FOX Sports, upcoming games, book reviews, Iraq, etc.

I know how much your reply to this soldier must have meant. Just more proof you have the write stuff! ;)

for some reason the video is not on youtube anymore

SURF-
Thanks. I appreciate that.

BLUGA-

I just noticed that. What's going on? I guess I'll try to upload it again...

I think you'll enjoy the Subway Series game more than you think. Friday night is always best, before anyone is holding a grudge about the games before, so it's a little less out of control, and a little more zany. The crowd feeds off the hatred of one another, it's interesting.

I'm contemplating going out for one of the games by buying cheap(ish) scalped tickets on stubhub, but we'll see.

yeah greg, but i was there when the gates opened, pettite, desalvo(who seems nice), and zack duke ignored me. and i was sooooo close. what ever.

zack, ARE YOU NUTS!!!!!!! subay series at Yankee!!!!!!

your streak could be in danger. and fenway that would be tough. well its my birthday soon, and everyone in our town gets you a Champs gift card, so hopefull i can get a lot of visiting teams hats, and a new bat.

cool thing bout the soldier

hey, out of curiosity, when you make your cheat sheets, what font do u use? im making my own, and cant find the right font/size.

and i mite be going to the mets game at shea on the 19th, and i was wondering where to go for balls?(bp and during the game)

thanks

WOO-HOO!!! The video is working now. I think it just needed some extra time to filter through YouTube's system.

CEETAR-

Man, how many Subway Series games have you been to? You sound like a true expert on the subject.

BCIMONS-

I might be nuts, but if I'm as good at snagging balls as I claim, then I should be able to survive the most difficult circumstances. Friday's game will be a great test.

Wow, cool video, man. It seems like you really had fun that day! Were some of those balls hit into the stands in foul territory early in the video staged? Because it was weird how good of shots the camera got of them rolling down the steps.

As for your nixed Fenway plans, I was thinking of going a while back on a Sunday but thought better of it just like you did. But I am going on July 16th (a Tuesday night against the Royals). I already have tickets (I don't like getting tickets this far in advance, but they were only $23, and what are the chances it'll rain?) and I'm really excited.

couple of things

a)Did u notice that the kid said the wrong book title

b)why was NO ONE in the ball park

c)how many did u get

d)did jason giambi throw that kid a ball

e) have you spoken to that kid since. Do u know how many balls he has?

Brian:

For my cheat sheets, I use size 8 font.

There's a chance I'll be at Shea that day too, so maybe we'll see each other there. Anyway, at Shea, start out in right field. You should choose between the field level (orange) seats and the corner spot up in the Loge (blue) seats. If you go up to the Loge, pitchers will often throw balls up if you call down to them. But don't expect to get many balls hit off the bat. There aren't many at Shea. Make sure your glove trick has long enough string (at least 40 feet) because the Loge is pretty high up and balls often land in the dead space behind the wall.

When the opposing team takes the field for BP, go over to left and ask pitchers for their warm-up balls before heading up to the Loge. You should be able to snag four to five balls without much trouble by the end of BP. But if you throw in other factors -- such as having a hat of the other team and a full photo roster -- you should be able to increase your chances.

About the video, I had a lot of the same questions. The place was absolutely EMPTY. I wish Shea and Yankee Stadium were more like that! That Giambi ball seemed really staged to me as well. Was that kid having as much fun as you were?

Hey Zack:

Remember how I told you about the ballpark trip I'm going on this summer? Well, I got the itinerary today! I'm going to 16 games in 20 days in 12 cities. And as my graduation/birthday gift, my parents are getting me hats of every team I'm going to see play!!! The only thing is, I don't know how early we get to the ballpark. Still, so excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and I finally got a copy of your book. I really enjoy reading it. I love how each page is jam-packed with facts.

hey thanks greg :)

i dont know if ill be there when the gates open, but i'll be there shortly after(i hope)

than for advice, although i don't have a twins or a Mets hat(im a yankee fan)

well it mite not make a difference cuz i think i have yet another LL game

Nice, I am going to check out the rest of your YouTube videos

I just got home from the trip... 2900 miles... so I'll blog about it tomorrow. I was mostly without internet connection during the trip plus no time to blog anyways... sorry

Zack, cool video. Did you get to meet Steve Lyons? I never saw you and him in the same shot. He seems like a pretty cool guy.

So how are you going to deal with the will-call window on Friday? I checked the Yankees website, and it opens 2 hrs before the game. Not ideal....

Zack, at the Cubs-stros game today I got my hands on the infamous "H" ball. still, the ball is pretty much worthless... oh well, it's still good to play catch with!

The main reason I went though, is because it was half price ticket day!

Hey, I just watched the video.... cute kid, lol.

So what's you're 1 day record now? I know I remember you getting at least 16 once....

(Mine is 2 :) so that kid already beat me )

1. Sorry I couldn't get this all in 1 message.

2. I've been meaning to ask you... how do you go about getting a lineup card? I've tried unsuccessfully a few times.

GREG-
Yeah, a lot of that footage was staged AND filmed hours before the stadium officially opened. That's why the seats were totally empty in some of the shots. One of the producers was simply rolling balls down the steps and having the cameraman wait in certain positions. Good call. It didn't seem to make much sense to get shots like that, but whatever, it was a totally fun day, and there actually WERE some balls accidentally hit into the seats really early, and we got to keep those. That's part of the reason why I got 14 balls that day...and no, I didn't count the balls that were intentionally rolled down the steps. Oh, and yeah, the kid was definitely as into it as I was. We both had a great time. Finally, while you're at Fenway on July 16th, I'll be catching Frank Thomas's and A-Rod's 500th career home runs at Yankee Stadium.

BCIMONS-

a) Yes, I noticed the title goof, and that has always bothered me. What's so hard about remembering six words? And why wasn't it re-shot so he could get it right?

b) As I mentioned above to Greg, we were there several hours before it officially opened.

c) Also above: 14 balls.

d) I think that was staged as well, but I can't remember...but yes, that WAS Giambi.

e) Nope. No idea. Maybe we should try to track him down?

YANKS FAN-

Congrats on your trip. That is A W E S O M E. Can't wait to hear all about it, and I'm really glad you're enjoying the book.

GOLDEN HEIRESS-

Cool. I've only uploaded two others so far, but I have at least a couple more on the way. I'm not sure when I'll actually post them, though. Probably in the next few weeks...

NICK-

Welcome back. I'm sure you have some great stories, and hopefully lots of pics as well.

PSU532-

Thanks, and no, I didn't get to meet Lyons. Good observation about how we weren't in the same shot. I did run into him at Shea a couple years after that, and I introduced myself as "that kid from Oakland with over 1,500 balls." It took him a moment, but then he really did seem to remember me, which is impressive considering (as you noticed) that we never actually met. I'm scared about the will-call situation, and I have no idea how to deal with that, other than hoping that the tickets will be there before that day's game, and that my friend can go a day or two early and pick them up.

CUBS0110-

I have dozens of those "H" balls. They do get annoying after a while. We should start calling them H-bombs. My one-day record is 19 balls. I did that on April 19, 2004 at Shea. As for lineup cards, you just have to shout your head off at the manager after the game at the dugout. Other than that, it's just a matter of luck.

Great video, Zack. I'm glad I got to see the glove trick because I'm not going to be reading about it in the near future! I ordered "Watching Baseball Smarter" yesterday and that's when I learned "How to Snag Major League Baseballs" is unavailable. Will you ever publish your first book again?

Zack- I read on one of your posts about Camden that season ticket holders can get into LF for the first half hour of BP. Do you know if that is true for the 2007 season? Because I got tickets from a season ticket holder but i need to know if I can do that and how I get to the place where the guard checks your ticket or whatever they do. I want to go to LF because The Nats SP is lefty. Thanks and maybe i'll see you tomorrow.

SURFNUSA-
Thank you. I hope you can make the glove trick work...and I hope you like "Watching Baseball Smarter." I'm going to start working on a revised version of my first book soon. The only issue is whether or not anyone will want to publish it.

PIGPEN-

It's true for 2007, so you should have a big advantage over everyone for the first half hour. BUT...there's a chance that I might be joining you in left field. Not sure. Everything's still up in the air. I'm actually not sure what the quickest way to get to LF is. I'm not sure if you have to go through the standing room only section in RF and check in with the usher blocking the aisle at the foul pole and then run all the way around the stadium toward home plate and back out along the LF foul line...or if you can cut through center field and pop out into the the LF seats. You'll just have to ask the regulars. Shame on me. I should know.

heh..Well I haven't kept official track of which games I've been to until this year, but I've been to three this year, three last year, I think three the year before that..I've probably been to..around 14 I would say. I know in terms of snagging balls you don't like day games, but I'm thinking i'm going to goto the Yankee-Arizona day game on thursday. It's been a while since i've been there, and I might as well go sooner rather then too late. It'll be my 14th baseball game of the season.

i would but a new HOW TO SNAG MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALLS. mayb the company that published the new book will publish the new version, since it seems like WATCHING BASEBALL SMARTER sold really well

hey if it happens, more $ for you, so u can afford CITI FIELD and the new yankee(which looks good for snagging ball, but by the time it is emty(er) yo'll be and ill be 40. geat for us!!)

Zack, I'll be at the Orioles game tomorrow, the 13th, with a few friends. I would be snagging balls with you but had an unfortunate accident while playing center field in a softball game two weeks ago. I now have a surgically repaired left clavicle... glove hand. So no reaching anywhere above my head for the next few months. I will look for you.

CEETAR-*****, that's a lot of Interleague games. You've been to as many games as I have this season. Don't count on there being batting practice on Thursday.

BCIMONS-

The new book IS doing well, but that's no guarantee that anyone will want to republish the old one. Sometimes when a book is redone, it's not as sexy to the media so it doesn't get nearly as much coverage.

ALEX (and others going to Camden tomorrow)-

The good news is that I'll be there. The bad news is that there's a chance it might rain. Don't bother looking for me at the gate before Camden opens. I'm getting a media credential, so I can enter the stadium as early as 3pm...but the outfield seats don't open 'til 5pm, so don't worry, I won't have a headstart in the snagging department. Assuming there IS batting practice, I might start off in right field even though I'm allowed to go to left field. I have no idea. But anyway, I'll be there. Alex...sorry you won't be able to snag, but it'll still be to cool to meet up with you for a bit, so just flag me down.

I wasn't counting on bp for thursday. I'm a crappy snagger anyway. Figure I'll check out that monument park thing, heckle a Yankee fan, take some pictures. Although, I've been to some Met day games this year, they did take bp once, and once only the marlins did.

I just put up some pictures from the trip and I'm still writing the entry about the trip.

www.twinslove.mlblogs.com

CEETAR-
I gotcha.

NICK-

I'll check it all out soon.

EVERYONE-

I'm soooooo tired. Leaving for Baltimore in less than seven hours.

how come ur not keeping track of competition factor anymore?

I just love this clip, I have never seen it before. Steve "Psycho" Lyons introducing you, thats very cool. Love all the comments you are getting too. Fantastic work Zack, you have always had the write stuff. All the very best, Happy Father's Day to your pops. Take care.

I'm almost definitely going to Camden tommorow. It looks like the rain will hold off and I'm really excited! My goal: seven balls.

By the way, tonight was Orioles cap night right? Did you get one? Is it nice?

EVERYONE-
I just got back from Camden yards (yes, at 4am), and I'm so tired that my eyes ache.

BCIMONS-

Eh. I did it. It was fun for a while. I'm over it.

LOVEG30-

Thanks so much. Always a pleasure to hear from you.

GREG-

I think you can get seven. Good luck. WAS it cap night? I didn't get one, perhaps because I entered the stadium with a media credential.

Bedtime...