ROCKIES Fan Fest 2011

[xpress34]

After all my bitching and moaning in another thread (Worst Fan Fest Experience) I am going to another Rockies Fan Fest today (Saturday Jan 22, 2011) as a friend called and had an extra ticket and asked me to come.

I will be taking pictures and video and will post a FULL report here tomorrow evening.

All the best -

Smitty

[xpress34]

Well... Rockies Fan Fest 2011 has come and gone... and I must say I had a better time this year than last year - even though I only obtained ONE autograph (that unfortunately ran) and only bought ONE item at their sale (and not a Rockies item either!).

Last year (my 1st time invited by a Season Ticket holding friend) was very hectic and I spent most of my time in 'blind' autograph lines waiting for an unknown player to show up or downstairs getting Minor League player's autographs. I didn't realize you could see parts of the stadium that are NOT shown or made available on tours and such.

This year after my friend invited me, I went knowing I was only really looking for 3 guys for Autographs and that I was going to truly enjoy the stadium part and explore the 'forbidden' areas that are made available to fans ONLY on this one day each year.

That said, let's get to my recap of 'Rockies Fest 2011):

I started the day off at work (6:30am) got the techs out the door and left at 9:30am to head to Coors Field and meet my Fan Fest Ticket benefactor Mr Jim Kelly from Colorado Springs.

We meet up at 10:00am in the Lot A parking area ($5 - way cheaper than the other lots) and head to the gate. We go in, walk around the concourse and head up to the Club Level area (Most of the Autograph Sessions and Panels are held on the Club and Suite Levels).

We immediately run into George Frazier (former MLB player), Drew Goodman, Tom Helmer and Tracy Ringolsby (MLB HOF BWAA) - all announcers for the Rockies - and Dan O'Dowd (GM of the Rockies). We chat with each of them and took some photos (I won't bore you with those here) before we head on to our 10:30 Player and Coach Panel discussion (also a 'blind' ticket - you don't know who you will see).

We get to the RocHenge Conference Suite and get situated... our group:

Tom Runnels (Rockies Bench Coach)
Jhoulys Chacin (SP)
Matt Reynolds (RP)
Chris Nelson (2B, SS, Utility)
Chris Ianetta (C)
Troy Tulowitzki (SS - Gold Glove and Silver Slugger 2010!)

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j442/Lumber_Jack_Bat_Co/014.jpg

After the session, we have 15 minutes to get to the OTHER end of the suites for an 11:30 autograph session. We get there and find out as we start to move that it is Ian Stewart and a Minor League Coach. I have Ian and decide to start my 'tour' of the other areas and separate from my buddy Jim.

I head downstairs to go see the HOME Clubhouse - this is an OFF LIMITS area during the normal stadium tours - as well as the infamous HUMIDOR.

When I got to the Clubhouse I felt like a kid in a candy store... this was where MY Fan Fest Experience started to get going... I saw Keith Shulz (Shulzie) - the Clubhouse Manager - and he hooked me up with TWO GU Belts for my mannequins (one Leather, one adjustable - the leather one is Set Smith's #7)... we chatted and discussed what happens to all the stuff left behind by players (it has been rumored for YEARS that it's all tossed)... they pack up anything unwanted and ship it to their MiLB equipment guy who disperses it to the MiLB clubs or to their MLB development programs in the Dominican and such. In fact, they have a bin during the regular season that guys toss unwanted/unused gloves, cleats, etc into for these same causes.

Next to Shulz was a Rockies usher I have known for years but rarely get a chance to really talk with since during the season the 'supervisors' are pushing him to quit 'chatting' with one fan and do his job... :confused: Anyway, his name is Herb Shankman. (PLEASE mark his name as I will be making a separate post about our discussion that should be of GREAT interest to most of you.) Herb is an old MiLB guy who was in the Boston BRAVES organization!

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j442/Lumber_Jack_Bat_Co/DSC06415.jpg

Sign on the wall from the clubhouse to the dugout (dugout was closed due to snow and ice):

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j442/Lumber_Jack_Bat_Co/DSC06422.jpg

After the clubhouse, I went to the Humidor. Fan Fest is the ONLY day each year that you can go INTO the Humidor... so I did!

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j442/Lumber_Jack_Bat_Co/DSC06419.jpg http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j442/Lumber_Jack_Bat_Co/DSC06420.jpg

After the Humidor I went back and checked out the 'sale'... no Jerseys or Hats... a few bats of former players - Preston Wilson, Joe Koshansky, etc, some locker plates of former coaches and players and September call ups (I missed the McKenry but I know who has it and we will be trading for it), and some various auto baseballs. On the table among all the rockies bats that had been picked through before I got there was a 2009 Rawlings Adirondack Pro of MATT WIETERS! So I bought it... it might be up for discussion here (Shoreman and others)... must have come to the Rockies via AFL or something... (pics of it will be in a separate thread)

I did forget to buy (and I wanted one) a GU Ball that they were BRANDING - yes, a REAL Branding Iron on an open pit flame, red hot and branding the rockies CR onto the balls - they were $10 for Charity. I should have bought one when I was there!

Anyway, went to the 'Museum' they had set up... AWESOME items:

Eric Young (Sr not Jr) Jersey he was wearing when he hit the 1st HR in team history.

On Deck Circles and Home Plate from the 2007 WS

Various Home Plates from the 2002 Opening Day, 1998 All Star Game and (my favorite) Oct 3, 1999 - the LAST Regular Season MLB Game of the 20th Century.

There were Batting helmets - including Tulo's MLB certified from his CYCLE Game (that was for you Skier!) and Gloves from Keith Dugger's (Team Trainer) Personal Collection (including Aaron Cooks GU from his Franchise record 74 pitch 1 hit shut out in 2007) and various other artifacts.

I personally like the Ubaldo Jimenez stuff including this historic jersey from his Franchise 1st No Hitter from this past season:

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j442/Lumber_Jack_Bat_Co/DSC06457.jpg

From there I headed back up and made contact with various friends and went past the current panel and saw Matt Belisle, Todd Helton, Jason Giambi and others... so I went to work looking for a way to score Giambi.

I found out he was doing the last signing session of the day (it does help to know people...) and I didn't have a ticket, but I went and patiently waited on the chance I could catch him when he got done. They allowed 'non-ticketed' fans to get in the line but NO guarantee on an auto without a ticket. I decided to wait. They cut off the line and when an usher wasn't looking 10 more people added on. Finally they put two ushers in the line to cap it.

While waiting I was talking to my buddy Tony (a Senior Usher/Supervisor) and showed him my 2010 GU Giambi helmet... Tony worked some magic for me and when they got the last 5 people to the door, they let me get in as the LAST person for G-Man. They shut the door behind me and when I showed him the helmet and the docs and the photo matches, he lit up. (Joe - MVP2000 - I did mention you and he said he remembers you or knows of you and your collection!) Anyway, as he's signing, the paint pen runs! AGHHH! Jason was SO apologetic about it... I didn't have anything to wipe it with and I was afraid it might remove some of the pine tar, so I left it. (I will add pics later)

So I got to have Jason as a captive audience for about 5 minutes... I talked about his 2009 uni and he remembered me from Hi Corbett last year. I mentioned the mannequin and told him I just need TPX gloves and a bat - he told me find him at Spring Training, bring a pick of the mannequin, and he will hook me up! He also said if I clean the sig on the helmet to bring it and he will redo it for me! Such an incredibly nice guy and genuinely concerned for the collectors!

http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j442/Lumber_Jack_Bat_Co/032.jpg

Then I asked the question that is burning in everyone's heads here since his signing (MiLB Contract w/ MLB ST Invite)... I told him I will be at Spring Traing the last week of March and wanted to know that if something happens and he's been cut from the MLB roster by then... he cut me off and said:

"I signed the deal. I will be here (in Colorado) for the year no matter which club (MLB or MiLB) I'm playing on and I will play out the year."

That is from the horse's mouth as they say folks...

So, that's how my Rockies Fest ended for me... went to the truck and then went and did some more work.

Now the bad thing that happened... I get home and realize I don't have my notebook with my Rockies LOAs and MLB Certs for my EY Jr Hat, Giambi Helmet or McKenry MLB Debut jersey! (and it has LOTS of autos in it too) Anyway, I called the Rockies but their phones were off for the day - I know I will get it back, because I also know that when I saw the paint run and Jason and I started discussing it as I was getting my bats and my backpack, that I left it on the table in his signing room. I'm sure one of the usher's in there either has it or turned it in and I will try tomorrow or Monday and let you know if/when I recover it.

Other than those two glitches, it was an awesome day!!!

(NOTES*** The 3 Autos I was looking for that I alluded to earlier were Giambi, McKenry and EY Jr. McKenry was not there and I never saw EY Jr. Also absent was Cargo. Apparently after getting the short term Visa and coming in for his physical and to sign his contract, he could not get a new Visa issued to come back for Fan Fest)

Hope you enjoyed the long read!

All the best-

Smitty

[2000mvpfan]

Chris-
Great job on the helmet (at least you'll hopefully get a reattempt) and the awesome pic with Giambi...Ah well,at least I can take some solace in the fact that he remembers my collection-that's cool in itself and will have to do,I suppose,until he signs an MiLB contract with my Phillies and I can get him at their FanFest :rolleyes: :rolleyes: !!

Take care,
Joe

[xpress34]

Chris-
Great job on the helmet (at least you'll hopefully get a reattempt) and the awesome pic with Giambi...Ah well,at least I can take some solace in the fact that he remembers my collection-that's cool in itself and will have to do,I suppose,until he signs an MiLB contract with my Phillies and I can get him at their FanFest :rolleyes: :rolleyes: !!

Take care,
Joe

Joe -

Thanks for the comments... I'll post pics of the auto later... I'm stuck on what to do - I was going to have him sign on the side (clean spot) and he just took the helmet and went to town (big auto) on the brim.

If it had been on the side (clean spot) I would have come home, grabbed the wifes nail polish remover and wiped it off. Being on the brim, it's on top of some of the Pine Tar that add's to the photo match and such (not the big side spot) and I'm afraid removing it will damage the pine tar... I 'might' be able to get his last name off (that's where the paint ran) without too much damage and the 'resign' might cover it... I've really got to give it thought.

I'll post pics of it later...

All the best -

Smitty

[2000mvpfan]

Cgris-
From the faraway view of the helmet with Giambi you posted,it doesn't look that bad...if you can live with it,leave it.No matter what,you'll probably wind up removing some pinetar,and could even wind up with an autograph in two different shades of silver if you remove the "Giambi" and it doesn't match the "Jason" after you get it resigned-paint pens can be fickle..just a thought.

Joe

[xpress34]

Joe -

The only issue is that in the picture, I hadn't seen the run yet... and it was still running at the angle Jason had the helmet.

The streak continued down through his 23 as well... like I said, I'll post pics later...

It's bed time! I was at work at 6:30am (up at 5:00 ish)... it's 11:45pm here now...

- Smitty

[rays54]

Chris
Thanks for the insight and pictures. Happy you got to be around Giambi. Will see you and the family in March.

[Klattsy]

Great post! Thanks for the read.

Mark.

[skier14]

I'm always jealous of all of those Tulo items in the museum. The debut jersey a few years ago, and I'd love that helmet (it would go great with my cycle jersey :D).

I'd be interested if there was ever any Tulowitzki items in this "bin". That would certainly be something that I would like.

[xpress34]

I'm always jealous of all of those Tulo items in the museum. The debut jersey a few years ago, and I'd love that helmet (it would go great with my cycle jersey :D).

I'd be interested if there was ever any Tulowitzki items in this "bin". That would certainly be something that I would like.

Dustin -

Yeah, there were some AMAZING Tulo pieces in the 'Museum'. Wait til you see Tulo this year - he trimmed down from last year. Here's a clip from the panel he was on:

Tulo on Panel @ Rockies Fest (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v738/xpress34/?action=view&current=010.mp4)

Hope you enjoy it...

- Smitty

[xpress34]

Chris
Thanks for the insight and pictures. Happy you got to be around Giambi. Will see you and the family in March.

Joe -

My man! Thanks for the kind comments... I will see you the end of March!

- Smitty

[xpress34]

Great post! Thanks for the read.

Mark.

Klattsy -

Gooday mate! Glad you enjoyed the read... how are things Down Under? Hoping to get to Australia one day and I'd love to see a ball game over there!

All the best -

Smitty

[Klattsy]

Klattsy -

Gooday mate! Glad you enjoyed the read... how are things Down Under? Hoping to get to Australia one day and I'd love to see a ball game over there!

All the best -

Smitty

If it's good enough for Oprah...

Don't know if we'll have a "S" on the Harbour Bridge for you mate. Our league re-started in November and it went bloody well for an inaugural season. My team got knocked out of playoffs though.

You wouldn't happen to have any Shane Lindsay GU gear from when he was with the Rockies organisation? Spent about 6 years in the system...

Mark.

[xpress34]

If it's good enough for Oprah...

Don't know if we'll have a "S" on the Harbour Bridge for you mate. Our league re-started in November and it went bloody well for an inaugural season. My team got knocked out of playoffs though.

You wouldn't happen to have any Shane Lindsay GU gear from when he was with the Rockies organisation? Spent about 6 years in the system...

Mark.

Mark -

I don't myself, but I know LOTS of guys here with tons of Rockies stuff... I'l see if I can dig anything up for you!

- Smitty