Foreshock in Rancho Cucamonga
Monday was the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes Media Day, meaning it was the first opportunity for the local media to meet the players assigned to the team.
The players themselves had arrived only a few hours earlier. Catcher Chris Rosenbaum blogged from Tempe just before his departure for California. They’d barely had a chance to get their lockers and uniforms, to explore the ballpark before they had to pose for the team photo.
You only see the photo, never what goes on before. Here are some photos as the professional photographer prepared to take the team photo.
 Positioning the players for the photo. Notice there are two rows of folding chairs but three rows of players. The front row sits, the middle row stands, and the third row stands on the folding chairs. |
 Joking around as the players are being positioned for the photo. |
 The team photo as shot from an observer’s perspective. |
After the photo shoot, most of the players passed by and I shot individual photos of them, which will start showing up in the FutureAngels.com Digital Photo Gallery in the next day or so.
Then I recorded video interviews with manager Keith Johnson and pitching coach Dan Ricabal. The two played together for the 1995 San Bernardino Spirit, then a Dodgers affiliate, that won the California League pennant. That was the team’s last year at old Fiscalini Field; the next year, they moved into the new ballpark now known as Arrowhead Credit Union Park. Although they attended the groundbreaking ceremony in 1995, Thursday’s opener will be the first time that Johnson has been in the ballpark. Ricabal was with the Quakes last year.
In the evening, I went over to the Best Western for the players’ welcoming dinner hosted by the Quakes Booster Club. This is the first opportunity for the players to meet potential host parents who will provide them with temporary housing, and to work out local transportation to the ballpark each day. I filmed most of that too, because it’s an aspect of minor league life few people see unless they’re a booster or host parent.
You need Windows Media Player and a broadband (cable modem, DSL) Internet connection to watch. Here are the links:
- Manager Keith Johnson interview
- Pitching Coach Dan Ricabal interview
- Welcoming dinner for Quakes players
I’ll be at San Bernardino tonight to cover the season opener. Trevor Reckling is scheduled to start for the Quakes. Kelvim Escobar has been scratched from his rehab start due to minor soreness.
FutureAngels.com 
Glad I found this blog! It’ll be great to get the inside scoop on some up & coming Halos. Here’s to a great season…!
Lori