Results tagged ‘ Huston Street ’
He’s Been Around a While…That Makes Me Smile
4/17/12
Rockies vs Padres Game 2
Older than me and making history.
My buddy “B” went with me to this game. We showed up early for batting practice and I was rewarded with my first ball of the year.
A toss-up from Dexter Fowler…Thanks Dex!
I immediately gave that ball away for good luck because if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck in my life right now. I had totally spaced out that Jamie Moyer was the starting pitcher today and when I found out that made the game a lot more interesting.
I couldn’t help but smile for the first five innings. The more I learn about Jamie Moyer the more I really enjoy watching his style of pitch. Plus anytime you hear the words Rockies and winning pitcher, believe me that’s a good thing around here :).
Here are the game pictures I took today.
Rosario gets a double.
Cuddy scores off the double.
I think once you’re past 45 you should get an extra swing at least.
Smooth sailing to first.
Smooth sailing to second.
Strike three Dex.
Seriously…Are you kidding me? I think a tumbleweed race would be more exciting.
Racing Teeth is straight up embarrassing. I can say that because I’ve raced inside a Bud Light bottle before.
If you’ve never seen it…Here’s the blog entry:
Running Full Throttle in a Bottle
Rex Brothers
Huston Street.
Here’s three pictures of Helton’s slide home.
A little closer.
Umpire says safe.
It’s always cool when my pals come up to the Rockpile and hang for a while. The best view is up here 
Rafael…The slowest of the Ninja Turtles.
Slow and steady wins the race this time, here’s the last swing of the game.
Rockies kept it together this time and helped Jamie get his record-breaking win.
You Da Man Jamie!!
I wish you many more wins as a Rockie…Sir!
Click here to see Jamie talking about it all:
Best picture I took all night.
I’m ”D” The Ranter and now I have a ticket that needs the “Oldest Winning Pitcher’s” autograph on it…”D”
Next Time Put Up a Sign
3-20-12
Today I was itch’n for some batting practice.
Unfortunately the design of Peoria Sports Complex (in my experience) isn’t exactly a Ballhawk’s dream.
I know nothing of the ins and outs of the Peoria Sports Complex. All I can do is tell you about what happened on “this” particular day. It started out great, Mike and I showed up early and the Rockies were out on the field taking batting practice. For about 10 minutes it was only Mike and I watching and I kept thinking “How cool is this, it’s just us”. Seconds after that thought, Mike and I were approached by Security and were told that this was a “private” batting practice and we were in a restricted area.
I knew it was too good to be true. What sucks is it wasn’t posted anywhere that we couldn’t be there, no signs.
What Security didn’t know is Mike and I each had snagged a ball before they showed up.
After a quick departure I kept exploring and stumbled across a row of what seemed to be deserted batting cages. They looked like they were accessible to the public as there were no signs stating otherwise. I spotted a few ”easter eggs” on the ground so my happy ass wandered in there.
As I was bending over to pick up the “easter egg” I over heard some guy carrying a leaf blower say “Hey, are you supposed to be back here”.
I replied “Am I not supposed to be back here?”
Leaf blower dude says “You can’t just walk back here and pick up baseballs.”
At this point I’m embarrassed and getting irked so I said “You can wander all of the spring train facilities and pick up loose baseballs, that’s exactly what I’m doing until you just informed me I wasn’t supposed to be here.”
Leafblower dude agreed, backed off me and I continued to wander, just not by the batting cages. Had I not stopped and tried to pick up the baseball, Leaf blower dude probably would have ignored me and kept blowing…My eager bad.
Peoria…If you don’t want me in there exploring…PUT UP A SIGN.
We continued our search for batting practice and all we found were locked gates.
Look at this spot. If the gate were unlocked you could snag baseballs from both fields.
Nope big lock on there. Same with the next one. What a beautiful spot, wasted.
At this point it’s over an hour before game time and we’re forced to stand and hope for foul balls.
