Wehler Walks Off

Byways Boys Grounded

"Walk-off wins hit different"

Our circuitous spring trip through the southeast ended with Jeff Wehler hitting a walk-off home run. If you know what to look for, you can spot Melvin, Haldeman and me in the stands as the third baseman rounds the bases. Wehler's heroics came 16 days after the Blue Jays purchased his contract from the independent Staten Island FerryHawks.

Post-game, Melvin, Haldeman and I headed to TPA where we learned that air traffic up and down the East Coast was a mess. My flight, scheduled to depart at 4:45, was delayed by over four hours. Haldeman didn't get home until 2:00 am on Monday morning. Oof! Let's go back to the beginning...

It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here

We've been told a few things over the years: "You were speeding" (Texas; I was); "There may be nudity" (Oregon; there was); "Hey! No photographs!" (Massachusetts; OK, fine). But this was the first time, I think, that we've been pressured to leave a public place. That place was Fuller Field, in Clinton, Massachusetts, on the back end of our recent Patriots Day Weekend trip.

I felt a little bad for the young and doughy camp counselor who asked us to leave. He seemed genuinely pained, confused, and maybe even a little scared. He was wrangling a cluster of, I don't know, maybe twenty little kids, and I get that the sight of a couple retirement-age dudes emerging from a dirty old sports car to wander around nearby wouldn't necessarily fill him with joy.

Patriotic (so to speak)

Melvin, Watson, Bragdon and I attended the Patriots Day game at Fenway, the middle game of the three that comprised the first tour of 2023.

Our day-trip to Boston was bracketed by minor league games in Worcester MA and Bridgewater NJ, the latter being the home of the Somerset –– wait for it! –– Patriots.