I was meeting Alex from riveravenue.mlblogs.com at the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. It was about an hour prior to the gates opened. I saw him, went over to him, and was barely able to say sup before Ron Darling came along. I forget what, but something was slowing me down, so I handed Alex my mets hat and sharpie. He got an autograph on I think a ball, and generously got one on my hat. We then discussed our plans for the day and were waiting by the team store entrance just talking. Then out of nowhere, there's Hunter Pence and his little crew! Just right in front of us. We each got his auto. It was so unexpected. On top of that, he's one of Alex's favorite players. Here are the photos.

Sorry there kinda seperate, I couldn't fix it. The left is the Hunter Pence auto I got, the middle is the Ron Darling auto I got, and the Bottom is Alex with his autos. 

After this, we waited at the gate and Alex, who is very generous, gave me an extra copy of his ticket to the club behind home plate. It was an extremely awesome club, and the seats behind them were also awesome.

Anyway, when we went in it was really empty. It had been overcast all day, but the astros still had bp. We toured the very nice empty club until the Astros came out.

The pitchers eventually warmed up down the line, and I got in position of the three furthest toward the foul pole having catch. It was Jose Valverde, Wilton Lopez, and Samuel Gervacio. I asked Valverde early on if I could have it. [Lopez and Valverde were close to me, Gervacio was in the outfield. Just as they were finishing up, bp had been in progress for a few seconds, a batter ripped one down the line. Valverde had his back turned, and Lopez went over and flipped it up to me for #1. Then, a minute later Valverde threw me the other one since he hadn't seen it for #2. They, and every one I got from the Astros had the famous H on it.

I then moved to Left Field, and within 5 minutes I got a Hunter Pence homerun. I ran over two sections and up a few rows. Many people were chasing, but then it took an awesome bounce, and I found myself chasing it straight through an empty row. I picked it up as it slowed down for #3. The astros still had about 15 minutes left, but I went towards the foul pole where I met up with Alex. I got a foul homer that landed near me and hit off a chair to my foot. That was #4. Then for the first time I met Todd and Tim from cookandsonbats.mlblogs.com. They were awesome, and I was with them for most the day.

We made it over to the astros dugout, and when they came in coach Stretch Suba threw me my fifth of the day, and threw Todd/Tim their second. Tim's gonna be a great ballhawk when he grows up, with all this experience. Here he is showing off his first ever Citi Field ball.

I was having a pretty good day. Five balls for half a bp, not bad. Alex, Todd and Tim, and I then walked around until pregame throwing. Alex and I were positioned next to the dugout behind third base. When Michael Bourn finished throwing with Miguel Tejada, he threw me the ball for number 6. Then when Kaz Matsui finished throwing with his translator, his translator threw me the ball. I felt bad because Alex was trying for it and I was pointing to him, but the translator threw it to me instead. Alex said it was ok, but I still feel it was cheap. The game was good, and during one of the innings a random worker in the astros threw me a foul grounder that went in there. It was a citi gamer of course. And it was number 8.

Then, when I was behind the dugout with Alex, it started to drizzle. Then it rained. Then it poured and they delayed the game. We had stayed, and my food was soggy. But, we both ran over to the umpires tunnel, and ump Damian Beal gave us each a gamer. #9!

We went up soaked into the extremely nice club behind homeplate and dried off. Most of the game, we played for foul balls behind the plate before and after the delay, but NOTHING was hit there. It was so empty after the delay, if anything came back one of us would've gotten it.

We then went to the J.R.R., where we met up with Todd and Tim. Alex and I got to witness Tim fake crying, because he couldn't climb up on the big 42. But as soon as we mentioned we could have a catch, Tim smiled and was all for it. He was so awesome during the day, sometimes wild, but still awesome.

The delay lasted for about 2 hours and 15 minutes, where we hung out with Todd and Tim all over the stadium, doing so many things. We were behind the dugout when the players came back out to warm up. I got Chris Johnson to throw me #10 there, and I was just two away from tying my record!

I was behind homeplate for the rest of the game until the bottom of the ninth, and there I got the bat boy to throw me #11 after a foul tip. It was another gamer!

Todd&Tim, Alex, and I all were at the umps tunnel at the end of the game.

Todd&Tim, Alex, and I all were in perfect position to get a ball from the ump.

Todd&Tim, Alex and I all were successful, and got a ball from umpire Damian Beal at the end of the game.

YES! I had tied my previous record of 12! I then said goodbye to Todd&Tim until next year, and Alex until the next day.

Here are the commemoratives from the game.

 And here is a partial TPX batmark on one.  

Ball #1- Thrown to by Mike Mcdougal down the line after he finished throwing with Jason Bergmann. A regular. I later gave this one away.

Ball #2- Thrown to by Jason Bergmann in the LF seats during the very short bp. Training. I later gave this one away too.

Ball #3- Not expecting it to end so fast, I was unable to get to the dugout before they came off. I was pissed, but since it was so empty I was able to run in time to get coach Jose Martinez to throw me a training ball.

Ball #4- Garret Mock quickly threw with some unathletic dude. I got Mock to throw me a pretty new regular baseball.

Ball#5- Sitting on the farther side towards 3B behind the Nationals dugout, I ran across to the other section closer to homeplate. I was able to get Marquis Grissom to throw me the infield warmup ball. That was the bottom of the first inning. I thought I was only staying for bp, but I ended up staying the whole game.

Ball #6- In the middle of the game, Wilson Valdez grounded into a double play. 2B Pete Orr had turned it, and when Adam Dunn caught the throw, he threw it back over to him. He ran in with the other infielders, and I got him to throw me the ball over about 15 little kids. These kids were insane. It was pretty empty it seemed, but all these little kids would pop out of no where, at the end of every inning. It was crazy. No one complained however, when I got that ball, because they had seen me give another ball to a little kid with his dad, at his first ever game. I ended up becoming very friendly with an usher I hadnt always gotten along with. It was a rubbed up Citi Field gamer.

Ball #7- I went to the umps tunnell, since the Nationals had lost, and got home plate ump Mark Wegner to give me a rubbed up gamer.

Pretty good day for barely any bp.

STATS:

Game: 7 BASEBALLS
Season: 110 BASEBALLS

Life: 138 BASEBALLS

Anyway, I drove to Citi with my dad, and got there about a quarter to 4. The gates were opening @ 4:30, so I walked over to meet up with Gary and Clif @ the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. I joined them playing catch, and then Clif's mom came and joined too. A few minutes later, Alex from riveravenue.mlblogs.com came over. We'd talked alot online, but had yet to meet. I thought he might've been there, and he was. He also joined the catch, and played for a while, until we had to get online. It was pretty empty. 

I ran to left field, with Alex infront of me, Gary and Clif running behind. Alex and I got settled in left center, Gary was 15 feet to our right, and Clif was more towards the pole. A ball soon rolled to the wall, with a few others, but the one right below me was an ALL STAR ball from last year!!! 

Alex had gotten a toss-up, when Pat Misch came over. He generously let me stand above the All Star ball, so Pat Misch threw him a regular he was near. Then he went over to the A.S. ball, and I asked him and begged him. What'd he do? He stood right below me for a minute, inspected the ball,,,,, and he pocketed it. I was pissed.

Alex got a few others, you can read his blog to hear about them, and as for for me I got two more toss ups five minutes later. The first came from Cory Sullivan, and the second from Elmer Dessens. Both were regular. I was dissapointed.

On top of that, a homerun was hit to our right, and it was me, Gary, and Alex. I though Gary was gonna get it, and stupidly knocked my knee hard on a seat. Alex ended up with it however, and immediatly APOLOGIZED to me. Why? Because it was a pretty new ALL STAR BALL! I was pissed, but happy for Alex. He wanted ME to get one, as he already had one,  but this was the first one that he can count in his collection, because the other one he bought.

Then out came Nelson Figueroa. It was pretty empty, atleast where Alex and I were standing. There were two kids to our left, a little younger, with body paint and gloves. They started shouting @ Figgy for a ball, and we asked politely. He said to play a quiet game, and whoever could be quiet the longest would win. Elmer Dessens went along with it. 

One of the kids asked a question, so Figgy said, "You're OUT" and did the motion of an ump. Then I forget why, Dessens threw a ball to Alex, who was behind me. Alex, showed me the ball and it was ANOTHER allstar ball! He again apologized, which he didn't need to, and the "Quiet Game" continued. Every time Figgy fielded a ball, I would wave my hands and close my mouth. One time, he said " Who wants this ball?" to trick us, and the other kid with body paint blurted out ME! ME! 

Yes! That meant I had won! Unfortunatly, Dessens told Nelson that I'd gotten a ball, so instead I asked if I could trade a regular ball I'd snagged for an All Star ball. I told Figgy that I was dying to get one, so he said sure. I hurried up and got a ball out of my bag, and showed it to him. He told me to give it to one of the kids, but I suggested that HE threw it to them, so itd make them happy. 

 It felt weird to toss a ball to him, I'd never thrown one On to the field, so that was a first. Then, for about three minutes, Figgy would look @ every ball he and Dessens fielded. One ball caught his eye, so he turned around and said, "Ya want a World Series ball?"!!! Of course I did, so he threw me that. It was scuffed. I didn't care. I had just got a freakin WORLD SERIES BALL! I thanked him perfusley and then went to place it in a plastic bag, to put in my backpack, as Alex generously took pictures of me with my camera.

BTW, I bring about 10 plastic bags to each game, and after I snag a ball place it in one and label the bag to keep track. I do not write on my baseballs at all, not even number them. They all go on my shelves, with a small piece of paper taped underneath the MLB hologram, or in the case World Series logo. On top of THAT, this was my 100th ball of the season!

Here I am with the World Series ball, and Figgy { my new favorite player} in the background on the left, and on the right is the W.S. ball, my 100th of the season.    

I was so happy. The ball I traded him, was the one thrown by Elmer Dessens. I DO NOT count that in my stats, nor do I count Elmer Dessens on my list of people who have thrown me a ball. I DO count Nelson Figueroa in my stats. To my surprise, Nelson Figueroa turned around AGAIN after he fielded a ball and asked me if I wanted an ALL STAR ball. Hell yeah I did. He told me to throw him the World Series ball. I asked him if I could trade another regular ball, and he said sure.

I was able to keep a World Series ball AND an ALL STAR BALL. So, this day Figgy threw me two balls. The second time I gave him the Cory Sullivan regular ball, so sorry Cory, but your ball and yourself can't count in my stats. I think the reason he threw me another ball, other than he traded it for a regular, and he's so nice, is because I told him I was gonna build a shrine of him in my room. Im not really, going to, but he still is my new favorite player, and hey, it worked.  

I got a ball down the left field line by cubs pitcher Justin Berg for #4, which I later gave to a kid. That was it for bp, as I was shutout @ the Cubs dugout.

The game was good, a close game. I sat with Alex 5 rows off the Cubs dugout. He actually had a seat in that section, about 20 row more up with his dad. Alex generously printed out an extra copy of his ticket for me, so that I wouldn't have to sneak down. In the bottom of the first inning, Carlos Zambrano struckout David Wright to end the inning. Allstar Geovany Soto brought it in with him and tossed it to me. A nice rubbed up gamer, Zambrano's 1280 strikeout of his Career.

Alex was more successful than me in the snagging department, but I was happy. Im pretty sure Gary ended up snagging two, maybe more, including a cup trick that I saw. Clif was empty handed until late in bp when he caught two homeruns. I had to leave in the seventh inning, and Alex went down with me to the J.R.R. to take a picture. Here it is..................

Im holding the World Series and All Star balls, the Omir Santos regular is on the four, the Soto gamer is on the 2, and I gave away the Berg tossup.

STATS:

Game: 5 Baseballs

Season: 103 Baseballs

Life: 131 Baseballs

The stadium opened with some confusion before hand on which gate would be opening. I then ran in as usual, and was the first one to reach the seats as Jorge Posada hit a liner to Phil Coke in the outfield. As soon as he fielded it, I yelled " Phil". Thats all it took. He threw me ball #1, and that was the 4th ball Phil Coke has thrown me this season. He's awesome.

There's actually pictures of me this time, because my dad was taking pictures for me. This is about a minute and a half after #1. Not a bad crowd, right?

Well, five minutes later it was packed. On top of that, the yankees stopped taking batting practice, and started warming up. The position players stretched behind the dugout, and the pitchers warmed up down the line. Andy Pettite threw with a coach, and A.J. Burnett threw with C.C. next to them. Surprisingly, Pettite started signing on the outfield wall, and since there was no bp, I ran over there. I was amazed that I was able to have an open space, RIGHT above Pettite as he was signing. There were alot of people, but more were towards the foul pole crammed in waiting for him to go down. I handed him my glove, and he signed it. He was really nice, and the guy next to me didn't have a marker. He asked me if he could use it, and I said of course, then he asked to use it for a while, and I said sure, so he used it for a good five minutes, and when he was done, thanked me like 3 times. That was awesome.

That made up for what had just previously happened, well atleast half of it. C.C. Sabathia ended with the ball about fifty feet away. I shouted his name and he threw me it, but it was five feet short. On top of that, I was above one of the random metal beams, so I couldn't get it. He then threw it again after retrieving it from an usher, but it was five feet to my right. I reached as far as I could, but a guy robbed it at the last second. C.C. apologized from a distance, but I didn't get a ball.

The Yankees bp was a disaster. I didn't get anything for twenty minutes after that even though there were many homeruns hit. Here I am talking with Tony, who recognized me, and I knew who he was. It was so packed, don't be fooled by the empty row.

The guy to my left, with red hair is named Steve. More on him later. For some reason, I don't remember, I went over to my dad, who was a section over. He then shouted something as I walked over. He was talking to a few people, and then showed me a ball. He was like 15 rows up, reading, and Hideki Matsui hit a homerun. He looked up, and the ball landed in the seat in fron of him. He grabbed it seconds before other hands and was thrilled. I told him jokingly I wasn't impressed, as he talked to the people around him because it didn't have a commemorative logo.

I was back in my spot in the third row, where there wasn't a metal bar in the aisle, so I could run threw the rows. Thirty seconds after arriving, Arod hit a homerun. It had the distance, I took a step down, two feet right, and caught it underneath three other [adult] gloves. People congratulated, which was great. But it wasn't THAT easy. It had to land within a small square foot where my glove was, or one of the other guys would've caught it.

On top of it being a pretty nice catch, it was a BRAND NEW commorative! I went to show{brag} it to my dad, and be like, OOO i one upped you on MY catch. Here I am with the ball. That was all I'd get from the Yankees bp. 2 balls, in a packed zoo. Not bad, but I did get shutout behind there dugout when they ran in.

I knew the Rangers bp would be good, and I was right. Everyone who didn't have a ticket for the outfield section had to leave. It seemed like I was the only one sporting rangers gear, and no one said boo. The Rangers pitchers and shaggers were extremelly stingy, mainly C.J. WIlson who's always and A-Hole. But, he DOES like Rangers fans.

ANYWAY, I got Taylor Teagarden to throw me a ball from 40 feet away. He was to my left on the warning track, and threw it to me aftyer I called out his name, right past dozens of people lined up on the wall wearing Yankees stuff. That was number three.

Josh Hamilton was peppering the seats with homerun, and going to this game my goal was to catch one of his homeruns. I was near the end of the seats, by the bullpen, and he hit one to my left. I ran threw the empty aisle, stopped raised my glove and caught it with ease. There was a man behind me in the next row, who I caught it in front of. I guess he'd seen me get and catch others. He started quitley complaining to me that I had some and that I robbed him. He sounded like an annoying whiney baby. I told him it was a Josh Hamiltion homerun that I CAUGHT, and told him I don't give balls to people who ask and complain.

Five minutes later, Julio Borbon hit a linedrive homerun. Some people knew it was coming, but didn't see it. Others had no clue. It was weird, I seemed like the only one who saw it. I ran through the same aisle as the Hamilton homer, but this time caught it on the run. It was RIGHT in front of the guy who complained, and this time he wouldn't shutup. I finally told him to stop complaining and I wasn't going to give him the ball. It may sound like I was being harsh, but this guy was so annoying, and wouldn't shutup that anyone would've said that.

Another guy in his twenties, without a glove asked me for a ball, and told me I many. I refused at first, but later gave him one, as he DID have a younger brother. Then he'd catch one barehanded, so I congratulated him, and he now had one for himself as well.

I saw C.J. Wilson look and me and tell his two teamates something, probably like "hey theres a Ranger fan"! Five minutes later, C.J. fielded one at the wall, to my right, near the bullpen. To everyone else, he WAS an *****, like pretending to throw one into the crowd, then laughing and throwing it in. But when I called his name after he fielded it on the warning track, he couldn't of been nicer to me. In fornt of all the people wearing Yankees gear, he ran over with it, leaped up on the wall, while saying " YEAAAH a Ranger fan!", and placed the ball in my glove as I gave him a pat on the back when he jumped down. That was my sixth and FINAL ball of the game. Here I am during the Rangers bp. I ran behind the Rangers dugout with the guy I mentioned earlier named Steve, and lent him my Rangers hat. He had to leave before the pregame throwing, and I got shutout anyway.

I REALLY dont want to talk about the game, but I guess I should. This was the worst part of the day.

Top of the 4th or 5th inning, Nelson Cruz hits a homerun. I was on the aisle, with Tony and his friend sitting a few seats in on the row in front of me. I immediatly run down ten steps to where it appears its gonna land. I look up, and the ball flys an extra ten feet. It like jumped in the air, and the guy sitting behind me ended up chesting/barehanding it. I couldn't believe it. I've waited my whole life, for a homerun chance, and I miss judged it. If I weren't a ballhawk trying to judge it, I woulda stayed in my seat, and it would've came right to me. The guy who caught it said he thought it was going to land where I went to. Im still kinda pissed, but the rest of the game I kept thinking of what could've been.

I now REALLYwish I had season tickets @ COORS FIELD in the front aisle in right field, because one lands there like every two games, so it wouldn't take long to redeem myself. I can't redeem myself now though, because I'm going to three more games, all @ Citi which is terrible to try to catch a home run.

STATS:

Game: 6 Baseballs

Season: 98 Baseballs

Life: 126 Baseballs

He threw it to me. The stamp is awesome, and I left. The final ball of my trip. I was happy, and that was my ninth ball of the day.

BTW, the reason that I got shutout during Dodgers bp, other than the fact the Dodgers were being stingy, is that it was packed. The dodgers drew a big crowd. I probably would have caught a few Manny homeruns, if it was like the other days I were there. I definatly wouldve had atleast one Andre Ethier bp homerun in right field while I was there if it wasn't packed. HE was beastly, hitting atleast twenty homers during bp.

STATS:

Game: 9 Baseballs

Season: 92 Baseballs

Life: 120 Baseballs 

I ran into the left field bleachers, and was recognized by a regular @ Chase Field named Tony. He was real nice, and it was cool to be recognized on the other side of the country. Within a minute, a righty on the Dbacks hit a homerun that came my way. I moved down two steps, and made the easy catch. It felt great.

I ran around to the Dbacks dugout, and again was a little late. Mostly everyone had gone in, but I did get a trainer to throw me ball #3.

I changed into Mets clothes, just a hat I can't manage wearing a shirt, and ran down the right field line. On the way, Alex Cora was jogging out, and I got him to throw me a Shea commerative ball for #4. Then I got Bobby Parnell to throw me #5 when he finished warming up down the line.

I then ran all the way around to the left field line and would stay there the rest of bp. There was a liner that went over my head, hit my glove as I jumped and landed 20 or so rows up, but a few other people beat me there. I redeemed myself less than 30 seconds later, as I caught a bullet off the bat of Gary Sheffield.

That was it for bp, and I again waited by the bullpen for a coach to walk in. Jeff Motuzas got there first, and he threw me a regular ball in the bullpen for #7. There was nothing going on, and I saw Mel Stottelmyre Jr. talking and siging autographs of a few people 10 feet from me. So I went over, and got him to sign my hat. He also stood for a picture, and was extremelly nice. I told him I was from New York and a big Yankee fan, since his dad was a big part of the yanks. Here's the product.  

                                                                                                                                        I stayed behind the Dbacks dugout, and in the bottom of the 2nd inning, I got Chad Tracy to throw me the third out ball, a groundout by Brian Schneider. It was then time to walk around the stadium.

First I sat here to get the Tracy Ball.

Then ended up here to see my dad and Uncle, who were in the outfield. And then, went to tour the upper deck, so I started by going to where my "seat" was. Then went t5o the top, which waqs disurted and dusty and no one's probably ever HAD to sit there. Even during the 2001 World Series, no one sat there I bet. Here's the story of my upperdeck trip in pictures.

Upper left- One of the many empty staircases in Chase Field. I saw one other person in there going up and down.

Upper Right- The other side upper deck, empty just as this side was.

Lower Left- Rows and Rows of Lonely seats.

Lower Right.- ????? Yea, don't know. Go to the top of the Upper Deck and look the other way from the field. Thats whats there.

Bottom- Me taking a pictures of the field, through a reflection plexy glass thing.

I really wanted to get double digits, and tie my record I held a day ago, 10. So I snuck back down to the dugout and first, snagged a pepsi shirt in the launch, my second of the day, and then got a weird game used ball.

Daniel Murphy grounded out to Mark Reynolds for the second out. Reynolds threw it to Tracy, who stepped on first. So, he threw it around the horn. It went from Tracy, back to Reynolds, to Ryan Roberts at second, to Stephen Drew at short, and to Esmerling Vasquez pitching. Vasquez looked at it and threw it to Lorenzo Bundy. Lorenzo turned around and threw it to me. Yay!

Then later in that inning, Mark Reynolds was batting. I had to leave after this at bat, so when he fouled a tip back into the screen I immediatley got up. The batboy, same one who threw me four yesterday, jogged in and tossed me my tenth of the day. I gave away the Rauch ball from earlier in Fridays away, and left. Double digits in two straight games! YES!

STATS:

Game: 10 Baseballs

Season: 83 Baseballs

Life: 111 Baseballs 

And just for the hell of it.

Heres Mike Pelfrey warming up on the field while I was in Fridays. Pelf had just lost that mondays game, and the day before he was on my plane, sitting 20 seats in front of meon the way down to arizona. He had just had a newborn baby in Kansas, so he missed the SD series for the mets, and happened to be on my flight.

The first game of my Arizona vacation was finally here. After arriving late sunday, along with my family spent the day with our relatives, who we see every day in Arizona. My dad drove me @ 2:30 to Chase Field, arrived @ 3:00, and was in Paradise. I went to the ticket booth, purchased a ticket behind the dugout, and made my was over to Friday's inside restaurant, which is connected to left field of the stadium. It was so great to be back, as I go every year, and it was even better to see the cages set up for bp.

The gates were opening @ 4:30, for a 6:40 game, and it was 3:30 when pitchers started warming up down the left field line.  Soon after that, pitchers began hitting some bp. This was my fourth year @ Chase Field, but was just my first true year of snagging. With that said, I was really  hoping to get a ball before the stadium opened.

Danny Haren, my favorite DBacks pitcher hit well. He managed a few homeruns, including one that clanged off the left field bleachers, and into the bullpen, which connects to the outfield by the foul pole. No one was in the dugout @ that time, but I kept my eye on it.

