golfkat Travel Blog

Baseball’s Switch Hitters

golfkat — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:39:41 +0000

Heading to the Giants game tonight made me think of baseball’s most interesting players, the switch hitters. One of the very first switch hitting players I enjoyed watching was Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees. The idea for switch hitting comes from the fact that a hitter can hit right-handed against a lefty and left-handed against a righty pitcher. The advantage comes from having the curve ball break into the hitting zone versus breaking across the hitter’s body into the strike zone.

The Mick

Despite this, some players are “natural” righties or lefties, and consequently hit better from that side. In Mantle’s case, he considered himself a better right-handed hitter, but obviously hit more home runs left-handed (more pitchers are right-handed, Stewie!!!). But injured Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is a better left-handed hitter, though he is right-handed. The Giants also have switch hitters in Melky Cabrera, Angel Pagan, Hector Sanchez, and Emmanuel Burriss. Most switch hitters have been right-handed throwers. Melky is a smooth and graceful lefty, like me!

Even stranger, is the switch hitting pitcher, even though pitchers are such notoriously bad hitters. Rarer still is the switch pitcher, one who can throw with either the left or right hand. I can see already there would be a problem finding a glove that would deal with this ambidexterity. I can see that this type of pitcher might have some real identity issues! Or at least, he would have trouble trying to figure out his “right” brain.

In 1986, a natural righty, Greg A. Harris, was the last pitcher to pitch with both hands (arms) in modern baseball. On September 28, 1995, he was playing for the Montreal Expos, and opposed by the Cincinnati Reds. He retired Reggie Sanders while pitching right-handed. He switched to his left hand for the next two left-handed hitting batters, Hal Morris and Eddie Taubensee. Harris walked Morris but got Taubensee to ground out. Everyone on the field must have been doubled over in laughter. He then went back to his right-handed pitching and got Bret Boone out to end the inning.

Currently, the only player in organized baseball who does this is Pat Venditte, who plays for the Yankees minor league team in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Also, the Japanese phenom, Yu Darvish, throws with his left hand to keep himself “balanced.” He has not pitched a game left-handed, yet.

And who have been the best switch hitters of all time? I would say, for power, Mickey Mantle, and for the most base hits, the hit king himself, Pete Rose. Currently, I would say it is Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves, although Pablo Sandoval of the Giants will soon be the big switch hitting star, since he has more power than Chipper. Besides, Chipper is a kind of weenie name for a baseball player. Why don’t people name their kids Yogi, or Butch anymore?

Pablo’s teammate, Melky Cabrera could supplant Chipper if he continues his hot hitting streak for the rest of the season. In fact, in the month of May alone, he had 51 hits, or about two hits per game. Totally unreal. But to top it off, he has been superb in the outfield, with numerous assists in game-saving situations. That in fact, is a lost art these days. Nobody seems to even try to throw anyone out anymore.

Besides Mantle, the other players who switch hit and belong to Baseball’s Hall of Fame are: Eddie Murray, George Davis, Frankie Frisch, Ozzie Smith, Red Schoendienst, and Mac Carey. The very first switch hitter admitted to the Hall of Fame was Frisch, who played for the Cardinals and Giants.

But I wonder if switch hitting results in a real statistical advantage? Only two of the top 100 career batting averages belong to switch hitters. But the argument might be that, without switching, the player may not have reached the major leagues at all! Frankie Frisch with a .316 batting average ranks 53rd all time. The next best is the still active Chipper Jones at No. 98, with a .306 batting average. A total of 15% of today’s players are switch hitters.

A real oddity was last September in Boston. When the Red Sox activated catcher Jason Varitek from the disabled list, it gave them THREE switch hitting catchers. the other two were: Victor Martinez, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Yet, they were the third team since 1900 to have three switch hitting catchers. Strange but true!

So, anyway, just for jollies, here are the ten best of all time:

10. Chili Davis-OF, who started with the Giants and hit over 20 HRs ten times. He was an excellent all around players as well. He might have been as good as Bobby Bonds in his prime!

9. Lance Berkman-1B, has hot over 40 home runs twice and over 100 RBIs six times in his career. He always seemed to be a bigger, slower type of player, not much defensively, but a weapon at the plate.

