Monthly Archives: September 2014

Baltimore Orioles, Grapefruit League, Major League Baseball, Spring Training, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals

Orioles and Nationals Set for Collision Course to Divide a Region

Yesterday, marked the end of the regular Major League Baseball season, which makes today the official start of the postseason.

While Derek Jeter enjoys an early start to his retirement, since the New York Yankees failed to make the postseason for only the third time in his 20-year career, other teams and regions are preparing for what the MLB marketing team calls the Hunt for October.

In the Nation’s Capitol, this means choosing between pulling for the Washington Nationals or the Baltimore Orioles with both teams being the first to clinch their respective divisions and punch their playoff tickets.

After winning their divisions the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals are seven victories away from facing each other in the World Series. Photo R. Anderson
After winning their divisions the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals are seven victories away from facing each other in the World Series.
Photo R. Anderson

The Orioles captured their first American League East title since 1997, while the Nationals captured the National League East title in equally dominating fashion.

As noted before, I follow both the Orioles and Nationals as part of my stable of teams.

Growing up in Maryland, the Orioles were the first team I followed. Through moves to Florida and Texas they are still considered my home team.

Although the Nationals were known as the Expos when I was born, I started following them when they moved down from Canada.

There was a time before I was born when the region around Washington D.C. supported two American League teams in close proximity in the Washington Senators and the Orioles.

With only one team in the region when I was growing up, it was easy to pull for the Orioles despite living geographically closer to D.C.

Davey Johnson was the manager of the Baltimore Orioles when they won the American League East Division in 1997. He also managed the Washington Nationals to their first winning record. Photo R. Anderson
Davey Johnson was the manager of the Baltimore Orioles when they won the American League East Division in 1997. He also managed the Washington Nationals to their first winning record.
Photo R. Anderson

While the decision to root for the Orioles was easy for me, I was curious to know what it was like for people in the shadow of the Potomac River before I was born when they had to pick which team to follow.

As luck would have it, it turns out that my mom is older than me (funny how it works that way) and was alive when there were two teams to choose from. So, I called her up to see which team she pulled for growing up.

As I had suspected, my mom was a Senators fan growing up. I had suspected this because long after the Senators had left town she would still where her Senators shirt.

Conversely, I had never known her to wear anything Orioles related. Although she did follow the team and encouraged my love of the Orange and Black.

While the Senators only exist to me through old baseball cards that I rescued from a dusty bin at a card shop, the Orioles are full of vibrant memories that shaped the baseball fan that I am today.

In a world where the Senators did not move to Texas it is possible that I never would have rooted for Cal Ripken, Jr.
In a world where the Senators did not move to Texas it is possible that I never would have rooted for Cal Ripken, Jr.

But had the Senators not headed to Arlington, Texas a few years before I was born to become the Texas Rangers, odds are I would of had an entirely different childhood when it came to baseball.

In this alternate baseball universe instead of the Cal Ripken, Jr. poster on my bedroom wall, it could have been replaced by whoever the big star for the Senators was at the time.

It is likely that I still would have become a Cal Ripken, Jr. fan much in the same way that there are fans of Derek Jeter who cannot stand the New York Yankees. Certain players just elevate beyond team loyalty.

Each year during Spring Training when I was growing up, I tried to catch at least one Orioles game. Once the Nationals came onto the circuit, I added games to see them as well further cementing my divided beltway allegiance.

Bryce Harper leads a young core of players who have brought playoff baseball back to Washington, D.C. Photo R. Anderson
Bryce Harper leads a young core of players who have brought playoff baseball back to Washington, D.C.
Photo R. Anderson

This support of two teams in the same market was justified by the fact that the only time they would meet in games that really mattered was if they both made it to the World Series in the same year.

I was not counting inter-league series play as a challenge to pulling for both teams. For me, the only conflict would come in the World Series since I would be divided on who should be crowned World Champions.

With the Orioles undergoing years of mediocrity at the time the Nationals moved into the neighborhood it seemed a safe bet to pull for both teams since the odds of either team, let alone both teams making the World Series was extremely low.

