Ryan Restivo

So Saturday’s game was a little different than usual games in New York and all that. First off we went to enjoy the National Aquarium in Baltimore…

That was followed by their Dolphin Show at the Aquarium – nice and indoors too – because it was scorching out!

After that we went back to our Hotel room and then off to Camden Yards – where our “Season Ticket Holder” tickets got us in at around 4:40 because there was a Season Ticket Holder “State of the Orioles” meeting with the O’s Team President taking questions from the audience before batting practice. The only answer that stood out to me was when he said that “no player is untouchable” while the players were stretching, playing catch, getting ready for BP in right field. You can see the view here – pre BP.

Meanwhile, in Center Field Jake Arrieta was having a catch with a bullpen catcher. Once he finished throwing he started to walk in towards the bullpen so I called out for him and asked for the ball. Being practically the only one there… he tossed it right to me.

Behold the first ball I’ve ever caught outside of New York!

A little briefly after that BP started – the crowd started to fill up a little bit and the O’s starting hitting them out to left. Camden Yards is small and both teams make it look that way – you need to be able to move amongst the seats and not be that close to the front rows to grab homers here. So here I am waiting for the O’s to start hitting them out.

Here was my view for much of Orioles’ BP.

So about a third of the way into BP, Ty Wigginton laces a shot towards my section. I race down about 3 rows where there’s a small crowd developing in the row below (very competitive for homers here – especially on a Saturday), stick my glove out and reach for the highest point and ‘smack!’ my first Camden Yards home run caught on the fly!

Then later in the Blue Jays portion of batting practice – I had moved down a little and was in practically the same section. A righty smacked one deep towards my section, I scooted down into an open aisle and as people below me were reaching up and missing the ball – it landed in the palm of my glove on the fly. Home Run #2! ALSO – first time I’ve caught more than one home run on the fly in any park. Pretty cool eh?

What was really cool was the ball was one of the cleanest I’d ever seen! We took a picture when we got to our seats – here take a look!

Jenna and I went and grabbed Lemonades after BP – I drank through all of mine quickly (shocker) but Jenna had hers still with her at the game. We bought an O-shaped pretzel along the first base side of the field level (practically behind our section that night – 17). But back on topic – in about the middle of the game – there’s a family next to us (mother – grandmother?/aunt and daughter) who are about to go walk down to the concourses so we needed to get up. So they’re walking down the aisle and the little kid says “ooo” and takes Jenna’s lemonade, Jenna starts to look at me (I didn’t notice yet) and gives me a weird new signal I haven’t seen before. So I let them pass as I’m standing out of the aisle for them. So when I sit down, Jenna tells me “she took my lemonade!!” We had noted how everyone was so friendly in Baltimore but we didn’t realize this would happen – we laughed it off – a lot. Then when they came back, what did they have? A new Lemonade.

We had to leave early out of this game to go have dinner – our pick for the night? Fogo de Chao – a Brazilian steakhouse nearby. This (blurred) picture is the best I got of how they serve you …

everyone walks around with skewers and asks you whether or not you’d like a piece. See here Jenna is trying the Brazilian flavored steak. A great place to go! Here was my plate after a little while.

We also tried the fried polentas and they were good too! Overall a great place to go for a good meal. I know where I’m going again when I get a chance!

The other good news was: since the O’s had a malfunction in ordering the Brooks Robinson Jerseys promotion – we got vouchers for sending out to get a jersey which comes with a coupon for discounted tickets in September/October!

3 balls (1 home run)
1 – Jake Arrieta (Left Center)
2 – Ty Wigginton HR (Left)
3 – Blue Jays TBD HR (Left)

10 straight games with at least one ball

With that, guess what is now full?

Jenna’s gift to me of a baseball holder is now filled with baseballs! (Chronicled before here Baseball Collection)

So far this year I have been to…
7 Games
26 Baseballs  (3.7 per game)
(of those ones I’ve caught they have been
2 Game Balls
6 Home Runs – 5 of which were caught on the fly