Trade deadline and Trampoline Dodgeball

 

2 things that really don’t go together at all, but have the same TD initials so decided to fit them into the same group.

Trampoline dodgeball is the newest combination of awesome, kind of like Cookies and Crème, Peanut butter and jelly, ice cream and cake, wanton soup and noodles (located at your neighborhood Costco outlet).

Basically it’s playing dodgeball in a trampoline pit, with all 3 corners (no ceiling) fit with bouncy trampolines that make one fly way up in the air, dip way down into the trampoline, or zoom across the pitch. It’s great for dodging and makes for a great TV show with the number of backflips, somersaults, and other fun in-air maneuvering one can do. Except for me, I’m not a very black-flippy kind of person (although I can do on on the trampoline), and I’m still a loyalist to dodgeball and catching, so I hardly ever jump around or make any sudden or long movements. I’m like the guy who goes all the way to a specialty ice cream shop to get vanilla ice cream, or goes all the way to Las Vegas to play cards with friends in the hotel room. I play dodgeball in the trampoline dodgeball pit, but it is still an effective game. I like the whole idea of things going crazy, the balls bouncing every which way due to the geography of  the pit. Call me a sucker, but just like WWE wrestling where different types of matches intrigue me (steel cage match, tables and ladders, inferno match), different styles of dodgeball (steel cage, trampoline, on a boat, etc.) also intrigue me.

I actually do think trampoline dodgeball has great potential to be a sensation in this country and gain some popularity, causing dodgeball to get on the map. That would be a huge boon for me, as I think dodgeball is very deserving to be recognized as a legit team sport with lots of strategy and athleticism involved. Dodge on!

 

The trade deadline refers to the artificial date set each year for major league baseball as well as fantasy baseball leagues as the last time teams can trade players before the end of the season, creating (usually) a flurry of activity before the deadline as teams know they have to get something done or know that other teams have to get something done and prey on their weaknesses/ desperation. It’s really a fascinating science as the leverage involved in trade talks shifts constantly based on what other players go off the market, who is available on the market, the stubbornness/ tenacity of the managers/ teams involved, etc. The major league trade deadline often ends anti-climatically and not that much information comes out regarding the negotiation process, all the possible deals that didn’t happen, etc. (after all, we are not in the War Rooms of any of these teams), but managing your own fantasy team can give you the fantasy (literally) of being a professional baseball general manager at the deadline, probably one of the best baseball-card-trading feelings in the world, except you’re dealing with million-dollar organizations with real people and real fans who you have to account for. It’s really an exciting feeling, especially with the clock winding down and offers on the table. There’s a lot of chatter and posturing going on during trade talks, but it’s when a deal is actually presented, the chips are down, do you finally realize how other managers value their players, as well as how you yourself value your own players. It can be really nerve-wracking and stressful but for adrenaline junkies and fantasy nerds like myself, it’s……..really satisfying.

 

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Cheers, Mate!

Recently took a weekend trip to the great city of Vancouver, Canada. If you like days that start at 6AM and end at 10PM, great views of the Pacific Northwest, people greeting you with "Cheers, mate!", seemingly clean air, a very bike-friendly city, and mountain skiing close by, hey, you’ll love Vancouver! Also, though, if you like having to go through international security, people speaking in a billion different languages, homeless people loitering throughout most of downtown, and the distinct smell of marijuana wafting from buildings and street corners and basically permeating throughout the whole city, well, then you’ve come to the right place.

Stanley Park has to be one of the more spectacular areas in the whole world. The park is basically its own island (or at least a peninsula) where most of the park borders the bay/ocean, so it’s basically like a beach, except there’s also an aquarium, a rose garden, Vancouver’s signature totem poles, and lots of hiking/ walking paths inside. Basically an outdoorsman/ tourist’s dream.

Flying around the city on a bike is fun, as long as you have the energy to do so. I spent $30 on a rental bike for the whole day and really explored all of downtown Vancouver plus the surrounding beaches. Vancouver has designated bike paths, pedestrian paths, motorist roads, and even rollerblading paths. It’s really got everyone in mind. If only every city was like that! They even have their own system down, as bikers are expected to go around Stanley Park in a counterclockwise direction, and anyone going clockwise would be immediately rebuked and pointed in the right direction, literally. Organization! System! Positive externalities! Riding a bike really cut down on the time spent traveling to and fro from places. Obviously there’s the subway in most places, but you don’t get the constant outdoor feeling and you miss a lot of in-between sights while stuck in a train. Biking also makes one feel healthy and environment-conscious, as well as weight-conscious in regards to one’s waist line. No wonder people in L.A. constantly protest for biker’s rights and more biker lanes to be opened. Certainly in Vancouver, I would suggest going about by bike, especially on a nice, cool summer day (can’t be too hot or else you sweat through everything). Highly recommended!

Some of Vancouver’s real estate is truly impressive. There are some million dollar homes in the downtown area, mainly because similar to many landlocked cities, Vancouver can’t spread out, so it can only spread upwards, with more expensive buildings. It certainly makes for an aesthetically pleasing experience, especially with the various bridges and mountain ranges in the distance. I’ve always maintained that a city’s sunset view tells a lot about its physical appearance.

The fireworks show called Celebration of Light was significant not entirely due to the spectacular fireworks performance (although that was pretty cool) but the amount of diversity in the crowds watching the show. I walked from area to area listening for different languages, and sometimes I heard Japanese, Mandarin, and English, but then I also heard Cantonese, Russian, French, Spanish, Indian (not sure of dialect), Shanghainese, and some other ones I had no idea what they were! Pretty crazy, as Vancouver’s one of the more international cities I’ve ever been to.

Vancouver is also big on bridges, because one of its highlights is the Capilano Suspension Bridge on the outskirts of the city, the main feature being the deceptively long suspension bridge between 2 cliffs. Really cool experience to wobble across, and it really wobbles. I’d think that 7-footers like Yao Ming or Shaq would be more scared of going on it because one trip and they can flip over the edge! Really unique place and goes to show that if you have something that no other city or no one else has, people will come (everyone has an aquarium or zoo or Chinatown, and people will still go to those, but people the suspension bridge really stands out).

 

Fantasize on,

 

Robert Yan

Things I Love About Japan

So for the last 2 years or so I’ve been learning Japanese and also visited Japan. Let me describe some of the things I love about Japan.

1.)    Cherry Blossom (桜) – I just love this Kanji symbol, mostly because I don’t get to use it much in Mandarin Chinese, and it’s a perfect mix of tree, woman, and beauty. Would love to go to Japan during the Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring.

2.)    High-tech toilets – I didn’t actually see many of these when I went to Japan, but from the way they’re described toilets are very comfortable with lots of functions. There is something called a 音姫, Otohime, which makes a water sound to cover up sounds in the restroom. I think this is a great idea, especially in my workplace where there are at least 50 people of the same gender using the same restroom, it’s nice to have when you’re sharing the facilities with someone.

3.)    The fact that in the summer, Japanese people tell each other scary stories to cool each other down (you get scared frozen and get chills, I guess). Great idea especially if there’s no air conditioning. There’s even a myth of a 百物語怪談会, Hyakumono Gatari, or one Hundred scary Stories, where if you tell 100 scary stories in one night and shut off all the lights, a real monster arrives.

4.)    千羽鶴 = 1000 cranes, the myth that if you fold 1000 origami cranes, it will help someone who is sick, or eternal good luck, or whatever. Never tried it, but sounds pretty cool and is just one of those that shows Japanese dedication to tasks.

5.)    Certain greetings Japanese have are very interesting, like when one leaves for the day, they say, “I am off!” and the person they’re saying to says “happy voyages!” or something to that effect. It’s a good way to start the tone of a relationship. It’s also pretty cool they say “Itadakimasu!” right before eating to acknowledge receiving the food, similar to a quick prayer for some religious folks in America. Don’t just wolf down your food, appreciate what you have.

6.)    It’s a highly baseball culture, and there are some very talented Japanese players that come from Japan. Baseball is probably the number 1 sport in Japan, next to sumo and soccer. They have something called a “Roosevelt game” that ends 8-7 in walkoff fashion. I would say that would be a very exciting game, and I don’t know if that’s even happened in the big leagues yet.

7.)    On the trains, they tell you before you get off whether there’s rain and not to forget your umbrella before leaving. I ALWAYS forget stuff when I leave somewhere, and in fact when I visited Japan I forgot my umbrella somewhere. If only I understood Japanese back then!

8.)    I don’t like, but I’ve noticed that a lot of Japanese commit suicide, an almost dizzying proportion. I read an article recently about the top 10 historical novelists, and half of them committed suicide! It’s also often depicted in movies and such that I’ve seen, a lot of suicide by strangulation. I think it’s the honor that Japanese have, but I do appreciate that Japanese shows have strong “don’t commit suicide” messages in their programming now. I couldn’t even imagine ending my own life and I hope others can work through whatever problems they’re going through.

9.)    Pachinko- what is that? And why do so many Japanese people play it? It seems like a weird slots gambling game……why so popular?

10.) Japanese hairstyles- kind of a trendsetter in the long hair department for men, a lot of men have courageously long hairstyles that work for them. I have been inspired to adopt some sort of hairstyle like that while I still have hair.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Hollywood Bowl

Pretty amazing that I’ve lived in L.A. for 6 years, and hadn’t gone to the Hollywood Bowl. Until Saturday night, when I went for the Dreamworks Animated Orchestra Concert. In Japanese, it was 最初の訪問, or my first visit there.

 

The Hollywood Bowl is bigger than I thought it would be, mainly because I couldn’t imagine such a large expanse of a music arena hidden inside the mountains. It certainly doesn’t look like it’s going to be very big from the outside, but part of that is due to the trees and shape of the bowl surrounding the stage, making up a great acoustic environment that allows for the music to really come through. It seats more than 17,000, which is just about how much Staples Center can fit in, pretty amazing for an outdoor stadium in the middle of Hollywood, built in the 1920s of course.

The concert itelf was really entertaining feature Jack Black and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (which I suspect is comprised of most of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra moving from the Walt Disney Hall over to the Bowl during the summer), but the kicker was hearing the live music while watching clips from the Dreamworks animated films, including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and some other less heralded ones like The Prince of Egypt, How to Train Your Dragon, etc. A nice refresher on which animated movies are Disney (and apparently) all the non-disney ones. The fireworks show accompanying the concert was also pretty impressive, but then again I’m easily entertained by fireworks and get a thrill out of the fact the Chinese invented them. It also allows me to tell the story of how one year in San Diego all the fireworks went off at the same time at a fireworks show (True story). Oops.

I’ve gone on a lot of first dates in the last year or so (and not as many subsequent dates as I’d like), but I’m beginning to be a veteran at knowing the sings of what’s a “good date” and what’s not. Sometimes the nuances are very subtle, and I’ve actually never had any date that I would rate as categorically bad or awful, none where it ended after 15 minutes or my date threw water on me and left in a huff. There’s definitely dates where there’s better chemistry, where both parties are generally interested in each other, and here are some signs to distinguish those:

 

1.)    Your date asks you questions back. Definitely a big one, this is where I don’t have to ask questions consecutively like pulling teeth; the conversation is much more natural and 2 ways, it doesn’t feel like a police interrogation (one-sided) or (as my dad puts it) like taking a census (probably even more one-sided).

2.)    Date laughs at your jokes. Pretty simple, especially for people like me who rely on humor (I think)  to cover up flaws in other areas.

3.)    Date can converse freely in multiple languages. This might be more exclusive to my own preferences, but I like girls who speak both Chinese and English. It’s always good, though, when the language barrier doesn’t get in the way, either my Chinese fails me or the date’s English…..isn’t as fluid as can be.

4.)    Date doesn’t have to leave at a certain time. I’m not sure if this is the standard way for one side to express disinterest or just that I’ve encountered girls who are actually busy the rest of the day, but it’s usually not a good sign if they “have somewhere to be later,” especially after talking to you for a while and some of the other bad signs apply.

5.)    Your date gives something, ANYTHING in the way of a follow-up after the date. In another example of how dating is like a job interview process, a follow-up thank you is an indication that the other side is interested and (unless it says something like “thanks but I think we can’t be any more than friends” – which I’ve gotten) is much better than if there’s no follow-up at all (which I’ve also gotten). No response after the date means the ball’s in your court to see if you want to pursue and get an answer and it’s not a lost cause, but it’s not as good as if there’s some sort of positive response.

