Marlins vs. Braves: Game 3 [14APR2011]

Yes, I skipped game 2 of the series… “Why, you hooligan!” you cry.  “SCANDAL!  SHOCK!  How could you?!”  Well let me remind you that I wasn’t being a bad fan:  I was being a poor student.  So there.

Time for a photo to smooth things over:

Fredi Gonzalez + He-Man Eric Hinske

So, Lauren and I went to this game together, with John and Eric joining us a little bit later.  I may as well just go ahead and say this:  I did not take in-game photos.  Ok, that’s a lie.  I did.  I didn’t take any in-game photos that were worth a glance.  This is the price you pay for sitting in the outfield.  Unfortunately, I can’t actually take a real “super-lens” to games.  That’s a moot point, though, because I can’t afford one to begin with!  (Don’t you start on ending sentences with prepositions… See this face?  It does not care.)  But I did take excessive glorious amounts of batting practice photos.  So what else is new?


Throwing balls!

"Deer Jonny" Venters

MVPrado throwing a ball to a fan.

Can I just say that while I hate the sun a little bit (we are not on friendly terms, Amaterasu and I), it is fantastic for me to take action shots!  I can make the shutter speed WAY high and capture awesome moments.  Of course… I’m still working on getting better at capturing the moments. 

Tiny Matt Young + Martín Prado

 

Very intently checking something out...

JC Boscan is very animatedly telling
Tommy Hanson a story.

♥

Craig Kimbrel practicing his windup

Kimmie was actually talking to the ball boy and showing him the step-by-step process, but I cropped ball boy out because I framed the shot strangely and it looked weird.  Sorry, ball boy!

Peter Moylan takes batting practice

What I was unable to capture was when Moylo got bored with batting and tried to give the bat back to Fredi (who had brought it out in the first place).  Fredi either didn’t hear him or ignored him and Moylo was just like, “pfft.  well I don’t want it!” and drops it. 

Oddly framed, BUT!  the smiles!!

Get it, Kimmie!

Deer Jonny acknowledges his fans (he's QUITE popular)

EOF talking to some fans

Almost awesome shot, but I wasn't quick enough...

Eric O’Flaherty is really just the handsomest reliever you ever did see.  Admit it and get on with your life.

Go, Moylo!!

And then Marlins BP began to overlap a little bit with Braves BP.  All is well, though, because the Braves and the Marlins are friendly rivals.  We have some of their boys (i.e. Fredi, Gonzo, Popeye), and they have some of ours (Omar, Javy Vazquez, Mike Dunn).  Also, I like the Marlins in spite of myself… there are so many former Braves, former Blue Jays, and generally amusing and/or cute players!

LoMo

JJ

HUG!  JJ & Anibal Sanchez

         

JJ says hi to former Braves!!! 

OMAR INFANTE

     

JAVIER VAZQUEZ

        

Full on Marlins BP now:

The facial expressions of a pitch as shown by Anibal Sanchez

I wanted better pictures of Omar, so I talked Lauren into moving to the first base line, above the home dugout.  She and I witnessed a beautiful moment, but both of us failed to capture it with the digital equipment that we haul around to every game.  It's just as well, I suppose, because some moments should just be that:  moments.  The moment in question, by the way, was when Omar walked over to the Braves dugout with this big smile on his face, and a few seconds later, Bobby Dews' head poked out of the dugout!  Bobby Dews and Omar then hugged it out.  They then chatted a bit, with Bobby Dews patting Omar on the back several times.  /Hallmark.

Gaby Sanchez and Javy Vazquez are friends!!

Javy Vazquez played first base for a little bit during BP

lights & shadows... awesome

   

Two of my favorite Marlins are in this photo

Socks Up:  Giant Mike Stanton.
He's not a rookie anymore.

More pictures of former Braves!

Omar, cleaning up

MR. CLEAN MIKE DUNN!!  (We miss you, Crinkly Eyes!)

   

Getting ready for gametime...

BMac:  "Yes.  I know I'm awesome."

Brandon Beachy Neck Roll

         

STRETCH, BEACHY, STRETCH!!

One of our usher friends, was nice enough to let us sit in his section, which was next to the bullpen.  Eddie was awesome/nice as usual.  See what I mean about no in-game photos?  We were in the outfield! 

Besides.  I was busy talking!  Lauren introduced me to Brandon Bond, de facto unofficial tattoo artist of the MLB.  Check out his tattoo studio's work--LOTS of photos (I'll include the link below).  Anyway, he's a lot of fun, and he chatted with Moylo, and cheered EXTREMELY loudly.  He liked my hair, which, you know, earns you, like, 50 points of "yay!" right off the bat.

Also, the chicky in front of us was on a maybe date with her coworker/maybeboyfriend... she was very nice, but possibly rather intoxicated.  She kept hooting at the players in the bullpen, much to my delight, and to our usher friend's chagrin.  And she kept pulling down Lauren's and my shirts (Lauren's more than mine... she's got the curves, I don't). 

