Manager Dusty Baker #12 of the Cincinnati Reds gets ready in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on August 9, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

One of the best stories in Major League Baseball this season is the spectacular season the Cincinnati Reds are having. Sitting atop the National League Central standings with a 78-55 record the Reds hold an 8-game lead over the second place St. Louis Cardinals. The main reason? Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker. Dusty has led a team of talented young players to the best record of any ball club to play along the Cincinnati riverfront in over a decade. This is no surprise to those of us in the Bay Area who have followed Dusty’s managerial career since he made his debut with the San Francisco Giants in 1993.

Hitting coach Dusty Baker of the San Francisco Giants throws soft toss to Greg Litton before a game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 1987. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I have so many memories of Dusty as a player, first as Henry Aaron’s teammate in Atlanta, and later as a slugging left fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers who had so many big hits against the Giants. And who could forget Dusty’s leap in vain over the chain-link left field fence at Candlestick Park on May 28, 1978 as he tried to snare Mike Ivie’s grand slam on Jacket Day?

Matt Williams, Dusty Baker and Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants talk during a game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 1993. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Fast-forward to the magical 1993 season at The Stick when Dusty led the Giants to 103 victories in his first year of piloting the orange and black, and you could tell that Dusty had a special way with his players. He also had a way with everyone else at the ballpark from security guards and grounds keepers to opposing players. I watched this behavior from opening day in 1993 (when the Grateful Dead sang the National Anthem) till the heartbreaking final game of that season at Dodger Stadium when they lost the Western Division flag by one game to the Atlanta Braves.

Manager Dusty Baker of the San Francisco Giants watches from the dugout during a game against the New York Mets at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 1994. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Besides being a solid manager who won the National league’s Manager of the Year Award in his first season with the Giants (1993), Dusty quickly became one of my favorite people to photograph, and that continues to this day. Dusty has a great face and is not afraid to show his emotions. The way he interacts with his players, watches a game from the dugout, and argues with umpires always makes for a good picture.

Manager Dusty Baker of the San Francisco Giants holds his son Darren Baker before a game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 2002. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Dusty had a very successful run here in San Francisco, but between having to deal with Barry Bonds every day and meddling ownership things got ugly in 2002, and after they lost the World Series to the Angels there was no way he would be able to come back and manage the Giants in 2003. There were too many bad feelings on both sides, and it was probably good for everyone that he left to manage the Chicago Cubs. After coming one game from leading the Cubs to the World Series in 2003 things continually go worse for Dusty in Chicago and he found himself out of baseball a few years later, doing television work and spending more time with his family.

Manager Dusty Baker of the Cincinnati Reds smiles in the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum on June 23, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

A few years ago Dusty got back into baseball when the Reds asked him to be their manager, and after a few down seasons they have come on strong this year and are a joy to watch. They hit the crap out of the ball, they pitch well, and they play hard for their skipper. Best of all we had a chance to see Dusty twice this season in the Bay Area as the Reds played in both Oakland and San Francisco. Dusty has mellowed as he has become older and he seems to love coming back to his northern California home, where so many people still love him. I enjoy getting the chance to see Dusty and shake his hand every time I see him, and I hope I have that chance again in October as he leads the Reds into the post season. Dusty has always been the coolest guy in the room, wherever he is. The post-season will be that much cooler with the Reds joining the party.

Evan Longoria #3 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases while wearing blue and white striped socks against the Oakland Athletics during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 22, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Yesterday’s ballgame between the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A’s at the Coliseum was going nowhere fast. There wasn’t much of a batting practice, the food in the press dining room was so bad I had to resort to a plate full of fruit and Tater Tots, and the Rays did not hang around the dugout before the game for feature pictures. Once the game got going I knew I had to work on something to avoid falling asleep in the third base photo box. I had to make sure my day at the ballpark was not a total waste. Luckily I had one of the best players in the game to shoot: Rays third baseman Evan Longoria.

Evan Longoria #3 of the Tampa Bay Rays rips a two-run double down the left field line against the Oakland Athletics during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 22, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Longoria has been in the league a few years, but he has always been difficult for me to photograph. He is a great right-handed hitter, but his swing is not very photogenic. Every time the Rays come to Oakland I try to get a real nice swing picture of him turning from the third base side, but I always have bad luck. He has an extremely quick bat that generates tons of power, but his swing is very short- not long like the big power hitters of the game. Thus, even when he turns on the ball the follow through does not make a very good picture. Until yesterday. He came up in the 6th inning and lashed a two-run double down the left field line and he really turned on the pitch. For the first time ever I had a beautiful sequence of Longoria turning on a pitch with a long finish, which made for the best set of pictures I had ever made of him (see above).

Baseball bats belonging to Evan Longoria #3 of the Tampa Bay Rays sit in the bat rack in the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 22, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The added bonus for me on this sun-splashed afternoon in Oakland was the new blue and white striped socks (see top) many of the Rays have been wearing this season. They did not wear them the last time they were in town in early May, so this was my first crack at shooting them. I love socks like this and wish more teams would wear them. A few months ago I wrote about the Giants Barry Zito wearing high orange and black striped socks. I couldn’t resist shooting Longoria’s socks during the game as they just scream “baseball” to me. I was happy to get a few pictures I liked showing off the socks. I wish more teams would wear them!

By the end of the day the Ray’s had held on to beat the A’s 3-2, with the winning runs scoring on the before-mentioned two-run double off the bat of Longoria. There wasn’t much action in the game. I didn’t get any terrific pictures to impress the hard-ass editor in me, but I did get a few good frames of Longoria that I liked. That made my day at the yard well worth it.

Photographer Brad Mangin stands on the field holding a thermometer reading 120 degrees on the field after the game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 24, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Tomasso DeRosa)

A few months ago I received an invitation in my email to attend a screening of the newest film from Ken Burns: The Tenth Inning. The event was taking place in New York City at the end of July and it seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I could not pass up. For the past 18 months I have been working with Michael Welt from Florentine Films, helping him with photographs they needed to illustrate the film. Once the final editing was done I found out that many of my pictures were in the film. I was so excited to see how they were used I just had to go to New York. As an added bonus I checked the baseball schedule and saw that the New York Yankees had two day games at home a few days before the screening. Everything was coming together. I could go to New York a few days early to shoot some baseball, visit some friends, and see the film. If only I could bring the mild Bay Area weather with me.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees bats against the Kansas City Royals during the game at Yankee Stadium on July 24, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Having the chance to shoot back-to-back games at the new Yankee Stadium during the daytime is a dream I have had for many years. I have been at both the old and new ballparks in the Bronx for many World Series games, but never during the regular season. I am usually so busy shooting baseball here at home that it is difficult for me to get away during the summer. This trip would be a big breakthrough for me as I bypassed the White Sox and A’s in Oakland in exchange for shooting the Royals and Yankees in the Bronx. There is something truly magical about the pinstriped uniforms the Yankees wear at home. I have photographed them many times on the road, but the gray uniforms just don’t pack the same wallop that the stripes do. In my quest do document the game of baseball during this era I had to have good pictures of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and other Yankee greats playing in the pinstripes in Yankee Stadium during the daytime. This would be my big chance.

Storm clouds gather overhead during the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium on July 25, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I woke up Saturday morning before the first game freaking out about the weather. Forecasts called for temperatures near the 100 degree mark. Add some east coast humidity to the equation and combine that with working on the field in a concrete dugout while standing for a three hour ballgame spelled an uncomfortable day. I decided to drink water nonstop before and during the game, and armed with a few towels from the Marriott Marquis I was ready to battle the oppressive heat. By the time the game reached the 5th inning the temperature on the field reach 120 degrees in the third base photo well. I ended up doing OK in the crazy weather and had a permanent smile on my face throughout the ballgame, no doubt driving the local shooters crazy. This was just another day at work for most of them, but for me it was an awesome working vacation.

Photographer Brad Mangin stands outside Yankee Stadium after photographing a game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 25, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by John Iacono)

Things cooled off a little bit for my second game on Sunday, and by around 3pm the skies got really dark and then a driving rainstorm blew through causing a rain delay of close to three hours. During my two days at Yankee Stadium I was able to withstand all the elements and still come up with some really nice pictures for my archive. By the time I finished editing, captioning and uploading all my images in my hotel room late Sunday night I was thrilled that I had the chance to shoot the 2009 World Series Champions in their home ballpark.

The rest of my trip went well as I visited with many friends and clients, but the best part of the trip was saved for last. On Tuesday night, July 27 my good friend Paul Cunningham (maker of handcrafted leather baseballs and footballs) joined me at Florence Gould Hall near Central Park for the screening of the 10th Inning by Ken Burns. The film was terrific and I cannot tell you how fun it was to see the “Ken Burns effect” done on some of my pictures in the film! After meeting Burns at the post-game reception Paul and I walked over to Mickey Mantles for a drink and a late dinner. What a perfect way to end my trip. Baseball has been very, very good to me.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees waits in the on deck circle against the Oakland Athletics during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 6, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

After spending the past two nights shooting the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum I am finally convinced. You just can’t take a bad picture of the Yankees captain, Derek Jeter. I went to the park the past few nights to shoot batting practice and the first three innings. That does not give me much of a chance to get many pictures, but I made the most of my time and the light that is there. I was not even focusing on Jeter. I was shooting everyone, but I couldn’t help running into so many nice pictures of him during the little bit that I shot both nights.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees takes the field for batting practice before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 5, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I wrote about the greatness of Jeter back in November of 2009 after the Yankees won the World Series. Jeter is the Yankees. Jeter is the face of the franchise. Jeter is the Joe DiMaggio of this era. Any time I have a chance to photograph him it is a huge deal for me. I am documenting history. I am photographing one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees takes batting practice before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 6, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

When I was a much younger photographer I was a brain dead button pusher. I didn’t understand what I was shooting, nor did I appreciate the great players of the day. Sure I knew baseball, but I took it for granted that I was shooting these guys all the time and not relishing the opportunity. Great players would come to town like George Brett, Nolan Ryan, Jim Rice and Pete Rose and I would not seize the moment to photograph these great players in the late 1980′s when I started shooting. I look back now at my archive, and the absence of good pictures of the Hall of Famers from that era and I want to strangle the young photographer (me) who did not go to the ballpark to document these guys.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees takes batting practice before the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 6, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Things started to click in my brain a few years ago as Ibegan to listen and learn from some veteran photographers and business advisers whom I trusted. My archive of baseball images going back to 1987 became more and more important to me and I realized that I needed to do a better job of documenting the great players of the game, starting from when they were rookies. I look at it like rookie card speculating that baseball card collectors used to do like crazy back in the hey day of card collecting. How many Joe Charboneau rookie cards do you have stashed away in a shoe box under your bed?

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees bats against the Oakland Athletics during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 6, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

With all of this in mind I headed out to the Oakland Coliseum early on Monday and Tuesday afternoons to shoot the Yankees from the time they stepped onto the field to stretch till the time the light disappeared in the third inning and I hit the road. Everywhere I looked there were superstars to shoot in the gray Yankee uniforms. From Alex Rodriguez to Jorge Posada to Curtis Granderson to Mark Teixeira and others there were so many great players to photograph. However, the one who stood head and shoulders above them all was the great Jeter.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees bats against the Oakland Athletics during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 6, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Once he comes onto the field for pre-game Jeter is a blur of motion, never standing still for too long. He never hangs out in the dugout. He is always taking ground balls, hitting in the cage or playing catch. He is always playing catch! One of my favorite things about Jeter taking batting practice is that he always takes his helmet off when he is not hitting, and he does not wear sunglasses. As I focus my 400mm lens on him I get so many great expressions. I get the happy, smiling Jeter who is always having fun with his teammates. I also get the stoic Jeter who is the consummate professional, always working on his game.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees plays defense at shortstop against the Oakland Athletics during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 6, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The cool thing about Jeter, who is the all-time Yankee leader in base hits, is that he understands his place in history and is so respectful of the pinstripes. After longtime Yankee public address announcer Bob Sheppard retired a few years ago Jeter insisted that a tape of Sheppard announcing him be played before his every at bat. I still get goosebumps when I am at the new Yankee Stadium and I hear the voice of God say, “Now batting, the shortstop, numbah two, Derek Jeter, numbah two.” If you have ever heard this you know exactly what I am talking about.

Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees makes a play at shortstop against the Oakland Athletics during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 5, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Jeter is Yankee royalty. Just like DiMaggio. Sure, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig are unsurpassed in their greatness wearing the Yankees pinstripes, but The Yankee Clipper was different, and so is Jeter. DiMaggio once said “I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee.” Jeter once said “God, I hope I wear this jersey forever.” In my mind Derek you will. Always.

Mark Mulder of the Oakland Athletics sits in the dugout during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Ten years ago he was part of the Big Three. Now he is playing golf, winning amateur tournaments in Arizona. Former Oakland Athletic’s left-handed pitcher and two-time All-Star Mark Mulder has told AOL FanHouse writer Jeff Fletcher that he has retired from baseball. Mulder has not pitched since 2006. “I guess I am [retired],” he told FanHouse on Monday. “I haven’t touched a baseball since February.” I am really sad to hear this.

I had the chance to photograph Mulder’s entire career in Oakland, where he went 81-42, combining with Tim Hudson and Barry Zito to form the most dominating starting rotation in baseball. He was a joy to watch with his beautiful lefty delivery and quick pace. He threw so many games around the two hour mark that he ruined many fireworks nights in Oakland by dominating his opponents to fast that the fans would have to wait an hour for the sun to go down so they could see the light show above the Oakland Coliseum.

Mulder was at his peak in 2004 when he got the nod to start for All Star Game for the American League in Houston. I was there to shoot the game, and it was cool to see him on the mound, showing the national television audience what he could do.

Mark Mulder of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Anaheim Angels at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA on July 4, 2003. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

On December 18, 2004 Mulder was traded by A’s general manager Billy Beane to the St. Louis Cardinals for Daric Barton, Kiko Calero and Dan Haren. This trade sent shock waves through the Bay Area, especially since Hudson was shipped off to the Braves two days earlier. Unfortunately, Mulder started having shoulder problems early in his days with the Cardinals. He ended up rehabbing from 2006-09. Many thought Mulder was close to making one last comeback try in 2010.

“I was working out last winter with this guy who was very different,” Mulder said. “He trained in Europe with these javelin throwers and he understood the shoulder. I worked out with him for months and did all these crazy stretches. I got so strong and so loose. My shoulder felt good, but when it came time to throw sides, it had nothing to do with velocity or arm strength, but my delivery. My arm didn’t get where it needed to be at the right time. It was like my arm moved too slow. That’s what I dealt with ever since 2006. I never got over that hump. It was like I was always one step away from being good to go.”

Mulder abandoned his comeback attempt in February. He will spend his time with his family in Scottsdale (wife and two kids, ages 2 and 7 months) and playing in golf tournaments. The 32-year-old Mulder is a zero-handicapper and plays about four times a week.

I am sorry to see Mulder’s career end. He finishes his big league career with an incredible 103-60 record. It was a pleasure watching him throw.

Mark Mulder Retires – Images by Brad Mangin

Oakland Athletics catcher Landon Powell #35 chases a foul ball during the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 13, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

From the first pitch of spring training to the final out of the World Series I will shoot over 90 baseball games in a season. This is a really good thing because I love shooting baseball. However, in order to last through the entire season without going insane I need to mix up my shooting every once in awhile so I don’t bore the crap out of my own worst critic and harshest editor: Me. When the season starts it is necessary for me to shoot the meat and potatoes stuff like batters and pitchers as there are so many new players in new uniforms, etc. But after a few months it is fun to spend a day at the park having fun and goofing around like I did on Sunday.

Home plate umpire Tim Timmons #95 hands a new baseball to Oakland Athletics catcher Landon Powell #35 during the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 13, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The Oakland A’s were playing the third and final game of their weekend interleague series against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Sunday afternoon. Game time was 1:05 pm, so I knew the light would be awful, especially compared to the great light we had the night before when the game started at 6:05 pm. Since it is the middle of June and I already have tons of nice stock images of both teams, I thought it would be fun to mess around and shoot from one of my favorite positions: inside first base. This is a cool spot at the Giants ballpark where we sit down low below ground level in a trench behind the first base on deck circle looking up the third base line. From there you can see the entire field in front of you, and home plate is REAL close.

Detail of Nike cleats belonging to Rajai Davis #11 of the Oakland Athletics as he breaks out of the batters box against the San Francisco Giants during the game at AT&T Park on June 13, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

When I am this close to home plate and sitting down at ground level I like to shoot tight details with the 400mm lens. I especially like shooting the feet of certain batters as they break out of the batters box. This works much better if the batter wears high socks that add some color to the picture, like A’s speedy lead-off man Rajai Davis (see above). Davis started wearing some very unusual socks last season that no one else wears. Not only do they feature the famous A’s logo on them, they also have his number (11) stitched into them with gold thread. Shooting tight feet like this is really hit and miss, with mostly misses as keeping them in focus and framing them properly is very hard. However, it is fun to get a frame I like and it sure breaks things up when I get home to edit my take.

Home plate umpire Tim Timmons #95 chases a foul ball during the game between the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 13, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Another thing I am fascinated about when I sit down there is the home plate umpire. All umps have different styles and mannerisms. Some are more active than others and some like to put on a show. I spent the entire game looking out for umpire Tim Timmons to see what he was doing. I especially liked it when he would run up the first base line to chase a foul ball to my right. This enabled him to show up in front of me with the blue sky in the background, which is one of my favorite features at AT&T Park because there is no high upper deck in the outfield to block the sky.

Home plate umpire Tim Timmons #95 picks up a baseball lying on the grass during the game between the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 13, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Sure I shot some “normal” stuff during the game, but it was the different stuff I shot that made this game so much fun for me. That and the fact that the Giants won again to sweep the weekend series! I encourage everyone to break the rules as much as possible when they go out shooting. Use a really long lens when you are close to your subject and use a wide lens when you are far away. Break things up. I promise you that your take from a given game will be much more fun to edit and your editor will appreciate the way you see. After all, you are expected to bring back pictures that show how YOU see the game, not how others do.

Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners smiles during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 1997. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

After playing baseball for 22 years longtime Seattle Mariners star Ken Griffey Jr. announced his retirement this afternoon. The 40-year-old Griffey ranks 5th the all-time home run list with 630. He trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Willie Mays (660), and ranks 3rd among left-handed hitters. He almost had to share the headlines with Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, but the Tigers pitcher got screwed out of a perfect game with two outs in the 9th inning tonight on a horrendous call by first plate umpire Jim Joyce.

I first photographed Griffey in 1989 or 1990 and have shot him every season since then. Since he played so many years with the Mariners I had many times to shoot him here in Oakland because his club made three trips here every season. I also had the chance to shoot him in both parks in Seattle: the Kingdome and Safeco Field. Griffey always had such a beautiful left-handed swing to shoot, it was tough to make a bad picture of him. He could be surly around the batting cage at times when we tried to shoot candid portraits of him taking batting practice, but he seemed to mellow (a little bit) with age over the past few years.

I am glad he decided to call it quits today, because he was obviously done. He was done two years ago when he was with the Chicago White Sox and should have hung it up at the end of his farewell tour in Seattle last year. As a baseball fan I hate to see a guy like Griffey try and hang on when he obviously can’t pay up to the standards he set during the glory days of his career.

The Mariners are going through a pretty awful season and with Griffey retiring he takes tons of pressure off the club, since they will not have to deal with releasing him as they try and move forward with what might be a major rebuilding project.

Throughout his career Griffey was often compared to Barry Bonds. Bonds always got ripped for being a surly pain-in-the-ass, but Griffey was no walk in the park. His image was saved by always smiling in public and playing in such a small market for many years. Things got ugly up there in Seattle a few weeks ago when he was said to have been sleeping in the clubhouse and unable to pinch hit during a game at Safeco Field. The end was near, and thanks to this announcement today Griffey will be able to go on with a new chapter in his life and the Mariners will be able to move forward in their season.

I will miss the kinder, gentler Griffey who let me photograph him in the Mariners dugout in Oakland a few months ago. I am sorry I won’t have the chance to shoot that swing anymore, but right now I can only think about the mess that just happened in Detroit. Holy shit!

Ken Griffey Jr. Retires – Images by Brad Mangin

Miguel Olivo #21 of the Colorado Rockies sits in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on May 31, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Memorial Day weekend is a time when most Americans enjoy time off with family, throw meat on the barbecue, drink beer, and dread going back to work on Tuesday. My holiday weekend was a little different from most Americans. Since my good friend Jack Gruber and his family moved away from the Bay Area last year I am not able to enjoy a traditional holiday feast at the Gruber house in Foster City, California. Instead, I found myself working at the ballpark photographing a couple of San Francisco Giants games on a really nice weekend in the Bay Area. Yes, I worked hard this past holiday weekend, but now I have a few days off and get to attend tonight’s Giants game as a fan in my season ticket box seats.

Baseball bats belonging to the Arizona Diamondbacks sit in the bat rack in the dugout before the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 6-5. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

I got to the ballpark early on Sunday for the Diamondbacks and Giants game, but there was not batting practice to shoot. After having lunch upstairs I hung around in the Diamondbacks dugout looking for anything that might make a nice picture. I love baseball bats, so I shot a few pictures of bats in the bat rack while I waited for players to come into the dugout and get ready for the game. I shot a few pictures of manager A.J. Hinch and some of the players before bench coach Kirk Gibson threw me out of the dugout. I’ve been thrown out of the dugout before. Many times. Usually it is by a trainer, a crappy player, or San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell. I thought it was kinda cool to get tossed by the intimidating and legendary World Series hero from Michigan.

Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants bats during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 6-5. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

By the time the game started my main goal of the afternoon was to get some good pictures of Giants rookie phenom Buster Posey. The Giants called up Posey on Saturday night, so Sunday was my first chance to shoot him in 2010. He had a brief stint with the club last September but did not see much playing time. He was now being asked to be a regular contributor to the anemic Giants offense, so I needed to get some good stuff on him, and in a hurry! Posey has a pretty swing that starts with a high leg kick and ends with him making a nice face as he turns on the ball, especially like he did on Sunday when he lashed out three hits, two of them doubles (see above).

Baseball bats and a glove belonging to the San Francisco Giants sit in the tunnel behind the Giants dugout before the game against the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park on May 31, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

After the Giants rallied for an extra-inning comeback win on Sunday I headed out to the park early Monday morning and got there at 10:15 to shoot Giants batting practice. I wanted to shoot more Posey and anything else that might look cool. The one thing I wanted to steer clear of was anyone wearing the awful patriotic white hats that Major League Baseball makes everyone wear on the holiday. Don’t get me wrong. I think it is wonderful that MLB honors those who have fought for our country on this special day. They have wonderful ceremonies before and during the games. However, the hats the players wear (two years ago they were blue, last year they were red) are just awful and render the pictures pretty useless as far as stock sales go.

I had the amazing opportunity to photograph the best pitcher in baseball, Colorado Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. The joke was on me, of course as he sported the white hat with the red bill making all of my pictures of him nothing more than proof I was there to watch him jam the Giants bats up their asses with another incredible pitching performance. Jimenez is two months into the most dominating season I can remember since New York Yankees lefty Ron Guidry (25-3, 1.74 ERA) tore up the American League in 1978.

Ryan Rohlinger of the San Francisco Giants slides home and is tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder in the bottom of the 7th inning during the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, May 30, 2010, at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 6-5. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

Aside from many pictures of guys wearing white hats I managed to get a few pictures I liked yesterday, and both of them took place before the game, which is becoming a growing trend. After getting a fun portrait of Rockies catcher Miguel Olivo I was quickly tossed out of the dugout by pitching coach and former neighbor of Grover Sanschagrin on Long Island Bob Apodaca. Michael Zagaris and I were in the dugout shooting Olivo 30 minutes before the first pitch when the former Mets hurler, whose son Sanschagrin only played with so he could get Apodaca’s autograph told us, “Hey guys, can we get some privacy?”

With that I left the dugout and headed over to the Giants dugout near third base. I was bored so I ventured down into the tunnel on the way to the clubhouse when I saw some bats leaned up against the wall (see above). Did I tell you I loved bats?

Gar Ryness, known as the Batting Stance Guy, performs on the field before the game between the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on May 27, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Yesterday started out like one of the crappy, rainy May days we have been forced to accept here in the Bay Area this year when I headed to AT&T Park to shoot the game between the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants. I hate shooting in the rain. It is a huge pain in the ass. I get wet. My gear gets wet. I hate wearing rain gear, so it is basically stupid me in shorts and a sweatshirt. Luckily my spirits were lifted after lunch in the Sam Skinner Press Room when I came down to the field and saw the grounds crew removing the tarp, and even more importantly, I saw Gar Ryness, the Batting Stance Guy, getting ready to do his thing on the Nationals television pre-game show. All-time great television camera operator Pete D’Alonzo worked his magic from the first base camera well, Ryness gave a great performance for the audience in Washington DC, and I laughed like Hell as I witnessed him imitating batting stances in person for the first time. After his interview my friend Rob Leiter and I  had the chance to meet him and he couldn’t have been nicer.

Gar Ryness, known as the Batting Stance Guy, performs on the field before the game between the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on May 27, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

By now you might be asking who in the heck is Gar Ryness and what is the Batting Stance Guy? Ryness is a Bay Area native from Alameda who claims to have the least marketable skill in the United States. Ryness became an overnight YouTube sensation less than two years ago when a friend posted a video of him imitating the batting stances of Boston Red Sox players. Ryness is a funny guy with a knack for picking up the tiniest eccentricities of batters as they get settled into the batters box, take their warm up swings, swing the bat, and throw the bat away as they run to first base. Everyone who watches him on video or in person, from fans to the players themselves, marvels at the hilarity of seeing their favorite player, or themselves, imitated by Ryness.

Nyjer Morgan #1 and Ian Desmond #6 of the Washington Nationals sit in the dugout and laugh as Gar Ryness imitates Adam Dunn's batting stance before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on May 27, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

You have to be a little twisted to have the insane knowledge that Ryness possesses. Who else do you know who went dressed as Gary Carter (as a Montreal Expo!) for Halloween when he was a kid? Ryness became a mainstream American sensation last summer when he appeared on the David Letterman Show and and really knocked Dave over with his humor and batting stances. The only thing left to do for Ryness was to write a book, and he has recently released Batting Stance Guy, A Love Letter to Baseball which is getting rave reviews from everyone who has read it. After what I saw yesterday I will be getting my copy very soon!

Gar Ryness, known as the Batting Stance Guy, talks to Ryan Zimmerman #11 of the Washington Nationals on the field before the game between the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on May 27, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

As Barry Zito’s 12:45 first pitch drew closer I was hanging out in the Nationals dugout shooting candids of the players getting ready for the game when Ryness came over near the dugout and started doing his imitations. They guys on the bench were going crazy with laughter (see Nyjer Morgan and Ian Desmond above) and began calling out requests. Pretty soon Ryness started doing Adam Dunn, who was going nuts as he enjoyed the show. Eventually Ryan Zimmerman came over to talk with Ryness (see above.) Ryness had recently interviewed Zimmerman and Zimmerman is a huge fan of his work. “The guy is absolutely hilarious. We huddle around the computer in the clubhouse and fall over laughing. It’s a joke how accurate he is, too,” Zimmerman told The New York Times.

By the time the game started under some heavy rain my mood had perked up, thanks to the Batting Stance Guy. The sun eventually came out, and the Giants rallied for a come-from-behind win. What more could I ask for in a day at the yard? I wish the Batting Stance Guy nothing but success. For all you Bay Area fans he will be signing his new book at the Twins vs. A’s game next Friday night, June 4, 2010 behind section 125. Do yourself a favor and check out his act in person. You will be glad you did.

Jose Lima of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after beating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA on October 9, 2004. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Jose Lima, one of the most animated baseball players I have ever had the joy to photograph, died on Sunday from an apparent heart attack in his home in Pasadena, California. We was 37. The right-handed pitcher who brought “Lima Time” to ballparks all over the Major Leagues for 13 seasons burst upon the national scene in 1999 when he went 21-10 with a 3.58 ERA in 35 starts for the NL Central champion Houston Astros. He was in the middle of this great season when I photographed him pitching against the Giants at Candlestick Park for a feature story in Sports Illustrated. He was a blast to shoot, as he clowned around during batting practice and threw a masterful game against the Giants.

My favorite memory of Lima comes from the 2004 National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. I was assigned to shoot Game 3 at Dodgers Stadium for Sports Illustrated. The Dodgers were down 2-0 in the series and had not won a post-season game since 1988. Lima dealt that night and dominated the Cardinals with a complete game five-hit shutout in front of a delirious sellout crowd at Chavez Ravine. It was apparent early on that Lima was in a groove that night, and I focused much of my attention on him as he danced, celebrated, and screamed throughout the balmy Southern California night releasing so much infectious joy that even I, a Giants fan, was rooting for him. I was shooting the game next to photographer Kevork Djansezian (then of the Associated Press). We were having fun shooting the game and as we got caught up in all the excitement Kevork kept saying “Lima Time!” I still get goosebumps thinking about that playoff game. It didn’t seem to matter that the Dodgers lost Game 4 and the series the next night. Lima had won over Los Angeles, and he had won over me. Long live Lima Time!

Jose Lima – Images by Brad Mangin