 

So yea, dating is like job interviewing, unfortunately. Ganbarimasu! (Keep trying!)

 

Fantasize on,

 

Robert Yan

Bobbleheads

 

I have a James Shields bobblehead on my desk at work. I don’t particularly like James Shields, I’m not a Royals fan, and the James Shields bobblehead is not necessarily the best one ever: the depiction isn’t uncanny, and there’s nothing especially tremendous about the bobblehead. I don’t think the bobblehead has much resale value or will somehow accumulate historic value in 50 years like baseball cards do.

But for me, the James Shields bobblehead is a special memento. We take pictures and videos (especially easy now with Iphones and other smart gadgets), but those are nontangible images capturing the moment. Souvenirs are tangible, an actual something that carries weight. I can’t say that one is better than the other, but bobbleheads for me have always carried a special significance, so much so that I give them out as gifts to various friends (makes a nice housegift or going-away gift for sports fans). Over the years I’ve given out a Kevin Love bobblehead to a T-Wolves fan and Clayton Kershaw/Mike Trout bobbleheads to their respective fantasy baseball league owners.

When I look at the bobblehead, I can immediately summon the process of me obtaining that bobblehead and all the emotion and experience that came with it….first day of a long road trip spent in Kansas City with my high school friend, came in a fancy box at Kauffmann Stadium, carried it around with me for the rest of the trip, forever have a connection with “Big Game” James Shields.

I think it’s important to think and reminisce about a trip after it passes……especially since during the trip, things just happen so fast and there’s so much stimulus thrown at you that it’s hard to process it all. Only until you’re back at the desk doing repetitive tasks and boredom sets in do you realize what a blast you had on the trip, how many different places you visited, how many cool things you got to do. Those don’t come along all the time, and for me I saved up a lot of money and time for that trip, I might as well go back into my memory banks from time to time and summon up awesome images of it. The bobbleheads and other souvenirs help me remember that.

In a way, bobbleheads are like trophies- reminders of great accomplishments or great times in the past. Without those tangible reminders, we might not learn from history or be able to bask in the glory of past times. I also am a big fan of giving out trophies for almost anything: a fantasy baseball championship, a most valuable player award on a dodgeball team, a really funny joke or being the best comedian on a road trip.

By the way, I have Eric Davis (old Cincinatti Reds player) and Scooter Gennett ( current little-regarded Brewers utility player). Oh and a Todd Frazier shirt that I will be wearing (hopefully) while watching him lead my fantasy baseball team to victory.

 

Fantasize on,

 

Robert Yan

The Michael Brantley/ Todd Frazier Theory

 

Today Todd Frazier participates in the Home Run Derby for the National League, something that no one, including Todd Frazier, probably could have predicted at the beginning of the season. Meanwhile, Michael Brantley is Top 10 in BA, top 10 in R’s, top 10 in RBI’s IN THE MAJORS and has quietly become a fantasy beast.

I bring these 2 players up not because they are now both on my team (and I am rooting for them to do well), but because they are so-called “late bloomers,” not highly-touted prospects who made it to the big leagues with little fanfare (unlike top prospects like say, Bryce Harper or Mike Trout) and “breakout” at a later age, usually in their 3^rd or 4^th or 5^th seasons.  Brantley is 27 and Frazier is 28, both have been in the league for 4 or 5 years. This is the first time they’ve been really relevant, and in a big one. They’re both 5-category producers. They’re both Top 15 on the ESPN Fantasy Baseball Player Rater. And yet they’re still not getting any love. It’s the Josh Donaldson Effect from last year: people just don’t believe in them because they haven’t done it before.

Brantley and Frazier are the great equalizers in fantasy baseball leagues for those who don’t value young prospects as much and especially in keeper leagues where highly touted prospects are “kept” by prospect-hording teams. Frazier and Brantley wouldn’t have been on many people’s radars at the end of last season to be “kept” and really many didn’t have them as sleepers coming into this season neither. Both could have probably been picked up off waivers at the beginning of the season. And yet they’re mashing at a high level and will probably keep doing so for the rest of the season (fingers crossed), while some owners cling to hopes for rebound 2^nd halves from underachievers like Chris Davis, Joey Votto, etc. just because of the big name alone.

 

In real life, I really hope that I can have the Michael Brantley Theory. I hope to have a true “break out” at some point and make my way into society, as my life/career has hit somewhat of a lull, and I would like to keep improving. Who I really want to apply the Michael Brantley Theory to, however, is my sister, who’s going to be a senior in high school. I love my sister, but she has a lot of faults, and as with many 17-year-old girls she has a rebellious side. My sister, however, lacks maturity in other ways than most people: She lacks a filter (a common problem of mine), has an overly negative perspective on life, and has difficulty achieving good grades in school. I hope, for her, that she is just a late bloomer, that she has still a lot of growing up to do in her future and that she will go to college, learn about life, achieve success, and eventually blossom into a well-developed member of society. It certainly would let my Mom breathe a little easier.

It’s really hard to know why some people are late bloomers….is it genetic, is it a product of development as a child? Does something just “click” when someone turns a certain age? Is there some sort of catalyst that can expedite the process? All questions that would be interesting to investigate in both life and baseball. In baseball I think it’s that after a few years in the league, a player “figures” out something or learns a different skill in order to adjust to the rigors of the major leagues, whereas in child/teenager development it might also be learning a new skill or at least developing an appreciation for other people or slipping out of the depressive and rebellious state that one is in, going on a life-altering trip for example or meeting someone very influential. Hoping for the best! それが起こるために私は祈っています! ( I’m praying for that to happen!)

 

Fantasize on, 

 

Robert Yan  

Coming Home

 

I love the song “Coming Home” by P-Diddy. When it came out, I had to listen to it every day, without fail, because it was so catchy. And the lyrics send a strong message- the man just wants to go home.

Well apparently LeBron James feels the same way, because today he announced in what is known as “The Decision 2” that he would return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. HUGE announcement in the NBA and the whole world, as most had expected LeBron to go back to Miami, and a whole week of conspiracy theories, media reports, and “inside sources revealed” went on. But I think the main message LeBron wanted to convey, as titled by his letter to the world, was that he was “coming home.” More than the money, more than the new teammates, more than the championships, more than the fame and sense of importance he got from delaying his decision and holding the media hostage this whole week, it was about LeBron wanting to come home to the city that he had shunned four years ago and get back to where he was from. Anybody who’s ever had a home can relate: no matter how dysfunctional your family can be, no matter how many arguments you get in to, no matter how many old worn-out factories align your home as to make it unsightly, family is family, and there might not be a greater feeling in the world to be at home with one’s family, as it appears LeBron is quite the family man as well, mentioning his wife, 3^rd kid on the way, and mother. So I’m glad that LeBron’s coming home. I would like to know, though, how many times his letter to the world was proofread to make sure it didn’t contain the words “my talents.”  

I like to go home because I see my parents and my family. As a 27-year-old man (just a little younger than LeBron), it’s somewhat prohibitive to do so, and the conventional wisdom would be that I am independent person now, I should break free from my parents, but personally I think, depending on the circumstances, you can have your cake and eat it too. I live separately, I have a job, I drive (and pay for) my own car, I basically am independent, but I happen to live in a city close to my parents, so every other weekend or so I drive back there and see the folks, see my grandpa, see my sister. I see nothing wrong with this. Not to toot my own horn, but my primary motivation isn’t to go back and leech off my parents, although the laundry and food is free and high quality, but it’s more for them as well, to spend time with them now that I can actually engage in intelligent conversation and not be the rebellious teenager I was when I left for college. Once I get married, have my own family, these visits will be less frequent, and I really don’t know when my late-50’s parents or my late-80’s grandfather will have to move on (so far, very lucky that they’ve all been relatively healthy), so I’m taking this time to establish memories, make my presence known for as long as possible. And who knows how long I’ll be in this city. We can only control the present, and for now, I look forward to “coming home” as much as possible. (Cue P-Diddy song and video montage)

I was occasionally going to wax poetically about death and how death affects the way I live my life, but I’ll summarize: Death is scary. There’s no other way to describe it. I’ve heard an interesting quote that “Kids’ parents invented the Gods to allow their children to fall asleep at night.” Regardless of whether this is true or not, the point is taken: Everyone thinks about death and their own mortality. Personally, I’ve been deathly scared of death (get it?) since I was 5 years old. Every time I think about it, despite trying not to think about it, I get chills down my spine. It’s terrifying, but also a reminder that those great moments in life are so precious.

