Reno Aces
Harrah’s Nevada Ballroom
Brian got the Aces road jersey because it says R E N O across the front in very large letters. That way, when he’s traveling, there won’t be any doubt about where he’s from.
What a perfect shirt to wear to the Aces Meet the Players dinner.
Eric and Alison got me and Brian two 12-game partial season tickets to the Aces for our birthdays last year. We liked that, so we re-upped for 2014. As partial season ticket holders we get many season ticket holder perks; one of them being this Meet the Players dinner.
It’s an intimate affair for 800 with fine food and drink in the Nevada Ballroom of Harrah’s Casino Resort.
After dinner, the ceremonial part was spare and to the point. The Aces thanked the finest fans in the land for their support. Since opening in Reno five years ago in a state of the art minor league ballpark, the fan base has been the best in the Pacific Coast League. This was illustrated by 800 season ticket holders in the room tonight. The Aces guy noted that he had talked to other teams around the league. One reported 200 at their dinner and another was thrilled that 350 showed up for his.
I’m used to going to Red Sox and Giants games and I must say that the Aces are a class act. There was no question that we wanted a second year of season tickets. Besides you can hardly beat an $11 ticket in the 8th row behind the third base coach. And in Triple-A, the third base coach is the manager.
The new Aces Manager, Phil Nevin was introduced. He’s been in the news lately… he was the first overall pick of the Houston Astros in the draft when the Yankees picked Derek Jeter sixth. They each had fine careers, Jeter’s being the louder. This is Nevin’s 5th year as a manager, his first with the Aces.
One by one, the players were introduced and then fielded questions from the assembled fans. Merely a prelude to “Brian’s time.” After we fans were thanked once again, the affair was over. Nobody said so, but the players hung out at their tables and were more than willing to chat up the fans and give autographs.
From left: 15 Zeke Spruill, pitcher; 17 Nick Evans, infielder; 38 Kevin Munson, pitcher; 27 Archie Bradley, rookie pitcher phenom; 31 Evan Marshall, pitcher; 32 Michael Bolsinger, pitcher; 24 Trent Oeltjen, outfielder; 5 Nick Ahmed, infielder; Phil Nevin, manager; 35 Charles Brewer, pitcher; 30 Bo Schultz, pitcher.
RectorSite 
Not the most dignified stance but effective. Bradley (not pictured) is ranked as the #9 prospect in the land this year and has a good chance of becoming the next Matt Cain or even Felix Hernandez in the second half of the teens. 6’4″, 235#, 21-year-old Okie from Muskogee. I will be timing my Aces appearances based on his schedule.
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