Travel News

Returning To Fantasy Baseball Camp: Nostalgia, Reality And Rain

Locations in this article:  Detroit, MI Pittsburgh, PA

Baseball Fantasy Camp - Pitcher and CatcherIt’s day three of baseball fantasy camp, and Roy Berger is just warming up.

Although playing for the Tigers isn’t as nostalgic as his boyhood team, the Pirates, the experience is still rewarding … and the game just as challenging.

The baseball playing week got off to a very inauspicious start.

Report time for day one of the schedule was to be in the Tigers clubhouse by 9 a.m., make sure your uniform fits, and be ready for stretch and clinics by 9:30 a.m.

We decided we would head over early and left the posh Lakeland Inn and Conference Center at 8 a.m. I remember how special the feeling was last year to walk into a Major League clubhouse and see your uniform with your name and number hanging from your locker for the very first time.

Pittsburgh Pirates Vs. Detroit Tigers?Fred and I made our way to the clubhouse and found we are housed on the same row of lockers. Fred’s home white and gray away uniform neatly hanging from his perch with his chosen #8 and last name emblazoned on both sets of shirts. My #56 was likewise hanging just down the row.

It hit me when I saw my uniform and locker that there was something missing this morning. I t wasn’t the same excitement I had growing up a Pittsburgh Pirates fan and living the same experience a year ago. I guess never having a Detroit Tigers passion nor identity made the moment rather matter of fact. I’m here to enjoy playing ball for a week and the uniform is just part of the tools.

We got dressed, made sure everything fit, got matching home and away hats and we went outside to throw. I haven’t thrown in about three weeks. For Fred it’s been about 25 years.

We played a nice few minutes of catch with about 30 other campers before the sky got ominous and then opened up with rain. A downpour that continued for about six hours washed away opening day.

So the Monday afternoon games have now been moved to Thursday, which was originally left open as a rehabilitation afternoon. Weather permitting, we now have doubleheaders on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with at least two and perhaps three games on playoff Friday. My legs are threatening to catch an early flight home.

Roy’s experiences at the Pittsburgh Pirates Camp:

Catching a baseball - Baseball Fantasy CampThe Tigers did a nice job with the morning weather misery. We had clubhouse clinics with the ex-Major Leaguers on pitching, infield and outfield basics, and a question and answer session that most of the Detroit campers truly enjoyed.

They arranged for all teams to be able to take turns in the indoor batting range. When our team, led by Darryl Evans and Frank Tanana, got into the cage, I gotta tell you it was impressive to see. We have one of the younger teams in camp, 15 on the team with one already on the disabled list. I am probably the second or third oldest on the squad which bodes very well for us.

We have some big boppers or so it looked from practice today. As I told some of our guys you don’t clinch a playoff spot in batting practice, as evidenced last year in Pirates camp.

Before a game last January we watched the other team take batting practice with our jaws open in amazement. One after another just blistering the ball. There was no mercy. We were shook up just standing and watching them.

Then the game started. Seven innings later we beat them 18-0.

What you see isn’t necessarily what you get. We’ll have a much better indication on what kind of team we have tomorrow as we have games at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

It was nice to watch Fred get into the batting cage for the first time again in 25 years. After he figured he wasn’t swinging a nine-iron to 125 yards, he made solid contact with the ball and then became a big shot.

He wanted me to take him to Sports Authority to buy batting gloves.

Find out what else you should bring to camp with you: Returning To Fantasy Baseball Camp: Tips & Orientation

Batter Up - Fantasy Baseball CampHe goes 25 years without batting gloves, hits two solid line drives and now he thinks he’s A-Rod. So off to Sports Authority we went!

I will say this about the Detroit campers: They are extremely hospitable and gracious to the first timers.

Last year in Pirate camp the group, 60 percent returnees, tended to be a bit cliquish and rookies hung with rookies until relationships progressed as teammates. It’s just the opposite here. Very warm and welcoming despite the same high rate of returnees.

And the small world phenomenon, of course, continues. I’ve met two guys here from the same town I grew up in on Long Island and one of them presently lives less than a half mile from my youngest brother. Why are they at Tiger Fantasy Camp? One would guess for the same reason I am.

Tonight was dinner and autograph night for the campers with their Tiger heroes on hand to sign all sorts of memorabilia.

Stadium seating - Fantasy Baseball CampWe decided to pass since neither one of us have that Detroit background and passion. I’m a Yankee fan and Fred is supporting both the Yankees and Mets.

So we decided to sign our autographs on credit card receipts for a nice dinner

One thing however became very apparent today: modern technology has no use for baseball history.

We set the GPS to get us to Tigertown which is located on Al Kaline Drive, named after the Tiger Hall of Famer and legend.

As we approached the complex the gal in the GPS voice told us to make a left on “Alkaline drive.” I wasn’t sure whether to turn or keep going and look for a six pack of Duracells!

Doubleheader on Tuesday. Of course, we need to start slow and then taper off.

By Roy Berger for PeterGreenberg.com.

Previously in this series:

Check out the stories from Roy’s rookie Fantasy Baseball Camp series: