Called to Cheney Stadium

LIVING HISTORY: Though we just went to a Mariners game on Wednesday, on Thursday evening we found ourselves sitting at another baseball game - this time in Tacoma at Cheney Stadium.

Why drive an hour south through rush hour traffic to see a AAA baseball game? Two words: Jamie Moyer. (You can see him in the lower left hand corner of the photo above. He was warming up in the outfield post-start.)

Moyer, a former (and a favorite) pitcher for the Mariners, seems to be doing everything possible with his 49-year old body to forestall retirement from Major League Baseball. After playing for the Ms for 11 years, Moyer went on to play - and earn a World Series ring - with Philadelphia.

Last year Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery, and rehabbed his way back to earn a spot in the starting rotation with the Colorado Rockies this season. There, he became the oldest pitcher to ever win a game in the majors. But the Rockies released him, and Moyer made three AAA starts for the Orioles, but when he wasn't called up to the bigs, he asked for his release. He then signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, which led him to Tacoma - starting for the Las Vegas 51s, the Jays' AAA team.

The evening's match up pitted the former ancient Mariner against young Danny Hultzen. A rising star who blazed his way through AA ball up to AAA, 22-year-old Hultzen was the second overall pitcher chosen in last year's draft.

Hultzen struggled a bit with control and lasted just four innings. And Moyer looked a bit iffy early, but in the end, he gave up seven hits and a walk, three early runs, had six strikeouts and he notched the win.

Cheney Stadium was a nice enough venue - not a bad seat in the place and we happened to hit it on $1 hot dog night. Bonus! The sellout crowd of 7,435 gave Moyer a very rousing welcome and a fond farewell when his work for the evening was done.

As he walked off the field, I couldn't help but think it was the last time I'd ever see Moyer pitch in person. 

WATER WORKS: Before the game, we went by Christian's work to pick him up. The kids always enjoy checking out the old (wooden!) section of pipe out front. It has an outside diameter of 7 feet and was buried in 1930. The kids always pretend it's a hamster wheel.

And they like turning the valves on the fountain, trying to change the massive gallons-per-minute flow of the water.

SCIENCE TIME: We got a fair amount of science learnin' in on Thursday, as well. First, we watched one of the DVDs from the Disney Imagineering series: "Energy."  From the video, we learned the role that energy plays in some popular Disney rides, including Test Track and the Mad Tea Party. We learned energy is constantly being transferred from one thing to another and how to identify the difference between potential and kinetic energy. The kids (and I) always enjoy these Imagineering DVDs. 

We also watched a couple of programs on the Science Channel. One was the always entertaining Myth Busters. They were testing the myth that if you're in an elevator that is falling out of control, if you jump just before impact, you'll be spared injury. Spoiler alert: That's not true at all. Despite jumping at just the right time, the poor crash test dummy was dismembered. And we watched an episode of "How it's Made." Products featured included gorgeous carved candles, grandfather clocks, boat pontoons and swords. Neat-o stuff.