 

Which is also why I need to win my fantasy baseball league this year. Personal favorite fantasy baseball player right now: Lucas Duda. Man has a home now in the cleanup position of the Mets’ lineup, has consistently mashed just south of .900 OPS against righties, and has the first base job all to himself. A big 2^nd half is coming; the Dude will Abide.

I might be completely wrong on this, but I do think Yu Darvish will be shut down sometime in September. The Rangers are going nowhere, Yu gets these little nicks sometimes like neck injuries and getting hit in the head, I think the Rangers will protect their investment and find a reason to shut him down towards the end of the season. Other shutdown candidates that would seriously effect your fantasy season: David Ortiz if the Red Sox are out of it (he’s quite old now), Joey Votto if his injury persists, a bunch of Yankees, a bunch of Padres (none of them are really fantasy relevant though)

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Reflection on Road Trip, DREAM JOB!

Now back on the job after my epic road trip, I have to take some time to reflect on what occurred, more than just the days-and-outs of what happened.

 

1.)    Minnesota’s Mall of America might have been the highlight of my trip. I’m not a big shopping (kaimono) guy, but I was very impressed with the grandeur and diverse assortment there, as well as the amusement park, which was perfect for me due to the not-so-scary roller coasters and geared-more-for-kids rides. It let out the big kid in me. I heard that some people fly in to Minneapolis sometimes just to go to the Mall of America. I see nothing wrong with that.

2.)    Cleveland has a lot of factories, seriously.

3.)    There are thousands of hotels in Midwest America, every few miles or so there will be a town with  lots of hotels like Americinn, Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, EconoLodge, etc., etc. For a road trip, you really don’t even need to get reservations, there should be something available.

4.)    The University of Wisconsin has a beautiful lake area near its campus center. We caught it at the right time right at sunset at the end of a great summer day, but boy o boy I would not be indoors studying if I attended that campus.

5.)    Don’t estimate those small non-big city towns in the Midwest. Madison, WI (admittedly, the capital), Toledo, OH, and Columbus, Ohio had some nice surprises on our trip.

6.)    As I grow older, my body doesn’t adjust to road trips as much.

7.)    Don’t take library books on road trips or any kind of trip. It’s just not a good idea.

8.)    Dirty Secrets Revealed, Part I: Ticket scalping is frowned upon by most, I think, but it can be effective. Wait until the game starts and look around to see if scalpers are trying to get rid of their last tickets, and you’ll probably get a good deal. Some stadiums crack down pretty heavily on it, though, I think.

9.)    Dirty Secrets Revealed, Part II: you can get it to the lower sections at most stadiums pretty easily even if you didn’t buy a seat into that section. (unlike Dodger Stadium, which sections off the better seats) It’s an honor system I guess and some people don’t feel good about sitting somewhere else, but I say that it’s empty, why not use it.

10.) Dirty Secrets Revealed, Part III: The Chicago Architecture River Cruise, which is touted as very good, sometimes doesn’t run because the water levels are too high, but they try to take your money anyway and send you off into Lake Michigan, which is a different cruise all together. DON’T FALL FOR IT!

11.) I was offered drugs in Detroit. I did not accept.

12.) The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is nice, but for a non-rock fan, it’s not….the greatest.

 

Anyway, on my trip (and recently) I read an article about Kenji Nimura, the Texas’s Rangers’s interpreter who speaks English, Japanese, and Spanish, and translates for guys like Yu Darvish but also Spanish speakers like Alexei Ogando. That is my dream job. I don’t pretend to think that interpreting is easy, and I’ve done it before with English and Chinese and it’s hard work, but I think that interpreting and traveling with the team would be an AWESOME JOB!!!! Too bad there’s only 3 Taiwanese speakers in the big leagues (Wei-Yin Chen, C.C. Lee, and Wei-Chung Wang), and who knows if they need translating, and 12 Japanese players in the big leagues (of which me translating in Japanese is still years away, I think), but my official dream job is now to be an interpreter in 3 languages for a professional sports teams (maybe basketball? SOCCER? Who knows).

