Finally, back to some baseball

(Randy's perspective)

During the summer of 2015, life has gotten in the way. I know that phrase has become cliche'-ish, but it describes the past few months.
Penny and I had planned to continue our multi-year journey to visit every Major League Baseball park. We simply haven't been able to travel. An opening-day trip to Tampa Bay fell through when an outstanding dog named Stella - an abandoned, hungry, abused dog Penny rescued almost a decade ago from a Fairmont, West Virginia Cracker Barrel parking lot - fell terminally ill. We chose to hang with Stella during her last days.
After that, it was one obligation after another. Work overload. Work travel. Pre-scheduled stuff. All the usual distractions. And, let's be honest, this baseball adventure takes a lot of planning.
There's good news, however. Penny, after 35 years in the education business - as a teacher, an academic coach, an assistant principal, then a principal - retired. She worked until the end of June. Now she's adjusting to the next phase of her life. She has a little more time.
I am also looking forward to retirement. I hope to achieve retirement sometime around 2035.
Ok, enough of that. Everyone is busy.

As far as baseball goes, we didn't quit. We've taken in one Minor League and one Major League game. The Major League game was to a regular haunt, however: Orioles Park at Camden Yard.
Last month, we took in a South Atlantic League game in Charleston, West Virginia. Actually, it was Charleston visiting Charleston. The River Dogs from South Carolina vs. the West Virginia Power.
A couple of things about that experience.
The game itself was unremarkable. West Virginia, which actually is leading the division now (in the second half), was struggling in the first half. The Power got hammered.
The crowd was small and mellow. To cut the home team a break, it was a Sunday afternoon game, the temperature was in the mid 90's, and there were other attractions around town.
That, of course, never bothers one of the true "characters" in Minor League baseball: Rod "the Toastman" Blackstone, who attempts to always keep his section of the stadium lively.
Blackstone bellows all game long from his front-row seat along the third base line near the on-deck circle. He is a section leader, all game long holding signs that prompt cheers. No matter how bad the home team plays, Blackstone's cheers are insanely positive for the Power - and derisive toward the opponents. (My personal favorite: A foul ball by the Power, even if it's a tiny dribbler off the end of the bat is met with "STRONG MANLY FOUL! STRONG MANLY FOUL!" ... A foul ball by an opposing player, including screamers that fall just outside the line, receive the refrain "WEAK PIDDLY FOUL!")
Blackstone's signature move involves toast. When an opposing batter strikes out, the cheer is, "YOU ... ARE ... TOAST!" Replete with the Toastman tossing freshly made toast to the crowd.
I should add that the Power installed an outlet next to Blackstone's seats, allowing him to plug in his toaster. His loaf of bread and toaster rest on a cart. I meant to ask if the cart is also supplied by the home team.
I suggested to Penny that, with a slim crowd that Sunday, we should go hang out with the Toastman for a few innings.
I know Rod Blackstone from our "other" lives. I moved to Charleston, West Virginia in January 1998. I was a reporter for the Associated Press and spent many days covering the West Virginia governor's office. Blackstone in '98 was the press secretary for Gov. Cecil Underwood.
I should add that Blackstone is a Republican, as was the governor. Previously, however, he had worked many years for Democratic Congressman Bob Wise. In a weird twist of fate, Wise defeated Underwood in the 2000 gubernatorial race, a race in which Blackstone worked full-time on the Underwood re-election campaign. Wise was not amused
Now, Blackstone is now the Deputy Mayor of the City of Charleston.
And he is a good man.
I have read several web site comment sections where people say they tire of The Toastman's antics. Penny commented one day, unrelated to any story about The Toastman, that baseball people on the Internet can be mean.
True 'dat.

