Saturday, March 16 2002

Good morning and welcome to Day 8 of the 9th Annual Spring Training Trek 2002!

After using the morning to make some final dining and travel arrangements, it was time to go to the last game of this trip.  Sunday will be a split squad game with both games away.  For the first time, I made it to the ballpark in time for the National Anthems of Canada and America, and the first pitch.

Top of the first finds Albie Lopez on the mound with Paul Bako behind the plate.  Lopez starts with a strikeout, a strikeout, and then a triple followed by a home run giving the Expos a 2-0 lead.  The Braves went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

Top of the second, one out, and Lopez gives up a single.  Single to left puts runners on the corners, and the Braves are in trouble again.  A grounder to 2nd and Giles looks at 2nd then throws to 1st to get the out.  But another run scores.  A grounder to short, throw to first and the inning is over.  Gary Sheffield leads off the bottom of the 2nd, hitting .353.  Sheffield pops up to 2nd base.  Castilla lines to left for a stand up double.  Castilla is hitting .267.  Surhoff strokes one into right to put runners on the corners for Marcus Giles.  Giles grounds into a double play and the Expos get out of the inning.

Top of the 3rd, a ground ball to deep short, Furcal fields but the runner beats the throw at first.  A grounder to second, throw to first and the Braves turn the double play.  Lopez gives up a walk to Jose Conseco.  A grounder to short and Furcal one-arm tosses it to Giles who was not expecting the ball.  Giles bare hands the ball and keeps a foot on the bag to get the out.

Bottom of the third, Paul Bako sends his bat into the stands.  The fan exchanges the bat for a souvenir.  Possibly distracted, Bako proceeds to strikeout.  Albie Lopez grounds to third, and Furcal flies to center and the inning is over. Top of the 4th, and Lopez gets a fly to left, fly to center, and a grounder to first, pitcher covers, and the inning is over.  Bottom of the 4th, Andruw Jones grounds to short continuing his slump.  Chipper,  hitting .266, flies out to center.  Sheffield flies to center and the inning is very quickly over.

Top of the 5th and Ryan Langerhans takes over in right field, George Lombard in left, and on the mound John Smoltz.  Smoltz starts the inning with a strikeout on 3 pitches.  A come backer up the middle puts a runner on.  A pick-off play at first, but Bako does not get to Surhoff in time to make the tag.  A stolen base attempt and Bako's throw is on target.  Giles makes the tag and there are two outs.  A second strike out and the inning is over.

In the bottom half, Castilla grounds to short, Surhoff grounds to second.  A high throw pulls the first baseman off the bag and Surhoff is safe on the error.  Giles grounds to short, the shortstop loses his balance on the throw to 2nd, then the throw to first pulls the fielder off the bag and runners are safe at first and second with one out.  Paul Bako flies out to center and the runners have to hold.  Lombard flies out to left and the inning is over.

Top of the 6th and John Smoltz get a strikeout swinging.  A fly to left and a fly to center completes the top half.  Furcal leads off the bottom half with a fly to left.  Andruw strikes out, and Langerhans chips the ball 5 feet in front of the plate.  The pitcher fields, throws to first, and the inning is over.

Jose Cabrerra comes in to pitch the 7th, with Eddie Perez catching. Langerhans moves to center and Ozzie Timmons takes over in right with Wilson Betemit at short.  A fly out to center and a line drive to left field puts a runner on with one out.  The next batter is slow to make his way to the plate, drawing the ire of the umpire and the jeers of the crowd.  Cabrerra gets a strikeout, then gives up a home run, adding 2 to the Expos lead.  A fly to left and the inning is over, but the Braves are down 5-0.

In the bottom of the 7th, Wilson Betemit singles to left.  Wes Helms, hitting .385, grounds to short.  The throw to first pulls the fielder off the bag and Helms is safe on the fielder's choice. again.  The fielder applied a tag, but after Helms cross the base.  A pop out to short and Helms is unable to tag the base in time for the inning ending double play.

Now you know: The average life span of a major league baseball is 7 pitches.

Cabrerra pitches the 8th with a fly to deep center, a fly to left, and a ground out.  Cabrerra has a much better 2nd inning than 1st.  Bottom of the 8th and the Braves are looking up from the bottom of a 5 run hill. Marcus Giles leads the charge for the home team by doubling down the right field line.  Eddie Perez launches one out of the park but foul. He then launches another one off the left field wall, scoring Giles and reaching second.  Lombard flies out to deep left center and Perez moves up to 3rd.  Timmons pops up to third and there are two outs.  Keith Lockhart pinch hits by grounding to first, ending the inning.

Top of the 9th and Travis Wilson plays second base, and a new pitcher takes over.  I have already packed my roster so I can't say who it was. He gets a fly to left, grounder to second, and then gives up a double to center.  A strikeout gets him out of the inning.  In the bottom half, Langerhans grounds to second, Betemit grounds to short, and Helms grounds to second.  Game, set, match, Expos.

Totals: Expos 5 runs, 9 hits, 1 error; Braves 1 run, 6 hits, 1 error.

After the game I began a logistical jigsaw puzzle.  First the bus back to Disney-MGM Studios from the Wide World of Sports complex.  Then a bus to Downtown Disney where I hit the Marketplace for a few items left out yesterday.  Then it was to the Cirque du Soleil tent on the Westside for a DVD of La Nouba.  Then back to the bus depot at Pleasure Island and on to the Coronado Springs resort where I dropped off the merchandise.

From there I caught the bus to Epcot where I made my way to the Living Seas pavilion and SeaBase Alpha.  I had hoped to catch up with Toby and Bob, the dolphins I spent time with during last year's trek but there were some scuba divers in the tank, and I think the dolphins were keeping away from them.  Unfortunately, that meant me as well.

So I returned ashore and made my way across the park to the GM Test Track.  The singles line allows you to get to the attraction quickly if you don't care with whom you ride.  I didn't, so I did, and it was done.  We got up to 64.8 mph on the final acceleration.  After the ride, GM had a promotional virtual reality exhibit that was forgettable.  I can't remember what it was about.

From there I made my way to the World Showcase past Mexico just shy of Norway.  There I met a family up from Ft. Lauderdale and we sat to watch the Tapestry of Dreams parade.  Afterwards, we turned around and watched Illuminations (my 6th viewing over 3 years), and it got my heart pumping as the powerful emotions exploded in a spectacular fireworks display.

I managed to get out of the park in 15 minutes, catch the first bus back to Coronado Springs and make my priority seating for the Maya Grill. Dinner was a 4 course meal that, while it tasted terrific, I could barely get down.  I have eaten so much over the last week, my body revolts at the prospect of digesting more.  Still, the almost $50 tab was billed as a Magical Wish under my plan.

Finally, I returned to my room and began the lengthy process of packing for the trip home tomorrow.  But this trek is not over yet.  Stay tuned for the final Adventure!

Pedometer Totals: 13,370 steps, 110 steps per minute; 6.3 miles walked averaging 3.11 mph; 572 calories burned, 4.75 calories per minute.

Fuskie