Notes: Camping weekend ahead

Plans announced for weekend adventure
By Beth Sass / hereforthesass.blogspot.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- Camping in the outfield: Major League baseball teams have done it before. Independent League baseball teams have, too.

However, when the Beth and Dawn started making plans for a weekend of camping, they decided to do something different. Rather than just a one-night stay, the weekend of camping will be an entire weekend affair. It will take place June 23-25.

Fans may buy the weekend package (prices vary depending on the seats for the game; contact the ticket office for more information), fans can come Friday night, watch the Sass face the Destroyers. Afterwards, they will be allowed onto the outfield to set up tents and stay the night. While Sassians will not be staying the night with the fans, they will be at the stadium on Saturday morning and will serve breakfast, starting at 9:00 a.m.

“That was a concession to Beth, who didn’t want to get up any earlier than that,” Dawn explained.

Tents will be taken down, and fans will be allowed to store them in specially designated areas. Showers will be available. After breakfast, the Sassians and fans will play in a quick whiffle ball tournament. A Sassy Burger lunch will be provided in the picnic area inside Sass Stadium, with the coaching staff grilling the burgers (Bronson Arroyo may not be available for this). In case of rain, lunch will be served in the seating area. Fans may then watch as the Sass and Destroyers take batting and fielding practice. Sass front office officials will be available for questions. Coaches will intermittently join the fans to explain the nuances of batting and fielding practice.

After the game Saturday, there will be fireworks (in case of rain, Sassians will entertain the fans for an hour with stand-up comedy). Fans will stay the night again, and brunch will be served, again by the Sassians, Sunday morning.

During all three games, camping fans will receive coupons for free Sassy Hot-Dog Meals (hot dogs, chips, a cookie, and a medium drink).

If there is rain, the roof of Sass Stadium will be closed and the camping will go on as planned.

It’s a Small World: Outfielder Adam Dunn and pitcher Brad Halsey were chatting before the game on Tuesday. Both grew up in Houston, TX, but had gone to different schools.

“Adam’s a year older,” Brad said, “But we played against each other in high school. He was good then--the first time I saw him play, I thought ‘Wow. I bet I’ll watch that guy on TV someday.’ I never realized that one day I’d be a teammate of his--and our families would be watching both of us on TV!”

Adam remembered the young Brad impressing him.

“I was a good player, and I knew I had a shot at going pro, but Brad, there was no question in my mind that I was looking at a future star. He had the determination and fight to make it--no matter what he did. And his fastball--even then--was pretty lethal to our hitters!”

However, on Tuesday they realized that they had played for the same T-ball team when Adam was 5 and Brad was 4.

“We lived across town from each other,” Brad said, “Y’all gotta realize that there are a lot of T-ball leagues in the city. I don’t know why I was in the league all the way across town.”

The West Side Rockets were the City Champions that year.

“We were talking on Tuesday about different prized possessions. I started recalling the awesome trophies my t-ball team was given for winning the City Championship. As I described it, Brad interrupted me to say he had the exact same trophy. The trophies every year were different, so it became apparent we were on the same winning team,” Adam said.

Officially, he can play first: Due to BFL rules that all players must have at least 10 MLB starts at a position to play that position in BFL games, utility player Michael Cuddyer had only been available at second base, third base, and in the outfield. That all changed on Friday, when Michael played a game for the Minnesota Twins and played first base, his 10th major league start at first base.

Beth and Dawn received official paperwork from the BFL Headquarters on Tuesday, allowing Michael to play first. Both were quite pleased with yet another option for the already-valuable Michael.

“Well, I don’t know that we’ll ever put him there,” Beth said, “Since we already have enough options between Doug [Mientkiewicz] and Adam. But it’s very nice to know we have the option, should the need arise. What I’d really like is for him to play catcher, though.” She then grinned and glanced mischievously at Michael, who laughed.

Michael has never played catcher in his life, so there’s not a lot of expectation that he’ll get ten games in as catcher this year.