I can say for sure, absolutely not! Unless you are stuck watching it on TV. Baseball on TV has no relationship with the real game except for the final score.

When you are in the stands there are no commercials. There are no commentators waxing philosophically about “football” or explaining why a team’s manager changed the line-up when they really have no idea what they are talking about. When you are in the stands there is a lot going on. Pitchers are warming up, bat boys are doing their thing, the team mascot is cutting up, fans are talking, yelling, walking, singing, eating, drinking and having an excellent time without commercials or commentators. The fans have to actually pay attention lest they get hit with a foul ball or a bat. Many are keeping score, taking pictures and on and on. Between innings, groundskeepers are maintaining the field. Red, white and blue dots are racing and you’re trying to figure out which hat on the big screen is hiding the ice cream cone. You’ve got the smells of the park and a chance to boo the umpire or a player when he can really hear you!  That’s right – Guerrero, you’re a bum!

Baseball is only boring if you are watching it on your big HD at home. We need a c-span for baseball. A channel that brings us the game with the stadium announcer, shots of the Diamond Screen (or whatever it is called in the particular stadium) and noises of the crowd. At the very least, give us some partisan announcers. Tune to this channel for the Giants and this channel for Rangers. That way we won’t have to listen to dribble coming from Fox’s Buck and McCarver who have apparently never heard that you can actually stop talking every now and then.

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You should have been there! We had a lot of fun yesterday! The day started out COLD and cloudy but towards the end of the game was hot and sunny.

I got there when the gates opened. It was like the Oklahoma land rush as cars, trucks and the bus dashed across the open asphalt of the parking lot to find a primo spot to set up for the pre-game whoop-de-doo. The folks next to me were burning cherry wood after they bar-b-cued and now the bus smells like we were parked next to a campfire.

We had a RoadTrek Sprinter, our SMB Sprinter and one SMB van. Our other attendees (who shall remain nameless) came in a truck instead of their SMB van! Oh, where is the loyalty!

The game was great. The ninth inning, as in many games, the most exciting when the A’s almost won. They just needed 6 more walks or a couple of grand slams! It was right down to the wire! We some gloves there but no balls came our way. The Guinness was good but I think the shrimp and fish combo was left over from last season and just re-heated. We managed to get most of us on the big screen at the stadium, watched Stomper clown around, and saw lots of pitcher and other changes as both teams were still setting the opening season line-up.

Well, beat the drum and hold the phone – the sun came out today!
We’re born again, there’s new grass on the field.
A-roundin’ third, and headed for home, it’s a brown-eyed handsome man;
Anyone can understand the way I feel.

Come on all! Where are you Bay Area Sprinter fanatics? And you can also come if you are having the SMB built or even thinking about an SMB!

So far: Me+2, Charlie+1, Mike+1

Time is getting short! I need to know by Monday the 8th.

Oh, put me in, Coach – I’m ready to play today;
Put me in, Coach – I’m ready to play today;
Look at me, I drive a Sprinter!