Washington Nationals @ Atlanta Braves (2)

I ha a letter under my hotel room door last night saying that they needed to move me a different room, because they wanted to do painting and other decoration work on the 10th floor.  This was accompanied by another $20 breakfast voucher, so I now have too many!   In the end, they don't want me to move room, because I'm checking out tomorrow.  But I still used the voucher.

I left the hotel rather late today, at 11.30am, but I was pleased to arrive at Turner Field just before midday. Today's game started at 12.10pm, and the Braves rested a number of their starters from the night game yesterday.  I was in exactly the same seat as yesterday, but I choose to sit one to the right, so I could see better.  Three people turned up on the 5th inning to sit in my row, and they left in the 7th again.  Apart from that,. there was nobody else in my row.  There didn't seem to be many people here at all, really.  Probably a combination of it being a post-Labor-Day, mid-week, midday game against a not-very-good team: who beat them again today.  The grand slam in the 2nd inning was enough to give the Nationals the game as the Braves couldn't get enough hits at the right time to push any more than 2 runs across.  They had a base-running mistake, where a run did scored, but the run-down ended the inning.

Bobby Cox came to talk to the home plate umpire between innings, bringing his lineup card, so I assumed, along with the rest of the crowd, that he was going to change the pitcher's spot with a double-switch.  However, after a while, the home plate umpire called over the crew chief from third base, and then the other two umpires went over, and they spent a couple of minutes looking at the lineup card and debating.  In the end, Bobby returned to the Braves dugout and the game continued, with nobody the wiser.  It wasn't even as if he was delaying the game so that he could get another pitcher ready - the pitcher already in the game pitched the whole inning.  Since he's retiring after 20 years as manager of the Atlanta Braves, the Braves are doing several special events in their final homestand to end the season, which starts on September 27th.  He's clearly liked and respected a great deal here.

Turner Field is fine for night games, more of a problem for day games if you're anywhere but the back few rows in the field level.  The seats were hot to touch too, and the sun beats down on your back throughout the game.  More shade came over my seat in the 8th inning, which was a relief, but those closer to towards the front and in the third base side didn't get any shade at all.

All the staff I spoke to were helpful and keen to offer assistance.  Whenever I asked for directions, they insisted on showing me the way rather than just describing it.  The premium seat food service is well-organised: you've got the people going up and down the aisles that you order from and pay, they put your order into their PDA and an inning or so later, somebody else delivers it.  I eventually found somebody who could look at my ticket for the 28th September game, but they won't refund it as it is a single game ticket.

Turner Field, view from section 101L, row 22.

 

Bobby Cox and the umpires discuss the lineup card, the other umpires approach to join in