Fantasy camp: The Arrival

So, Javy Lopez, Eddie Perez and Johnny Estrada walk into a bar ...

That's the short version of how the 2013 Atlanta Braves fantasy camp started for me. More on that later.

Tuesday was the arrival day for me and the 60-plus other campers who have come to Orlando, Fla., for a small taste of what it's like to be a major league baseball player. By small taste I mean we stay at a five-star resort, we'll have our own official uniform, our laundry is washed every day by clubhouse attendants, we have transportation to and from the stadium and we get to play against former major leaguers -- Braves "legends" as they're officially referred to at camp. Some are more legendary than others, but I'm certain they're all better at baseball than anyone who paid to come to camp. Even those who've been retired 20 years can probably still dominate a bunch of 25- to 74-year-olds (that's the age range of the campers). One ex-pitcher still throws 85 mph with movement, so it should be interesting to face him. Or, more accurately, frightening.

It's often said a player who gets a brief call-up to the big leagues has "a cup of coffee," which is hyperbole for the short duration of their stay. Under that concept, I suppose fantasy camp is more like a sip of coffee (hence the blog title), or perhaps even just a sniff of the aroma of coffee. I don't drink coffee, by the way.

Anyway, the opening night event was an informal gathering at Miller's Ale House in Orlando. We had one of the big rooms to ourselves. There was lots of mingling with the other campers and the former Braves players. Here's a quick rundown of some of the players, all of whom seem very down to earth and approachable.

--Javy Lopez: Longtime power-hitting Braves catcher and fan favorite; three-time all-star; 1996 NLCS MVP; holds record for most home runs in a season by a catcher. He still looks the same, and looks like he could still play.

--Marquis Grissom: Braves speedy centerfielder from 1995-1996. Vital part of their 1995 World Series championship team. He caught the final out of Game 6 that gave the Braves the title. Also caught the final out of Dennis Martinez's perfect game in 1991 as a member of the Montreal Expos. He twice led the league in stolen bases and was the 1997 ALCS MVP for the Cleveland Indians.

--Otis Nixon: Former speedster who once stole six bases in one game (a major-league record). But he's probably most remembered for robbing the Pirates' Andy Van Slyke of a ninth-inning homer to preserve a 13-game winning streak for the Braves in 1992.

--Steve Avery: One of the Braves' "Young Guns" in the early '90s. He was a two-time 18-game winner and was the 1991 NLCS MVP. He still looks only slightly older than a 20-something. Very nice guy.

--Marvin Freeman: He was part of the 1991 and 1992 pennant-winning Braves teams and is quite a colorful character. He's the one who still throws 85 mph with movement. He's a favorite among the returning campers. In 1991, there was a Marvin Freeman Fan Club in the bleachers at Fulton-County Stadium. It was mainly just 10 or so fans who found Marvin amusing. He gave them each his home phone number so they could call and ask questions. These days, he mixes it up with fans on Facebook. He recently posted: "I'm practicing drilling my son so I won't have any emotional attachments to drilling you guys." Yay! Freeman's best year in the majors came in 1994, when he led the league in winning percentage with a 10-2 record for the Colorado Rockies. He also had a 2.80 ERA that year and finished fourth in Cy Young voting.

--Eddie Perez: For years he was the personal catcher for Greg Maddux. He's now the Braves' bullpen coach. He was also the 1999 NLCS MVP. Has a reputation as a jokester.

--Johnny Estrada: Former Braves all-star catcher. Was a good hitter and overall player during his two full years with the Braves (2004-05). He also played for the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Brewers and Nationals. He wore an Oakland A's hat and an Oakland Raiders sweatshirt to the get-together.

There are others, but it's getting late and I have to catch the shuttle to the stadium at 6:30 a.m.

Two ex-players I'm looking forward to meeting are Tom Glavine and David Justice. They will be here later in the week as guest instructors. For those who aren't aware, Glavine is a 300-game winner, two-time Cy Young winner and the MVP of the 1995 World Series. He'll almost certainly be elected to the Hall of Fame next year. Justice was a longtime Brave, a three-time all-star and was the 1990 N.L. rookie of the year. He also hit the home run that gave the Braves their World Series title in 1995. He was probably my favorite Braves player after Dale Murphy was traded in 1990.

That's it for tonight. Tomorrow's post should have pictures. Expect it sometime around 10 p.m. But if I hit a homer during a game tomorrow, I will make sure the world is alerted promptly through Facebook and Twitter. By the way, I've never really used Blogger before, so forgive me if this blog is a little basic. I'll try to pretty it up some tomorrow.

I'll leave you with the SURREAL MOMENT OF THE NIGHT: During the get-together, ESPN showed Kirby Puckett's walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. The guy who gave up that homer, Charlie Leibrandt, was standing 10 feet from me. He wasn't watching.