Collin Cowgill #12 of the Oakland Athletics dives for a line drive during the game against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. The ball was hit by Tigers batter Brennan Boesch #26 and fell for a double. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I just wrapped up another weekend of shooting big league hardball in Oakland, and I gotta say the old Mausoleum continues to grow on me. It even gets better with age! I know you must think I am nuts. I know the park isn’t what it used to be before Mount Davis opened in 1996. I know the seats are far away from the action and the park is showing it’s age, but I love working there. I was reminded of this after shooting Saturday and Sunday’s games between the Tigers and A’s.

Instagram of photographers Thearon Henderson and Ben Margot working in the first base photo well during the game between the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum on May 12, 2012 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Saturday’s game was a 5:05pm start, and that meant one thing: really amazing light as long as the fog didn’t roll in. Luckily there was no fog and the bright orange sunshine splashed all over the field at first pitch. At times like this I am constantly arguing with myself about where I should shoot from. Because there is so much room in Oakland and so many cool places to shoot from I can envision how great and different the late light will look from all over the field. Of course, I want to be in all of those places at the SAME TIME! As the shadow quickly moves across home plate, and then the mound I managed to shoot from many different spots, before settling in the outside first base area when the field fell into early evening shade. Once I hit first base I had the chance to be entertained by some of the local characters who have been shooting here in the Bay Area for a long time (see above).

Jemile Weeks #19 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates with his teammates after scoring a run during the game against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

After working til midnight editing, captioning, and sending my images from Saturday it was fun to head back out to the Coliseum on Sunday morning. I got there nice and early, but there was no batting practice. I hung out and chatted with friends as game time neared, and when A’s team photographer Micahel Zagaris came over to see me in the Tiger’s first base dugout the real fun ensued. We always shoot pre-game candid stuff of the visiting teams right before the games start, and we really wanted to get some fun stuff of new Tiger Prince Fielder. So far we were striking out with Prince as the night before he gave us nothing. No great smile, no fun interaction with his teammates. Before Prince and his teammates came out of the clubhouse the Z-Man did his impression in the dugout of what Prince would give us when he came out (see below). He was right!

Michael Zagaris, left, imitates Prince Fielder #28 of the Detroit Tigers getting ready in the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photos by Brad Mangin)

Once the game got going we had the pleasure of watching and shooting the great Justin Verlander pitch for the Tigers. It is always a special occasion when an elite pitcher comes to the Bay Area and throws in the daylight, and this was no exception. Verlander dealt in his seven innings as the Tigers cruised to a 3-1 win.

Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the game against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, May 13, 2012 at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

After a fun weekend of baseball like this I really need to be thankful of the great places I get to work, with the Coliseum being one of them. Sure AT&T Park in San Francisco is a crown jewel for both the fans and the media. However, the Coliseum aint too shabby in the way it treats photographers. Having shot there for 25 years I tell people that working there is like working in my backyard. It is dirty and homey and comfortable. I don’t need to dress up. It is like home. I like that.

Grounds crew members of the San Francisco Giants work on the area at home plate before the game against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park on Saturday, April 28, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

During the baseball season I always like to look back on Mondays and remember the fun times I had at the ballpark the previous few days. As I sit here in my office with my cats Mike and Willie this afternoon I can look back at this past weekend of San Francisco Giants baseball games played in the glorious park by McCovey Cove and remember the great times I had both as a fan and as a photographer.

Instagram of my ticket for game between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on April 27, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I had tickets for the Friday night game against the San Diego Padres in my cool season ticket seats and went to the game with my sister Paula and her husband Randy. Over the past few years the three of us have attended many Giants games together and we always have a great time. The play was sloppy and the Giants couldn’t hit in the Padres 5-3 win, but we all had a great time. As I get older I try not to let the outcome of the game effect me too much. Instead of getting super bitter and pissed off when the Giants lose I try and enjoy the time I get to spend in my seats with family and friends. I was pretty well-behaved Friday night as I did not let the outcome ruin my night.

Instagram of my sister Paula Mangin has a good time during game between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on April 27, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Since I shoot every day game I enjoy being a fan for a dozen or so night games during the year, doing my pest to pick all the Friday night games when we have our ticket draft each February. I have had my season tickets with a group of friends since the new park opened in 2000 and I still enjoy going to the yard and sitting in my seats as much as I did back then.

Instagram of the Juan Marichal statue at dusk with bird flying by outside the stadium during the game between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on April 28, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Saturday’s game was a 6:05pm start, so I decided to head out and shoot the first few innings so I could get out of the house and see some friends. As usual I had my iPhone 4s with me and was on the lookout to shoot a few new Instagrams for my collection of baseball images. My goal was to leave the game before it ended when the sky got dark blue so I could shoot some stock images with my Canon Mark IV of the park in the pretty light, as well as a few frames with my phone. I was really happy to get one image I really liked with my favorite new camera (see above) as I heard the crowd cheering inside the park during the Giants two-run rally in the 7th inning. I listened to the final few innings of the Giants on my car radio win as I drove home and was already looking forward to photographing Sunday’s 1:05 start in the series finale.

