2005 Fantasy Camp Diary

Preparing for Camp

by Meg Goldsmith for Kerry & Craig

Kerry & Craig's Fantasy Camp adventure actually began in December as they started their baseball workouts.  This is Craig's third trip to Sarasota and Kerry's seventh.  After their first year, they realized that advance preparation is the key to avoiding most injuries.  (Kerry's broken hand two years ago is hard to prepare against. <g>)  The Orioles sent them a list of baseball-specific stretches to work on before they went to camp the first year (1999) and both of them have been doing those pretty religiously.  Craig had some nagging injuries from his baseball season so he got a bit of a late start with his throwing and hitting regimen this year.  Kerry has lost his baseball workout buddy so had to do his preparations by himself.  What he has found works best is to start throwing three times a week in December.  He usually picks that up to daily during the final week so his arm has a chance to adjust to the schedule he'll be involved in during camp.  He adds sprints at an indoor track and hitting off an Iron Mike machine late in December.  However, in early Jan., he strained a hamstring doing his sprints so he spent more time than usual stretching.

Because our home is now in Indianapolis, Kerry and Craig managed to get together the previous two weekends for some intense workouts together.  The first time they did this (two weeks ago), Craig made the two hour drive on Friday and they got a workout in Fri. afternoon.  Then did another one on Sat. morning.  Last weekend he drove over Friday night and they got two workouts in Sat. and another one in on Sun.  That was an intense weekend but both of them came through it just fine.  Here are some photos of them stretching and of Kerry throwing batting practice to Craig.

In the mailing they received early this week, they learned that Jeff Tackett will be present as a full week pro.  This is the first time Tackett has participated in any capacity at Fantasy Camp and Kerry was looking forward to getting to know this former Oriole a little better.  Gary Roenicke will be serving as a coach for the full week, something he did for the first time two years ago although he has been present as a  "weekend pro" in earlier years.  Also present as weekend pros this year are two former Orioles Kerry and Craig haven't met before-- Mike Cuellar and Pat Kelly.  (There is another Pat Kelly who participates as a full week pro but he isn't connected to the Orioles.  He is a scout for the Blue Jays who lives in Sarasota.  Kerry said this guy usually serves as a coach under Rocky Johnson.)  Earl, Brooks, and Palmer will be there but Frank and Boog Powell won't.  Frank hasn't participated since 2003, which was the first year he served as a manager for the Expos.  Mike Flanagan is penciled in for an appearance Monday evening.  Last year, Jim Beattie came down to camp to answer campers questions.  Having Flanagan appear would be especially nice given his connections as a former Oriole player and the obvious questions about the different perspectives of a player and a front office person.  If he does come, we'll have a report on the highlights here.

Because the Veteran's Tournament gets started on Sat. and because they live too far away to take the Orioles shuttle flight, Kerry and Craig both flew down to Florida the day before.  Kerry flew into Tampa while Craig was able to fly directly into Sarasota.  Once on the ground, they met Dave Berson (that's davidwb on the message boards) for dinner.  This is probably the only night they'll get to "sleep late" since most days they have to get up early and wind up in bed fairly late due to all the evening activities.  The Veteran's Tournament starts tomorrow and actual games that count in the camp standings begin Monday.