Strasburg & Strikeouts

As a general rule, I blog about my thoughts more than what is going on in my life. Nearly always they are related, but usually something happens in a day that makes my brain spiral off in some train of thought, which I then share on my blog. You hardly ever get a "this is what I did today" post, but today, that is exactly what I am going to, because yesterday was so completely crazy that it deserves to be told in detail.

A few weeks ago David mentioned that Stephen Strasburg, a young pitcher in the Nationals minor league, was going to be called up soon. Early June, he guessed. He said that Strasburg was phenomenal. I will be honest here and say that I hadn't heard of him previously, being a Cubs fan I am way more concerned with why they can't win a damn ballgame lately. But David knows his baseball and I trust his opinion on everything, so when I started to look into this guy, I was impressed.

By now I am sure you have heard the hype. David managed to get us a pair of tickets to the June 8 game where Strasburg would make his MLB debut. The game was sold out as soon as it was announced, we were really lucky to snag tickets. I started to get really excited about this game! More excited than I had been to go see any other baseball game, which is saying something, because I can barely sleep before we go to watch the Cubs play.

Well June 8 arrives, it is a glorious 70-something degrees, and I get a 7:30 am text message letting me know I am not needed at work today. PERFECT. I get some more sleep and then drive to Mechanicsville to meet David at his office, shortly after we leave for Washington. We arrive at our Metro station and transfer to L'Enfant Plaza. Which is where this story REALLY begins.

I have never seen so many people at one place in my life; it was absolutely insane. The game sold out - attendance was 40,315 people - and I am pretty sure most of them rode in on the Metro. We had to wait for a few trains because they were so packed, before being shoved into a car - literally - and leaving the station.

You hear horror stories about people being crushed to death in stampeding crowds, and I saw my life flash before my eyes as the people behind me on the platform shoved me forward. I wasn't even walking, I was just moved by pressure from other people. I was shoved in between a pole, a complete stranger who had his crotch against me like we were grinding at a club, and David. It wasn't really anyone's fault aside from those who don't know how to be patient, but more people kept squeezing on, and I couldn't breathe because I was being flattened. I am not exaggerating! David and the other guy I was squished between were apologizing and trying to give me enough space to breathe.

And then it happened. We got pushed so far back that we were in the personal space of some chick sitting down, and she lost it. She started yelling at David and me like it was all our fault, telling us to back up or there were gonna be consequences. She said all of this like we had any choice in the matter, like we weren't being pushed on to her from other people, like we had plenty of room to breathe. I was already close to tears because I couldn't breathe and some stranger's penis area was all up in my business (for which he apologized, and I wasn't upset with him- it wasn't his fault any more than it was mine!) - but this lady started yelling and shouting at us and I lost it.

There has only been one other time in my life when I was angry enough that I might actually have gotten into a physical confrontation; I was 15 and the ER doctor who gave me a spinal tap did not numb me correctly and I could feel the massive needle they put into my back, so naturally I was screaming and crying and he was telling me to get over it. Until last night I had never been that angry again in my life, following the spinal tap I let out such a string of profanities that my mom later told me she thought my head would spin around and she would need to call an exorcist.

That is about the same scene from the train last night. The conversation went a little like this:

Bitch: Oh hell no, y'all need to BACK UP!
David: I am very sorry ma'am but this is not our fault.
Bitch: I don't care! You need to back up!
David: This is not our fault, they're pushing us, I'm sorry!
Bitch: You need to back the fuck up right now!
Libby: WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT US TO GO? THIS IS NOT OUR FUCKING FAULT AND WE CANNOT FUCKING MOVE, STOP YELLING AT US, SHUT THE FUCK UP, WE CAN'T HELP IT!
Security: (To Libby) It's okay, just ignore her, we know it isn't your fault.
David: (To Bitch) I am so sorry....


So yeah, the night began with David apologizing for my behavior to possibly the rudest woman I have ever met, for which I remain completely not sorry. If David hadn't been able to restrain me I would have punched her in her bitchy face, because I was that pissed off at her. Like she really expected us to be able to do anything? And she was so rude to David, when he was being polite to her, it was completely uncalled for. At least Dave knows I've got his back if there is an altercation, and I totally could have taken that chick down.

Anyway, I was fuming the whole way to the game, packed into the train so tightly that I was bordering on a panic attack anyway, and finally we arrive at the game around 6:30. David tells me to never visit New York City, and I'm unsure if it is because I won't be able to handle all the people or because he is worried I will lose in a fight to someone from NYC.

There are more people here than i have ever seen in one place in my life. Thankfully we are on the second tier so most of the crowd is down below us. Before getting to our seats, we spend $25 on two beers and two bottles of water - are you kidding me? And by the night was over we both had dinner and more beer, they really know how to take your money at a ballgame.

When we get to our seats we only have about 15 minutes until the game starts. I down my first beer and feel a lot better about the metro ride over to the game, enough to be able to relax and remember that we are here to have a good time. By the time Strasburg gets onto the mound, I am so excited that I can barely sit still.

The first two pitches he throws are balls, and I'm a little concerned that maybe he won't live up to the hype. Then he throws the most beautiful curve ball I have ever seen, David stands up and shouts "Wow!" - and I get it. This kid is pure magic, and we are watching baseball history - live and in person.

When he got his first strikeout, 40,315 people were on their feet cheering. It was amazing. And as the game went on the kid just got better and better. Every single fastball was in the 99-100 mph range, Dave says at least two were at 101. He gave up a two run homer early, but who cares - he had 14 strikeouts, one away from the all time record in a debut, and he didn't walk anyone. He struck out each of the last 7 batters he faced. He could have kept going, he could have easily kept going, but that is an arm you want to take care of.

I have been to a lot of baseball games in my life. I've seen the Cubs at Wrigley, I have been to several Nationals games, and I try to make it to Orioles home games against the Yankees at least once per season with my Dad. But this was by far the most exciting and thrilling game I have ever been to. It was incredible, and I am so very glad we got to go.

I tried adding up the expenses for the trip,
$70 for tickets,
$20 to park and ride the metro,
$50 at least spent on refreshments,
$30 x 2 because David and I each bought a Strasburg t-shirt at the game.

So essentially it was a $200 date, plus gas money. But it was worth every penny to see that part of baseball history. I know David and I both will cherish that memory forever.