The RBIA
The RBIA = The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Fitting name (RBI) for the Rangers. Fitting game for the game we attended on Wednesday, May 30 as well. Unfortunately, not for the home team.
Thanks to Chase’s cousin, Cindy Pryor, we were able to stay at a hotel RIGHT across the street from RBIA. The saying, “A stone’s throw away,” nearly rung true for us. Great news for us because we arrived in Arlington in the late afternoon, right around 4 PM and needed a good shower and clean up before we headed to catch batting practice at 5:05 PM (2 hours prior to the start of the game).
We made it into RBIA by 5:20 after taking a couple pictures of the outside of the stadium and headed straight to the seats next to Greene’s Hill. We didn’t actually know it was called Greene’s Hill at this point, we just knew we wanted to “head to the grass in center field.” We actually found out the name of it thanks to Joel Thomas of CBS11 via Twitter. Greene’s Hill was actually named after the mayor of Arlington and was installed as a picnic area to watch Rangers games, although it was never actually used for such a purpose.
Back at it, we also hung out in center field because we were set to meet up with Alan of Rangers.com for an interview before the game. The Rangers were great to the Biking for Baseball team. They’ve built a solid community around the team and welcomed us into it with open arms. Thank you Alan and the Rangers!
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After the excitement of the interview, it led to more excitement surrounded by the Mariners’ batting practice. There were only two players, the big boys on the club, Jesus Montero and Miguel Olivo, that were able to rocket a shot over the wall in center field and on to the grass. They drifted a couple to a little left of center, which is where we were “seated,” which allowed The Meatgrinder and Xtra-Large to both snag a home run ball! But they are incredibly generous humans and instantly gave up their home run souvenirs to one of the zillion kids around us. That’s the B4B way!
But the real excitement happened when a ball did reach the grass at Greene’s Hill.
First, we should go over the couple of rules for Greene’s Hill:
- You can’t set-up a picnic on the Hill waiting for a HR ball. There is a Field Marshall who will make sure you are playing fair just like everyone else. And if you aren’t, well he’ll let you know loud and clear.
- There are railings protecting the center field grass box. You have to wait on either side of these, either on the left-center side or the right-center side. Also, with one foot on the ground at all times, billiard-style rules.
- You may only jump into Greene’s Hill once a HR ball has been hit or a player has tossed a ball onto Greene’s Hill.
- Once someone gets the HR ball, it’s rightfully theirs and you cannot and will not pommel them into submission to get the ball from them. Once again, the Field Marshall will make sure you are in compliance. I’m looking at you, kid!
So those are the general unwritten rules, that seem to be pretty understood by the Field Marshall and the kids surrounding Greene’s Hill anxiously waiting for their moment to snag a HR ball.
It was hilarious to watch the pandemonium break out whenever a ball, whether it be a homer or tossed by an opposing relief pitcher, reached Greene’s Hill. It was like an alarm went off in the kids’ heads, simultaneously, and they were to all throw their bodies, unprotected, towards the grass disregarding any thought towards their own bodily safety. Kids hurdled, clawed, elbowed, slid then pile-drove their way onto the grass to get their hands on the prized souvenir. As batting practice neared it’s end, players in the outfield would continue to toss BP balls onto the grass, accompanied with snickering and pointing, just to watch the craziness that would then ensue. The Field Marshall had to continually break up the kids as they thought of each ball as an excuse to make a giant dog pile on top of whoever was the holder of the ball.
Mother Huckleberry tried for one ball, kind of. As soon as he saw it was a HR he quickly hopped the fence. But as 20 kids engulfed him from all angles he retreated back to the B4B team, frightened of being suffocated at the bottom of the scrum.
Eventually, it was time to watch some baseball. Yes, most of this post has been dedicated to not the actual game, but that’s because the game, wasn’t really a game. We got into our seats, saw first pitch, watched the first inning breeze by, ate our 5 $1 hot dogs and then the wheels came off for the Rangers. Quickly.
Derek Holland, the Rangers starting pitcher who just recently shaved off his odd mustache, didn’t make it out of the second inning before surrendering 8, yes EIGHT, earned runs to the Mariners previously anemic offense. Guess he should have kept that mustache! Tateyama came on in relief, and didn’t fare too much better, giving up 6 earned runs while collecting just two outs. Before the bottom of the third inning, the Rangers were already down 16-0! Ouch!
The outfielders for the Rangers spent more time chasing after balls hit over their heads then they did in their own dugout.
So we decided this would be a great time to walk around, meet some of our new friends from Twitter, and to see this beautiful ballpark without worrying about missing a good game.
We met up with Patrick of Shutdown Inning and RJ of Baseball Dreamin’ and talked baseball, dreams and stories for a solid two innings. Really great guys. We loved the name Shutdown Inning for a blog. What a play! Really knowledgeable guy about the game of baseball and if you’re a Rangers fan or a baseball fan in general, you should give his blog a follow. We’ll see you next year Patrick!
RJ is finishing up his 30 stadium baseball tour, and it’s the beginning of June. Yes, we were in shock too. Our trip is spanning the entire 6 months of the season. RJ will be done with his cross-country trip by car in 2 weeks. RJ is a veteran who had a dream to do this journey and went after it. He’s four games away from finishing it. He has met some incredible people along the way, which he has since passed along their information to us, and had great stories to tell from the road. Hope to meet up with you again at another ballpark RJ!
After we said our goodbyes, we headed down to find prime time seats. We snagged seats about 25 rows up from home plate, right before Justin Smoak hit a tower shot into the right-field upper deck. From the pop off his bat, we knew it was gone instantly.
It was unfortunate, after all the hype around the Rangers offense, that we had to see the other team out-slug the home team in this one. This was a total rarity at RBIA and won’t happen again any time soon. The Rangers are still the team to beat in the AL, in our minds, and they are there to stay at the top.
We loved the classical look to the stadium. The pillars that surrounded the stadium as you walked in, the second level deck in right field with beams extending through the seats (reminds you of old Tiger Stadium) and Greene’s Hill in center field. The stadium, aesthetically, was one of our favorites. The whole experience, between BP, meeting Patrick and RJ, being a part of a sold-out crowd, and shooting an interview with the Rangers was a pretty big high for the Biking for Baseball team.
The Rangers community as a whole was incredibly welcoming, generous and friendly. We’ve always heard how friendly Texans were, but ya know, we weren’t believers until we could see it. We saw it alright and we only wish we could’ve stay longer.
Gm 1– 4/13 @ Safeco Field – Oakland A’s @ Seattle Mariners
Oakland wins 4-0 (WP – Colon, LP – Hernandez)
Gm 2 – 4/24 @ O.Co Stadium – Chicago White Sox @ Oakland A’s
Oakland wins 2-0 (WP – Milone, LP – Floyd, SV – Balfour)
Gm 3 – 4/27 @ AT&T Park – San Diego Padres @ San Francisco Giants
San Diego wins 5-3 (WP – Luebke, LP – Hacker, SV – Street)
Gm 4 – 5/3 @ Angels Stadium – Toronto Blue Jays @ LA Angels of Anaheim
Toronto wins 5-0 (WP – Morrow, LP – Haren)
Gm 5 – 5/7 @ Dodger Stadium – SF Giants @ Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodgers win 9-1 (WP – Lilly, LP – Zito)
Gm 6 – 5/8 @ Petco Park – Colorado Rockies @ San Diego Padres
Padres win 3-1 (WP – Suppan, LP – White, SV – Thayer)
Gm 7 – 5/11 @ Chase Field – San Francisco Giants @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks win 5-1 (WP – Cain, LP – Cahill, SV – Casilla)
Gm 8 – 5/20 @ Coors Field –Seattle Mariners @ Colorado Rockies
Mariners win 6-4 (WP – Beavan, LP – Guthrie)
Gm 9 – 5/30 @ The Ballpark in Arlington – Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers
Mariners win 21-8 (WP – Beavan, LP – Holland)