Turning the page

Now that hockey season is approaching, it's time to close the books on our 2010 Summer of Baseball. For the second season in a row, Colin and I made the most of his summer vacation taking in games, primarily within the Florida State League.

Though we like to show off the fruits of our labors, this seasonal blog is more than a brag book. It's a chronicle of a father and son forming another deep bond over our national pastime. It's eating hot dogs and Cracker Jack. It's chasing foul balls. It's teaching him the game.

More than anything else, though, it's simply hanging out.

For the record, here are three things that made our time together special:

~ Teaching Colin how to keep score in baseball;
~ Making a big hit with the Tampa Bay Rays' Rocco Baldelli; and
~ Colin scoring team-signed balls from all 12 FSL teams.

As always, thanks for stopping by. God willing, we'll be back next spring.

Mission accomplished

It may have only 16 signatures -- the minimum requirement for a team-signed ball (in my opinion,) -- but it represents a summer's worth of effort. When Fort Myers Miracle pitcher Brad Tippett signed this Florida State League baseball, it capped Colin's main project for our 2010 Summer Baseball -- getting a team-signed ball from all 12 FSL teams.

Starting in late May, with a team ball from the Dunedin Blue Jays, we've used our near-weekly boys' nights out to chip away -- team by team -- at the project. And, as of July 28, with five weeks left in the season, Colin fulfilled the project requirements.

Granted, FSL players, for the most part, are willing signers. That alone made the project easy. The hard part, if you will, was the logistics, making sure we put ourselves in front of every team this season.

We attempted this project last season, but fell one team short. This summer, however, it was an entirely different story:

Jake Mauer (manager); and

Brian Dozier, Shooter Hunt and Tippett; and

Jonathan Goncalves, Chris Herrmann, Nathan Hanson and Steven Blevins; and

Deibinson Romero, Allan De San Miguel, Evan Bigley and Matthew Williams; and

Nicholas Romero, unidentified, Ramon Santana and Angel Morales.

Three-trip ball

For the most part, Colin tries to knock out a Florida State League team-signed ball in a single visit. This one, from the Charlotte Stone Crabs, took three visits.

It all begin in early July, when we made the trip to Bradenton. After loading up on a team ball from the Marauders before the game, Colin turned his postgame attention on the Tampa Bay Rays' FSL Advanced-A affiliate. That first effort landed nine signatures.

A couple weeks alter, we caught the Stone Crabs in Clearwater. There, Colin added a significant number of autographs, including one from former Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli, who was just beginning his comeback attempt. Still, there was one signature lacking.

Last Thursday, in Tampa as the Stone Crabs played the Yankees, we got the final signature from Tim Beckham, the first overall pick in 2008 by the Rays.

In all, the three trips netted 22 autographs:

Jim Morrison (manager);

Tim Beckham, Joseph Cruz, Shane Dyer and Marquis Fleming; and

Chris Andujar, Neil Schenk (we believe, though it could be Nick Barnese), Michael Sheridan, J. Stranz (whoever that is) and Greg Sextion; and

Stephen Vogt, Matthew Moore, Kyeong Kang, unidentified, Frank De Los Santos and Rocco Baldelli; and

Jake Jeffries, Christopher Murrill, Matthew Hall, Anthony Scelfo, Reid Fronk and Frank De Los Santos (yes, twice).

Nineteen on No. 10

After getting 26 autographs on an overloaded team ball from the Lakeland Flying Tigers a couple weeks ago, there was only one direction to head in Colin's latest effort -- down. I'll tell you what, though. We have no complaints.

Colin's more than happy to score 19 autographs from the St. Lucie Mets last Wednesday, completing his 10th team ball out of the 12-team Florida State League. It took quite a bit of effort, too. Not only did Colin add signatures before and after the game, but field-level temperatures also topped 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Don't worry, though. We were prepared. Lots of sunscreen, floppy hats, sunglasses and plenty of Powerades to stay hydrated in the sizzling summer sun. The ball and Colin's pen held up pretty well, too:

Hector Pellot, Eric Beaulac, Nicholas Carr and Joey August; and

Eric Turgeon, Rafael Fernandez, Scott Moviel, Stefan Welch and Rhiner Cruz; and

Kyle Allen, Scott Moviel (yes, again, twice, from before the game), Wilmer Flores (shown above signing for Colin) and Edgar Alfonzo (manager); and

Brandon Moore, Jose Bierd, Elvin Ramirez, Jeurys Familia, unidentified and unidentified.

