Roberts who earned the nickname “Tatman” last season while playing for the Diamondbacks has quickly become a fan favorite partly because of his success on the field but more importantly because of his gritty blue-collar attitude that helped define the D-backs in their assentation to the 2011 National League Western Division Championship. Today’s game was not just about a fun giveaway though. The Diamondbacks also tied into Tatman’s popularity by featuring him at the team’s second annual “Tweetup”.

For those of you unaware of what exactly a “Tweetup” is rest assured you are not alone. It is a relatively new term that refers to a meet-up of individuals who use Twitter and other social networking sites.

Social media is changing the landscape of communications and is making its mark in redefining the boundaries between businesses and customers or in this case between a team and its fans. Last season the Diamondbacks held their first “Tweetup” which featured several members of the local media along with representatives from the team and even a couple of bloggers. The discussion focused on how social media was changing sports.

The “Tweetup” was well received and as a result the Diamondbacks decided to hold another event this year. Rather than a roundtable forum, this year’s focus was on getting to know one of the Diamondbacks players and how he is using social media and in particular Twitter.

The player chosen was third baseman Ryan Roberts who took time away from his pre-game warm-ups to visit the diamond level of Chase Field where approximately 100 fans had gathered to hear him speak and answer questions.

Participants in the “Tweetup” were provided limited edition “Tatman” T-shirts and were entered into drawings for prizes such as autographed baseballs and Ryan Roberts bobble heads.

The event started with Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall along with Fox Sports Arizona personality Jody Jackson talking to the crowd about how they use social media to better connect with their fans and customers.

It was interesting to hear them both talk about how different their jobs have become as a result of the interaction with fans on a daily basis. In some cases the interaction can consume them and dilute their message but on the other hand it has enhanced their ability to maintain a connection with their customers in ways never available using traditional media.

After a brief discussion followed by a video interview by the MLB television network about Roberts, “Tatman” came up and spoke to the crowd. For those who have never had the opportunity to meet Roberts he can best be described as down-to-earth and genuinely grateful for the opportunities he has been given here in Arizona.

His personality is direct contradictions to the cliché assumption people have of professional athletes. Roberts acts like many of us might if we woke up and realized we were living the dream we have had since we were children.

The question and answer session seemed to fly by and soon Roberts had to leave to get back to the field to get ready for the game. Taking his place on the podium was Hall, Jackson, and Diamondbacks Senior Vice President of Communications Josh Rawitch.

Rawitch was especially interesting as he described how the Diamondbacks monitor their brand via social media and the challenges they have of managing player relations in this new environment.

After the presentations participants were taken to the Arizona Baseball Club restaurant for a mixer to mingle and meet with others on social media. The Diamondbacks held raffles for several prizes including autographed baseballs.

The baseballs were a nice touch. They were autographed by Diamondbacks players who are on social media. They signed the balls but also put their Twitter handles on them as well making them very unique.

Needless to say my lack of luck when it comes to raffles continued and I didn’t win anything. I guess my secret prayer to the baseball gods to hear my number called on the JUS10UP10 ball went unheard but so did my prayer for a victory over the Giants and Matt Cain so I am not sure I am currently in tune with the baseball deities.

Overall the event was successful and I was able to meet several people at the event that I talk to via Twitter but had never met in person. The mood of the crowd was quite positive with the only complaints I heard being around the mixer where there didn’t seem to be enough seats or staff to handle an influx of that many people at the Arizona Baseball Club.

Hopefully the turnout was sufficient and the comments positive enough that the Diamondbacks will hold a third annual “Tweetup” next season. If not I can at least say I survived the first two and made a few new friends in social media.

For long time Diamondbacks fans the hype around the minor league pitching was similar to 1998 when Arizona had three studs in the farm system that was touted as the cornerstones of the franchise. Closer Gregg Olson dubbed them the “three phenoms” who were first ever draft pick Nick Bierbrodt, John Patterson, and a sixth round draft pick Brad Penny.

