Feels Weird, Yet Normal

 Yesterday I went to my first baseball game since 2019.

Yep, I decided to check out the Hudson Valley Renegades, the former New York-Penn League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays which has now become a high-A level affiliate for the New York Yankees in the High-A East League. A lot has changed since 2019, the Staten Island Yankees have ceased to be and their once-division rival are now the team the Baby Bombers call home.

Hudson Valley is, geographically speaking, closer to me than Staten Island but I'd never previously gone there because going from my neck of New York to the more northern parts beyond Metro-North's reach has never been particularly worth it to me. The trip requires driving in a car for over an hour, something I'd rather not do when I have a slightly-more time consuming but a trillion times more convenient route at my disposal in the form of the NY Subway and the Staten Island Ferry. Or at least I did anyway.

But as times change we must adapt or be left in the past. Plus I thought it'd be remiss if I didn't at least attend one game for the new Baby Bombers. I got in my car and headed north. As I drove on the various parkways the GPS told me to go on, it kinda dawned on me that this is normal in the context of America as a whole. By that I mean the notion of traveling for miles through land that's mostly only been developed in terms of paving a road, in order to do something mundane like catch a minor league baseball game in the middle of nowhere. In New York City everything is bunched up enough that we can get to various points with the subway or bus and not have to care about being behind the wheel. But NYC is an anomaly in a country whose very infrastructure is tailor-made for transportation via cars (note, it has fantastic cross-state train transit but for whatever reason that's only limited to freight). Outside NYC though, roads. Lots of roads. "Oh gawd, is this what people like Tom or Nick have to do to catch a minor league game? Doesn't feel worth it" went through my mind.

Eventually I did make it to the stadium, it felt weird to pay for parking and have to worry about my car getting towed for whatever reason after years of not having to care since I didn't have to drive home.

The stadium itself is nice and cozy. I remember other autograph collectors saying it was ideal for gathering autographs since the clubhouses are pretty much in the same place and the players enter through the same right field entrance, something that suits the post-game parking lot brigade more than the pre-game autograph hunters I'm sure. The layout of it is interesting and while I appreciate that it was indeed in the middle of nowhere/in the middle of a forest, I missed the Hudson River backdrop in Staten Island (and even the Coney Island Boardwalk backdrop in Brooklyn). Those forests/trees beyond the outfield fence just reminded me that I was responsible for driving myself home. That feeling sucked.

Also speaking of feeling odd, this is my first game since the COVID-19 outbreak landed in the states. By this time New York state's requirements for social distancing and whatnot had been scaled back as most people were vaccinated (including me as I got my second dose two weeks ago). Still, hearing yahoos in the stands (mostly retired boomers) made it feel like baseball crowds picked up where they left off in 2019. Although I got tired of it real quick, I can only take so much cowbell ringing.

I only got one IP autograph at this game, from Josh Breaux. Breaux was the Yankees' second round pick back in 2018 out of McLennan Community College and although his climb has been a bit slowed by injuries he did look great in 2019 and is poised for an interesting 2021 to show where he's at.

Maybe with better preparation I could've gotten more autographs but my focus was on getting two specific players. The other was Anthony Seigler who didn't have time before the game, understandable. Unfortunately Seigler had to leave the game early out of precaution after getting HBP on the head, incredibly unlucky given that he had been on an incredible run up until then (he hit a walk off grand slam the night before). Fingers crossed he's back in action soon.

I stuck around for a few innings but I eventually left. With Seigler likely being preoccupied with other things after the game I had no reason to stick around. Even moreso when I looked at the clock and saw that the game had been going on for nearly 2 hours but wasn't even in the sixth inning, both starters struggled and the game was a slog because of it. Granted it had a lot of runs as the 14-8 final score (BOX) shows, but I'm impatient and my "pure love the game" is one where if I wanted to watch the game I'd just watch it on MiLB TV virtually like always, seeing things live isn't as appealing to me as it is to most. That's also why this post is more about my rambles about traveling over autographs or the actual game BTW. I did manage to pass on a bag of Hi-Chews to a familiar face in the bullpen so mission accomplished there, and I took that as my cue to leave.

All in all I am glad that I was able to attend the new Baby Bombers home game for once. It was a unique experience in a unique time that I'm sure is entirely normal to most people at any other point in time. But I'm not eager to repeat it. I'd rather ride the subway and spend 3 hours navigating the MTA than drive to a stadium and learn its quirks.

Anyway, big thanks to Josh for the autograph and here's to a speedy recovery for Anthony. And better luck to the team going forward, they're still first in the division so they've been firing on all cylinders. But the true test is how they fare now that a big chunk of their key contributors early in the season have all been promoted.

