A new ballgame...

Greetings to you and welcome to my baseball travel blog.  After three years of spending Power road trips in Charleston and hearing someone else call our games, I'm now spending my first season on the road with the team.  My plan is to update this blog once or twice a week, regardless of where the team is.  Appalachian Power Park.  McCormick Field.  Grayson Stadium (I refuse to use Historic... but we'll get into that later).  I'll do my best to provide some insight into the lifestyle, the business, and the people of Minor League Baseball.  I just hope that you will enjoy it.

Several people are responsible for making the season on the road happen and I will thank them all in due time.  First up, though, is my wife Brienne.  Without her support and blessing, I would have never asked for this.  Our marriage and friendship is, hands down, the most important thing in my life.

Moving on.

After months of speculating and planning, I was ready to get on the bus for Asheville, NC.  After a 1-6 homestand to start the 2013 season, it was time to remember how to pack a baseball suitcase.  Seven days away.  I'll admit...  I started with a suitcase that was too small.  I asked an old friend and mentor for advice.  He said, essentially, go big or stay home.  So I went to the attic and got the beast of a suitcase that I could pack a Mini Cooper in.  And I filled it to capacity.  What if it is cold?  Long underwear.  Will I work out?  Probably not, but I should take extra shorts and t-shirts just in case.  Three pairs of shoes...  Check.

Next up... the dress code.  Since I haven't been on a team bus consistently since 2007, I had to check with our manager about proper attire.  I was told that what I had on at the moment of that conversation would have gotten me a $25 fine.  So much for my flip flops and shorts!

As the Wednesday school day game ended, I was packing the radio trunk before the broadcast even ended.  I wanted to be ready to go and not miss that first bus.  I had an extra 40 minutes of standing around, but I. Was. Ready.

Now for a disclaimer...  I will not be breaking any sanctity in this blog.  Not the bus ride.  Not the clubhouse.  Nothing.  Any story I tell that gets personal in any way will come with the understanding that I have permission to tell said tale.

We got to Asheville at about 8:30 on Wednesday night and checked in to the hotel.  About 20 minutes later, the coaching staff, support staff, bus driver, and I all went to dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse.  It was a good chance to bond a bit and tell a few stories...  Which led to me telling Orlando Merced (our de facto hitting coach since the Pirates don't officially call him that) about my favorite all-time Pirates game- Memorial Day 1990 against the Dodgers at Three Rivers- a benches clearing beanball war.  Hearing his take on it was great.  He then bought us all dinner.  A Major Leaguer bought me dinner.

On to Friday...

I woke up Friday and did some work (like game notes which you can read everyday at wvpower.com in the News section).  For lunch, I walked about ten minutes to a nearby plaza.

Another disclaimer...  I love delicious food.  I'll be posting pictures of some of the meals as I attempt to try local favorites, chef's specials, and authentic flavors everywhere we go.

Shrimp and Grits from The Hickory Tavern Grille and Raw Bar:

On to McCormick Field.


If the grass looks a little brown, that's because it is.  They put in a whole new surface this year, but it hasn't quite taken... yet.

Here is Jon Schwind taking a BP swing.

and finally... my home for the next four games...

At Appalachian Power Park, I have a room.  Eight feet by 12 feet perhaps.  In Asheville, I have a window.  2.5 feet by 3 feet... perhaps. With an additional foot to the right for equipment.  I'm not complaining.  I'm just saying.  I never knew how good the comforts of the ballpark in Charleston were.  I will also say that the staff here was great.  Everyone was friendly and personable...  making for a good experience to start with.

As for the first game, four plus innings before the rain banged it.  Don't ask me where that phrase comes from.  I can't say, because I don't really know.  But a rain out is considered a "banging" or that we "got banged".  5-0 lead for the good guys.  So...  my first road broadcast lasted an hour and a half and 4/9 of a game.

I'm on the road though.  As that friend and mentor often said...  I'll never have another bad day.