The 2023 season did not end the way we wanted it to, and while that literally broke my heart, I have collected my thoughts and decided to look back on the season to share my special memories with you.
Before I start, I want to say a big thank you to the Baltimore Battery team. When I was welcomed in with open arms in the summer of 2022, I was immediately a part of the family, and most of these opportunities probably wouldn’t happen if it wasn’t for being a part of this family.
With that being said, let’s get this underway.
Favorite Offseason Moment
My favorite offseason moment was being able to interview two up and coming prospects in the Orioles farm system. Catcher Creed Willems and right-handed pitcher Peter Van Loon gave me the honor of interviewing them for special pieces.
Those opportunities helped me learn so much from, and a cool added bonus is that I get remembered at Bowie games from Van Loon, and he was kind enough to introduce me to a few different players.
My Firsts
I was extremely blessed to get the 2023 Birdland Membership, and that opened up opportunities for me like no other.
The first was being able to secure tickets for the first game at Camden Yards this season. That is an experience that every O’s fan should strive to accomplish in their lifetime.
On May 27, I attended the City Connect debut game, and I was sitting along the first base side. After the first three outs were made, Ryan Mountcastle tossed me a ball, and I finally received my first official ball at an MLB game.
I also was able to attend the September 15 game, which was not only Adam Jones Day, but Heston Kjerstad’s first big league start, seeing his first hit being an absolute bomb to right field.
Another is getting to see Felix Bautista’s entrance and being one of the first to see Yennier Canó’s new entrance for the season.
But, my favorite moment was being in attendance for the game that clinched us the AL East title and attending game one and two of the ALDS with my family.
Meeting Different Players
This season also gave me plenty of opportunities to meet current Orioles, O’s legends and other Oriole personnel.
I’ve gotten to talk and interact with current Orioles in right-hander Grayson Rodriguez and second baseman Adam Frazier at different signings. I also have had run-ins with former 1983 World Series MVP in Rick Dempsey and former infielder and color commentator Mike Bordick at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood.
Some other great people I have met are Orioles play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Brown, Orioles ace Kyle Bradish during his rehab game at Bowie and prospects Max Costes, Billy Cook, Carlos Tavera and Jackson Holliday to name a few. I’ve also met Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Orioles General Manager Mike Elias at Bowie games, along with O’s Twitter (X) legend Eric Arditti.
My Best Moment
My hands down best moment this season was creating memories with the Baltimore Battery crew. I’ve gotten to meet many of the crew at different games and gotten to create lifelong memories with my second family.
Between attending Bowie games with our own Justin Sutphin, to meeting up with Jason Benowitz at different Oriole games and finally meeting up with Jared Watson and Stephen Heckman for the first time to not only enjoy an Orioles game but to jam out at a Brett Young concert. We all enjoyed the times we spent together, and they are moments that I will cherish forever.
I would like to thank everyone who spent this season with us. Whether you interacted with our tweets, read and commented on our articles or watched our TikToks, we couldn’t be more grateful for what you all have given us.
We are ready to get going this offseason and are looking forward to creating more content for you this winter.
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What was your personal favorite moment from this season? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Like Zack’s content? Follow him on X – @Zackattack8211 and @OsMilbUpdates for all the latest news and updates on the O’s farm system! Also, check out the latest episodes of The First Flight podcast!
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