Diary of a Diehard

For the fans of 21 Major League Baseball teams this is a day of conflicting emotions. On the one hand you get to watch your team for the final time in the 2009 season. On the other hand you get to watch your team for the final time in the 2009 season. For the fans of eight lucky teams their season goes on. The records and the standings are erased and the first team to ten wins will go home as the World Champions.

For fans in Minneapolis and Detroit, you get one more regular season game to enjoy. With the Tigers and the Twins ending the season in a virtual tie atop the American League Central Division there will be a one and done scenario. The winner of the game in Minnesota on Tuesday will send one team and their fans to the post season while the other team will go home to watch the playoffs from the comfort of their home.

Continue reading ‘And So It Ends’ »

I love Chase Field. I was there when it opened and through 2009 I have seen nearly every game ever played there. I know that stadium like the back of my hand. I have walked nearly every inch of that stadium and taken in every detail of its architecture. It has become my second home. According to my family, I spend more time at Chase Field each year than I do at our own residence. Personally I think that is a bit of an exaggeration but probably not by much.

Chase Field was not the first stadium I have ever been to; that distinction goes to Wrigley Field. As much as I hate to admit it, I was once a Cubs fan. That is not to say that I am ashamed to have been a Cubs fan, quite the contrary I was very proud to count myself among the loyal followers of the Chicago Cubs.

Continue reading ‘Oh To Be At Wrigley’ »

Amidst all of the frustration and failure to live up to expectations, the Arizona Diamondbacks season was able to uncover a few hidden gems in their minor league farm system. The rash of injuries and the failure of some of the players to reach their potential opened the door for others to be given a shot that perhaps they would not have gotten if this team had performed as expected.

One such player on the Diamondbacks roster is left-handed pitcher Clay Zavada. Zavada’s story is one that Hollywood movies are made of and he is perhaps the feel-good story of the year for the team and its fans. We find ourselves engulfed in a global recession and each and every one of us is struggling to make ends meet. It is stories like that of Clay Zavada that not only give you hope but they make you appreciate the American spirit.

Continue reading ‘Modeling Clay’ »

I admit it, I am a big fan of the movie The Three Amigos starring Chevy Chase, Martin Short, and Steve Martin. For those of you who have not seen the movie it is about three Hollywood motion picture stars who are mistaken for real western heroes and are hired to help a small village in Mexico escape the tyrannical clutches of El Guapo played by Alfonso Arau.

During the movie, El Guapo has an exchange with his henchman Jefe where he asks if Jefe would say he has a “plethora of piñatas”. Jefe answers yes and is then caught when El Guapo questions whether Jefe even knows what a “plethora” means. It is a whimsical movie that somehow finds its way into my DVD player at least once during the off-season.

Continue reading ‘A Plethora of Subjects’ »

Now that I had finally gotten my Arizona Diamondbacks Season Ticket renewal package fixed, you would think I would have been relaxed but no the exact opposite was true. My stomach was twisted in knots and my blood pressure resembled Mark Reynolds strikeout total.

Today was the second deadline for season ticket renewal payment but it was also the deadline for turning in Seat Relocation forms. Seat relocation is a huge event in our house. My kids think of it as a giant game of musical chairs.

Continue reading ‘Seat Relocation – The Saga Begins’ »

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced the beginning of Season Ticket renewals the first part of August. The deadline for existing season ticket holders to renew their season ticket packages was August 30. As an incentive to get account holders to renew early the Diamondbacks offered a “30 Prizes in 30 Days” promotion where a renewed season ticket holder was drawn each day for a fabulous prize.

The prizes were pretty substantial including a trip to the 2010 All-Star game, taking batting practice with Mark Reynolds, fielding practice with Chris Young, or Staycations to local resorts. There was really something for everyone.

Continue reading ‘The Stress of Season Ticket Renewal’ »

As Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Juan Gutierrez struck out Padres pinch hitter Oscar Salazar, the Diamondbacks congratulated each other for winning the final home game at Chase Field for the 2009 season.

The Diamondbacks finish out the regular season with six games on the road. Beginning on Tuesday Arizona opens up a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants and then finish the season visiting the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Continue reading ‘State of the Home Stand Address – September 18-27’ »

When I was about to get married my father sat me down and gave me two pieces of advice that if I would listen would make my marriage a little better and perhaps keep me out of my wife’s dog house. His first pearl of wisdom was, “Never go to bed angry; even if you have to stay up all night fighting.” At first I wondered whether or not my dad knew what he was talking about but after 28 years of marriage I think he was probably right on this one. As I have gotten older it has been harder to stay up late so I have to now make sure the fights end earlier so I can get to bed.

My father’s second word of advice to me was, “Never forget your anniversary”. There is nothing that will bring the wrath of a woman quite as fast as a husband forgetting an anniversary. My dad tells stories of seeing the dent in his father’s head where grandma whacked him with a frying pan the year he forgot their anniversary. I am allergic to cast iron especially when it is applied to my head so I was going to make sure that I always followed this second tip.

Continue reading ‘Happy Anniversary Dear’ »

Fandemonium has been a tradition at Chase Field ever since the Diamondbacks inaugural season. The final weekend home games at Chase Field are designated as Fandemonium. During these games the Arizona Diamondbacks pay tribute to their fans by giving away prizes throughout the game.

Between innings they also have video tributes displayed on dbTV that show highlights of the season and give the players, coaches, and baseball staff an opportunity to say thank-you to their loyal fans.

Continue reading ‘It’s Fandamonium!’ »