These three pitchers were kept together at each level of the minor league system. The reasoning behind this was there was healthy competition between the three pitchers that drove each of them to greater heights. We were told that these three players were “untouchable” and that no trade offer would ever be considered for any of them. This changed in 1999 when the aforementioned Olson fell apart as a closer and the Diamondbacks traded Penny to the then Florida Marlins for closer Matt Mantei.

Patterson and Bierbrodt would both make it to the Diamondbacks roster but struggled and were subsequently dealt leaving behind a legacy of broken dreams by D-backs fans everywhere. Fast forward to 2011 when a new crop of hurlers was being touted as the second coming of the Atlanta Braves staff of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz.

The new “phenoms” consist of right-hander Trevor Bauer a Diamondbacks first-round draft pick from 2011 along with left-handers Tyler Skaggs and Patrick Corbin who were both in the trade package for Dan Haren in 2010.

During the spring everyone raved about these three pitchers and in particular Bauer and Skaggs who seemed to already be tapped as dual aces at the top of the rotation. I had the opportunity to watch all of the Diamondbacks Spring Training games at Salt River Fields and with each outing I came away more and more impressed at how impressive these three pitchers were.

While it would be easy to jump on the Bauer or Skaggs bandwagon; I came away most impressed by Patrick Corbin. With each start Corbin made he seemed poised and controlled locating his pitches well and most importantly throwing strikes.

During the time where Corbin was impressing Diamondbacks front office and coaching staffs, second-year pitcher Josh Collmenter struggled mightily. As the Cactus League schedule began winding down there were questions whether Collmenter would be ready for the season and if Corbin were a better option to begin the season in the starting rotation.

In the end manager Kirk Gibson awarded Collmenter with loyalty and Corbin was sent to minor league camp. His demotion would not last long though. After having success in Double-A Mobile Corbin would get called up after an injury to Daniel Hudson and a string of ineffective starts for Collmenter.

Corbin would see his first game action during a road trip to Florida and New York and would not have his Chase Field debut until Friday May 11th. In front of 35,792 cheering fans Corbin would pitch a masterful game.

In seven innings of work Corbin would allow just three hits including a home run in the first inning to Melky Cabrera. He would strikeout four and walk no one. At the plate he would have a strong showing that the box score would not represent including one at bat where he saw 11 pitches.

While Bauer and Skaggs continue to get a lot of press with impressive seasons at Mobile Corbin has shown a lot of poise and composure on the mound. He has filled in admirable when given the opportunity and shown he can get out big league hitters. Each appearance he has made he looks more at ease, which bodes well for the Diamondbacks.

Many expect Corbin to go back to the minor leagues when Hudson returns from the disabled list but given how he has performed that may not be such an easy decision. The decision may come down to whether the Diamondbacks want to use Corbin in long relief in the bullpen and send down Collmenter or possibly keep Corbin in the rotation and move Miley back to the bullpen again sending Collmenter down to work on his location and control. Either way the Diamondbacks have proven they have the depth they will need if they want to return to the post season.

Normally when the Arizona Diamondbacks have an off day it either comes during a road trip or at the conclusion of a home stand. In those cases the sense of loss doesn’t feel that bad. The team was out of town anyways so the old adage “out of sight, out of mind” helps you to deal with no Diamondbacks baseball.

When the off day falls in the middle of a home stand everything gets messed up. One night you are sitting at Chase Field enjoying the sights and sounds of baseball and the next day the stadium is closed and everything is dark. You are left with an empty feeling like you just found out your best friend is a closet Boston Red Sox fan.

This is the loneliest feeling in the world. Somewhere around Major League Baseball there are fans who are cheering their teams while sitting in the stands surrounded by the sights and smells of the greatest game in the world. I am left wandering aimlessly like an extra from The Lost Boys praying for this day to end so baseball can resume at Chase Field.

Another even more heinous problem occurs during the off day of a home stand. My wife utters a phrase that sends chills down the spine of every married man, “Since you don’t have a baseball game tonight I have a few things I would like you to do around the house.”

