And people say Manny has a baggy uniform! Sunday I went to Fenway with my Pavilion SRO ticket--one of my favorite views. After getting a free metered spot, I got there for gates opening. One of the first guys I spotted was that horror show, Eric Gagne, above. (Click all to enlarge, except this one, which deserves to shrink if anything.)

I came in through the gate in right field, and seeing only Brewers on the field, I went all the way over to left. It was a day game after a night game of a doubleheader, so I didn't expect any BP. The Sox skipped, but the Brewers hit. Above is Shouse by the Monster. You can see the blue sky above...

Papi came out briefly, went to the middle of the outfield, and greeted Gagne, above. This was one of those days where it was gorgeous when the wind wasn't blowing. But even in the shade I went T-shirt only until finally going to the pen for Jacket McGee in the eighth.

Guillermo Mota picks up a ball right below me. Love the shadow here. You can see his goatee in the shadow.

So I'm standin' there shooting Brewers, when I realize that on my way over to left, some Red Sox have come out to stretch back over in right. So I headed all the way back over.

On my way, though, as I passed the Milwaukee ("the good land") dugout, Gabe came out and ran out to center field.

Got over to the Sox workout and took a shot of new guy Chris Smith.

After they'd been doing semi-synchronized exercizes for ten minutes, Craig Hansen makes his way out. In the above shot, some guys are mock-clapping for his late arrival, while others look up at a BP fly ball, as the Brewers have now started hitting.

Dice with Kapler in the background.

Wake greets his old buddy Gabe.

Papelbon in front of the 420 sign, which has been re-painted as I mentioned in my last post.

Papelbon's face.

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer to go up to the pavilion level. I went up on the first base side so I could get shots from there before going to the 3rd base side.

And looking out past the new seats on the 1st base side.

Now I'm over on the 3rd base side. The view of the Pru through the stairway.

Looking straight up through the middle of the light tower.

I love how high you are up there....

Looking down at some Brewers in front of the dugout signing stuff.

Theo was down on the field. Here he greets Kapler.

The new seats with Citgo beyond.

Looking down at the cameraperson. While in this spot, some lady came by and gave me a menu and said to let her know if I needed anything. I didn't tell her it wasn't my real seat, as I had a standing room ticket.

The Monster and the left field seats from above.

The Fenway sign from the front row. Fenway, the only park where the higher seats cost more money....

Looking past the bleachers you can see the outdoor seating of that alerna-bar or whatever on the corner of Newbury and Mass Ave, with Urban Outfitters across the street.

Theo just chillin' out, by his lonesome.

Theo ignoring Sveum.

Josh Beckett alone in the dugout with the new Tina at left.

From up there, you can see the Mass Pike.

The view from the standing room, about as high as you can get at Fenway.

Under the overhang. So you're covered up there, and you get that little shelf. Plus a bar at your feet to stand on to gain a few more inches. This was my third game up there, but first since '06 I think. Had pretty nice people around me, although I had trouble figuring out their loyalties. A few different people seemed to be rooting both for and against the Red Sox. There were quite a few Brewers fans there in general.

Bob Uecker! I've got a special "original Youk" surprise which I'll save for another post.

Remy shouting down at someone and Don....picking?

Close-up of the 'cock and the Pru, with some others in between.

And another zoomed-in Pru shot.

Now Dustin's alone in the dugout.

The person who bid on the Yankee Stadium Papi shirt was there--it's being held up, look closely.

Youk pointing out at something.

I think he was pointing at the flags, as the stars 'n' stripes got stuck on the pole, almost symbolizing, eh, forget it.

Josh on the mound.

And suddenly I'm on the other side! No, actually, this is a pickoff move to second.

Prince Fielder, the vegetarian! I realized a few days ago that in my original post about that, I should've written "Fielder's Choice: Vegetarianism."

Beckett throws to the plate.

Hawkie flies way beyond right field, over the light tower and the R2-D2 building.

Ellsbury up.

Manny up-coming.

Papi's first dong of two that day. I love how there's a foam finger rising amongst the arms.

Manny still sits at 498. He hasn't directly made that sign change once. (It started at 496 and he hit his last two on the road.)

Manny gets his stuff from Pedroia.

Theo in the special box.

The camera well, and, above, to the right of the K in the Fenway Park sign that hangs over Landsowne Street, the "new" centerfield camera. It's a robot!

A close-up of it. One of the things I don't like about the new angle is how home runs look. A home run pulled to right by a lefty or pulled to left by a righty looks so awesome on the classic view. Not as cool on the new. Hard to judge off the bat, too.

Tek slides into home.

The key to Jacoby's speed is the flat hands...here he's about to be caught stealing for the first time in his career.

The clouds finally started coming in, as rain was forecasted for later in the day.

A Wisconsin Cheese-Head.

The gray sky now over the Pru.

Things are looking up for the Great Space Coaster.

Bill Hall at third.

Eighth inning, I start walking around the park, hoping to get a close seat eventually. Now I'm underneath where I had been but further out toward the Monster. MDC on the mound.

Now I'm in the SRO behind home for a quick shot of Manny.

Now I'm way down the right field line for a Youk shot.

And finally I decide to head for the sweet seats. It starts drizzling, and we're up 4 after eight, so I'm able to get a spot right by the Brewers' on deck area. And guess who came in to the game in a non-save situation?

Bill Hall at the plate.

Papelbon on the mound.

Wide shot from my fourth-row seat.

Papelbon pitches to Tony Gwynn's son.

Lowell looks on from third. It was a quick ninth, so I didn't get too many shots.

And the Red Sox win and sweep the three-game series in under 30 hours total.