Thousands of San Francisco Giants fans filled the AT &T ballpark today for the 17th Annual KNBR 680 Giants FanFest - see previous blogsOne of the treats of the free event was to wander into areas normally reserved for the players and media. Like the players' clubhouse.
A long queue snaked slowly through with fans able to sit in the locker areas and have a quick photo taken. Luis of San Francisco was touring the clubhouse for the first time.
'It's a nice opportunity to be in the clubhouse,' he said.
And up in the press box, with it's expansive views over the stadium and beyond to the bay, was Steve, of Sacramento.
Steve has been a fan since 1968 and doesn't have a favourite player. His most vivid memory of the Giants is 'as a kid listening to Lon Simmons on the radio.'
His hopes for the team for 2010 are 'to be competitive.'
Out on the pitch, KNBR 680 were hosting a Question and Answer session, and around the stadium, memorabilia and Giants sportswear were on sale with hats being a popular try-on item.
By lunchtime, long queues were building up at the familiar food stalls.
But the Giants are not just past and present. They are also about the future. Two up-and-coming players tagged as 'hot prospects for San Francisco' are 22-year-old Clayton Tanner and 26-year-old Paul Oseguera. They were in the Giants' lobby signing autographs for fans as they arrived.
'Hopefully next year,' he said.
Both players have a distinctive characteristic, they are 'lefties'!
'It's one of the biggest advantages in baseball,' said Clayton. 'It's pretty much perfect. It means you will always find a job somewhere.'
When he was younger, he hadn't wanted to be a pitcher but had ambitions to play in a position like an outfielder. But all coaches test out left-handers with pitching, he said, and when his coach at high school followed the pre-ordained path....the rest became history.
Clayton, and likewise Paul, were netted for their pitching talents.
pic: Paul, fan Jocelyn who was delighted to meet them, Clayton
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