2012 O's Season Tickets!

Hello,

 I hope that everyone had a very nice Thanksgiving and enjoying this holiday season.  Soon pitchers and catchers will report to AZ and FL...I am going to go back to Spring Training for the 1st time since 2007.  I went to FL in 04, 05 and 07, but, I have never been to spring training in AZ. So, trying to decide where I will go. Would love to hear your opinion.

Today I purchased my 2012 Orioles Season Tickets....since 2006 I have had 13 game plans in Sec 60 and then last year in Sec 48.  Now, I will be in Section 45, Row 2, Seat 7 for a 29 game plan!!

I am excited for the 2012 Season and to see many more games at Camden Yards this year.  I also look forward to attending my first Winter Fest which will take place on Saturday, January 21st at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Also, the "State of the Orioles" and autograph session (for 29 game or full-season ticket holders) will be held on Saturday, June 23rd (my birthday!) as the O's host the Nats!!  That should be an AWESOME birthday!

I was in a funk last year, but I am back and can't wait to catch more baseball in 2012 and meet more players. And, I have a friend who will help me with posting pictures.  Please spread the word about my blog to any of your friends that are into baseball....It will be a fun blog to follow in 2012!

thanks for reading!

Mike

My apologies....taking a hiatus

Unfortunately i never updated this diary as much as i wanted to. I also had trouble with adding new pictures. I may look into a different blog site for next year.

I have had a very unexpected and unfortunate personal issue come up and I do not know when I will see another game this year. I do not plan to post another entry this season.

Please pray for me.

thanks,

Mike

Updates Coming---Pirates at Nats and Cubs at Nats

So I am happy that people are checking out my blog...i promise it will only get better. I will be taking pictures of my bobbleheads and post them when I can figure out how I can get more pictures posted.  I love input./feedback....please follow me on here....I hope that my blogs will help people know about the players, how nice some of them are...where you can meet them.

I will be posting updates more frequently......especially since people are reading this!

Post comments..


thanks

Bobblehead Guy or Blue Jay Mike -- I go by either! 

Interleague....I LOVE it!! Reds at O's June 25th and 26th

I will post this entry sometime this week......lots to talk about.....from very pushy Reds fans....to kids and adults stepping on my bag (on the seat) and breaking a bobblehead and ripping a Adam Jones magazine........I was very angry, also getting pushed and elbowed. I have NEVER done that...i am constantly helping people, giving kids cards (and yesterday two mini-bats), telling people where to go and what to say to players (please and thank you....which are words not familiar with young ones today). 

The O's annual autograph session had alot more people this year....and i was only able to get to 2 lines out of 6, last year I got to 5 out of 6.

Votto skipped me a couple times. I didn't get Rolen or Bruce or Cueto....all whom I wanted.

Went to Saturday game with a colleague and friend. Sat in the Club level...nice and air condition when we went in.

I am exhausted...long weekend!

Mike

Rays at O's June 12th

Nobody signed after for O's, only a few people outside stayed after the thunder and lightning and downpour we had.
But, I did very well for O's before game....Zach Britton over on 1st base line on a card, Buck Showalter on 8x10 at Camera well next to dugout. I asked Buck if he has ever had a bobblehead before (has one on June 25th) and he said, " i sure hope not" and people laughed. I said, well you got one in 2 weeks!)
Rays, I got Joel Peralta and Adam Russell on my ticket.  I got Ben Zobrist on 3 cards, Andy Sonnanstine on 2 cards, Jeremy Hellickson on a card, David Price on a card, I got James Shields on a 4 patch card, I got Evan Longoria on a patch card after he was done warming up. I was happy that Chuck (a phillies fan and fellow autograph hobbyist/collector) from NJ was here and I gave him an 8x10 of Longoria and he got it signed!

Met some nice O's fan's from Springfield, VA (Mike "chuck" -not the Chuck who is a phillies fan and Nadia?....I am bad with names, if this is wrong and your reading this please let me know and I apologize in advance).  They are  ery passionate fans who love baseball. They are good people.

Today was  a nice day, Rays are nice!

A's v O's Wed June 8th

I didn't even stay for one pitch because I wanted to get home at a decent time as I had a big day the next day for work.  It ended up taking me over 3 hrs to get home...so that was a bad decision, especially when the game only lasted 2 hrs and 16 minutes!!

I got a ride to the game by a friend/colleague, boy was I gratefully i got there 5 mins before the gates opened.  I did get Mr. Rick Dempsey on the SI in silver sharpie, but that sharpie is faded and auto came out really bad. I gotta get new silver sharpies.
I got Coach Bob Geren on a card (it ended up being his last game as the A's coach, he was fired the next day in the midst of an 8 game losing streak).
I got Kurt Suzuki on the 2011 Patch Card. He liked the card.
I got Gio Gonzalez on 2 cards, one of witch he said was taken when he was 18 years old.
Josh Willingham signed a card, i told him about the bat and he was confused and said "ok?"   was weird, thought he would have a positive reaction, he was very involved with the Dream Foundation with the Nats and charity work cause he is an amazingly great guy

Tim Kurkjian knows who i am, he remembered me as the Jays fan (i have ran into him in bmore before and at nats game and at Natsfest last year). We chatted about Lawrie, Cecil, Snider, McGowan.........It was awesome and fans around me were like "Tim Kurkjian Knows who you are, thats Awesome!" I was so excited....AWESOME!!  And he told me i went to more games than he did last year (I told him how I went to 79 games last year, 77-MLB games, 1 spring training game at Nats Park and 1 Potomac game).

Andrew Bailey chatted with me, thanked me for the card, how he really likes it.  He asked again what he could do, I was practicing on asking him for a jersey or bat and instead I asked him for a personalized game hat, he couldn't do that. I had given him my new business card, he said he would email me and work something out and send me something. I am crossing my fingers that he doesn't lose my card and emails me....that would be the best thing ever. He is already in my top 15-20 of players I like. He would so move up to top 10 if he emailed me!!

So it was a fun night (prior to game) just not a fun trip home.

Mike

A's at O's June 6th

Wow, what a night I had.....after arriving at 6:15pm I did not have much hope, but I did get Brad Ziegler on a card and then I got Conor Jackson on a bobblehead (thanks to an usher) who saw the bobblehead and when Conor went to talk with some friends he told me and other fans told me to and I ran over there and he signed for me!  Thanks Conor! (First time getting Conor, after trying many games for a couple years, 3 i think)

After the game I was hoping to get Josh Willingham to sign his Nats bat i got from the Dream Foundation, but he did not come out the back.  However, I did get Grant Balfour and Gio Gonzalez on cards and then Jeremy Accardo signed two cards, the third he and his wife liked. I told his wife that she could have it and she was thrilled. Jeremy then told me he would give me a ball the next time he saw me.  He also remembers me as a Jays fan (which I still am, I told him how I live in DC and have 13 game plan in bmore, but go to more games than that here in bmore).


Andrew Bailey, 2009 ROY and 2010 All Star with 51 saves came out with family, He would not sign. I had a 1/1 All Star Letter Patch Jersey Card (Letter "I") and i ran after him and told him what I had and showed it to him. He liked it and I told him he could have it. He asked what he could do for me and of course, I was super nervous and rambled about not being able to go Tue cause of class and Wed because of new job and not being able to get out early enough to get to game in time to meet up with him.  He thanked me and then all the guys who stayed for auto's said I should have asked for a bat or jersey.  I was very exited and he is so cool!

It was a good day.

Jays at Camden Yards - part 2

The Jays Won a game I attended....(were 0-3 this year when I went to a game).

First of all, Adam Lind, 4-4 with 2 homers and 2 singles....I was a big fan of Adam and then last year he for some reason did not like me...it upset me. But, he is still a Jay and I was cheering for him loudly as I sat 8 rows behind the dugout (i moved up 10 rows in my section--which is Sec 46 and sat with this nice lady Kathleen whom I had met at a previous game).

Ok, before the game not many Jays signed as there were over 10,000 little league players on the field before the game.  I was able to get the following autographs

2011 ball
Pat Hentgen (and he signed my ticket)--i need to get a card or something of him
John Farrell (and I told John good luck in KC!)
Marc Rzep (he also signed a photo I took of him at Target Field last year and put to Mike!)--thanks Marc! I told him he is doing a great job in the pen!
Frank Francisco (thanks Frank)--he really didn't want to sign and signed for a couple people--we threw the baseballs to him (he signed inside dugout after game for a couple more people I believe)
Edwin Encarnacion  
Jayson Nix

Also, Kyle Drabek signed two cards (i gave one card to a little kid who was crying causing his friend got a ball tossed to him by Jose Bautista and he didn't get one, i had given the two kids a couple jays cards each prior to that)....he was still crying afterwards...his dad thanked me

Jake Arrieta signed an 8x10 i had of he and I after the home opener this year....he put to Mike...he is a nice guy.  Thanks Jake!

I told Corey Patterson about my blog...i should tell more players but I want to wait until I have more of a following and when I can figure out how to get more pics (need to get a new camera, mine broke)

I will be at the A's/O's game tomorrow night....hoping to get Josh Willingham on a game bat from last year that I got from the Dream Foundation....only chance is after the game....hope he doesn't take the team bus.

Until next time,

Mike

Jays at Camden Yards!----always fun to see my team!

I arrived at 12:37pm, only about 8 of us trying to get autographs including my good friends Chris and John.  We didn't have much luck outside. No O's signed, and only two Jays---Jayson Nix (who asked me why i wanted his autograph, because he sucks) i told him don't say that, that he DID NOT suck. Jayson signed a card for me. And I also got JP Arencibia...he is very nice and signed all three of my cards. Inside, after the game he signed my 2011 team ball as well!

Inside I did very well.  I spoke with Mr. Brian Butterfield about Nick Leyva (Nick is  my favorite coach of all-time for those who do not know, he is now the 3rd base coach for the Pirates).  I was able to get Kyle Drabek on the 8x10 photo I had with him from Fenway Park in April and he put to Mike! He signed past the third base line and then seconds later at the same location I then got Aaron Hill and asked him to sign whichever he liked and that asked if he liked the Jersey cards....he did and he signed BOTH jersey cards!

Rajai Davis signed the team ball for me before hitting. I asked if he had 18 stolen bases and he said he doesn't know (i found out he had 16, but he stole two bases in the game, so now he does have 18). Rajai also said there is nobody faster than him. He was a very nice guy.

I got Jose Bautista on a Washington Post article that was written about him. I got Edwin Encarnacion and Yunel Escobar after they were done hitting. They each signed jersey cards. Mike Mccoy signed the team ball and I thanked him for throwing me ball in Minnesota last year.

Adam Lind...that is right, ADAM LIND.....my pal, was activated from the DL and he SIgnED for me!!! he signed the 2011 team ball....I was so surprised and said thank you many times!

I did NOT get anyone after the game, though it was just me at one point (Corey Patterson and Jose Bautista came out and they got mobbed by o's fans that were kids...and they signed for every single one of the kids.  I I thanked Corey Patterson for taking pic with me in Boston and signing for me then too.  Told him i was a fan, he asked if i was from Toronto, told him from Boston, live in DC, but been a Jays fan since 05, because of Vernon Wells, Scott Downs and Orlando Hudson, he said Vernon is a great guy...yes he is! He even asked if i had a room with everything, i said eventually i would love to have everything on display. Thanked him again and congratulated him on his home run.

I had a great day overall, except for the loss...to the O's...i have bad luck with the Jays in bmore (in terms of wins)....oh Jeremy Accardo said he would sign for me tomorrow. Hope he does, former Jay i like alot.

I am going to game tomorrow, i am exhausted....going to sleep now.

Mike

Padres in DC May 28th and 29th

Padres took the series, two games to one (of course the two I go to, the Nats lose).  But both were one run losses, 2-1 and 5-4.  Fun games to see

Saturday I got the following autographs before the game inside
Heath Bell - padres jersey
Chase Headley - 8x10
Nick Hundley - card
Aaron Harang - bobblehead

Saturday outside after the game
Livan Hernandez- 8x10 (he put to mike)
Adam Laroche - 8x10 (he put to mike best wishes...awesome!)
Wilson Ramos - program
Henry Rodriguez - card (told him glad he is with the nats, he throws heat)
Blake Tekotte - ticket

Brandon and Ethan, great father/son friends were at the game and stayed after too....great people, good kid who is going to be a good ball player.

Sunday before the game inside
Blake Tekotte - added 1st MLB Hit to ticket and signed Padres jersey (congratulated him again on game yesterday and asked him if he was feeling better, he was)
Logan Forsythe - signed jersey (congratulated him on first hit)
Kyle Phillips - signed jersey (chatted about the jays and his brother Jason)...kyle is a great guy
Luke Gregerson - signed jersey

Sunday after game inside
Orlando Hudson - SIGNED Bobblehead!!....he was so nice, i got his attention, showing him the bobblehead, asked him if he could please sign it, he said he would, but i can't throw it, i suggested the camera well next to dugout, and he did! he said that it was an old bobblehead, from 2003, i told him how i am a jays fan, that he was the first jay i ever got autograph and hope he recovers quickly from his hamstring/groin injury and good luck the rest of the year and how he just made my day. I said thank you so much!  O-Dog, your the man!!

Sunday after game
ok, so i was going to get a ride from david to church as it was about 5:15 when we got outside....glad i didn't go to church then (i ended up going to a different church that david drove me to in chinatown that had a 7:30 service though)  i have NEVER received this many autographs after a game from the Nats....on a replica Nats jersey that my dad got me i got the following Nats
 Livan Hernandez
Doug Slaten (chatted, he thought i was a dealer, I AM NOT!, i told him i am a fan and like the nats)
Todd Coffey (chatted about coffey time)
Drew Storen
Tyler Clippard
Sean Burnett (he was first to sign jersey, also signed program)
Brian Bixler
Jerry Hairston Jr (wished him a happy bday)
Ian Desmond
Wilson Ramos
Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez
Danny Espinosa (told him i voted for him 200 times already for all-star game)
Roger Bernadina (told him that his catch was best i have ever seen in person and is still catch of the year on ESPN--i believe it is anyway)

So it was a SUPER afternoon.....and David got Orlando Hudson to sign 8x10 (thanks David for getting that for me)


Well, going to Phillies v Nats.....Halladay v Hernandez I believe....excited to see Doc pitch, not looking forward to all the phillies fans, they are so rude!

Until tomorrow

Mike "bobblehead guy"

Royals at the Yards

Jeff Francis signed a card and Jeff Francoeur signed two cards for me.  Eric Hosmer (Royals top prospect and probably top two with Freeman in terms of 2011 prospects) signed for a while before I arrived (unfortunately I decided to take the Marc Train and it stopped maybe a hundred yards before the stadium for about 15-20 minutes......frustrating.

A few other Royals signed, but I had nothing for them to sign. Was hoping to get Alex Gordon on a bobblehead, but not luck.  He ignored people. I always ask players...Mr (name) could you sign a (item) please?  Then I ALWAYS say thank you so much, I really appreciate it. I also will say something about a game or a great play or hit they made etc...

The O's one, I left after the 8 run 4th inning for the O's as it takes over 2 hours to get home (when I don't have a ride home from my good friend David).


My next game should be this weekend in DC when the Padres come to town and I hope to go Monday  (Memorial Day) and see Halladay pitch at Nats stadium as well!!

Mike "Bobblehead Guy"

Pirates - Monday May 16th

A great game....after some pregame rain ended BP early, I was able to chat with a friend and my favorite MLB coach---Nick Leyva, he is so nice, he remembers me, asked how I have been, said how I was a loyal and dedicated fan and he signed the hat he gave me at the final game of the 2010 season, he signed it to Mike, "all the best".  He is so cool!!!  I told Mr. Hurdle that he is lucky to have Nick on his staff!! Clint signed game ticket. I also got a relief pitcher from the Pirates to sign the game ticket.  I also got Daniel McCutchen to sign two cards, Steve Pearce and Neil Walker each signed a ticket.

The game was great, Hairston Jr with a homer and Danny Espinosa with game winning 2 run homer in the 8th.  Storen closed it, he IS an all star player this year!

After the game I got Joel Hanrahan to sign a card, Danny Espinosa signed the 2011 ticket (i can't wait for his bobblehead).  Adam LaRoche was kind enough to sign his bobblehead from the Pirates that I brought with me, Doug Slaten signed an 8x10 and what was very embarrassing (do to it being almost 11pm) and not knowing all the new guys yet as this was just my second time staying after a game, I called Wilson Ramos, Henry Rodriguez, and Wilson kindly said I am Wilson Ramos, I apologized deeply, told him he is doing great, nice play in the game and he signed two cards, I AM SORRY Wilson!!

I had a good day, despite the rain..........until next time!

Mike "bobblehead guy"

Bernadina with Catch of the Year!!!

Marlins at Nats....6-5 loss in 11......but I witnessed one of, if not the BEST catch I have EVER seen in person!...made by Roger Bernadina.......I told him after the game, that will be #1 on Baseball Tonight....I sat with by friend Brandon and his son Ethan in Sec 318....only one Marlin signed.........Logan Morrison (he signed two cards for me) he came off the DL today and hit a home run. 

After the game I was able to get the following autographs
John Lannan--on a pic I had with him in 2009 with another player who is not in MLB anymore Steve Shell...Lannan liked the photo
Ian Desmond signed 2011 patch card, he had never seen it before....he asked about it...so that was neat, that was the first one he ever signed
Jordan Zimmermann signed a card
my buddy Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez signed his 2010 Nats bobblehead

Bixler, Coffey, Hairston signed, but I didn't have anything for them to sign, Bernadina signed as well, but same thing, I didn't have anything, just congratulated him on "THE CATCH"

Well, i better sign off....its almost 2am...i have class in the morning.

Marlins are not a good signing team. The Nats were good after the game, especially for a game that got over late, and they have a day game tomorrow.

Saw Ryan Zimmerman, hope he recovers and comes back healthy!

- Mike

Red Sox @ O's April 27th --- 7 autographs!

Outside
Jason Varitek-on 8x10 pic with him taken at Picnic in the Park in 2004 and Boston Globe insert from Dec 2004
Bobby Jenks- on 8x10
Dan Wheeler - on 8x10
Adrian Gonzalez - on 8x10

Inside
Terry Francona
Mike Cameron - on 2007 Allen and Ginter card
David Ortiz - on Sports Illustrated cover

Sox made a great come back in 8th after trail 4-0, tied it up on a 3 run homer by Youkilis.  But two passed balls and a single off Bard gave the O's a 5-4 victory.

More details about the game to come....

Thank you Jason, Dan, Bobby, Adrian, Tito, Mike and Papi..........you made my day! First time in 3 years getting Red Sox autographs! 

-mike

Last Minute Trip to Boston.......to see the Jays.....and my parents

I will post about my trip home (April 16th and 18th games at Fenway) soon.....but want everyone to know what a classy guy Corey Patterson is......and I got pics with Jose Bautista, Kyle Drabek and Jo Jo Reyes.....Jays faced to Sox at a bad time....they will get them next time.  I did start a 2011 team ball and was able to get 10 signatures.  My cousins Erica and Jenna came to game on the 18th and got their first autograph (thanks Cecil).  And I did get to a baseball card show in Mansfield on my trip home.

more details to come....

Rangers v O's Rain, Rain, Go Away.......alas, it was a RAINOUT!

I arrived at the Yards around 11:35am on Friday, April 8th....excited to see Josh and get him to sign a copy of his book and possibly the ESPN the Magazine cover he is on or one of the 5 cards I have of him.  Unfortunately, do to the weather (it was cold and rained most of the day, starting around 1:45pm or so....

Most of the Rangers came in SUV's and those are allowed where the Buses go, under the stadium where the O's parking lot is. However, 5 players did walk by us and I did get pics with two Rangers players (CJ Wilson--who is a very nice and funny guy, he said what kind of pose will we do and we both folded our arms and then Yorvit Torrealba also took a pic with me and then Darren Oliver (former pitcher, now coach), and i did get four autographs  (Wilson -card, Torrealba-8x10, Ron Washington-card-Coach, Mark Lowe-card and Ian Kinsler-card) from Rangers players (Beltre was the only one to blow the 15-20 of us that stood out in the cold and rain for hours, off).  Granted, about half were dealers, but there was a nice couple that drove four hours to see the Rangers and other fans or collectors.

 I also got pics with two O's players (Roberto Andino and Jeremy Guthrie). 

 Josh said he had to get ready for the game after hitting in the batting cages located through the O's dugout.  I was bummed, but he is a great guy, he has overcome so much and is such a role model for people battling with addiction.  I wish him, CJ Wilson, Torrealba and Lowe the best this year. 

 I was joined by my good friend Brandon and his son Ethan and my other friend David....we went inside to the club level, hanging out until the game was called a little before 8pm. 

 My next game is possibly next Saturday, April 16th, first at Nats stadium when they host the Brewers (and Shaun Marcum!).


- Mike (Bobblehead Guy)

Opening Day at Camden Yards (the Yards)

I arrived at Camden Yards (now to be referred to as "the Yards") later than I was planning too....after taking two buses, a train and the light rail to get to the Yards. I already missed the players arriving to the stadium (heard that Miguel Cabrera signed for everyone, as did some O's, about 30-40 people were there trying to get autographs.  

I went to get a standing room ticket and to exchange a couple tix in my 13 game plan.  I was successful with only the exchanging of tickets. There were at least 75 people in line waiting to get a ticket. I went to Potbelly's had my lunch (staff at this Potbelly's just as nice as the one in Dupont) and three of them remembered me and I chatted with each of them.  After eating, I went back trying to get a ticket for over and 1- hour and a half I walked and sat down with my index finger pointing up....i felt and probably looked dejected.  Finally, a man came and sold me a ticket at face value--in Sec 18, Row 24---i was so grateful!  He didn't want his picture taken for the blog.  I was so excited, I called my friend David (D.R.) who had been calling friends to see if they had an extra ticket for me, and told him i got a ticket and went in to the Yards!  Finally!!!

I missed the autograph opportunity inside, but saw my usher friend as well as a season ticket holder I have come to be friends with.  I then went to my seat and enjoyed the introductions of all the personnel and players....and then the jets flew over head to a thunderous applause!

The game was exciting. Jake Arrieta pitched for the O's and Rick Porcello for the Tigers....Roberts hit a 3 run home run, Markakis had two double and a single, Derrek Lee had a stolen base (this is not a misprint), Pie made a couple nice catches towards the left field line and in foul territory, Guerrero struggled, as did Reynolds, but both of these guys are veteran players and will soon get out of their funk's.

The game time temperature must have been around 80 degrees, beautiful weather, fun game....O's won 5-1. They are now 4-0 to start the season.

I stayed after the game for 2 hours and was successful in getting the following

- Rick Porcello on a 2010 Allen and Ginter Card
- Austin Jackson on an 8x10 photo
- Ramon Santiago on Detroit SI issue (and got a pic with him too)
-Jeremy Accardo on the opening day lineup scorecard given to me by Nick Leyva in 2010.
-Jake Arrieta on a rookie card (and a pic)
-Mike Gonzalez on a pirates bobblehead (he said, oh wow, this is old school)
-Brian Roberts on a allen and ginter bat card

very, very, very happy.....i got home and now I am exhausted. I will post pics another time...need to sleep now, have work and school tomorrow......next game--Fri April 8th.

-take care,
Mike "bobblehead guy"

It is FINALLY Here!!!!!!!............

Yes, the 2011 season has FINALLY started!!!!!!!!.........I am so, so, SO excited!  You will see posts from me and pictures after each game I attend (i plan to get them up within 24 hours). 

I missed opening day here in DC so that I could study for a test for my CAC class. I know I have already received heat about that (from my dad, some co-workers and friends)....saying I am not a true baseball fan.  That is just not right, I am a baseball FANTATIC.......I owe baseball so much!  It has gotten me through some tough times in my life, especially last year, the toughest year of my life.  But, I really needed to study.  So, I watched the game on tv periodically (had volume low while I studied). 

Here is a list of games I plan on attending in April.......
April 4th Tigers at O's (Camden Yards Home Opener)

April 8th Rangers at O's (hope to get Josh Hamilton to sign a copy of his book "Beyond Belief" and ESPN Magazine cover)

April 16th Brewers at Nats (first Nats game of year for me)....hope to possibly meet Greinke...if he is back from that basketball injury

April 18th Twins at O's --see one of my favorite players (that is not a Blue Jay) Matt Capps.....still upset with Rizzo for trading him for Wilson Ramos.

April 27th Red Sox at O's --might pull out my old red sox Trot Nixon jersey for this one....also, REALLY Like Adrian Gonzalez since 2006 when I got a batting glove from him after a Nats game (he tossed both gloves over dugout and i got one and he signed it in 07)

April 29th Giants at Nats ---see the World Champs and maybe get an autograph --just get at least one, i hope!

I plan on going to Toronto with my best friend and his wonderful wife for a weekend, as well as hopefully getting down to Miami to see a game in the final year of the old Marlins stadium (opening a new one in 2012). I would like to get to the Pirates stadium as well as possibly go to Texas to see Astros and Rangers.  

But, we will see....still need to plan the annual father/son trip with my dad...but he doesn't really care where we go...he is still close minded---just a Sox fan, nothing but Fenway.  Oh, and I will of course see the Jays at Fenway with my dad--he is great, and I LOVE his seats (have to say this, just in the rare case he is reading this blog).


Well, I should sign off....I have to finish my assignment for class tonight! 


- Mike "Bobblehead Guy"

Spring Training-Jays

Spring Training is always a fun time to follow baseball.  Players are excited to get the season started, they are battling to be on the 25 man roster.  You get to see your top prospects and what they have to offer. You get to see baseball game after a LONG winter.

31 days until the regular season begins!

Once the season begins I will be posting blogs on a regular basis.  I hope to go to 2 games a week on average.  I will post pics, recaps of the games and talk about the conversations I have had with the players. Most will probably be the Blue Jays....they are my main team (like the Nats too but they don't talk to fans as much as the Jays).

I am interested in seeing the Jays and how they gel. They have alot of new guys in the bullpen with Jon Rauch Octavio Dotel, Frank Francisco.  This will be JP's first shot at being the starting catcher. We will see how my buddy Adam Lind does playing first base. Will Jose Bautista play right or 3rd (and he will hit 37-42 homers this year)?  Will Aaron Hill bounce back after a tough year last year? YES....he is an excellent all around 2nd basemen.  Yunel Escobar, he is a superb shortshop. I am excited to see Raji Davis play, only saw him a little with the A's. 

I hope my main man Travis Snider recovers from an injury he just suffered and is able to play 130-140 games. He has power, he has a good glove, a hard-nosed player and he is a great guy, very fan friendly and i will always be rooting for him!  Thank you Alex A (AA) for not trading Snider for Greinke or Garza.

We have an up and coming young starting rotation with Romero, Morrow, Cecil, Drabek and I'd like to see Rzepczynski as the number 5 but we will see how he and some of the other contenders do this spring.

And the bench will hopefully improve, but we have Johnny Mac back and he is the heart and sole of the Jays.  He goes out there whether its in a late inning defense replacement role or a pinch running role or if he is starting, he goes out there with the same intensity and heart. Johnny Mac....you are the man!

I love baseball. Always have. Ever since I was born.  I will write about different teams and players....but NO team has my love like the Jays.....heck some of the guys even know my name and recognize me...

I will deeply miss seeing Scott Downs and Vernon Wells. I wish those two guys the VERY BEST out in Anaheim.  I will see you guys when you come to Bmore.  Those of you that know me, know the reason I became a Jays fan almost 6 years ago was because of Vernon Wells and shortly after that Scott Downs became my favorite pitcher. Good luck guys!

It would be my dream to have players read my blog.  It will get better with pics of me with players and writing the conversations, quotes etc....


31 days..........I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


mike "bobblehead guy"

And It Begins........

I am so excited!  This is my first post with my first blog on my baseball adventures and rants.  I want to thank Kathy and Nicole at C&B, Scott my landlord and of course my best friend in the world, Jony, for suggesting I start a blog. Also, Amy for listening to my baseball rants!! thank you to all of you!!!

A little bit about me, I am a baseball fanatic. I was born with baseball in my blood, going to a baseball game when I was just a few weeks old with my dad at Fenway Park!  I attended two games of the 2004 World Series at Fenway. I was a diehard Sox fan.  Yes, I said I was.

It all changed when I went to my first Spring Training in 2004 with my dad and was shocked at how close one could get with the players. I went back with my dad in 2005 and this is when I started collecting autographs. During batting practice I tried to get Vernon Wells autograph. I wasn't able to but he said he would get me a ball (i thought, yeah right).  Sure enough, after he made the catch in center he looked over towards me and threw the ball right to me. I couldn't believe it!

Yes, I was 24, but had never received a game ball (well my dad said I did when I was little). I was so excited, after the game I went to thank Vernon. I waited till everyone was done asking him for autographs. I thanked him and told him I was becoming a big fan of the Jays and him. I told him how I was from Boston, but had never had an experience like today and talking to so many Jays. His son came over and hugged my leg and his wife was there. I thanked him again and told him good luck this season and that I would see them in Baltimore (cause I live in DC and would go to Camden Yards to see them).  He asked me if I still had the ball, I told him I did and he asked for it and a pen and signed it!  He asked if I wanted anything else signed and he signed a 8x10 and a sports illustrated cover. I told thanks again!!! .....that was it, I was now officially a Jays fan and Vernon Wells was my favorite player.

Last year, 2010 season I attended 79 baseball games. One spring training game in DC, one single A Potomac Nats game and 77 regular season games. I saw games at Camden Yards, Nationals Park, Fenway Park, Target Field, Citizens Bank Ballpark, Miller Park, `US Cellular Park, Wrigley Field, Coors Field, Busch Stadium, Kauffman Stadium and Turner Field.  The last 7 I saw in 9 days, 4 of the stadiums with my dad and 3 on my own.

I was able to get somewhere between 500-600 autographs last year. Let me first say I am NOT a dealer. I have never ever sold a single autograph. there was a kid who was getting crushed on a train as before a game people pack the metro and are not respectful and he was crying, I asked his mother and brother who his favorite player was, he told me Ryan Zimmerman, so i gave him an 8x10 autographed zimmerman photo and then let him pick out a zimmerman card and then two autographed cards (he picked Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham). Later inside the stadium his older brother saw me and came up to me and thank me so much and that I made his day and that he and his mother will never forget this.  Boy, did that make my day. It sure did.

I have given extra cards of players for kids to get autographed for themselves at almost every game. I love seeing kids faces and their parents saying thank you after I helped a kid get an autograph. I even found some great friends that way.  I am known as the "Bobblehead Guy" by some people as I have around 80-90 or so bobbleheads that I bring to try to get signed (started this hobby in 2009), i have probably 50 or so signed. I should do an inventory before the season begins. 

How did I get to so many games?  Well, I had a job I loved. It was my life. It wasn't a job to me it was a mission it was my everything. New management came in and lets just say we didn't have the same values. I resigned reluctantly. So while looking for work I was able to go to lots of games. My friend Jony and my family know that Baseball in summer 2010 saved my life. Kept me going.  Jays players know my name, they know i am a true fan. I see them in a few stadiums a year (in 2010 saw them 9 times in Baltimore, 4 times in Boston, 2 times in Colorado, 3 times in Minnesota).  Scott Downs has been my favorite pitcher for about 5 years. He knows my name, so does Travis Snider and Jason Frasor (i think), others remember me like David Purcey, Lyle Overbay, Vernon of course, Cecil and others.

I am still looking for a job in social work, community organizing, outreach. I am taking a class with Catholic Charities to be a Certified Addictions Counselor. I am working part-time, started out season with Crate and Barrel (since November 2nd).  I thank my Crate and Barrel family for being so supportive, for teaching me things everyday, for their understanding through these hard times for me, you know who you are.

So, this is the longest blog I will probably write, its my first and hope that I will have followers. I will have photos with players on here (hopefully). And write about the games I attended and autographs I got.  I will write about people I have met.

If you want tips on autographs, where to go, when to arrive, best places to stand for visiting teams, home teams etc....for Camden Yards and Nationals Park, I would be more than happy to help out. I have never been to a teams hotel though. Just get autographs outside and inside the park.

So, I am a baseball fan, period!  Yes, I am from Massachusetts, live in DC, had 1/2 season tickets to Nats in 2010 and am a 13 game holder for Orioles (for the past 6 years), but a Jays fan who has NEVER been to Canada!!  Though, Jony and Susan are taking me on a trip to Toronto this upcoming season....SO EXCITED!!! I can't wait to tell you all about it!!

FYI....you will see pics of me with mainly Jays gear, Nats gear (one AL and one NL team), and a few old ones with Red Sox gear.  And I did get free O's gear, that I have put on a couple times....mainly when they played the Sox last year and my sister came up for a pair of the games.....i put on O's jersey and jacket and hat that I got for free to just aggravate and annoy her....it worked!...haha....

I hope that I will gain followers. I hope to give insight and tips on autographs, on the players, on the stadiums I visit. I will write about the stadiums I went to last year, soon.   

Hope you will follow me when the season begins!!! 


thanks!

Mike
"Bobblehead Guy"