Running out of room

The pitchers for the Lakeland Flying Tigers must have gotten a late start on the off-day workouts recently. For the first time over the past two Summers of Baseball, we found the group still on the field when the Dunedin Stadium gates opened. Usually, the pitchers are in the clubhouse by the time we arrive, scour the stands for batting practice balls and find a prime hounding spot.

It's not that we're complaining, though, as Colin made good use of our fortune to put together a 26-signature team ball, the ninth of our 12-team Florida State League project this season. Usually, the team-signed balls average 19 signatures each.

Brent Wyatt, Rob Waite, Jared Gayhart, Jacob Turner, Luke Putkonen and Daniel Fields; and

Jose Ortega, Billy Alvino, Jon Kibler, Brandon Douglas (shown above, signing for Colin), Jon Kibler (yes, we know, that's twice), unidentified and Gustavo Nunez; and

Tyler Conn, Erik Crichton, Joe Coleman (pitching coach), Ben Guez, Wilfredo Ramirez, and Alexander Moreno; and

Brayan Villarreal, Bryan Holaday, John Murriam, Carmelo Jaime, Chris White, Larry Herndon (hitting coach) and Billy Nowlin (signed sideways).

Hitting the road

At 39 miles away, old-school McKechnie Field, the home stadium of the Bradenton Marauders of the Florida State League, was the farthest we'd travel during our 2010 Summer of Baseball. Thanks to mostly highway miles and the Sunshine Skyway, it really was nothing more than a hop, skip and a jump.

After last Thursday's visit to watch the Marauders, the Pittsburgh Pirates Advanced-A affiliate, play the Charlotte Stone Crabs, the Tampa Bay Rays' FSL club, I'm expecting we'll make a few more trips to Manatee County in the years ahead.

Though it would have been nice to get top Pittsburgh prospects Tony Sanchez and Starling Marte, this 20-signature team ball, the eighth of the 12-club FSL team ball project, works just fine:

Nathan Adcock, James Skelton, Aaron Pribanic, Jeff Locke, Melkin Laureano and Brock Holt; and

Robbie Grossman, Adam Davis, Jose De Los Santos and Adenson Chourio; and

Quincy Latimore, Casey Erickson, Wally Whitehurst (pitching coach), Brian Leach and Jordan Newton; and

Erik Huber, Greg Picart, Austin McClune, Milver Reyes and Eric Fryer.

Nice job

You have to give the Tampa Yankees staff a well-deserved round of applause for salvaging what could have been a bad night. A band of strong thundershowers soaked George M. Steinbrenner Field, rendering the outfield unplayable in the eyes of the umpires, on the Florida State League club's pre-Fourth of July Night.

Rather than sending fans home damp in disappointment, the team had the players line up across two dugouts for an autograph session, allowing fans to easily work a team item. In Colin's case, it was 21 autographs (albeit in three different inks) on his seventh team ball of the 2010 Summer of Baseball.

Shaeffer Hall, who signed before the game was rained out; and

Myron Leslie, Zoilo Almonte, Jose Pirela and Dellin Betances; and

Mitch Abeita (I believe), Melky Mesa (I believe), Ray Kruml and Adam Olbrychoski; and

Walter Ibarra, Corban Joseph (shown above, signing for Colin), Ryan Baker, Trent Lockwood, Jonathan Ortiz and unidentified and;

Manuel Banuelos, Jack Rye, Trent Lare, Bradley Suttle, Noel Castillo and Juan Marcano.

Making new friends

Who says you need nine innings of baseball to be entertained? Sometimes, all it takes is a friendly, curious lizard. Emerging from a rolled-up field tarp, this little critter kept Colin occupied for quite a few innings last week as the Brevard County Manatees played the Dunedin Blue Jays.

That's not to say, though, that Colin didn't score his sixth Florida State League team ball of the 2010 Summer of Baseball. Nope, he knocked that out of the park before the game, getting 20 signatures to reach the halfway point of his 12-team goal.

Bob Miscik (manager) in the sweet spot; and

Sergio Miranda, Sean Halton (who also gave Colin a bat), Scott Krieger, Mike Ramlow and Matt Cline; and

Jeremy Jeffress, Josh Prince, Corey Frerichs, Cody Scarpetta and Andre LaMontagne; and

Michael Fiers, Michael Roberts, Angel Salome and Juan Sanchez; and

Fred Dabney (pitching coach), Steve Braun, Evan Anundsen, Peter Fatse and unidentified.

Plenty of energy

One would think after four full days of ice hockey camp, with all of the skating, passing and shooting drills as well as daily off-ice conditioning sessions, that Colin might not have enough energy to sit through nine innings of Florida State League baseball, let alone work a team ball.

Well, nothing could be further than the truth. Not only did Colin make it through all nine innings, but he loaded up his fifth team ball of the 2010 Summer of Baseball, getting 19 autographs from the Daytona Cubs before last Thursday's game against the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Chris Siegfried, Matt Matulia (coach), Rebel Ridling, Kyler Burke, David Macias and Luis Flores; and

Smaily Borges, Brett Jackson, Christopher Archer and Dae-Eun Rhee; and

Tom Pratt (pitching coach), Mark Reed, DJ LeMahieu (shown above, signing the ball), Jose Valdez and Mike Perconte; and

Jake Opitz, James Leverton, Ryan Flaherty and Junior Lake (we believe).

David Macias was also kind enough to give Colin this broken bat, even returning to the Cubs' locker room to find the souvenir.

Hey, we remember you

It was a bit weird, in a sense, viewing the Clearwater Threshers as the visitors. Over the past few summers, we've taken in quite a few games at Bright House Field, the home park of the Philadelphia Phillies' Advanced-A squad. This time, though, it was different.

Rather than hang out along the left-field seats in Clearwater, Colin took his customary spot near the visitor's bullpen at Dunedin Stadium, home of the nearby (it's only 6 miles away) rival Dunedin Blue Jays, Toronto's Florida State League affiliate. It's no surprise, either, that the outcome was the same -- plenty of ballplayers willing to make a kid's day.

All told, Colin snagged 16 signatures for his fourth team ball of the 2010 Summer of Baseball campaign:

Cody Overbeck (that's him, above, signing for Colin), Korey Noles, Kevin Jordan (hitting coach) and J.C. Ramirez; and

Darrin Ruf, Jesus Sanchez (we believe), Derrick Mitchell and Brian Gump; and

Tyler Cloyd, Justin DeFratus and Jon Velasquez; and

Chris Kissock, Steve Susdorf, Korby Mintken, Harold Garcia and D'Arby Myers.

Not this time

Last season, during our 2009 Summer of Baseball, we set a goal of getting team-signed balls from all 12 Florida State League teams. Well, we fell one team short, missing out on the Palm Beach Cardinals, the Advanced-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

With that in mind, we made sure we wouldn't repeat the omission, catching the Cardinals at Bright House Field in Clearwater. Not only did Colin score his third team ball of the season, but he witnessed first first-ever grand slam, hit by Xavier Scruggs, shown above signing a team ball for Colin, amid an 11-run inning during Palm Beach's 13-0 trouncing of the Threshers.

Devin Goodwin, Ramon Delgado, Kevin Thomas, Jarred Bogany and Oliver Marmol;

Scott McGregor, Joel Pichardo, David Carpenter and Tommy Phan;

Nick Derba, Mark Diapoules, pitching coach Bryan Eversgard, Matt Frevert and Xaxier Scruggs; and

Rich Racobaldo, a scribble from Phinley, the Threshers mascot, and Colt Sedbrook.