Instagram of bats in the San Diego Padres dugout before their game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on April 29, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Sunday morning started bright and sunny and only got better as I walked onto the reddish-brown dirt on the field at 10:15am eager to get to work. Alas, it was Little League Day (again) so there was no batting practice to shoot. Luckily my good friend Robert Leiter was in town from his awesome home in Santa Barbara to shoot the game. Rob and I settled into the Padres dugout and talked baseball as we waited to go upstairs and crush the media lunch.

Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants reaches for a high throw at first base as San Diego Padres base runner Jason Bartlett #8 is safe at first during the game on Sunday, April 29, 2012 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

By the time the game started I was ready to give my cameras a workout and had a blast shooting a rather boring game. I filled up several 16 gig memory cards with pictures of the really awful Padres for my client, Major league Baseball Photos. The Giants came out on top 4-1. I drove home across the Bay Bridge with some great memories of spending time with family and friends, and a few good pictures to keep as souvenirs from a great weekend at the yard.

One of my all-time favorite Giants, John Tamargo, has a print file in the photo archive at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I have been photographing Major League Baseball games for 25 years, dating back to 1987 when I was shooting beautiful Fujichrome slide film as a college intern at the Contra Costa Times. Over that time I have accumulated hundreds of thousands of baseball pictures, both on film and digital. I shot film through the 2002 season and started shooting digital in 2003. I love my pictures, and my online archive of over 50,000 baseball images generates regular income for me every month. I have many original transparencies I do not need anymore, and I would like to share my archive with someone who cares about baseball as much as I do. Enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. This is the new home of many of my prized images.

Robert Seale and Brad Mangin pose in front of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York before lecturing about baseball photography on April 17, 2009. (Photo by Karen Warren)

Way back in 2002 my good friend and former picture editor at Major League baseball Photos, Paul Cunningham suggested that I donate some of my surplus slides to the Hall of Fame. Paul, raised in Cooperstown, told me that it was the job of the Hall of Fame to preserve the history of the game. After spending many months culling through thousands of pages of slides I finally sent 1,911 original chromes to the Hall of Fame’s Photo Archivist Pat Kelly. This donation made me feel good, and it also thrilled the Hall of Fame. I promised myself and Pat that I would be making more donations in the future. I had no idea it would take me another 10 years.

This special file cabinet houses the Brad Mangin collection of over 4,000 original color transparencies in cold storage at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Milo Stewart Jr. / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

The Hall of Fame is one of the coolest places on Earth. It is run by a wonderful group of people who love the game of baseball, led by President Jeff Idelson. I first met Jeff at the 2001 World Series at old Yankee Stadium and have had the pleasure of getting to know him over the years. The museum that Jeff runs is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. It is run independently and is not subject to corporate structure that can really wear down a photographer like me. They love their baseball in Cooperstown, and they really put a value on photography. As the past decade progressed I became more and more of a fan of the Hall of Fame, even though I had never been there. That changed in 2009.

Hall of Fame intern Kelly Cleaver pulls slides from the Brad Mangin collection in cold storage at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Milo Stewart Jr. / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

Jeff invited fellow baseball fan and amazing Houston-based photographer Robert Seale and myself to speak about baseball photography at the Museum in April of 2009. We had a blast delivering several different lectures during our visit, and were treated like royalty as we were given VIP access to everything in the museum. We were even given the “white glove tour” of all the amazing artifacts in storage in the Museum’s basement.

Robert Seale, right, photographs Brad Mangin holding the hat San Francisco Giants pitcher Ed Halicki wore when he threw a no-hitter against the New York Mets at Candlestick Park in San Francisco in 1975. Seale and Mangin are in the basement of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York getting the white glove tour. (Photo by Karen Warren)

During my visit to Cooperstown I also met Assistant Photo Archivist Jenny Ambrose. Jenny showed us around the photo library, and while looking in the cold storage area I saw a some binders holding the slides I donated in 2002. It made me feel so good to see how they were caring for my pictures. This clinched it for me. I needed to make another donation- and soon!

I was further motivated to do something good with my images in 2010 when Bay Area photographer and former portrait artist for the Topps card company Doug McWilliams made a wonderful donation to the Hall of Fame by driving his valuable originals across the country with his son to make sure they made it into Pat Kelly’s hands safely. Doug is a terrific guy who I love seeing at the ballpark in Oakland a few times each year. Doug is also a baseball historian who began his career as a baseball photographer when he was 12-years-old by shooting pictures of Pacific Coast League games in the Oakland Oaks home ballpark in Emeryville during the 1950. Doug’s beautiful color portraits shot during spring training in Arizona and the regular season in Oakland and San Francisco during the 1970′s is a gold mine of history. I was so proud of Doug’s donation. I needed to keep up the Bay Area tradition and do more for the Museum.