Sorry Peoria but that’s lame. We knew for a fact there would be no batting practice inside so the one ball I managed to snag from the Rockies “private” batting practice would be the only one of the day. I hate that 
On a very cool note, we ran into Huston Street and he autographed a ball and posed for a picture.
Time to head into the Stadium.
Here’s Mike the Rox Addict proving he’s a rebel.
Still bummed at the lack of batting practice Mike and I decided to take our chances at the pitching cages.
I call this set “Been caught stealing”
Still determined to take another baseball home from this place I gave this bad boy a shot.
It wouldn’t budge and I couldn’t find a crow bar.
Eventually I wandered over to the Rockies dugout. The first player out to warm-up was “The Duece”
Duece warmed up for a few minutes then exited without signing for anyone. That didn’t faze me, what fazed me was a few minutes later Duece came out and signed for everyone in the front row including me, on the sweet spot.
Thanks Tulo!
Here’s a few pictures of the Rockies pregame.
Here’s Pacheco and EY Jr flashing the Ranter sign.
Again this game I didn’t take any action shots in hopes of catching a game home run. In hindsight, I should have taken the pictures.
Check out the Rox Addict’s blog if you’d like to see some of the action shots.
Rockies lose to the Padres 10-6.
So the day was a bust. Well not totally, look what I managed to snag. I looked but I didn’t see a sign saying I couldn’t take it.
We left it parked at the In n Out Burger.
Damn good burger.
I’m “D” The Ranter and maybe it’s just me but Peoria seemed kinda stingy with their baseballs.
I end up with one…But damn it was fun
2/28/11 Rockies Spring Training Game Two
Today was all about relaxing, watching some baseball and maybe snagg’n a ball or two. Hunter and Mylee spend Friday-Sunday visiting grandma and grandpa and they had a blast cruising all over the desert in their grandpa’s tricked out Jeep Rubicon.
Today was their chance to see some baseball before catching our flight back to Denver at 6:50.
There were a few fans standing in line as we approached the centerfield gates but I could tell there would be a lot less people in attendance today. The weather was perfect. It was just shy of 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.
As soon as the extremely friendly Ushers let us inside we headed for the left field berm.
I learned my lesson from Saturday and was avoiding the right field berm. It took a little over thirty minutes but eventually the Rockies wandered out, started warming up and began to take some swings.
While Hunter and I were standing on the berm a guy who works for the Rockies (I think) walked up to Hunter and I and asked me how old Hunter was. I told him twelve. He said that was too bad. I asked “why”.
He said he was going to ask if Hunter wanted to be the Rockies bat boy for the game.
I was floored, Hunter was in shock. Unfortunately you had to be fourteen. He said come back in two years and I told him I’d hold him to it. As bummed as I was that Hunter couldn’t do it I was really impressed that he came over and asked us…Thank you Sir that was extremely cool.
With us today was Krista’s sister Angie who lives in Arizona.
If you’re in Arizona and are looking to adopt a small dog please check out her website.
Mini MIghty Mutts..Little dogs need good homes too.
How cool is this? The Vendors here sell Rice Krispy Squares 
Here are a few videos Krista took of batting practice.
This is one of many “I almost got”.
Here’s the second, I wasn’t even close but you never know?
Here’s the third…Are you starting to see a pattern here?
Now in this video the ball has been hit, I’m planted with my glove in the air mere seconds from snagg’n my first clean catch at Salt River Fields.
Out of nowhere the D-Backs dude in Red (who already had snagged three at that point) totally rips this one from me.
Then the dude said he was sorry and kept mentioning how this was his first batting practice ever. I seriously doubt that but he wasn’t the worse.
At this point I was beginning to get a bit frustrated.
Of all the missed opportunities today for some reason this next one got to me the most. In this video I’m tracking the ball perfect. I put my glove up to catch it and the older dude with black jacket, shorts, white knee brace and black hat with a red brim puts his glove up next to mine and knocks the ball away.
Guess who winds up with the ball?
The same D-backs guy who already had snagg’d three or four and kept saying this was his first batting practice. I was starting to sense a tag-team thing going on.
Dan…The dude in the above video is the “Overly Eager Grandpa” I was telling you to watch out for.
I’ll never understand why people do that. First off it’s dangerous. If you knock a ball away chances are that diverted ball could hit one of us in the face. Secondly, it’s just plain rude.
Here’s an excited Hunter after getting his third ball, a toss up from an unknown player. He’s a stud.
Here’s Mylee keeping herself entertained while the boys chased baseballs.
In this last video you can’t see it but this ball was the last ball hit during BP. It wasn’t a homer but it was close.
So close I leaned over the rail and the ball landed smack in the center of my glove and bounced out. Matt Belisle chuckled at me, picked up that ball and tossed it back to the bucket.
I just had to smile. I was too dehydrated to cry.
That was it for BP…I didn’t snag any baseballs on the fly and the only ball BP ball I got was a toss up from this player.
Anyone who can identify him please let me know. No it’s not Cole Garner.
I thanked him big-time as players don’t toss me a lot of baseballs.
Danny came over to the left field berm and visited with me for a while.
Danny was excited because he happened to snag a game rubbed Inaugural ball earlier and he was kind enough to let me photograph it.
Thanks for coming over and chatt’n Danny. It was good to see you and I’ll see you again on April 1st brotha.
I wanted one of those baseballs bad. Robert’s still down in Scottsdale and Dan, Emily and Mike will all be heading down soon, so between those fellas somebody will hook me up with one.
I headed over to the Rockies dugout as that’s kind of my routine. Here are some random shots.
I didn’t take any action shots today as I was just chill’n on the berm drinking a beer I purchased from a happily employed Captain Earthman.
Earthman thanked me for the blog entry for I did for him a few weeks back. 
Today was amazing. Not only did I spent quality time with my wife, kids and sister-in-law. I was able to relax, enjoy the warm weather and soak in the Rockies baseball taking place in front of me that I’ve been longing for all winter long
I mentioned to Krista that I never wanted to leave.
But we did have to leave, right around the 8th inning so we could be sure and catch our flight. Rockies get their second win over the D-Backs in as many games with a final score of 6-5.
I love it here in Arizona, and when Mylee finishes school this Ranter and his wife will officially be Snowbirds. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a gambler but for me batting practice is like being in a casino.
I don’t mind going home empty handed as long as I get some “play” while I’m there.
Today….I got me some ”play“ and I couldn’t be more excited for the Rockies home opener on April 1st.
This Stadium is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to…Rockies and D-Backs fans, you’ll be proud when you strut around this complex. 
I’m “D” The Rockpile Ranter and this concludes my Spring Training 2011 trip. The plan is to spend ten days in Scottsdale next year.
I’m thinking a Rantic Baseball Getaway? Mull it over, I’m giving you plenty of time
If your looking for live pictures from the games, the Salt River Fields practice facility and other teams facilities Dan and Emily will be heading to Scottsdale in a few days. When they arrive Dan will be posting pictures on he and Emily’s FACEBOOK page daily.
Click here—> Rox Fan Emily and Dan.
Also Mike, writer of the MLBlog Rox Addict will be heading down in a week or so and he’ll have some great pictures. Be sure and give his Rockies blog some luv.
GO ROCKIES…D
Crazy Fun as Tulo Hits One One
8/13/10 Brewers vs Rockies Game One
Attending the game with me today was Brad. This was his first Rockies batting practice and his first game this season.
Going through the tunnel and entering Coors at field level.
Best hair.
Brad and Robert waiting for the Brewers to start hitting.
I was shutout but Brad had a good day. He managed to straight up catch one (gave it away to a kid), then wrestled Robert for his second snag.
Here are your Rockies warming-up.
Seth Smith was awarded the Heart Hustle thing.
This is my second picture this season of Stewart spitting. Ian, stop spitting when I take your picture brotha.
Looks like he’s trying to tag Tulo.
Here are some game shots. I added a few extra Brewers pics as I always do for my friend and fellow blogger The Happy Youngster.