No man ever wants his wife to call on “the list that shall not be named”. Typically “the list that shall not be named” only appears during the off season when baseball is hibernating so when she refers to this during the season no good can ever come from that.

It’s bad enough that the Arizona Diamondbacks are mired in a 5-game losing streak but now I have to deal with that AND a leaking bathroom faucet, a light that is flickering in the kitchen, and a garage door opener that doesn’t want to close. The latter three things I can live with but a 5-game losing streak? Something has to be done about that!

Curse you baseball scheduling Gods for making me have to deal with “the list that shall not be named”! The worst part about this is the D-backs have six of these over the course of the season and this is the first. I may not survive to see the post season at this rate.

I secretly worried that having me on the panel would somehow taint the participants so much that the first annual Tweetup would be the only one the Diamondbacks ever held. I was somewhat relieved to hear that the team had scheduled the follow-up to this popular event.

On Saturday May 12th the Diamondbacks will hold their second Tweetup and I can honestly say this one is going to be great. As a last minute addition Diamondbacks pitcher Brad Ziegler became part of the panel and was very popular answering questions from the fans on how he uses social media. For the record, Ziegler’s Twitter feed is primarily a way for him to keep fans up-to-date on his humanitarian efforts with his charity work.

This year the Diamondbacks are extending the theme of having players involved by having a roundtable discussion with D-backs third baseman and fan favorite Ryan Roberts. Roberts will hold an exclusive question and answer session with participants giving his views on social media, body ink, and anything else he can think of.

It’s not just a Q&A session though. Participants will receive a Club Reserve ticket to the game against the San Francisco Giants, a “Tatman” Collection T-shirt, Ryan Roberts Tattoo Sleeves, and a chance to win fabulous prizes such as autographed Ryan Roberts Bobbleheads and baseballs by other players and Tweeters.

So join the Diamondbacks with what should be an entertaining event. Tickets can be purchased on the Diamondbacks web site. There are only a limited number of spots available so call early to ensure you have a place reserved. If you are a Diamondbacks Season Ticket Holder (and who wouldn’t be), there are a limited number of reduced rate spots especially for you. Just contact your Season Ticket Services representative or call 602-514-4444.

Those who can’t attend should log onto Twitter and Facebook and join in on the fun electronically. I’ll be in the audience and try to provide details from the audience. But like baseball, it’s a lot more fun in person. Hopefully we’ll see you there.

Before last season the Arizona Diamondbacks unveiled their jerseys for the 2011 season. There were not really any changes to the white home jersey, the gray road jersey, the Sedona Red alternate jersey or the black alternate home jersey except for one small thing – each of the uniforms would have a patch on the sleeve commemorating the Arizona Diamondbacks hosting the 2011 All-Star game at Chase Field.

I already had one of every jersey style that the team had so I debated all season whether I really needed a new jersey. Let me rephrase that. I knew I needed a new jersey it was just that I couldn’t quite figure out what angle I needed to take so that my wife understood the importance of getting another jersey that to her looked like every other jersey except for a patch on one sleeve.

Sometimes I just don’t get women. They can question a little thing like another jersey hanging in your closet yet they can have nearly 1,000 pairs of shoes so that they match every dress and purse they have ever owned. I made the mistake once of suggesting there might be a double standard. That comment landed me on the couch for about a week.

I was not going to be deterred. I just needed to convince her why this patch and this jersey were so important. It’s historic. This may be the only time in my lifetime that the Arizona Diamondbacks would host the All-Star game at Chase Field. That didn’t seem to impress her. So I went for the romantic angle.

“But honey, that jersey will remind me of the beautiful time we spent together at the All-Star game and act as a constant reminder of how much I love spending time with you.” Yeah that was perfect, or so I thought. Instead she just stared at me and asked, “I thought that was why you needed the All-Star baseball, the All-Star bat, the All-Star polo shirt, and the All-Star sweatshirt?” Huh, I guess I have been using that excuse just a little too often.

