My favorite pitcher is Padilla. He is old school when it comes to the game of baseball and I like that. If you ask me, we need to see more of it.
There are two people in this world that I have an unnatural fear of. The first person is Gene Simmons. I've never met him and I'm certain he is a very nice guy. But he scares the snot out of me. One year Craig took me to see KISS, his all-time favorite band. We had second row center, isle seats. Thank goodness they were more to the right side of the stage as Gene dominates the left mostly...mostly.
Not this night. He strutted over to our side of the stage and played for awhile, felt like forever. While there he picked me out of the crowd with his eyes, stared at me, twisting his demon head side to side and then he stuck out his tongue. I was frozen in fear! I just knew he was going to jump off that stage and get me.
The second person I fear happens to also be my favorite Pitcher. I met Padilla at Spring Training this year. I faced my fear and got my picture taken with him. That was not easy, I was so scared, I felt like it took Craig ten minutes to snap that picture. I even accused him of taking extra long to focus the camera just to tease me. I am proud of that picture and glad I got my picture taken with him.
I've heard he's a really nice guy and I'm certain he is. My fear doesn't come from thinking he'll hurt me. There's no reason for me to fear him, I just do.
I've seen Padilla driving away from the ballpark, after a game or two this year, in his orange Lamborghini. Even then fear strikes me. My palms sweat and my heart speeds up, it's crazy!
This weekend Craig, Aubrey and I waited at the tunnel where the players drive out after the game. Guess who stops to sign autographs?? Padilla in his orange Lamborghini. My heart sped up immediately.
I have a note book with pictures I've taken of the players and in it is the picture of Padilla and me taken at Spring Training. I knew if I wanted it signed I was going to have to approach him. So I did and it wasn't that bad. And I was very happy I got that picture signed. I only shook a little bit.
And then today, two short days later, it's Fan Appreciation Day at the ballpark. They have players at the entrances to greet the fans. You guessed it Padilla is one of the players at our gate.
I thought, I can do this, I'll tell him thank you for hitting Aybar last night. (He's the guy that hit the ball into Kam's arm and he left the game with a nasty contusion Friday.)
So I did, I marched up there with sweaty palms and my heart racing and told him. He chuckled, I B-lined out of there, fighting a small crowd I made my way to Vikki and Craig.
They are telling Eleno Ornelas, the Rangers Spanish radio broadcaster, how Padilla is my favorite pitcher but that I am very scared of him. Eleno puts his arm around me and says, "He's a very nice guy, he's my friend, I'll introduce you. Don't be afraid of him."
I told him. "I'm good I just spoke to him". He literally pushes me up there, says something in Spanish to Padilla. Padilla smiles big, looks me straight in the eye and grabbed me for a hug. I thanked him and bowed out.
Eleno said, "See, he's a very nice guy!" I was so scared, I showed him my hand, it was shaking so much. Eleno said, "Oh my God your shaking! He turned to Craig and Vikki and said, "She's shaking!"
I said, "I told you he scares me. I have an unnatural fear of him."
My legs felt weak. You know how you feel when your driving along and you suddenly have to slam on the brakes, it turns out OK but you just feel week and noodlely? Well, that's how I felt, and it took me about 20 minutes before I was over it.
Eleno said "Now you owe me." and gave me a hug.
I said, "Oh, I owe you all right!"
After my blood pressure stabilized I was thankful for my Padilla encounters this weekend. He really is my favorite pitcher. I have his game worn autographed jersey, an autographed ball, and now, my autographed picture with him. I feel like a little kid with my collection of treasures from my favorite pitcher.
Dang, I love baseball!
Erin
There are two people in this world that I have an unnatural fear of. The first person is Gene Simmons. I've never met him and I'm certain he is a very nice guy. But he scares the snot out of me. One year Craig took me to see KISS, his all-time favorite band. We had second row center, isle seats. Thank goodness they were more to the right side of the stage as Gene dominates the left mostly...mostly.
Not this night. He strutted over to our side of the stage and played for awhile, felt like forever. While there he picked me out of the crowd with his eyes, stared at me, twisting his demon head side to side and then he stuck out his tongue. I was frozen in fear! I just knew he was going to jump off that stage and get me.
The second person I fear happens to also be my favorite Pitcher. I met Padilla at Spring Training this year. I faced my fear and got my picture taken with him. That was not easy, I was so scared, I felt like it took Craig ten minutes to snap that picture. I even accused him of taking extra long to focus the camera just to tease me. I am proud of that picture and glad I got my picture taken with him.
I've heard he's a really nice guy and I'm certain he is. My fear doesn't come from thinking he'll hurt me. There's no reason for me to fear him, I just do.
I've seen Padilla driving away from the ballpark, after a game or two this year, in his orange Lamborghini. Even then fear strikes me. My palms sweat and my heart speeds up, it's crazy!
This weekend Craig, Aubrey and I waited at the tunnel where the players drive out after the game. Guess who stops to sign autographs?? Padilla in his orange Lamborghini. My heart sped up immediately.
I have a note book with pictures I've taken of the players and in it is the picture of Padilla and me taken at Spring Training. I knew if I wanted it signed I was going to have to approach him. So I did and it wasn't that bad. And I was very happy I got that picture signed. I only shook a little bit.
And then today, two short days later, it's Fan Appreciation Day at the ballpark. They have players at the entrances to greet the fans. You guessed it Padilla is one of the players at our gate.
I thought, I can do this, I'll tell him thank you for hitting Aybar last night. (He's the guy that hit the ball into Kam's arm and he left the game with a nasty contusion Friday.)
So I did, I marched up there with sweaty palms and my heart racing and told him. He chuckled, I B-lined out of there, fighting a small crowd I made my way to Vikki and Craig.
They are telling Eleno Ornelas, the Rangers Spanish radio broadcaster, how Padilla is my favorite pitcher but that I am very scared of him. Eleno puts his arm around me and says, "He's a very nice guy, he's my friend, I'll introduce you. Don't be afraid of him."
I told him. "I'm good I just spoke to him". He literally pushes me up there, says something in Spanish to Padilla. Padilla smiles big, looks me straight in the eye and grabbed me for a hug. I thanked him and bowed out.
Eleno said, "See, he's a very nice guy!" I was so scared, I showed him my hand, it was shaking so much. Eleno said, "Oh my God your shaking! He turned to Craig and Vikki and said, "She's shaking!"
I said, "I told you he scares me. I have an unnatural fear of him."
My legs felt weak. You know how you feel when your driving along and you suddenly have to slam on the brakes, it turns out OK but you just feel week and noodlely? Well, that's how I felt, and it took me about 20 minutes before I was over it.
Eleno said "Now you owe me." and gave me a hug.
I said, "Oh, I owe you all right!"
After my blood pressure stabilized I was thankful for my Padilla encounters this weekend. He really is my favorite pitcher. I have his game worn autographed jersey, an autographed ball, and now, my autographed picture with him. I feel like a little kid with my collection of treasures from my favorite pitcher.
Dang, I love baseball!
Erin
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