Um... what else?  I can't remember.  This is what happens when you post about games a month after you went to the game... le sigh.  In my defense, I've been extremely busy!!  At least I have pictures.  <3

Martin + Former Blue Jay John Buck

Marteen tearing around the bases in a blur
past buddy Omar

            

Links:

• Photobucket.
  
• Lauren’s post at Braves Love.
  
• All of Nothing Tattoo ~ MLB version!

Thanks for reading, y’all.  I know that was long.

Phillies vs. Braves, Game 2 [09APR2011] -- BP

 I'm exhausted... so I'm going to try to do this quickly as possible.  The photos I present to you today are from batting practice for the April 9th game against the Phillies.  Lauren, Molly, Cori, and I all sat together during batting practice... let me just say that while sitting too close to the field is possibly hazardous to your physical well-being, it is also a lot easier to take better photos.  By the way, the Molly and Cori Batting Practice Commentary show was AWESOME.  I love those girls.  Come back to visit, soon!  We have so much more baseball to watch!

Here we go...

Eddie:  "Then they twist the thing with the other thing and pull the whole thing off."
Meds:  "Ugh... really?"

JC: "Now, see here!"
Rossy:  "... Well.  Fine."

Our "shorties"  :)

Antonio Bastardo, Phillies relief pitcher

Boy, did he do a lot of running.  And boy, did people stare.  :P

Are these both Joe Blanton?

I ask if the above are both Joe Blanton... because the body types are the same.  And the calves look the same.  But why did he go change into his not-BP-uni after he'd already been out in his BP uni?  These are the things that I want to know.

DLowe.  What.  A.  Boss.

Mmmmmarteen... <3

Buds:  Kimmie + EOF

Running partners:  Huddy + Linebrink

Ok.  Mr. Linebrink's hair reminded me of Cute Dads from the Lawrenceville Braves Caravan.  Rad.  For real.

As if you really needed more things in your pockets.

Craig Kimbrel does not need to put things in his pockets.  I simply cannot fathom how he is able to fit a bottle of water (YES I KNOW IT'S A BABY DASANI, NOT A REGULAR DASANI, BLAH BLAH BLAH) in his back pockets.  Just saying.

Get it, Martín!

Smiley Huddy 

This happened a little while we (Molly, Cori, Lauren, and I) were discussing whether or not Molly should shout "Roll Tide!" at Huddy.  Not sure this picture picture would have happened if the decision had been made to shout it... :P  However, I'm sure that shouting it at Kimmie (especially because Molly is so adorbz) would have gotten a smile out of him... bigger than the one below.

Does he not just look so damn pleased with himself?
Love it.

Possibly the BEST Jonny Venters pic
I've ever had the pleasure of snapping.  <3

EOF:  "RUN JONNY RUN!"

Kimmie:  "Psst.  Whatcha lookin' at?"
Jonny:  "That one.  The one with the lens."

This is what I think they think when I get caught pointing my camera at them... sigh.

This happened.

So, Lauren called to my attention that Peter Moylan appeared to be cheerleading.  OBVIOUSLY, this needed to be captured on camera.  But when I pointed my camera over there, I saw Kris Medlen.  Waving his hat.  As if to accept the applause of an audience that only he, Tommy Hanson (coughwhoneedsahaircutcough), and Moylo could see.  LOVE.

Hi Meds.
FYI:  That wave isn't Miss USA/pageant enough.

Wish I could see the sleeves, Moylo... 

 And then it was time for Phillies batting practice.  I snapped a couple photos, and then I stopped caring because my stomach started to growl.  I'm rather grumpy when I'm hungry.  And by rather grumpy, I mean, I start to get downright irritable.  So I demanded that we find food to eat.  The Joe Blanton photos are the ones during Phillies BP.  Bastardo was running during Braves BP.  Back and forth.  Back and forth.  Right past all four pairs of our female eyes.  Yes.  That did happen.

GAME WARM UP TIME!

Our awesome pitching coach Roger McDowell.
Is that not the biggest smile?

Brandon Beachy's How to Pump Yourself Up Before a Start

Look at him half-strut stompin' over to the outfield towards the bullpen.  So in control.  LOVE it.  PS--This is about when Jennifer magically appeared out of thin air!  Molly, Cori, and her brother Ryan were in the outfield, but Lauren obtained 3 tickets from friends (hi Ch) which J and I laid claim to as well... Yes, please.  Thank you.

BMac:  "All right.  This is the game plan..."
Beachy:  "We've got this."

Gwinnett County Represent!  Brian McCann

Yes.

So anything that I combined into one picture, or, in the case of Brandon Beachy, made into a comic can be found as individual photos in the Photobucket album (which I have yet to upload; I'll provide the link when I do).  Lauren's post about this game is over at Braves Love, which was, as usual, written in a more timely manner.  She also remembered more details from BP... and the game.  I don't remember much these days... Yes, yes, I'm behind.  I know.

Also, please note... that I only posted TWO (2) Martín Prado photos.  Look at the restraint that I showed!  You should be VERY proud of me.