Baseball 2021

[jeb6294]

Back at the ballpark for another season. Definitely a lot nicer with fans, albeit limited, back in the stadium. GABP has people situated in pods this year so "ungrouped" people aren't sitting together. Technically, people are supposed to be wearing their masks at all times but that went out the window real fast. At one point I looked up at the section of seats behind me and I saw 3 people actually wearing their masks. Apparently somebody complained to somebody else at some point so we told the powers that be, we can either do our jobs and make sure the players stay safe or we can be the mask police but they're both full time jobs so we can't do both. We decided that we'd say something if people were getting up and around, but since they were sitting with their own groups, to let it go if they were sitting.

On a positive note, I got to watch the best Opening Day in America from the swanky seats. Second game I was back down in the tunnel so I missed the "extracurricular activities" between the teams and had to watch the replay at home. Yesterday was back down in the tunnel protecting the visiting team (Cardinals) from the forces of evil, and since it was a Sunday game, ended up getting some of their leftovers from breakfast.

 

[mudpuppy]

Baseball is back!

And Michigan now has legal online sports betting. This could be bad--but so far I'm in the black.

 

[leggo PE]

Yay baseball!

@jeb6294, I have always thought that it is so cool that you work security for the Reds. You have some very interesting perspective into the game because of it!

The Giants are playing the Padres right now. They managed to squeak out a win, 3-2, against them yesterday. Big bummer for the Padres is Tatis Jr. going down in the 3rd inning on an incredible overswing on strike three, where it looked like he overextended and apparently partially dislocated his left shoulder. It’s a real bummer to see anyone get hurt, and especially so when he’s one of the young stars of the game.

 

[jeb6294]

So, first of all, snow at the end of April is bullshit. Unfortunately it started as pouring rain while the Reds/Diamondbacks were in the top of the 8th inning. If they'd stopped it half an inning sooner, between innings, then they may have called it but since they didn't so they waited forever to decide anything.

After a while some of the powers that be were down in the tunnel trying to decide what was going to happen and we told them, "yeah, uh, half the Diamondbacks already left to go back to the hotel."

Ran into some of the Diamondback players who were still there on my way out. They were not happy because none of them brought enough clothes. Told them that, in their defense, we don't usually get snow the end of April.

 

[leggo PE]

But, they are able to check the weather before arriving? Ha, sorry. I saw it was snowing in my former state of inhabitance, Vermont, as well. But that's not totally abnormal there, so I didn't think that much of it.

Hey, baseball! It's still happening! Yay! Only a few instances of COVID, which was absolutely to be expected, I guess.

 

[jeb6294]

Usually when they do a road trip that far from home, they string together several series in cities in a similar region. I’m not sure where else they were, but I do know they go back to AZ after the game tomorrow so we were the end of their road trip. Could be they were far enough out that the weather report wasn’t right yet or they may not have put much thought into it and just went on what the weather is usually like in Cindy at the end of April.

 

[jeb6294]

Also, just got word that capacity is being bumped up too. Only from 30% to 40%, but at least it’s something.

For all the ranting and raving people were doing about playing their baseball to a full house, have there been any spikes in Texas?

 

[leggo PE]

Of course! For as much as I watch baseball (which is a lot), I totally forgot that yeah, these people may have been traveling for a week or so before hand.

Also, I haven’t heard of any spikes in Texas, but I haven’t exactly been following Covid anything in Texas either.

 

[jeb6294]

Got a bonus last night. One of the not-so-great spots is family parking. Basically a section of the parking garage reserved for players’ families to park when they come to games. Boring, but not gonna lie, the scenery is not bad when the wives show up. I’ve only had to work there once before this season, but I remembered one of the guys there last night from the first time I worked there because he’s the father of one of our new pitchers (Tejay Antone) who is a good one. Talked to him for a few minutes and he headed upstairs. I saw him come back down so I went down to make sure something wasn’t wrong, but he just wanted to tell me appreciated the nice things I said and he’d gotten his son to sign one of his rookie cards and came back down to give it to me.

 

[DLD PE]

Got a bonus last night. One of the not-so-great spots is family parking. Basically a section of the parking garage reserved for players’ families to park when they come to games. Boring, but not gonna lie, the scenery is not bad when the wives show up. I’ve only had to work there once before this season, but I remembered one of the guys there last night from the first time I worked there because he’s the father of one of our new pitchers (Tejay Antone) who is a good one. Talked to him for a few minutes and he headed upstairs. I saw him come back down so I went down to make sure something wasn’t wrong, but he just wanted to tell me appreciated the nice things I said and he’d gotten his son to sign one of his rookie cards and came back down to give it to me.

I went to a Reds game years ago in the 90s. Nice place!

I'm sure parking is a pain just about everywhere. Several years ago we paid $20 at Dodger Stadium, but that was before they lowered the price.

 

[leggo PE]

Hey, my Giants are in town right now for you, jeb!

On a very general baseball note, ESPN had a pretty in-depth article about the rise of the strikeout in baseball over the recent decades. I didn’t read the whole article and skipped a few parts where it was just person after person saying pitchers right now are amazing and hitters have forgotten about hitting for contact and instead are only hitting for home runs and are okay striking out.

The main point I took away from it is that pitchers are pitching harder and have more pitches available to them than in the past, and batters’ haven’t been able to catch up, plus their general approach has changed (simplified, wait for a pitch to hit for a home run, even if it means you’re in an 0-2 count and then likely have to swing defensively). Makes for some boring baseball, in my opinion. I don’t think it’s the pitcher’s issue, kudos to them for being able to beat the batters. But the batters need to be able to combat this better!

 

[jeb6294]

GABP is back to full capacity, of course, our big re-opening day got postponed due to rain. And another sign that things are getting more back to normal, it looks like we’ll be getting closer to being back on the field next homestand. I got an email last night about the new procedures for security in the camera wells in the dugouts.

Not sure if we’ll actually be going on the field yet, back to wearing a mask for anyone in the dugout who isn’t a player, and they’re putting up plexiglass between the camera well and the actual dugout, but it’s a start.

 

[jeb6294]

They’ve got some ridiculous rules in place, but at least we’re back on the field...

 

[DVINNY]

As a Pirates fan, I have absolutely nothing to be excited about.

 

[jeb6294]

Back on the field AND we don't have to wear masks anymore which is nice because being down in the dugout on a hot day with a mask on is like being waterboarded. Of course, coming out of the dugout, I almost ran over Joey Votto on TV for the world to see, but other than that....

 

[leggo PE]

Second half, here we go!

 

[djl PE]

Big braves fan here- disappointing season for several reasons, but losing Acuña is very sad. Going to see the boys play the Giants in August and hope for the best against the best record in baseball.

 

[leggo PE]

Ohhhh @djl PE you’re talking to a lifelong, diehard, never giving up, super excited about her team’s record right now, SF GIANTS FAN right here!

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, man, I was bummed to here about Acuña’s injury. He’s a true superstar and while I never like seeing any player get hurt, it’s especially awful when it is one of the young stars. I hope for a speedy and full recovery for him!

 

[NJHHEngineer P.E.]

Big braves fan here- disappointing season for several reasons, but losing Acuña is very sad. Going to see the boys play the Giants in August and hope for the best against the best record in baseball.

Right there with ya...Interesting to see why they turned to Joc...High Risk High Reward in my opinion. He's not having the best year so far but here's hoping he can fill the Acuna void.

 

[jeb6294]

Second half, here we go!

Well, for some…stupid Yankees. Hopefully, MLB doesn’t start going back to some of the silly COVID rules that have finally been going away.