In the next to last Spring Training game before the 2006 season opens up with a series against the Yankees that kicks off Monday, the A's played an exhibition contest against the local rival San Francisco Giants at the Coliseum, and positively blew them away, starting off with a four-run first inning featuring two home runs, and continuing the pressure through a 14-3 victory.As part of our season ticket package, my wife and I enjoyed our first Bay Area baseball of the season at McAfee Coliseum. The A's featured a pair of two-run home runs in the first inning by Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez, another home run by the newly acquired Frank Thomas, and strong pitching by free agent signee Esteban Loaiza. It was great to be back in the Coliseum again, and to try out the seats where we will be every Friday and Saturday through the summer (so long as the A's are in town). Our seats are between home plate and the visitors' dugout, and just far enough forward that we're not wholly covered by the cement overhang. This means we won't be cold during the sunny July and August afternoons when everybody else is worried about getting sunburned.
Another side benefit of the game was booing Barry "steroids" Bonds. He was a miserable failure at the plate, never reaching base, and heard lusty disapproval from the home crowd, who didn't always impress me with their not so creative epithets. In fact, at one point, when the Left Field bleachers chanted, "Bar-roid, Bar-roid", Barry could be seen swaying to the rhythm with his hips, in a mock dance. All in all, the good guys won, bad guys lost, and we enjoyed the trip.
Listening to ''A New Culture Is Born'', by Blank & Jones (Play Count: 7)