Almost Perfect "The Big A" Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Main Entrance

Scoreboard

After driving down to LA from Oakland the next stop was to see the Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim or as the locals call it "The Big A". I was very excited for this game because my favorite player was playing, that being Albert Pujols. I have also grown to really like Mark Trumbo who has had a great start this year (and happens to be on my fantasy team) and also the 20 yr. Mike Trout (who is better than Bryce Harper). I also really like Justin Upton who was playing for the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

Batting Practice

Dad and I fought with LA traffic and got to the game early enough for Batting Practice. We didn't quite get there right when the gates opened because traffic was bad even on a Saturday so we missed any part of the Angels BP that we would've gotten to see. I then went out to left center field which I have learned over the past few games is where right handed hitters hit BP home runs. I went here even though in left center field at "The Big A" is where both bull pens are so in order to get to me the ball would have to travel an extra long way. However the only guy I really wanted a ball from that was on the Diamondbacks was Justin Upton who has hit some of the majors longest home runs the past few years, so I knew he could hit it out to me and there weren't many people over there either. As the Dbacks were starting BP the guy fixing up the Bullpens picked up the 4 balls that had been hit there by the Angels he threw 2 to a player on the field who wanted them and threw one to a kid about 50ft down from me then he looked at who to throw the other one to and looked right at me as I was asking for it then looked away and I thought shoot he is going to give to it to kid. He looked back at me and then tossed it to me for which I was thankful! Who knows the ball could've been hit by Pujols!

The two balls I got the right one was hit by Justin Upton

Justin Upton came up for his BP round and I was ready! I told dad ok here we go you better be watching for some long HRs. then I was all disappointed because his first 3 rounds he just was hitting to the opposite field far away from me. Then his final round he started to pull the ball and hit one deep to center and then he blasted one right for me. I was tracking it perfectly but it wasn't going to make it to me I knew it was going to bounce in the bullpen so I positioned myself to catch it on a bounce. It bounce a perfect, nice high bounce right into my hands. A kid next to me asked "did that hurt" I responded no because the bounce slowed it down but it if had been in the air it would've. I was so excited! I got a Justin Upton ball! the one guy beside Pujols I wanted! Not only that it was my second ball of the day!

"The Big A"

I walked around the stadium after BP and it was a very nice field. It was built in 1966 so its pretty old but Disney bought the team and did major renovations to the stadium and it feels and looks like a baseball stadium even though its where the Los Angeles Rams played before they moved to St. Louis. They have a nice fountain and greenery area in center field and very open nice walk ways on the concourses. in their team store, which is extremely nice looking and ritzy they have bronze busts of Angel greats Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, and Gene Autry (I think). There was also a very cool display of autographed memorabilia you could buy from Angels players or all-time greats.

Center Field Fountain

Angel Greats 

Perfect?

The game started and Ervin Santana was on the mound. he has had a very up and down career winning lots of games in some seasons enough to make the All-star game and then other years being one of the Angels worst starters. He has also thrown a no-hitter is his career. On this night he started off the game setting down the Dbacks 1-2-3. Then the Angels came to bat and Mrak Trumbo hit a 2-run home run! That would be all the scoring for the night. However Santana kept cruising along and I quickly noticed he hadn't given up any hits and then realized he hadn't walked anyone and the team hadn't made any errors either. He was throwing a perfect game. Ok so it was only the second inning that happens quite a lot. I was on Perfect game alert because Matt Cain had throw one 2 days earlier. Santana made it through the 3rd, still perfect and the 4th too! Then the 5th came around, by this time almost everyone in the park knew what was going on and so with each new out recorded by the Angels the cheers got louder. After the 5th Santana was still perfect, ok I was thinking this actually has a chance now. I started to tell a couple friends hey pay attention to the angels game, it could be special. The 6th inning came and went, Still perfect, the crowd erupting as the inning ended! The 7th came Chris young swings and misses for strike 3, one out. Then Willie Bloomquist hits a sharp grounder to second and Kendrick makes the play, 2 outs. oh wow this is getting ridiculous. Although I was thinking yeah but he still has to face Justin Upton who was next. On the first pitch Upton bounced a hard ground ball up the middle for a base hit. The Perfect game was gone and the no hitter as well. Dang it. the crowd though gave Santana a standing ovation for getting that far. Santana ended up giving up only the one hit to Upton and walked pinch hitter Migeul Montero in the 9th inning and those were the only base runners. It was by far the best pitching performance I have seen live.

There was a Chris Cagle concert after the game on the field which was also pretty cool and another unexpected bonus. It was just an ok concert but still fun nonetheless.

Signed Pujols Jersey

This game was a very exciting one because of the possibility of history being made and the ballpark was a very nice one as well plus it was fun to watch Albert Pujols even though he didn't do anything hitting wise during the game. I was also very pleased to get the Justin Upton ball too that I had been hoping for.