Cardinals Caravan Recap

 It has been beyond cold the last few days.  Wind chills have made it feel below zero for 3 straight days, with another one in store for Tuesday.  Wednesday it should warm up to 20 some degrees.  Almost feels like baseball weather.

Speaking of baseball and warm up, this past weekend was the Cardinals Winter Warm Up.  It actually runs through today, but my son and I very rarely attend on Monday.  We did make it for Saturday and Sunday.  More on those 2 days later this week.  In conjunction with the WWU, the Cardinals also have traveling caravans that start and Friday and end tonight.  My son and I were able to attend the one in Champaign, IL on Friday at noon.  I guess I was a bad dad and let him skip school to go.  Some things are more important that school anyway.  He was able to work ahead and not miss anything.

The caravans are the same as in years past.  3 or 4 young players, 2 former players, and and team personality talk for a few minutes about the past season, answer a few questions from the audience, then sign autographs for kids 15 and under.  My son will be 16 in July, so this might be the last year we attend.  It was a decent lineup this year with 1 big name.  Here is who my son received autographs from.

Chip Carey joined the Cardinals TV booth last year as the lead announcer.  The grandson of former Cardinals announcer Harry Carey, he does not have any cards so my son had him sign this generic flyer that was available.

Former relief pitcher Brad Thompson share the booth with Carey part time.  He is a regular at Cardinals events like WWU and caravan.  The other alumni was Benji Molina.  He never played for the Cardinals, but does serve as one of their Spanish broadcast announcers.  My son did not have anything for him to sign, so he just thanked him for coming and moved on down the line.

Relief pitcher Packy Naughton is recovering from off season arm surgery.  He hope to be able to pitch by early June.  We have never gotten his autograph in person before.   

Relief pitcher Andre Pallante signed autographs for us twice during last season, so I was running out of cards for him to sign.  Luckily I had this nice 2022 Stadium Club Chrome.

#4 prospect Victor Scott signed a picture for my son, but I will show that off later this week.  I also had someone else sign the picture at WWU.

Jordan Walker was the big draw of the caravan.  He signed this picture I took of him playing in Peoria during the 2021 season.  

This was by far the most well attended Champaign caravan we have attended in the 10 years or so we have been going.  Walker had a lot to do with that.  In the past, if time allows and all the kids have went through the autograph line, adults are allowed to go.  Due to the large crowd, that was not the case this year.  Some tried to get in line, but the staff did a nice job of making them step aside.  One particular gentleman became a little unruly and had to be escorted out.  I had plans to get autographs as well, but not at the expense of children.  Besides, it was not the last time we saw Walker over the weekend.  That story will also come in a later post.