As most of you already know, the 2010 MLB All-Star Game is being played Tuesday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. It's the first time since 1989 the game will be played in Anaheim. Accompanying the All-Star Game on Tuesday is the Sirius-XM Futures Game & Taco Bell Celebrity & Legends Softball Game on Sunday, and MLB All-Star Workout Day, featuring the Home Run Derby on Monday. Also, running from the Friday before, all the way to the Tuesday of the All-Star Game is the All-Star FanFest at the Anaheim Convention Center. All of these will be covered shortly. All of this was just a little backstory.
So Nathan and I took off from Corona Sunday around noon to Sunday's All-Star festivities. Before Nathan met me in Corona, I went to the Chili's off of Cajalco to watch the beginning of the Spain/Holland World Cup Final. We left 20 minutes into the match, and got to the OC Sports Grill (located across the street from Angel Stadium) as the second half was about to start. The OC Sports Grill was packed. I mean, stuffed. Nathan and I had to steal a couple barstools and park along a wall that happened to have a small counter. The crowd was fifty percent Spain fans, and fifty percent people who were killing time before heading to Angel Stadium for Sunday's festivities. I did talk to one Netherlands fan for most of my time there (as I was also rooting for the Netherlands; sorry I just don't like the way Spain plays) who told me that "the weed" was reason enough to root for the Orange. Unfortuantely Holland lost as Espana scored in the 116th minute of a scoreless match. But seriously, what a great World Cup match. I, for one, am sad that the World Cup is over. At least Aston Villa's season starts on the 14th of August. Can't wait. Back to baseball.
So while at The OC Sports Grill, Nathan and I ordered a "100 oz" silo of Sam Adams, as well as some barbeque wings. Both were delicious. Then he headed over to Angel Stadium.
Nathan had bought two tickets to all three All-Star dates, but sold the All-Star Game tickets so it would soften the $900 blow. This was both of our first experiences with All-Star festivities, and neither of us were quite sure what to expect. As we walked in, slightly (see: pretty) drunk, we walked passed a test-drive area for Chevrolet's latest vehicles. I seriously contemplated getting in line and drivng the test-course while a bit inebriated, but Nathan thought that would be a bad idea. He was probably right. For the record, I don't encourage drunk driving. At all. But this was a closed course with no pedestrian's on it; like driving a go-cart. I would totally drive a go-cart track drunk. Sound's fun, actually. Back to baseball.
So we got into Angel Stadium, and were given a lanyard for our ticket, and a program complete with each and every player in the Futures Game. The Futures Game, for those of you who don't know, is a minor league All-Star game of sorts. Each team sends no more than representatives (The Angels, for whatever reason sent three) and the game is played with a US vs. the World format. For the US squad, The Angels featured top prospect catcher Hank Conger, and future-hall of famer Mike Trout (gee, do you think we have lofty expectations for the 18-year old?). Shortstop Luis Jimenez suited up for the World Team. There were a ton of top prospects in the game, including a pair of Kansas City Royals (Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer) that Nathan and I were able to meet/get autographs from. We also got a chance to meet Conger, and while getting his autograph heard this exchange between Conger and what can only be assumed to be Conger's personal friend.
Random Guy/Personal Friend: "Hey Hank. What's up?"
Conger: "Oh shit! What's up man."I don't know why, but Nathan and I thought that was the funniest thing we had ever heard. Only Bob Feller would make a comment more hilarious, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Before the game started, Nathan and I decided to grab another beer and find our seats. While at the Guinness stand (of course), the ATM machine was down, which sent us fleeing to find more beer. We settled on Pacifico bombers ($12.50 each), and made our way back to the seats. Only, we ran into the Guinness stand again, and Nathan decided to purchase said Guinness as the ATM card reader was back up. We were set.
As for the Futures game, it was much more entertaining then I anticipated. The Angels representatives made a strong showing, with Conger hitting a three-run jimmy jack and being named the game's MVP and Mike Trout going 2-4 and reaching base each time up. He also stretched a single into a double in a manner I'm convinced ninety-nine percent of baseball players in ANY level could not do. I salivate at the chance to watch Trout play for the Angels. The US went on to win huge.
Nathan: Langston! I used to watch you pitch when I was five
Langston: "Don't come at me with that crap!"Langston was a nice dude though. I ran into him Monday at the Fanfest, but again I'm getting ahead of myself.
After the Futures Game was the Celebrity & Legends Softball Game. Angel hometown heroes, MLB Hall-of-Famers and B and C-List celebrities play a five inning softball game, with a makeshift wall assembled about 175 feet from home plate. Former Angel greats Fred Lynn, Bo Jackson (who was known more as a Royal, but who's counting), Chuck Finley and Tim Salmon (who recieved the loudest ovation of anybody playing and did so throughout the night) played alongside MLB greats Dave Winfield, Mike Piazza, Ricky Henderson, Gary Carter, and Steve Garvey; as well as "celebrities" such as M.C. Hammer, John Hamm (a.k.a Don Draper of "Mad Men" who had exactly one fan in the crowd; yours truly) "Desperate Housewives" star James Denton, Slater from "Saved By the Bell" and the absolutely gorgeous in person Maria Menounos. Also, softball great (and sneaky hot) Jennie Finch played in the game as well, as did Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Marisa Miller. Us men were covered, if you ask me. Tim Salmon hit two home runs to lead his squad to victory and looked like he was enjoyed every minute of being out on the field. And us fans gave him every ounce of love we had. At one point Salmon (playing second base instead of his normal right field) threw the ball about fifteeen feet wide of Bo Jackon. One of the co-hosts of the ABC show "Wipeout" (not the girl, who was very attractive too, by the way) asked the crowd "Was that Salmon's fault?" The crowd responded "NOOOO." He then asked "Was it Bo's fault?" We all screamed "YES!" Bo looked a bit peturbed. Other highlights included: - ESPN personality and former All-Star John Kruk attempting to take out a UCLA softball player who's name escapes me at the moment at third base with a slide. She played a hell of a game, by the way.
