’Tis the season, for baseball lovers

Oh my, the long wait is over. I can listen to roar of the crowd at the crack of the bat, as the ball is hit into near orbit and the runner rounds the bases in a home run trot. Yes, it is baseball season at last, and as you can tell I’m in seventh heaven.

I am actually watching my favorite team, the Seattle Mariners battle the Los Angeles Angels as I am writing this piece. The 5-1 score isn’t too good right now, but I’m not worried. I have high hopes this team will turn that score around.

Either way, I love watching all the drama unfold on my TV screen. A can of real light soda and some poor man’s nachos on the side. Grated cheddar cheese on tortilla chips, nuked for 25 seconds, topped off with salsa. I can indulge a little can’t I?

Now if I was down there at Safeco Field for a game, the experience would not be complete without a cold soda and hot dog fresh off the grill with yellow mustard, or if I am lucky enough, hot German mustard. Then top it off with relish and onions.

Yes, I know about my bum ticker. But a hot dog once in a while won’t kill me, and neither will the nachos. It is a treat for a special occasion. So no worries, OK?

I love the drama of it all. Maybe it’s a fastball pitch that could spell a win or a loss in the ninth inning. Then there’s the line drive shot that goes straight to the shortstop with a spinning catch as he fires it off toward second base for that critical double play that ends the inning.

And then there is the home run. Make that the grand slam home run. A bases-loaded hard-ball special. There is nothing like it as your player smashes a pitch out of the park and clears the bases of players with a single swing, each scoring needed points.

The Mariners’ nickname for a grand slam is “Grand Salami.” It was made famous by the late Dave Niehus, the voice of the team from 1977 to 2010. On those rare base-clearing occasions favored by fans, he’d say “Get out the rye bread and the mustard, Grandma, it is grand salami time!”

It was his voice on the radio and TV that made this chess-playing, Frisbee-throwing geek into a somewhat rabid baseball fan. (I still love chess and Frisbee by the way.) Man, he made the game come alive! Sadly he passed away in 2010. The world lost a great talent that year, and Seattle lost a member of the family.

Whenever the Mariners play a game, especially a home game, I have to admit I really miss that man’s voice. I’m not saying anything bad about our current announcers, because they are the best in modern times in my humble opinion. I just miss Dave, as do many Seattle fans.

I also love baseball on a local level. The Mat-Su Miners are an excellent example of baseball at its finest. While it is on a smaller scale than the pro game, it has all the drama I love. And the hot dogs and Miner burgers ain’t bad either.

The only drawback is the season for the Alaska Baseball League is so short. But if you are into watching a local live game in the stands, this is the way to go.

Oh, darn. The game just ended. And sad to say my team lost 5 to 3. But it was filled with lots of action and drama to appease the need for baseball season fun. Hey, the season is just beginning, and I’m going to drive my family nuts in my quest for baseball fulfillment. Batter up!

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.