9/14/09 vs. Oakland

This game, just like the one I went to on Saturday, was attended strictly from a game watching standpoint only.

The weather was better this day, but not good enough to offer any batting practice. That makes at least three games in a row that I have been to that have not had BP.

Oh well, at least there was baseball!

Now that you know that, this entry is going to be shorter than normal. I took some photos at this game, but not of the stadium. This game I decided to take some photos of some of the players.

But first, a look at the field from our seats….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…. and the centerfield message board just prior to gametime….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s baseball time in Texas!” Quoting the great Ballpark in Arlington announcer, Chuck Morgan.

The next one is of Rangers left fielder David Murphy….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it me, or does he look like he was just caught relieving himself on the grass? Probably just me.

Those are the only pictures I took from those seats. Our seats were pretty good, by the way, straight away left, first row. Not bad, but we moved after the third inning to our new favorite foul ball spot on the third base side.

Here’s Marlon Byrd at the plate….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mainly took this one, because I was wearing his t-shirt at this game.

This next guy should not need any introduction….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…. but just in case you still don’t know who this is, it’s perennial gold-glover Omar Vizquel.

That guy is amazing in the field. I’ve personally seen him play three different infield positions this season and do superb at all of them. He’s awesome.

Speaking of awesome, what about this guy….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

….come on, don’t tell me you don’t know who Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez is!?

10-time gold glove winning catcher. World Series winner. Definate first ballot hall of famer.

Greatness.

The pictures of Pudge were mainly so I could have proof that I watched him play in person.

By now you should be able to tell the camera angle has changed. We moved behind homeplate at the end of the eighth inning.

Here’s another that I like, it shows David Murphy at the plate with Nelson Cruz on deck….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We didn’t have any close calls in our original foul ball spot, and for the first couple batters, we didn’t have any behind homeplate either.

Until the top of the ninth.

Oakland A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki stepped into the batter’s box, batting right handed, and proceded to foul off the very first pitch. I was one seat over from the aisle seat and this foul ball came screaming back over the screen, and I had just enough time to jump out of my seat and reach across my body with my glove while jumping as high as I could (which isn’t very high I might add) only to miss the ball by mere inches. It didn’t touch my glove, but it came as close as it could without hitting it.

I turned around to see where the ball went, and it hit something; a step, wall edge, I’m not sure, all I know is that I had my back to the field and the ball hit whatever it hit and ricocheted over two sections to my right.

So close, so very close.

That was it for this game, Rangers lose 8-0. Two shutouts in a row.

Time of game; 2 hrs. 45 mins.

Attendance: 13,669

Next game: Fri. 9/18 vs. the Angels

BTW — There was ice cream to be had this game, and here are the helmets I came away with….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I only had one, the other two I found. I promise!