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Normal people who follow other sports or enjoy the -3 degree weather when baseball isn’t in season might not know the joy of the annual truck day. But you’re here, so I know you get it.
Today is the day for the Cleveland Indians, when all of their equipment is loaded onto trucks and a bunch of reporters gather round to photograph it and feed the images to baseball-starved fans on the internet. For one beautiful day, we can all stop arguing about the outfield and enjoy the sight of that big, beautiful baseball piñata rolling down Interstate 44 on its cross-country trip.
You won’t hear that wonderful sound of the first fastball hitting a catcher’s glove until pitchers and catchers report on February 12, but for now you can rejoice that the wheels of the 2019 baseball season are in motion. Literally and figuratively.
I’ll be posting and grading the tweets as they come in from beat writers covering this momentousness occasion, because I’m inside on a nice comfy chair and not leaving any time soon.
A strong winter tradition ... a bunch of reporters gather together to watch others load a truck. pic.twitter.com/xdxl5d4SKO
— T.J. Zuppe (@TJZuppe) January 31, 2019
A few nice shots of the loading process. Points off for not showing the outside of the truck. Even if it’s inaccessible to media right now, I expect folks to be rapelling down nearby buildings to get a clean shot. Bring me pictures of Spider-Man that truck.
Grade: B-
Tito’s scooter, off to spring training. The Indians’ equipment trucks depart from Progressive Field today. Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, AZ on Feb. 12. pic.twitter.com/OBat2yW2xC
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) January 31, 2019
A minimalist approach to covering truck day. What does the scooter mean? Is it a metaphor for baseball “scooting” us through life? Are the Indians on the verge of acquiring Scooter Ginnet and Zack Meisel has inside knowledge? What does it mean?!
Oh, right. Tito rides it around and it’s fucking rad.
Grade: A
Tito’s scooter is making the trip to Goodyear this spring pic.twitter.com/Og6DF15zsv
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) January 31, 2019
This scooter picture took an extra half-hour to get out, but the time was worth it. Better lighting and a better crop; less background noise.
Grade: A+
Tito’s scooter is the last to be loaded on the @Indians trucks headed to #SpringTraining. pic.twitter.com/TcIAOTSxOC
— Meg Shaw (@MegDShaw) January 31, 2019
THIRD SCOOTER PICTURE, THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I apparently started the bar way too high on pictures of Tito’s scooter, because this is by far the best. There are also some alternate angles of the inside of the truck. Just a work of art all around.
Grade: A+
All clear, and out of here.
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) January 31, 2019
Our equipment trucks are on their way to Goodyear!
Pitchers and catchers report in 12 days! ☀️ pic.twitter.com/fuxpQDPPxC
Somebody really screwed the pooch on this one. Managed to get a lingering shot of the plain, advertisement on the rear truck and completely missed the Tribe branded leader of the caravan. Entire baseball reason is now ruined.
Grade: D-