It has been 2 days so far. 2 of the most amazing days of my life. Let me go thru this with you. The bus picks us up at 7:15am Tuesday. We head over to Legends Field. Upon our arrival we are treated and act like the Yankees. Get off the bus. grab your bag and head up the runway tunnel to the clubhouse. What an amazing feeling. So amazing that tears were ready to fall from my eyes. Entering the clubhouse for the first time is unbelievable. You freeze at the doorway just to look around. This is the actual locker room that the Yankees use during Spring Training. Once you find your locker, you are in aw again. Not only is there a name plate at the top, but your Yankee Uniform hanging right there in front of you. For me the experience was a little numbing. I am a huge Reggie Jackson fan. Reggie is number 44. In my locker everything was number 34. I was crushed, ready to explode or cry. I didn't know what to do. Long story short it was an administrative error and everything has since been corrected. I am now wearing number 44. But for day 1 I was 34. Like I said they treat you like a Yankee every part of the day. The clubhouse attendants and trainers are the same folks that work with the real Yankees. Don't hold back. Everything goes. From doing our laundry each day, to taking care of the pulls, bumps and bruises we are the Yankees for the week. Everything in your locker is yours. You get a full home uniform, batting practice jersey (we use as away jersey), t-shirt, satin jacket, a duffel bag filled with flip flops, sneakers, wind shirt, wind pants and golf shirt.
There are 9 teams of about 11-13 people to start. Those numbers dwindle down fast as people get hurt and cannot play anymore. There are 4 games going on at once. The odd team out spends time in the batting cages beneath the stadium. Oh yeah, we get a Yankee ID for the week which basically allows you to go everywhere except for Mr. Steinbrenner's Office. I just open doors up to see where the lead. Very fun indeed. 2 games are played at Legends Field (one on the field and one on a satellite field). And 2 are played at the development center which is about a 5 minute bus ride away. Each team is guaranteed 1 game on Legends Field. In addition to that each team plays 2-3 innings against the Legends on Saturday there as well. Some of these repeat campers come as teams. My team not the case. All but 1 of us is brand new to the camp. Some of these teams actually come down the week prior and practice to prepare.
We play full nine inning games or 2 hours. The first 3 innings the campers pitch. After which the coaches pitch batting practice ball to keep the games moving. Also there is no walking. My team, The Sultans is not very good. We are 0-4 after 2 days of games. My first at bat was a strikeout. I will use the excuse of nerves. Ever since I have been en fuego. I finished the 1st game 3-5 with 2 doubles. In game 2 I was 3-4. This morning we got to play on Legends Field. I had my least productive game going 1-4, but I had a double that sailed over the left fielder. This afternoon I had my best game going 4-5 with a bases loaded triple. And then in the bottom of the ninth down by 1 run I hit a single up the middle to send the game to extra innings. So I am 11-18 after 2 days. Unfortunately they do not keep stats. This is my own personal satisfaction.
All the players are approachable and like to have a good time. Every time the ball is hit to his team Oscar Gamble says "we have someone there". I caught Strawberry smoking a cigarette today in between innings. Mike Torrez (my coach) just wants us to win. Every morning in the clubhouse the old timers come in an hold "court". Here players are assessed fines for various thing from forgetting to put on a helmet to not hustling to doing something wrong. All the money for these fines go to the Catfish Hunter foundation not Mickey Rivers gambling habit. Fines range from $5 to $1000. Yes $1000.
From the moment we get here we are promised a "special guest" will come for 2 hours on Tuesday to sign autographs. Rumors had been running around camp that it would be Reggie Jackson. Others said that some of the old timers called Derek Jeter and told him to get is $100 million ass down here and meet the campers. The "special guest" was Tino Martinez. He spent about 2 hours with us signed anything. He was great. He posed for pictures with everybody. He even got on the phone with my mother to say Hi for a few minutes. A very classy guy and a true Yankee who won 4 rings with the team. There is still a rumor floating that another guest will be joining us before the end of the week.
So far so good. A few cramps (a nice 55 degree bath helps). A lot of fun ..............
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