It was pretty cool to get this certificate from the Hall of Fame after my recent donation, especially since it is signed by my friend Jeff Idelson.

I finally got my act together this past winter and sent Pat Kelly a FEDEX box filled with 2,386 original slides as a donation. This made my total donation of slides at over 4,000. This collection contains images from the late 1980′s through 2002. This made me feel good, but it was incomplete. The Hall of Fame also needs pictures of current players, and since no one shoots film anymore there are no slides to donate from anything that happened after 2002. Because my online searchable archive is so organized I did the next best thing. I gave Pat and Jenny total access to download any image they want for the Museum’s needs. That means they can peruse my online collection of 50,000 baseball images that is powered by the wonderful folks at PhotoShelter. The best part of this donation is that it grows each day I shoot a ballgame, allowing them to have access to the freshest images I shoot of the newest stars of the game. After shooting yesterday’s White Sox and A’s game in Oakland I uploaded 172 images that can be used immediately.

"Memories and Dreams," the official magazine of The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum recently published a story about my donation. To download a PDF file of the three-page story and read it please click on the image above.

My feeling that there was no better place than the Museum for my images to live forever was reinforced when Jenny emailed me pictures of the brand-new filing cabinet that is used exclusively to hold my collection of slides in cold storage. I asked Jenny to explain the storage details and she graciously shared the following information with me.

“The slides stand upright in the cabinet. They are arranged alphabetically by the player’s surname, and then by subject for non-player images. Kelly Cleaver (our Hartwick College intern) created labels for all the slides giving the player’s full name and the accession number (a unique identifier). The three most important elements in preservation are light, temperature, and humidity. Your slides are stored in a steel cabinet with a baked-enamel finish. We keep them in a cold storage unit designed for film where we maintain a stable climate with a temperature of 42 degrees and a relative humidity of 30%. The unit is completely dark except when the staff is in the unit. The cabinet provides additional protection from light exposure. Cold storage helps prevent the deterioration of both the film base and the color dyes. In these conditions, preservation researchers have estimated the slides can be maintained for hundreds of years before there is significant deterioration or image fading.

We have chosen not to use plastic sleeves for our slide collections because the collection is constantly growing and the drawers make adding to the collection easier. There are archival-quality sleeves that are perfectly acceptable for slide storage. We always look for housing materials that pass the PAT (Photographic Activity Test), a worldwide standard for archival-quality photographic enclosures established by the Image Permanence Institute. The plasticized PVC used in the manufacture of many commercial slide pages may deteriorate, enabling the plasticizers to separate out. This can produce oily substances that can transfer to the slides and damaging gases. Buyer beware. The extra cost for archival quality is well worth it.

If you’d like to refer others to more information about photographic preservation, the Image Permanence Institute has many wonderful publications about the storage of slides and digital prints that might be useful to other photographers. Most of these are available to download for free at: https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/resources/publications#color”

As I head out to the ballpark each day this season I can feel good that not only am I shooting for myself, I am also shooting to preserve the history of the game I love, the best way I know how. I am also shooting for the Hall of Fame! All of us photographers are recording history in our own way. I am thrilled that I have found a home for my historical images.

You can download a PDF file of the recent three-page story about my donation in “Memories and Dreams,” the official magazine of The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, by clicking on this link.

Eric Hosmer #35 of the Kansas City Royals slides home safely during the game against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at The Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

Yesterday afternoon’s ballgame in Oakland was one of those wonderfully fun days that I love so much. I was getting paid to photograph a baseball game, it wasn’t raining, and I was shooting the best young player I have seen in a long time: Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer. I first photographed Hosmer during spring training on February 27, 2011 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. The big left-handed swinger was one of the great new prospects the Royals had brought to big league camp. It appears that everyone’s projections were correct as the kid hit .293 in 523 at bats last year while knocking in 78 runs and belting 19 homers. The first round pick (3rd overall) of the 2008 amateur draft looks like he will be around for a long time, and he is so much fun to shoot. I am jealous of the photographers in Kansas City who will be able to shot him ever day.

Eric Hosmer #35 of the Kansas City Royals gets ready in the dugout before the game against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at The Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

Because of Hosmer and other young players like Alex Gordon, Mike Moustakas, and Salvador Perez the Royals are right on the cusp of becoming a terrific young team. Over the years the Royals have brought up some great home-grown talent like Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, and Zack Greinke. However, they have always let them get away before their primes, resulting in a long tradition of losing seasons that have made the talent-rich championship clubs of the 1970′s and 1980′s seem like ancient history. The young nucleus of talent they have right now might be what they need to finally put together a winning campaign.

Eric Hosmer #35 of the Kansas City Royals bats during the game against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at The Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

I had so much fun shooting Hosmer and his Royals teammates yesterday that I was mad when I drove home. Why was I mad? Because this was the only trip to Oakland for the Royals this season. I will not have another chance to shoot them in 2012! For the rest of the season I will keep an extra eye out for Royals highlights on television and for their games on my MLB TV package.

Eric Hosmer #35 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates with his teammates during the game against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at The Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

If yesterday’s game in Oakland was any indication of how much fun I will have shooting in 2012 it is going to be a great year. On deck I have the San Francisco Giants home opener tomorrow afternoon at AT&T Park. I can’t wait!

Fans of the Oakland Athletics celebrate after the game against the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum on September 22, 2011 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The 2012 Oakland Athletics open their regular season tonight (I don’t count the two ridiculous games in Japan) at the Oakland Coliseum when they host the Seattle Mariners. First pitch is 7:05pm. Plenty of good seats still available. There will be the usual opening night festivities and the A’s will be trotting out a lineup that includes some hungry young talent, especially their new Cuban center fielder Yoenis Cespedes. There will be much excitement at the park, and I will be watching on television. Unfortunately for the A’s and Major League Baseball there will also be plenty of empty seats tonight, and many more for game two tomorrow night. Worst of all? The young and eager A’s have zero chance to compete in the American League West thanks to bad ownership. A’s fans deserve better.

Oakland Athletics fans show banners in the outfield bleachers that say "Don't take our A's away" and "Lew Wolff hates Oakland" during the game against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 7, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

What is happening right now in Oakland is a crime and the good east bay fans who bleed green and gold are sick of being shit on year after year. Ownership claims they have no cash. Ownership trashes the crappy stadium. Ownership hates Oakland. Ownership has alienated a great group of fans. The ownership is full of crap. They have tons of cash. They do not even have to sell a ticket this season and they will be profitable. Between revenue sharing, national television money, and the income from owning 1/31st share of MLB.com they are laughing all the way to the bank at the expense of their fans. Add the recent record-setting sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers for over $2 billion and the A’s ownership made a few hundred million bucks last week while stadium workers cleaned off the upper deck tarps in preparation for the new season.

General overall interior view of the O.co Coliseum showing a sparse crowd during the game between the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics on September 7, 2011 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Do the A’s need a new ballpark? Sure they do. Should they be able to build a new park in San Jose. You bet. I think MLB’s Blue-Ribbon committee should come out of their three-year hibernation and come up with an easy cash settlement to the Giants so the A’s are free to build. But you know what? I still don’t think the A’s could get a shovel in the ground in the south bay. They have screwed up every which way you can in the past several years, and they are now stuck with a crappy team playing in a crappy stadium in front of 7,200 a night. If they are lucky.

General stadium overall view of the Oakland Coliseum during a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics on May 6, 1995 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I grew up a Giants fan in the east bay city of Fremont, 20 miles south of Oakland. Everyone around me was an A’s fan as they were busy winning three World Series titles in a row in 1972, 1973, and 1974. At the same time my Giants sucked. It was hard. I HATED the A’s. I do not hate them anymore. In my older age I have grown to appreciate how lucky we are to live in a place with two teams to follow. As a photographer I am extra lucky to have two teams and both leagues to photograph every day for six months. As a baseball fan I believe the loyal A’s fans deserve to be treated better by ownership. I feel that they deserve a new stadium they can call their own. Many of my good friends are A’s fans. They always have been, and they always will be. Through thick and thin, from Mike Gallego to Daric Barton. From Dave Stewart to Tim Hudson. They have stuck by their club and I admire them for that, just like I always stuck with my club when they were shitty.

A shirtless fan of the Oakland Athletics sits in an empty section of seats during the game against the Kansas City Royals at O.co Coliseum on September 7, 2011 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

This past winter the A’s gutted their team, getting rid of some terrific young talent to lower the payroll. Again. It is so hard for A’s fans to have a favorite player. Once they grow attached he will get shipped out of town for four prospects to save money. Now the A’s start this season at a serious disadvantage as the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels made some HUGE off season additions to their clubs, spending tons of cash in the process. These two teams will battle for the division crown as the A’s and Mariners battle it out for the cellar. The good news for the A’s? The super-crappy Houston Astros will be joining their division next year, allowing the A’s to pad their won-loss record against a club that might be worse than theirs.

I wish the A’s luck this year. Their fans deserve it. First pitch is just a few hours away. I know I will be watching on TV.

Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels bats during the spring training game against the San Diego Padres on March 9, 2012 at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

One of the biggest jobs I have each year while covering spring training in Arizona (besides wrangling all my friends together for many fun dinners) is getting good pictures of all the stars who are beginning the new season with a new club. We need the new guys in the new uniforms. Luckily for guys like me there are so many off season moves each year that I always have a long list of guys to get. This year the new guy in the new uni who was in most demand was Albert Pujols, who traded in St. Louis Cardinals red for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim red by inking a 10-year mega-deal with the Halos over the winter.

Photographed with an iPhone 4s using Instagram: Overall interior view of Tempe Diablo Stadium during the spring training game between the Los Angeles Angels and the San Diego Padres on March 9, 2012 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I photographed Pujols a few times last month while covering the Cactus League for Sports Illustrated. I had my best results on a beautiful day at the Angels home yard in Tempe when I took the 800mm Canon lens out to left field. I stood on the grassy berm with many fans in an attempt to get some nice and clean pictures of Pujols batting. Our legendary staff photographer John Biever already had the best stuff of Pujols in the bag that he shot earlier in the week, so my editor and I decided it would be fun to try and get some different stuff from the outfield. The view you get from out there can be cool if the light cooperates and if you can get a clean background. Luckily for me the air was clear and the back light was nice, allowing me to see Albert’s face when he swung the bat.

Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels slides into second base during the spring training game against the San Diego Padres on March 9, 2012 at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The added bonus for me while shooting out in left field occurred when Pujols slid into second base to break up a double play. He slid right at me, resulting in a cool sequence of frames, including my favorite above. By the time Pujols came out of the game after three at bats it was time for me to go back to the hotel and send my images to the magazine. None of my pictures made the magazine as Biever cleaned up in the story with his great stuff, but my editor was happy with my take and so was I. At the end of the day if I make my editor happy then I am happy. After all, it’s spring training. The best time of the year. Especially when I get to shoot new guys in new unis.

Manager Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox works during the spring training game against the Texas Rangers on March 8, 2012 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I recently returned home from my fantastic annual assignment covering spring training in Arizona. I have been heading down to cover the Cactus League for over 20 years. Staying in Scottsdale, watching some baseball, and spending time with great friends is such a great tonic to help me get rid of the winter blues. While covering all 15 teams training in Arizona for Sports Illustrated one of the best days I had in the valley was Thursday, March 8 when I trekked over to the wonderful ballpark in Surprise to photograph the new manager of the Chicago White Sox: the very cool Robin Ventura.

Manager Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox exchanges line up cards at home plate and talks to the umpires before the spring training game against the Texas Rangers on March 8, 2012 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

We were working on a story about Ventura and my job was to shoot him doing everything he did on the field as he skippered his club against the home standing Texas Rangers. Before the game I asked my good friend and Chicago White Sox team photographer Ron Vesely to introduce me to Ventura so he would know who the knucklehead was shooting tons of pictures of him. I had heard so many great stories about Ventura from other photographer friends. Ves has known him for over 20 years and has a great relationship with him, so when Ves took the time to introduce me to Ventura about 20 minutes before game time Ventura shook my hand and smiled at me, especially after I told him I was good friends with the great V.J. Lovero and Scott Clarke. V.J. and Scott were old friends with Ventura and he enjoyed chatting about them.

Photographed with an iPhone 4s using Instagram: White Sox manager Robin Ventura skippers his ballclub against the Texas Rangers on March 8, 2012 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Before the game I went out to home plate with Ventura for the exchange of the lineup cards. I then settled into a seat in the front row of the stands right behind him as he ran his club from a folding chair in the dirt in front of me. Shooting through the backstop netting I spent about five innings shooting Ventura as he did his job with my wide angle lens, and even shot a frame with my iPhone 4s that I sent out to my Instagram feed (see above). After the 5th inning I went outside first base and shot Ventura with an 800mm lens to get some nice portraits of him (see top). Ventura has a great smile and it was fun shooting him with the long lens as he joked with his coaching staff as the game went into the later innings.

Manager Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox talks with the team trainer during the spring training game against the Texas Rangers on March 8, 2012 at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Soon it was time to hit the road back to Scottsdale, and by the time I finished the Hellish drive on Bell Road and reached the 101 loop my cellphone rang. Of course it was my buddy Scott Clarke. Scott had seen my Instagram of Ventura so he knew what I was doing. “Why are you shooting my boyfriend Robin Ventura?” Scott asked me. I told Scott we were doing a story about him, then Scott told me some fun tales about their friendship. Scott and I both agreed that we had never paid much attention to the White Sox in the past, but in 2012 we would be rooting for them to do well. Ventura is such a good guy you really want to see him succeed.

Vesely is a lucky man. He could not have hand-picked a better man to be the new skipper of the club he works with every day during the season. Good luck to the Sox and their new skipper. I look forward to seeing them when they come to Oakland later this season.

Cody Ross #13 of the San Francisco Giants stands in left field with a 2010 World Series Champion sign on the ball behind him against the Cleveland Indians during the game at AT&T Park on June 26, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

When the San Francisco Giants take the field on opening day April 6, 2012 in Phoenix one player whom Giants fans have been quick to adopt will not be with the club. Cody Ross will not be wearing the orange and black. After general manager Brian Sabean made several roster moves this winter the outfield is set, and there is no place left for the free-agent outfielder who is looking for a multi-year deal elsewhere. During his 154-game stay with the Giants over two seasons Ross made a huge impression on Giants fans by helping to lead the club to the 2010 World Series title and by lightening up AT&T Park with his smile.

