Nolan Reimold, 2011 Topps Orioles Team Set #BAL6

I promised photos from Ed Smith Stadium, so here goes!

The lineups for Friday's game against the Rays. I may have snickered when I saw former Oriole infielder Alexi Casilla starting at third base for Tampa Bay.

The view from section 215. Game time temperature was announced as 78 degrees. They also announced that it was 46 in Baltimore. The joke was on us, though; torrential rains washed out our game in the fourth inning. At least the O's had rallied to take a 4-3 lead on a Nolan Reimold solo home run and a three-run shot by Adam Jones. None of it mattered in the end, but I guess it was a moral victory.

This sign was posted in the men's room, and it tickled me. It gives the impression of a birdie bidet.

This lovely centerpiece hangs over the main entrance to Ed Smith Stadium, consisting of a ring of baseball bats draped with all of the team's championship and postseason banners.

My first glimpse of the 2014 AL East Champs banner, which was placed in the center of the ring!

This orange-and-black bike, complete with team-colored flamingo, was parked outside of the entrance to the park.

Fast-forwarding to Sunday afternoon's split-squad game against the Twins. We parked on a different lot, so we entered from the left field pavilion. The marquee features three flags, presumably for the Orioles' three World Series wins. This sign featured mileage markers from Sarasota to Baltimore and to each of the team's minor league affiliates; a similar sign is posted on Eutaw Street at Camden Yards.

Siblings pretending we like each other!

My wife (on the right) made it into this picture. We had a great time, even though the Birds lost 6-5. Three more O's homers from Travis Snider, Jones again, and minor leaguer Mike Yastrzemski (yes, he's Carl's grandson) at least gave us something to cheer about. The fatal blow was a two-run homer allowed by 2014 draft pick David Hess, so at least you can't pin it on somebody who figures in the team's plans for this season.

Just to close things out, here's a lovely dusk snapshot taken from Siesta Key, voted the best beach in the country last year! As you can imagine, it was hard to come back to Baltimore, where I had to scrape frost off of my windshield this morning before work.

Brian Roberts, 2012 Topps #514

I'm home from Sarasota, and it looks like I might have brought some warmer weather home with me. I'll share some photos from Ed Smith Stadium tomorrow, but I didn't want to bury the unexpected highlight of the trip. On Sunday afternoon, I met Brian Roberts.

We were staying with my brother-in-law Robby and his fiance Jordan; they live 15 minutes away from the ballpark. They'd already mentioned that Jordan's family had made the former Oriole's acquaintance. When we arrived on Thursday evening, Jordan told us that his folks would like to meet us, and that his nephew's fifth birthday party was Sunday. He said that Brian Roberts might be stopping by as well, but I took that to mean it wasn't a sure thing.

We stopped by the party site, Bounce Down Under - "Sarasota's largest Aussie-themed indoor inflatable party and play center" - on our way to that afternoon's O's-Twins game. I was busy trying not to look out of place at a kid's birthday party when Robby pointed out that Brian was right in front of us. Jordan handled the introductions, and Brian was very friendly. He asked who the Orioles were playing, admitting that he wasn't keeping close tabs. (Really, who does? It's the Grapefruit League.) I told him that it was our first spring training visit to Sarasota, but that it seemed like a much better venue than Fort Lauderdale, where I'd taken in a few games in 2008 when the Birds were still training there. He assured me that he loved the city itself, but that the Orioles' former facility was "a dump".

My wife, my sister, and I stayed long enough to have pizza and cake, and I debated approaching Roberts again to ask for a photo. However, he was busy with daddy duty most of the time, and I didn't want to impose. But as we were about to leave, Brian actually took notice and said that it was nice to meet us. I took advantage of the opening and asked if he'd mind posing for a picture. As you can see, I might be taller, but Brian has a much better tan. My sister is on the right; my wife was the photographer.

So that's how I met Brian Roberts while standing mere feet away from an inflatable basketball court and an unfortunate person in a furry kangaroo suit.

Brad Pennington, 1994 Fleer Ultra #7

Brad Pennington is a natural for my weird face theme week, since he usually looked like he was going to vomit when he was pitching. I'm sure that anybody who remembers his body of work with the Orioles can sympathize.

Sadly, our theme week ends here. Less sadly, it's because I'll be flying down to Sarasota tomorrow to visit my brother-in-law...and the Orioles, as we're taking in a couple of games at Ed Smith Stadium this weekend. I'll see you next week, with pictures and stories!

Brooks Robinson, 2012 Topps Golden Greats #GG-78

Today's odd Orioles face: Brooks Robinson passes a kidney stone in the midst of the fourth inning. Yes, he still gunned the runner out by two steps. That's why the man was the best at what he did.

Melvin Mora, 2005 Topps Total Silver #565

I haven't done a theme week in a while, so I'll spend this week unearthing action shots with O's players making unusual faces. Yesterday was Mike Young's open-mouthed gape as he ran the bases. Today I present Melvin Mora grimacing in the midst of a jump-throw. It's really quite poetic.

Mike Young, 1985 Topps #173

You might think that Mike Young is sending the wrong message by yawning noticeably while taking his lead off of second base, but he's actually playing possum. The catcher thinks he's bored and disinterested and tries to fire a pickoff throw down to the bag to catch the runner unawares, but it's a humid day and the ball slips out of his fingers. Mike's already standing on third base, and now he's laughing.

Sure, Young was a mere 6-for-8 in steals in 1984, but maybe he just knew how and when to pick his spots.

Chris Hoiles, 1992 Upper Deck Ted Williams' Best Hitters of the Future #T16

As hard as it is for me to believe, yesterday was Chris Hoiles' 50th birthday. To celebrate such a significant milestone for one of my favorite childhood players, I thought I'd share some nice things that Ted Williams said about him over 20 years ago:

"Good, solid, quick swing. Excels at my philosophy: get a good pitch to hit, swing with a slight uppercut and be quick. A pull hitter with power and intensity. Confidence about his abilities strengthens his game."

Hey, what could be better than a stamp of approval from the Splendid Splinter?

Vintage Fridays: Mike Cuellar, 1972 Topps #70

Who wants to play catch with Mike Cuellar? He promises not to throw the screwball without warning. He also breaks his promises.

Mike Boddicker, 1988 Topps #725

When I was younger, I don't know if I failed to notice that the player photos were layered on top of the team name in the 1988 Topps design, or if I just failed to appreciate it. Either way, it's one of the best little touches that the company has ever added to its cards. It creates a 3-D effect and draws the attention to the photo, where it should be. I was flipping through my 1988 Topps binder tonight, and each and every base card features a cap or a bat or an arm popping up in front of those bold, team-colored letters. It was such a clever concept that Upper Deck borrowed it five years later.

Gary Roenicke, 1982 Donruss #509

There's no mistaking the fact that Gary Roenicke was photographed in Chicago's old Comiskey Park for this card. It may be out of focus and partially obscured, but Bill Veeck's big ol' exploding scoreboard is the only landmark you need to see. I wish baseball still had at least one owner as creative and irreverent as Bill.

Craig Worthington, 1988 Donruss the Rookies #23

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I found a card that has orange, green, and white, just like the flag of Ireland. Have a green beer if you please, or an Irish coffee, or at least some corned beef and cabbage. Slainte!

Boog Powell, 2001 Upper Deck Decades: 1970s #142

In case you were wondering, the American League's Most Valuable Player gets a plaque that looks like this. If I were Boog Powell, I'm sure I'd rather have a sweet trophy like the one depicted on this card. Heck, if it were me, I would rather not accept an award named after a crusty old racist, either. But as I'm not an MVP-caliber ballplayer now, and probably won't be tomorrow, I guess it's a moot point.

Larry Haney, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola All-Time Orioles #176

Five fun facts about Larry Haney:

1. He was born on November 19. Notable players also born on that date include Ryan Howard, Bob Boone, and Roy Campanella.

2. His son Chris pitched for the Royals and four other teams (1991-2002), going 38-52 with a 5.07 ERA.

3. Larry hit his first career home run on July 27, 1966 at Memorial Stadium in a 7-1 O's win over Cleveland. The opposing pitcher was John O'Donoghue, who would go on to pitch in Baltimore in 1968. (John's son also pitched in the majors, getting a brief turn with the Orioles in 1993.)

4. He was chosen by the Pilots in the expansion draft, and played for the ill-fated club in their one and only season in Seattle in 1969. He batted .254 in 22 games before being traded to Oakland.

