tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43865799765718033712024-03-13T04:53:05.672-07:00Jeff's JourneyTake a journey with Jeff in a blog about family, running, baseball, food, attempted home improvement projects and craft beer.JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-29357862660513391202019-01-22T15:26:00.004-08:002019-01-22T17:32:24.887-08:00#EdgarHOF - Edgar Martinez is a HALL OF FAMER<br />
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Today is the day…finally, the day that all baseball fans in the Pacific Northwest were confident would happen. Maybe a bit fearful it wouldn’t, but today is the day. The day that one of, if not the greatest, right-handed hitter in Major League Baseball history became a Hall of Famer. Edgar Martinez defined the designated hitter position, helped save baseball in Seattle, was an elite hitter with the sweetest of swings and now, he is a <b>HALL OF FAMER</b>!<o:p></o:p></div>
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How sweet is that! A player I grew up watching so closely, for his amazing work ethic, his clutch hitting and for becoming an icon for the Seattle Mariner organization...is now a Hall of Famer. Yes, Alvin Davis is forever Mr. Mariner (and one amazing man) and Ken Griffey Jr. is simply the best, but Edger Martinez is the <b>ICONIC </b>Mariner. His MLB career spanned 18 seasons, and 8,674 plate appearances from his debut in 1987 to his final game in 2004, ALL with the Mariners. When you go to Safeco Field (T-Mobile Park), you often have to get there by driving on Edgar Martinez Way...that says it all. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But the story goes so much deeper than that…and I am proud, happy and so grateful to have been along for part of the ride in making #EdgarHOF a reality. Like so many others in Seattle and around MLB, I was fortunate to be part of a campaign to help turn ideas into a reality, and to use the power of information and social media to turn heads, raise awareness and ultimately, shine a bright light on one of the most amazing hitter in baseball history. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Edgar Martinez made his professional baseball debut in Bellingham, Washington, of all places my current home, in 1983 with the Bellingham Mariners (not so sure he liked hitting at Joe Martin Stadium). It took the right-handed hitter, then a third baseman by trade, five seasons in the minor leagues to make his debut with the Mariners. But in reality, it took seven seasons for him to break through and record his first 100-game season in the Majors. In that 1990 season, Edgar batted .302 (147-for-487) with 27 doubles, 2 triples, 11 home runs and 49 RBI. It was the first of 11 seasons where he hit over .300 and the true start of what was a seven-time All-Star, two-time batting champ, five-time silver slugger and ultimately, a Hall of Fame career.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Like a fine wine or a good cellared beer, things over time tend to get better and appreciated more. Edgar’s career, just like the man and the community member that he is, aged perfectly. Just like his path to the Majors that meandered through minor league stops in Bellingham, Wausau, Calgary, Chattanooga and Jacksonville, Edgar’s path to Cooperstown took time, took a few turns and ultimately ended just the way it should. Like <i>The Double</i>, a defining moment in Northwest sports history, or his countless extra-base hits to the gap at the Kingdome that I witnessed in person, Edgar was clutch when it counted. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I could pour over all of his career stats and accomplishments, but that would take forever. Which leads me to the next piece of the story…my story and how I am so proud today that Edgar Martinez is a Hall of Famer and will be in Cooperstown, New York this summer. When you are part of a MLB PR staff, you are part of something special. Now that I look back at my 10-year career in MLB, which included nine seasons at the Mariners, I am so proud of the so many projects we worked on, with the #EdgarHOF project at the top of that list. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>The Start of a Campaign:<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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I don’t remember the exact date or specifics, but in my third (of what became nine great seasons with the Mariners) season as an assistant in the Mariners Baseball Information Office, my supervisor Tim Hevly (a Fishel Award winner for PR excellence) tasked our crew to make a document stating Edgar’s case for the Hall of Fame. It was just after the 2009 season and Edgar would be appearing on the HOF ballot for the first time. Tim had a lengthy file of facts, figures and stats on Edgar that we turned into a 6-7 page document stating Edgar’s case. Myself, Kelly Munro, Fernando Alcala, Tim, Rebecca Hale and Mariners PR and history guru Randy Adamack collaborated and dug up info on Edgar’s career. We poured through <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martied01.shtml">Baseball-Reference.com</a> looking for rare Edgar facts,</span> had meetings on what more we could do to help promote Edgar, unearthed interesting tidbits using STATS PASS and dug up info from old articles. It was fascinating to research this information, finding out how Edgar’s career numbers stacked up against so many great players. We would get emails from Randy at random hours with the subject “For the Edgar Files”…they were quotes from players, tidbits on his career and soon, we were all dedicated to one thing…helping get Edgar Martinez into the Hall of Fame. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here is a look at the first document we put together on Edgar, which we emailed out to an extensive list of who we considered to be HOF voters (some of which didn’t appreciate to be honest). We turned a simple Microsoft Word document with stats and charts, something we thought would shed light on several amazing facts that voters may have overlooked, into a brochure with photos of Edgar and his career. This was the start of a 10-year campaign that we eventually branded as #EdgarHOF…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe align="middle" frameborder="1" height="600px" scrolling="yes" src="https://static.wwuvikings.com/custompages/Misc_JE/EdgerHOF/Edgar%20Martinez%20%28Photos%29.pdf" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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We handed this document out at the Winter Meetings each year, posted it on our blog and shared via social media. I am proud of this document, that eventually morphed into this version, which was the last one I worked on prior to my final season in 2015 with the Mariners. There was a lot of collaboration on this project, lots of figures that were emailed to each other where we would share messages that included “great Edgar stat” or “did you see this on Edgar” and “Edgar on list with several HOF players” so we should include it. Below is the final version I worked on prior to becoming the Director of Athletic Communications at Western Washington University...and eventually with some great graphic designers, morphed into this <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/394403320/Hall-of-Fame-Candidate-Edgar-Martinez" target="_blank">amazing document put together by the Mariners</a> leading up to the 2019 voting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>A Hall of Famer<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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Ultimately, Edgar’s hitting and his amazing baseball career made him a Hall of Famer, but along the way, so many great people at the Mariners and in the media, both Seattle and around the world, helped spread the word. I could go on and on about this…the great social media campaign that Nathan Rauschenberg started in 2011 or 2012 when the hashtag #EdgarHOF was created, the amazing videos that Ben Mertens and his crew produced year-after-year chronicling Edgar’s career (can’t imagine how many hours were spent digging up old video), the great graphic design by Carl Morton and Katie Abram and of course, there is the best marketing staff in baseball with Kevin Martinez, Gregg Greene, Mandy Lincoln, Camden Finney and many others that helped spread the word with their brilliant marketing minds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And today, in his final year of eligibility (out of 10), Edgar has climbed the hill where he belongs…in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 2010 Edgar received 36.2% of the Hall of Fame vote…in 2014 he dipped to 25.2%...and then 43.4% in 2016, 58.6% in 2017 and 70.4% in 2018. And today, Edgar received 85.4% of the vote, well over the 75.0% threshold to become one of the elite to be enshrined in Cooperstown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was lucky to get to know Edgar a bit in my time with the Mariners, mostly in what turned out to be my final four months with the team when he was named the hitting coach midway through the 2015 season. Over those next few months I got to see Edgar in the batting cage mentor young hitters, see him pour over hitting charts on long plane rides and, most of all, I got to see what an amazing gentleman he is.<br />
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So, today is the day, January 22, 2019, where Edgar Martinez officially became a Hall of Famer. I was confident this day would finally happen, but today is the day and I couldn’t be happier for Edgar, his family and the Seattle Mariners!<o:p></o:p></div>
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#EdgarHOF for life!<o:p></o:p></div>
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And you know what else is awesome, that these two guys will be hanging out in Cooperstown forever. The Mariners will put on another great party in New York July 19-22 this summer!</div>
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JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-69591246711953291072019-01-22T10:58:00.001-08:002019-01-22T10:58:27.024-08:00Trading Card Project to Promote WWU SoftballI am having a bit of fun, and spending a lot of time, digging up designs of old baseball cards to help promote the upcoming WWU Softball season.<br />
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It is fun to take a virtual tour through some of my childhood, where baseball (and football/basketball) cards were a huge part of who I was. There was nothing like opening up a pack of cards looking for your favorite player.<br />
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Let me know if you have a favorite of any of the below cards that show the 2019 Vikings!<br />
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<br />JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-22180909562182257192015-11-01T18:41:00.001-08:002015-11-01T18:43:03.417-08:00For the SID: StatCrew on a Surface Pro 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Looking to get StatCrew to work on a 64-bit operating system, like a new Surface Pro 3 like myself?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the things I was most worried about when I was taking the job to be the new Sports Information Director at Western Washington University, was how to be efficient with everything I do. This is the backbone of how I operate. Keep things simple, work smart and try not to complicate things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am a One Device guy…pretty much a spokesperson for the Surface product. I want to be able to do my job in any environment, any place, at any time. To do this you need to have good technology. To my surprise, well, not really, I found that StatCrew software has not really changed since I left Arizona State in 2005. Yes, I know they have a NextGen product rolling out, but for the most part, you need to run the legacy software. To do this you need a 32-bit system running Windows 7. Now go try to find a new machine that allows you to run Photoshop, InDesign, Microsoft Office…and still run the stat software. Give up looking yet? <o:p></o:p></div>
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So with the help of my Father-in-law, Brother-in-law and IT friend Oliver Roy, I took the information I found on StatCrew.com (which really didn’t do much to ease my mind) and found the perfect way to run StatCrew software on a new machine. SIDs have it hard enough with website updating, coaches asking for all kinds of things and this little thing called “media relations” that asking us to carry several pieces of computer equipment around is not efficient, or practical for that matter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So here is my workaround and it has been flawless so far:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul>
<li>Download <a href="https://www.vmware.com/products/player/faqs/faqs">VMware Workstation from the following link</a>.</li>
<li>With the help of your IT staff, or on your own, purchase a license for Windows 7 Pro (32-bit).</li>
<li>After installing VMware Workstation on your laptop/Surface, you’ll need to connect an external DVD drive or have an .iso file created to install on your device.</li>
<li>What you are essentially doing is creating a separate operating system, on your operating system. VMware Workstation walks you through the process, assigning RAM and hard drive space to this new operating system. It is pretty slick.</li>
<li>From there, after the Windows 7 32-bit is installed on your CPU, you can access it as a program, and start installing your StatCrew programs (I still can’t believe you can’t enter national rankings for basketball teams in the software).</li>
</ul>
Everything should operate within VMware just like you are looking at a different computer, and so far I’ve been able to cut-and-paste between operating systems (for printing purposes). The software shares the internet connection flawlessly, and I am able to use my Bluetooth mouse without any issues. It is really pretty awesome. A good workaround to a situation we have all been scratching our heads about.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you have any questions, you can email me at Jeff.Evans[at]wwu.edu. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This is the definition of @SIDProblems! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here is a screenshot of how the program looks on my Surface:<o:p></o:p><br />
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JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-44625461858014216212015-10-04T10:56:00.001-07:002015-10-04T13:10:58.874-07:00My Last Game With The Mariners...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many great memories with my time with the Mariners!</td></tr>
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Today is Game 162, usually the
sign of the end of the grind of a long season. One last set of game notes, one
last time updating MarinersMedia.com and the Press Box TV, and one more time
sending out lineups and in-game notes. Today is not just Game 162 of the 2015
season, it is my final game working for the Mariners.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have thought about this day
for a while, just never thought it would actually happen. Today I walked into
Safeco Field for my final game as a member of the Baseball Information staff.
Nine seasons with the team I grew up watching as a kid, my favorite baseball
team, and 10 seasons in Major League Baseball…the journey ends today. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But with the end to one journey,
another begins. I’ll start a new chapter in about a week, when I start as the
Sports Information Director at Western Washington University. I am excited (and
nervous) to return to the college ranks in the sports information world, but
what an amazing opportunity to work for a great college, with a great athletics
department, in the amazing town of Bellingham. I can’t wait to get started and
move my family to this idyllic town! The rest of this post is mainly about what
I am leaving behind - because it has been such a big part of my life - but rest
assured, I am as excited about my future as I am about the past, and can’t wait
to start with Vikings Athletics!<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I was going through the
decision-making process I asked myself several (and I mean several) questions
and it kept coming back to this question:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><b><span style="color: blue;">How will I be able to help coach Charlie’s baseball team or see Caroline’s first piano recital?<o:p></o:p></span></b></i></div>
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And for some reason I couldn’t
come up with an answer. I love my job with the Mariners. I love being the
architect of baseball information for a Major League Baseball team and coming
up with nuggets of information that land on TV, radio, in the newspaper and
even on SportsCenter. I took great pride in my work (and will always take great
pride), worked countless hours (and will still work lots of hours)…but I need
to find a way to be a better Dad and a better husband. Those are the two things
that have become the most important to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When I worked for Arizona State,
it was all about getting to Omaha for the Sun Devils baseball team. With the
Texas Rangers, it was all about learning the Major League ropes. And with the
Mariners, I was able to put all my experiences together to help make our
department one of the best in professional sports.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But, On July 2, 2007…just a few
months after I returned to the Pacific Northwest to work for my hometown team,
everything changed. I met this gal near the Starbucks at Greenlake for a
semi-blind date/run around the lake. I barely finished the 2.8-mile run, but
from that day forward we’ve been nearly inseparable. We have welcomed two
amazing kids into the world, Charlie and Carline, and I’ve learned how amazing
it is to be called “papa”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team Evans</td></tr>
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So, in a nutshell, that is why I am making a change. I want to be home for more dinners and want the opportunity to see my kids grow up. MLB is a lifestyle, and while it works for many and is a prestigious job, it is very tough on families. My role at Western will still bring the craziness of sports PR, but hoping for a few more catches in the backyard and a few more dinners as a family.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXVw-B-jS3Q/VhFiNxCevII/AAAAAAAAFvk/asPD2SDS4zo/s1600/Evans_Seager.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXVw-B-jS3Q/VhFiNxCevII/AAAAAAAAFvk/asPD2SDS4zo/s400/Evans_Seager.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle Seager will always be one of my favorites. A true pro and Gold Glover.</td></tr>
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Looking back at all that I was able to experience in my 10 seasons working in the Majors, there are too many moments that I consider my favorite. The Felix Hernandez Perfect Game, the Iwakuma no-hitter, the road trips getting to know many cities in our fine country…the relationships, the media, the players, the PR professionals…those memories mean the world to me. I grew up idolizing Ken Griffey Jr…and then got to work with him and call him a friend. Think about that for a second. Do I have favorite players, of course I do. Justin Smoak, Brad Miller, Kyle Seager, Felix, Adrian Beltre, Griffey, Josh Wilson (The Paperboy), Nelson Cruz, Michael Young, Willie Bloomquist, Raul Ibañez…too many to count. All just wonderful humans, in addition to being great ballplayers. Two coaches that I owe the world to for their friendship and constant advice are Jeff Datz and Ty Van Burkleo…two of the best men I’ve ever been around. I am proud to have been a part of information campaigns to help Felix Hernandez win a Cy Young award (Felix Facts) and Kyle Seager deservingly win a Gold Glove. All just a few of what I consider many highlights from my time with the Mariners.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXJ4WbJ5pa8/VhFiKS9YzCI/AAAAAAAAFws/bVSnZ8CX_Wk/s1600/0127jeff01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXJ4WbJ5pa8/VhFiKS9YzCI/AAAAAAAAFws/bVSnZ8CX_Wk/s320/0127jeff01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I take great pride in Felix's 2010 Cy Young award.</td></tr>
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I’ve been asked a lot lately about what has been my favorite part of working for the Mariners. Besides the fact that I drove up to Safeco Field every day for <b><u>WORK</u></b> and watched baseball in the most beautiful ballpark in the Majors? There are a few. I’ll always remember being one of the first to walk into the ballpark on Sunday mornings when I was usually assigned Page 1 of the Game Notes for the 1 pm games. I would stop after crossing the skybridge and look out at an empty Safeco Field and remind myself how lucky I am. I always got the same feeling when running laps around the warning track during my lunch break, surrounded by 46,000 empty seats. I have no idea why, but those moments are what I am going to remember the most, because those are the ones that I soaked up every time and never took for granted.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKMWDQcaTpw/VhFiRQPW_FI/AAAAAAAAFwg/iYrKK6NZkNs/s1600/_Q9U8812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKMWDQcaTpw/VhFiRQPW_FI/AAAAAAAAFwg/iYrKK6NZkNs/s400/_Q9U8812.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working with the media and coaches has been amazing.</td></tr>
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There are so many people to thank that have helped me on my journey. For so long the path was all about getting to Seattle to work for the Mariners, and that opportunity has blessed me with an amazing family. I am one lucky guy!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">To Rod Commons…thank you for believing in an 18-year-old freshman at Washington State.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To Mark Brand & Doug Tammaro…you guys showed me the ropes and were the best first bosses anyone could have.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To Tim Hevly & Randy Adamack…what an awesome 9 years we had as a staff. I learned more than you will ever know.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To my Mariners co-workers…Gregg Greene, Kevin Martinez and the marketing crew, the clubhouse guys, trainers, baseball operations…no front office works harder and can’t wait to join you for an upcoming postseason game. I owe Nathan Rauschenberg a lot for showing me the ropes with Photoshop...and you better believe I will be calling with questions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To Oliver Roy...no good PR man can exist without an even better IT guy. You are more than that though, as you were always a friend and one of the best workers the Mariners have ever had. Thanks for everything!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To past co-workers…too many to name, but Graham Rossini, this one is for you. You remain one of the best guys I’ve ever been around and will always be watching your career in awe. Joey Prebynski, you made my year in Texas tolerable and became a great friend.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To my parents and family…thank you doesn’t begin to even scratch the surface.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To Fernando and Kelly…it wasn’t always pretty, but in the end, we formed a dynamic BBInfo staff and really learned a lot about each other along the way. For that, I am thankful.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To all the media…it was a pleasure working with (most) of you. The relationships we formed and the laughs we had made the job worth it during all those extra-inning games.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To Ryan Divish, Bob Dutton, Greg Johns and Shannon Drayer…what a great group of beat writers to spend my last few seasons with. We had some fun on the road and some darn good meals along the way [we need to get Divish another Mayan Mule and take another taxi ride in Cleveland to find Gilbert Reichert]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To the broadcasters…I had the pleasure of working with some of the best. To the man I grew up listening, Dave Niehaus, to another Hall of Famer, Eric Nadel, you taught me what information to look for and how to best get it in your hands. Rick Rizzs, Aaron Goldsmith, Mike Blowers, Kevin Cremin (THE producer & engineer), Dave Sims…thank you for your friendship and always recognizing good work.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 9pt;">To T.R. Sullivan…it was only one year in Texas, but the amount of stuff I learned from you in my first year of Major League Baseball set the stage for a wonderful 10 years. You hammered home what trends the media were looking for and what game notes were important. A valuable lesson I did not take for granted and one that will remain with me the rest of my career. </span></li>
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<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wDkq2yfxEEU/VhFiN4cSbMI/AAAAAAAAFv4/yQnhYlburHs/s1600/Jeff_Junior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wDkq2yfxEEU/VhFiN4cSbMI/AAAAAAAAFv4/yQnhYlburHs/s400/Jeff_Junior.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Looking forward to this guy entering Cooperstown!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OEd-oUGmKPw/VhFiPFZhCfI/AAAAAAAAFwE/gQqFjNVvw_M/s1600/MLB%2B078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OEd-oUGmKPw/VhFiPFZhCfI/AAAAAAAAFwE/gQqFjNVvw_M/s400/MLB%2B078.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Winter Meetings and seeing Tim win the Fishel Award was a highlight.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7czGi2u36S0/VhFiKeJZ_9I/AAAAAAAAFwY/C01wIPjL1FU/s1600/Bloomquist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7czGi2u36S0/VhFiKeJZ_9I/AAAAAAAAFwY/C01wIPjL1FU/s400/Bloomquist.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willie Bloomquist is one of the best guys in the game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S4D5MdFGtx4/VhFiQ_Dc01I/AAAAAAAAFwM/A5tol7xVAkg/s1600/Safeco_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S4D5MdFGtx4/VhFiQ_Dc01I/AAAAAAAAFwM/A5tol7xVAkg/s400/Safeco_02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll miss this place, but can't wait to visit as a fan and cheer on the Mariners.</td></tr>
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I can’t wait to get started at Western, learning from retired CoSida Hall of Famer Paul Madison and current assistant SID Kevin Nunn. There will be daily struggles and challenges, but that is also exciting. No doubt I am going to miss what I do with the Mariners, but can’t wait to wave Charlie around third base during his baseball games and see Caroline grow into a little princess!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wwuvikings.com/genrel/093015aaa.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Crg2bQTG8qE/VhFiVEB2sLI/AAAAAAAAFwo/CF_SUc0izWM/s400/Evans_WWU.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new position at Western Washington University</td></tr>
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Here is my last set of Mariners Game Notes:<br />
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JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-25665097936485836522015-07-23T12:23:00.000-07:002015-07-23T12:23:29.550-07:00Trip Down Memory Lane - Comerica Park<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFOXvrI_vYg/VbE-tX6AAkI/AAAAAAAAFs4/o-MhvXaQZ5E/s1600/20150723_191908048_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo Credit: Jeff Evans" border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFOXvrI_vYg/VbE-tX6AAkI/AAAAAAAAFs4/o-MhvXaQZ5E/s400/20150723_191908048_iOS.jpg" title="Comerica Park in Detroit" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comerica Park</td></tr>
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I always have it on my list to contribute to my blog more, but when you update a blog as part of your main duties for work, sometimes this is the last thing I want to do in my free time.</div>
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I am finishing up another road trip with the Mariners, too many to count since I started in MLB 10 years ago, but current trip to Detroit got me thinking...<br />
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In my first year working in MLB with the Texas Rangers in 2006, I made my first road trip with the team to Detroit and Comerica Park. I was on the road earlier in the season for a 3-game series in Kansas City, but did not travel with the team.<br />
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It seems like forever ago, and perhaps it was, but I don't think I'll ever forget how nervous I was for the road trip to Detroit (4 games) and Tampa Bay (3 games) in August 2006. I am not sure I slept, making sure Rangers manager Buck Showalter had all his news clips and statistics early in the morning, and handled all the game notes on the road for the first time.<br />
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Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Eric Nadel was a great mentor to me, and I remember going out to lunch with him before one of the games, talking about game notes, what he likes to see (trends, trends, trends) and other nuances of the business. Backup catcher Gerald Laird took me out for post-game drinks one night, where I got to experience first-hand some VIP treatment (which was kind of unreal for a kid from Washington<br />
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Comerica Park was also the site where I worked my first postseason series for Major League Baseball, where I got to witness the historic walk-off home run by Maglio Ordonez in Game 4 of the ALCS.<br />
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Not many other memories, just a trip down memory lane from the same seat in the Comerica Park Press Box.<br />
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Time sure does fly! And now I wish I took a photo from my press box seat at every stadium I've been to.JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-84628741864134646652014-10-11T16:25:00.000-07:002014-10-11T21:01:16.471-07:00Family Trip to the Oregon Coast<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family trip to the Oregon Coast.</td></tr>
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After the completion of each baseball season, I am pretty fried and in need of some time away from all types of technology, mainly email and text messages. When the Mariners season came to a completion and we learned we would not be going to the playoffs, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to take the family to the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach) during my first week of the “offseason”. <br />
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A couple of disclaimers about our trip to Cannon Beach before I get into some recommendations on where to dine and visit:<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><br />
<ul>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Length of Stay</b> - We decided on a short 2-night, 3-day trip since we have two half-pints, ages 3 and 8 mont<span style="font-family: Symbol;">hs.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Days of the Week</b> - I am not a huge fan of big crowds when I am on vacation, so opted for a Sunday through Tuesday trip.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Budget</b> - We wanted to keep costs to a minimum, so didn’t splurge on our housing option. Kept is simple (and small), but it made for a cozy family vacation.</li>
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We left for the Coast early Sunday heading South on I-5 and then West through Kelso/Longview, over the Columbia River into Oregon and eventually Astoria for lunch.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lunch in Astoria:<br />
</b>If you are looking the perfect pit stop on your way to the coast, I could not recommend Astoria more. Besides the fact it was the backdrop for the movies <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089218/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Goonies</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099938/?ref_=ttloc_loc_tt">Kindergarten Cop</a>, there are some wonderful dining options. We’ve been to the <a href="http://www.rogue.com/roguemeetinghalls/">Rogue Ales Public House</a> before and this time opted for some Fish & Chips from a small boat called <a href="http://www.bowpicker.com/">Bowpicker</a>. The line was long, but couldn’t recommend the food more, with a generous portion of Fish & Chips for $10 (we split as a family, along with an extra side of fries).</div>
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After eating lunch on one of the picnic tables near the boat, we walked two blocks west to <a href="http://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com/">Fort George Brewery</a> and <a href="http://www.bluescorcher.com/Scorcher/Blue_Scorcher.html">Blue Scorcher Bakery</a>. We had picked these destinations out ahead of time, and they were perfect. We picked up a baguette and cookie at the bakery to have for a snack later that night.</div>
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The brewery was awesome, and the food menu looked amazing (we already had lunch or we would have gone for one of the pizzas). The settled into the upstairs pub and split pints of their <a href="http://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com/beers/seasonal/fresh-ipa/">Fresh IPA</a> and <a href="http://www.fortgeorgebrewery.com/beers/seasonal/3-way-ipa/">3-Way IPA</a>, and I had some oyster shooters that were fresh from nearby <a href="http://willapa-oysters.com/">Willapa Bay</a>. Before heading back to our car, we filled a growler with the Fresh IPA (it was a tough decision).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gJHj4vwQctg/VDm6Mx9CN1I/AAAAAAAAFrU/gZyhJq5eiLU/s1600/bowpicker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gJHj4vwQctg/VDm6Mx9CN1I/AAAAAAAAFrU/gZyhJq5eiLU/s1600/bowpicker.jpg" height="126" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish & Chips at the Bowpicker in Astoria.</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Heading to Cannon Beach:</b><br />
We were a little ahead of schedule for our 4 pm check-in, so took a small detour through Seaside before reaching Cannon Beach. This place may be for some, but it just wasn’t our cup of coffee. Seemed a bit more like Atlantic City than a relaxing time on the Coast. I’ll just leave it at this, and let others choose if they would come here (I’ve heard the aquarium is cool and <a href="http://seasidebrewery.com/#home">Seaside Brewing</a> looked pretty cool).</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cannon Beach:</b><br />
I figured it had been about 25 years since I last stayed in Cannon Beach with my family, but we had driven through when we stayed in Manzanita a few years ago. The town is small and does not have any chain establishments, which is pretty awesome. I booked our cottage (I emphasize cottage) through <a href="https://www.vacasa.com/">Vacassa</a> and was impressed with the ease of the process. <a href="https://www.vacasa.com/unit.php?UnitID=69">The place we picked was largely based on price, but it was fine for our needs. It was one bedroom, and within walking distance of the beach and all the restaurants</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock at sunset.</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Where to Eat:<br />
</b>We found a lot of neat places to get food and coffee (very important for us).</div>
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<ul>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://sealevelbakery.com/">Sea Level Bakery + Coffee</a> </b>- Probably the highlight of our trip, my wife found this place on the web and we ended up there twice (within a span of 5 hours). Stumptown coffee, handmade pastries, good customer service. Just about a perfect stop if you want a good morning snack. They are closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, so plan accordingly.</li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.sandunepub.com/">Sand Dune Pub (Manzanita)</a></b> - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were not able to visit this time as they are a 21-and-over establishment, but if you are half-pint free, this is the place to go for great food and beer. Manzanita is a small town about 10 miles South of Cannon Beach on Highway 101. I had the Oyster Po Boy last time we were there and it was amazing. </li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.cannonbeachhardware.com/">Cannon Beach Hardware & Public House</a> </b>- A bar, restaurant and hardware store all in one. Pretty cool concept and pretty good food. We ate dinner here and enjoyed sitting outside on one of the three picnic benches. They had a small, but very good, beer list of mainly local beers and the food was solid. We had split a halibut burger and chicken sandwich, and really liked the onion rings and tater tots. This was very much a cheat meal, as we kept reminding each other we were on vacation. </li>
<li> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.billstavernandbrewhouse.com/">Bills Tavern and Brewhouse</a></b> - Your average pub food and beer establishment. They brew their own beer, but I had a pint of their guest cider (Atlas from Bend) and Kim had a glass of chardonnay. The menu had the usual burgers, salads and some seafood, but we were still full from lunch, so just had a hummus plate and it was really good. There were 6 tables outside that would be fun for people watching. They also have a location called <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/warren-house-pub-cannon-beach">Warren House Pub</a> that looks like a fun spot for happy hour. </li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.sleepymonkcoffee.com/">Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters</a> </b>- A small coffee shop right next to the Hardware & Public House. We liked this place for coffee and their famous scones. This is the same location as The Irish Table restaurant which we’ve heard is very good as well.</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sea-Level Bakery + Coffee</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Beach:</b><br />
One of the main reasons to come to Cannon Beach is of course the beach. We spent a lot of time here, going for a long run and throwing baseballs to my son. We had a double stroller, which made the initial trek to the beach interesting, but once we got on some hard-packed sand it was very walkable. We had sort of an urban hike/run going from the North end of town to the South end of town along the beach (mainly to visit Sea Level Bakery for a second time). The views are amazing, as Haystack Rock is one of the wonders of the West Coast. Spend as much time on the beach as possible, especially taking the time for a sunset or two if you are lucky. Even if the weather isn’t great, a day on the beach is better than a day in the office.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the sunset on our last night in Cannon Beach.</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Head South on 101:<br />
</b>If you are looking to get out a bit, head South on Highway 101 towards Tillamook. You can visit the <a href="http://www.tillamook.com/">Tillamook Cheese Factory</a> to get cheese and some ice cream. We took the tour last time, but did not make it this time. <a href="http://www.yourlittlebeachtown.com/pelican/taproom">Pelican Pub and Brewery</a> recently opened a location in Tillamook that looks like is a must-visit for our next trip to the coast. </div>
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I am always amazed at the lack of Seafood options when I head down to the Oregon Coast, thinking it would be like Maine with a bunch of lobster shacks (crab/fish in this case) on the side of the road. But there really are not many options (as far as I’ve researched). We have stopped at <a href="http://www.jettyfishery.com/things-to-do/seafood-for-sale/">Jetty Fishery</a> for some fresh crab and they also have clams and oysters it looks like.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Trip Back:<br />
</b>If you are heading North, I would recommend getting gas at the Fred Myer in Warrenton (likely the best prices). And if we were to do it all over again I would find a way to make a lunch stop in Astoria (Fort George Brewery!!!). We took a different route back, going through Raymond, South Bend and eventually Montesano before heading to Olympia to connect back with I-5. The drive is pretty straightforward, although you could get stuck behind an RV or logging truck if you are unlucky. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lunch in Olympia:<br />
</b>Before trudging through traffic heading North, we decided to stop in Olympia for lunch. We’ve had good luck with this small town that is the capital of Washington, and can’t recommend <a href="http://breadpeddler.com/">The Bread Peddler</a> enough. We’ve had coffee and pastries there before on a trip to Bend, and this time had lunch and it was amazing. We are also hoping to visit <a href="http://darbyscafe.com/">Darby’s Café</a> (featured on the Food Network) at some point.</div>
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We already can’t wait for our next visit to the Oregon Coast!<br />
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JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-972052377572941902014-10-11T14:05:00.002-07:002014-10-11T14:05:52.392-07:00Pumpkin Patch - 2014The Evans family made the first trip as a family of four to a pumpkin patch. We trekked down the hill (all of about 2 miles) to <a href="http://www.carpinito.com/" target="_blank">Carpinito Brothers Pumpkin Patch</a> to get our pumpkins and some fresh produce. We'll have to pick out some fun designs to carve our pumpkins.<br />
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<br />JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-74621339584293947032014-06-18T15:48:00.000-07:002014-06-18T16:02:53.282-07:00Remembering a Friend and Colleague - Richard Durrett<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today has been a pretty tough day, as I am thinking constantly of a friend and colleague, Richard Durrett. <a href="http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/11101148/richard-durrett-espndallascom-texas-rangers-writer-dies" target="_blank">Richard passed away yesterday after he collapsed, he was only 38 years old</a>. </div>
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I knew Richard well, from his days with the Dallas Morning News and ESPN Dallas. When I worked for the Rangers in 2006, Richard was always a shoulder to lean on and a person I trusted to talk with when there were struggles in my first year working in Major League Baseball. And he was a voracious worker, always on top of things and always approaching his job as a professional.</div>
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In my many trips back to Texas with the Mariners, Richard was always one of the first people I saw when I walked in the press box, and he always greeted me the same way -- "Jeffrey, how are you doing!" He was quick to ask about my family, how things were going and what was new. The baseball questions always came, but not until he was caught up on how I was doing. This was Richard in a nutshell.</div>
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There have been a lot of great tributes written about Richard by his colleagues<a href="http://trsullivan.mlblogs.com/2014/06/18/to-absent-friends-richard-durrett/" target="_blank"> T.R. Sullivan</a>, <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/southwest/story/they-don-t-come-any-better-than-richard-durrett-061814" target="_blank">Anthony Andro</a>, <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/06/18/5908398/richard-durrett-has-left-us-too.html?rh=1" target="_blank">Jeff Wilson</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_P_Grant/statuses/479106195479744513" target="_blank">Evan Grant</a> (to name just a few). I encourage you to read them all.<br />
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No road trip to Texas will ever be the same without seeing the smiling face of Richard in the press box. I am kind of at a loss for words, but want to thank him for being a friend. We will miss you Richard!</div>
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Donate to the Richard Durrett Family Fund. Select the gift option & fill in In Memory of Richard Durrett: <a href="http://t.co/FRH9LmXxkb">http://t.co/FRH9LmXxkb</a><br />
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rangers/statuses/479346915444670465">June 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-47864269970791059092013-11-01T14:48:00.000-07:002013-11-01T14:48:19.644-07:00King Felix for HalloweenIt has been a while since I've fired up the blog, so I thought I would bring it back with a short Halloween post.<br />
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Kim and I asked Charlie several times what (or who) he wanted to be for Halloween. This is the first Halloween where he can fully communicate, and each time he said he wanted to be Felix Hernandez. He loves King Felix, especially having the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rise-King-Felix-Jarrett-Mentink/dp/097233145X" target="_blank">The Rise of King Felix</a></i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>read to him each night before going to bed.<br />
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The other thing Charlie really loves, and can't get enough of, is King Felix's Cy Young Award from 2010. He turns to the page in the Mariners media guide where there is a picture of Felix and the Cy Young Award, and can't get enough of it.<br />
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So for Halloween, I present to you King Felix and his Cy Young Award!<br />
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JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-36992307856199327372012-08-03T09:55:00.004-07:002012-08-03T09:55:46.334-07:00Brooks Running Gets ItBrooks Running will be moving its corporate headquarters from Bothell to Fremont in the coming years. They've long been cornerstone of the running community in the Pacific Northwest, and even around the world, with their "Green" initiatives. Check out this video on their new space that will be located near the Burke Gilman Trail in Seattle.<br />
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<br /></div>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-64041029039461417032012-07-11T08:24:00.002-07:002012-07-11T08:24:47.671-07:00Cookie Monster - Share it Maybe!The Cookie Monster is a pretty big deal around our house these days with Charlie...and his eyes lit up (and he shook his little butt a bit) when we played this for him.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-qTIGg3I5y8" width="560"></iframe>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-84846061135611543552012-07-06T10:34:00.002-07:002012-07-06T10:34:33.324-07:00You've Been Punk'd<div style="text-align: left;">
I had the chance to work with Buck Showalter in my first Major League season in 2006 with the Texas Rangers. He is known to be very tough, very intense and sometimes unforgiving. But, at times, he would do something that would totally shock you and make you laugh for days. He was at it here with one of his pitchers...</div>
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<br /></div>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-73174482824558213552012-07-02T12:15:00.002-07:002012-07-02T12:15:30.622-07:00Do the Kawasaki<div style="text-align: left;">
Here is a funny video, of one of our funniest players, Munenori Kawasaki. He is dancing in the dugout while our groundscrew is dancing on the field. If you cant' laugh at this, you probably can't laugh at anything! And he is a great, great guy!</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="254" src="http://mlb.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?width=400&height=254&content_id=22768755&property=mlb" width="400">&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Your browser does not support iframes.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;</iframe></div>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-68539226169940927692012-06-30T19:27:00.001-07:002012-06-30T19:27:25.573-07:00Fence Project Completed...Well, after years of looking at an ugly fence out our kitchen window each morning, I finally completed a project that I've been wanting to do for a long time. A December storm blew over a portion of the fence to set things in motion, and today I completed the last section on my initial checklist (still more to do down the road) and hauled the old wood off to the dump. Here is a look at the completed project out our rec room window.<br />
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<br />JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-11668666273717565852012-06-28T09:27:00.001-07:002012-06-28T09:34:03.555-07:00Bravely Done - The Story of Deschutes Brewing Landmarks<div style="text-align: left;">
It has been a while since I checked in on the blog, but wanted to share a video that I've come across on the web. It's called <i>Bravely Done</i> and is the story of the landmarks of one of my favorite breweries, <a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Deschutes Brewing</a> in Bend, Ore. </div>
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I am looking forward to my first trip back to Bend this summer since I was in high school, and a trip to the <a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/locations/bend" target="_blank">Deschutes Public House</a> will be one of my first stops. I also hope to check out some of the landmarks that are namesakes of some of the best beer around (even though it is not <a href="http://www.washingtonbeer.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer</a>). Enjoy (and watch with a little caution as there may be a small R-rated scene)!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="304" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18548564" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="540"></iframe></div>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-35752063292766508802012-02-25T07:44:00.000-08:002012-02-25T07:44:03.067-08:00Family Time in ArizonaWe are in our 6th day in Arizona as a family for spring training, and so far it has been really cool. The stress of having Kim or Charlie back up in Washington during this time of year would have been too much, and it is awesome to come home after a long day of work down here and be with them. We have already had some fun dinners, a trip to a Phoenix Brewery, a couple of runs and lots of laughs. Here is my favorite photo so far of our family.<br />
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<br />JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-10951203985146942342012-02-21T19:00:00.000-08:002012-02-21T19:00:47.708-08:00Charlie's First Arizona RunWell, we made it down to Arizona in one piece, and Charlie probably did better on the flight than his Dad. I feel like we moved our whole house down here for spring training, but so far we have not found anything that we forgot. <br />
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One of my spring training rituals is to try to run every day. I am 2-for-2 so far, and Kim and Charlie joined me on the Canal Loop (my normal after work run on the Skunk Creek Trail).<br />
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<br />JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-387134359500813922012-02-21T18:55:00.000-08:002012-02-21T18:55:20.598-08:00Happy Valentine's Day Kim!A little late on this post, but had it in que, but look at what Charlie made for mommy for Valentine's Day!<br />
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<br />JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-39145564749620144452012-02-02T21:10:00.000-08:002012-02-03T07:06:08.894-08:00Every Growler Has a Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It’s been a while since I have checked in as <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/tailgating-washington-beer-style/" target="_blank">Growler Guy</a>, but when I saw the posting by Kendall on the <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/" target="_blank">Washington Beer Blog</a> that Feb. 3 was going to be a <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/announcing-session-60-growlers-galore/" target="_blank">Blog Session about Growlers</a>, I knew I had to come up with a fun topic.</div>
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I’ve previously blogged about <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/tailgating-washington-beer-style/" target="_blank">tailgating with growlers</a>, in addition to my <a href="http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/lost-in-fremont-a-beer-lover-finds-himself-at-fremont-oktoberfest/" target="_blank">experience at a local beer festival</a>. Those that know me, understand my passion for well-crafted beer, and more importantly, local well-crafted beer. It has become a hobby of mine to explore the local breweries, meet all the great people in the business and of course taste the fruits of their labor. That is how my love of growlers began.</div>
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There is just something about the freshness of the beer when you drink from a growler. Maybe there is a bit of a placebo effect, knowing that the product skipped any bottling line, and went straight from the brewery to my fridge. Maybe it is the journey that takes you a little off the beaten path to get your growler fill. And sometimes it is just the cool design of the growlers. Some people bring wine or a 6-pack of beer to a party. I am the guy that brings a growler!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of my growler collection.</td></tr>
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While I can’t brag that I have the biggest collection of 64-ounce glass jugs, I am pretty proud of my collection. And I can tell you that every growler does in fact have a story. </div>
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I have 16 growlers in my collection, all nicely lined up on a shelf in my basement. When going for a growler fill, I randomly select one of my favorites, and try to bring the growler of the brewery I am going to visit if I plan far enough ahead. While all growlers are the same, I do have my favorites, which leads me to a breakdown of my collection.</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.greatnorthernbrewing.com/index.php" target="_blank"><b>Great Northern Brewing Company – Whitefish, MT</b></a></li>
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I’ll lead off with Great Northern, because this was officially my first growler. You always remember your first, right? My wife and I (well, she was not my wife yet) were in Whitefish for one of my best friend’s wedding. We had some time to kill and wanted to do some beer tasting at Great Northern. We had a few taste of their delicious brew, bought a few 22-ounce bottles, and the decided to get a little adventurous and buy a growler of their <a href="http://www.greatnorthernbrewing.com/site_images/gts_ipa_400.jpg" target="_blank">Going to the Sun IPA</a>. At first I think we thought it would be cool to use the growler as a piggy bank, and I think we even did for a while, but with that growler purchase, a passion was born.</div>
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Easily one of the favorites in my collection, and not just because of the beer we had from RBC. We got a fill of their <a href="http://roslynbrewery.com/links/products.html" target="_blank">Brookside Pale Lager</a>, and also tried their delicious Roslyn Dark Lager. The growler is a nicely-designed amber jug with “Roslyn Brewing Company” etched in white lettering. This growler also has some sentimental value, as a large number of my father’s family grew up in Roslyn. It also brings back memories of our wonderful trip to Suncadia, where we were able to relax at the wonderful lodge and enjoy the Cle Elum Bakery. Yummy!</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.georgetownbeer.com/" target="_blank"><b>Georgetown Brewing – Seattle</b></a></li>
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The home of <a href="http://www.georgetownbeer.com/products/index.html" target="_blank">Manny’s Pale Ale andRoger's Pilsner</a> actually consumes roughly 1/4th of my total growler collection. I have no idea how it grew to this many, some purchased, some via gift, but I have 4 Georgetown growlers that I use on a rotating basis. I consider Manny’s to be my favorite beer, and for $6 a growler fill, it is by far the best deal in town. And the brewery is located near my work. Georgetown is also the place where I purchased my first keg (or half a keg) for the 2008 Apple Cup. I still have no idea how 25 people killed that so fast!</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.twobeersbrewery.com/" target="_blank"><b>Two Beers Brewing – Seattle</b></a></li>
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Two Beers has quickly become one of my go-to spots when planning any type of growler fill. If I am hosting any type of party, Two Beers, Schooner Exact and Georgetown are my Sodo trifecta for wonderful beer. Two Beers also never disappoints with their brew. Whether it is the Evo IPA, 20:20 Blonde Ale, Heart of Darkness CDA or Pumpkin Spice seasonal, I have never had a bad beer from them. The growler that I have of theirs is actually my second from Two Beers. The first one I purchased was the generic glass with a bumper sticker, and when they came out with their etched design, they were nice enough to trade my old one in.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 7 Seas, Two Beers, Georgetown Trio.</td></tr>
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Deschutes is by far my go-to 6-pack when looking for beer in the grocery store. I am a huge supporter of Washington Beer, but is there anything better than an ice cold Mirror Pond on a warm summer day? My Deschutes growler is perhaps my favorite in design (it is the English growler style) and was a gift from my brother-in-law. I have never visited the brewery in Bend, but have got a fill from their downtown Portland pub. Every time I bring the growler with big handle into a brewery, or to any party, it is an immediate hit.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AT_aBbJyb5E/TytjX-QXLuI/AAAAAAAAFgA/6OTEJrkwQWE/s1600/Deschutes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AT_aBbJyb5E/TytjX-QXLuI/AAAAAAAAFgA/6OTEJrkwQWE/s200/Deschutes.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deschutes English Style Growler</td></tr>
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<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.fremontbrewing.com/" target="_blank"><b>Fremont Brewing – Seattle</b></a></li>
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I picked up this growler as part of a groupon, and got the chance to meet the brewer when I was there. I helped former <a href="http://www.fremontbrewing.com/608/homefront-ipa.html" target="_blank">Mariners pitcher Chris Ray publicize his Homefront IPA</a> project, so it was neat to see where the work was being done. This also happened to be the first brewery my son visited when he was just under a month old. I have since visited their UBG (Urban Beer Garden) and love their <a href="http://www.fremontbrewing.com/43/the-beer.html" target="_blank">Interurban IPA and Abominable Winter Ale</a>.</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><b><a href="http://www.schoonerexact.com/index.php" target="_blank">Schooner Exact Brewing – Seattle</a></b></li>
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Schooner Exact is probably the closest brewery to my work, and they have specials where you can fill your growler for $6 on Tuesday’s and Sunday’s. That’s a great deal! I can remember the first time I had their 3 Grid IPA at West 5 in West Seattle, and it has since grown into one of the best breweries in Seattle. Their Gallant Maiden Hefeweizen is always a popular choice when I am taking a growler to a summer party.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-892kvNKKMR8/Tytqe8plqNI/AAAAAAAAFg4/VltAItJBC-0/s1600/growler1-350x262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-892kvNKKMR8/Tytqe8plqNI/AAAAAAAAFg4/VltAItJBC-0/s320/growler1-350x262.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing like a growler party and BBQ on a summer day.</td></tr>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.7seasbrewing.com/" target="_blank"><b>7 Seas Brewing – Gig Harbor</b></a></li>
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This is my hometown brewery as I grew up in Gig Harbor. I first heard that The Gig was opening a brewery, and was finally able to make it down before they had even opened their doors to the public and got a growler fill of Cutt’s NW Amber Ale. It was fun to drink the beer, as my parents' house overlooks Cutt’s Island (or better known as Dead Man’s Island. 7 Seas became the first Washington Craft Brewery to can their beer, and is about to expand into a bigger space in downtown Gig Harbor. I look forward to visiting again soon, and one of these year’s I’ll be around to get one of their <a href="http://bottless.net/v/vspfiles/photos/7Seas-2T.jpg" target="_blank">limited edition growlers</a>.</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.macandjacks.com/index.php" target="_blank"><b>Mac & Jacks – Redmond</b></a></li>
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If you are a craft beer fan and live in the Seattle area, then no doubt you’ve taken the same journey I have trying to find their small operation near Marymoor Park in Redmond. We drove around the industrial park a few times before we found the lion-head logo. The adventure finding the brewery was almost as fun as enjoying their tasty African Amber Ale. </div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.fourpeaks.com/" target="_blank"><b>Four Peaks Brewing Company – Tempe, AZ</b></a></li>
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A lot of people outside of Arizona don’t know about Four Peaks. When I lived in Arizona, Four Peaks was a great place for a burger and a beer, but I wasn’t yet into the craft beer scene. I just thought the place was cool for the atmosphere, the food and to watch a football game. I’ve adopted Four Peaks as my Spring Training beer for when I am down in Arizona. Their growler is probably the most colorful in my collection, and the fact it has made the journey to-and-from Arizona a couple of times shows that it is up for a challenge.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four Peaks in Tempe, AZ</td></tr>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.bigtimebrewery.com/" target="_blank"><b>Big Time Brewing – Seattle</b></a></li>
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I’ve been to Big Time a few times prior to going to sporting events at the University of Washington, and I find it to be a great college bar. What better than beer and pizza before a college football game. I picked up one of their 22nd Anniversary Growlers on my way to a tailgate with my friends. I never thought about how I was going to get the empty growler into Husky Stadium, and the look on the security guards face when I explained what an empty growler was for, was priceless.</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.elliottbaybrewing.com/" target="_blank"><b>Elliott Bay Brewing – Seattle & Burien</b></a></li>
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I have only been to Elliott Bay Brewing a few times to fill their growler, and am a little thrown-off by the $12 growler fill price, but still enjoy their product. When Seattle had a heavy snowstorm in 2008, we walked up California Avenue to have lunch at EBBC, a day my wife and I will never forget. Drinking a cold beer, enjoying a good meal, while watching people cross country ski down California Avenue.</div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><a href="http://www.diamondknot.com/DKhome.html" target="_blank"><b>Diamond Knot Brewing Company – Mukilteo</b></a></li>
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If we lived a little closer, I think I would be at one of their three establishments in Snohomish County a lot. Their beer is unbelievable, and the setting is pretty cool right near the ferry dock. We were on our way to a Christmas party, and we were pretty early, so we decided to stop in for a beer. After a few samples, we left with a growler of their ESB. It’s forever been on my list to visit their Camano Island Lodge to get a burger and a growler fill.</div>
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So there you have it. Every one of my growlers have a story, and it is fun to look at them lined up on my shelf and think of the memories they come with. And I am looking forward to adding to my collection, and enjoying the travels that come with them.</div>
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Here are some breweries I hope to add to my growler collection in the near future…</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><a href="http://airwaysbrewing.com/" target="_blank"><b>Airways Brewing – Kent</b></a> (my hometown brewery, and probably the best stuff I have had in a long time, recently made some etched growlers with their beautiful logo. This will be my next purchase for the collection, maybe even tonight in honor of Growler Blogging Day)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><a href="http://bigalbrewing.com/" target="_blank"><b>Big Al Brewing – Seattle</b></a> (I’ve probably driven by 100 times, but never stopped. Shame on me)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><a href="http://www.soundbrewery.com/" target="_blank"><b>Sound Brewing – Poulsbo</b></a> (Take a ferry ride, go to the Poulsbo Bakery, get a growler fill. Sign me up…and their logo and bottling are impressive)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><a href="http://www.blackravenbrewing.com/" target="_blank"><b>Black Raven Brewing – Redmond</b></a> (Trickster IPA after a long run on the Sammamish River Trail. Enough said)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><a href="http://www.santanbrewing.com/" target="_blank"><b>San Tan Brewing – Chandler, AZ</b></a> (Can’t wait to visit this place again during spring training)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://harmonbrewingco.com/" target="_blank"><b>Harmon Brewing - Tacoma</b></a> (Love visiting T-town and need to check out their growler happy hour at their tasting room near historic Stadium High School)</li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://paradisecreekbrewery.com/?page_id=10" target="_blank"><b>Paradise Creek Brewery - Pullman</b></a> (Had a great time visiting before a Cougar Football game, but the growler would not have made it through the night. Looking forward to a visit back for some of their brew and Cougar Gold Mac and Cheese.</li>
</ul>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-92032734526108603882012-01-28T19:28:00.000-08:002012-01-28T19:28:22.966-08:00Charlie's First FanFestAfter a little work at FanFest, Charlie and Kim made their way to Safeco Field and took in the sights and sounds of the wonderful event. Charlie got to go "behind the scenes" and met a lot of players, including Casper Wells, Jesus Montero, Danny Hultzen, Vinnie Catricala, Mike Carp, Brandon League and manager Eric Wedge. He was all smiles, even though it was pretty chilly!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie's first press conference</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie taking in the sights of Safeco Field.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A day at work with Dad!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uvUXZ2_hg5Y/TyS6j2Tc0GI/AAAAAAAAFfA/hfm7lQ27vFI/s1600/IMG_1149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uvUXZ2_hg5Y/TyS6j2Tc0GI/AAAAAAAAFfA/hfm7lQ27vFI/s640/IMG_1149.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie with the Charlie Brown statue in Eric Wedge's office.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie finally fits in his Mariners hoodie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging in the dugout.</td></tr>
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</div>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-66938739346126294842012-01-26T21:07:00.000-08:002012-01-26T21:57:07.456-08:00Checking Back InWell, it has been a little bit since my last blog post, so I figured I would check back in with the digital world. For those keeping track, and I am sure there are not many, we finally did get power back after about 80 hours in the dark. I am thankful to my in-laws for hosting us for two nights, and the built-in delicious meals were a bonus!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJHjzVzcl20/TyIwfY6uRDI/AAAAAAAAFek/09jzzq7QksE/s1600/Charlie_Mariners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJHjzVzcl20/TyIwfY6uRDI/AAAAAAAAFek/09jzzq7QksE/s400/Charlie_Mariners.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie is ready for Spring Training.</td></tr>
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Work has been crazy busy lately (media guide, media day, radio interviews, FanFest, etc.), and I've been knee-deep in getting our department blog up and running. If you have time, check out <a href="http://marinersblog.mlblogs.com/" target="_blank">The Voice of the Mariners</a>. The MLB blog network uses Wordpress, which is a little different and a little more complicated at first than Blogger, but I got the hang of it pretty fast. It has been fun to work on something I've been pitching for a while, and it has created a new energy for me at work. Our goal is not to break news, but to drive our own content through social media, and so far it is working. In just over a week, we've had over 25,000 visits to the blog! I look forward to creating new content for the blog, and finding new ways for fans and media to follow the Mariners.<br />
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After the massive power outage, I feel like we are finally back to normal at the house, catching up on laundry, dishes and cleaning alike. My running routine has taken a massive hit this week, but I'll make up for it in the coming weeks. I am looking forward to getting back into half-marathon shape during spring training!<br />
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And now the most important part, an updated picture of my little man. Charlie seems to grow each day. During the work week I get to play with him in the morning, but when I get home from work he is winding down for the evening. I love reading him books at night and seeing him smile in the bath. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie with his life-size spoon. More meatloaf Mom!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-61281641087366412062012-01-22T07:55:00.000-08:002012-01-22T07:55:16.554-08:00Winter Storm ChaosAs most people know, since it has been on the local news 24/7, and even made national news, the Puget Sound area was hit pretty hard by a winter storm. Actually, whenever there is an inch of the white stuff, it is considered a winter storm, so this was pretty legit when it comes to storms.<br />
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We registered about 5 inches of snow at our house on Wednesday, but that as followed by about a half-inch of ice on Thursday, followed by another 2 inches of snow. Kind of like a snow-ice-snow sandwich. As I write this on Sunday morning, we are going on our 73rd hour without power (and my bet is we won't get power back until at least Monday). We have since packed up and head North to my in-laws, which has taken <i>most</i> of the stress of. And it has been a <b>stressful</b> week.<br />
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I won't go into too many gory details, but I do have a bit of a rant to share. It mostly involves our public transportation system and the communications system they have set up. Before I get into that, I want to say that I am a huge fan of public transportation, and use King County Metro (and sometimes Sound Transit) whenever I can to traverse the 16 miles to work each day. But like most things, especially in my business of public relations, I truly believe that you show your worth when you are faced with the biggest challenges. And in my mind, our public transportation system has a long ways to go to be above par in this level.<br />
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I'll start with Tuesday (Jan. 17), which was the first day after the Martin Luther King holiday. We had a light dusting of snow through the night, but during commute hours it turned to slush and the roads were bare and wet. I attempted to catch the 190 route at the normal time of 190, but was about 15 minutes early figuring they would be off schedule a bit. I waited, and waited, and waited...and no bus came. Not for an hour, and decided to drive into work with what was probably my easiest commute in the last two months. I never could figure out why the last two 190's never showed up, but that was just the start of my METRO nightmares.<br />
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Wednesday was a pretty easy day, and no rants. My work was closed, and we spent the day looking at 4 inches of beautiful snow. We even got to take Charlie outside so he could experience his first snow.<br />
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And then there was Thursday, the day that I will deem my version of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093748/" target="_blank">Planes, Trains and Automobiles</a>. I certainly did my best John Candy-Steve Martin impersonation. My plan was to catch an early bus outside our neighborhood (route 152). I walked the 1/2 mile to the stop...and waited about 30 minutes before I tweeted Metro asking if this route was operating. They graciously answered right back, telling me to call into Metro's operation center, which I somehow got through to, and they said the 152 was canceled. Determined to make it into work, I started the mile-or-so walk to the freeway station to catch the 190. About halfway there, trudging through a nice ice/snow mixture that makes walking fun, a 152 bus blows by me. You can only imagine the words that came out of my mouth!<br />
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Once I reached the freeway station, a lot of buses showed up, but no 190's. So I tried to outsmart the system, taking a Sound Transit 574 to the airport, and then catching LINK Light Rail into downtown. In theory, and on most days, this would have been a solid alternative, but not with my luck. I reached the airport really easily, almost too easily, and jumped right onto a train, but only one problem, that train was not moving. And it didn't move...for a long time. In fact, in 1 hour, 15 minutes, it moved 5 feet, and after those 5 feet and 1 hour, 15 minutes, I decided it just wasn't my day and I was heading home. I caught a 574 back to the 272nd freeway station, and then walked home. It was almost a blessing in disguise not getting into work, because it sounds like getting home may have been even more of a challenge.<br />
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I know there were a lot of challenges with the weather, and I fully expected to have delays, and I prepared for that. What I am most frustrated with is the communication play they have setup and the overall lack of information that is available. Here is my main point behind this rant. <u style="font-weight: bold;">King County and the news stations stress the importance of staying off the roads for safety, and utilizing public transportation.</u> But, when you can't rely on the public transportation system, what are you to do?<br />
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I know King County Metro has a funding problem, and there is probably no perfect solution, but just having a communication plan that points you to a website (where updates aren't even accurate) or an over-crowded call center is a start. Do they invest in a GPS system that is easy to track if your bus route is actually on the road? Do they improve the One Bus Away app that is available when routes are running normally?<br />
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So, that is my rant. And this is not just a one-time problem. I think I am 0-for-my-last-6 when it comes to using public transportation during winter weather. But I'll still keep my faith in public transportation and continue to use it as much as possible. But I really hope they get their act together when faced with their biggest challenges!JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-76266936036487589962012-01-18T19:09:00.000-08:002012-01-18T19:09:20.748-08:00Charlie's First SnowCharlie got his first taste of a little snow today, and didn't seem to mind the cold weather. Can't wait until we get to take him up to the mountains, and hopefully he'll want to learn how to ski.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UgFHaloTJ6I/TxeIXqHEV5I/AAAAAAAAFd8/N7Dk1ChGcdQ/s1600/IMG_1114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UgFHaloTJ6I/TxeIXqHEV5I/AAAAAAAAFd8/N7Dk1ChGcdQ/s400/IMG_1114.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie's first snow experience.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hUToGcDTAbg/TxeIesrhmKI/AAAAAAAAFeE/uqY935eauso/s1600/IMG_1117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hUToGcDTAbg/TxeIesrhmKI/AAAAAAAAFeE/uqY935eauso/s400/IMG_1117.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie and Kim in the snow.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-96xn5owBZ9Q/TxeImJ64lBI/AAAAAAAAFeM/6g8jDKv1obM/s1600/IMG_1119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-96xn5owBZ9Q/TxeImJ64lBI/AAAAAAAAFeM/6g8jDKv1obM/s400/IMG_1119.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At this point, Charlie was ready to head back inside to get warm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-84093189195878021002012-01-18T08:35:00.000-08:002012-01-18T08:35:58.002-08:00Wednesday Snow Day<span id="goog_1302960176"></span><span id="goog_1302960177"></span>Well, the first snow day of the winter hit us today, with nearly 5 inches at our house before 9 a.m. There is something about waking up and seeing a blanket of the white stuff out your window that I can't really explain. Maybe it was the excitement when I was a kid, knowing there would be no school and we could go sledding. Along with nearly every school district in the area closed, my work also closed its doors. I am sure I'll get out in the white stuff at some point today, but I've got a lot of work to do to get this media guide done, so Pandora is fired up and the "home office" is in full effect.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--n_rbixvvSY/Txb0BCqbW5I/AAAAAAAAFdc/dtabSXe_wTY/s1600/ATT25225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--n_rbixvvSY/Txb0BCqbW5I/AAAAAAAAFdc/dtabSXe_wTY/s400/ATT25225.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our house covered in a little over 4 inches of snow this morning.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SEdcygLk4J8/Txb0De48C6I/AAAAAAAAFds/CYmjadagT3o/s1600/ATT79938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SEdcygLk4J8/Txb0De48C6I/AAAAAAAAFds/CYmjadagT3o/s400/ATT79938.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the record, I predicted 5 inches of snow by this morning, so almost there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1ETmJk6Zdw/Txb0CLVvIlI/AAAAAAAAFdk/LOfVoucSO3A/s1600/ATT45426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1ETmJk6Zdw/Txb0CLVvIlI/AAAAAAAAFdk/LOfVoucSO3A/s400/ATT45426.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not much activity in the neighborhood this morning. </td></tr>
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<span id="goog_1481764795"></span><span id="goog_1481764796"></span>JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386579976571803371.post-49425604094849850562012-01-18T05:47:00.001-08:002012-01-18T05:47:57.462-08:00Bath TimeAfter about 5 months of despising bath time, Mr. Charlie is one happy camper in the water. It is now part of his night-time routine.<br />
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<br />JREhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02412550276740386596noreply@blogger.com0