Oct 3, 2013

Pictures and text by Eduardo A. Encina

Ever since I was a kid, when I used to watch the Orioles play from the gold outfield bleachers of Memorial Stadium, I couldn’t get enough of baseball. I’d arrive early for batting practice and never left until the final out. Now as the Orioles beat writer for The Sun, I get to chance to travel the country – from the first days of spring training in February to the final out of the regular season – and cover the O’s. I understand that this job takes me places normally I wouldn’t be able to go, grants me access few have.

And as a reporter, you already take mental snapshots of everything you see. That’s a part of your job. My goal has been to take readers closer, and with the help of my handy iPhone, that’s become a lot easier than it was 25 years ago. So every time I’ve seen something interesting on the road, I’ve reached for my phone to take a quick photo to post on Twitter or Instagram. Some of these images are inside the ballpark, some are in the cities to which I travel. Some are of food (my colleague Dan Connolly ribs me for those).

Some might be quirky. Others might seem mundane, but they’re all snapshots of an attempt to show the reader what life is like covering the Orioles.

: Leaving Baltimore to report to spring training in Sarasota on Feb. 11, 2013.

: Buck Showalter addresses the media before the start of spring training on Feb. 12, 2013.

: Reporting to Ed Smith Stadium for spring training on Feb. 12, 2013.

: Spring training begins at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on Feb. 12, 2013.

: Dan Duquette chats with Buck Showalter as spring training gets under way in Sarasota on Feb. 13, 2013.

: Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hunter are pictured during spring training on Feb. 16, 2013.

: Chris Davis is pictured at spring training on Feb. 19, 2013.

: Peter Schmuck participates in a Google+ Hangout with David Selig, The Sun’s Orioles editor, from Sarasota on Feb. 20, 2013.

: Swimmer Michael Phelps chats with Adam Jones during Orioles spring training on Feb. 21, 2013.

: The Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s take on the Ravens’ Super Bowl championship.

: The Orioles take batting practice at Ed Smith Stadium.

: The Grapefruit League opener is set for Feb. 23, 2013.

: The Oriole Bird enjoys the media dining hall on Feb. 25, 2013.

: A statue of former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, pictured Feb. 27, 2013.

: The Orioles get set to face the Twins at Hammond Stadium on Feb. 29, 2013.

: A visit to Moore’s Stone Crab House in Longboat Key, Fla., on March 1, 2013.

: Orioles fans show their support for the team at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on March 1, 2013.

: Cuban defector Henry Urrutia arrives at Orioles spring training on March 4, 2013.

: Enjoying the Florida Strawberry Festival on March 7, 2013.

: Posing with Goofy at Epcot in Orlando on March 7, 2013.

: Wilson Betemit signs autographs at Ed Smith Stadium on March 17, 2013.

: Wei-Yin Chen is interviewed by Taiwanese TV on March 18, 2013.

: Brian Roberts fields grounders in Sarasota on March 19, 2013.

: A throwback media credential for MASN beat writer Roch Kubatko, pictured on March 21, 2013.

: The best kettle corn in the Grapefruit League is at Hammond Stadium, pictured on March 26, 2013.

: The Orioles 2013 media guide is released on March 29, 2013.

: Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman throws in the bullpen at Ed Smith Stadium on March 29, 2013.

: Nick Markakis and Chris Davis take batting practice in Tampa Bay on April 2, 2013.

: An exterior view of Yankee Stadium in New York on April 13, 2013.

: Eating at Shake Shack in New York on April 14, 2013.

: Boarding the subway in New York during the Orioles-Yankees series on April 14, 2013.

: Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire is pictured on April 19, 2013.

: Trying a Dodger Dog in Los Angeles on May 1, 2013.

: Eating at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles on May 1, 2013.

: A view of Angels Stadium in Anaheim on May 6, 2013.

: Saying goodbye to Anaheim on May 5, 2013.

: Posing with Cinderella at Disneyland in Anaheim on May 11, 2013.

: Buck Showalter faces the media on his 57th birthday on May 23, 2013.

: Kevin Gausman delivers his first major league pitch on May 23, 2013.

: Looking at Canadian money on May 25, 2013.

: Enjoying poutine at Poutini’s House of Poutine in Toronto on May 25, 2013.

: A view of the Rogers Centre in Toronto on May 25, 2013.

: Kevin Gausman gets ready to take batting practice at Nationals Park on May 28, 2013.

: Water is swept away at Camden Yards on June 10, 2013.

: A view of Detroit on June 17, 2013.

: A plaque honoring Baltimore native and former Tigers star Al Kaline is displayed in Detroit on June 19, 2013.

: A statue of Ty Cobb at Detroit’s Comerica Park on June 19, 2013.

: Touching the Stanley Cup at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on June 21, 2013.

: A view of the Rogers Centre dome in Toronto on June 23, 2013.

: A rainbow appears at Camden Yards on June 28, 2013.

: Former Oriole Jim Thome chats with Buck Showalter in Chicago in July 2, 2013.

: A view of the Chicago skyline on July 4, 2013.

: A sculpture of Frank Thomas in Chicago is pictured on July 4, 2013.

: It was floppy hat night at Camden Yards on July 11, 2013.

: An exterior view of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on July 22, 2013.

: The Royals’ Miguel Tejada greets former Orioles teammates in Kansas City on July 22, 2013.

: A view of Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on July 23, 2013.

: A Baltimore Elite Giants jersey on display at the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City on July 24, 2013.

: Standing behind a statue of Josh Gibson at the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City on July 24, 2013.

: Kansas City, the City of Fountains, on July 25, 2013.

: Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ in Kansas City lived up to the hype on July 25, 2013.

: Enjoying fish tacos in San Diego on Aug. 5, 2013.

: A view of Petco Park in San Diego on Aug. 6, 2013.

: A view of Torrey Pines in San Diego on Aug. 6, 2013.

: Enjoying carne asada fries at Petco Park in San Diego on Aug. 7, 2013.

: A view of AT&T Park in San Francisco on Aug. 9, 2013.

: A statue of Juan Marichal is pictured at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Aug. 10, 2013.

: Making on a stop at In-N-Out Burger on the Orioles’ West Coast road trip on Aug. 12, 2013.

: A view of McCovey Cove in San Francisco on Aug. 12, 2013.

: A view of the Grand Canyon on Aug. 16, 2013.

: Enjoying prickly pear ice cream at the Black Cow Cafe in Sedona, Ariz., on Aug. 16, 2013.

: Saying goodbye to Yankee Stadium on Sept. 1, 2013.

: Jonathan Schoop prepares for his first major league game in Cleveland on Sept. 3, 2013.

: Former Oriole Jim Thome will be honored here in Cleveland. Picture taken Sept. 4, 2013.

: This tower in downtown Cleveland was the tallest building in the world outside NYC from its opening in 1928 until 1953. Picture taken Sept. 4, 2013.

: A plaque of Shoeless Joe Jackson is pictured in Cleveland on Sept. 5, 2013.

: Standing below the CN Tower in Toronto on Sept. 15, 2013.

: Admiring some delicious poutine in Toronto on Sept. 15, 2013.

: The finish line of the Boston Marathon, pictured on Sept. 16, 2013.

: Cleanup is under way at Fenway Park in Boston after a game on Sept. 19, 2013.

: Saying farewell to Fenway Park in Boston on Sept. 20, 2013.

: Chris Davis talks to his agent, Scott Boras, on Sept. 24, 2013.

: View of a full moon over the warehouse at Camden Yards on Sept. 25, 2013.

: Enjoying some crab dip fries while sitting in the best seat in the house at Camden Yards on Sept. 29, 2013.

: Bidding farewell to Orioles beat writers Roch Kubatko (MASN), Dan Connolly, Britt Ghiroli (MLB.com) and Rich Dubroff (Comcast) on Sept. 29, 2013.

A season in the life of an Orioles beat writer

Leave a Reply Cancel