A Different Perspective at the Yard

Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past two weeks, my articles about the Orioles Farm System have been sporadic. That is not because of a lack of devotion to the Orioles. In fact, it was because of devotion to my new employer: the Baltimore Orioles.

Starting at the beginning of the Seattle series on August 1st, I started my new job with the Orioles as a member of their Event Staff for the 2014 season. Being able to work for my favorite team is payment enough, but it has been a unique experience.

In a short time I have checked bags, been usher in left field, and scanned tickets. For the majority of games, you can usually find me in “Legends Park” and around the picnic table area. Being there all game has given me a unique perspective to experience the game at.

Although I need to maintain professionalism while working, orange and black still pumps through my veins and I am always trying to take a peak at the game and see what is going on. Usually there is a large crowd of people at the railing above the bullpen so my line of sight to the field is blocked for the most part.

What I have to rely on a lot of the time is the roar of the crowd.

Luckily for me, Baltimore has one of the better fan followings in all of baseball; making Camden Yards rock every night there is a ball game being played there. And with practice, I have actually learned to decipher what is happening during the game by just listening to the crowd.

If the crowd roars for a split second followed by applause it means the Orioles got a base hit. If the crowd boos for longer than five seconds, the other team has scored. And my favorite– if the crowd slowly roars, gets quiet for a second, and then screams in jubilation, the Orioles have hit one of their patented home runs.

This last one is what happened on Monday when Nelson Cruz hit his monster shot in the seventh inning into the Yankees’ bullpen to increase the Orioles’ lead.

It is safe to say that after working for the Orioles, I have become a “roar of the crowd” fanatic.