Cody Ross #13 of the San Francisco Giants bats against the Cleveland Indians during the game at AT&T Park on June 26, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

On August 22, 2010 when the Giants claimed Ross on waivers from the Florida Marlins it was a mere footnote in the paper. The second place Giants were simply blocking the first place San Diego Padres from picking up Ross, so they claimed him. The Giants really didn’t need Ross at the time- or so they thought. I did not know much about Ross since he played in Miami and I did not get much of a chance to see the Marlins. I knew he had a beautiful right-handed swing and that he was a streaky hitter. Right after the trade I spoke with my good friend, Florida-based sports photographer Tom DiPace. Tom told me what a fan-favorite Ross was in Miami. He told me he would be great in San Francisco. “Just you watch,” DiPace told me.

Cody Ross #13 of the San Francisco Giants bats against the Oakland Athletics during the game at AT&T Park on Sunday, May 22, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

When Ross arrived in San Francisco there was no fanfare. He hit .288 down the stretch in only 73 at bats. He hit three homers and definitely showed signs of his streak hitting- mostly the bad side. Ross hit 24 homers for the Marlins in 2009, so I knew he had some pop. However, we didn’t see much of it in September as the Giants scratched and clawed against the Padres for the division crown.

Cody Ross #13 of the San Francisco Giants drops his bat and runs to first base against the Cincinnati Reds on Satuday, June 11, 2011 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

Heading into the post-season all Giants fans were looking for someone to get hot with the bat and carry the club. Known for their great pitching, the Giants still struggled to score runs. Fans were looking to Buster Posey or Pat Burrell to get hot. Maybe Juan Uribe would be the guy. NOBODY was looking to Ross to lead the offensive charge. He hit a big home run in Game 4 of the NLDS in Atlanta, and as the club headed to Philadelphia to play the first two games of the NLCS against the Phillies it appeared that Ross was getting into one of those hot streaks.

Cody Ross #13 of the San Francisco Giants bats against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the game at AT&T Park on September 11, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The Giants were facing an uphill battle in Game 1 going up against ace right-hander Roy Halladay. Halladay is a monster on the mound and the Giants were just hoping their ace Tim Lincecum could keep the Phillies close so they would have a chance. Ross came through and quieted the Philly crowd by crushing a long home run in the top of the third inning to give the Giants an early 1-0 lead. You know when Ross is locked in at the plate and rips one. He has a little hop-step out of the box as he drops his bat and heads to first when he really connects. This was one of those times.

Cody Ross #13 of the San Francisco Giants runs the bases against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the game at AT&T Park on September 11, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

When Ross stepped up to the plate in the top of the fifth inning he did it again! Solo blast to left in the exact same spot of the bleachers. Now the crowd was stunned and the name “Cody Ross” was trending nationally on Twitter. By the time the Giants held on to win 4-3 the tone had been set. The Giants came to down and beat the Phillies ace, thanks to Ross. After the Giants won the series in six games Ross was named the series MVP. As the Giants headed home for Game 1 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers, Giants fans could not get enough of Ross.

Cody Ross of the San Francisco Giants makes a play in left field during the game against the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park on Sunday, June 5, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Ross cooled off a bit in the World Series, but it did not matter. The Giants beat the Rangers in five games and Ross was the toast of San Francisco when the team came home for their victory parade. Fans everywhere were wearing “Ross is Boss” t-shirts. There was a mutual love affair going on between Ross and the fans. People figured that he would be an opening day starter in the outfield in 2011 and start the season where he left off in 2010. Unfortunately things didn’t work out that way.

Cody Ross of the San Francisco Giants slides into home scoring on Juan Uribe's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning of Game Two of the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers at AT&T Park on Thursday, October 28, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos)

Ross got hurt during spring training, started the season on the disabled list, and never really got going in 2011. The team didn’t hit or score any runs for their great pitching staff and Ross was part of the problem. Maybe too much was expected? I dunno. The entire team kinda sucked and he was right there with everyone else. By the time this winter rolled around the Giants ran out of money quickly and never even offered Ross a contract for 2012. “The Giants were definitely my No.1 choice,” said Ross. “I was looking at any possible scenario, any way, anyhow. Give them a hometown discount, whatever to help their payroll. But they would not commit to more than a year. “It’s sad because I really wanted to come back. They never made me an offer,” Ross told beat writer Andrew Baggarly in his Extra Baggs blog.

“Ross earned himself a place in the Giants’ pantheon of heroes – somewhere not too far from Dusty Rhodes, I’d imagine – and, oh yeah, a lifetime of boos whenever he sets foot in Philadelphia. There’s pride in that,” wrote Baggarly.

“I absolutely loved playing there,” Ross said. “I loved every moment of the 2010 World Championship and those memories are something that can never be taken away from me,” Ross told Bagggarly.

I hope Ross plays for a team in 2012 that comes through AT&T Park to play the Giants. I want to see and hear the thunderous roars that will great him. It should be a special moment- and one he richly deserves.

New York Mets pitcher Kris Benson throws against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland, California on June 16, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Winter time can be a bummer. It gets dark at 5pm. The weather is cold. There are no baseball games on television. I need something else to watch on TV to pass the time after I put in a hard day in the office working on my blog and playing with my cats. Lucky for me VH1 has cranked out an awesome new reality show that is causing much excitement around the Mangin household. That’s right sports fans, I am glued to my 50″ Panasonic every Wednesday night catching every minute of “Baseball Wives.” There have only been two episodes so far, but I am hooked!

Don’t get me wrong, I know the show is trashy as Hell. Situated in the baseball mecca of Scottsdale, Arizona, this show follows the formula of other “wives” reality shows by orchestrating plot lines that put together bitchy women who have one common thread running through them. In this show that thread is that they have had a relationship with a big league ballplayer at one time or another. Some of them are even STILL married to real ballplayers!

Put these women together in a Hummer limo, Scottsdale nightclub, or fancy house for a cocktail party and sparks are bound to fly. Cliques have been formed and hatred abounds. As I watched last night’s show I really started to wonder, who are the baseball players behind the “Baseball Wives?” I can’t believe that these guys are very happy about seeing their wives, former wives, or former girlfriends telling tales out of school about them.

Lets take a look at the guys behind the gals. There is only one place to start, and that is the man behind the villain of the show, Anna Benson:

Kris Benson

New York Mets pitcher Kris Benson throws against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland, California on June 16, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Kris Benson is still married to Anna, his wife who became more famous than him during his days of toiling for the Pirates, Mets, Orioles, and other squads. in 2004 Anna, the former stripper, posed for the cover and a spread in FHM magazine and was named “baseball’s hottest wife.” In an interview with Howard Stern later that year, she vowed that if her husband ever cheated on her she would take revenge by sleeping with the entire Mets organization. Awesome! Needless to say Anna’s husband must be used to being married to his controversial wife, but I wonder what he thinks about the show?

Matt Williams

Matt Williams of the San Francisco Giants smiles while taking batting practice before a spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1994. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Matt Williams is on third wife, and her name is Erika Monroe Williams. The good news for him is he has an insanely awesome 20,000 square foot house in the Scottsdale area and a nice job coaching with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The bad news? His wife is looking pretty ridiculous on “Baseball Wives.”

Portrait of Matt Williams of the San Francisco Giants in the dugout during a game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 1993. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I covered Matt for his entire career and he was always a classy guy who will forever be beloved in San Francisco. He has been through a few troubled marriages, and I can’t see how this show will help his current one. Erika got off to a rocky start in the premier episode while hosting a cocktail party for the other “wives.” How cool it would have been to see Matt wander through the kitchen looking for a beer. No dice. What we got was the beginning of a verbal cat fight that spilled into episode two.

Matt Williams of the Arizona Diamondbacks in action during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona on April 7, 2001. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

For Matt’s sake I hope that things slow down for Erika on the show and that Anna stops beating up on her. For the show’s sake it would be great if she keeps causing trouble!

Jason Kendall

Jason Kendall of the Pittsburgh Pirates bats during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, California in 2002. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Jason Kendall, the recently retired catcher’s ex-wife Chantel Kendall has a checkered past and is a very polarizing character on “Wives.” Jason always seemed kinda goofy when I photographed him. He was a real hard-ass with the A’s and helped them to their great season in 2006. I never saw Chantel at any of the family softball games at the Oakland Coliseum. I can’t imagine how entertaining that would have been!

Jason Kendall of the Oakland Athletics wipes his face with a towell while sitting in the dugout during a game against the Texas Rangers in Oakland, California on September 24, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

After two shows it seems that Chantel hates pretty much every other “Wife” with the exception of a surprise guest we will learn about down below. Also- her skinny arms and tattoos scare me.

Mark Grace

Mark Grace of the Chicago Cubs flips his bat after striking out against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California in 1998. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

First of all I was surprised to hear that Mark Grace was ever married. He was always a great interview on the Jim Rome show during his playing days talking about “slump busters” and strip clubs. I learned that he USED to be married in the first episode of “Wives.” Tanya Grace is Mark’s ex-wife and one of the more outgoing stars of the show. The avid golfer met Mark when she was a golf cart girl.

Mark Grace of the Arizona Diamondbacks bats during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, California in 2001. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Mark seems to have a good sense of humor and is a local TV broadcaster for the Diamondbacks. I wonder what he thinks of seeing Tanya on “Wives.” I bet he kinda gets a kick out of it!

Ron Villone

Ron Villone of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on April 13, 2008. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Ron Villone’s current wife Brooke Villone has come out of the first two episodes pretty unscathed. Brooke is a model with a really long neck and seems to stay out of everyone’s business as she hangs out with some of the looser women on the show.

Nyjer Morgan

Nyjer Morgan #1 of the Washington Nationals gets ready in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on May 27, 2010 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The nutty Nyjer Morgan has the unfortunate task of being the former boyfriend of the youngest star of “Wives” Jordana Lenz. Lenz is a young and trashy stalker who went to the Milwaukee Brewers team hotel during the 2011 NLDS whole Morgan and the Brewers were in town to play the Diamondbacks. She practically chased him into the elevator! She complains that once Morgan got to a good team he dumped her. The thinking here is that T. Plush can do much better than Lenz.

Chuck Knoblauch

Chuck Knoblauch of the Minnesota Twins bats during a game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 1994. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The best part of last night’s episode was the arrival at Scottsdale Airport of Cheri Knoblauch, the current wife of Chuck Knoblauch. Cheri was picked up by her good friend Chantel Kendall and they instantly plotted how there were gonna harass nemesis Anna Benson. Anna has been a bitch to Chantel and Cheri has come to town to save the day. It seems that Cheri and Anna know each other from the 1990′s when Kris Benson pitched for the Pirates and Cheri was dating his teammate Brian Giles. You just know that sparks will fly when they get together, and I was not disappointed last night. In a future episode Anna will supposedly attack Cheri with 12 inch dildo!

Chuck Knoblauch of the New York Yankees turns a double play at second base (forcing out Miguel Tejada) during a game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 1998. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Knoblauch was a good ballplayer and a former World Champion with the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees. I can’t imagine that he is too thrilled to have his wife on this show, but who knows? Maybe they need the cash!

Brian Giles

Brian Giles of the Pittsburgh Pirates bats against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in Francisco, California on August 7, 2003. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Brian Giles won a big court decision against his ex-girlfriend Cheri Olvera (Knoblauch), who had sued him for more than $10 million in 2008. Giles allegedly abused Olvera and the jury also awarded Giles the return of the $107,000 engagement ring he purchased for their canceled 2007 wedding. During the trial Giles testified that he didn’t strike his girlfriend at a bar in Phoenix in 2006 – testimony that contradicted witness statements to Phoenix police. But wait- it gets better.

Brian Giles #24 of the San Diego Padres bats against the San Francisco Giants during the game at AT&T Park on April 22, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Giles suggested in his testimony that the 2006 incident was a case of Olvera being drunk. He said Olvera “often falls when she’s intoxicated” and wearing high heels. Giles’ attorneys tried to portray the case as part of a pattern by Olvera to pursue rich men for money to satisfy her lavish lifestyle. Olvera testified she was currently engaged to Chuck Knoblauch. Olvera also testified that while living with Giles, she had someone to help her shop, an occasional driver, housekeepers and a woman to blow-dry her hair for $100 each time. AWESOME!

Brian Giles of the San Diego Padres bats against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on May 2, 2006. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Well, there you have it. The men behind the women. I hope you enjoyed this run down of the active and in-active roster players who have laced’ em up with the “Wives.” Next Wednesday night- VH1. Don’t miss it!

Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals loosens up in the on deck circle against the San Francisco Giants during Opening Day at AT&T Park on April 8, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The news hit me over the head early this morning when I woke up listening to my co-author and buddy Brian Murphy on KNBR radio. Free agent Albert Pujols, who had been rumored to be going to Miami, Chicago (Cubs), or staying home in St. Louis, had shocked everyone by signing a massive 10-year contract for $250 million to play for the Angels in Anaheim. Oh man. What a shock! This made me happy. I hate it when the big star players sign with east coast teams that train in Florida. By signing with the Angels I would have the chance to photograph him in Arizona during spring training and in Oakland many times each season. When Pujols played with the Cardinals I would only see him once a year in San Francsico, thus missing out in the chance to photograph one of the all-time greats.

Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals plays defense at first base against the San Francisco Giants during Opening Day at AT&T Park on April 8, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Soon after the Pujols news broke it was announced that the Halos had also inked star lefty free agent pitcher C. J. Wilson to a five-year deal. The Angels have instantly become the team to beat in the American League West by assembling an insane pitching staff that will have great run support. You know the phone lines at Angel Stadium are jammed right now with fans wanting season tickets for 2012.

Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals bats against the San Francisco Giants during Opening Day at AT&T Park on April 8, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

My favorite Pujols memory took place in late October when I had the chance to photograph him belting three monster home runs in Game 3 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers in Arlington. I was shooting from third base that night near the Cardinals owners box. The section of red-clad folks from St. Louis were going crazy with each and every bomb Pujols hit. They got their World Series championship several days later, but are suffering through a sad day today. Pujols is gone and he aint coming back. I can’t wait to shoot him at Tempe Diablo Stadium in March!