4-6-2013

Padres vs. Rockies
My 2nd game of the season!

This was a very interesting day at the ballpark. The Rockies continued to celebrate their 20th Anniversary with the 1993 Rockies players signing autographs at 3 different spots on the concourse.  I did not see a single part of the game till the 4th inning, besides the little bit I saw on monitors around the stadium. I did not get my 1st pitch I was behind a wall on the pavilions for that. But with good reason I was waiting on-line for the first of the 3 spots for signing. The line I started on had Andy Ashby, Rick Mathews, David Neid and Eric Young Senior. I had everyone except David Neid sign my 1993 opening Day photo. I had Neid sign a ball that I am also having Todd Helton sign, they are the only 2 players ever to wear the #17 in Rockies history and I am pretty sure nobody else ever will.

Here are all 4 of them signing. Beside having what you had signed they had team photos of the 1993 Team. If you look at my post on the 1993 Opening day I had a photo of Alan Ashby signing over the dugout at Shea. http://roxaddict.mlblogs.com/2013/04/04/1993-opening-day-at-shea/ here is a link for that post if you did not see it. Ashby is in the foreground Rick Mathews is to his right followed by David Neid and Eric Young. I also had Eric Young sign a photo of my photo of him and EYJ I took last year that he really like and I offered him one and mention that Junior did have a copy of it! I told him I would give him one if he decided he wanted one on Sunday.

Rick Mathews signing my 1993 photo.

As I was walking away from the table a woman ask if she could see the photo and I said yes and she said her husband was in it. It was David Neids wife and she introduce me to her son that was born slightly after opening day and is going to 20 years old. That really kind of put things in perspective. After we ran over to the area under the Rockpile where the second group was signing. At that table was Gerald Clarke, Mark Knudson, Armando Reynoso and Freddie Benivides. They all spoke to everyone and they all commented and really liked the photo. Gerald Clarke commented and asked me about my goatee, wanting to know how long that took. All the players thought it was cool when I mentioned that I was actually at the game at Shea.

Here are the guys signing, Left to right Freddie Benvides, Mark Knudson, Armando Reynoso and Gerald Clarke. Thanks to Garret who got me a Mark Knudson card signed and also helped get my EY photo signed. This was close to the entrance but you than had to go through a maze of ropes to actually get back to the table for auto graphs while that inning the Rockies scored their first run on a Michael Cuddyer single, Josh Rutledge scored.

I was by one of the T.V’s when that happened and here is a photo of the replay!

Gerald Clarke signing my photo. This line took the longest of the three but it was pretty much because They all spot to everyone for about 30 seconds to a minute which was cool.

we than headed over to the third and final group which was located by the B Gate and The Blue Moon. In that group was Bryn Smith, Jerry Royster, Jayhawk Owens, Bruce Ruffin and Steve Reed.

That is Bryn Smith in the corner I had him sign my 1993 photo and then asked if he could sign a 1993 team photo that they had at the table and monogram it first Rockies win. He was the first Rockies to record a win. it was on April 9th 1993 at Mile High. The others I had sign my 1993 photo.

Here is Bryn signing a team photo that they had at the table I also got one of them from Rick Mathews and Alan Ashby at the first table. They both had some pre signed ones in front of them.

Jayhawk Owens signing my 1993 photo.

That was the first 3 innings. this is the first look I had of the field the whole game and it was in the beginning of the 4th inning. I than headed over to where I sit.

This is John Garlands 43rd pitch of the game and the first I had seen so is that still considered a first pitch. The Rockies were up 1-0 heading into the inning the Padres did get a run in this inning.

Tyson Ross was the starting pitcher for the Padres.

Evereth Cabrera commits an error on this ball hit by Josh Ruthledge in the 5th inning. The Rox scored 3 in the inning 4-1.

Rutledge at first base.

Troy Tulowitzki crosses the plate after a Michael Cuddyer home run in the 7th.

Cuddy low fiving third base coach Stu Coles.

ohh yeah you guessed it, Just as Creepy as last year. OK so I thought of other races that would work well with other sponsors the Frontier Airlines animal race, The Kwall Paint, Paint bucket race have a Black, White and Purple bucket of paint race. Just throwing it out there!! If they do change this I want props!

I think this guy was mocking the running man!

Never a smart idea.

Nice take down!

Dump ass still put up a fight after they caught him.

Always amazed at way someone would do this.

The only cool thing about this is they bring you out through the bullpen!

Dexter Fowler slides into second after a 8th inning hit to right field.

Foot on bag ball in glove glove a 2 feet above Dex…

… there is the tag as he is standing up..

..and was called out.

Dex questions the horrible call.

The argument ensues and out comes Uncle Walt!!! Thanks for that line EB!

dex leaves field as Walt Weiss continues to argue the call. This ump was in horrible position to even make a call at second. I though they said that the umpiring would be getting better this season. Well so far less than a week in it does not seem that way.

This was Walt’s first time out to the field to argue a call.

Not much else happened and here is Tulo throwing to first for the last out of the game.

Todd Helton makes the catch and for the second day in a row at home and fourth time in a row this season the Rockies are shaking hand and hi fiving on the in field!!!

The Rockies were 4-1 on the season after this game. That is great start for a team that was not expected to do much, but this team is a lot different this year than last and we are loving it. I know it is early but things are looking good for the team. I think the change in management and coaching staff is working well. I like Jim Tracey and the others that are gone but something is just clicking this year.

here are a few photos of my autographs

These are the cards they gave out with Alan Ashby, Rick Mathews and Bryn Smith’s autographs.

The 1993 Opening Day photo.

The David Neid signed ball. I had him side panel it so there is room for the second autograph, That other #17.

Eric Young Jr. and Senior still need to get EYJ on it. Started a few projects this day!

Well that is it for this one got another one from this opening weekend series.

See you at Coors!!!

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