There was a creepy mustache theme going on today.
Interesting T-Shirts
Miss Something?
Smile, you get paid to watch baseball.
Here’s Matt Belisle taking over for Jorge De La Rosa.
This game was starting to seem like another one of those Rockies losses where the Rockies just seem uninterested.
That was until the bottom of the 8th inning .
Tulo steps up to the plate and launches his 11th homerun of the season into left field scoring three. Ryan Braun came damn close to catching that ball at the wall.
Huston Street is money in the ninth and the
Rockies take game one of this three game series.
Rockies 5….Brewers 4
Welcome Back Tulo, we need you bad brotha.
My next entry is will be tomorrow when I’ll present to you the winner of the….
Rockpile Rant’s Pitch Your Team Video Contest…D
Isn’t it past time for America’s pastime?
2/10/10
I need a rest after Rockies Fest
1/23/10
Rockies Fest 2010.
This would be the second time this special Rockies season ticket holder event has taken place and the second time we’ve been there. The weather was expected to be in the mid-40′s today and for January in Colorado I’ll take that.
Below are two things that don’t mix.
Let me tell you though I did have to fight of the urge to run out there lay my a-ss on the field and start pumping out snow angels
Mylee didn’t make Rockies Fest today because she’s been sick for almost a week.
Let me tell you my little girl was extremely sad she couldn’t go so we promised to get her Rockies mini-bat signed for her. We did just that thanks to Huston Street. I chatted with a lot of people yesterday and everyone agreed Street has one of the nicest autographs in baseball today.
Hunter and I had a little time to kill before our the “Pitcher and Catcher interviews” so we toured the Press Box.
While inside we each took our photo ops.
Me in that chair, high above with the killer view of the field. I tell ya it felt like I was home.
I must have been sitting in “The Cowboy’s” chair because it was broke in real good.
As we killed more time and wandered the Club levels of Coors Field we walked up on a huge bin of baseballs.
I was half expecting Zack Hample to pop out of them so when he didn’t I asked someone what this was.
I was informed that object was to guess the number of balls in the cage and it you could only enter if you were 15 or younger.
Lets just say the prizes were a baseball collector’s dream.
I took a few moments and filled out entries for Hunter and Mylee as did every parent with kids I’m sure.
While we were standing there fixated on the autographed bats I bumped into Joy aka LUVMYROX who was there with her family. I believe they also were killing time waiting for their Outfielder interviews to begin.
A few minutes and a hundred feet later I ran into Marianne aka R-Luv who was also exploring the festivities with her family.
Funny thing and I hope I get this all correct. Joy and Marianne have known each other for years through the Rockies forums. During Rockies games they comment back and forth with each other on the forum but up until today had never physically met.
When I met up with Dan today he mentioned that the two of them finally met each other here at the Rockies Fest.
Ladies I’m sorry I missed that photo opportunity. Congratulations how appropriate that you met at Rockies Fest as you both are HUGE fans….Too Cool.
It was time for us to head up to the Pitcher/Catcher interviews. This took place up in Club level. The MC’s hosting this Q N A were Alana Rizzo (my favorite FSN employee), and that other guy Drew Goodman.
For some reason my hands started to shake every time I tried to take a picture of Alana. The above picture was the clearest of the bunch.
Here’s a shot of most of your Rockies pitchers and catchers for the upcoming 2010 Season.
Let me break it down a little better. Below is Chris Iannetta and Matt Daley.
Taylor Buchholz, Aaron Cook, Jeff Francis and Huston Street
Randy Flores, Greg Smith and Miguel Olivo
Last but not least Jason Hammel and Matt Belisle
Most of the questions they asked were a bit regular side. However,I did manage to get video of Jeff Francis when he was asked about his arm and his return.
Here’s the video:
So I guess he’s back. I wish him the best. We need the Canadian.
After the interview session it was autograph time. Our first session was Huston Street and first base coach Glenallen Hill.
As I approached Huston Street I said “Hi I’m Don I write the Rockpile Rant” and I asked him if he was going to continue his MLBlog. Street replied ”Yeah, I’d like to”.
You heard it here first.
Then I moved onto Glenallen Hill. As he was signing my mini-bat Hill asked me “What do you do with all those autographs?” I started laughing and said” Mr. Hill you asked me the same exact question a year ago at spring training.”
Hill looked at me and said “You know I don’t ask everyone that question”.
I’m not sure what he meant by that but he was smiling when he said it so I’ll take it as a positive.
Two down and we had time to burn again. As we walked by the Jeff Francis/Rich Dauer autograph session we noticed the line was short. I asked if we could just go through as it was the tail end of this session and the extremely cool Usher let us.
That totally made my day because I just happend to have with me my 2007 Sports Illustrated magazine with Jeff Francis on the cover. Hunter went into the room first and right away Jeff asked him what his name was.
Then Jeff wrote “For Hunter” on the picture and autographed it.
Very classy Jeff….Thank you.
I handed Jeff my magazine and he looked left at the Usher standing beside him and said “See told you, here’s the first one”. Again I was like WTF? But I think Jeff was making note that every time he autographs for fans someone hands him one of those Sports Illustrated issues.
Least I hope he wasn’t making fun of me..We’re both from Canada?
Rich Dauer signed a picture for Hunter and a mini-bat for me and then we were outta there.
We headed downstairs and while wandering around an Usher asked if we would like Eric Young Jr’s autograph. Without hesitation I said “Yes Sir” and within a few minutes we were standing in front of EY Jr.
Here he is signing Hunters baseball.
EY Jr signing my mini-bat.
EY Jr really seemed like he was having a good time. Keep’n it real, I like that.
When we walked out of there directly across from us was the long line for Don Baylor and Randy Flores. I felt a big smile growing because I’ve never managed to get Don Baylor’s autograph before. It’s not that he wouldn’t sign, just really bad timing on my part.
Today Don Baylor signed an Inaugural Year Rockies Magazine with his picture on it for me.
When I handed him the magazine I said ”Mr. Baylor you haven’t changed a bit”, He looked up at me and said smiling “Yeah right”. Then he autographed it for me.
Here’s Don Baylor autographing Hunter’s baseball.
Here’s Randy Flores autographing Hunter’s baseball.
Hunter and I hurried upstairs so we could catch the tail end of Matt Belisle’s autograph session..
These plates may not be fine china but I’m sure their worth more than the plates I eat off of.
These beauties are a couple of the bat-shovels used to break ground on the Rockies/D-Backs new Spring Training Facility east of Scottsdale last year.
I just wanted to show how the MLB labels game used items. Specifically ones from big games.
Notice how they misspelled Tulowitzki’s last name on the first helmet.
You can see me Tulo and Coors Field in this picture.
This is a special helmet made just for Charlie Hayes who suffered a broken jaw. 
This is the unsigned original artwork used to make the Coors Field Inaugural year opening day ticket.
The World Famous Colorado Rockies Humidor.
Indoor batting cages.
Hunter with a lean mean Don Baylor. 
My Inaugural year Rockies magazine with Don Baylor’s fresh autograph on it.
My 2007 Sports Illustrated with Jeff Francis on the cover with a fresh Jeff Francis autograph on it.
My mini-bats In order…Glenallen Hill, Eric Young Jr, Huston Street, Rich Dauer, Randy Flores, and Clint Barmes.
Here’s all of it minus the hampster and Hunter’s stuff.
Here’s a shot of Ryan Spilborghs on his way to his next session.
Just as Hunter and I were leaving Club level heading home we ran into Robert.
Best hat of the day.
Hunter making his mark just like his pops.
The Rockpile Ranter blessing Coors Field for the upcoming season.(I can legally do that).
It was great to see all of you again. Dan, thank you once again for this special opportunity.
This is the year folks. The chemistry between this group of fellas feels right. We’ve had a taste of the post-season twice in recent years and we can’t go backwards right?
