One in the books

When it comes right down to it, the biggest reason we went to Saturday's game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Rays was to hear the Barenaked Ladies perform after the '90s Night game.

Even after the hour-plus-long show by the Toronto-based band, the biggest thing I'll take away from the game is Colin's effort to score an entire game. Sure, it was fun hearing the band's hits If I Had $1000000, One Week, Old Apartment, Brian Wilson and Who Needs Sleep, but for the kid to satisfy one of our goals for the 2010 Summer of Baseball -- learning how to score a game -- was decidedly more cool.

Having had to work until five minutes before the 4:05 p.m. start, I didn't join Momma and Colin in Section 308 until the top of the second inning (The paper's offices are a good 10- to 15-minute walk from Tropicana Field). He'd scored the first inning without a hitch, even writing the players' last names in cursive.

It didn't take long, though, for me to realize that he was in this game for the long haul. Usually, we go for a two-inning walk during Rays games, checking out souvenirs and other amenities at the Trop. This time, however, he took a pass.

Inning by inning, he kept score, remembering to write a backward "K" if a player struck out looking, telling me if a double play was 6-4-3 or 4-6-3 and asking about fielder's choices and getting an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

As much as hockey forms a strong bond between us, it's quickly becoming apparent that baseball, too, will be a fluid line of communication for this father and his son. I couldn't be happier.

We'll be busy

With three games scheduled for this week -- actually, three within four days -- you'd think we'd be busy enough. Ha! I wish that was the case. No, we're not content enough to take in two Florida State League games as well as a Tampa Bay Rays game.

Starting in about an hour, Colin hits the ice, taking part in his first-ever summer hockey camp. For the next five days, he'll work on his skating, stickhandling, shooting, passing and conditioning at the Pinellas Police Athletic League camp in Clearwater.

On Wednesday and Thursday, after spending nearly four hours on the ice, we'll head north to Dunedin to watch and hopefully get team balls from the Tampa Yankees and Daytona Cubs of the Advanced-A Florida State League. On Saturday, a day after Colin's hockey camp ends, we'll watch the Arizona Diamondbacks play the Rays. After that game, the Barenaked Ladies (one of my favorite bands) will perform.

Sounds like a full week to me.

Rays concert: Dierks Bentley

Colin was all decked out Saturday for the Tampa Bay Rays' Country Night at Tropicana Field. The blue wig showed he's a Rays fan. The cowboy hat was a nod to Dierks Bentley, the postgame entertainment. The smile? That's all his. After all, the Rays beat cross-state rivals, the Florida Marlins, 6-5.

On select Saturday nights, the Rays host postgame concerts. Sure, the tickets may cost a little more ($18) than a midweek ($9) game, but it's a cool twist on a doubleheader. In a couple Saturdays, we'll see the Barenaked Ladies on '90s Night.

Bentley's show was our third Country Night concert. Trace Adkins kicked it off in 2008. Last year, it was Big & Rich. Maybe next year, the Rays will bring in Darius Rucker or the Zac Brown Band.

As the sign says, Bentley, who performed for more than an hour, was part of the Rays' Summer Concert Series.

Sitting where we were, the jumbo screen provided a much closer look.

The stage set-up that keeps folks from running through the infield. Our view from Row H in the 300s at the Trop. We'll go down to field level next time.

Staying cool

For as hot as it gets in July and August down here in Florida, air-conditioning is a fact of daily life. It's pretty useful in June, too.

Had it not been for fortuitous timing Saturday, we might not have made it inside a local credit union, where the Tampa Bay Rays' Reid Brignac was putting in an hourlong signing session. At a balmy 90-plus degrees outside, we were, for a moment, soaking up the AC, one step inside the doorway.

After another family showed up, a credit union rep said the line might have to resume outside the door. Customers, you see, had to be directed to the "real" customer line.

In time, the line sorted itself out. In all, we spent about 25 minutes waiting for our turn. After getting these three items, it was time well spent, I'd say.