5. Haney won World Series rings with the 1966 Orioles and 1974 Athletics, but his only postseason experience consisted of four innings as a defensive replacement in the '74 Fall Classic.

Steve Stone, 1981 Kellogg's #58

It's been a very productive day. I have no basis to say that, except that I just realized that I've got the complete Orioles team set of 1981 Kellogg's 3-D cards. There are only five of them, but that's still a completed oddball set from 34 years ago, and they're great-looking cards. In this case, Steve Stone is popping right out of the frame, his right shoulder facing forward. He might have sparsely-populated bleachers behind him, or fluffy clouds, or perhaps the Atlantic Ocean. Maybe not that last one. Anyhow, I'm so fond of these cards that I might shoot for the entire 66-card set. That's at least my 28th-highest collecting priority, subject to change.

Vintage Fridays: Bob Mabe, 1960 Topps #288

Sometimes I have to pull a card out of the vintage binder and blog about it because I have no idea who the guy actually is. In the case of Bob Mabe, with his crew cut and hastily airbrushed uniform, I feel like I can't be blamed. He didn't debut in the majors until age 28, when he went 3-9 with a 4.51 ERA for the 1958 Cardinals. He was traded to the Reds the following year, and allowed a whopping 28 runs (18 earned) in 29.2 innings in a relief role. The O's picked him up for the 1960 season, and it did not go well. Two games, eight batters faced, only two retired. The other six all scored, though only two were earned runs, thanks to a crucial Jim Gentile error. That still left him with a sky-high 81.00 ERA as an Oriole, and brought an unceremonious end to his MLB career. The B-R Bullpen wiki tells me that Bob spent his post-baseball life working for K-Mart as a sporting goods district manager, serving the tri-state area of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. He retired to his hometown of Danville, VA, where he passed away at age 75 in 2005. Bob Mabe can say one thing about his brief time with the Orioles, though: it produced a better card than he got with Cincinnati.

John Shelby, 1987 Donruss #354

Maybe it's just the way the sunlight is hitting his forearms, or the fact that all of his muscles are tensed in mid-swing, but John Shelby of 1986 is looking pretty ripped. As in, Cal Ripken might think twice before sparring with him in the clubhouse.

John Parrish, 2001 Topps #711

Today the Orioles announced their promotional giveaway schedule for the 2015 season, and you'd better believe that I've already compared it to my 29-game season ticket plan to see where the two intersect. I'm in for a few treats, even before I start switching games to optimize the goodies. How about a pair of Orioles high socks for starters? I think I can make them look at least as good as John Parrish did. If colorful hosiery isn't your cup of tea, how about a Buck Showalter Garden Gnome? I'm glad to see the O's branching out from the standard t-shirt and hat giveaways.

Dennis Martinez, 2001 Topps Archives #78

The 2001 Topps Archives set consisted of reprints of classic Topps cards, but they took some creative license with this re-imagining of a Dennis Martinez rookie card. In the original 1977 Topps set, "El Presidente" shared a four-player card with three other rookie pitchers: Mike Dupree of the Padres, Craig Mitchell of the A's, and Bob Sykes of the Tigers. You can see the real deal here. For the Archives card, they just cropped the Martinez quadrant and zoomed in on it. It's funny to see Dennis without his customary mustache, isn't it?

Jorge Julio, 2006 Topps Orioles Team Set #BAL12

I've spent the last two days laid low with my second severe cold of the past month, which is about as welcome as Jorge Julio coming out of the bullpen to protect a one-run lead against the Yankees. I generally like to be able to breathe from both nostrils at the same time, thanks. If you need me, I'll be alternating between sleeping and mainlining vitamin C.

Armando Benitez, 1995 Fleer Major League Prospects #4

...And then somebody at Fleer said, "You know what? It's getting late. Just slap the words 'Major League Prospects' on the background about 50 times and let's get the hell out of here."

Rocky Coppinger, 1997 Pinnacle Museum Collection #175

Cards with heavy amounts of foil, chrome, and all of those other bells and whistles usually don't transfer well to the scanner, so I was pleasantly surprised by how this one turned out. A bit of Googling tells me that the effect Pinnacle used for their Museum Collection parallels was "Dufex", aluminum lined paper sprayed with transparent UV inks and hand-etched. Rocky Coppinger is the only guy I've got handy, but I wouldn't mind tracking down the rest of the team set.

Vintage Fridays: Wally Bunker, 1966 Topps #499

2015 Topps Heritage is in stores now. As it borrows its design from the unfathomably dull 1966 Topps set, I don't have any burning desire to collect it. I mean, just look at the card above: even Wally Bunker is bored to be a part of it. Block letters, straight lines, sickly lime green...pass. Still, I like to put my money where my mouth is, so I picked up a 20-card pack from Target tonight. For my money, Heritage is still the nicest-looking set Topps puts out on a yearly basis, but yeah, I'm sitting this one out. It's just as well, since I haven't completed last year's Heritage set...or 2008's, for that matter. Whoops.

Oh, and I'm still 0-for-2015 on Orioles cards. It's like Topps is trolling me at this point.

Manny Machado, 2014 Topps Tribute #69

Tonight baseball season seemed much closer than it has yet this year. At 7:05, I tuned in to MASN to see the Orioles field their regular starting lineup against the Blue Jays. Well, Ryan Lavarnway was catching, but Matt Wieters still pulled DH duty as he continues to work his way back from elbow surgery. But there were plenty of positive things to see, like Manny Machado playing a spring training game after late-season knee surgery and delivering a couple of hits from atop the batting order. Chris Davis blasted a three-run homer to center field, and later Jonathan Schoop added a two-run shot. Miguel Gonzalez started and tossed a pair of scoreless innings, and seven relievers each added a shutout inning of their own: Brian Matusz, Darren O'Day, Zach Britton, Tommy Hunter, Brad Brach, Chris Jones, and Mychal Givens. All but the last two figure to be regulars again in 2015, and they got in their work in a 5-0 victory. Cal Ripken was even there to throw out the first pitch. So we're one day closer to the games that matter.

Tony Batista, 2001 Upper Deck SP Authentic #187

Tony Batista looks like he's standing in the middle of a whiteout, thanks to Upper Deck's artful presentation. The weather forecast for tomorrow calls for a good chunk of snow in Baltimore, and I'm hoping that comes to pass. Sure, it's March now, but after a long, rainy, crappy winter, I won't look a snow day in the mouth. I've only had one this year, and with my wife's already got her second unscheduled day off this week. I wouldn't want her to be bored at home without me to keep her company, you know? That's just the kind of selfless guy that I am. So I've got the pajamas on inside out and backwards, and I'm ready for a mini-blizzard. Bring it.

Jonathan Schoop, 2014 Panini Donruss #268

The good news: there was an Orioles game today. The bad news: they got smoked by Detroit, 15-2, with Ubaldo Jimenez failing to complete two innings. The good news: It doesn't count. If the season started today, I'd go out on a limb and say that Buck Showalter wouldn't have written out this lineup:

1. SS Everth Cabrera
2. 2B Jonathan Schoop
3. RF Nolan Reimold
4. DH Matt Tuiasosopo
5. LF Travis Snider
6. 3B Jimmy Paredes
7. C J. P. Arencibia
8. CF David Lough
9. 1B Christian Walker

Yep, that's a Grapefruit League away game lineup if ever I saw one. But Opening Day is a month from Friday!

Jeff McKnight, 1991 Topps #319

I just learned that Jeff McKnight has died of leukemia at age 52, which is a really unfortunate occasion for posting my first card of the former utility player. According to his family, Jeff had been battling the disease for the past decade. The Arkansas native played 45 games for the Orioles between the 1990 and 1991 seasons, seeing time at first base, second base, shortstop, left field, right field, and DH. On September 12, 1990, he hit his first big league home run at a very opportune time. In the bottom of the eighth inning, he led off at Memorial Stadium with a game-tying blast off of Jack Morris, breaking the Detroit starter's shutout. Later in the inning, Cal Ripken delivered the winning run with a bases-loaded single.

Cal Ripken Jr., 1995 Upper Deck #365

I'm sharing this card just because the photo is amazing. Cal Ripken sliding into home at Camden Yards, kicking up a cloud of dust and gazing expectantly at the home plate umpire to see if he was safe. To the right, the catcher (Mariners, I'm thinking) holds up his glove, pleading his case. If this picture was taken in 1994, there were only two potential plays at the plate involving Cal, and he was safe both times. Take that, Dan Wilson!