That all changed this year though when I had a hunch that the stars could align and turn Washington, D.C. into a house divided.

Each Spring Training visit includes a stop to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL to see the Baltimore Orioles play. Photo R. Anderson
Each Spring Training visit includes a stop to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL to see the Baltimore Orioles play.
Photo R. Anderson

While few could predict the dominating manner that the Orioles and Nationals won their divisions, few should be surprised that both teams are in the playoffs.

There really is no clear cut line in the sand declaring, “This far, no farther” when it comes to saying where the Nationals fans live and where the Orioles fans live.

The closer one gets to Baltimore, the more intense the fan base for the Orioles becomes. But, the region in between Baltimore and D.C is where the real battle rages.

In fact, the Orioles have a billboard less than seven miles away from the Ballpark that the Nationals call home.

For people like me who were born when there was only one team to pull for in the region, it is easier to justify keeping allegiance to the team from our youth and adding a more geographically friendly one as well.

The Washington Nationals are also a must see during Spring Training. Photo R. Anderson
The Washington Nationals are also a must see during Spring Training.
Photo R. Anderson

The generations that follow now will likely have to choose a side, either Red White and Blue, or Orange and Black, much like my parent’s generation had to do during the time of the Senators.

With both the Orioles and Nationals full of talent throughout their rosters it seems likely that postseason meetings between the squads could become a regular thing.

As for the Senators of my mom’s youth who made that western journey all those years ago, since moving to Texas I have found myself rooting for the Rangers. In that way, I suppose I am a Senators fan as well. They just have a bit more of a twang now than they did back in D.C.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some postseason baseball to prepare for.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Major League Baseball

Derek Jeter Walks off into the Sunset at Yankee Stadium

Derek Jeter, long time shortstop for the New York Yankees, played in his last game at Yankee Stadium yesterday.

Yankee Stadium is the second to last stop in the farewell tour that began at Minute Maid Park against the Houston Astros in April to honor the career of a man who played two decades in pinstripes.

At each stop along the way, teams have paid their respects to Jeter by bestowing gifts upon him, and making donations to his charity.

The final stop on the tour will be Fenway Park this weekend. It will be interesting to see what kind of tribute Red Sox Nation has for the Captain.

Last night the Baltimore Orioles, American League East Champions, lost to the New York Yankees in Derek Jeter's final game at Yankee Stadium. Photo R. Anderson
Last night the Baltimore Orioles, American League East Champions, lost to the New York Yankees in Derek Jeter’s final game at Yankee Stadium.
Photo R. Anderson

While fans throughout baseball have saluted Jeter all season long, yesterday was about saying goodbye to the hometown fans at Yankee Stadium.

Even unfavorable weather forecasts that threatened to move the game to Monday, or cancel it altogether, could not dampen the spirits of fans who paid well above face value on tickets to be able to say that they were there when Jeter said farewell to Yankees Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles.

In the end, the rain stayed away, and the Yankees defeated the Orioles 6-5 thanks to the retiring bat of Derek Jeter.

While Derek Jeter’s career was certainly full of big moments, one could argue that securing a victory in his last game at Yankee Stadium with a walk off single was one of the biggest, if not one that he will remember the most.

There are those fans of conspiracies and hats made out of tin foil who are sure to claim that the fix was in to allow Jeter to hit that game-winning walk off single since, a) baseball loves happy endings and b) Orioles Manager Buck Showalter was Jeter’s first manager with the Yankees.

Could the fact that Derek Jeter drove in the winning run in his last at bat at Yankee Stadium be called just a little too convenient? Sure.

But as Peter Parker’s uncle Joe would say “With great power comes great responsibility” and for Jeter that responsibility is helping his team win when placed in positions to do so.

It also helped that the Yankees bunted a runner into scoring position ahead of Jeter’s at bat to avoid risk of him hitting into a double play.

While the ending was certainly worthy of a Hollywood sparks falling on the field from the lights kind of thing, to those tin foil loving conspiracy fans I say that there is no way that the game was fixed to allow Jeter to win it.

One need only look at what happened to Charlie Hustle himself, Pete Rose, to see what baseball thinks about game fixing.

