The Spirit of Spring Training

Game #3 Giants vs. Mariners

I'll be doing an update later with more detail on yesterdays game agianst the Seattle Mariners. But first, I had to post this image (below). For our third and final game we sat on the sloping lawn behind Left Field. We try to get at least one game per year out on the grass -- which is yet another experience that is completely unique to Spring Training. There we were, partially under a shady tree in ~90 degree weather, on blankets, on a pleasant grassy hillside watching our Giants play ball. Beer and other vendors would weave through our little crowd at regular intervals. Birds chirped from nearby branches. Lots of great conversations going on about San Francisco baseball all around -- "Remember when Dave Burba....?" "We'll have to see but I think that Lincecum would be better as an 8th-inning setup man..."

It just doesn't get much better than that.

I snapped this shot of our little spot between innings late in the game. Dave holds the "Vamos Gigantes!" sign aloft while Denny encourages him (he's the guy at Dave's right). Our other crewmates were off walking around Scottsdale Stadium one final time. Note the beer vendor in red with his back to the camera. They carry these big plastic buckets filled with ice and plastic bottles of beer all around the stadium. Needless to say, they do a brisk business.

Anyhow, I thought this shot just captures THE SPRIIT OF SPRING TRAINING. I'll say more about the actual game later.

(Click on the Picture for a slightly larger/better quality image.)