It’s a beautiful day here in Surprise, but being a Monday, it’s a lazy day too. Not a big crowd either, so I decided to take in the first six innings or so from the stands. I squatted in the first row of the tiny second deck along the third base line. Wonderful seats. And the company was fantastic.
Sitting two rows behind me was an old Rangers fan. The one with the mustache over my shoulder. I want to take him home with me. He knows a lot about baseball, he’s sarcastic, he complains a lot, but he seemed to have a lot of fun doing it. Actually, I think he is me, about 30 years in the future.
He started heckling in the first inning, but his heckling was all well-informed:
- When right fielder Engel Beltre ranged far to the gap to pull in a fly at the wall he said “Cruz doesn’t get that.” Then added “God damn Cruz.”
- When Lance Berkman popped out foul on the first pitch he said “Atta boy Berkman, make ‘em work!” I love that his heckling is informed by an appreciation of both defensive range and plate patience.
- Padres’ first baseman Kyle Blanks hit a long home run. The man said “He knocked the “s***" outta that one!” Then he told the pitcher who gave up the homer, Neal Cotts, “Don’t throw another one of those, OK?”
- Later, when Berkman grounded out he said “we lose Hamilton, and we get this guy.” At that point the man’s adult son said, in a somewhat disgusted tone said “I will get you an Angels jersey if you keep this up. Do you want that?” The old man chuckled. I have this feeling he’s been driving his son crazy for years, and I hope some day my I can say I’ve done the same to my son.
There’s a fine line between being a jerk and not being a jerk. This guy seems like a master. He’s tongue in cheek enough to where he doesn’t seem mean. He’s old enough to where it’s clear that he’s not trying to impress anyone. He just likes his baseball, dammit, and prefers it if his Texas Rangers don’t suck at it. I imagine it wears thin after a while -- God bless his poor son -- but for six innings it was wonderful.