Category: IP

We left Venice, FL this morning and headed to the Twins game. I wanted to get there early to see if I could get any cards signed for my sets. It was really hot when we got there and Amy and Caden went inside to our seats. Cami wanted to stay out with me and try to get autographs. She had her book out with her cards and her marker ready and was flipping through it as we watched pitchers work on their bunting on the field next to the main stadium. She looked at me and said “Dad. This is SO cool!” even before she even got one autograph. We waited and once the drill was over, the players dispersed to different locations. Scott Diamond walked by and tossed a ball to Cami. She was so excited she did not ask for his autograph. A little while later, Alex Meyer (#3 rated prospect for the Twins) walked by and stopped to sign. We did not have cards for him so I gave Cami the program I bought earlier and he signed that for her and a baseball for me. That was the extent of the autographs but no the end of fun. Cami and I walked in to the ballpark and found Amy and Caden and we decided to walk around the new boardwalk area that goes all the way around the field. Amy already did it earlier but said she would love to do it again so we all went. While she was walking around earlier, an usher got an Eduardo Escobar home run ball and gave it to her. She gave it to Caden and now both kids had baseballs. We got to the new left field grassy berm seating area and watched the Blue Jays take batting practice. Cami was sitting next to me and we were talking about how cool it was to be sitting there like we were and she saw a ball hit into the corner. I told her to run down there and ask for it politely. She ran down there but did not ask. The Jays player did not see her and tossed it to second base. When Cami got back to me I told her she needs to kindly and politely ask for the ball and just then another one we there and she ran down and this time she asked and got results. She ran back to me smiling with her ball. About ten minutes later she says “Dad! Look at that cute little boy over there!” About 20 feet away was a boy who looked around two years old wearing a Twins cap, Twins t-shirt and an oversized glove (obviously dad’s) running up and down the hill with his older brothers whenever a ball was hit in the corner. When Cami and I got up to leave, I asked Cami what she thought of giving the ball to the little boy because she already had one. She thought the idea was great and walked over to the boy, bent down so she was at his level and asked if he wanted the ball. He took it and ran up to his mom and dad smiling from ear to ear clutching the ball tightly with his two little hands. The parents were smiling just as wide seeing the little boy so happy and thanked Cami a half dozen times. As we walked away I told Cami how cool that was and how it probably made that kid’s day. She is awesome.

I read where the Twins spring training area is one of the easiest to get a ton of autographs. From my limited experience there, I could totally see that. I was there more to enjoy baseball and the Twins than to hit the autographs hard. Besides, I was on vacation!