Arrrrrr! Pirates!

Saturday April 11th, 2009 - Reds host the pirates.


there couldnt have been a better day for baseball today. As I rode my bike down Walnut there was a brisk and crisp chill in the air which not only kept me alert, but also reminded me of those days as a young kid going to early Saturday morning practices for little league. Though this time the field was much bigger, and the team was much better.


You wouldn’t have really known it by the score though.. and sometimes the score isn’t everything.


I was about 2 tacos deep at the pre game lunch when my friend Exline texted me. he works for a station in West Virginia and they broadcast the games. I informed him that things were in fact running on time and everything was good to go, to which he scoffed because they were having overcast weather and it was gloomy back in the wild and wonderful…


its always a tough one to call at the pre game lunch/dinner. the cafeteria at great American is mostly comprised of media type people. All of us from scoreboard operations, along with the Fox sports, MLB.TV, reds radio, the newspapers, online bloggers, reds websites, marketing, promotions, and really anyone who has anything to do with anything that pertains to any form of media that might promote the Reds. And in time you get to know people… but even after a year its still hard with some. Ive always had a problem with names, and know people more by face but I have made it a point this season to actually look at peoples badges and talk to them more and get to know them.


Its also an awkward feeling when you sit at the same table as Marty and Cowboy,.. or for that matter Tom.. Chris.. Jeff Picoro.. and the other faces you get familiar with when you listen or watch the games at home. You don’t know what to do really.. because while yeah, they are normal guys and all.. they are also set apart from normal. They are the ones who are the face and voice that draws us into our team.. they are the statsmen, the analysts, the friend we have to guide us through the 9 inning battle… and there they are all the sudden two seats away from you, talking about golf or kids or shoes while eating chicken and rice and drinking a coffee.


Todays game wasn’t really much to talk about. When Cueto is on.. he is on. When he struggles, he gets upset.. visibly.. and it effects him. He pitched well, struck out people when needed, but in the end some lucky breaks along with a breakdown in the relief pitching and some bad judgment in baserunning made it a tougher day on him than he needed. And as the 9th inning came to an end on one of those poor baserunning decisions, we all didn’t say much about it.. we just accepted it as inevitable and packed it up.


“We’ll get em tomorrow” I uttered to myself as I watched the team walk off the field and the grounds crew take over. Its early in the season still, and theres room to give a little,.. you just cant give too much without beginning to take something in return.


The energy and excitement at great American is still high, and higher so than it was last year… and I am looking forward to the next 70 or so home games as being better as well. Will the Reds go all the way this year? most think its doubtful… I think they at least have a strong chance at wild card is nothing else. I suppose that only time will tell.. and I will be there to tell it to you.