I feel like I really need Paul Shaffer here for this. Here is tonight's top-ten things to do in the second half of the baseball season (drum roll please). Each baseball season is unique and exciting, and therefore each season creates different summer opportunities. As we approach the halfway point of the season I present you with a top-ten check list for the 2008 major league baseball season.
10. Get to know your Rays. These guys have been the laughing stock of the AL east since they were created in 1998. This year is different the Rays are talented, they are young, and they are really fun to watch. Find time this summer to see Scott Kazmir pitch, watch Carl Crawford play (its the least you can do for the guy - he's been on your fantasy team for years), and get caught up in Ray-fever! Heck buy yourself an Eric Hinske jersey.
9. Attend a bobblehead day. Any bobblehead day. (I checked this one off my list last week by attending Brian McCann bobblehead day). It will give you a reason to attend a random game(Braves vs Brewers Wed at 1 pm. No way I would have gone to this game w/o the Bobbling-incentive) and they will drive you wife crazy. Its win/win!
8. Pick a team that is currently 5-10 games out of the playoff picture. And root like hell they make a run. Get behind their mid season trades and late season call-ups. Your team may already be in this position, however if you are a Cubs or Red Sox fan 1. Seriously - get some imagination 2. Pick a team in the other league to pull for. If you are a fan of the Mariners or Padres - you need something to cheer for this year. I recommend picking a team that has a player that used to be on your team. For me the Braves have both Jair Jurrgens and Omar Infante. Its great getting caught up in magical late season runs. You could jump on the next one early. Imagine if you had picked the Rockies last year. Granted, you may have your heart broken - but as they say its better to have loved and lost.......
7. Attend batting practice. As I have gotten older I find myself showing up to games closer and closer to the National Anthem. As a kid I remember getting to the stadium as the opened the door to watch BP and go for autographs. Watching BP is such a great experience. Sit yourself either in the outfield (hello - cheap HR ball) or down near the field behind the plate. Typically teams will let you go down to the field level. If you have cheap seats this will give you a chance to see the players up close. I still remember watching a steroid juiced Ken Caminiti throwing with Tony Gywnn in Pittsburgh from about 10 feet away.
6. Go to a minor league game. It makes no difference it is A or AAA or independent. If you have never been to a minor league game, shame on you. The tickets are inexpensive, you get to sit close,the stadiums are typically very cool, and most teams spend every minute between pitches trying to entertain you. I once won a 40 dollar gift card to Old Navy because I was holding the ginormous beach ball when the music stopped in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Find a time when there is a great promotion, or better year a major leaguer on a re-hab outing. This year alone in the Tigers minor league systems you could have seen Dontrelle Willis, Joel Zumaya, Fernando Rodney, and Gary Sheffield.
5. Play catch. I don't care how old you are, there is no excuse for not doing this at least once a summer.
4. Stop at a baseball stadium on your summer vacation. Better yet, plan your vacation around a stadium or stadiums you have never seen. There are tons of new parks or if you time it right you could see the last season of Shea and Yankee Stadium on the same day, or at least same weekend. (I highly recommend PNC and the Great American Ball Park as two good Midwestern destinations).
3. Have a hot dog with everything. I mean everything. Look. I am as health conscience as the next guy, probably more so, but at least once a season you have to sit down at a game with a foot-long heartburn-dog on your lap. I am talking about catsup, mustard, relish, chili, jalapenos, cheese, onions, and anything else they may have at the stadium. Its not officially summer until you come home from a baseball game, run directly to the bathroom, and thank God you are live in America.
2. Get caught up with a rookie and have a 'man-crush'. Every year there is a crop of rookies that come up to the majors and take off like gang busters. This year we have already seen Jay Bruce, Armando Gallaraga, Aaron Laffey, etc. There is nothing like watching a rookie in his first weeks in the majors, hitting 0.500, and loving every second.
1. And the number 1 baseball related checklist for 2008 - Find something to cheer for in your favorite team. If you are a Cubs fan, I don't want to hear one word about a goat. If you like the Phillies - who cares if Ryan Howard can't hit his weight - its not his fault we weighs .305. Stay positive on your team - its a long season, but the second its over, you know you will be counting down to 2009. As for my Tigers - I promise not to lose hope - no matter how bad it may seem or how many injuries we incur, I know I will be able to keep my head held high because deep down in my heart I know that the following is true: The White Sox are going to fold like a cheap cheap suit.
Enjoy the second half.
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