Part of my goal for this summer is to experience as much baseball as possible. As such, I couldn't pass up the Mexico Series. This year, MLB scheduled three, two-game, weekend series in Monterrey, Mexico. My two days in Mexico was the last of the three. The Angels were playing the Astros, so I got the chance to see Mike Trout a few more times as well. Outside - Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey The morning after my visit to Angels Stadium, I drove back to Los Angeles for the flight to Monterrey. I bought my plane tickets early so I could get the only nonstop flight on Delta. And I only fly Delta because the points get me perks. I have to say, I learned a few things on the trip. The good people of Mexico people have a sense of humor and are tolerant -- I'm very grateful for their help. I had a great time and saw a great example that “baseball is like a liquid.” Lessons Learned So what did I learn? Understand The Language - Even a Little Bit Silly me, I just got on a plane with a passport, camera, and iPhone and assumed that the Mexican would cater to my inability to speak the language. I jokingly tweeted about my lack of knowledge in Spanish and said I needed to prep better for the London trip. It was difficult to order at a restaurant, take an Uber or cab and so many more things. It's a good experience to have if you want to understand what refugees experience when they come to the U.S. Research is Good, as Well It would have been a good idea to research and find restaurants that made traditional Mexican food but accommodated English speakers. I didn’t do that. No Camera's Allowed Moreover, I didn't read about the stadium rules and learn that cameras were not allowed. I can get into ballparks with my camera and a short lens (55mm) and a small zoom lens (70mm to 250mm). Occasionally, I bring my long lens that extends to 400mm, and I can see players up close. So, I showed up with my small sling camera bag and security told me "no cameras!" What to do? I found an English speaking guy who worked with MLB security, and we discussed it. My suave, New York communication style did not change anyone's opinion. The result was, I couldn't come in with any cameras, and there was no place to store them. So I quickly jumped into an Uber and made a 45-minute round trip back to the hotel. I had a good Uber driver who waited while I went to my room and dropped off the camera. Luckily, I get to stadiums early, so I had time. Finally, I had to continue my tradition of buying the home team's cap at the stadium and taking a selfie in the stadium. To that point, I have a new page, devoted to the subject…

Over six days, I saw five games in four ballparks on a trip through Southern California and Monterrey, Mexico. My first stop was Angels Stadium in Anaheim. As interested as I was in the Angels of Anaheim, I was most interested in finally seeing Mike Trout. Trout is considered the best player on the planet and I have barely seen him play. Marketing Mike Trout How could a devoted baseball fan, not see the game’s greatest player? Baseball has a series of problems marketing stars like Trout: Tim Clayton/ Sports Illustrated Timing He plays on the west coast, so many on the east coast are asleep when he is playing. Availability MLB relies on local television to broadcast each team's games. Fans can subscribe to see any game, and there is also the MLB Network. However, there still is the timing issue. Moreover, the casual fan is not a subscriber, so they will not be exposed to his greatness. Of course, post season play would increase the player's exposure. Unfortunately, the Angels have not been in the playoffs in a while. Opportunity It's not a sure thing that a specific player will have the chance to do something memorable. Other sports benefit because their stars have constant chances to display their skills. In comparison, a baseball player comes to the plate only four or five times per game and at specified intervals. Exhibiting his defensive prowess is limited because it requires a ball hit in his vicinity. Baseball is Difficult You expect failure in baseball. Consider that a measure of excellence is to bat 300. The "300 batting average" sounds much better than "30% hitter," however, the terms are synonymous. The sad fact is that fans can turn in to watch a celebrated player and he will fail. In Trout's case, if you watched all his 4,822 plate appearances ; you would have seen him make 2,761 outs That is not what the uninitiated would consider exciting. With that said, Trout does so many things well. If you keep your eyes on him, you will be amazed by the way he attacks the game. He brings everything to his hitting, running and fielding. If you focus on Trout, you'll see something you'll remember for years to come. Needless to say, one of my goals on this journey is to see as much of Mr. Trout as possible. Mike Trout - a Primer The 25th Pick My take on Mike Trout is that he snuck up on the casual fan. He was the 25th draft pick in 2009. Not first, not second - 25th! Why so low? One theory is that he's from New Jersey and as such considered a risky choice. Northern players don't play as much winter ball, and thus they are lesser known AP Photo/Elaine Thompson Many teams missed him. A quick review of the list of players drafted before Trout shows a few all-stars. Stephen Strasburg was 1st, Aaron Crow 12th, A.J. Pollock 17th, and Shelby Miller…