Regarding the Major League trip, last week we went to see Penny's favorite team and favorite park: the Orioles playing at Camden Yard. Penny's sister, Peggy, joined us. Peggy has been with us in Baltimore (four times), Washington and Philadelphia.
They've influenced me. The Orioles have become my second favorite team. The opponent on our evening in Baltimore was the team I have followed and cheered for all my life: the Atlanta Braves.
On this site, I have written about my history with and loyalty toward the Braves. I have also vented my frustrations about the various moves that have created a chasm between the Braves and us loyal fans. The end of national cable tv contracts, no more baseball on clear-channel WSB radio (which allowed me, in West Virginia, to hear every game if I chose), the trading of way too many fan favorite players, and the dismal erosion of what in the 90's and early 2000's was arguably the most solid, consistent organization in baseball.
No more, my friends. The Braves are a shell, apparently rebuilding - aiming at building success in two years when the move from Turner Field in south Atlanta to the white flight, suburban super-money of Marietta, Georgia. (Yes, yes, I know, it's a business. I get it.)
What I don't get though, is why the Braves recently traded one of the best closers in baseball (Craig Kimbrell), one of the most athletic players in the game (Jason Heyward), a fine clutch hitter and extremely popular player (Evan Gattis), a terrific young pitcher (Alex Wood) ... and that's just for starters. It's a fire sale. We're the damned Marlins.
This from a team that flirted with the playoffs last year and earned a Wild Card the year before.
All I can say is: I hope the trades work in the long run. I suppose all will be forgiven.

On our night in Baltimore, the Braves jumped out early. Freddie Freeman hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Braves a quick 2-0 lead. At that point, the highlights were over.
After Freeman's blast, the Braves stranded three runners in the first and only scored one meaningless other late-inning run during a 7-3 loss.
Penny and Peggy, the rabid Orioles fans, had a big 'ole time.
One other thing. The Orioles swept the series.
Ho-hum.

Back in the swing of things

Our baseball travels this year have been pretty much nonexistent. We had planned to go to Opening Day in Tampa, had our tickets and flight, and our Stella became ill. We would not leave our furbaby while she was sick, so we cancelled our Tampa trip. Unfortunately, after a few weeks, we lost her to liver disease. If you've ever loved a pet, then you know that I just wasn't up to planning fun getaways.

 Then my retirement festivities got in the way of travel time.

 Randy said we would do anything I wanted to do on Mother's Day, so we made a quick trip down to Charleston to a really cool little Minor League park to see the West Virginia Power. The day was hot and the crowd was small, especially early. But it was a nice time.

The Toast Man is the Power's Super Fan. He actually makes toast and throws it to the crowd when the opposing team strikes out. Actually, his name is Rod Blackstone. He is the Deputy Mayor of Charleston and attends all home games. We are planning to head back down there one night this week.

We have a trip to Minneapolis (#16) planned for the end of August and a Miami  (#17) trip in September. We are also thinking we may be able to fit in San Diego or Dallas and Houston if we can get around to planning it. No surprises there, we have kids living in San Diego and Dallas.

Speaking of my retirement, the staff planned a baseball-themed party. Here are a few shots.

My staff did a fabulous job with these decorations, and the party was a blast! And yes, we wore shirts from our favorite teams. The guestbook was a Louisville Slugger.

Since I am retired now I have nothing but time. I attended the Homer Laughlin China (Fiestaware) Collectors Association annual conference. The theme of the first night social was The Seasons of Fiesta, dress as your favorite seasonal activity. It was pretty awesome to run into Santa at a dish conference. I mention the conference, because on "Theme Night" my sister, Peggy, my daughter, Rachel, and I wore Baltimore Orioles gear.

We've done several entries on Baltimore. The reasons for this are that the Orioles are my favorite team, and we try to see a couple of Orioles games each year.

Since we'd been without Major League baseball all summer, we headed to Baltimore last week to see an inter-league game between the Orioles and the Braves. 

After a quick stop at Pickles, the bar/restaurant we like across the street from Orioles Park, we went to the stadium and discovered Randy had scored these awesome seats! Of course we invited #1 O's fan, my sister Peggy.

Peggy had given me as a retirement present a huge gift basket with Orioles goodies. Shoes, wallets, you name it, it was in there. My favorite item was my very own scorebook. I've struggled with some of the nuances of scoring, but I'm hanging in there. Luckily, Randy is a pro, so I have my own personal tutor with me.

Scoring a game forces me to pay attention.  I've actually enjoyed looking back at my scoring and remembering what happened in the game. I see very few people keeping score, though. Why do you think that is?                                                  

The highlight of the evening for me was seeing Chris Davis hit home runs in the first and second innings. The Orioles won 7-3. Peggy and I were merciful toward Randy, a lifelong Braves fan. 

And enjoying the hardest working bird in the MLB.