Know Your Foe: Stephen Curry, Sharpshooting Babyface
June 1, 2015Everything you need to know about the Cavs and future salaries
June 1, 2015This past weekend, while most of you were asleep in Northeast Ohio, the Cleveland Indians traveled to the Pacific Northwest to play four games against the Seattle Mariners. Both teams received lavish praise from writers in the spring and neither has lived up to the hype so far. However, the teams’ records mattered little to me as a recent transplant to Olympia, WA. There is a unique thrill in attending a baseball game and cheering for the visiting team. For one thing, it goes against the thesis of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” For another, it provides unique perspective on your team and the culture of a different city and club. So first, let’s talk Seattle.
Seattle is a football town. This is not surprising since the NFL’s Seahawks won the NFC last season and the Super Bowl the year before. While football moves the needle the most, one could argue that fútbol comes in a close second. The Sounders regularly lead Major League Soccer in attendance and have become a major attraction in the Emerald City. As for basketball? It’s best not to bring it up with the locals. When the NBA’s Supersonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, it created a hole in the city’s sports landscape. And based on the number of Sonics hats, shirts, and jerseys I saw around town it seems like the team still occupies people’s minds. So where does that leave the Mariners?
Before Saturday’s game I spoke with a young man named Mitchel who traveled across the state from Spokane (a four-hour drive) just for the game. He contested that the Mariners are not only the city’s team, but that the whole state also supports them. While they have not had as much success as the ‘Hawks, he feels that true fans are loyal no matter what. Some season ticket holders live as far as three hours away, which conjures up comparisons to the Green Bay Packers’ faithful. When pressed to predict how this season will play out, he guessed the M’s would rally to earn a spot in the AL Wild Card Game. If Mitchel is any indication, then the diehards are not short on passion no matter what the attendance figures say.
As for my experience, I attended both Thursday’s 5-3 victory and Saturday’s 4-3 triumph. Most Indians fans, like me, purchased tickets in the lower bowl behind the visitors’ dugout. We gathered near the field as the Tribe finished up their batting practice. I called out “O-H” to former Buckeye Nick Swisher, who dutifully returned an “I-O.” It’s the simple things in life. Down the third base line Michael Brantley shared a moment with his father, who lives in nearby Bellevue. Eventually they succumbed to the children extending baseballs and markers supplicating for an autograph. Seeing ballplayers up close and personal is always exciting, especially when it is your team. I returned to my seats and took stock of the building.
Safeco Field is a gorgeous ballpark. Located on the south side of downtown, it sits across the street from Century Link Field – home of the Sounders and Seahawks. A retractable roof rests above right field in the event of rain, though clear skies hung over this series. The jumbotron in centerfield is the largest in Major League Baseball. The food ranges from the classic (peanuts, hot dogs, popcorn) to the exotic (sushi, garlic fries, clam chowder). An intimate park, there are no truly bad seats, and if you sit in the upper deck along the first baseline you enjoy an expansive view of the city. I highly recommend it to any and all baseball fans.
A fan named Jeremy had shaved his head in solidarity with Mike Aviles and his family. Jeremy has never been to Cleveland
A fan named Jeremy had shaved his head in solidarity with Mike Aviles and his family. Jeremy has never been to Cleveland
Surveying the crowd, one can plainly see eras merging in the crowd’s composition. A father wearing a “Griffey” jersey sits next to his son wearing one of “Cano.” Even in the middle of the summer, football makes its presence felt. Every section seems to have at least a handful of fans sporting Seahawks caps or jerseys. The crowd for both games seemed subdued. When the jumbotron prompted the throng to “Make it LOUD!!!” they obliged, but there seemed to be no organic cheering in between. However, when any Mariner made a great play they vigorously voiced their approval. When I stood and cheered during Brandon Moss’ and Jerry Sands’ home runs they offered some semi-serious boo’s, but no one would confuse them for a rough-and-tumble Chicago or New York crowd. Overall I received no poor treatment from the home team’s fans. After the second game I spoke with a few locals about any ill will toward the Indians. They perceived neither hostility nor intense rivalry between the clubs. When I asked, “What comes to mind when I say ‘Cleveland Indians’?” most people said “The movie with Charlie Sheen.” So there’s that.
The games themselves were terrific for Cleveland. Corey Kluber shone on Thursday. He struck out 13 Mariners in 7 innings and convinced the city that he does have Cy Young stuff. Brandon Moss hit one of the loudest home runs I have ever heard to deep center field, and Jason Kipnis remained conflagrant in knocking three hits. Cody Allen recorded a 1-2-3 save.
Saturday’s contest proved to be a tighter affair. Cleveland’s Shaun Marcum and Seattle’s Roenis Elias both pitched unevenly but avoided disaster. The game turned in the bottom of the seventh. Trailing 4-3, the M’s had the bases loaded with two outs. Nick Hagadone entered from the Tribe ‘pen and recorded a tremendous strikeout of Kyle Seager. The Wahoo Red, White, and Blue faithful jumped up as Seager’s bat cut through the air; one could feel the home crowd deflating after the missed opportunity. Cody Allen eventually locked down a four-out save by inducing a game-ending double play from the dangerous Robinson Cano. Displaced Ohioans stood up, high fiving strangers as they headed to the exit intoxicated with victory.
Ultimately these were two late May baseball games that may not eventually have any importance in a pennant race. But for those of us from Ohio who now reside in Washington, it was a slice of familiarity, a bond that we all shared. The team and players matter to us in personal ways and create a connection among strangers. Before Thursday’s game I met a fan named Jeremy from Portland. He wanted to get Mike Aviles’ attention because Jeremy had shaved his head in solidarity with Aviles and his family. Jeremy has never been to Cleveland; his father is from there and he only started following the team in 2010. Watching the team drew him closer to his grandfather, who still lives in Cleveland. They talk more often now, usually about baseball.
That’s why this team matters, because it provides a common tongue for strangers and bonds generations. So even if you’re 2,400 miles away from the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, you can still feel at home.
4 Comments
*clapping*
Winning 1 of 3 in CLE gets us the tiebreaker vs SEA for WC game
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