 

Fantasize on,

 

Robert Yan

Robert's Epic Baseball Stadium Road Trip!

Saturday afternoon in Kansas City's kaufmann stadium. Hector Santiago v yordano Ventura. Ventura just lights up the gun, hitting 99 and 98 on a few occasions. Kaufmann doesn't really look like a pitchers park, just 330 down the line and even dimensions. Guess it's more about the way the ball carries. James shields bobblehead is nice, but the weather is not and thunderstorms delay the game starting in the bottom of the 3rd. Not before mike trout demonstrates how great he is, though, with a couple great running catches. The rain forces us to watch the end of Brazil and chile, in which chile almost shocks the world but ultimately comes up short in pks. Best food: pulled pork sandwich. Best feature: continuous fountains even during rain, with changing configurations. I like fountains.


Sunday, June 29. Milwaukee v Colorado. Miller park. Gallardo v Delarosa. Parking not great here, but stadium is very legit. Retractable roof available in 15 minutes time, Bernie's dugout where the mascot slides down on brewer homers ( today provided by the Hebrew hammer). Unfortunately Rockies have much more offense and Gallardo gets rocked, even yielding a hit to the opposing pitcher. Best food: sky blue lemonade( alcoholic). Quick note: don't sit in the sunny parts of the stadium, it gets HOT.
Head towards Minnesota after, stop at Madison, wi. Home to the no. 1 party school in America, u of Wisconsin. Much like ut Austin, I am jealous of the people who go here. Great lakeside view on a summer evening. Doesn't get dark til 930. This is what road trippin is all about!

 

Monday. June 30th. Twins v royals target field. Beautiful night for baseball. Danny Duffy v someone named pino. Best seats I have ever sat in as we are literally on top of the twins dugout and within speaking distance to the twins hitters in the on deck circle. Best feature of target field: the entrance is just majestic full of scenery and lighted water effects and statues of legendary twins. Also the fact it's not the metrodome, which apparently was a Kc gets off to an early start and never looks back, aided by a home run by sal Perez.

The mall of America is great, btw, and definitely worth checking out. Surrounded by a fully indoor amusement park, it's got all the stores you've ever seen in a mall and more, plus a wedding chapel and aquarium. It is no joke. One can get lost in there, as well as get lost in the mirror maze on the 2nd floor of the southeast section.

Tuesday. July 1. Doubleheader angels v white sox due to a rainout the previous night. Noesi v Richards game 1 we arrive a little later, but angels win 8-4 on homers by trout, pujols, and Hamilton, the trifecta. In the nightcap, weaver v Carroll, angels win another relative slugfest, 7-5. An alarming trend happening where home teams are 0-5 so far in games I've attended. Lot of homer being hit, though. Best feature of us cellular: fireworks before the game and after each white sox home run. Otherwise pretty ordinary stadium.

Earlier in the day we take the wrigley field stadium tour, goin throughout the "national treasure " that is wrigley field. I tend to not get too sentimental about it all, and I think it's not a great facility. I can't imagine players love it, and as a fan I'm underwhelmed. Traditional to me is a euphemism for old. Give them credit, they still do a great job of selling that "tradition."

Wednesday, July 2. Detroit tigers v Oakland a's. Verlander v Chavez. Easily the most "marquee" matchup on the road trip. Comerica has a great view of downtown Detroit and has about a million stone tigers circling the stadium. Pretty interesting stuff, but I personally like the Chevrolet fountain tha goes off each time th tigers score, but it actually varies in water spewed depending on the importance of the runs scored. When the tigers go up 9-2 when the game had effectively been decided, it's as if there's a drought. The massive statues in the back of legends is a nice touch as well, and coming out of the stadium it's a short walk around detroit's downtown, which seems relatively empty, although we have enough time to play human size chess, and a friendly game of bags (free!)

