Digi-Blog goes to Braves’ spring training at Disney (no charge)

LAKE BUENA VISTA — Welcome to Braves’ spring training and our first Digi-Blog in a while. If you’ve missed past episodes, we’ve taken you on photo tours of every place from SEC Media Days to  Stillwater, Okla., to camp to Falcons’ training camp to the Masters (Part I: looking for Tiger Woods) and Part II (looking for squirrels).

You can find them all archived here.

Today, I’ll give you a little peak of the Braves at Camp DisneyRip. I’m just so happy that they actually let me in here for free. Most folks they actually charge for the privilege of watching David Ross stretch. OK, let’s begin our tour.

♦♦♦

This sign is not on the Disney property. On a completely unrelated matter, I was late to practice Friday morning.

♦♦♦

OK, finally made it. Disney officials considered taking down the, “Where Dreams Come True” sign a few years ago, but fortunately Mike Hampton’s contract finally ran out.

♦♦♦

This is the entrance to the Braves’ spring training home at “ESPN’s Wide World of Sports,” which used to be just, “Disney’s Wide World of Sports,” until Chris Berman punched out Mickey.

♦♦♦

It’s a sparse crowd for today’s workout at the ole’ ballpark, not that we should expect a sellout. There’s not even a game scheduled. But that doesn’t stop Disney/ESPN from charging an admission.

♦♦♦

Disney charges $14.50 for adults to watch practice. Practice! Disney even charges $10 for kids ages 3 to 9. Also, pregnant women are charged an extra $3.50 if they’re in their first trimester, $7.00 if they’re in their second trimester and double admission if they’re in their third trimester. (I might’ve made that up.)

♦♦♦

“But I’m a Hall of Famer!” … “Doesn’t matter sir.” …  “But I’m dead!” … “I’m sorry sir, it’s company policy. You still have to pay $14.50.”

♦♦♦

Damn it!

♦♦♦

This is the view from the pressbox. There’s an important meeting going on.  “Does anybody have an idea how we can beat the Phillies?”

♦♦♦

This is a sign in press box, adjacent to the windows. True story: Disney officials put it up because David O’Brien kept opening the windows, which property officials have deemed too dangerous. David was given a stern lecture and promised he would never do it again.

♦♦♦

This is O’Brien, being O’Brien.

♦♦♦

OK, time to venture back outdoors. I went with the shorts and of course took some abuse. Frank Wren commended me for my courage. Fredi Gonzalez just looked down at the pale legs, then quickly turned away for fear of going blind before the first spring game. I told Adrienne Midgley of the Braves PR department, “I had a decision to make. Wear long pants or try to get some color on these puppies.” She responded, “I won’t say you made the right decision. I also won’t say you made the wrong decision.” Nice and political.

♦♦♦

You might’ve heard of these tents. Jason Heyward crushed so many windshields and dented hoods on the cars of Braves’ executives last spring that these protective tents were put up for the VIP parking spaces behind right field. The fronts were zipped closed when batting practice started. True story: When I went to take a picture of the tents, I was stopped by a 70ish Disney security guard, who initially said I couldn’t take pictures because, “This is technically a backstage area.” He finally relented when I threatened to withhold his green jello at lunch.

♦♦♦

Dan Kolb is in the locker second from the right.

♦♦♦

Are you serious? Can’t you get away? OK, no kidding, I talked to Bobby Cox, who for some reason after 197 spring trainings is still showing up in retirement. Why is he here? “I like it,” he said. Is he going on vacation? “Sure, Pam and I already have been to Mexico. Twice, actually.” Anything else. “Yeah, we’re going on a Mediterranean cruise in April. Spain, Greece — all over.” Looking forward to it? “Yeah, sure. But I don’t know if I’ll be able to see the games when we’re on the ship. I don’t know why Pam had to go and book the trip in April.” Oy.

♦♦♦

That’s new hitting coach Larry Parrish facing you, with three of the players that will lead to him either being either praised or vilified (because that’s the life of a hitting coach): Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward and Brian McCann.

♦♦♦

Last shot: It’s Chipper Jones and he’s still standing. Maybe I should’ve gone with the high socks look, too.

♦

By Jeff Schultz

Tweet

♦

Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC; friend me at Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC