgers was Italian and Andre Ethier started cheering her on. Seriously, the race is absolute MAYHEM! I was happy I was able to see Chorizo win lol<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzH_4bi9u9v_7R-zY2DDpp3D1yyqyjBdoFauN1XCi31dV3_G8_ZNHKpsWek3V94su9QQqwl8OpENzsyiMqMHA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Sausage Race! Go Chorizo!</span></span></span><br /></div><br /></div>7th Inning Stretch - The tradition at Miller Park is singing along with the polka song, "Roll Out The Barrel". Nothing quite like singing along about beer lol<br /><br />Speaking of beer, the one downside was that since it's Miller Park...all the beer is Miller. Not a huge fan, but hey, can't get too picky when your home park serves Bud :P<br /><br />The food is VERY good. Each day I made sure to have a Klement's Brat....and I had to put the Stadium Sauce on it. SO good. Another recommendation is the deep fried cheese curds. If you buy a pop (or soda if you're American :P), be sure to get it in the huge souvenir glass. Well worth the money.<br /><br />In terms of merchandise, there are 2 stores located in the lower level. There was also a t-shirt printing booth that made jersey tees.<br /><br />Our one "downfall" was that anytime we go on road trips for Baseball, it ALWAYS rains. Miller Park has been the only "Dome" we've been to on the road. Our Milwaukee trip was the only trip with zero rain, so we never got to see the roof closed lol<br /><br />I THINK I've covered all of the bases. If not, you can always leave a comment with a question and I can try to answer it :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">ACCIDENTAL OMISSION!</span> I can't believe I forgot to mention the tailgating!!!! We weren't able to participate, but it's an active culture at Miller Park. It was suggested to me by fans on the Brewers forum, but yeah...we weren't able to participate. Can't believe I forgot that *facepalm*<br /><br /></div></div></div>Siobhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10764248778958354130noreply@blogger.com0