Brignac joined the work-in-progress Rays team helmet. That's his signature, just to the left of the logo. Pitchers J.P. Howell, left, and James Shields are among the others who've signed.

Two will do

If it weren't for Detroit pitching coach Rick Knapp and pitcher Casey Fien, the time Colin spent along the third-base line Saturday night would have went all for naught. No complaints, though. Two autographs are two autographs. Now, if only the Rays would've won. At the least, he got to hear the Beach Boys.

A good one to get

If you're going to get one autograph at a Major League Baseball game, it might as well be a good one. Right?

At least, that's what Allan, Baseball Monday's correspondent in Toronto, relates after taking in a Tampa Bay Rays-Toronto Blue Jays game last week at the Rogers Centre. Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria signed this baseball for his wife just before the game.

It sounds like Longoria followed his pregame routine at the Trop:

"We missed batting practice, but did manage to get there when the players came out to stretch about 20 minutes before game time. We were on the Rays side and my wife got Evan Longoria's auto on a ball.

"Longoria signed for about a dozen people and then ran off to the dugout. I think everyone in the original crowd got an auto, but the secondary rush got shut out.''

Smart move

When we first walked down near the Texas Rangers' dugout Saturday, I never imagined we'd get an autograph. There were a ton of people, stacked two to three deep in places, along the third base line. All told, I'm guessing at least 75.

Rather than join the throngs, though, we headed farther up the line, moving closer to the bullpen and away from the teeming mass of humanity. The move, I believe, paid off as Colin, decked out in his big black cowboy hat for Cowboy Night at the Trop, snagged five autographs from members of the Rangers organization.

Perhaps, you've heard of some of these players, from left: Doug Mathes, Omar Vizquel, Andruw Jones, Eddie Guardado and player-turned-GM-turned broadcaster Tom Grieve.

Toss in a Rays' 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings and a postgame concert by Big & Rich, and it's safe to say we all had a good night.

Gee, thanks, Raymond

Rather than try to add to his Tampa Bay Rays team ball, Colin wanted to hound the Baltimore Orioles before Thursday's game. As a result, I made a game-dated team sheet for him, trying out programs on our new computer and putting a new printer through its paces.

It was working well, too, as five members of the Orioles squad took the time to sign the team sheet: Jim Johnson, from left, third base coach Juan Samuel, Chris Tillman, Chad Mueller and bullpen coach Alan Dunn.

Then Raymond, the Tampa Bay Rays' mascot, stopped by. Needless to say, Raymond wasn't amused, as Colin, decked out in Rays gear, showed him the sheet. That's his big "X" crossing out the Orioles logo, as well as his autograph.

Between seasons, too

I guess we're not the only hockey hounds passing the time during the offseason by adding to our baseball collections. Allan, one of Hound Central 4.0's correspondents, checked in from Toronto to share the rewards of hounding at a couple of recent Blue Jays games.

As you can see, this haul hasn't too shabby, adding balls (above) from Jays legend Roberto Alomar, top, and Scott Downs, currently in Dunedin on a rehab assignment, and John McDonald. Jays rookie Travis Snider signed the ball at left.

They all add up

In all honesty, it's unrealistic to expect completing a team ball at any Major League Baseball game. The competition is tougher, the security less enabling and, quite simply, most players are, shall we say, more focused.

That doesn't mean, though, that you can't work a team ball a couple signatures at a time. That's exactly what Colin did yesterday before the Toronto-Tampa Bay game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

He worked his way into the crowd gathered near the dugout and along the first-base line, eventually earning front-row position, and snagged a pair of autographs from these two Rays players:

Pitcher Matt Garza, who worked the crowds near the Rays dugout about 45 minutes before the game; and

Outfielder Gabe Kapler, who, despite not being a member of last season's magical squad, signed right above the commemorative honor.

All told, Colin now has six autographs on his 2009 Tampa Bay Rays team ball. We have a few more opportunities, too, to add to the total.

At least Larry signed

After getting shot down by Daytona Cubs batting coach Richie Zisk not too long ago, I wasn't sure if we'd add any more former big-leaguers to the Major League Baseball Alumni ball before our Summer of Baseball came to a close.

Thanks to Larry Herndon, a hitting coach for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, the Florida State League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, we now have seven signatures from former MLB players. If we can squeeze in a trip to see the Tampa Yankees, and that may be difficult to do, we'll try to add Luis Sojo.

Herndon, who signed before last Thursday's game against the Clearwater Threshers, played for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers over 14 seasons.

In case you're wondering, that's an autograph from former big-leaguer Mike Heath above Herndon's signature.

Man, was it hot

Knowing well enough to slather on sunscreen and keep ourselves well-hydrated, our initial inklings that summertime matinees in Florida can be played in brutally hot temperatures were proven true last Wednesday during a game between the St. Lucie Mets and Clearwater Threshers at Bright House Field in Clearwater.

After snagging a handful of autographs, including a couple from Dominic Brown, a top-rated prospect within the Philadelphia Phillies organization, we settled down -- in the shade -- to record just how hot it gets in Florida during the summer months.

No, we're not gluttons for punishment. If we had our druthers, we'd watch every baseball game from the cool comfort of air conditioning. In this case, though, we wanted to show how foolish it was for the Tampa Bay Rays, in search of a new stadium, to even consider an open-air setting, albeit one that proposed a sail-like covering that was supposed to protect players and fans from the elements.

So, armed with a digital thermometer, we joined a couple hundred kids from summer camps last Wednesday in experiencing what was, honestly, a physically demanding day of watching baseball.

Here, listed in inning-by-inning fashion, are our findings, taken every inning as the teams switched positions, of just how hot it can get during a matinee game:

First inning: 99.8 degrees, 12:04 p.m.
Second inning: 100 degrees, 12:13 p.m.
Third inning: 100.8 degrees, 12:26 p.m.
Fourth inning: 104.6 degrees, 12:47 p.m.
Fifth inning: 109.2 degrees, 1 p.m.
Sixth inning: 108.2 degrees, 1:14 p.m.
Seventh inning: 99 degrees (a huge cloud blocked out the sun), 1:35 p.m.
Eighth inning: 104.8 degrees, 1:51 p.m.
Ninth inning: 102.6 degrees, 2:11 p.m.

The highest reading of the day? How about 110.6 degrees, as the Mets batted in the top of the fifth?

Thankfully, the Rays have abandoned the silly notion of an open-air stadium, instead talking about one with a retractable roof. Until then, though, we'll be content to sit in the air-conditioned comfort of Tropicana Field, the Rays' home dome.

And, really, do you blame us?

Remember him?

Most every Florida State League team roster carries a former big leaguer on its coaching staff, hence our work-in-progress Major League Baseball Alumni team ball project.

Sarasota's batting coach Jorge Orta, who played for five teams in his 15-year career and won a World Series ring with the 1985 Kansas City Royals, became the latest ex-player to add to the project.

Pretty sweet signature, too, if you ask me.

It's a start

Last year, Colin and I spent a long, muggy afternoon at the tail end of the All Star break working a team-signed ball from the Tampa Bay Rays. This season, however, the ball is going to take a little longer.

Colin scored the first four signatures of another of our Summer of Baseball projects before last Thursday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, again weathering a fairly muggy day and a considerably bigger crowd of hounds.

Still, the four players who did stop to sign provided a decent start to the project:

Shawn Riggans, top, and Akinori Iwamura (top photo, signing for fans in the Rays' parking lot); and

Gabe Gross, top, and Carl Crawford.

The ball, as well as a few other items, were part of our so-called doubleheader day. After attending the Jays-Rays game, we traveled to Tampa to dodge some raindrops and hound the Daytona Cubs of the Florida State League. After the Cubs-Yankees game was rained out, we turned our attention to hockey, namely the Tampa Bay Lightning's Young Guns camp.

Taking full advantage

When it comes to getting autographs, Colin often employs an advantage that is often unfair to others.

First, he's a kid and that scores major points with big league ballplayers. He's quick with "please" and "thank you" any time he gets an autograph, too. His advantage, however, goes beyond that -- his handdrawn team sheets, especially ones with an old-school logo, are a big hit, so to speak, with players.

Granted, he may have had only four Toronto Blue Jays players sign his most recent work of art, but he was among the first to get an autograph from four pitchers before last Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Who signed? How about, from left, Brandon League, Jason Frasor, Jesse Carlson and Scott Downs.

Did you see this?

Tucked within our baseball hounding activities of Shark Week between the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Clearwater Threshers was an interesting sidebar: It seems the Tampa Bay Rays took exception to a Threshers bobblehead promotion, featuring players from the 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, the Threshers' parent club.

The St. Petersburg Times was all over the story.

Scoring four

After getting just one or two autographs on one of his hand-drawn team sheets, Colin went deep -- in terms of autographs -- with his latest Major League Baseball effort of the summer baseball-hounding season. Last Thursday, before the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Rays, Colin got four Royals players, including star pitcher Zack Grienke, to sign his latest team sheet.

The others to sign were also pitchers: Doug Waechter, a St. Petersburg, Fla., native who added a Bible verse (Colossians 3:23 (New International Version) - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.); Ron Mahay and Jamey Wright.

This Sunday, he'll have one for the visiting Washington Nationals.

Tough crowd

One would think that Major League Baseball players would find Colin's team sheets hard to ignore. They're hand-drawn and there's no way they'd ever end up on eBay.

Unfortunately, that's not the case.

Only Minnesota third baseman Brian Buscher, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., took the time to sign for Colin before the Twins' 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday at the Trop.

I'm thinking that future attempts for Major League Baseball clubs will have to follow our normal hockey-hounding routines. Instead of hanging out near the dugout, we'll try our luck at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg, where teams stay when they're in town.

Too bad Philly won it

Though we were disappointed when the Tampa Bay Rays lost to the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2008 World Series, we weren't going to miss out on an opportunity to see the famed World Series trophy when it came to Clearwater recently.

Granted, it'll never carry the stature and status of Lord Stanley's Cup -- at least in our humble household -- it was cool seeing the trophy, all shiny in silver and gold, for the three innings it was on display at Bright House Networks Field, home of the Phillies spring training and Florida State League affiliate, the Clearwater Threshers.

Besides checking out the World Series trophy, Colin also added to his Clearwater Threshers team ball. Among those adding to it was Kyle Drabek, the Phils' first-round pick (18th overall) in the 2006 MLB draft, who's coming back from Tommy John surgery. His signature, with the No. 8, is second from the bottom.

Also signing were Luis Ramon Arzeno, Chance Chapman, Michael Cisco, Fidel Hernandez, Tim Kennelly, Cody Overbeck and Johan Sampson.

He'll take two

It might not be the greatest start to our Major League Baseball hounding campaign, but we all have to start somewhere.

With the Oakland A's in town to play the Tampa Bay Rays last week, we took in an afternoon game on a fly-away day. Despite the rain and grousing about a $15 parking fee, we made it inside -- dry and in time -- for Colin to snag the first two MLB autographs of the campaign on one of his hand-drawn team sheets.

Oakland pitcher Brett Anderson, who won a bronze with Team USA at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, was the first to sign. A's pitching coach Curt Young, who spent 10 years in the big leagues, also signed, even engaging Colin, decked out in Rays gear, in a conversation about his loyalties.

"Hey, you got a lot of Rays stuff on. Who are you rooting for - the Rays or the A's?" Young asked.

"I like the Rays because they're my hometown team," Colin replied. "But I really like baseball."

"That's good," Young said. "That's what I wanted to hear."