Interleague Play
After covering NASCAR the previous weekend, I had to redeem my self from poor coverage. The Chicago Cubs were in town, playing a three game series against the Tigers. Game one ended when the Tigers hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth, defeating the Cubs 5-4. After I saw the exciting game on SportsCenter I headed up Wednesday, hoping to witness another great game.
After fighting traffic on my way to Detroit, I finally arrived at the stadium with an hour before the first pitch. I grabbed some water from the media room and was off to work.
Chicago Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano was the first player to come out before the game started.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/200th, 800iso, f2.8 with SB-800 flash
He was sitting on the bench stretching and mentally preparing for the game.
Nikon D3, 400mm 1/250th, 400iso, f2.8
Nikon D3, 400mm 1/800th, 400iso, f2.8
Then other Cubs started coming into the dugout carrying their bats and putting them into the bat holder.
First baseman Derek Lee puts his bats away before heading out to stretch.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/800th, 800iso, f2.8
Then, joking around, he turned towards be and put his hand right on my lens, as he walked he way he was like “I got you!” and asked he could see the photos.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/800th, 800iso, f2.8
Then third baseman Mike Fontenot puts his bats away.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/800th, 800iso, f2.8
After Soriano got done stretching he walked back to get his helmet and batting gloves to get ready for his at bat.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/500th, 800iso, f2.8
After grabbing his helmet and bat he started taking some practice swings in the dugout.
Nikon D3, 400mm 1/320th, 400iso, f2.8
As soon as Soriano got done warming up, Cubs Manager Lou Piniella walked up the steps to the dugout. I made sure I got some stuff of him because he is always in the news. From arguing to umpires, to complaining at a press conference about something.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/640th, 800iso, f2.8
After he sat down on the bench he made this goofy ass face.
Nikon D3, 400mm 1/800th, 400iso, f2.8
There was about five minutes before the game started and Soriano was at the on deck circle warming up.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/3200th, 800iso, f2.8
The game started and I knocked out photos of both starting pitchers.
Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello
Nikon D3, 400mm 1/1000th, 500iso, f3.2
Cubs starting pitcher Rich Harden
Nikon D3, 400mm 1/1250th, 400iso, f2.8
After the end of the first inning I went to shoot from the walk way around the stadium. From that angle the action isn’t in your face as much, but you get really clean backgrounds, which is key in making a good photo.
The first play of the second inning was a bunt by the Tigers, and Cubs starting pitcher Rich Harden made a diving play from the mound to get the out.
Nikon D3, 400mm with 1.4x, 1/1250th, 1000iso, f4
I transmitted that photo and then headed to the top of the stadium. It usually takes me at least two innings to make to reach to top because I am trying to go up there stairs and all the fans are trying to go down, which makes it a huge pain in the ass. Luckily I found a short cut, and I made to the top in about 5 minutes. So soon that I got the empty TV well. I fired off a wide angle shot of Comerica Park.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/1600th, 800iso, f2.8
As soon as I set down my wide angle lens Cubs catcher Geovany Soto hit a solo home run. I missed him rounding the bases but I was able to get Alfonso Soriano congratulating him.
Nikon D3, 400mm with 1.4x, 1/800th, 1000iso, f4
Luckily the Tigers turned a double play to get out of the inning.
Nikon D3, 400mm with 1.4x, 1/1250th, 1000iso, f4
And Brandon Inge (15) and Placido Polanco (14) congratulate each other after the end of the inning.
I had to use the restroom really bad after drinking a lot of water, due to the temperature being in up upper 90s, and the line was really long so I politely asked the first aid crew if I could use their restroom. As soon as I walked out of the restroom, I heard the fans cheering and screaming like crazy, so I sprinted back to my shooting position to find out that Tigers Catcher Gerald Laird had hit a solo homerun.
Nikon D3, 400mm with 1.4x, 1/1000th, 1000iso, f4
He then celebrated back in the dugout with the rest of the team.
Nikon D3, 400mm with 1.4x, 1/1000th, 1000iso, f4
I got bored of being at the top of the stadium, so I headed back down to the walkway around the stadium, this time on the first base side. As I was walking I fired off a nice overall photo right behind home plate.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/650th, 800iso, f2.8
Then Chicago Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley (21) slides into home and gets called safe.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 1000iso, f4
After he got called safe he just sat their for a moment. Then walked back to the dugout and was congratulated by Ryan Theriot.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 1000iso, f4
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 1000iso, f4
The Tigers were up 4-3 in the 7th inning, so manger Jim Leyland made a pitching change from Nate Robertson to Zach Minor.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/800th, 1000iso, f4
Minor got the batter to hit into a double to end the inning.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 1000iso, f4
Curtis Granderson was the first batter up in the bottom of the 7th inning and he ripped a single down the third base line. The fans went crazy.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/500th, 800iso, f2.8
I spent two innings transmitting photos then made the long walk to the bottom of the stadium where I had to enter the dugout.
Just as I got to the dugout, Magglio Ordonez was warming up in the on deck circle.
Nikon D700, 24-70, 1/250th, 800iso, f2.8
Flame thrower Joel Zumaya came in set up for Fernando Rodney.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 2000iso, f2.8
Zumaya struck out the side and game a nice little first pump and scream.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 2000iso, f2.8
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 2000iso, f2.8
Top of the ninth came around and the Cubs weren’t able to do anything offensively. Since Rodney was dominating, he got the save and got a high five from starting pitcher Justin Verlander.
Nikon D3, 400mm, 1/1250th, 2000iso, f2.8
As soon as the game was over I busted ass to get to the car to see if I could beat the traffic. I beat the traffic but Woodward Ave was closed due to some city wide fireworks event and the on ramp for I-75 was closed so I had to take the long way home, I-96 to I-275 to I-75, which took about 2 hours instead of 50 minutes I normally takes to get home.
Here are a photos of my photos used around the web.