- Ricky Henderson, who after being "brushed back" by Finch on the first pitch of the game looked downright angry and was talking to himself, launched a towering home run. Nathan and I kept saying "What yo' name is, gurl" every time Henderson came up.
- MC Hammer homering, and then the PA system blasting "You Can't Touch This."
- Watching that guy from "The Blindside" and Michael Clarke Duncan run bases.
- Cheering on Tim Salmon
- Watching Finch take Finley deep, and Finley looking downright embarassed. He was only playing though. However, when Finch came back up, Finley walked off the mound and made Bo Jackson pitch to her. Did I mention that Finch is "sneaky hot?"
- Maria Menounos' ass in baseball pants.
On a personal level, it was really awesome to watch Salmon play again. He has always been, and always will be, my favorite baseball player. I didn't mind watching Menounos either.
The night ended with a spectacular fireworks show.
The next day (Monday) Sean and I (along with Nathan and his brother who were also going to the Home Run Derby later on in the day) hit up the FanFest. The FanFest is equal parts fair, bizarre and swapmeet for baseball enthusiests. There were exhibits ranging from The Angels to Latinos to women in baseball; as well as attractions such as seeing how quick you steal a base or how hard you could throw a baseball. In the middle was a giant shop where you could buy autographed baseballs, bats, posters etc.. as well as various bobbleheads, pennents and just about anything else baseball you could think of. There were also autograph sessions throughout the day, as well as clinics for kids put on by MLB players, both past and present.
Sean and I got there as it opened and decided to hit the attractions before they got too packed. We did the speed-pitch game as well as fielding. I hit 59 mph on the radar gun (without warming up, mind you), while Sean hit 56. We then walked around and looked at everything, including a creepy lifesize statue of former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda that scared the hell out of Sean and I. Nathan and his brother then showed up and we waited in line to meet Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller.
Feller, now 92, stopped pitching before my Dad was born. That's how old this guy was. However, he's considered one of the greatest pitchers of all-time. He also made for the greatest comment any of us had ever heard. You see, at the FanFest, you could either buy a baseball for $26 (no way) or go to the Chevrolet tent and take a five question quiz on their cars (with all the answers being written on the cars on display) and receive a special All-Star baseball. The baseball had the All-Star Game logo on it, as well as a Chevrolet logo. We decided to go the cheap route. We gave the balls to Feller to sign, and he asked us "did you guys buy a Chevrolet?" We explained to him why he had the ball, and he said "Good. Chevy's are made in China by ping-pong players." I couldn't help but laugh. His partner (an older dude who assisted him with getting the memorabilia to have autographed) tried to say "Oh, you shouldn't say that Bob, there are some of them here." Feller didn't care. Look, I don't like racism, but with old folks there's no use in trying to talk to them about it. I actually found it really funny, to be honest. Comment of the day.
While wandering the FanFest, Nathan called me. I ignored him a few times, as I was on the phone, and then he texted me "I got you derby tickets, where are you?" Turns out, Nathan ran into a lady who had been given two Home Run Derby tickets, but didn't want them as she already had tickets. So she gave the two tickets to Nathan (who also already had tickets) free of charge to give to Sean and I. We were going to the Home Run Derby.
The Derby is something that becomes much more appreciated while there in person. Balls are just hammered to places that you can't believe they could possibly reach. Hanley Ramirez, David Ortiz, Corey Hart and Miguel Cabrera definitely stood out. As most of you know, Big Papi won the Derby. Some other highlights:
- I saw my friend Katie for the first time in two years. She was in from Colorado for the Derby and the All-Star Game. Awesome
- Will Ferrel is an Angel fan! Like I needed another reason to love the guy.
- Corey Hart elicited 1,000 "Sunglasses at Night" jokes.
- Sitting up top allowed Sean and I to see the entire field, as well as the entire stadium. They were perfect seats.
- Apparently my friend Stephanie and her brother were there, and got on national television a few times. Awesome.
- I got a picture with the Colorado Rockies mascot, Dinger. I don't know what a dinosaur has to do with the Colorado Rockies, but I can't really talk. My team's mascot is a monkey.
- Torii Hunter got a "Tim Salmon-esque" response from the Angel Stadium crowd. Fox Sports commentator Chris Rose (from "Best Damn Sports Show") called him "The Mayor of Anaheim." Hey, Mr. Rose... that's MY nickname for Hunter. Dibs.
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