Phillies pay on Rockies Opening Day

April 11, 2009

4/10/09

Incredible, what a day! On my way to Coors Field I realized I forgot my glove. No joke, the first game and I left my glove at home. I turned around and went back and got it. I figured for sure that I’d blown my chance at a good place in line but lady luck was on my side.

We arrived at Coors about 11:10 AM and the gates opened at 12:00 PM.

As we were walking up I could see a huge line of people and my heart sunk. Upon closer inspection I realized the line was for people waiting to hopefully purchase Rockpile tickets.

We already had our tickets so my day was looking real good as there was nobody in line at the Rockpile gates. Always plan ahead you’ll be glad you did.

                                             Number one like it should be.

They opened the gates and I was the first one through, As I worked my way over to the Pavilion I saw the Rockies out on the field and when I entered the bleachers I could only see one kid way on the other side of the Pavilion.

I worked my way down to field level and saw Jorge De La Rosa, Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales in the outfield chatting. A ball was hit to them and Jorge picked it up.

He looked into the bleachers and the only one standing there was me. I held up my glove, didn’t say a word and he tossed it to me. Just like that the Hagg’n begins.

Thanks Jorge for starting my season out right. Before Jorge tossed me that ball Helton had hit a BP homer and a kid had snagged it. The ball Jorge tossed me was the first baseball tossed to a fan at Coors Field this seaon. I also hold the honor of snagging the first baseball tossed to a fan during Game 1 of Rockies spring training in Tucson.  

                                Not a huge thing but worth mentioning I figure.

The second baseball I snagged was kind of embarassing.

You know that fan that goes way overboard chasing a ball and winds up looking like an idiot.

I was that fan.

I was tracking a BP homer and had to lean over a row of bleachers and extend as far as I could to snag it. The ball hit my glove then rolled out and started rolling down the stairs. 

I started stumbling over the bleachers in an attempt to snag that ball I dropped. About half way through chasing that ball I realized that I looked like a total moron.

So what do I do in that situation?

Do I stop right then and try and save my dignity, or realizing that I already looked stupid follow through and get the ball so I can say yeah I looked stupid but at least I got the ball?

I’m a Hagger so I chose to get the ball and take my critism. Nobody was harmed in the pursuit of the baseball, just my ego. Plus there’s always a witness when you don’t need one. 

                              Anyways, that was ball two, Hagg’n is on baby.

While at batting practice I ran in to Marianne aka R-Luv, she was Hagg’n big and bad. She was going around getting pictures of the Ushers earning her Hagg’n points. 

                        Here she is below taking pictures of her son with an Usher.
 
Dan and Emily were there, looked like Dan was handing out yummies but I didn’t get one??

 
Robert was at the game and I ran into Super Vendor Captain Earthman handing out his business cards.

 

 

 

 

Guess who else was at this game? My buddy Vinny Castilla was at the home opener. 

Vinny, I thought you told me you weren’t a player?

If that’s the case, I guess I’m not a blogger who takes pictures of you. 

Does it look like he’s flexing for the camera?

 

 

 

                                  Here are some warm-up pictures of the Rockies.
                                                        Barmes and Stewart
                           Spilborghs and Fowler with the Military in the background.

                                                   Todd Helton ready to go.
                                            Brad Hawpe in front of the Navy.

                                           Spilborghs in front of the Air Force

                                                Catcher Chris Iannetta at bat.
                                        Pitcher Jason Marquis, the wind-up
                                                          The release
                                                          Tulowitzki 

                                                       Howard at bat.
                   There’s something just right about seeing Helton on first base.


    That’s right Howard, we won’t boo you like your own fans will, but you need to sit down.
                                                        Todd Helton at bat.

 

I was able to meet up with an old buddy of mine named Chuck.

Chuck rode up from Colorado Springs in the Coors Light RV. I’ve known this guy for over twenty years.

 

 

 

                                   Here is Chuck and my wife Krista in front of the RV.

 I need to say something to all those who predicted that the Rockies will come in 4th in our division.

I hope your squirming in your pants over your prediction. I’m not saying that the Rockies won’t come in 4th place, that could totally happen. But I love the fact that the Rockies have everyone who made that prediction thinking twice about the Rockies right now.

Congrats to Marquis, goes to show you what a Veteran can do when called upon to get the job done.

I have 400 more pictures I could post but I’m going to save them for “Rockpile Ranter’s PIcture Blog”

                                      Now to my Hagg’n score for the day.

 Showing up for the game = 1 point.

Two snagged baseballs, one which bounced out of my glove and was snagged rolling down the steps = 3 points.

                              One toss up from Jorge De La Rosa = 2 points.

 

 

 

 

As shot of the scoreboard at the end of the game = 1 point.

Total for the game = 7 points.

 

 

 

I’m still working on how to count pictures of Ushers. It’s not hard to take pictures of Ushers but getting a picture of you with an Usher is hard because you have to ask someone else to take the picture. I might need some help with this.

I’m off to Game 2 agains the Phillies in an hour or so. The Rockies impressed the hell out of me yesterday. Let’s keep this train rolling. 

                                    Go Rockies, Phillies aint nutin but a thing…D
 

Written by RANTER Posted in Ranter's Blog Entries Tagged with Brad Hawpe, Chris Iannetta, Colorado Rockies, Dexter Fowler, Garrett Atkins, Jason Marquis, Phillies, Rockies, Rockies Opening Day, Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki