Tigers Minor League Baseball Blog

Today’s travel situation was too good not to talk about. I have spoken before about the bus chronicles and what we do getting to the destination, but this is the first time something has happened once we arrived at our destination. So, following a six hour ride to Davenport, Iowa from Grand Rapids, I was looking forward to relaxing in the hotel room before heading to the field for the game. To my surprise my roommate, Paul Nardozzi, and I walked into our room and did an immediate 180. The smell of about ten years of a constant burning cigarette filled the place and right away knew that this wasn’t going to work. So we went to the front desk to see if it was possible to rearrange our situation. Now let me lay this out, we are staying at the AmericInn in Davenport, Iowa, and are told there are not any more rooms for the time being. I am still trying to wrap my head around that one. Then the conversation with the front desk attendant was quite interesting as well. First they asked US if we wanted to go over to the Cracker Barrel restaurant and borrow their cleaning solution to try and get the smell out. Thanks, but no thanks. Then the next logical question to ask (apparently) was, “Well do any of your teammates smoke? Maybe they can switch with you.” I don’t think I really have to do much more explaining of the situation to help you, the reader, understand what we are dealing with here. So for now we made it into a room, but tomorrow morning we have to check out and go to another open room. I can shed humor on the situation because it’s nothing we minor league ballplayers can’t handle. I just wanted to make sure for all you aspiring professionals out there, what you are in for.