We know our fate, now shut the gate

9/21/08..Last one.

This was a hard entry for me to write. When I started blogging after my Spring Training trip to Tucson this year it was it was in anticipation of the upcoming season.

This evening, I’m blogging about the Rockies last home game of the season.

After today, the Rock Pile gate is closed for good until next year.

For me, I prefer to blog about is something that I’ve actually done.

Blogging about something you’ve personally experienced is heads above trying to write about something you had to read about first. My point being, I love going to batting practice and watching the Rockies play live, then rushing home and eating a late dinner by my computer, showing the wife and kids all pictures I took, jotting down everything that happened during the game, then laying out my blog, all before I go to bed. The experience is always freshest that night and remembering the finer details is easier.

So, when I say this is difficult to write, I mean it. I won’t be able to blog about seeing another live baseball game for over five months.

There was NO WAY we were going to be second in line today. We knew there was a 50/50 chance of batting practice, but we didn’t care.

While we’re on the subject of the front gate, I wanted to give props to the loyal group of Ushers that work the RockpIile gate. They are awesome and always took time to give Hunter a little attention.

Maybe that’s because 95% of the games we attended this season he and I were the first two in line?

Hunter was first into the Pavilion and close behind him was another kid that we see at a lot of games with his father

They ran down to the field but there were no players to be found.

Ahh the Pavilion,

Finding the bleachers empty is a beautiful sight.

What’s an even better sight is having a few players on the field crushing baseballs into those empty bleachers.

I was told that a few of the Rockies had been out warming up before we arrived.

But they were long gone.

No worries.

The cages were up and we figured the D-Backs would be out in a bit to put them to use.

This is Barb.

Barb is my favorite Usher and it was an honor to protect her from stray batting practice balls this season.She is a retired teacher and has my dream retirement job.

Take Care Barb…See you next season or Spring Training maybe?

Dan,

Thanks for being cool to a stranger.

Your random acts of kindness enabled us to do things we wouldn’t have been able to do this season.
It was nice to get to know you and Emily.

You sir are a TRUE baseball fan. I no longer feel like a stranger.

Stay in touch brotha !!

We arrived at 11am and waited for the D-Backs to start batting practice.

They finally started hitting at 11:21 and that gave us eight minutes before we had break off and go get in line for autographs.

There were four players signing as autographs as usual.

First was Jeff Francis.

Jeff had the longest line but no matter. We had his autograph already.

Next was Taylor Buchholz, seen here signing Hunter’s baseball.

Thank’s Taylor !!

Here’s Glendon Rusch signing Hunter’s baseball.

Thank’s Glendon !

And lastly, Rockie newbie.Dexter Fowler.

I scored the same autographs that Hunter did. I used the two balls that I snagged back to back the day before at batting practice.

We hurried back to the Pavilion to catch the rest of the D-Backs batting practice.

Good thing we did.

I headed back to my “spot” and was there maybe two minutes. I happened to be looking off to my left and heard a crack. Right handed batter, uh oh.

It took me a second to locate the ball. I finally spotted It heading a little to my right but reachable.

It was starting to decend quickly.

I moved to my right, ran down six steps, reached up as high and forward as I possibly could, and the ball landed perfectly in my glove.

That ball needed to be caught and I needed to catch it. Freggin poetic ain’t it?

My last ball of the season and worthy of its own picture.I didn’t expect to snag one on the fly today.

That just made it sweeter.

Hunter got shutout today.

Eating lunch and ice cream fixed that

After we chowed, we wandered over to the Rockies dugout to watch the players warming up and see who else might be signing.

                                              First one out was Clint Hurdle.                                                              Seth Smith
                                                        Troy Tulowitzki
      Garrett Atkins hit a three run homer today. Number twenty of the season and the third year in a row he has hit at least twenty home runs….Good job Garrett !!
                                                          Alana from FSN
                                                            Here’s another
                               Ian Stewart looking at me like I owe him money.
                                       Smith and Stewart tossing the ball.
                                                  Another one of Smith
                                                        Tulo and Barmes
                                                     Hawpe and Barmes
            It was Military appreciation day and I was in a good spot to take a picture.
                                                    Standing in formation,
     Here is a video of American the Beautiful..Army Veteran here and it was touching. That song always chokes me up.

                           The Blackhawk doing a fly over  (I was a little late)
                                                           Best Dressed Fan
                                                            Best Dress on a fan
                                                       A shot of the dugout
                                       Spilborghs at bat, that was a strike
Reynolds didn’t have a good day. He pitched a little over one inning and allowed six runs on seven hits. Reynolds, that’s a wrap.
                                                Matt Herges took his place
                                               A cool shot of Matt pitching
                                                       Another dugout shot.
                                 Garrett Atkins pulling back to avoid getting hit
                             Ian Stewart waiting for someone to bring him his hat.                                            A different view of Herges pitching
I was hoping to get the win today and steal this series from the D-backs. Unfortunately the Diamondbacks showed us today why they are 78-77 and we are 71-85.

The D-backs just outplayed us. I’m not sure what the future holds for Reynolds, this could be a wrap for him..get it? Sorry.
If he was hoping to save his job, this probably wasn’t the performance that’s going to do it for him.

Diamondbacks take a bit out of the Rockies in the final home game of 2008, 13-4.

It’s hard to believe I can’t see another game until Spring Training. I can’t tell you how much I want to get my butt down to Phoenix and catch the last couple of Rockies games.

Whats next?…