FanFest Notes and Anecdotes

[scOtt]

1 hour ago, SteveA said:

Alright!!!!   I've been waiting for one of these.

In the past week we have completed a coaching staff, announced the 58 guys who are going to camp, and had Fanfest.   And Hays looks like he's in good shape.

Looks like we might actually be fielding a team this year!

IIRC the lockerroom holds 60? Empty lockers for FA signings?

[foxfield]

1 minute ago, scOtt said:

IIRC the lockerroom holds 60? Empty lockers for FA signings?

One for Brady and one for Dempsey.

[SteveA]

2 minutes ago, scOtt said:

IIRC the lockerroom holds 60? Empty lockers for FA signings?

All I know is that they have a 40 man roster and announced 18 non-roster invitees this week.

Figure one locker for Brady.

So there's still an extra, I guess.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

18 minutes ago, bobmc said:

Are any of you guys here in this photo?

 

I think I see my back in the very far, upper right.

[eddie83]

3 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

Eddie was as pleasant as I have heard he was (didn't say a word to me or the two people around me that attempted to engage). Good time otherwise, got photos with Ryan Mountcastle and Hunter Harvey at the $5 photo booth (other names that I heard were there were Cody Carroll, Chance Sisco and Pedro Araujo). I failed miserably in both attempts at the claw machine, there was a ball with suite tickets sitting up pretty on my first attempt and I didn't line it up right. Fun giveaways from the minor league affiliates, Shorebirds were giving away balls and vouchers for two free tickets, Tides gave away a beach bag, Keys gave away a hat, nothing from the Baysox.

Eddie seemed into it on the stage. He isn’t much for small talk. 

The line outside was crazy-  got there right before 10. And the giveaway line was even more so. The minor league lines were pretty long. That Tides bag was nice. Wish I would have got one. 

I was happy I won a MASN mug.  

Walked by a ton of players. Wish I would have seen Hays. I saw Mountcastle from a distance. I thought Elias showed a good personality on stage.  

[eddie83]

2 hours ago, Going Underground said:

The giveaway line was long as usual.They used to have two giveaway stations a few years back and the lines were not an hour or longer long.Seemed to have much less companies at Fanfest.Used to have Geico,Southwest and many others.Got the Gardrn Gnome the Buckster hated.Played bingo for a little whle.Picture with Sisco.Nice in person. Chris Davis got a big cheer when introduced at one of the conferences 

I thought the same thing about less companies. I saw Topps was a sponsor on the event guide but I didn’t see them with a booth. It was odd not seeing Esskay. Everyear they were there. 

I was not there last year but one thing I noticed was Channel 11 was there and not 13. I wonder if they will go back to airing any games over the air again. They did not release a TV schedule yet.  

[Luke-OH]

8 hours ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

I might. Was looking at either Mancini or Mullins.

Is Luke coming?

At home taking care of babies, but following the happenings.

[Obando]

Did anyone attend the Analytics session with Sig Mejdal & Koby Perez?  I haven’t seen any reports out there about it.

[bobmc]

18 minutes ago, Obando said:

Did anyone attend the Analytics session with Sig Mejdal & Koby Perez?  I haven’t seen any reports out there about it.

Sig's wife posted this photo before the session, FYI:

 

[Going Underground]

2 hours ago, eddie83 said:

I thought the same thing about less companies. I saw Topps was a sponsor on the event guide but I didn’t see them with a booth. It was odd not seeing Esskay. Everyear they were there. 

I was not there last year but one thing I noticed was Channel 11 was there and not 13. I wonder if they will go back to airing any games over the air again. They did not release a TV schedule yet.  

I doubt very much any on air games,but who knows Esskay does not sell franks at Canden Yards ,so probably not seeing them around.I saw Minda Basara and asked where Canden the dog was,he was not at the Fanfest.Did anyone see the guy with the service dog in the red wagon? I heard from two people that Eddie was not great at his autograph session. I won a  25 cent bad of Utz chips .I watched a little of the password game but did not stay for analytics.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

1 hour ago, Obando said:

Did anyone attend the Analytics session with Sig Mejdal & Koby Perez?  I haven’t seen any reports out there about it.

More people were probably at the Promotional Room.

As far as Eddie, he was decent enough. He was talking with people on the way to the stage and gave some people hugs. Once on the stage, he just went about his business, signing. He didn't seem unfriendly or anything to me. But I wasn't expecting him to start conversations or anything.

Brooks Robinson spoiled everyone. Apparently anytime someone gave him an item to sign, if he had a story about it, he would tell Richard Bleier, who was next to him, everything in detail. His signing was still going on when the second group started. I didn't have anything with him, so I ended the day with Murray, Dempsey, and Palmer.

If you went back to the Promotional Room at the end of the day, they were giving away groups of 3 hooded shirts and stacks of the regular tee shirts, plus an arm full of the kids stuff. Brought a dufflebag and filled it up.

All the players during the autograph sessions were pretty friendly if you talked to them. I had Tate, Mancini, Dempsey, Wynns, Scott, Murray, Fry, Harvey, McKenna and Palmer.

Mentioned to McKenna about the Bowie Luncheon the day before. Thanked me for coming out to both for the support. Told Harvey good luck and hopefully he can stay healthy. Got a "thanks." Told Fry he had the best Players Weekend name for the Orioles. Got a very positive response. Scott laughed when I said he needs some better cards, because he hates his minor league ones because they are mostly staged. Had to relay a message from an usher to Mancini and he appreciated it. Tate seemed surprised when I talked to him, as he seemed to mainly have the people ahead of me just hand him an item to sign without saying anything. He seemed to like someone talking with him.

Palmer and Dempsey would talk with fans a bit and both added inscriptions to their autographs. Dempsey filled up the entire sweet spot on the ball and then some.

Lines were fluctuating all day. Both MASN lines (the "spinnny wheel" and "claw machine") would go from almost nothing, to super long, to almost nothing again, all in an hour, and do that all day. The Orioles Team Store didn't ever really seem busy, but they also didn't seem to have as much stuff as the last few years. The Authentics Shop had a lot more stuff this time and added stuff (there was a Flaherty bat in the bin that wasn't there at all during the season....)

I'm mad I walked by the MASN Photo Booth all day without realizing it.

The "Kids Autograph" station had a Bowie Baysox reunion at one point. @weams MVO Donnie Hart, Anthony Santander, Austin Wynns, Steve Wilkerson, DJ Stewart, and Branden Kline (later replaced by Ryan McKenna) were all in one grouping. Other players at that station I saw during the day: Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer, Ryan Mountcastle, Chance Sisco, Drew Jackson, Dillion Tate, Yefri Ramieriez, Miguel Castro, Scott McGregor, Pedro Aruajo, and Evan Phillips.

Saw Luis Ortiz walking around a few times. He still seemed the same size as he did at the end of the season.

Joey Rickard looks like he has been hitting the gym and following the Roch Kubatko work out program on his arms.

No "Esskay Hotdogs," instead it was "Nathan's Famous."

I got there at 8:45 and was about number 300 in the "Season Ticket Holder" line. Not sure how it was by the time I got in, but the "General Admission" line seemed rather long as we went past it to the doors.

One of the MASN girls seemed like it was her job to give away the "Goodbye, Home Run!" mugs, no matter what you got on the wheel.

[bobmc]

51 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

I doubt very much any on air games,but who knows Esskay does not sell franks at Canden Yards ,so probably not seeing them around.I saw Minda Basara and asked where Canden the dog was,he was not at the Fanfest.Did anyone see the guy with the service dog in the red wagon? I heard from two people that Eddie was not great at his autograph session. I won a  25 cent bad of Utz chips .I watched a little of the password game but did not stay for analytics.

 

[eddie83]

49 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

I doubt very much any on air games,but who knows Esskay does not sell franks at Canden Yards ,so probably not seeing them around.I saw Minda Basara and asked where Canden the dog was,he was not at the Fanfest.Did anyone see the guy with the service dog in the red wagon? I heard from two people that Eddie was not great at his autograph session. I won a  25 cent bad of Utz chips .I watched a little of the password game but did not stay for analytics.

I know about Esskay. Just different  not seeing them after all these years. 

[eddie83]

51 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

More people were probably at the Promotional Room.

As far as Eddie, he was decent enough. He was talking with people on the way to the stage and gave some people hugs. Once on the stage, he just went about his business, signing. He didn't seem unfriendly or anything to me. But I wasn't expecting him to start conversations or anything.

Brooks Robinson spoiled everyone. Apparently anytime someone gave him an item to sign, if he had a story about it, he would tell Richard Bleier, who was next to him, everything in detail. His signing was still going on when the second group started. I didn't have anything with him, so I ended the day with Murray, Dempsey, and Palmer.

If you went back to the Promotional Room at the end of the day, they were giving away groups of 3 hooded shirts and stacks of the regular tee shirts, plus an arm full of the kids stuff. Brought a dufflebag and filled it up.

All the players during the autograph sessions were pretty friendly if you talked to them. I had Tate, Mancini, Dempsey, Wynns, Scott, Murray, Fry, Harvey, McKenna and Palmer.

Mentioned to McKenna about the Bowie Luncheon the day before. Thanked me for coming out to both for the support. Told Harvey good luck and hopefully he can stay healthy. Got a "thanks." Told Fry he had the best Players Weekend name for the Orioles. Got a very positive response. Scott laughed when I said he needs some better cards, because he hates his minor league ones because they are mostly staged. Had to relay a message from an usher to Mancini and he appreciated it. Tate seemed surprised when I talked to him, as he seemed to mainly have the people ahead of me just hand him an item to sign without saying anything. He seemed to like someone talking with him.

Palmer and Dempsey would talk with fans a bit and both added inscriptions to their autographs. Dempsey filled up the entire sweet spot on the ball and then some.

Lines were fluctuating all day. Both MASN lines (the "spinnny wheel" and "claw machine") would go from almost nothing, to super long, to almost nothing again, all in an hour, and do that all day. The Orioles Team Store didn't ever really seem busy, but they also didn't seem to have as much stuff as the last few years. The Authentics Shop had a lot more stuff this time and added stuff (there was a Flaherty bat in the bin that wasn't there at all during the season....)

I'm mad I walked by the MASN Photo Booth all day without realizing it.

The "Kids Autograph" station had a Bowie Baysox reunion at one point. @weams MVO Donnie Hart, Anthony Santander, Austin Wynns, Steve Wilkerson, DJ Stewart, and Branden Kline (later replaced by Ryan McKenna) were all in one grouping. Other players at that station I saw during the day: Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer, Ryan Mountcastle, Chance Sisco, Drew Jackson, Dillion Tate, Yefri Ramieriez, Miguel Castro, Scott McGregor, Pedro Aruajo, and Evan Phillips.

Saw Luis Ortiz walking around a few times. He still seemed the same size as he did at the end of the season.

Joey Rickard looks like he has been hitting the gym and following the Roch Kubatko work out program on his arms.

No "Esskay Hotdogs," instead it was "Nathan's Famous."

I got there at 8:45 and was about number 300 in the "Season Ticket Holder" line. Not sure how it was by the time I got in, but the "General Admission" line seemed rather long as we went past it to the doors.

One of the MASN girls seemed like it was her job to give away the "Goodbye, Home Run!" mugs, no matter what you got on the wheel.

The news about Ortiz isn’t very good. 

[bobmc]

50 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

More people were probably at the Promotional Room.

As far as Eddie, he was decent enough. He was talking with people on the way to the stage and gave some people hugs. Once on the stage, he just went about his business, signing. He didn't seem unfriendly or anything to me. But I wasn't expecting him to start conversations or anything.

Brooks Robinson spoiled everyone. Apparently anytime someone gave him an item to sign, if he had a story about it, he would tell Richard Bleier, who was next to him, everything in detail. His signing was still going on when the second group started. I didn't have anything with him, so I ended the day with Murray, Dempsey, and Palmer.

If you went back to the Promotional Room at the end of the day, they were giving away groups of 3 hooded shirts and stacks of the regular tee shirts, plus an arm full of the kids stuff. Brought a dufflebag and filled it up.

All the players during the autograph sessions were pretty friendly if you talked to them. I had Tate, Mancini, Dempsey, Wynns, Scott, Murray, Fry, Harvey, McKenna and Palmer.

Mentioned to McKenna about the Bowie Luncheon the day before. Thanked me for coming out to both for the support. Told Harvey good luck and hopefully he can stay healthy. Got a "thanks." Told Fry he had the best Players Weekend name for the Orioles. Got a very positive response. Scott laughed when I said he needs some better cards, because he hates his minor league ones because they are mostly staged. Had to relay a message from an usher to Mancini and he appreciated it. Tate seemed surprised when I talked to him, as he seemed to mainly have the people ahead of me just hand him an item to sign without saying anything. He seemed to like someone talking with him.

Palmer and Dempsey would talk with fans a bit and both added inscriptions to their autographs. Dempsey filled up the entire sweet spot on the ball and then some.

Lines were fluctuating all day. Both MASN lines (the "spinnny wheel" and "claw machine") would go from almost nothing, to super long, to almost nothing again, all in an hour, and do that all day. The Orioles Team Store didn't ever really seem busy, but they also didn't seem to have as much stuff as the last few years. The Authentics Shop had a lot more stuff this time and added stuff (there was a Flaherty bat in the bin that wasn't there at all during the season....)

I'm mad I walked by the MASN Photo Booth all day without realizing it.

The "Kids Autograph" station had a Bowie Baysox reunion at one point. @weams MVO Donnie Hart, Anthony Santander, Austin Wynns, Steve Wilkerson, DJ Stewart, and Branden Kline (later replaced by Ryan McKenna) were all in one grouping. Other players at that station I saw during the day: Keegan Akin, Dean Kremer, Ryan Mountcastle, Chance Sisco, Drew Jackson, Dillion Tate, Yefri Ramieriez, Miguel Castro, Scott McGregor, Pedro Aruajo, and Evan Phillips.

Saw Luis Ortiz walking around a few times. He still seemed the same size as he did at the end of the season.

Joey Rickard looks like he has been hitting the gym and following the Roch Kubatko work out program on his arms.

No "Esskay Hotdogs," instead it was "Nathan's Famous."

I got there at 8:45 and was about number 300 in the "Season Ticket Holder" line. Not sure how it was by the time I got in, but the "General Admission" line seemed rather long as we went past it to the doors.

One of the MASN girls seemed like it was her job to give away the "Goodbye, Home Run!" mugs, no matter what you got on the wheel.

Another one of the games they played (with Papa Frito, Yaco, Givens and Bleier):