Tongue out when swinging a bat or tennis racket is nothing new for Kae Reed. (Image: SF Giants)

While it was billed as “swing for the fences,” my goal was to merely make contact. I did, but not on every pitch. Good thing I didn’t run the bases because I’m not sure I would have left the ballfield with a batting average.

New San Francisco Giants season ticket holders like myself and those who reupped for the 2026 season were invited on Nov. 15 to take batting practice on the field where the guys play.

Good thing Logan Webb was not pitching. The 40-50 mph balls coming out of the machine seemed like a blur at times.

The day started with going to the clubhouse. Not something one gets to do on a game day or most any other time. It was smaller than I expected.

I remember reading stories about how when Barry Bonds was on the team he got two lockers. I guess that’s what happens when you are a bit of a prima donna.

Outfielders at Oracle Park have a lot of territory to cover to track down that little white ball. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Then onto the field we went. It looks so much bigger from this perspective.

I had been there once before when the Whittell High School choir from Zephyr Cove, Nev., sang the national anthem in 2003.  But that was for work and I had a job to do—though clearly not a difficult assignment.

This month’s experience was so much better. It was all about play.

I brought my glove in case I wanted to shag balls in the outfield even though I never liked the outfield when I played softball. Put me at third. But that wasn’t going to happen this particular day as the infield was off limits.

Sue and I staged it to look like I was catching a fly ball at the 391-foot wall. This girl doesn’t jump so there is no way I’m going to leap to the top of the fence to rob someone of a home run.

It was interesting to visit both dugouts—wondering what it would be like on a game day with players and coaches milling about.

Kae Reed leaps for a fly ball, um one she tossed up, to make her fielding expertise look better than it is. (Image: Sue Wood)

Before going up to bat in this stadium that seats 42,300 people, we took batting practice indoors on the visitors’ side. I never thought about there being indoor cages—and ones for both teams. Totally makes sense. This helped with being ready for my debut at Oracle Park.

While San Francisco will have a professional women’s baseball team next year, I was not drafted. No matter.

The whole day at the Giants ballpark was super fun. It definitely gave me a better appreciation for the men in orange and black. But it’s still just a game for which they get paid a shitload of money, but that’s a topic for another day.

Now I just need to sell some of my tickets … let me know if you are interested in a game or two or three.