Wednesday, March 13 2002

Good morning and welcome to Day 5 of the 9th Annual Spring Training Trek 2002!

In today's episode of the 2002 Spring Training Trek, we share a dream, the Braves come to life, and we experience a magical moment. Ready?  Let's go!

To start the morning, I posted the Day Four report then made my way over to the park that started it all, the Magic Kingdom.  I made my way over to Tomorrowland to pick up a FastPass for Space Mountain.  Then a trek back to Liberty Square for lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern.

On my way, I stopped in front of Cinderella's castle for the midday show of Cinderella's Surprise Celebration.  In this live action character musical, Minnie Mouse invites Cinderella to a surprise party.  All the characters were invited, from Goofy and Donald to Pluto and Chip and Dale and of course special guest Mickey.  But the evil sorceress sneaks in a gift of evil (shaped like an apple, of course) determined to spoil the fun.

Donald Duck ignores the audiences protests and opens the gift, releasing evil unimagined.  Mickey in turn rubs the magic lamp and the Genie appears to do battle along with Mulan and other heroes.  Finally the evil is turned back onto the sorceress and the party reaches the streets as the characters come down from the stage for autographs and photos.

Lunch was a bowl of New England Clam Chowder and a plentiful Plate of Cape Cod Pasta.  I should mention that apart from the ballpark, all my meals at Disney are included in my Discovery Magic vacation package which provides me with Magical Wishes to use for dining and certain souvenirs and entertainment.  My ticket to Cirque du Soleil on Monday would have cost $72 otherwise.  And one day I will have to tell you about the Magical Pins.

After lunch, I trotted back across the park to Space Mountain for a journey into the vacuum of space. Using my FastPass, I made my way past the 40 minute stand-by line and boarded my Astro car.  If you have never been to Space Mountain, it is a dual track indoor roller coaster.  It does not do loops or flip you over.  It does not go fast or plunge you down gravity defying drops.  But it does run you in the dark with only black light effects as you circle down to your destination.

Next I made my way to the Magic Castle Plaza to wait for the Share a Dream Come True parade.  This parade, created for the 100 Years of Magic celebration, includes many of the Disney characters from the last 100 years.  Highlighting the parade are feature characters riding in clear globes atop floats.  Leading the way is the original rodent, Mickey Mouse, followed by Pinocchio, the evil Maleficent, the three royal couples (Cinderella, Snow White, and Belle).  Closing the parade was Mickey's good friend Minnie Mouse.

Next I returned to Liberty Square and the Hall of Presidents, which tells the story of America (abridged) followed by the introduction of all 43 Presidents (including the new George W Bush).  Each President is an animatronics technical marvel with each one looking this way or that as they are introduced.  The current President and Abraham Lincoln both give uplifting and patriotic speeches.

Getting late in the afternoon, I headed to the Haunted Mansion for a FastPass, then made my way through Frontierland to Adventureland.  The new ride, Aladin's Magic Carpet Ride, is a kids ride where cars molded like carpets are swung in a circle, with each arm moving higher and higher until all the carpets were flying high.  Not being of adult interest, I turned my attention to the Jungle Cruise, always a pun time on the rivers of Africa.

Having returned safely to Adventureland (despite the best efforts of our boat captain), I retraced my steps through Frontierland back to Liberty Square and the Haunted Mansion.  The head ghost (with the most) offered me a death-time membership, but I had to turn it down as I was running late.

You see, I had forgotten my game ticket this morning, and had to return to the Coronado Springs resort to get it.  Then it was on to Disney - MGM Studios and the transfer to the Wide World of Sports complex that has become routine.  This time I actually got food (barbecue pork sandwich again) and sat down in my seat by game time.

Glavine gives up a hit into center to start the game.  A double play from Castilla to Lockhart to Surhoff erases the runner.  A ground ball to first fielded by Surhoff, toss to Glavine and the inning is over. Mark Derosa leads off the bottom of the 1st, hitting .409 this Spring, with a strikeout.  Andruw Jones is hitting only .148 and draws a walk. Chipper Jones, hitting .227, hits into a double play and the first inning is history.

A pair of ground outs followed by a hit to left start the top of the second inning.  A strike-out ends the inning and Glavine is cruises through the 2nd.  Gary Sheffield pops up to the catcher to start the bottom of the 2nd.  Vinnie Castilla sends one over the shortstop's head for the Braves first hit of the game.  B.J. Surhoff, hitting .450 and playing 1st base, grounds out sacrificing the runner to 2nd base.  Keith Lockhart, hitting .250, flies out to center to end the inning.

Top of the 3rd, a pop up to first and a ground ball to 2nd is followed by a 2 out hit.  A single to left puts runners at 1st and 2nd.  A walk loads the bases with 2 outs.  A grounder up the 1st base line, Surhoff fields for the third out.  In the bottom of the inning, Paul Bako flies to deep right field for a noisy out.  Glavine draws a walk and DeRosa singles to center putting runners on 1st and 2nd with one out.  Andruw Jones singles to right, and 3rd base coach Ned Yost sends Glavine home. The throw reaches the catcher and Glavine slows to trot rather than create a collision.  Chipper singles to score DeRosa, and the Braves are the first on the board.  Sheffield grounds to short and the inning is over.

Now you know:  On this day in 1937, Lou Gehrig signed with the Yankees for $38,000 and a $750 signing bonus.

In the 4th, Surhoff fields a ground ball and tosses to Glavine covering for the out.  The second out is a ground to 2nd.  A come backer off the mound bounces into center putting a runner on 1st.  Another come backer gets through putting runners on 1st and 2nd.  A fly ball to right, and Sheffield makes a diving catch to end the top half of the inning Castilla files out to left in the bottom half of the inning, Surhoff grounds to 3rd, and Lockhart singles to center.  Bako flies out to center to end the inning.

Now you know: No word in the English dictionary rhymes with "Month".

Travis Wilson takes over at 2nd, and Damian Moss takes over on the mound.  Moss is greeted in the top of the 5th with a double down the left field line.  A single to center scores a run to tie the game.  A fly to right is followed by a hit and run, moving the runner to 2nd with two outs.  A single to left scores again, and the Royals have a 2-1 lead.  Moss gets a strikeout to end the inning.

The Braves counter in the bottom of the 5th with Travis Wilson, hitting .300, who grounds out to short.  DeRosa singles to right, followed by a hit by Andruw Jones.  Jones beats the throw at 1st, and runners are at 1st and 2nd with Chipper at the plate.  DeRosa is caught stealing 3rd,and suddenly there are no runners in scoring position, and 2 outs. Chipper pops up and the inning is over.  The Braves fail to score and we go to the 6th inning.

Jesse Garcia takes over at short.  A fly ball to left starts the inning for Moss who fights back from a 3-0 count to strike out the next batter.  Surhoff catches a pop up to the 1st base foul area for the 3rd out.  Bill McCarthy replaces Sheffield in right and bats to start the bottom of the inning.  McCarthy strikes out and Castilla pops up, and Surhoff strikes out for an easy Royal inning.

Kerry Ligtenberg takes over pitching duties with Matt Franco at 1st and Tavares behind the plate.  There was no call for the top of the 7th as I was visiting the little ballplayers' room.  After the 7th inning stretch, Bako singles to right, Wilson strikes out, and Jesse Garcia doubles down the left field line, scoring Bako to tie the game.  Andruw Jones sends a 2-2 count over the left field wall to give the Braves a 4-2 lead.  Chipper followed with single to left, and Sheffield grounds to 3rd to end the inning.  But the Braves pick up a few more hits and 3 runs.

Now you know: In Fantasia, the sorcerer's name is Yensid, which is Disney spelled backwards.

Adam Stern takes over Center.  Chris Hammond pitches with Tavares catching.  A fly out to center, a ground to 2nd, and a 2 out single precedes a pop fly to center to end the inning.  Kelly Johnson, playing 3rd, flies to center in the bottom of the 8th.  A strikeout brings Matt Franco to the plate.  Franco, hitting .650, works the count full before striking out to end the inning.

In the 9th inning, Hammond starts off with a strikeout, and the Braves are 2 outs away from their first victory in their last 10 games (including splits quad).  Hammond gives up a solo home run to make it a 4-3 game.  A strikeout brings the Braves to one out away from a win.  A ground to 3rd, throw to first barely beating the runner, and the Braves win.

Totals: Braves 4 runs, 11 hits 1 error; Royals 3 runs, 10 hits, no errors.

Pedometer Totals: 14,842 steps (averaging 100/minute), 7.02 miles (average speed 2.83mph), and 636.8 calories burned (4.17/minute).

Well, that's it from Day 5.  The Braves are victorious, and tomorrow (later today) I return to that Universe away from the World.  There will be no revisiting the Hulk, but plenty of new adventures.  Join me for Day 6, coming to a email reader near you!

Fuskie