Photo by Rob Carlson/Sports Media Northwest
San Diego Padres prospect Mitch Canham makes a throw to second base during morning minor league workouts.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Day 8 The Final Day
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Today is my last day of Spring Training and I have to admit I am a little--actually a lot-- sad about it. It seemed to go by so fast! I got to the ballpark at 9:00 am and got all set up; again I am the only one in the press box this early. I opened a few of the large windows to let the fresh air and ballpark smells in. I sat and watched the grounds crew touch up the big "Peoria-15 years" logo just behind home plate. The smells from the food stands are already filling the morning air; the overwhelming smell is barbecue today. I then headed out to the minor league practice fields to try and get some last minute shots of Mitch Canham and finally do an interview with him. I guess I thought I would have all this time to do everything that I wanted to do, but now it is coming to an end. Thinking back, I wonder to myself, should I have done more? Did I miss anything? As a member of the press who has never covered spring training before, I had no idea of what to expect. I didn’t think it would be so hard to get everything done. Eight days seemed like a long time to just go and shoot some baseball games, but there is so much more prep work involved…like knowing the prospects, finding out where and when they play, then actually making it to the games or practices. Identifying the players was also very hard--you almost need a second person just to spot for you and carry around rosters to locate the players. When, not if, I do this again I will put a lot more prep work into it. I did spend many hours this time researching minor league players, but again it still didn’t seem like enough. It is 3:00 pm and I just got back to the press box for the last time, it is the top of the 6th inning and my camera is acting up again, so I thought that was a sign to pack it up and head for home. The ballpark is full today and the grass areas are so covered with people there is hardly any green showing. The temperature feels like it is in the high 80’s. I will always remember this spring training, my first as a member of the media. It has been amazing! Rob has left the building.
Scores:
Mariners lost to the Royals 8-3 in Peoria, AZ
Padres won 3-2 against the Royals in Surprise, AZ
Today is my last day of Spring Training and I have to admit I am a little--actually a lot-- sad about it. It seemed to go by so fast! I got to the ballpark at 9:00 am and got all set up; again I am the only one in the press box this early. I opened a few of the large windows to let the fresh air and ballpark smells in. I sat and watched the grounds crew touch up the big "Peoria-15 years" logo just behind home plate. The smells from the food stands are already filling the morning air; the overwhelming smell is barbecue today. I then headed out to the minor league practice fields to try and get some last minute shots of Mitch Canham and finally do an interview with him. I guess I thought I would have all this time to do everything that I wanted to do, but now it is coming to an end. Thinking back, I wonder to myself, should I have done more? Did I miss anything? As a member of the press who has never covered spring training before, I had no idea of what to expect. I didn’t think it would be so hard to get everything done. Eight days seemed like a long time to just go and shoot some baseball games, but there is so much more prep work involved…like knowing the prospects, finding out where and when they play, then actually making it to the games or practices. Identifying the players was also very hard--you almost need a second person just to spot for you and carry around rosters to locate the players. When, not if, I do this again I will put a lot more prep work into it. I did spend many hours this time researching minor league players, but again it still didn’t seem like enough. It is 3:00 pm and I just got back to the press box for the last time, it is the top of the 6th inning and my camera is acting up again, so I thought that was a sign to pack it up and head for home. The ballpark is full today and the grass areas are so covered with people there is hardly any green showing. The temperature feels like it is in the high 80’s. I will always remember this spring training, my first as a member of the media. It has been amazing! Rob has left the building.
Scores:
Mariners lost to the Royals 8-3 in Peoria, AZ
Padres won 3-2 against the Royals in Surprise, AZ
Day 7 Photos
Photo by Rob Carlson/Sports Media NorthwestMariner catcher Kenji Jojima looks to the umpire for the call after putting the tag on Royals Mark Teahen.
Day 7
Friday, March 21, 2008
I arrived at the ball park around 10:30 am; it was a little bit of a late night last night with a night game, so I slept in a little this morning. I was thinking on the way over that things are kind of winding down and I only have today and tomorrow to shoot and try to accomplish all the things I set out to do. It has been an awesome experience that I would like to do every year! I decided to just shoot the major league game today and try and get a little editing done before game time. The press box seems to be a great place to work and reflect on things. Even though I have shot many, many Husky, Seahawk and Mariner games not to mention the hundreds of high school games, it wasn’t until now after shooting spring training that I really got that WOW feeling. I am really a member of the press and I get to enjoy my two passions photography and sports! Midway through the second or third inning, I started getting black frames on my main camera…oh no, I think it might be a shutter going out. I was having a hard time trying to diagnose it down on the field. If that is the problem, I am glad it happened now toward the end of the my time here instead of at the beginning. Luckily I do have a back up camera body, although much, much slower, it will work in a pinch. I decided to pack up the camera bag for the day and take in an inning or two from the press box. These have to be the best seats in the house. Where else can you sit and watch a major league baseball game, surf the internet on your laptop and enjoy an ice cold beverage while being able to say "I am working"? I would have to say being a member of the press definitely has its perks.
Scores:
Padres lost to Milwaukee 4-3 in Phoenix, AZ
Mariners lost to the Royals 8-3 in Peoria, AZ
I arrived at the ball park around 10:30 am; it was a little bit of a late night last night with a night game, so I slept in a little this morning. I was thinking on the way over that things are kind of winding down and I only have today and tomorrow to shoot and try to accomplish all the things I set out to do. It has been an awesome experience that I would like to do every year! I decided to just shoot the major league game today and try and get a little editing done before game time. The press box seems to be a great place to work and reflect on things. Even though I have shot many, many Husky, Seahawk and Mariner games not to mention the hundreds of high school games, it wasn’t until now after shooting spring training that I really got that WOW feeling. I am really a member of the press and I get to enjoy my two passions photography and sports! Midway through the second or third inning, I started getting black frames on my main camera…oh no, I think it might be a shutter going out. I was having a hard time trying to diagnose it down on the field. If that is the problem, I am glad it happened now toward the end of the my time here instead of at the beginning. Luckily I do have a back up camera body, although much, much slower, it will work in a pinch. I decided to pack up the camera bag for the day and take in an inning or two from the press box. These have to be the best seats in the house. Where else can you sit and watch a major league baseball game, surf the internet on your laptop and enjoy an ice cold beverage while being able to say "I am working"? I would have to say being a member of the press definitely has its perks.
Scores:
Padres lost to Milwaukee 4-3 in Phoenix, AZ
Mariners lost to the Royals 8-3 in Peoria, AZ
Day 6 Photos
Photo by Rob Carlson/Sports Media NorthwestMariner centerfielder digs for third base against the Padres.
Photo by Rob Carlson/Sports Media Northwest
The final score tells it all.
Day 6
Thursday, March 20, 2008
I took my wife Shannon and son Andrew out to the complex today to check things out. Shannon had only driven by it, so she was very excited to see it. I spent a little time shooting an intrasquad game between the Padres AA and AAA teams then we headed off to the souvenir store for a little shopping. We headed back to the "hotel" to let Andrew gear up for a late night at the ballpark. I got to the park around 6:00 pm and got set up; the family followed about 30 minutes later. They had great seats! The Padres media relations department really came through. Not only did they give me access to just about anything I needed, but they also gave me four tickets for my family to attend tonight’s game. I shot the game which fittingly enough ended in a 6-6 tie so there would be no gloating by either side in the Carlson house tonight. It is hard when you have a split team loyalties. I grew up in San Diego, so my team has always been the Padres and my wife grew up in Renton (just outside of Seattle), so her team has always been the Mariners, but tonight there would be no controversy as to whose team was better.
Score:
Padres 6 Mariners 6 in Peoria, AZ
I took my wife Shannon and son Andrew out to the complex today to check things out. Shannon had only driven by it, so she was very excited to see it. I spent a little time shooting an intrasquad game between the Padres AA and AAA teams then we headed off to the souvenir store for a little shopping. We headed back to the "hotel" to let Andrew gear up for a late night at the ballpark. I got to the park around 6:00 pm and got set up; the family followed about 30 minutes later. They had great seats! The Padres media relations department really came through. Not only did they give me access to just about anything I needed, but they also gave me four tickets for my family to attend tonight’s game. I shot the game which fittingly enough ended in a 6-6 tie so there would be no gloating by either side in the Carlson house tonight. It is hard when you have a split team loyalties. I grew up in San Diego, so my team has always been the Padres and my wife grew up in Renton (just outside of Seattle), so her team has always been the Mariners, but tonight there would be no controversy as to whose team was better.
Score:
Padres 6 Mariners 6 in Peoria, AZ
Day 5
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
I decided to take a little break from shooting and spend a little family time and just enjoy the sun. The Mariners played the Diamondbacks at Peoria and won 7-4 in a game under the lights.
I decided to take a little break from shooting and spend a little family time and just enjoy the sun. The Mariners played the Diamondbacks at Peoria and won 7-4 in a game under the lights.
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