Day 1

Well, the 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates Fantasy Camp has officially begun. Sure, the opening banquet was on Saturday night, and that was all well and good. Sunday was when the real action started.

First up was the 5 inning evaluation game. I was put onto Team 5, and we played Team 7 on Field 3 (the turf field here at Pirate City). At the plate, this 2013 camp began with me getting hit by a pitch twice in my only two plate appearances of the game. In the field, I played 1 inning in right field with no chances, 1 inning in center field with no chances, and 1 marathon inning as the catcher. The evaluation game ended with our team on the short end of the stick, but it was only an evaluation game so no big deal.

After the game was over, I was drafted by Richie Hebner and Bob Walk onto Team Waner. I played for Bob Walk at last year's camp, and I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly. (Even though we did not win a single game in 2012.)

In the afternoon, we played our first league game on Field 4 vs. Team Wagner. The game started out a bit rough as we fell behind in the middle innings, and found ourselves reaching the top of the 7th inning trailing by a score of 11 to 6. We were not to be denied however, as we scored 9 runs in the top of the 7th and then retired the Wagners in order in the bottom of the 7th to win the game by a score of 15 to 11. Personally, I played 4 innings in right field with no chances, and at the dish, I had a single and 1 RBI with the bases loaded, had another single, grounded into a fielder's choice (my hardest hit ball of the day, right at someone of course), and I walked and scored a run in the final inning. Unfortunately, I started getting some painful cramps in my calves when I was on the basepaths in that 7th inning, so it is fortunate I was able to hold it together long enough to cross the plate.

Double header Tuesday, hopefully the legs will hold out.

By the way, I would like to give a shout out to Kent Tekulve, the camp commissioner who, due to illness, was unable to be here for the start of camp. We are hopeful that he can make it down to Florida by the end of the camp. Get well, Teke.