It starts with believing. I believe, Hunter believes, everybody I ran into at Rockies Fest believes.
I’m D The Rockpile Ranter and I believe I’m finished with this entry.
Holy Schit, the Rockies are Too Legit to Quit
6/11/09 Eight straight ain’t it great
It’s Hammer Time
Finally,… a chance to blog. Rockies win eight in a row and I’m just now writing about it.
I sincerely apoligize for my lack of entries. I’m back up to five days a week at work again and still spending any available time at the other house trying to get it ready to rent.
The Rockies are back at Coors Field tomorrow and I know a bunch of people who are more than ready. We wanna see some of that “Road Trip Magic” at home. I’m not bitch’n but the home crowd has witnessed it’s share of losses this season and we wanna personally watch the Rockies play like they’ve been playing.
I mentioned in my last entry that it was my 300th entry. The Rockpile Rant has had over 107,000 visits since October 2008 and over 1500 comments so far.
Thanks to all of you who read my ramblings about the Rockies and life. I’m digg’n what I do and I can’t wait until I’m able roll like I used to roll. Soon folks, very soon.
I’m not really a baseball draft guy. A fella only has so much time to devote to stuff and I tend to start to pay attention to players once they hit AA and AAA. I do wish them all luck though.
I have to give props to the Rockies and to Jim Tracy. The Rockies are looking and acting “Too Legit to Quit”.
What was/is the spark?
Does part their success stem from the guilt of contributing to Clint Hurdle being fired?
Is it the fear of what Jim Tracy will do to players who don’t perform.
Or is it just out of respect for our new coach and each player wanting to show him they deserve the right to play at Coors?
Now that I think about it it’s probably best not to over analyze it. Let’s just roll with it. A win is a win and we desperately need them.
Maybe if the Rockies make it to ten in a row the rest of the country might start to take notice. There is a serious lack of recognition for this team and any of it’s accomplishments.
I’m a realist, so I can’t wait for the day the Rockies win their first World Series because that’s what it will take to get some respect. Well that and a few winning seasons
Ian Stewart
This guy is a future superstar and there is more to him than his .229 batting average suggests. Stewart had a lead-off home run in the 4th inning against the Brewers tonight.
How about Huston Street? The dude already has 12 saves this season. Remember back in Spring training when he was struggling just to get a spot?
Nice job Huston, keep it up brotha.
With Huston pulling his weight and Carlos Gonzalez beginning to make a name for himself all of a sudden the Matt Holliday dump doesn’t seem so bad.
That’s ok with me because if you happened to listen to Matt Holliday on the Jim Rome radio show today you wouldn’t have heard Matt say anything nice about Colorado.
Just remember Matt, the fans loved you here. It was you who stopped caring at the end.
Rockies are 19-18 on the road. Seems odd but I’m not complaining.
Props go out to Aaron Cook.
Cook is now the first pitcher to complete 1,000 career innings in a Rockies uniform. Cook has only allowed two runs in his last 14 innings. Nice job Cookie!
Rockies have now won eight in a row which ties a team record from you know when.
Friday is almost here, and then I’ll be there…You know where.
Go Rockies
Show us why we should never stop believing..D
Nuggets get the loss, Rockies show who’s boss
5/24/09
I feel the need today to mention how much I respect/detest Kobe Bryant and hate losing to the LA Lakers. That’s all I can say about that game last night.
On the other hand, the Rockies pull out an Interleague win against the Tigers ending their seven game winning streak.
Huston Street snags his 100th win.
Sorry for the recent lack of regular entries.
I’m still in the process of moving and will be for a few weeks yet.
We’ve been moving stuff a little bit every day but for the most part we sleep in the mountains now.
The Rockies are back in town on Monday. I won’t be at that game as I have to work. But I’ll be at Tuesdays game bright and early.
Go Rockies…D
If there’s no Snagg’n there’s always Tagg’n
4/27/09 Padres vs Rockies
Ranter’s dictionary: Tagg’n = Getting baseballs autographed.
Monday’s game was straight up cold. I was hoping for batting practice but the field was empty other than a few Padres playing catch and doing sprints.
While I was standing there thinking about what I should do next I ran into Joy aka LUVMYROXX and her husband Jim.
This time I was able to take a picture and talk for a little bit.
Really nice folks and it was an honor to meet you both.
Thanks Joy for reading the Rant and being a regular commentor.
I have to say anyone brave enough to attend Monday’s game is a hardcore Rockies fan because it was quite nipply.
It was seriously overcast, the temperature was in the 40′s and a cold gusty wind was hitting us at times.
Great snowbarding weather but it can make watching a baseball game live a bit uncomfortable, especially when those wind gusts hit…brrrr
So after saying hey to some of the fellas in the first row I grabbed my backpack and headed over to the Rockies dugout to see what I could see.
When I arrived I saw Huston Street walking back to the dugout and before I could even ask he walked over to sign for a small group of fans. I quickly dug out a baseball and slipped into the group.
One thing I have noticed is that if you just hand a player a baseball they will usually not sign on the sweet spot. For me this is true 9 out of 10 times. Robert has been giving me sheet about not asking them to sign on the sweet spot.
He told me “just ask them to sign it on the sweet spot, they will”. So today I tried it.
I handed Huston Street the pen and baseball and asked “Huston will you please sign my ball on the sweet spot?”.
<——He looked at me with this look and said, “No, I’m not going to do that, you get it where you get it.
I about crapped my pants. You see the first time I ask I get slammed hard.
Naa I’m totally kidding, Huston Street is a great guy and will sign for anyone.
Here’s why it’s hard for me a to ask a player to sign on the sweet spot. I feel fortunate to just be getting a players autograph, so to be specific on what I want seems a tad rude.
But in reality unless it’s a World Series ball it needs to be signed on the sweet spot.
Its the perfect place for it….See what I mean.
Thank you Huston !
With luck like this in the first few minutes I figured I’d stay put there and see what unfolds.
So from a Hagger’s point of view the cold dreary day was getting better
Robert came over and was demonstrating to me the fine art of removing the word “PRACTICE” from a baseball.
It requires some very light sanding with fine sandpaper and then hitting it with a white eraser.
Neat stuff. Always pay attention to your elders, they are full of usefull information.
I knew the next player to come out would be Chris Iannetta.
I hopped in line and he signed the baseball Robert was fixing up for me.
I used a batting practice ball because Chris was signing in sharpie and I decided to work on a Team signed baseball mostly because I had only brought one new baseball and one used one.
Huston Street had autographed my new baseball so the only ball I had left was the one Robert fixed up for me.
The next guy out of the dugout was Bob Apodaca.
Bob looked like he was on a mission but when the older fella standing beside me called out his name Bob turned and walked over and started chatting and signing.
Nice guy, thank you Bob.
No batting practice today but I’ve snagged three autographs. Not bad eh !. It gets better my friends.
Here are the players warming up.
Mr. Helton
When Todd finished warming up he walked almost all the way to the dugout then he turned turned and walked over to my group.
I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never been able to get Todd’s autograph at Coors Field before and here he was two feet from me.
It was at that point I really wished I had a new baseball for him to sign. Oh well my team baseball was starting to look pretty good now especially with this this guys autograph on it
Look at the menacing sky in the background. My team ball is getting some character now.
As Clint Barmes was walking off the field he stopped and spent a few minutes signing for everyone.
Here he is signing my team ball–>
When he looked up at me I said, “Clint you tossed me the first batting practice ball of spring training this year”. He looked up at me and said “Yeah I remember you”.
Clint brotha, you don’t know how cool it was to hear you say that.
I’ve always liked Clint Barmes but now not only will the Rant be extra pro-Helton but it will be extra pro-Barmes. I take special notice when someone takes notice/remembers me.
Thanks for the autograph Clint. Good luck this season, the Rant has got your back.
I managed to get one more autograph but not a picture. Ryan Spilborghs signed the team baseball underneath Clint Barmes.