Later in bp, around 3:55, a batter, probably Mark Reynolds hit one into Friday's. Unfortunatly, I was on the other side and it flew back down onto the field. It was okay though,  because Jeff Motuzas walked into the bullpen a minute later, and threw me up the Haren Homerun ball. It  had an awesome mark, left from the left field bleacher. 

That was my first ever ball obtained before the gates opened, and more importantly, my first ball of the trip. I also got Jon Rauch to throw me up my second of the day. So when I made it to the gate, I already had two baseballs on the day. 

I was shutout during the DBacks bp, inside the stadium, and missed opportunities at the dugout, so I switched into a mets hat, and ran over to left field. When Sean Green ended throwing with Tim Redding, I got him to throw me his [regular] baseball. Then I got Nelson Figureoa to throw me his baseball from 100 feet away when he was done throwing with Elmer Dessens. It was a 2008 Final Season Shea Ball. I gave away the Green ball to an annoying kid next to me after I caught the Figueroa ball. He started complaining that I got two, and I didn't want other people to get annoyed, so I gave it to him. [Now thinking of it I shouldn't have.]

I ran around to the left field line and played the line for ripped foul liners. I came up empty. I wasn't going to play the outfield, because not only it was crowded, and not only the Mets pitchers were stingy, but the Mets couldn't hit many homeruns. I counted three all of bp. They really are playing like a triple A team, and their roster sure does look like one.

I waited around the top of the bullpen because there were three mets baseballs, all with the Shea logo on them laying in the DBacks pen. I had a nice conversation with a kid named Jake, who lives in AZ and had just started school. We waited around twenty minutes, and his brother Jarrett also came along. After a while, Jeff Motuzas walked in, and since he's extremelly awesome, tossed each of us a Shea ball.

Here are the two Shea Baseballs  I got..  After that I went down to my seats above the DBacks dugout. They were perfect third out ball seats. However, I was shutout by the two pairs of players throwing. But I DID manage to snag my first ever hat courtesy of coach Jack Howell. The pepsi crew and Baxter threw him one, which he turned around and threw to me.

As the game was about to begin, I saw the DBacks batboy had a ball as he was jogging down into the dugout. Naturally, I stuck my glove up, and he flipped me the ball. It was a game ball, rubbed up, and was the most un-expected baseball I've ever gotten. It was also #6 on the day.

I was in the first row, and there was no one sitting to my left. In the row above me their was a dad, and 3 kids. One was probably nine, and I told him to sit in the front row, because he was trying for a ball. Every foul tip the first inning and a half, I'd stand up and point to him while the ball boy jogged in. One foul tip, I was ready, and when the ballboy jogged in he threw me ball number 7, which I immediatly handed to the kid. An inning later, I pointed to his brother, and the Ball boy threw him a ball too, but that does not count in my collection, at all.  

In the beginning of the bottom 3rd frame, Gerardo Parra fouled a tip into the screen. Mark Reynolds was in the batter's box on deck. When the ball landed, it rolled towards Reynolds who picked it up. I was nearly 100 feet from him, but I stood up with my glove anyway, and he threw it to me. That was #8, and it was awesome.

Later in the game, Chad Tracy threw me the third out ball. I gave that to the dad immediatly, yea im generous, but that was #9! Just one more to tie my record. I also wasn't expecting to get one from Tracy. Every inning he ran into the third base entry, and never the home plate one into the dugout. But he would get his warmup ball tossed by a coach right below me every inning, so he looked there. I waved my arms frantically and it paid as he tossed it to me.

  During the game I actually wasn't thinking of my record at all. I don't even think I realized it once. I was having too much of a great time, watching the game, and talking to the father and his sons about my collection. That's why there's not too many pictures, because I didn't take many and the ones I did weren't that great.

In the seventh inning, the ball boy jogged in after running out to the ump. I though he had a ball in his hand, but wasn't sure. I'd been putting my glove up the whole game while he ran in, but didn't think I'd get anything. Hell, he had already gave me two. Well, as he went down the steps, he tossed a PAIR of balls to me, and I snatched one at a time.

My mind went buzzing. This was insane. I turned around and gave a ball to each of the guys behind me. I was also talking to them during the game, and they kindly had asked for one ball earlier in the game. They were thrilled, and YES I was in a VERY generous mood that night. When I turned around to take it all in, as they and the father and his sons congratulated me, I quickly realized I had made a small mistake. 

The second ball I got was my record- breaking 11th ball of my game. It was ALSO my 100th Ball Of My LIFE! No biggie though. I turned around and told the guy what happened and he had no problem. So he could keep a game ball, I gave him my 6th of the day, the one the ballboy had first thrown me. This was CONFUSING and AWESOME.

Later on I saw I had beaten and acheived many personal stats. Here are a few.

Most balls in a game.

100th of my Life

Most balls given away in a game-5

Most balls in a stadium outside NY.

I came back to earth a few minutes later, and took pictures of the people around me. Here is the dad, with the hands of his kids and their baseballs. One is the one the kid got himself.

Here is the one of the guys behind me. My 99th ball of my life is on the right... To top this awesome game off, I got Lorenzo Bundy to throw me the DBacks infield warmup ball for the game for my twelve of the day. It was used and worn.

STATS:

Game: 12

Season: 73

Life: 101

For the end of this long entry, here is some pictures.

Rusty Ryal, who picked up his 1st ML hit, signed my hat along with CHip Hale.

My 100th ball of my career.                     Scoreboard from 7th inning, the 100th ball inning 

I met with Zack and Jona outside of the Eutaw Gates at 4:15. The gates were going to be opened at 5:00, so I bought I ball in the gift shop to have a catch with Zack. Here we are outside of the Eutaw Gate:

 And Zack and I playing catch next to it.

When the gates opened I followed Zack to left field, since we had season tickets. I didn't notice until we started, that we had to run the entire stadium to get to left field. Thats pretty stupid. When we arrived in left field, I saw Zack Look a few seats in front of me, and not say anything. When I turned around, I saw a pearl easter egg lying on the ground. My natural reaction, I reached down and picked it up.

At that point i realized that I had just nabbed Zack's find. As I was about to start apologize, he said that that one wasn't even the one he saw. He went to the aisle across from it and picked up his own easter egg, and we were both on the board. Not knowing it, Zack had led me to my first of the day.

My second ball was thrown by coach Ruben Felix. He was warming his arm up against the outfield wall, and then threw it to me when he finished. That was ball #2.

Left field was snagging heaven, with homeruns peppering the seats. Zack ended up catching many of them, but I kept picking the wrong section, and didn't get one. O well.

I ran down all the way to the Orioles dugout on the first base side with five minutes left of bp. When I was standing over it, watching the last round of bp, I looked around at the few baseballs that had made there way to the side of the cage, about twenty feet in front if the dugout, on the first base line.

I wanted to see if somehow, one of them were commemorative. About the third one I saw, which was against another one, looked like it was a comm. The space were the mlb hologram is on the ball, was bigger and rounder than normal. YES! It HAD to be a Yankee commemorative.

When the bp ended, players and coaches started tossing the balls back into the bin. However, one coach of the Orioles picked up the two that were next to eachother. I called out and got his attention to throw me one. He then scanned the baseballs, which wasn't good. I was sure he was going to keep the Yankee commemorative, but when the ball hit my glove, I looked to see,,,,,,

IT WAS COMMEMORATIVE! YES!! It was just my second yankee one of the year, and the other one I had gotten was scuffed up. The logo on this one was nearly perfect. I also got one thrown to me by coach John Shelby, a regular ball, which was number four. I later learned the commemorative was thrown by coach Terry Crowley.     The rest of the day was awesome, but snagging point sucked. I ended up with nothing during royals bp, nothing before the game, and nothing during the game. I REALLY wanted a fifth ball, because that would average out the trip to 6 per day. That's above my five point something for the season.

I sat in a perfect seat for a foul ball. In the alleyway that stretches throughout the stadium, there are many *unoccupied* pull-out handicapped seats. I, along with Riley whom I'd met in D.C. two days before sat in them. It was a really awesome night, running freely from dugout to dugout, running for foul balls. Riley and I ran around ALL night attempting at foul balls, or third out balls. As for Zack, he was CRAZY! He ran half way around to the standing only section in right for lefties, and most of the time would run back for righties near our seats.

In about the eighth inning, with two outs I was above the orioles dugout going for the third out ball. Billy butler, a righty was up. The pitch before he grounded out, he fouled it straight back a few feet behind our awesome seats. I saw RIley go for it, but it ended up bouncing and going into the section above. I was SOO pissed.

When I got back to the seats, Riley explained that a guy with a beer was next to him, and an usher was in front. He was able to get around in time. He's not as into getting baseballs, he's more of an autograph guy.{He had gotten about ten autos that night, including Zack Greinke.  

      However, I asked if I were there, if I wouldve got it, and he said probably, since i was a seat closer, and immediatly got up when one was fouled back. O well.

Riley and I snuck down, or walked down to the royals dugout at the end of the game. We were on the side, and the usher was so slow getting his stuff. Riley came up empty, but I was able to get a worker to toss me a ball that was in the dugout. It was rubbed up in mud, so it was probably a gamer. That was my fifth of the day, my last of the trip, and it averaged the trip out to 6 per game. AWESOME!

I said good bye to Riley, then made my way up. Zack and Jona stopped to say goodbye, and my trip was over. Camden Yards was soooo good for snagging. I might have had double digits if I weren't extremely tired from running around the days before, and if I had different choices on where to stand in bp.

One last thing before the stats. The security at Camden Yards is the most laid back I have ever seen. To start, I didn't get checked AT ALL when I entered. I had my pretty big back pack, and they didn't seem to care. Also, DURING the game RIley and I were trying to pull out the handicapped chairs. About five security people saw us, nad not one said a word. It was pretty funny, because we couldn't open the second chair, and a senior citizen who was probably in his mid eightys came over and helped up out. WHY cant people in New York be that nice? 

 STATS:

Game: 5 Baseballs

Season: 61 Baseballs

Career: 89 Baseballs

Trip: 18 BAseballs, an average of 6 per game.

Here's a picture of the 16 baseballs I went home with. I gave two away during the trip.

There all in plastic bags, because I dont write on them, I put a little slip and a piece of tape, to say where/who I got them from.

The team store is nice, but the Nationals DO suck, so of course there were a few questionable items. If your team is bad enough to fill up their own "TEAM STORE", with jerseys,hats,and shirts of other teams, yea, you've got a problem. I know every deserving player there is in the MLB, that is good enough to have their jerseys sold, but c'mon. JESUS FLORES! I had heard of him maybe once, before this trip, and they were selling HIS jersey. Not trying to be a biast Yankee fan, but if the Yankees got him, he'd be at most a starter on their Triple A team. That's Pathectic.

ANYWAY, back to snagging. The gates opened five minutes late, because the employees forgot at the last second, that they didn't open up the terminals with the key. When I ran in, I looked for easter eggs in left field. But there were none to be found. Why? Aaron, aka district boy had told me the day before that Jim Riggleman there interim coach, stresses defense more than anything. They were taking infield practice, which sucked.

So I ran around to right field and just sat and waited for it to be over. I couldn't do anything else.  

that lasted another fifteen minutes, and then they finally started bp. Within a minute a ball rolled to the right field wall, and I got Tyler Clippard to toss it up. Ball #1. A few minutes later, the bat boy at the screen behind second tossed a ball that looked really beat up into the outfield. Mike Mcdougal picked it up, and surveyed the seats. There were maybe just 10 people, and I was the only one who saw this, so I raised my glove and he threw me ball #2.

The ball Mcdougal tossed me was the worst conditioned ball I've ever gotten. That along with the Clippard ball, and the one Austin Kearns tossed me minutes later-#3, were all training balls. After that, I went on a cold spill, and wouldn't get another for the rest of Nationals BP.

I was down the left field line, and got Josh Geer to toss me his warmup ball when he was done for #4. That would be it for Padres bp, because I didn't bother going back into the outfield. The Padres didn't throw anything into the crowd, and there were MAYBE 3 ball hit there the entire time.

I was behind the dugout when the Padres came off the field, and got 4 awesome autographs. Im not really into them anymore, but couldn't pass these guys up. Kevin Kouzmanoff, David Eckstein, Tony Gwynn Jr., who was really nice, and All Star Adrian Gonzalez. It was pretty awesome.

I also met Riley, who told me he's read my blog before. That was cool to be recognized, and I saw him throughout the night.

I was behind the Nationals dugout, knowing that they warmup before the game. I also knew that the veteran ends up with it, like earlier in the season when I got back-to-back from Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn. Well, Christian Guzman came out first with Ronnie Belliard. Like I expected, Guzman was on the home plate side, where I was. Then Ryan Zimmerman came out with Nick Johnson. He was also on the homeplate side.

I was hoping it would work out the way it did at Citi Field back in late april, and sure enough, it did. Guzman walked in, I flapped my glove, and he tossed me his warmup ball-#5. Then a minute later Zimmerman ended. He was looking at the side of the dugout at first, but turned to head in. He looked up, saw me and flipped me ball #6.

My seats were a few rows up on the section next to the Nats dugout, above first base. After an unsucccessful first try, in the middle of the second i headed down for the third out ball. The padres pitcher grounded out to Belliard at second. He threw it to Nick Johnson for the third out. Johnson jogged in, scanned the seats, and threw it to me, ball #7. I headed up to my seat a few rows up happy, the turned around to see the tarp getting put on the field. WHAT?

Storms were heading the way, and they made us evacuate the seats. I first got a picture of the ball with the tarp in the background.

I got a burger from 5 Guys, sat with a friendly usher, and waited. I had to get back on the train at ten, since it was a forty five minute ride back to the hotel, and I was by myself, I left at 8:45. It's a good thing I didn't wait around, because the game resumed at 10:15ish, and I was already back in my Marriot.

STATS:

Game: 7 BASEBALLS
Season: 56 BASEBALLS
Career: 84 BASEBALLS

My final post of the trip will be up soon.

A metro station was next to our hotel, and it was a 45 minute drive on the metro to Nats Park, with one transfer at L'enfant Plaza. We got off at Navy Yard, which is two stops after L'enfant, and made our way out of the Station down the little road that leads to Nats Park.

It was great to finally be there. What was even better was that when the gates opened, there were maybe TEN people to get in. That is SO great to see, when I usually see hundreds, or Thousands in New York.

 I ran into left field, and the Nationals were just starting to hit. I saw Aaron, aka district boy walk down into the seats, and we talked for a while, and he told me how nearly every ball he gets is a crap training ball. But the seats were so empty there, so he never really has to fight off crowds. 

My first ball of the day came from former Yankee, Ron Villone. Of course, It was a training ball.My second was also a training ball, tossed to me by Willie Harris. I would hit a slow spill from there, but got my third on a homerun I chased down in the seats. I outbeat a few adults, and one of the was an older citizen. I immediatly tossed him that[training]ball. That was number three on the day.

I was a bit too late trying to get to the Nationals dugout before they got in, but as I was running back threw the seats to right field, a padres batter sliced one into the seats. It was strangely a training ball, I guess it had just got mixed in with the Padres bunch. That was my 4th ball of the day.

The Padres were stingy during there bp, and I didn't end up with anything else. But I was behind the dugout, and the Nationals security is so lax, that I ended up sitting there the rest of the game.

My seats were in the first row, right field. My dad sat in them, and during the game a homerun was hit to that section. No, my dad did not end up with it, and it was about five rows back. I wouldn't have caught it, and if I sat there I would have been pissed if it flew over my head. Im glad I was on the other side of the stadium.

Just to show you how close I was, here's a picture of all-star first basemen Adrian Gonzalez in the on-deck circle.

I expected to have more than four baseballs by the end of bp, in such a great snagging stadium, but there was still the game. In the top of the second inning, Josh Bard fouled a tip back into the screen. The Padres bat boy ran in to the dugout, saw my Padres hat, and flipped it to my. It was one of the only two baseballs he gave out all night.And it had a nice big pine mark.

The guy next to the ball, running in is the bat boy.

The game was pretty good, and there were quite a few homeruns hit for a matchup between the worst two teams in baseball.

I would end up with one more ball on the night. Every inning, Adrian Gonzalez would throw the warmup ball to coach Rich Renteria below me. Finally, in the top of the eigth, I got him to toss me ball number 6.

I didn't bother to stay for the fireworks after the game, so my dad and I got back on the Metro for the ride home. O, and I got Heath Bell to sign my hat.

STATS: 

Game: 6 BASEBALLS
Season: 49 BASEBALLS

Career: 77 BASEBALLS

                                                           FINAL HAUL- 5 pictured, gave one away.

On friday I'm going on my first of two big baseball trips this year. My dad and I are driving eight hours or so to D.C. W'ere going to see the Nats play the Padres Friday and Saturday at Nationals Park. Friday we have seats in the first row in Right Center field, and Saturday I have a ticket behind the Nats dugout. If there's bp, I expect to have big days, and maybe even break my record of ten. Last year, I went for a game, but I was still into autographs, and didn't know much about snagging baseballs. Yet, I still ended up with four, without trying that hard, so I know Nats Park is good already.

On Monday, I will go to the Baltimore Orioles game against the Royals. Bp better not get rained out because I have season tickets to get into the right field seats the first half hour.

At Camden, I think I will have a good day, IF the weather is nice, and there's bp. If there's no bp, the only way It'll be nice is if the rain scares away the crowd and I have left field all to myself practically for the game. That would be sick if theres homeruns hit. I will try to have atleast one post up by Wednesday when I get back.

I would later find out I assumed wrong. Anyway, I ran in, didn't bother to grab a lunchbox, my dad grabbed mine, and darted to left field. I was the only person in left field for two whole minutes. And, the mets had started hitting. woohoo!

There was only one person shagging in left field when I got to the seats, and it was the newest member of the 500 club.

I called down to Sheff to ask him for one of the baseballs lying on the ground next to him. Just as he was walking over to one, he yells to me "HEADS UP". I look up to see a ball fly right over my head and smack the seat 2 rows behind me. I walked over and picked up the ball. I can't credit sheffield on the list of people who have thrown me baseballs, but I can give him credit for saving my life [sorta]. That was ball #1.

A few seconds later, Dan Warthen walks up to two baseballs. I could see the further one closer to the wall was a Shea comm, and I would have liked to add another one to my collection. But i called down a second too soon, and he threw me the first one, which was a regular.

A minute later, just a few people had made it to the seats, and a homerun was hit two sections to my left, about 20 rows up. I out ran two men, and leaned over a row of seats to grab it. #3 came within 3 minutes of arriving to the seats.

Someone that I had recognized from Yankee Stadium came up to me and asked if I was Joe. I said yes, and he introduced himself as Rich. He was real nice, and recognized me from Zack's blog. I would see him late in bp as well.

Surprisingly, It wasn't that crowded during Mets bp like usual. I earlier mentioned it wasn't packed, but that was meant for most of bp. Late in the reds bp it got packed though. That was ok for me, because I had already got my fourth ball of the day from Nick Masset down the 3b line, after his warmup,and I snuck down to the Reds dugout with 10 minutes left. I wasn't able to get any "bonus items", like the batting glove I got in Philly from them, but I did get Lance Nix's auto on my hat.

After the national anthem, I got Jerry Hairston Jr to toss me the warmup ball he used with Paul Janish above the Reds dugout. That was #5 and my last of the day.

I left after five innings, to make the long trip back.

STATS:

Game: 5 baseballs

Season: 43 Baseballs

Career: 71 Baseballs

This was a Watch With Zack game, and we were headed to Philly. I got dropped off at Zacks apartment, played some arkanoid, looked around while he got ready, and then walked over to his parents house, were he keeps his collection. It was flat out amazing.    We then walked to the garage, where we hopped in his parents car and began the drive. It was maybe 11:00 when we left.

 First, we were heading to the pitch in for baseball warehouse, where I neglected to take my camera in, so there are no pics. But the place was pretty big, with loads of equipment, and David Rhode, who gave us the tour was really nice. Him and his two co-workers let us stay there for about an hour, and then we again hit the road to go to the stadium.

 Zack and I grabbed a cheese steak at McFaddens, and sat down and ate with Gary, who met us there.After having the fantastic meal, we wondered to the Ashburn Alley entrance. While passing the gates, we saw Erik Jabs, the founder of the ballhawk league. He had come down for a game, and it was nice to meet him. The four of us, Erik, Zack, Gary, and I had a catch for about twenty minutes before the gates opened. It was great. But once again, I neglected to take pictures.

We ran in, met Zack's photographer from the Wall Street Journal, and got ready for bp, which had not yet got underway. It was PACKED. The Phillies were barely hitting any homers into the right field seats, but were peppering the left field seats, which weren't opened yet. I was shutout for the entire Phillies bp, but got my first ball early into the Reds bp.

 I ran down the left field line, and got Nick Masset to toss me his warmup ball. I then met up with Zack in left field, and we ran over to right. Right field was equally packed, and the Reds weren't generous either. I really wanted to get down to the Reds dugout before bp ended, and figuered what the heck, I probably wasn't getting anything else during bp. So I made it to the Reds dugout at 6:15, and waited there.

 I stood next to a kid I met that reads Zack's blog named John, aka johnster75. There was a ball in front of the dugout that John said had been there all of bp. When the Reds finally came in, I got Paul Janish to throw me it for number two on the day. I REALLY wanted a bonus item, meaning a batting glove, or bat, or hat even. I had never gotten anything other than a ball or an autograph at a Major League game, although I DID get a bat once at a minor league game. Anyway, the Reds straggled in, and I got Micah Owings and Jay Bruce's autograph on my hat.

Then a few more players came in, including Chris Dickerson. Chris went underneath the dugout, but then I saw batting gloves come out atop! I grabbed one, and John grabbed the other. Immediatly I heard my name from behind, and I turned around to see Gary standing there. He had just gotten Dusty Baker to throw him a ball, and saw how I got the batting glove. The bad thing is, when I turned around to see the action on the field, two batting gloves had just landed in front of me, and I didn't get one. Jerry Hairston Jr., threw his nice nike pair up, and John got one, and the person next to me grabbed the other. O well.

Zack then met Gary and I behind the dugout and was surprised to see what I had gotten. We three would stay there for the first inning, and it was the weirdist[i hope thats how you spell it] 1st frame I've ever seen. Jonny Cueto, the beastly starter gave up NINE earned runs in 2/3s of an inning.

This was Gary and Zack's reaction. Gary was pissed because we had all been rooting for the Reds, and I think Zack was frightened or in shock. His face looks like he just pooed himself.

The picture to the left is Jonny Cueto being taken out of the game. The philly crowd ROARED as he made the walk back to the dugout.

If you cant see the score board clearly, the Phillies put up 10 runs in the first inning! Now I'm not a Philly fan, so the game itself sucked, since they DESTROYED the Reds, and I got shutout at the Reds dugout at the end of the game, along with Gary. Zack also got shutout at the Phillies dugout, but there was a good excuse. This was how crowded it was during the game.

Zack and I ran around all night, and I got my third and final ball, courtesy of Billy Hatcher, and it was the reds warmup ball in the sixth inning.

I was also in a picture for the Wall Street Journal, along with Zack, Gary, and Erik.

Game: 3 Baseballs

Season: 38 Baseballs

Career: 66 Baseballs

Thanks