For those too young to remember, Rose received a lifetime ban from baseball for betting on games he managed, since it was believed that he could somehow manipulate the results in a manner favorable to his wagers.

Another example of what Major League Baseball thinks about throwing games further back than Rose, is the Black Sox scandal where several players of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life for fixing the World Series.

Beyond the threat of being banned for life for throwing a game, another issue that shoots holes in the “they let him win” argument from the tin foil hat society is the fact that, while Buck Showalter may have managed Jeter for 15 games 20 years ago, his current team, the Baltimore Orioles, are trying to secure home field advantage in the playoffs.

Orioles manager, Buck Showalter, was Derek Jeter's first Major League Manager. Despite that history Showalter's Orioles did not let Jeter's Yankees win despite what some might think. Photo R. Anderson
Orioles manager, Buck Showalter, was Derek Jeter’s first Major League Manager. Despite that history Showalter’s Orioles did not let Jeter’s Yankees win despite what some might think.
Photo R. Anderson

A team looking for home field advantage in the playoffs does not intentionally lose games, even if it makes for good Hollywood stories.

So, to be 100 percent clear, the fix was not in last night to allow Derek Jeter to score the winning run of the game.

It just worked out that way and gave Derek Jeter another lasting Yankee Stadium memory.

Much like Mariano Rivera did during his farewell tour last year, Jeter has said that he wants his final on-field memories to be from Yankee Stadium despite the team still having three games left in the season.

Jeter will be available as a designated hitter during the series against the Boston Red Sox. However, fans expecting to see him standing at the shortstop position at Fenway Park will be greatly disappointed much like the fans at Minute Maid Park were last year when Rivera decided to stay in the bullpen and not make a curtain call appearance against the Astros.

While Derek Jeter’s career will end with a few plate appearances in the designated hitter’s role against the Boston Red Sox, instead of in another World Series as many had hoped at the start of the season, few other players in the history of baseball have had as much success or had the type of fan base as number 2 had.

While Derek Jeter’s career is ending, the debate regarding whether he will be the first unanimously chosen member of the Baseball Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in five years is just beginning.

Between now and the time the Hall of Fame voters fill out their ballots in 2019, Derek Jeter will try to become a normal person and do the things that he put off during a 20-year career in pinstripes. Only Derek Jeter knows what that next chapter will be.

What is known is that for 20 seasons, in one of the most intense environments around, by all accounts Derek Jeter played the game of baseball in a way that he can be proud of and in a manner that many would be wise to duplicate.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready for the last weekend of the regular season.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Major League Baseball, Sugar Land Skeeters, Tampa Bay Rays

Spending Summer’s Last Gasp at the Ballpark

Today marks the first day of fall.

By and large fall, or autumn if you prefer, is my favorite season.

I enjoy the changing leaves, and the chill in the air, along with the various pumpkin flavored items that hit the grocery stores and restaurants this time of year to mark the season.

Of course, having lived in Florida and Texas for the majority of my life, I usually have to settle on pumpkin flavored ice cream and chilled apple cider, since for the most part, temperatures are still too hot for changing leaves and breaking out the fall coats.

But when I lived in Maryland as a much younger version of myself, I would visit the local apple orchard and pumpkin patch each year on school trips and jump into leaf piles that were above my head.

The Sugar Land Skeeters may be the road less traveled in the Houston area baseball scene but word is quickly spreading as the success grows. Photo R. Anderson
The Sugar Land Skeeters may be the road less traveled in the Houston area baseball scene but word is quickly spreading as the success grows.
Photo R. Anderson

I may yet return someday to a land where autumn and other seasons exist. However, for now I will take part in the two Texas seasons of hot and not quite as hot.

So, on the last day of summer, with temperatures still in the low 90’s, I decided to mark the occasion with a baseball game.

After all, baseball players are often referred to as the Boys of Summer. So, what could be more American than baseball to mark the end of summer?

When it came down to picking where to catch this fall eve last gasp of summer game I had the choice between the Houston Astros, or the Sugar Land Skeeters since both teams were in town.

In true Robert Frost poem fashion it was much like I was standing before two roads, one well-traveled and one less traveled.

Were I to choose the more traveled road of the Astros, I would be watching a meaningless game in a mostly empty air conditioned Ballpark that seats 45,000 or so as the Astros went through the motions of finishing out another losing season that cannot end soon enough for players and fans alike.

Fans Gathered to see the Sugar Land Skeeters play the York Revolution on the final day of summer Sunday. Photo R. Anderson
Fans Gathered to see the Sugar Land Skeeters play the York Revolution on the final day of summer Sunday.
Photo R. Anderson

On the other hand, were I to choose the less traveled road that led to the Skeeters, I would be watching a game outside as nature intended in a much more fan-filled Ballpark as the Skeeters battled to clinch the Second Half division title.

With choices like that, it was easy to pick the Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball over the Major League Baseball Astros.

That is not to say that I have completely given up on the Astros. However, with some of the front office moves made by the team lately it becomes increasingly more difficult to justify spending MLB type money to see a lesser product.

I will continue to wish the Astros well in their rebuilding effort. But, for now, I will be voting with my wallet by not supporting them in person until they make more strides towards being a competitive team. That will not stop me from visiting Minute Maid Park next year to see my Orioles and Rays play however.

While many of the recent players for the Astros seem to be in over their heads at times as they try to establish their careers, many of the players for Skeeters are just trying to hold on to their careers a little longer.

The Sugar Land Skeeters are heading to the playoffs for the second straight year. Photo R. Anderson
The Sugar Land Skeeters are heading to the playoffs for the second straight year.
Photo R. Anderson

For the most part, players in the Atlantic League  will not be confused with Major League All-Stars, with the exception of Scott Kazmir who parlayed a stint with the Skeeters into a return to the MLB All-Star Game.

Rosters are comprised of former Major Leaguers and other players who could not find a place on an affiliated team roster for whatever reason.

The play in independent leagues, such as the one the Skeeters call home, can sometimes be sloppy with routine plays turning into errors on occasion. Although, for the most part, the errors even out as both teams are making them.

But what the players lack in polished skills they more than make up for in heart and determination. That is not to say that there are not Major League baseball players who play with heart and determination, but as a whole those seem to be the exception.

Consider this, with entire team salaries far below what a single Major League Baseball player would make the men who make up the Skeeters roster are playing for the love of the game and the chance to put on a show each night for a couple of thousand fans under the lights.

Gary Gaetti has managed the Sugar Land Skeeters for their entire three-year existence. Photo R. Anderson
Gary Gaetti has managed the Sugar Land Skeeters for their entire three-year existence.
Photo R. Anderson

They know that their playing careers are finite, but while they can, they will continue to play the game that many of them have played as far back as they can remember.

So with these reasons in mind, my last day of summer was spent under the sun watching the Skeeters defeat the York Revolution to clinch that division title for a berth in the playoffs.

I will take a game with players giving their all on every play over a game with players going through the motions every time. Also, a reasonably priced concession stand does not hurt either.

Two game diverged in a field, and I? I took the one where the players have the most heart.

And that has made all the difference.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some playoff tickets to buy.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Houston Astros, Major League Baseball

Matthew McConaughey’s Cannot Miss Ballpark Accessory

Actor Matthew McConaughey recently visited Fenway Park with his son to watch a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros.

Normally a Matthew McConaughey Ballpark sighting would not be a big deal. Celebrities of all shapes and sizes often take in baseball games with their families; the only difference being they usually have better seats than the rest of us.

But during a television interview with the local Houston affiliate, the Academy Award winner dropped some serious rationale for bringing back an often ridiculed fashion accessory.

That accessory is the fanny pack.

Mark my words, before now no one has ever made the fanny pack look like anything other than a human kangaroo pouch.

I am sure if we are all honest with ourselves, there was a time when each of us wore a fanny pack.

Then, when we spotted a vacation photo of us wearing the fanny pack, we suddenly realized just how silly they looked. At that point, the fanny pack was moved to the back of the closet never to be heard from again.