Spilly was working his way down the line signing with this head down and just before he got to me the guy beside me mentioned something about Robert catching his home run ball the night before.
I then asked Spilly if he had watched the video of it. Spilly said “Yeah I looked at it”. Then I said that I was the guy right behind Robert chasing it. He still didn’t look up. When he got to me he took my baseball, signed it, handed it back to me, stopped slowly, raised his head enough to see my face and acknowledge it, then he moved on down the line.
It wasn’t scary, but it wasn’t a “Cool man, better luck next time” kind of glance either. No worries Spilly, I’m a big fan and I’m glad you’re a part of this team.
We know a lot of the same people so I hope you get used to my face brotha :)
Some notes on this game. Dexter Fowler is amazingly fast.He stole five of the eight bases that were stolen in this game.
Tulo was benched?
Rockies get the win over the Padres 12-7.
I didn’t make it much past the fifth inning. I was cold tired, and had to get up for work at 3am. Had I stayed I’d have been in position to snag a ground rule double.
Let me just say that is not the first time that has happened to me and will surely not be the last. I think of it as the ghosts of baseball past teasing me for leaving my seat or going home early.
It will someday happen to you if you attend enough games. Eventually you’ll need to eat, drink or pee Precicly at the point that you cannot see your seat is when the baseball will land in your area.
Hagg’n totals for this game
1 Point for showing up.
12 Points for six autographs. Huston Street, Bob Apodaca, Todd Helton, Chris Iannetta, Clint Barmes, and Ryan Spilborghs. I couldn’t eat another brat this game.
Total points = 13
Two wins in a row, I’m digg’n this. Go Rockies…D
Corpas vs Street in the Arizona heat
4/2/09 Rockies beat the D-Backs today 7-4
I’m willing to bet somewhere in Tucson is a slightly upset and confused Manny Corpas. Manny lost the closer job to Huston Street today. I’m not sure I saw that move coming, I’m not sure Manny did either.
I go back and forth with how I feel about Corpas. When I form an opinion of a Rockies player it’s not just on their baseball ability.
I spend a lot of time at Coors Field and as a baseball snagger/photographer I spend a lot of my time just observing people and players. At first I 
didn’t like Manny Corpas.
(Manny signing Hunter’s baseball)
My son and I had a few encounters with Manny at the beginning of a few 2008 Rockies batting practices. Both times Manny had the opportunity to really shine as a baseball player/human being and he took the lesser road.
On a positive note, Corpas seemed to be more aware of his fans as the season went on.
Anyways it’s not like he’s unemployed, he just gets to go to work a little earlier.
Huston Street was one of the players acquired in the Matt Holliday trade being formerly with the Oakland A’s.
Street suffered a hip flexor strain last season and subsequently lost his closing position.
Rockies signed Huston to a one-year contract for $4.5 million.
Corpas makes $875,000. That includes a $125,000 prorated signing bonus and buyout on option). Corpas is in the first year of four-year $9.025 million contract which has an option for 2012 and 2013.
I wish them both luck.
Check this out, on April 8th my son Hunter and I will be going to the Pepsi Center early to take a tour of the Pepsi Center and FSN Video trailer where they do all of the editing and such for the Denver Nugget home games.
After that we get to meet Carmelo Anthony and Hunter is allowed to ask a few questions.
They suggested Hunter practice the questions beforehand as most kids get nervous and clam up when they actually meet Melo.
Then we’ll get to meet one of the FSN announcers. After all that Hunter and I get to watch the Nuggets warm-up from court-side. How cool is that? This is a prize package sponsored by Power-Aid/King Soopers and it’s pretty sweet. 
The Nuggets play the Thunder, game is at 7pm. Just in case you’re wondering, no we don’t get to sit court-side for the game.
Those tickets are $675.00 a piece.
Expect a picture show of epic proportions after that game.
It will be good practice for me.
A little Nuggets basketball two days before the Rockies home opener.
Now that’s a lot better than sitting at home,…waiting… Go Rockies…D
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