As always thanks for stopping by and take care.

2021 IP Auto Count: 1

Month-End TTM Roundup: 5/3 - 6/5

Up until this month most of the TTM requests I sent out where primarily paid signings. Which is to say they were guaranteed to be returned one way or another, or I get a refund. But with minor league baseball starting up again I sent a few requests out for the first time in nearly two years. I don't expect those to come back but I do appreciate the ones that do.

Received On: 5/15/2021

Naturally the first TTM return from a MiLB ballpark this year came from a New York Yankees prospect, Hayden Wesneski.

Wesneski was drafted by the Yankees out of Sam Houston college in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Player Draft. The right hander is armed with a four seamer, a two seamer, a slider and a changeup and his fastball velo is usually in the mid-to-high 90 mph range. Wesneski was a starter in college and so far Wesneski has made two starts with Hudson Valley as he is eased back into the grind. He'll likely continue to start until he shows he can't, a lot can change in a few years but it wouldn't surprise me if Hayden eventually makes it to the majors as one of the many starter-relievers riding the Scranton shuttle back up and down triple-A and MLB until his options are used up. Until then, best of luck to the George Strait fan.

Received On: 5/22/2021

Next up is a return a few years in the making, courtesy of current 49ers wide receiver, Richie James.

James was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Player Draft out of Middle Tennessee State University. After an impressive collegiate career his playing time has been limited due to his use as a specialist, but he's been sure to make as much of the limited time has has gotten, like when he destroyed the Packers once with 184 receiving yards and a touchdown.

What the future has in store for James is a big question mark but fingers crossed he can get some more time to showcase his offensive potential soon.

Received On 5/27/2021

Here's a return from Yankees prospect Sean Boyle.

Boyle was drafted by the Yankees in the 25th round of the 2018 MLB Player Draft out of Dallas Baptist University. Boyle hails from Selden, NY making him a rare Yankees prospect born and raised in New York State (hell yeah!), originally pitched for Suffolk County Community College before transferring to Dallas Baptist and had quite a showing as a reliever. Boyle is said to be armed with a low-to-mid 90's fastball and a gnarly slider that can get strikes when he needs them.

Also pretty fun is that Boyle is the first TTM return I've had in a while that came back with a note. Always cool. Thanks a ton Sean!

Received On: 6/4/2021

Next up is a return from Capitals center, Lars Eller.

Eller hails from Rødovre, Denmark and his amateur career starts all the way back in 2004 in the Danish Division leagues. Eller would eventually move to Sweden to continue to hone his craft before being noticed as one of the best draft prospects in the world, the St. Louis Blues would then draft him in the first round of the 2007 NHL Draft. After a few more seasons in the Swedish hockey leagues Eller made it stateside in the 2009-10 season and made his NHL debut that same season as well. However before the 2010-11 season he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Jaroslav Halák and he'd go on to be a fixture for them for six straight years (although one of those years was the lockout shortened season). Prior to the 2016-17 season he was traded to the Washington Capitals and would go on to be a key fixture as them as well. Also apparently he is the first Denmark native to win a Stanley Cup after the Capitals won it all in the 2018 Stanley Cup finals.

Received On: 6/4/2021

Here's a paid autograph signing courtesy of Bobby Abreu.

Abreu hails from Venezuela and was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Houston Astros back in 1990. Abreu became one of the Astros' top prospects and eventually made his MLB debut in 1996. Abreu would be with the Astros for another season until he was taken by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 1997 Expansion Draft, he was immediately flipped to the Philadelphia Phillies for nothing. A move that turned out great for Philly since in Abreu they got a mainstay in their outfield from 1998 to 2006. During that span he'd be voted to two All Star Games, win a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger award, and Phillies Player of the Year awards. He was then traded to the Yankees for nothing and had two and a half pretty decent seasons in the Bronx. Abreu then went on to sign with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, then the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies again and the New York Mets before eventually retiring 2015. Not a bad career all things considered, I'm sure many minor leaguers would kill to have a career half as long or good.

And those were my returns this past month. Big thanks to Mr. Wesneski, James, Boyle, Eller and Abreu for the awesome autographs.

As always thank you (the readers) for stopping by. Take care.

2021 TTM Count: 21

Sources:
*https://www.milb.com/player/hayden-wesneski-669713
*https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JameRi00.htm
*https://www.milb.com/player/sean-boyle-682044
*https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/e/ellerla01.html
*https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abreubo01.shtml