For those of you that are jumping into the story from here you might want to read from the beginning here. Or Part 2. Or Part 3. Or Part 4.I guess this is my favorite part of the trip and it almost didn't happen. Remember when we mentioned that we went to dinner with Leslie's dad, Cindy and Sarah on Tuesday night? And that I would feel it later ... well here's the rest of that story.
After we went to bed that night, I was restless. My stomach was turning over, I was hot in the covers and I couldn't get comfortable all night. I felt like I was near vomit the whole night and to make a disgusting story less graphic, I threw-up 2 times that night and spent the rest of the night either with the runs or in a cold sweat in the trailer. NOT A FUN NIGHT!
The next morning was the day of the Angels game so I was bound and determined to be healthy enough to go to the game. After taking 5 pills from Leslie's dad -- I learned later that they were clay tablets -- I spent the whole morning on the couch drinking water. I was also on the phone trying to see if we were getting tix from Howie Kendrick through our family friends the Barbers.
The family at the ballpark. Phill had just taken a big bite of the killer nachos in his lap. Mmm.
My plan was to be at Angels Stadium at 4 p.m. so that we were the first ones in the ballpark for batting practice. My goals for the game were to catch at least one ball at to get a baseball signed by Howie.
Kendrick trying to eat daddy's hat.
***TIMEOUT**
For those of you that don't know Leslie and I are naming all of our kids after baseball players. "What? Even your girls?" Yes, even the girls. Anyway, I think it would be cool if we could get each kid something special from or about the player that they were named after (i.e. a signed ball, a picture of the player, a jersey, etc.) I already had a ball signed by Jim Abbott and we had got a ball signed by Trevor Hoffman last year when we saw the Padres play the Rockies in Denver before Kendrick was born. So we obviously needed one from Howie and then one from Rex Hudler.
***TIME IN***
More playing with daddy's hat.
After batting practice (BP) I saw Rex, who is an Angels' broadcaster walking across the outfield. I yell to him and got a wave. I didn't think, "where is he going?" so I just explored the park and saw him doing the pre-game show. I called Les, who was in a seat with Kendrick, and she came over as I asked Hud if he could PLEASE sign a ball for me.
"Because you said please," was his reply. I was so happy. I had totally forgot that I could get Rex's in California too.
Rex Hudler's autograph. Look for a better picture on Saturday or Sunday.
As for Howie, I already had a ball signed by him, but I wasn't the one who got it signed, so I felt like I needed to get this ball signed for Kendrick.
"Lets go Angels!!!"
We made the giant trek up to the upper deck just as some of the Angels' players came out to stretch. The first one out of the dugout ... ... Howie Kendrick. I immediately started to go down, but had forgot my glove. I wasn't too far and went back as Leslie said that her fear of heights was kicking in big time and she didn't like our seats. So we decided to try to find seats lower. I ran to the Angels' dugout as she tried to find seats. **Side note from Les: if you've ever been there you would plain scary know how high it is and it's just looking down! And anyways, who really wants to see little spots running around a little field when you can sit WAY closer. A note to everyone... unless you are in the front row you can always get a closer seat. Don't settle for a crap seat... even if that was the one you paid for. :o)
Kendrick cheesing it up for Daddy and the camera.
I slid into the front row,two sections on the outfield side of the dugout from the end of the dugout and started yelling at Howie to come over and sign. I even mentioned the Barbers. Now I'm not sure what made Howie decide to sign, but he came over. Unfortunately, he started at the far end of the fans. I panicked and tried to move to where he was. Just as he was about to where I was he started to go the other way. I decided that as people started leaving, I'd slide my way toward Howie and hope that he'd come back. He did. I was the second to last person he signed for.
Kendrick with the scoreboard during Howie's at-bat.
The conversation went like this:
Phill: "Howie can you please sign this for me?"
Howie: "Yeah sure."
Phill: "I'm actually Vince Morgan's older brother."
Howie: "Really? How is he?"
Phill: "Really good. He's getting married soon. ... Hey, could you sign that 'To Kendrick'? It's for my son."
Howie: "Yeah sure."
Phill: "Thanks we are huge fans."
And that was it. I had accomplished my goal. He wrote on the ball "To Kendrick. From your Pal Howie Kendrick."
Howie Kendrick's autograph. Look for a better picture on Saturday or Sunday.
As for the game, the Angels and starter Jon Garland (pictured below) got down 3-0 early, but were able to take the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth and then three runs in the fifth.
One of the key plays in the fifth was Howie's infield single to David Wright that loaded the bases with nobody out and the heart of the Halos' lineup coming to the dish. Vladdy doubled in two runs, tying the game at 3-3. Torii Hunter then singled in Howie, giving the Angeks the 4-3 lead and puting runers on the corners with no outs. We should have scored a lot more but Torii Hunter made a huge base-running mistake.
With one out, Rob Qinnlan hit a sharp ball to David Wright at third and he threw Vladdy out at the plate. Hunter, who was on first, rouned second and started slowly jogging with his head down to the Angels' dugout (on the third base side). It wasn't until he was half way between second and third that he realized there were now two outs. He got in a run down and was tagged out at third to end the inning and the Angels' momentum.
"Torii just lost track of the outs and that was that," Angels' manager Mike Scioscia said.
The score remained 4-3 until the bottom of the ninth, where Francisco Rodriguez came in to close the game. Rodriguez hadn't blown a save in his past 25 chances before the game against the Mets, converting all 25 and extending his club record in that category. But that night he did. K-Rod gave up a single and a stolen base to speedster Jose Reyes, then a game-tying single to David Wright.
In the top of the tenth, Justin Speier grooved a slider to Damion Easley (pictured above), who deposited the baseball in the Angels dugout.
Justin Speier holds a new baseball as Damion Easley rounds third after his game-winning solo home run in the top of the tenth inning.
The Angels lost 5-4, but we had a good time. Kendrick did not like daddy and the others yelling at the umps. We did make him cry a couple of times but he calmed down with Les holding him and well I had to keep my yelling in check. Kendrick did love clapping with everyone else cheering our Angels on. He enjoyed watching the game and at the end of the night he enjoyed falling asleep in Les's arms and being held by his loving wonderful brilliant mommy, and my wonderful, brilliant, loving and amazing wife!
Our favorite picture of Kendrick hamming it up before he got tired.
2 comments:
Les-you're quite the woman to let him name the kids after baseball players. Usually its the woman trying to name after something but I think it's really cool. I also like having memorabilia of the player their named after. I'm glad you guys had fun in cali. We would've loved to have seen you but we were, and are, so crazy busy.
Oh my gosh KENDRICK looks sooooo cute i can't beleive how big he is getting hope you guys have fun!!!You should of told me my dad works at angels stadium.We get good seats when we go to cali.B
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