Vintage Saturdays: Chuck Estrada and Milt Pappas, 1961 Topps #48

I goofed last night and didn't post. I enjoy Vintage Fridays most of all, so I'll just make Vintage Saturday a one-time special attraction. Even better, you get two Orioles for the price of one, as 18-game winner Chuck Estrada and 15-game winner Milt Pappas rub elbows with the rest of 1960's top winners in the American League: Jim Perry, Bud Daley, Art Ditmar, and Frank Lary. All of them are floating on a blood-red background, which is a tad unsettling. It's also worth noting that 1960 represented only the second full season in American League history without a 20-game winner. In 1955, Whitey Ford, Bob Lemon, and Frank Sullivan all tied for the loop's top win total with 18. Estrada was the first Oriole to pace the A.L. in wins, doing so as a rookie; he'd follow up with 15 wins in 1961, but only totaled 17 thereafter. Pappas, however, won at least 15 games in seven different seasons and retired in 1973 with 209 W's.

Alan Mills, 1994 Fleer Ultra #5

Alan Mills is climbing the ladder in the Orioles' organization. This year, he will be coaching the club's pitchers at AA Bowie, a roster that will likely include first-round picks Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey. Nice work if you can get it.

David Wells, 1997 Fleer #15

David Wells comes across as a guy who enjoys his beer. After all, he tossed a perfect game for the Yankees in 1998 while "half drunk", by his own admission. I'm also a bit of a suds aficionado, so my wife finally got me one of those home-brew kits. A little over a month later, I finally got to taste-test my India Pale Ale...I think I can chalk it up to a learning experience. I didn't go blind or anything, but the taste was pretty bland. There was a foamy explosion when I opened one of the bottles. Even worse, I didn't activate the yeast thoroughly enough when I fermented it, so I only got half as much beer out of it as I should have. But Rome wasn't brewed in a day.

Mike Flanagan, 1993 Topps #381

I often feel cheesy when I post the same card on two blogs on the same day, but when I examined this Mike Flanagan card for my 1993 Topps series earlier today, I was struck anew by the dynamic photo. It's the last Topps card of Flanny's career, and he went out on top, as we get to peer over the catcher's shoulder at the 40-year-old lefty's follow-through while the ball spins toward the plate. I want to say that he's pitching in Yankee Stadium, but I reserve the right to be wrong. I also find myself wondering when I'll be able to hear Mike Flanagan's name without thinking about the tragic and avoidable way that he left us. It might not ever happen, really.

George Kell, 2001 Topps Archives #329

Back in 2008, when this blog was still a young pup, I posted the genuine article that this card replicates - George Kell's 1958 Topps card, #40. I still haven't gotten around to upgrading that well-worn artifact, which has Kell's position, team name, and the Orioles logo scratched out by hand. That same hand scrawled a proclamation that George was the Oklahoma City 89ers manager, though Baseball Reference begs to differ. In general, reprint cards don't do much for me, but in this case, I've got an interesting frame of reference for the battered, altered original card, so I guess that's worth something.

Eddie Murray, 1997 Skybox Metal Universe #5

My scanner doesn't really know what to do with all of this prismatic foil, but you can probably see the most pertinent detail. There is a chunk of space rock that looks poised to strike Eddie Murray square in the ass. 1997 Metal Universe never ceases to confound and amaze me.

Cal Ripken, Jr., 1999 Upper Deck Victory #452

Much as this card is flashing back to Cal Ripken's rookie season of 1982, I'm flashing back to Saturday to time-stamp this blog entry, even though I'm writing it past midnight. Pretty scandalous. Meanwhile, I'm quite confident that Junior's hair was never that thick and dark...but that's probably my own creeping sense of mortality talking, considering that this photo is about as old as I am. At least I still have my hair.

Vintage Fridays: Jim Palmer, 1976 Crane Potato Chips Discs #NNO

When I found this flat, circular food premium a few weeks ago at Orioles FanFest, I had to buy it. It's literally all that and a bag of chips. The 40-year-old snackfood was not included, actually, but I couldn't resist a bit of terrible wordplay. The Crane logo on the back is almost as great as Jim Palmer's blank-faced cap and the two-tone baseball design, so I'll share that with you as well.

Jimmy Myers, 1996 Fleer Update #U6

Pitchers and catchers reported today! So even though it's currently 10 degrees in my back yard, with a wind chill of -5 and an overnight low of zippo, Spring Training is here. Still, my excitement is somewhat subdued. After all, the next two weeks are nothing but practice and bland jargon-filled quotes from players and coaches. Then there's a full month of exhibition games with no stakes whatsoever. The bulk of the playing time will go to minor leaguers and retread veterans - the Jimmy Myers types. He was the "other Myers" on the 1996 Orioles, a ten-year minor league journeyman who inexplicably made the big league bullpen on Opening Day. The 27-year-old righty was scored upon in seven of his 11 regular-season appearances, including eight runs in his final two and one-third innings. That left him with a 7.07 ERA, a 1.5 WHIP, and a ticket back to Rochester. He'd hang around with various AAA clubs through the 1999 season, never returning to the majors.

What was I saying? Oh yeah...Spring Training! Think warm thoughts.

Albert Belle, 2001 Upper Deck Vintage #73

In case you've forgotten, Albert Belle was an intensely terrifying athlete. Thanks to Deadspin, some  video evidence to that effect is making the rounds this week. The video shows highlights from the Orioles' home game vs. the Angels on July 25, 1999, the much-maligned "Turn Ahead the Clock" promotion that put both teams in pullover jerseys with itty-bitty sleeves and vertical name plates, among other fashion don'ts. In his first five trips to the plate, the mercurial slugger had gone 4-for-4 with a walk, three home runs, and six RBI. Albert was almost singlehandedly responsible for keeping the O's alive into the 11th inning, considering that the score was 7-7 after nine innings. His three-run homer in the seventh erased the bulk of a 7-3 deficit, and his first-pitch solo shot off of Troy Percival tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. His final plate appearance came with one out in the 11th, after B. J. Surhoff's walk put the winning run on first base. Shigetoshi Hasegawa was brought out of the bullpen to relieve Mike Holtz, and his second pitch ran high and inside. Home plate umpire Ed Hickox ruled that the ball struck Belle, but the right fielder...refused to take his base. That's how locked-in he was, and how intent he was on winning the game. After some tense moments at home plate, manager Ray Miller and coach Marv Foley convinced Albert to yield. Three batters later, Cal Ripken capped his own impressive game (3-for-5, 2B, HR) with a walkoff single through the left side. Go check out the video, and consider yourself lucky if you've never run afoul of #88.

Brooks Robinson, 2000 Topps Stars #106

It doesn't quite come through in the scan, but the larger, background image of Brooks Robinson on the front of this card has a silvery sheen. It gives an impression of the third baseman as an ice sculpture. A Brooksie ice sculpture would not have been out of place in the Mid-Atlantic yesterday afternoon, as the region was blasted with its first significant snow storm of the year. My wife and I drove smack into the wintry weather on our way home from a weekend visit to her family in Charlotte (hence the lack of updates to this blog since last Wednesday - well, that plus a nasty cold that laid me low on Thursday). As we traveled northbound on I-81 through Virginia, the white stuff began covering the road rather quickly. Near Christiansburg, we saw evidence of three accidents within the span of a few miles, two of them involving tractor trailers. That was enough to convince us to postpone the final 300 or so miles of our trip. By 3:30 Monday afternoon, we were checked in at the lovely Quality Inn in Salem, VA. And so a holiday weekend was extended by a day; we would've rather hunkered down at home for today's day off from work, but we made ourselves comfortable in our hotel room and were grateful to have clear highways to travel when we resumed the drive today. And now, I return you to our regularly scheduled blog nonsense.

Rich Dauer, 1981 Donruss #232

Occasionally I flip through my 1981 Donruss cards and I wonder how the company ever got off the ground. Who looked at this out-of-focus, washed-out picture of Rich Dauer at Comiskey Park and said, "Yeah, good enough...print it." It looks like something your nearsighted aunt snapped with a Polaroid on Photo Day. When I scanned this card, it came out crooked...that seemed to be in the spirit of the half-baked, blurry, shadowy, paper-thin 1981 Donruss set, so I left it like that.

Craig Worthington, 1988 Fleer Update #U-4

Craig Worthington probably shouldn't have taken a nap before his session with the photographer.