Wednesday night. Toledo mud hens v Columbus clippers. Our bonus minor league game in Toledo between the triple a affiliates of the tigers and Indians. Hotel where we stay gives out tickets right behind the plate, and we watch tigers prospect Robbie ray do ok for 6 innings. Lots of mascots, cheap beer, great setting for a minor league game. We even see a modern day crash Davis, 35 year old mike hessman. Toledo is a "quaint" city that seems much cleaner than it's big brother Detroit with a great river views. My friend and I wander around the ballpark after the game and stop at a bar where several minor leaguers are relaxin after the game, including dynamic Indians prospect Danny Salazar, he of the 100 mph fastball. I shook the hand of a man who throws 100 mph and got a picture. Cool story and a great day, another in a line of great days on this road trip.

 

Thursday night. Pittsburgh v. Arizona. McCarthy v Worley. We spend the afternoon in downtown Pittsburgh, a beautiful landscape full of bridges and the 3 rivers of the ohio, allegheny, and

The Carnegie science center is mainly for kids but still pretty cool for your average museum. Admission included entrance to one of the few submarines in America available for viewing. All of pittsburgh's major sports venues are adjacent to the river with great views, pnc park included. We didn't get to see the Jolly Roger raised this day because the diamondbacks scored 7 in the 9th to cement a 10-2 win even after Vance Worley hurls 5 innings of no hit ball. Best feature: cutout pirates grass logo in center field. Looking out over downtown Pittsburgh and watching the boats aseembled outside the stadium on an off chance of a "bowser blast" (home run hit over the right field wall into the allegheny) reminds me why I came in this trip: taking the best features of each city and just enjoying it.

Friday, July 4. Cleveland's progressive field. Indians v royals. Tomlin v Ventura. Fourth of July America's birthday.  Cleveland has the rock and roll hall of fame, but I'm not a big fan of rock music and am more interested in the wedding with cool outfits happening outside. A quaint city with some history and style but I get more of a sense tha it's got a lot of factories. The field itself is nice, but no special features that make you go wow! The Indians follow the trend of most home teams on this trip by failing to score until the 9th when michael Brantley finally puts one over the right field wall. Fireworks for this irrelevant homer is followed by one of the more spectacular fireworks displays I've ever seen. Cleveland, you were a cool city, but I can see why lebron left; in Miami there are other attractions; in Cleveland he would be the attraction.

Saturday afternoon. Reds v brewers at great American ballpark. Garza v bailey. Great American has a surprisingly nice view of the river and various bridges in the area. Give reds fans credit, not many people go to section 109 to catch the end of the exciting finish to Costa Rica v Netherlands in th World Cup, won by Netherlands in penalty kicks on what my friend described as a Julie the cat performance from te netherlands's backup goalie. Great game, and honestly more exciting than the 1-0 snoozefest we are subjected to. That's baseball. The Cincinnati hall of game is a nice intro to the game, including the standard hall of game players but also a "wall of balls" for all the 4200 plus career hits for Pete rose.

Absolutely tired from a pretty draining 10 days, we stumble into St. Louis on Saturday night to a casino. Home field! The arch is really a nice architectural masterpiece that stands out. If there's one thing I've learned from this city to city road trip, it's that you need something to stand out in people's minds, a signature landmark that is different from anything else you've seen. It doesn't have to be that spectacular or even expensive to build; it's just gotta be unique. For Busch that unique feature is possibly the red seats, or the redone Big Mac land, or the close-to-the-field center field.

We wake up really late after a long night to catch the end of roger federer and Novak djokovic's epic match in the Wimbledon final. Next trip for me: us open?

Sunday, July 6. Cardinals marlins at the new Busch stadium. Gonzalez v Alvarez. The marlins take an insurmountable lead and we clear the stadium quickly afterwards to explore the city. The summer humidity has finally caught up to us as this is the worst weather day of the trip. It gets hot and sticky in the Midwest, as might be expected. Best feature of Busch stadium: the upper deck has a great view of downtown and the arch, and the fans are very very knowledgable and loyal, probably from years of success and winning. Not this day, though, as the marlins win 8-3 and brings my road trip record to 1-9 for the home teams or 9-1 depending on how you look at it.

So ends my 2014 baseball road trip, one full o adventure, baseball, and driving. A trip I will probably never take again but as with most vacations, one it will look back on fondly in the future as a time I was happy, spontaneous, and free.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan