Let’s try this again

I’m moving to Korea tomorrow for a year. Big day, I know. I’ve tried this whole journal thing before with little success during my around the world tour last year. I scribbled my way though about the first 40% of the trip and quit, but honestly that’s better than I thought I’d do. I still need to scan and upload the pages someday, but honestly that’ll probably never happen. I’m starting again, this time online and with regular internet access, and hoping I can at least make an entry per week while in Korea.

I’m not sure what to say at this point other than the whole thing doesn’t seem real right now. I’ve been talking about this move on such a consistent and overwhelming basis that even I was beginning to think that I was full of shit. Lord knows what everyone else thought. I don’t think it will set in until I land in Korea, or at least get on an airplane in San Fransisco full of Koreans bound for home. We’ll see. As for now, I’ve got a little better than one hour before I need to head to Indianapolis to catch my flight. So I’m going to go back to worrying about what I forgot to pack and take one last shower before the overwhelming smell of overweight, hairy, white tourist consumes me about six hours into my thirty hour travel day.

The Last Baseball Hoo-Rah of 2010

Europe Journal Entry #1, a Test of Sorts

Been Back for A Week….. Stories to Tell……

…..but no time to write them.  The trip got extended by a day and a few games were added but we’ll get into that later.

When I got back I decided it was time to get going on the Europe thing and did so the only way I know how; freak out, and do it under the gun.  I’m leaving in four days, and I’ve got days worth of preparations to attend to.

Here are the stubs and box score links to the games I went to.  Descriptions and such are to follow at a much later date, as I’ll write on my flight to Europe and post when I return.

Box Score Mets vs Indians

Box Score Nationals vs Tigers

Box Score Norfolk vs Toledo

Box Score Giants vs Blue Jays

Box Score Indians vs Pirates

Box Score White Sox vs Nationals

Box Score New Orleans vs Memphis

Box Score Oklahoma City vs Nashville

Box Score Durham vs Indianapolis

Box Score Durham vs Indianapolis

Leaving for the Trip One Post Short

I’ve got to go to bed/pack.  It’s midnight, and I need to leave at 6:30ish.  Went to a self-made double header on Thursday with the cousin Zach.  We’ll get to it after the trip.

Day Game in Indy

Box Score

Once again, very brief.  Pedro Alvarez, whom I feel won’t be in triple-A much longer, was a single short of the cycle on the day.  He came up with a chance at it in the bottom of the 8th and struck out swinging at ball four, after he fouled off ball four about three times.  You got the feeling he wasn’t interested in the walk one little bit, and I can’t blame him.

I’ve only seen a cycle live once.  Carlos Guillen of the Tigers did it to the Devil Rays at the Trop once upon a time.  The very Devil Ray thing about it was that he came up needed the double, hit a single, didn’t care if he got thrown out, and then made it to second because BJ Upton was (1) unaware of the situation and (2) taking it easy in the last couple innings of a blowout.

Nothing else really stands out from the game, except that the baseball field seemed to be full of players who had little interest in a day game after a night game in the 90 degree sun. It was beautiful in the shade though. 

Watching Aroldis Get Shelled

Box Score

Ok, this one and the next few are going to be quick because I’m trying to desperately catch up the ballgame travels before the big trip tomorrow (I’m hitting the road in about 7 hours, still haven’t packed/slept).

Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban defector with a 100mph fastball got his ass kicked last week when I went to see him.  I went with Watson and BJ, meeting up with a friend of theirs from the old days in Farmersburg, Joanie.

First the game.  I can’t say I paid great attention.  Chapman hit 101 on the gun with the first pitch and then proceeded to let them score at will, pitching only 2+ innings.  Yonder Alonso, the big hitting prospect for the Reds had a solo shot to straight away center that was impressive, and I remember little else being impressionable.

After the game the four of us went to get drinks, none of which Watson needed.  His drunk ass ordered a girly beverage named a ‘Missyrita.’  It was blue and smelled like cotton candy, so we of course tore into him.  As a test of his manhood, he immediately chugged the Missyrita, only to fall asleep on the table about 10 minutes later.  Good times were had at his expense for many days to come.