Thursday, March 25 1999

Good morning and welcome to Day 6 of the 6th Annual Spring Training Trek 1999!

It's Thursday, day six of my 1999 Spring Training Trek, and tonight's competition at Disney's Wide World of Sports will be the Braves versus the Toronto Blue Jays. But in order to safely reach the ballpark, I must first venture into the land of the dinosaurs and face the tigers of Asia. That's right, it's back to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Once again, it is sunny with no clouds, temperature in the low 80's, sunscreen applied and shades down. I could use some extra cushion in my shoes, but other than that I am holding up pretty well considering that I have had more exercise in the last 5 days than I have experienced in the last 5 months!

The first stop in Asia was the Maharajah Jungle Trek, a walking tour through the Royal Forest of Anandapur (kind of a trek within a trek).

Among the exotic creatures calling Anandapur home were giant fruit bats, tigers, and Colorful Asian birds. The first animal seen was the Kimono Dragon, a reptilian creature that did not seem to have much energy. If I could lay in the sun all day, neither would I. The tigers were also busy sunning and sleeping, except for the one who was eating (all favorite pastimes of mine). So realistic is the recreation of Asia in the Animal Kingdom that it is the only place you will find power lines; they are designed into the scenic decor.

The next stop in Asia was the Kali River Rapids, a white water journey through a rain forest. The sign says, You WILL get wet. And you know what, they were right. Long wait, short ride, but a whole lotta water.

As the rapids took us past the logging camp where the forest was on fire, I suddenly realized I had a taste for barbeque. That would be the Flame Tree Barbeque back on Safari island. Lunch was a 1/2 slab of St.

Louis ribs, cheese chili fries, and a Safari Amber ale. It was enough for two people, and I ate enough for all of you.

Next I rolled myself into Dinoland U.S.A. where I checked out the Boneyard, a playground designed as an archeological dig of a woolly mammoth. The Fossil Preparation Lab demonstrates how fossils are preserved as representatives of the Chicago Field Museum work with Sue, the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever found. Next door was the 1999 Dinosaur Jubilee, exhibiting dino artifacts and casts of real dinosaur skeletons. The Jubilee was sponsored by the Dino Institute Research Facility, Dino Institute Educational Outreach Program, and the Dino Institute Scholarship Program.

At the Theater In The Wild, I enjoyed a performance of 'Journey into Jungle Book', a combination live and animatronics musical telling the story of Mogley, Baloo, and Sir Kahn. It is amazing, sometimes, how Disney World brings out the best and the worst in children. There is nothing like the look on a young boy or girl's face when they see something unexpected and exhilarating for the first time. At the same time, there is nothing more revolting than a child whose verbal wants out perform their parent's patience to provide. Most ridiculous are parents who blur the line, for example, by pushing kids in strollers who are perfectly capably of standing on their own two feet.

The next stop on the Road to Extinction was the Cretaceous Trail, a garden path showing plants and animals that have survived since dinosaur times. Countdown to Extinction, sponsored by the Dino Institute, featured a time rover capable of going back in time to the period just before the meteors destroyed the dinosaurs. At the entrance to the Countdown to Extinction ride is a McDonald's Restaurantosaurus, where appropriately blasting from the speakers was U2's 'It's the end of the world and you know it, and I feel fine'.

Well, I am back from the beginning of time and boy was that something.  I am not sure if it topped the Cyber Mountain Rollercoaster test ride yesterday at Disney Quest, but as far as rides, go, this one shakes you up and scares the shitake out of you. Kind of makes me feel sorry for what those dinosaurs went through in their final moments. Apologies to any minors reading this post. At the Epcot GM Test Track, I enjoyed it so much I rode it twice. This ride, with its slow motion roller coaster in the pitch black of pre-age dawn, sent me packing right out of Dinoland U.S.A.

Ok, at the ballpark for game #5. My record is 3-1 so far and the Toronto Blue Jays are visiting with Bruce Chen on the mound. A fly out to right, a chopper to chipper dug out by Klesko, and a base hit to center start out the top of the 1st inning. Lopez is unable to get a grip on the ball during a stolen base attempt, and a runner is on 2nd with two outs. But Chen is able to strike out Chris Delgado to end the inning. Otis Nixon leads off the bottom of the inning, hitting .220 for the Spring. He draws a walk, but then is caught trying to steal second. Brett Boone stands in and is hit by a pitch and takes 1st base. Chipper Jones is hitting .581, but all from the left. Chipper strikes out, bringing up Brian Jordon who is hitting .317 this Spring. Jordon pops out to end the inning.

At the top of the inning, Brett Boone is replaced by Marty Malloy as a result of being hit in the previous inning. Chen gives up two walks on

3-2 counts, then a triple into center scoring 2 by Jose Cruz. Another drive into center by Mike Matheny scores a run with no outs, and the wheels quickly come off for Bruce Chen. A ground-out to first moves the runner to second with one out. Another double to the left field corner scores a run. Chen gets a pop fly to right and a strikeout to end the inning, but the Blue Jays go ahead with 4 runs on 3 hits.

Bobby Cox is back in the dugout after sitting out Tuesday's game with the flu. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Lopez and Klesko strike out, and Andruw Jones grounds out to 3rd. In the 3rd inning, Charles Delgado pokes one into center for a leadoff single. Chen gives up another walk on a 3-2 count putting runners at 1st and 2nd before getting his second strikeout for the night. The next batter sends the ball a mile up into the air and it hits the ground in front of the mound. Because of the infield fly rule, the batter was automatically called out even though it was not caught. Mike Mahaney drives one into left field scoring another run, leaving runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. Chen gets his 3rd strikeout to end the inning. But the Jays get one more run off

2 hits.

Ozzie Guillen leads off the bottom of the 3rd with a strikeout. Chen hits the ball down to home plate and is automatically out. Otis Nixon is hit by the pitch and takes an automatic 1st base. Marty Malloy is hitting .314, but hits an excuse-me pitch and is thrown out at 1st.

Bruce Chen continues into the 4th with a chopper to Chipper to Klesko for the first out. A line drive past Guillen at short for a single.

Chen hits the next batter, putting runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.

A dribble down the first base line is fielded by Klesko who throws to 2nd. However, because of the out at first, there is no force play at 2nd, and Malloy does not tag the runner out, blowing the double play. A pop fly to short ends the inning, and the night for Bruce Chen.

Chipper leads off the bottom of the 4th inning, grounding out to 2nd base. Jordon doubles down the 3rd base line for the first Brave hit of the game. Lopez grounds to 2nd, moving Jordon to 3rd. Ryan Klesko, hitting .368 this Spring, singles past the shortstop into left center, scoring Jordon and the Braves get on the board. Andruw Jones ends the inning by popping up to shallow center.

In the top of the 5th inning, Rudy Seanez comes on to pitch with Eddie Perez taking over behind the plate. Also, Gerald Williams moves to left field and Brian Hunter stands in at 1st base. Seanez gives up a ground-rule double that bounced over the right field wall. The runner tags and advances to 3rd on a deep fly out to right. A fielder's choice play sends the throw home to get the runner at the plate. A ground out to 3rd ends the inning with no damage. In the bottom of the inning, Guillen grounds out to short, Brian Hunter, hitting .231 this Spring, also grounds out to short. Otis Nixon also sends one to short, on to first, end of the inning.

Top of the 6th, Mike Remlinger gets a couple of pop outs and a line directly to Hunter at 1st for a quick inning, the first 1-2-3 of the game. Marty Malloy leads off the bottom of the 6th with a 'didn't mean to' back to the mound for the first out. Chipper Jones drives a single into center for the Braves 3rd hit of the game. Gerald Williams, hitting .327, strikes out for Eddie Perez, hitting .379. Perez draws a 2-out walk moving Jones to 2nd. Danny Bautista grounds to 2nd to end the inning.

In the 7th inning, Remlinger starts with a strikeout, then a ground out to short, and then throws a 2-out solo home run into the left field hill-side seats. A pop-up to 2nd ends the inning, but not before the Blue Jays extend their lead 6-1. In the bottom of the 7th, Andruw Jones sends a noisy fly ball to the center field wall. Mark Derosa pinch hits and grounds out to 1st. Brian Hunter pops up to center to end the inning.

In the top of the 8th inning, Mark Wohlers comes in and strikes out Mike Mahaney. A fly out to center and left field ends the inning, and Wohlers receives a partial standing ovation as he continues to experience the best support the crowd can offer. In the bottom of the inning, Randall Simon comes in and draws a 3-2 walk. Malloy bounces to 1st for an out moving Simon to 2nd. Gene Schall pops out and the runner has to hold at 2nd with 2 outs. Garold Williams grounds to 3rd to end the inning.

Mark Wohlers continues in the 9th with a ground-out to 2nd followed by a double into right field. A ground ball to short moves the runner to 3rd for the second out. A strikeout of Wayne Kirby for the 3rd becomes the primary highlight of the game, as the Braves go to the last half-inning down by 5. In a hole, Eddie Perez leads off and singles into center.

Danny Bautista hits into a double-play erasing the base runner with two outs. Andruw Jones draws a walk, bringing up Mark Derosa who singles giving the Braves a couple on and a couple out. Keith Lockhart, hitting .231, strikes out to end the game. For the Braves, it was 1 run, 5 hits, no errors. For the Blue Jays, it was 6 runs on 10 hits with no errors.

That's it from the ballpark tonight. Tomorrow afternoon the Braves look to pick up the pieces against the Expos. I will be there, and so will you.

Fuskie