Actor Matthew McConaughey recently visited Fenway Park with his son to watch a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros and may have started a new fashion trend in the process. Photo R. Anderson.
Actor Matthew McConaughey recently visited Fenway Park with his son to watch a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Houston Astros and may have started a new fashion trend in the process.
Photo R. Anderson.

While the fanny pack certainly will not be part of any fashion shows, the accomplished actor made a very good point regarding their practicality during his in-game interview.

“I’m not afraid of the fanny pack, instead of stuffing your pockets,” McConaughey said. “You’ve got to kind of put it on the side to make it look a little not as nerdy, but still, practicality wins out. I’ve got so much gear in here that I don’t want in my pockets.

“How many times are you around somebody and they’re like, ‘I forgot my so and so, I got to go back to the car?’ And you’re like, ‘I got mine right here.’”

With many Ballparks employing a no reentry policy, one can certainly be in bad shape if they find that they have forgotten their “so and so” after reaching their seats.

Back when I covered games as a sports editor, I had a large bag that contained 20 to 25 pounds of everything I thought that I would possibly need to cover that particular game from pens and paper to snacks and rain gear.

Of course, when going to games as a normal fan, a 25 pound attaché case complete with an Associated Press Style Guide, Dictionary and Thesaurus is not really practical.

So, instead of a bag to carry my Ballpark essentials, I have worn cargo shorts for many years on game day as a way to ensure enough room for my tickets, phone, camera, sunglasses, and other must haves, including my “so and so.”

I thought that my cargo short solution was the perfect Ballpark accessory for the busy fan on the go.

However, with one in-game interview, Matthew McConaughey has made me question everything I thought I knew about Ballpark preparedness, as well as Ballpark fashion.

Thanks to Matthew McConaughey, my Denver Broncos fanny pack may get dusted off and replace Cargo shorts as my latest Ballpark accessory.
Photo R. Anderson

I mean if a fanny pack is cool enough for a former People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, it has got to be cool enough for the rest of us. Right?

While reality is probably not nearly as cool as conjecture, I have the following scenario in mind when I picture a Ballpark bound Matthew McConaughey.

“Going to the Ballpark to see a game. Need my tickets and my camera. All right, all right. Need my phone in case my agent calls with a movie offer. All right. Need some righteous snacks, since I don’t want to pay those inflated Ballpark prices. Into the fanny back they go and away we go. All right, all right, all right.”

In complete fairness, it is hard to know exactly how many “all rights” are enough when it comes to Matthew McConaughey and his Ballpark fanny pack stuffing ritual.

Who knows, as a big-time Hollywood star he may even have a dedicated fanny pack stuffer on staff.

Let that sink in for a minute, it is entirely possible that somewhere in the world someone has on their resume that they stuff Matthew McConaughey’s fanny pack.

Although, something tells me that Matthew McConaughey stuffs his own fanny pack.

While only Matthew McConaughey and the person at the bag check station know for sure what all is in the fanny pack, personally I hope it includes a miniature Oscar statue just for fun.

A few years back, the term the McConaissance was coined as a way to honor the second act of Matthew McConaughey’s career. That second act McConaissance has seen the actor take on more challenging roles and even earned him that aforementioned Academy Award.

For his efforts in freeing our pockets at the Ballpark, and in the spirit of the McConaissance, I say we honor Matthew McConaughey by renaming fanny packs to something worthy of their second act.

The McConaughey pack as a nice ring to it, don’t you think? I mean can I get an all right, all right, all right?

Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to see if I can dig up my old fanny pack before my next trip to the Ballpark.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Major League Baseball

Latest Celebrity Leaks Shoot Holes in the Cloud

Over the Labor Day weekend a hacker released dozens of photos taken from various celebrity’s personnel databases exposing a vulnerability in the move to cloud based data storage.

Victims of the hacking ranged from singers, to models, to actresses, and to athletes.

Within hours of the release of the stolen items, the internet was abuzz with news of the latest celebrity hacking. Some people denied that the photos were real, and others admitted that the photos were of them while threatening legal action for their release.

Legal actions may be limited though. Once anything is let out of the internet bag and released for all to see, it never really goes away, and can be found in some dark corner somewhere meaning that the violation of privacy never really goes away.

Among the victims of the release are Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander.  Instead of being completely focused on the race to the postseason, Verlander is now facing questions about photos with his girlfriend, Kate Upton, .

To his credit, Verlander stated that he does not let things like this distract him when he is pitching. However, it is hard to believe that someone could totally tune out such a violation of privacy.

And make no mistake, it is a complete violation of each of the hacked celebrity’s privacy that the information and photos that they considered private were released for the world to see.

While celebrities are public figures, they still have just as much of a right as the rest of us to keep aspects of their lives private and to choose what to share with the public.

It used to be that if an individual or a a company had data to protect they would lock them away in a safe or vault. Photo R. Anderson
It used to be that if an individual or a a company had data to protect they would lock it away in a safe or vault.
Photo R. Anderson

This is certainly not the first instance of celebrities having their photos released, and it will certainly not be the last in this digital age in which we find ourselves.

And while such celebrity hackings make the headlines each day, there are likely thousands of lower level hackings that occur whether through individuals cracking a cloud account, or data breaches of consumer credit card data.

Each breach shows how fragile each of our identities really are.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that shoppers of a certain depot for the home may have had their information leaked. This follows credit card breaches at a variety of retailers this year from Target to Albertson’s and many in between.

This is not to say that computer networks are not safe, or that hacking is anything new, but a move to computerized systems makes it much easier for someone to succeed.

Consider if you will the world as it was before the internet and the cloud. If a company had data to protect, they would lock it away in a safe or vault. And if they wanted to ensure that the information was secure in the event that the vault was swallowed up by a giant sink hole, or other unforeseen disaster, they would store a copy in a second vault for redundancy.

The vaults that hold the recipes for Coca Cola and Colonel Sander’s 11 secret herbs and spices for fired chicken are still safe to the best of my knowledge in their vaults.

I am not pointing this out to make you thirsty for a soda and some chicken, but merely to observe that in this store everything in the cloud world sometimes low tech solutions are the best.

In many science fiction movies such as the Terminator and Matrix franchises the future is depicted as one where the machines have taken over and mankind is left to fight the technology that they created. Photo R. Anderson
In many science fiction movies such as the Terminator and Matrix franchises the future is depicted as one where the machines have taken over and mankind is left to fight the technology that they created.
Photo R. Anderson

While someone might have needed to crack a safe to steal sensitive information in the past, with the information superhighway one need only an internet connection and some time to crack even the most sophisticated computer systems.

While I am not advocating that we all trade in our cars for a horse and buggy and shun all technology, there is something to be said for not putting one’s trust in electronic systems that can fail.

In many science fiction movies, such as the Terminator and Matrix franchises, the future is depicted as one where the machines have taken over and mankind is left to fight the technology that they created.

I do not foresee a future where Neo and John Connor need to save the human race from robots, but I do see a future where perhaps someone needs to save society from their faith in the cloud.

The last time I looked at a cloud in the sky I did not think wow a cloud looks like the strongest structure there is for storing my important information. Instead I saw the cloud for what it was a fluffy floaty thing that traveled at the whims of the wind and sometimes was shaped like a bunny rabbit. Photo R. Anderson
The last time I looked at a cloud in the sky I did not think wow a cloud looks like the strongest structure there is for storing my important information. Instead I saw the cloud for what it was a fluffy floaty thing that traveled at the whims of the wind and sometimes was shaped like a bunny rabbit.
Photo R. Anderson

Perhaps it should not be a shock that, despite the best efforts of many smart computer programmers and security firms, the cloud seems to be porous and an easy target for hackers.

The last time I looked at a cloud in the sky I did not think “wow, a cloud looks like the strongest structure there is.”

Instead, I saw the cloud for what it was, a fluffy, floaty thing comprised of water vapor that traveled at the whims of the wind that sometimes was shaped like a bunny rabbit and sometimes got dark and made me wet on the way to my car.

Does that really sound like the most secure place to put your most private data and vacation photos?

Perhaps a certain commercial for an auto insurance company had it right and the wall where we post our photos should be made of stucco and not binary code.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to go stare at some fluffy clouds and see what shapes they make.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson