Springfield Cashew Chickens (Cardinals) vs Corpus Christi Hooks
Back in late July, Tommy Edman was over in Springfield on his rehab assignment. Tommy hadn’t played a game all year as he was on the shelf with a lingering injury. Tommy for a long time had been my favorite Cardinal. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take some photos of him. I even had him make Pilgrim a Cameo for Opening Day a few years back. Love Tommy Edman!
All summer I was building my office and was almost completed with it and news of him being on Springfield came at the time I was just about done, so I was waffling on if I wanted to take time off to go see him. Lauren, the voice of reason, convinced me that I needed to go see him. So I emailed the Cardinals and asked if I could get a press pass. The Cardinals obliged and off to the ball game I went.
I arrived early enough to see some warmups and partake in some of what I learned to be, a Springfield delicacy, Cashew Chicken, which I had never heard of or tried. I gave it a whirl and it was absolutely nothing special. Maybe it was just the ballpark version, but it was kinda tasteless. I will have to try it at an actual restaurant some time. After smashing that, I got the camera all set up and walked down to the Cardinals Dugout to their press area and got set up. Players often sign autographs at this location and I put the wide angle lens on in anticipation of Tommy coming by to sign for the kids.
Some of the everyday Springfield players came over early and were signing for the kids. I took some photos and was rather eager to see Tommy. I saw him come out of their training area and run onto the right field entrance and start stretching. My excitement level was starting to ramp up. He stretches for a few minutes and heads for the dugout. Trotting a few feet from me, the kids were screaming for Tommy and he said that he will come right back. Now I am totally juiced. Tommy comes over, 3 feet from me and is signing for the kids. I am taking photos like a mad man. I will admit, I comically took about 500 photos of him signing autographs. Culling those photos was fun! He’s engaging with the kids who are seeing my favorite Cardinal, and hopefully theirs as well. He gets to the last kid and turns and heads back to the dugout and I look him in the eye and he says the greatest three words ever spoken to me, “What’s up Man?” I just said “not much” and he runs by and greets his teammates in the dugout. I, grinning ear to ear, grab my phone and text Lauren and tell her that Tommy and I had a full conversation!!
As the game starts, I notice that the starting pitcher for the away team (Corpus Christi Hooks) is right handed and know that Tommy being incredible, is a switch hitter and will be batting from the left side and scurry over to the Hooks dugout on the third base line. Tommy was batting third that night so I knew the first inning would be my swan song of professional sports photos. I finally get to take photos of a St. Louis Cardinal, just in Springfield. I will one day get to take photos in the show! Tommy gets up and ropes a single in the first inning and ultimately scores. He had a pretty great game at the plate (2-4), which I suppose is a good thing as he was the Designated Hitter for the Cashew Chickens.
The game chugged along and I was able to get a couple of photos of popups to the Catcher, which doesn’t happen often. There were two in the same inning. I got a home run celebration by one of the Hooks hitters as he entered the dugout. I missed focus on a cool Double Play. Baseball photography is a lot of luck and on that one, I wasn’t lucky.
The game comes to a close with a Cashew Chickens win and I was pretty excited from getting to see Tommy in such a cool setting. We both had a pretty good day at the office! I get home and head to bed. Two days later, I am slaving away and get the news…Tommy had been traded to my least favorite team in the National League, the Dodgers, for 2 boxes of Cracker Jacks and a pack of Big League Chew. The Cardinals literally gave away Tommy. I was heartbroken and dejected but glad that Lauren talked me into shooting photos the night before. My photo dreams came true!
Now, months later as I see Tommy dominating in the Playoffs it finally felt like the right time to write my blog about him and post the photos of him. Last week Tommy won the NLCS MVP, just a crying shame it’s with a terrible franchise. I will never be able to bring myself to root for the Dodgers, but I sure am still a big Tommy Edman fan and am super happy to see him thrive on the national stage. He is a true class act and an overall great human being. As of 10/30/24, Tommy got his ring and I’m happy for him. I strongly dislike that it was with the Dodgers! Come back home Tommy and let’s win in St. Louis! Wishing you the best Tommy!
Equipment Used:
Sony a1
Sony 70-200mm f/2.8
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