For most of the off-season I worked on her trying everything I could think of to justify the purchase a new jersey. I even went so far as dropping hints at Christmas and talking to Santa at the mall but no such luck I am still shirtless. Finally she cracked.

During the off-season I went to see my doctor. After a series of tests and a couple of health scares he leveled with me that I needed to lose some weight. It’s not that I was extremely overweight it was just that my body doesn’t seem to like carrying around a few extra pounds.

So since the first of the year I have been trying to exercise and follow an eating plan that would help me to lose weight. After a month I had dropped 19 pounds and I felt pretty good. It’s not just the weight but where I lost it. Suddenly shirts and pants that were snug are now fairly loose.

I reached into the closet and retrieved my favorite Diamondbacks jersey and it didn’t fit! I now had the perfect excuse. I showed my wife my dilemma and she finally agreed I needed a new jersey before Opening Day. I immediately went out to the Diamondbacks Team Shop and found that they no longer sold the authentic jersey with the All-Star patch on the sleeve.

I think I can best describe my response as a reenactment of the final scene of Planet of the Apes when Charleston Heston climbed off his horse and cursed mankind when he saw the Statue of Liberty half buried in the sand.

So now I find myself on a quest. A quest that will take me to the far reaches of the earth in search for an authentic Arizona Diamondbacks jersey with a 2011 All-Star game patch on the sleeve. Just my trusty search engine and me we shall travel far and wide until I find the treasure. I have just 48 days 19 hours and 15 minutes to find it before Opening Day. Time is definitely not on my side.

The Diamondbacks were giving up their then ace for a back of the rotation starter, a reliever, and a highly touted outfield prospect. Young would start the 2006 season in Tucson playing for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders. He would put together an all-star season and would be called up to the big leagues on August 18, 2006.

Young made an immediate impact for the Diamondbacks and began the 2007 season as the D-backs starting center fielder. As a rookie Young would become the first rooking in baseball history to hit 30 home runs and steal at least 25 bases. For the first time since the departure of Steve Finley the Diamondbacks had a bona fide centerfielder who could not only hit but had speed and defense.

While Young continued to show signs of power, there was another aspect of his game that rose more than a few eyebrows. During his rookie season Young struck out 141 times in 569 plate appearances. Many suggested this could be attributed to youth and with a little experience at the major league level those strikeouts would diminish.

In 2008 Young struck out 165 times in 625 at bats. His on-base percentage rose but his slugging percentage dropped. Despite the step backwards the Diamondbacks rewarded their centerfielder with a long-term contract. Young put a lot of pressure on himself as a result of this contract and in 2009 had his worst season of his career offensively. It was so bad that the Diamondbacks sent him to Triple-A just to try and clear his mind.

After a horrendous 2009 Young bounced back in 2010 in route to representing the Arizona Diamondbacks as their only all-star that season. Even though he was hitting much better the strikeout totals continued to rise.

When Kevin Towers became the Diamondbacks General Manager he vowed to change the lineup to eliminate some of the strikeout totals that plagued the team in 2010. Gone were third baseman Mark Reynolds and first baseman Adam LaRoche who both finished among the leaders in strikeouts. This helped but Arizona was still among the leaders in team strikeouts.

In the midst of a pennant chase Towers sent starting second baseman Kelly Johnson to Toronto. In an interview shortly after the trade Johnson stated that the one thing Towers detests more than anything was strikeouts.

Young finished the 2011 season with 139, which lead the team in that category. The question becomes, will Towers continue to accept this high total or are Young’s days with the Diamondbacks numbered?

During the recent FanFest, Towers was asked about the farm system. He gave a glowing report on several positions including outfielder AJ Pollack whom Towers said was knocking at the door. He talked about Pollack’s defense and his ability to get on base.

In 2009 Pollack struck out just 36 times in 255 at bats in Single-A South Bend. After missing the 2010 season with an injury Pollack went to Double-A Mobile where he struckout just 86 times in 608 plate appearances against some very good pitching. In his minor league career he has played 189 games at centerfield and just 5 in right.