8. George Davis-SS, an old-timer, a .300 hitter who once drove in 136 RBIs in a season.

7. Bernie Williams-OF, with the NY Yankees, batted over .300 8 times, over 20 HRs 7 times and 100 RBIs 5 times. He was also a very good defensive player, and speedy on the base paths.

6. Frankie Frisch-2B, batted over .300 13 times, over 100 RBIs 3 times, and over 200 hits 3 times.

5. Roberto Alomar-2B, batted over .300 7 times, over 100 RBIs twice, and over 20 HRs 3 times.

4. Pete Rose-several positions, the all time hit king, with 3 batting titles, over .300 15 times, over 200 hits 10 times, and one MVP Award. It may take generations of loyal baseball fans to give him proper recognition into the Hall of Fame. I have actually seen him in Vegas, still trying to sell autographs at a little memorabilia store at Caesars’ Forum Shops.

3. Eddie Murray-1B, hit over .300 7 times, over 20 HRs 16 times, over 100 RBIs 6 times, Hall of Famer in 2003. He was never very impressive, just a day-to-day type of player, whose consistency and longevity served him well.

2. Chipper Jones-3B, one MVP, one batting title, versatile player, over .300 10 times, over 30 HRs 6 times, and over 100 RBIs 9 times. Playing in Hotlanta never helps either. A sure-fire Hall of Famer when he retires.

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in the magical 1961 season

1. Mickey Mantle-CF, the prototype for a switch hitter, power and speed. He won 3 MVPs, one Triple Crown, over .300 ten times, over 50 HRs twice, over 40 HRs twice, over 100 RBIs 4 times. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974. He was certainly the most colorful switch hitter, and always brought excitement to the ballpark. Sadly, his life slowly spiraled downhill, after years of drinking, a controversial liver transplant, and tragedy in his family. But he was still my favorite player when I was growing up.

America (Men) Loves Trucks!!!

golfkat — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:13:54 +0000

So, tell me, what is it about Americans and their love of trucks. My guess is that it starts as a youngster, playing with toy trucks on the floor or in the backyard. We even had a toy truck that looked like a tow truck. We used it to pull our other toy cars, as well as a toy airplane.

Did you know that the Ford F Series is the best-selling vehicle in America, and has been for 35 years! Currently, US auto makers make only six full size light duty trucks, and three heavy-duty trucks. These nine vehicles account for 11% of the automobile sales in the US. This despite the rise in gasoline and diesel prices. Oh, and more than 200 models of cars account for the other 89%!

A battle within the battle is Ford versus Chevy trucks. Most farmers and commercial fleet owners stick to one brand throughout their lifetime. A Ford or Chevy owner is more likely to buy a Toyota truck than switch to another American brand. Gas mileage seems to be secondary to the truck owner. Perhaps they justify it as a business expense, or buy the gas “wholesale” out on the farms and ranches through a local distributor.

My take is that trucks represent the “little boy” still remaining in all of us. Back in a time when the pick up truck meant you were a hard-working guy, perhaps with a snazzy truck adorned with an EZ Rider Rifle Rack, and a driver wearing his worst or best work or cowboy boots. These days, the custom boots cost more than the old truck itself.

Experts think that the truck represents adventure, the unknown, as in what can I put in the truck bed. Yes, the truck is both functional and adaptable, much like we tend to think of ourselves. A more aesthetic view says the empty truck bed is a canvas, waiting to be painted. That sounds a little too artsy fartsy, even melancholy for the brut of a man driving a muscle truck. Maybe it applies to city slickers only?

But no doubt the truck represents Americana, a time when men could make their own way, work hard, and create their own path (journey). Again that sounds a little too fancy for this paragraph!

I like to think of the pick up truck as a toy, a plaything for weekends and things like fishing and camping. Also coming to mind are things like helping a neighbor or relative move, or bringing home some furniture from the consignment store. And a four-wheel drive truck can go almost anywhere, while pulling the owner’s favorite toy close behind.

Some people have the truck for everyday transportation. It does have the advantage of a higher and better line of sight in traffic. It also packs more brawn, for those inevitable fender benders. This brings us to the “luxury” trucks. We never had trucks with leather upholstery, GPS navigation, heated and cooled seats, fancy stereo systems, and retractable running boards. Heck, the fanciest trucks can run about $45,000.

Then, of course, the special edition trucks, like the Eddie Bauer or Harley Davidson can be purchased for the boomer turned cowboy. But trucks remain the thirstiest vehicles on the road. But, there are also a list of “good” reasons to buy a truck, even for commuting to the office from the suburbs.

1. Do more stuff with the kids.

2. It will make home improvements much easier (haha).

3. A truck is safer than a sedan.

4. It is equipped like a luxury car inside.

5. We could tow a boat (or jet skis) with it.

6. I am an old cowpoke who lost his horse (wait that is a song title for twangers).

7. I need something to match my cowboy boots!

Of course, now you must go out a buy a boat as well. You must be sick!

Beating A Heart Attack!

golfkat — Tue, 29 May 2012 21:06:31 +0000

As I have gotten older, I notice that certain body parts wear out, no so much on me, but on others. I think for those who have done much physical work, in construction, professional sports, and even health care professions, some of the joints just were not meant for a lifetime of work and leisure.

But the good news is that heart disease and its consequences are largely preventable. The bad news is that about one million Americans will suffer a heart attack this year. But deaths from coronary artery disease in the US has been reduced by 75% during the last 40 years!!! Statistically, hospital admissions for heart attack among the elderly dropped by almost 25% in a five year period during the last decade. Many experts thought the aging population would cause an increase in heart related problems.

Don’t relax, though, as cardiovascular disease is still the leading killer of both men and women. Much of the intense public health campaigns that started in the 1960s are now at risk due to increasing obesity, and the rising incidence of diabetes. How many of you are compliant with recommendations for diet, exercise, sleep, and other personal habits?

Quite bothersome are the increasing reports of heart attacks in younger people, in their 20s and 30s! But thankfully, a person can do much to prevent a heart attack. One study shows a 90% risk associated with high cholesterol and blood pressure, physical activity, smoking and diet (all within your control). This Interheart study compared 15,000 people from every continent who suffered a heart attack with a similar number of relatives or close associates who did not. Genetics play a role in up to one-half of heart attacks. But sometimes, genetics can be beaten by making wise choices and with appropriate medication.

The Basics

You should know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as these are fundamental to heart health. But fully one-third of you do not know these numbers! Optimal LDL (bad cholesterol) is under 100, with HDL (good cholesterol) over 60. Blood pressure should be less than 120/80. These numbers are important in measuring your progress toward improving or managing weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. And as many of you have discovered, the Kaiser initiative has placed many at risk people on drugs to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Within a year of quitting, a smoker can reduce their risk of heart attack by 50%!!!!

A Ten Minute Workout

Three hours as week of brisk exercise is required to maintain heart health. Some of you who cannot find the time to work up a sweat for 30 minutes a day. Do not fall for the “all of nothing” syndrome. Even 10 minutes a day can reduce heart-attack risk by 70% over a year. A brisk ten minute walk results in a nearly 50% reduction compared to couch potatoes. Actual benefit varies by age, gender, weight, and base line physical condition. Those who have the highest risk have the most to gain. But 30 minute daily workouts are the goal.

Get this: for those of you who sit most of he day, your risk of heart attack is about the SAME as smoking!

Eat Your Veggies

The American Heart Association nutritional guidelines are a challenge for most Americans. A good rule of thumb is to only shop the perimeter of the grocery store. That is where produce and other unprocessed foods are found. Stay away from calorie-dense, salt-heavy foods found in the interior sections of the store. As one wise nutritionist says, “Do not put mud in your engines.” Think of your body as a finely tuned engine! And do not skip breakfast, as not eating triggers a metabolic process that leads to eating more during the day!

Get a Good Night’s Sleep Look at it this way.

One less hour of sleep means that you have basically pulled an all-nighter once a week. Sleep deprivation can lead to increased blood pressure, weight gain, and risk for diabetes, not to mention diminished mental and visual acuity.

Keep Moving

Go beyond regular exercise. Use the stairs, bike or walk to work. Park at the far edge of the parking lot, or mall. Spending four hours or more a day in front of a computer or TV doubles serious heart problems, even if you exercise regularly. Prolonged sitting is associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, higher body weight, and lower levels of HDL (good cholesterol). Get up from your desk EVERY 30 minutes, or work at your computer while standing up. Take a walk over to a colleague instead of emailing. Instead of reaching for a Snickers, go for a 10 minute walk.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

Cleveland Clinic’s new heart-health book, “Heart 411″ rated the smiles of 230 baseball players who played before 1950. These players were compared to no smile (age 73), partial smile (age 75), and full smile made it to 80!!! While not hard science, good emotional health seems intuitively associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Anger, hostility, and depression have a deleterious effect. Moreover, 14% of those rated above average for hostility based on a personality test had died 25 years later, most from heart disease, compared with 2% for those who tested below average. So, who said the good die young, or that the mean live forever.

Some Heart Resources:

Heart 411 (from the Cleveland Clinic) Mayo Clinic Health Heart for Life

mylifecheck.heart.org (from the American Heart Association)

cardiosmart.org (an educational website from the American College of Cardiology)

womenheart.org (a support group website focused on prevention and treatment of women affected by heart disease).

Definition of a heart attack:

A heart attack usually occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood through a coronary artery — a blood vessel that feeds blood to a part of the heart muscle. Interrupted blood flow to your heart can damage or destroy a part of the heart muscle.

A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, can be fatal. This is often because people confuse their symptoms with a minor illness, like indigestion, and delay going to the hospital. They try to tough out their symptoms and receive treatment too late. Treatment for heart attack has improved dramatically over the years. It is crucial to promptly recognize symptoms and call 911 or emergency medical help if you think you might be having a heart attack.

You must do the rest!

So, I Love Berkeley (UC Berkeley)

golfkat — Sun, 27 May 2012 14:44:18 +0000

The most recent, “The Promise of Berkeley” highlights Saul Perlmutter’s Nobel Prize in Physics. Dr. Perlmutter led one of two teams that simultaneously discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe. His success is founded in the University’s freedom given to faculty to do cutting edge research. But UC Berkeley has a long list of great accomplishments. Check these out!

a. Ernest O. Lawrence’s cyclotron launched the University’s Nobel Prize trajectory in 1939.

b. Gordon Moore co-founded Intel and created Moore’s Law, a driving force in high-tech.

c. Professor Walter Alvarez theorized that asteroid impacts led to the dinosaur’s decline.

d. Google guru Eric Schmidt helped develop Java at Sun Microsystems.

e. Pauline Esther Friedman, aka Abigail Van Buren, penned Dear Abby.

f. Rex Walheim flew on the space shuttle program’s final mission.

g. Charles Simonyi became the fifth space tourist aboard a Soyuz rocket.

h. Ardipithecus ramidus, or Ardi, discovered by a Cal team, in the oldest hominid ever found.

i. Tom Anderson, who co-founded My Space in 2003, became new users’ default “friend.”

j. Internet visionary Bill Joy co-founded Sun Microsystems

k. Ken Thompson co-developed the revolutionary Unix operating system.

l. John Battelle documented the dot.com boom as publisher of The Industry Standard and co-founding editor of Wired.

m. Jane McGonigal creates do-gooder alternate reality video games.

n. Magazine magnate Jann Wenner dropped out of Cal to start Rolling Stone.

o. Scott Adams inks Dilbert, our favorite cube-dwelling character.

p. Lance Ito presided over the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

q. Rose Bird was California’s first female chief justice. (Thank you, Jerry Brown, another grad)

r. Norman Mineta helped bring justice to Japanese Americans interned during World War II.

s. 24′s agent Jack Bauer, and Doonesbury’s Joanie Caucus (finctional, of course) got their degrees from Berkeley.

t. David Smith opened the country’s first free clinic, for youth flooding San Francisco for the Summer of Love.

u. Ida Jackson was the first African-American teacher in Oakland public schools.

v. Ed Roberts pioneered disability rights.

w. Mimi Silbert founded Delancey Street to help those who have hit rock bottom.

x. Charles Huang was the co-creator of Guitar Hero .

y. Donald Fisher filled a niche with The Gap.

z. Former quarterback Joe Ayoob threw the world’s longest paper airplane toss: 226 feet, 10 inches.

Food for Pain or Gain?

golfkat — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:47:32 +0000

Some of this seems okay, some seems rather anecdotal. You decide.

Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Spices (Tumeric) Tumeric contains a known anti-inflammatory, called curcumin. Tumeric has a peppery, smoky flavor, and is often added to curries and mustard preparations. The Brits tell us that tumeric inhibits the formation of inflammatory prostaglandins (I worry about its selectivity) and COX inhibitors, much like the prescription drug, Celebrex. Other sources are ginger, garlic, rosemary, and cinnamon.

Non Animal Protein Source (Salmon)

Canned salmon sounds awful, why not eat fresh salmon? Salmon is the fish highest in omega-3 fatty acids, a known inflammation fighter. It is available in cans year-around. But I also see it in the stores as FRESH, or at least fresh frozen, year around now. Also, high in omegas are tuna, cod, halibut, mackerel, herring, and anchovies. Plant sources for omegas are: pumpkin seeds, walnuts, flaxseed, lentils, soybeans, and black beans. The extra gas will also lighten your load.

Healthy Fats (Coconut Oil) Latest and greatest trend, where even Trader Joe’s has gotten into the action. Supporters say that it is good fuel for the cells that line the gut, which is needed for good immune system function. The best idea I have seen is to use it for popping popcorn, since it is light and slightly sweet. The healthy fat in the coconut oil helps with proinflammatory hormones, which fight stress to cells, and help the healing process. Others in this category are olive oil, grape-seed oil, avocados, ground flax, and nut butters. Just watch the high calorie count.

Plants (kale) Do you remember when kale was used strictly as a garnish, or to line the bottom of a serving plate? But kale is high fiber, low in calories, and oh so rich in bioflavanoids. I have several recipes for blending it into my smoothies. Baked kale chips are also tasty and easy to make. The rule of thumb is the richer the color, the more antioxidants inside! Kale and a plant based diet protect lipid membranes and DNA from oxidative damage. In this category, add lentils, beans, and all dark green, purple, yellow, red, and blue fruit and vegetables.

Probiotics Greek yogurt is the rage now, since it is low in fat, and high in protein. I have been adding it to my fruit and veggie smoothies. This has twice the protein of regular yogurt. The probiotics help populate the healthy bacteria in your digestive tract. Also, it is a great source of Vitamin D, and safer than sunlight. The balance of bacteria in the gut is key to good health in general, and good digestive health in particular. A good time to consume is after a round of antibiotics. Other good sources are kimchee, kaefir, and sauerkraut. I wonder if that awful injera I had at an Ethiopian restaurant qualifies as fermented food for good gut health?

Lots of Water (for tea) Green tea powder is more concentrated and versatile than other green tea preparations. The powder is preferable since you are consuming the entire leaf, not just the extract. Green tea powder is easily added to smoothies, baked goods, soups, and lattes. Water is needed by our liver to help detox, and keeps things refreshed on a cellular level. Black tea and coffee do share some of these properties, though not as powerfully.

There it is folks. The latest and greatest on staying alive longer and better. See you in another 20 years or so.

Is There a House in the Doctor?

golfkat — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:43:11 +0000

Monday night is the finale of the successful, long running TV drama, “House”, starring Brit Hugh Laurie. He certainly qualifies as one of the most obnoxious characters ever appearing on TV, radio, or big screen. But unlike his pretty boy predecessors, he is the only one I would want to diagnose my complex diagnoses. And I have worked with my share of these prima donnas. But my favorite character on the show is Dr. Allison Cameron, played by Jennifer Morrison.

It is hard to believe the scruffy, badly dressed Dr. Gregory House was voted the second sexiest TV doc of all time (George Clooney from ER wins first place, by a mile, I might add). To say he is unorthodox is totally unfair. He obviously thinks that he is the Sherlock Holmes of medicine and the universe. But I think the real reason for his popularity centers on his indiscriminate use of Vicodin, much like the rest of society. As they saying goes, I will take smart over bedside manner.

Of course, he went to a top-notch medical school, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. I almost went to grad school there back in the 1970s, until I found out the school was in the middle of a ghetto. He was kicked out of school, allegedly for cheating. He ended up at the University of Michigan, where he met Dr. Lisa Cuddy, later his boss and lover. His best and only friend on the show is Dr. James Wilson, himself a big bag of messy personal issues and indecision.

Dr. House plays the piano, as does Hugh Laurie. He also owns a huge vintage electric guitar collection. His favorite line, and the name of the very first episode is “Everyone Lies”. In contrast, the finale this evening is called, “Everyone Dies”. Tonight’s two hour finale will be shown on FOX, Channel 2 in the Bay Area. Everyone Lies is probably as good a place as any to start a differential diagnosis.

So, why would I let Dr. Cameron be the only female physician to examine me? For one, she plays an immunologist, a specialty that I respect. Far down the totem pole, of course, is that she certainly looks better than all of the female physicians I have ever met, in real life or the TV screen. She is also immensely talented, having appeared in numerous television shows and movies, as well as a producer of Glee in its early days. She was actually engaged to co-star Jesse Spencer in 2008-07, but called it off.

But I will miss the show, playing on Monday nights opposite Monday Night Football. Reruns already populate the weekend TV schedule. In fact, one station runs a “House marathon” some weekends. Hours and hours of House just seems to be sensory overload. He will be numero uno for me until another better doctor show comes along.

Diary of a Black Comic by Barry Varkel

golfkat — Wed, 23 May 2012 01:39:10 +0000

Barry’s mid life crisis occurred when he was still a young man. Okay, so he sold his law practice, traipsed around the world alone, and came back to a lucrative career in stand up comedy. Of course, as a former barrister, I told him that the only change he really made in his transition to comedy was the venue! Oh, how true it is, right, Barry?

It was not a dark and stormy night in Santiago, when I met this rather curious chap in the internet alcove of a fairly decent hotel. As we both cursed the slow speed of the internet, the ugly women around Santiago, and the state of world peace, we formed a bond only inveterate travelers like us can form. One based solely on bull shit and the promise of cheap alcohol.

Sure enough, Barry joined us for dinner. I was, myself, traversing the length of Chile with long time friend and travel buddy, Mike. We were neighbors at one time, but I was voted off the cul de sac when I got divorced, and could no longer afford to live in Shangri-La. It turns out that Mike and Barry formed the only bond that really counts. The bond of cheap Chilean wine, in a smoke filled room, around midnight, with nothing better on the horizon. We have been everywhere and nowhere, all at once. Guess which one this would be?

Of course, Barry entertained us with his “stories” of South Africa over a four hour dinner. It turns out they are all true. In fact, as he turned to comedy, and his eventual epiphany to write a book, it all came together. His story, or lack thereof, is exposed, or should I say, showcased, in his “Diary of a Black Comic”. One thing for sure, when you buy the book, DO NOT look at the cover, as it really stinks!

He often sent videos of his routines at comedy clubs. I had no clue then, nor do I have any now, about the comedic content of his performances. Likewise, after reading his book, I still confess to know nothing about South African humor. But he does manage to piss off enough people along the way to the top of his profession. He makes friends in comedy clubs as easily as he did that fateful afternoon in Santiago.

He does manage to catch my attention in Chapter 37 (hell, how did he write so many chapters about nothing?). He goes into a Chicago comedy club in the slums of northside. Only a bloke from Cape Town would do this! He manages to get picked up by two very large native women. He and his ex-pat South African brother got picked on by every comic, from their honky white appearance in an all Black club, to their funny looking clothes, and pointy shoes. This is the type of story only Barry could tell, and live to tell about it. I am glad I was not there!

Must you read this book? Should you understand Black and South African humor? I could not tell you. But the stories behind the stories have enough “bite” to make you come back for more. Did I finish the book? Did I burn it when I was done? Stay tuned!!!!

Need a Hat? Try sarahpadgham.com

golfkat — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:55:04 +0000

This is the all time best hat I have ever seen at a baseball game. Check it out. The “Best Giants Fan” on earth, Donna, is modeling the hat at last night’s Giants vs Athletics game at ATT Park.

Watch the Giants Game Tonight!

golfkat — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:35:56 +0000

Through my good friend and “music wife”, I have been fortunate to obtain some great, make that FANtastic seats for the Giants game tonight. Our low achieving boys in black and orange are playing the boys from across the bay, the Oakland Athletics. My “sports wife” Donna and I are going for what we hope is a great experience at the old ballpark (actually the relatively new ATT Park). Let me tell you more about our seats.

The story, folklore, rumour, and innuendo goes that these are the best seats at ATT Park. The seats are located in the Lexus Dugout Club. The seats are in Dugout Club Section 113, Row CCC, Seats 1 and 2. These seats entitle us to the Club and Home Field Club, as well as in-seat food and beverage service. The box was created for the 2007 MLB All-Star Game, as seating for the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig. It was originally designed for photographers to take pictures of game action.

The box includes 17 inch HD TVs on the wall in front of the seats. Close to the field, it is easy to hear the home plate umpire make his ball and strike calls. I have also heard the players talking, when I have gone to games at Wrigley Field in Chicago. In some cases, at least for day games, it is fairly easy to pick up the spin on the baseball. In other words, I can tell if the pitch is a fastball or curve!!!

Last year, I went to the Giants game on a last-minute whim. I was able to purchase THE seat, yes THE seat, directly behind home plate. I was in view of the TV screen on just about EVERY pitch! I was sitting next to (in front of) the high rollers. The guy behind me tipped the waitress a sweet $100 bill. Crazy people. This year, I ordered the Irish Coffee, and the Hot Chocolate Bailey’s Cream for Donna.

The whole experience begins during entry to the stadium at 24 Willie Mays Plaza. As everyone stands in line to enter ATT Park, a double glass door to the left beckons box seat ticket holders. Step inside to a wonder of food items in a decent sized food court. Just about every choice of food is here. It is fairly quiet, dimly lit, with plenty of table seating and big screen TVs.

After a quiet meal, we just head on through to the field. An usher helps direct you to the right area. It really does feel quite “private”. And it is easy to duck back under at any time for more food, or the proverbial potty break. I could start liking this! Most websites say it is the most exclusive seating area in the ballpark. There is a brick wall separating these seats from the Field Boxes behind it.

The food court in the Club area includes cinnamon roasted nuts, Edsel Ford Fong (Chinese food?), Derby Grill, Giuseppe Bazurro (Italian?), Joe Garcia’s (Mexican?), King Street Carvery, and the Lexus Clubhouse Bar. That was all I could find online, so there must be more! Are you hungry yet? BTW, I had the Chinese chicken salad.

So, when you are watching the game, look just to the left of home plate (when the centerfield camera is on), and the batter, home plate umpire and Buster Posey. We will be there in our Friday Orange, rooting for the G-men!

BTW, Part 2: The seats are better than expected, and we were on TV ALL evening long. Everyone saw us, except for my old golfing buddy, Kenny from Marin. Kenny, I know of a great optometrist in Stockton.

Amgen Tour of California

golfkat — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:44:57 +0000

One thought I have never had is that of becoming a competitive cyclist, or even a serious cyclist. The blood doping and steroids are not good for me! I do ride my bicycle on a fairly regular basis, mostly with friends, sometimes alone. It allows me to cover substantially more ground than walking. Many of the area’s bike trails offer a perspective much different from the “street-side” of the local area.
Many times, when riding a bicycle, the trails go through areas I have visited or driven through literally hundreds of times. But I must quickly reset my internal GPS and figure out exactly where I am. And it is rather easy to get carried away, ending up miles from either my planned destination, or a logical turn around spot. In fact, one day we spotted an otter. I really mean, we saw an otter, he did not want to have spots. Tuesday’s Amgen Tour of California, Stage 3 has no such issues, minor as they might be. The CHP, local police, and volunteers will guide these fine cyclists through our home town with the ease of melted ice cream on a hot summer day. I am just trying to grasp the magnitude of hundreds of cyclists starting in Livermore, looping over and through Mt. Diablo, and ending up in San Jose!!!

The Amgen Tour of California is an eight-day race through roughly 650 to 700 miles of California. This race has been around since 2006. It is sponsored by Amgen, one of the largest and most successful biotech companies in the world. I also think it was one of the first biotech stocks (thank you Procrit) I owned, along with Genentech and Immunex (Enbrel), since purchased by Amgen.

Some famous names have ridden this race, and many have won. Floyd Landis, the disqualified winner of the 2006 Tour de France won here in 2006. Local Bay Area native, Levi Leipheimer has won three times and placed highly numerous times. Chris Horner, another bay area product, won last year’s race.

I may ride my bike over to a decent vantage point on Tuesday, after an early morning round of golf. It seems so silly to sit there for perhaps a half hour or more, just to watch some cyclists race by in a flash. At least on a track, we can watch them go round and round, like the wheels on the bus!

The Landis disqualification, along with many others, have tainted the sport of cycling. Somehow, Lance Armstrong has stayed clear of the fray, though I have serious questions about his chemical dalliances. No matter the sport, baseball, football, and track seem to bring out the best or worst in professional athletes. Why? Because of fame and fortune. Or maybe ego? Perhaps they should earn it the way the rest of us do, by hard work and playing by the rules.