HHP: Reporting from Fanfest

[isestrex]

Finally able to post after a long day monitoring this thread on my phone. Frobby should get a full bird for doing the heavy lifting in updating us all. I would have been completely in the dark if I didn't have a chance to check in on my phone every half hour or so. You made me feel like I was there Frobby.

Attendence 18K. Double last year and Fans still entering.

Holy gate busters Batman!!! I thought 6-8K would be a very impressive turnout. 18K is truly massive.

[WEAVERMAN]

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

[eddie83]

Had a good time but man was it crowded. Got near the city around 11 and Russell Street was backed up with some road work going on. Didn't get inside until around 12. I went upstairs first to get the free stuff- Frank statue, program, Orioles schedule magnet. My wife and daughter got in the kids line for autographs and they took even longer than my Dad and I in the giveaway line. Biggest regret wasn't seeing more of the fan forums due to spending so much time upstairs. Never even saw Buck. Left around 330 or so and went to the stadium tour where they had a big line. My daughter got all excited when she saw the field.

[OFFNY]

Had a good time, but man, was it crowded.

Got near the city around 11 and Russell Street was backed up with some road work going on. Didn't get inside until around 12. I went upstairs first to get the free stuff- Frank statue, program, Orioles schedule magnet. My wife and daughter got in the kids line for autographs and they took even longer than my Dad and I in the giveaway line. Biggest regret wasn't seeing more of the fan forums due to spending so much time upstairs. Never even saw Buck. Left around 330 or so and went to the stadium tour where they had a big line. My daughter got all excited when she saw the field.

After 14 consecutive losing seasons previous to 2012, THAT is the type of complaint that I LIKE to hear ...... "Always so damned crowded at these Orioles events."

[Don Quixote]

Thanks to all contributors for the updates, tidbits, and the like. Good stuff.

[hendu]

Arrived at 6:30AM, surprised that there were already a dozen people there, and half those people didn't even have the early entry tix. I had enough extra to give to them. Stood in the cold for over three hours, they handed out the vouchers for the 10:00 at about 9:15 or so.

Went straight to the memorabilia room, it was a mad rush/scramble for some, and quite frankly it was kind of pathetic at first. Saw some Wieters game used bats for $100, but didn't pull the trigger cause I have no use for it. Bought a postseason black panel hat for $30 (going for $45 on ebay) and the BUCKle up DVD. Had pro-am personalize a McLouth jersey for me for $35, looks good!

Chris Davis was really cool in the first line, faked like he was gonna take up half the ball on my team signed ball. Mike Bordick was very friendly, told him to keep up the good work (half lie) in the booth, and he sincerely thanked me. McLouth, well, I rushed by him, cause I've expressed my weird man love to him personally more than once and wanted to avoid any kind of restraining order. I wasn't one to take any pictures, but as one other poster mentioned, the people that were taking five pictures were kind of annoying. Nobody was more annoying than the auto hounds that had no interest in doing anything but selling the swag and fully admitting it. There was a group of them that held spots at the front of the lines.

Wieters personalized the SI for my son and couldn't have been any nicer about it, very impressed by him this year. Big Game wasn't as fun as I thought that he would be, but to each their own. I welcomed Russell aboard, he appreciated it and wished me well. McFarland was super cool, asked him when he took the O's picture, and he said that he couldn't remember. I said, c'mon TJ, this baby is photoshopped, he laughed and said that I got him.

Walked around for a little while after that. The food line seemed to be about an hour, so I ate nothing all day. Saw another guy with the same orange O'Day jersey that I have, so that upset me.

As someone else eluded, the Brady/Brob line was insane, the chick magnets were letting every person take pictures. That time slot really pushed back the Machado/Gausman/Bundy. Machado personalized a picture for my son as well, but you can't even see it on the glossy photo, he realized it too, so he signed my team ball as well despite the efforts of the bearded usher that tried to stop him. Apparently, Machado has it in his contract that he almost always personalizes, so that worked for me, but there were some auto hounds that were upset. O'Day also signed my jersey and team ball, and said, "You have my jersey, I'll sign whatever you want. I think only you and my dad have ever owned my jersey". I professed my love and moved on my way.

Jonesy just seems so Hollywood to me now, but I don't blame him. Bigger fan base both personally and from a team perspective, but he used to be SO cool, so I guess there lies my disappointment.

Chaos mentioned that Bundy seemed cold, and I agree. He rarely even looked at anyone as he signed, but apparently he's had it with the auto sellers and has stopped signing at the stadium altogether. He's only 19 though, well younger than me, and he smiled and took pics with the kids. That to me is all that matters. Like everyone says, he's an absolute beast, and I LOVE the aura about him....all business. I told Arrieta that this is his year, and he genuinely thanked me. Reimold was very chatty with the fans, total respect for him. He was signing for others on the floor as well, which most weren't except Britton, who is just a great guy that totally gets it.

Standing in line for the Bundy, a guy asked if I wanted to buy the Johnson/Tillman session, I said sure if they'd still let me in line. Was last one there just as they were wrapping, they fired through that one. Teagarden is kind of a weird dude, thought he wasn't happy to be there as several people on the floor were saying, but it's just the way he is....totally got him. Johnson was extremely nice, mutual pleasantries were exchanged. Tillman is just such a good person, always polite and considerate.

Haha, did anyone else see Pearce?! He was in the kid auto line when I walked past, he looked like he was hungover/recovering from a brawl. He was wearing the Jersey shore style sunglasses inside the convention center. I was embarrassed for him. We left at 6:15, so I spent almost 12 hours there. About a third of the way to getting the 40 man from last year on my 2012 ball, so that should make for a fun project at Spring Training. What a blast!

[Dipper9]

I spent most of my day in the forums, (aside from a single trip upstairs that took me 45 minutes to weave my way through the upper level...DAMN was it packed!). All I can add to this thread is this...after listening to Buck and Double D, I think we have a shot at repeating again this season. A healthy Nick, Nolan, and BRob would do wonders for this team. Some of my favs from the day...

Buck: In regards to Nolan, Nick, and BRob..."I would sit there and listen to the Yankees and Red Sox complain about their injuries....REALLY? REALLY"

Roberts Buck story was hilarious. (though BRob looked kinda bad to me during the rest of his time on stage)

Nick when asked about the fans hating the Yankees...."I hate them as much as you do!"

I gotta say....I do miss Amber!

[scOtt]

My wife and I met a lot of ballplayers, most of whom were very sweet. Especially Machado, Britton, O'Day and numerous others.

Gotta say, Bundy comes off a little like a jerk. Maybe I just had a bad experience though.

I can see how he might come off like that. Weams and I saw him in Frederick and he already has this kind of armor about him. Incredibly intelligent and almost standoffish. But I think it's just the way his particular psyche deals with all this fame and fortune. He like distances himself from it, above it somehow.

[Orioles0615]

Here's a video of a Q & A with Buck and Dan I took. They are talking about Morse and lack of activity.

[video=youtube;jDV59n8JTl0]

[bobmc]

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

I second that emotion - I feel like I was there! :clap3:

[OsLuvrInKy]

I second that emotion - I feel like I was there! :clap3:

Thirded. From the woods of Kentucky I thank you all.

[Brother Low]

It was pretty cold standing in line a couple of hours before the 10 AM early entry time, but when I left the convention center in the afternoon it was pretty sunny and milder. Combined with several hours of being immersed in baseball, I really started to get spring fever. Then listened to WBAL's Orioles fan fest broadcast for most of the rest of the afternoon.

[Tx Oriole]

I can see how he might come off like that. Weams and I saw him in Frederick and he already has this kind of armor about him. Incredibly intelligent and almost standoffish. But I think it's just the way his particular psyche deals with all this fame and fortune. He like distances himself from it, above it somehow.

Could it be he is a little bit shy? Maybe him being so popular with O's fans he really doesn't know

how to handle it so he won't say very much.

[weams]

Ed Encina's report

Dan Connolly's report

Britt Ghiroli's report

Roch Kubatko with Gausman and Bundy

As an aside I totally enjoyed meeting Kevin Gausman a very funny down to earth young man. He's one I'll root for.

"It's really exciting for me that they don't really care how many years you've spent in the minors. Other organizations will bring you pretty slow. I feel like if they think you're ready and you have talent, they're going to bring you up."

[oriole]

Thanks to all who reported! I was unable to make it but feel a whole lot better about it after reading this thread.