If Young struggles or if his strikeout total continues to mount don’t be surprised if Towers begins entertaining offers to move his centerfielder. Hopefully another season of hitting coach Don Baylor’s tutelage will help Young shorten his swing otherwise he may find himself being shipped elsewhere for the right deal.

“Yes, yes I am a Diamondbacks fan,” I said with more pride than I really probably should have.

It’s funny, I get that question a lot here lately and I am not exactly sure why. Is it because spring is just around the corner with pitchers and catchers due to report in 3 days 15 hours 24 minutes and 40 seconds or perhaps because the Diamondbacks won the National League Western Division last season? Regardless of why I am getting the question it’s just nice to hear people show an interest.

It has been a relatively tough time to be a sports fan in the Phoenix area this year so far. The Arizona Cardinals missed the playoffs for another season. The Phoenix Suns are scuffling to try and stay relevant in a strike-shortened season. The Phoenix Coyotes are having a good season but with the constant cloud over that franchise and its possible relocation local fans have hesitated getting on that bandwagon.

So it is a perfect time for baseball season to emerge from its off-season hibernation and take its place in the forefront of the mind of local sports fans. This season will mark the 15th for the Arizona Diamondbacks, enough time that a generation that was born in the late 90’s is reaching an age where they are showing their loyalty to a team.

For the most part there are very few true natives in Arizona. Most of the population moved here from elsewhere and with them they brought their allegiance to their former favorite teams. You need not look any farther than Mesa where thousands of Cubs fans will begin to appear from nowhere in another week when teams begin reporting to camp.

When people like Mr. Obvious approach me and ask if I am a Diamondbacks the answer is not just a simple “yes”. It begins with a one-word answer but will soon be a full-blown discussion where we talk about the historical events that have occurred in Diamondbacks history.

Everyone has the visual of Jay Bell running home with arms outstretched after Luis Gonzalez hit the most meaningful bloop single in baseball history to win the 2001 World Series over the New York Yankees but beyond that there are not a lot of moments that immediately jump to mind for casual fans.

That’s where people like me come into play. We are not just D-backs fans; we are Diamondbacks Evangelists. When you say evangelist people immediately envision those preachers on television touting the power of prayer and asking for a small donation to keep the Lord’s work moving forward.

Yeah it’s kind of the same thing with the Diamondbacks Evangelists. Instead of proclaiming our faith in deities we talk in terms like On-Base Percentage and tying our fortunes to the arms of Ian Kennedy or the bat of Justin Upton. That’s not to sound blasphemous or to suggest baseball players are gods. There are baseball gods; it’s just not these guys – yet.

We talk in hushed tones as we describe the events such as Randy Johnson’s 20-strikeout game against the Cincinnati Reds or the perfect game in Atlanta against the Braves. We revel in Gonzalez’ 57 home runs or the speed of Tony Womack around the bases.

It’s not just the events from the glory days of bygone days. Now we have a team that is primed to make a long and extended run at the NL West championship for years. There are young stars such as Upton, Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Stephen Drew, and newcomer Paul Goldschmidt.

There are also the young guns in the minor leagues such as Trevor Bauer, Tyler Skaggs, Wade Miley, and Patrick Corbin just waiting for an opportunity to break in with the big-league club. It’s not just an arms race in the farm system there are also some great position players gaining the experience that will make them impact players in the future.

Yeah I am a Diamondbacks fan and if you’re not careful I may just convert you too. There’s a lot to like about this team and now is the perfect time to make your conversion. Before long you’ll be referring to colors not as red and tan but rather Sedona Red and Sonoran Sand and humming the roof opening music to Chase Field and loving every minute of it.

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that make most men just cringe. You are basically in a no win situation. If you don’t go crazy and shower your significant other with gifts and attention you are branded as uncaring. If on the other hand you do shower her with all of the love and attention that she needs you have set yourself up to a night of chick flicks and a bar set so high that you will fail miserably the following year.

Luckily for me, my wife has very low expectations when it comes to this holiday. That may be a result of me falling flat on my face in getting her the proper Valentine’s Day gift year after year after year. I guess you could say that I am the Chicago Cubs of Valentine’s Day minus the goat curse.

This year was going to be different. I promised myself that I would show her that deep down I really was a romantic guy but not enough of a romantic to have to sit through watching Terms of Endearment or crying when Old Yeller died. Who knows, if I can somehow pull this off maybe I get to pick the romantic movie tonight and I haven’t seen Bull Durham in a long time.

My first challenge was to try and find a card that would express my feelings without necessarily handing over my man card and being classified as a complete sissy. I ventured into the Hallmark store, which in and of itself is a painful ordeal. There is just something about having myself surrounded by greeting cards and scented candles that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

Normally I try to take a deep breath, hold it, run into the store, grab the first greeting card that starts with “To my lovely wife”, pay for it, and run out of the door before I pass out from holding my breath. Even with all those safeguards I still find my clothes smell like spring lilacs or scented French vanilla for hours after leaving the store.

This year though I vowed that I would endure the smells of Hallmark and actually find a card that would bring tears to my wife’s eyes. I couldn’t be sure that the tears were not a result of the overpowering scent of spring lilacs candles but you know what I mean.

With a slightly fearful look in my eyes I walked into the store and made a beeline to the card counter. There I must have looked at about a million cards. Ok that my be an exaggeration I really looked at four but that’s three more than I usually look at and this year all the cards I picked up were in English which is a change from years past. Oh and guys for the record, getting your wife or girl friend a card in a foreign language doesn’t not mean you are suave or continental; trust me on this.

With my card in hand I made my way to the counter feeling much like a cow must feel when being led to the slaughter. I’m not exactly sure why I have this fear of Hallmark stores; maybe it’s the countless times my wife has drug me there looking at Christmas ornaments.

As I stood there in line I glanced over at a display case and stopped dead in my tracks. There peering out at me was – a baseball. A baseball in Hallmark; what are the odds of that? It wasn’t just any baseball though. It was a Valentine’s baseball. How do I know it was a Valentine’s baseball you ask? The stitches on the ball were in a heart shape.

At first I felt sorry for the ball being trapped in a Hallmark store and ridiculed by the other balls for having stitches that were a little different. But rather than laugh and point like some of the rude women in the store I took pity on the little ball and decided to buy it and set it free.

With a card and a baseball I paid for my purchase and left the store just before losing consciousness from the smell of Yankee Candles. I had the perfect gift; one that would probably make me a first-ballot husband Hall-of-Famer or at least garner enough votes to be put on next year’s ballot.

When I got home I sat down and penned perhaps the most beautiful verse in the card and sat it on the table along with my gift. The words were simple but the message powerful, “You are the MVP of my heart”. Yeah if I was pitching this Valentine’s Day this would have been a no hitter and with my wife anytime I don’t get hit it’s a successful day.

Don’t get me wrong; I am not opposed to getting free things for watching a baseball game. In fact if you ask my wife I am obsessed. Wait, she may just be talking about being obsessed with baseball not necessarily with the stadium giveaways. It’s hard to tell since she usually makes this statement when she has to dust the 40 some odd bobble heads that sit above my desk. She threatens to not dust them but after I tell her I am cool with that because dust makes them look more authentic she relents and spends a day cleaning them.

Getting the Diamondbacks promotional calendar is something akin to receiving a Christmas catalog filled with all of your hopes and dreams. Like in years past we gather around the kitchen table and I read off dates, the team the Diamondbacks will be playing, the giveaway description, the number of items available, and finally any qualifiers such as just for kids or for those over 21 years of age.

At that point there begins a rather agitated discussion where the kids argue over whether they get that game or not. You see we have two seats to all the Diamondbacks games. It is a given that I will be occupying one seat. My wife and kids take turns occupying the other (or being punished depending on their outlook of baseball).

Normally an agreement can be reached as to who will go to each game. There are some games though that it nearly turns into a brawl depending especially on what the giveaway is. Lawn gnomes, Beanie Babies, WebKins, and bobble heads have been known to be especially popular and a source of fighting and bickering.

In these extreme cases I usually end up buying extra tickets so that the whole family can attend and get these popular giveaways. Looking over the promotional schedule I could already pencil in the five bobble head games as those where I would need more tickets.

Every season the Diamondbacks seem to come up with one giveaway that on the surface I don’t think will ever be an issue but in reality opens up a whole can of worms and animated arguments. It’s never something that I would expect either.

One year it was garden gnomes that caught the eye of my kids resulting in mass hysteria. Another year it was trucker hats that caused a commission in our household. Like I said, it’s impossible to try and guess what might be the hot giveaway as far as my family is concerned.

We sat around the table and I began reading from the promotional calendar. I got through June with only the usual arguments around JJ Putz and Ian Kennedy bobble heads. There was some discussions around Ryan Roberts tattoo sleeves that will probably result in a couple of extra tickets being purchased but overall it was calm.

The mood changed significantly when I reached July 7th on the promotional calendar. “Saturday July 7th against the Los Angeles Dodgers – D-backs Lucha Libre Masks for the first 15,000 fans.” Before I could even finish that sentence the kids started freaking out all talking over each other stating how it was their turn to choose a game and that they had dibs on this one.

It was like throwing breadcrumbs into a pond of hungry fish. At one point I seriously thought my kids were going to turn into luchadores and begin throwing each other out of the ring or in this case the kitchen.

Who would have thought that the mere mention of lucha libre masks would cause this kind of response from otherwise normal American kids? Clearly this is going to be one of those games where I am going to have to buy tickets for the whole family.

Maybe I won’t regret not getting Taco Bell foam taco hats for everyone for next year’s Christmas card photo. Instead we can dress up like luchadores and all wear our D-backs Lucha Libre masks. Yeah I’m positive my wife is going to love this idea.

The items range from leftover giveaway items to signs from Chase Field to autographed baseballs and anything in between. In 2007 after the Arizona Diamondbacks changed their colors from Purple and Teal to Sedona Red, Sonoran Sand, and Black the team put china and dishes with the team’s logo in the garage sale. That was a huge thing for me as it allowed me to replace all of our fine china with plates featuring the Diamondbacks classic logo. Thanksgiving dinner has never been the same since.

I was eagerly awaiting the start of FanFest and my goal was to make a beeline to the garage sale. You never know when you might be first in line to find something really cool. When we finally got through the gates there was already a crowd attacking the tables of merchandise faster than a Mark Reynolds strikeout.

Even before I entered the sale I already had spotted an item I could not live without. I rushed through the mass of shoppers and leapt at the table. There in my hand I had the ultimate prize, a Taco Bell taco hat from last year’s all-star game. I had wanted one of these since the moment I saw them. There is just something profoundly cool about wearing a foam taco on your head. I was not only able to secure one of these for me but also one for my son who I know will be thrilled.

If I did not find one other item my day would be complete but the treasures continued to unfold in front of me. On one table was an ABC’s book published by the Diamondbacks wife that would make a perfect birthday gift for my grand daughter and I picked up a couple of pins from Opening Day 2005 for $0.10 each.

I also got an official line-up card from the July 5, 2011 game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Milwaukee Brewers with Kirk Gibson’s autograph at the bottom. At the baseball station I got autographs from pitchers Zach Duke, Doug Slaten, and fan favorite Clay Zavada. All three baseballs cost me less than the price of a ball at the team shop without a signature.

In the end I had two bags of Diamondbacks merchandise that I didn’t even know I wanted before arriving at FanFest and the crown jewel sat atop my head as I drove home. At every traffic light I could see the other drivers look over at me with envy when they saw my Taco Bell foam taco hat.

My only regret is that I didn’t get one for every member of my family. That would have been awesome for next year’s Christmas card family photo. What was I thinking?