It's a story that can't be told 140 characters at a time, try as I might. So here is the story I did tell via Twitter, with notes added to explain the behind-the-scenes nature of working in a professional pressbox at a minor league baseball stadium.
April 13, 8:24 a.m. "At
As a media intern, there's a lot of work to be done before the game starts. Game notes have to be written, stats have to be compiled, packets have to be printed. And then there's the running. From our second-floor administrative offices to the subterranean clubhouses. From the clubhouses to the third-florr pressbox. From the pressbox down to the field. Up and down, over and over. There's no single elevator that goes to each of the floors. Not that I would take it anyway; those things are too darn slow. But there's also no stairwell that goes to each floor. So I end up going as far horizontally as I do vertically -- if not farther -- on any given trip.
April 13, 12:37 p.m. "Just got word that P A.J. Burnett will make a rehab start for the
The Pittsburgh Pirates are like the New England Patriots of Major League Baseball (minus the recent championships and behoodied coach). They will not release any roster or injury information until the last possible minute and anyone associated with any of their affiliates gets a good talking-to if they release any of the information before they give the OK. I was amazed that we got this info so early and it was posted on my Twitter account before I even finished reading the email announcing the move.
April 13, 7:33 p.m. "
Nick Evans hadn't recorded a hit all season when Indians manager Dean Treanor slid him into the DH spot in the Tribe's lineup. I off-handedly made a "hitless wonder at DH" joke to my manager. Evans quickly made me eat my words. It wouldn't be the only time that night.
April 13, 9:56 p.m. "Nick Evans -- who had no hits coming into tonight's game and had an RBI-double in the early going -- smacks a walkoff-single to right."
Look, sports writers aren't soothsayers. We can't tell the future, just what has happened going into the game. So for the second time that night Evans made me look like a jerk. Open mouth, insert foot.
As a side note, Evans had recently returned to the Indians after leaving the team to be with his wife, Anne, for the birth of the couple's first child. It could be that Evans' mind had been elsewhere during his early struggles. No one can blame him for that. Obviously, he was relaxed and locked in on Friday night.
April 14, 9:56 a.m. "At the stadium bright and early again. At my desk with a blueberry bagel and a Mountain Dew.
I know that almost 10 o'clock doesn't seem bright and early to most people (me included) but I had actually been at the stadium for almost an hour and a half at this point -- and keep in mind that my work day typically lasts until 11 p.m. or later.
The reason I was at the stadium so early was for a tarp pull, one of my fellow interns' least favorite aspects of the job, but I spent two years playing college baseball -- which involved a lot of tarp pulls -- so it doesn't bother me so much. The thing that confused me was that we were pulling the tarp with the intention of putting it back on just a fewer hours later. It doesn't make sense to me, but I don't have a four-year degree in sports turf management. Our head and assistant groundskeepers both do, so I just do what they say.
April 14, 11:52 a.m. "Typed
As it turns out, I had my projected rotation wrong for Toledo and Weber wasn't going to start until Sunday and we would later find out that his start was pushed back to Monday, but from this point on, his nickname in the media department is T-Had. Also, I would like to know what search results MiLB.com had for "t had weber."
April 14, 12:37 p.m. "
This one is pretty self-explanatory. But I have to express my grief at Indianapolis sports fans who refuse the go to Indiana Pacers games. In case you haven't noticed, they have a pretty good team.
As an aside, my dad, kid sister and granny were all a part of the record-demolishing crowd.
April 14, 5:58 p.m. "Tough news for Matt Hague. Optioned to
I started the #HagueWatch2012 during spring training when Hague was tearing up Grapefruit League pitching and there was speculation and uncertainty as to whether he would return to Indianapolis for opening day or break camp with the Pirates. The 2011 Indians MVP, he made the major league club and had a game-tying pinch hit single for the Pirates, but he was the first demotion of the season to make room for Morton, who was returning from the DL, on Pittsburgh's active roster. Pirates fans as a whole are none too happy about the move, but being with the Indians ensures Hague will get regular at bats.
April 14, 7:09 p.m. "Rain is picking up a little. Either going to be a long night or a short night at
I sent this tweet shortly after the start of the game had been officially delayed and a few minutes later the view of downtown Indianapolis disappeared into the clouds. The game was eventually postponed and a doubleheader was scheduled for the next day.
April 15, 8:21 a.m. "
This tweet also followed an early-morning tarp pull. The field was in good shape and the weather was promising a great day for baseball.
April 15, 2:40 p.m. "
As far as trouncings go, game one's was fairly pedestrian. The Indians simply played good baseball and they won handily. As my college coach used to say, "Baseball is an easy game. You hit the ball, you throw the ball, you catch the ball. It's not that hard."
April 15, 3:48 p.m. "Kris Watts at bat with two on, two outs and a full count. Heard from the stands: "Wait for your pitch!"
I love having the windows open in the pressbox. Keeping them closed makes me feel disconnected from the game, but sometimes the comments that make their way up from the peanut gallery make you sit back and scratch your head.
April 15, 3:48 p.m. "Watts must have gotten his pitch. RBI-double puts
OK, so what do I know? Way to wait for your pitch, Kris. Good call, random fan. In my defense, the double was hit on the next pitch. It's not like Watts fouled off several pitches.
April 15, 4:14 "Brad Eldred with an opposite-field home run to tie the game 2-2.
This man -- a former Indianapolis Indian -- has insane raw power. I've never seen a right-handed batter hit a home run perfectly down the right field line ... until today.
April 15, 5:04 p.m. "
International League rules state that all doubleheaders be two seven-innings games, but it still feels weird for the eighth inning to be bonus baseball.
April 15, 5:35 p.m. "Wood gives up a laser down the left field line that is called a home run. Dean Treanor out for a lengthy argument and is finally tossed."
Tim Wood, who was 2-0 and had 22 saves for the Indians in 2011, has REALLY struggled this season. The line drive that was called a home run appeared to have never left the Victory Field playing surface, but replays were inconclusive in the pressbox. (Note: Replay reviews have not been instated as an option for minor league umpires, so even if replay had obviously shown the ball not clearing the wall, the blue crew would never have known.) As is implied, Treanor's discussion was for naught and he was eventually thrown out. Based on the length of time he spent arguing, I think he was trying to get tossed. The home run gave Toledo a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth.
April 15, 5:51 p.m. "PH Jeff Clement drives in PR Starling Marte to tie the game 3-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Notice that Clement was a PINCH hitter and Marte was a PINCH runner. Makes you wonder if the Indians would have won this game had they played their best lineup for the entire game. But they did not and Toledo eventually prevailed 4-3 in the tenth inning (remember, that's three extra innings). I finally left the ballpark at about 7:30 p.m.
All told, I worked just over 36 hours this weekend. The homestand lasts for another five days, so who knows what adventures are ahead.
Well, I do know one. Report time is 8 a.m. tomorrow morning for another tarp pull.
Michael Raines writes (and pulls tarp) for the Indianapolis Indians and tweets at www.twitter.com/Michael__Raines.
