An Outsider's Perspective

Earlier today, while perusing Facebook, I came across the rankings of Minor League Ballparks from a fellow Baseball Road Trip enthusiast. This particular individual had visited 160 different Minor League parks all over the United States and Canada.

http://www.stadiumjourney.com/news/09-09-2013/464/2013-minor-league-baseball-stadium-rankings

I always enjoy reading what other people have done on Road Trips and what their opinions of various parks have been. In fact, when planning Road Trips of my own, I routinely seek out their opinions and advice for travelers. In this case, I really did enjoy reading through the reviews, especially of the parks I had been to. While I did not agree with some of what was written, it was very thought-provoking and made me really analyze my own unique experiences at parks.

Baseball Road Trips have a special way of bringing together experiences from one individual to the next. While I do not know the person who wrote this review and ranking, I would love to meet them, grab a cup of coffee, and share our adventures. Can you imagine that conversation? It would be thrilling.

Yes, I did go up to Seattle on Sunday, and no I have not written an update. Lots of major stuff is happening right now, so I will get on a blog post about that particular trip here in a few days.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Anaheim Confidential

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When it comes to Baseball Road Trips, I'm usually really up front and fairly public about my travels. I feel it is important to update you on the ins-and-outs of the season whether it is through this blog, Twitter, Facebook, or FourSquare. I take great pride in the fact that through this style of communication, all of you come along on these adventures and, in a way, experience what I experience. However, this particular trip, I went against this mantra and took a trip to Southern California. It was a hastily planned trip, that came as a bit of a surprise, and was not baseball-orientated, but I managed to catch an Angels game while I was down there. So, why was I in Southern California? Well, I have kept my reasoning confidential up until now. To be straight, I was interviewing for a job opportunity in San Bernardino. This is as specific as I want to be, but I can say that I was very excited to jump at this opportunity. What may come of it? I don't know. That is all I have to say about that. On a much more lighter note, I did manage to catch an Angels game in Anaheim while I was down there. It actually worked out in a great fashion as the Angels were playing host to the Mariners, which meant I got to see my traditional "home team" on the road. Both the Angels and Mariners are lousy this year, but any chance to catch a baseball game, I will certainly take.

It has been three years since I have been to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, and I'm glad that I came a second time because I caught some stuff I missed the first time I went down. Angel Stadium is located right off the 57 freeway in Anaheim, about three miles from Disneyland. As you can expect in Southern California, it is located in the middle of a huge sea of a parking lot. However, there is an active rail line that is just on the other side of the parking lot that has a Metrolink/Amtrak Station, so I guess you could take the train to the game. In this particular instance, I had the luxury of a rental car, so no public transportation. I am actually surprised at how the Angels have spruced up Angel Stadium to be relatively fan-friendly. The rockpile in left-center field is a nice touch, and from the upper deck there is a distant view of some mountains. 

What I really did like about the park was just how nice all the staff were to me and to the other fans. I noticed this the first time I went to the park, but this particular visit really stood out to me. Being that both teams are lousy, the fact that the neighboring Dodgers had just clinched the NL West, and that it was late September, attendance was sparse. In my traditional upper deck section, for the first three innings, I was by myself. This didn't stop the usher from coming up to me before the game after I had taken my seat and conversing with me about the Angels season, the ballpark, and baseball in general. The individual was very nice and very enthusiastic about his job, which I feel is rather infectious as I became excited about the experience myself. 

For being some of the worst teams in the entire league (no offense Astros and Marlins fans), the game was actually pretty good. The Mariners and Angels struggled through a pitchers duel until the seventh inning when both teams scored two runs. The Mariners didn't threaten for the rest of the game, but the Angels had chances first in the eighth, and then in the tenth. More specifically, Josh Hamilton had his chances to give the Angels the lead. With runners in scoring position in both the eighth and tenth, Hamilton first grounded into a double play and then struck out. It makes you wonder if that expensive pick up is back-firing for the Angels...Despite this, the Angels had a walk-off win with reserve catcher Chris Ianetta hitting a game-winning single in the bottom of the eleventh to score Kole Kalhoun. 

I'm sorry that I wasn't very forthcoming on this trip. It was strictly business and the nature of the stay prevented me from being more public. I'm sure all of you can understand. The Seattle Finale trip is still a go for this upcoming weekend. I'm planning on driving up, which should be different experience as I am so used to taking the early train up. Anyways, it should be a fun trip.  Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Shuffles, Subtractions and Additions

It wouldn't be a true Baseball Road Trip season without some sort of shuffle, additions or subtractions. As the season winds down, this is the case as I have decided to change a few things for the end of the season.

First, I will not be going to Oakland this week for the Oakland Finale. It was actually rather difficult to put together an actual trip outside of the baseball game because nobody was able to, or unwilling, to hang out. I really wanted to not go solo for this trip, so I just decided to not go.

However, in a last ditch attempt at seeing a game down there, I'm going to hedge my bets a little and count on the A's making the playoffs and going down for that sometime in early October. I don't really know when I'll go, and a lot is still in the air, but I'm going to try and make it down to the Coliseum for my very first MLB postseason game.

In the interim, I have decided to make one last trip back up to Seattle for their final home game of the season. I kind of felt that since I started the season in Seattle with Fan Fest, and that I went to three games on three separate road trips, it would only make sense to conclude the season, in a definite sense, with a trip to Seattle. My girlfriend agreed to go with me and to drive, so on the 29th, we'll see them take on the A's for the last time in 2013.

That's it for now. The leaves are changing colors and football has begun, so I'm writing the final chapters for what has been an incredible ride.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Final Thoughts on Land of Enchantment

The Land of Enchantment road trip was unlike any other. It became more of an adventure rather than an experience. Like never before, I had to really be flexible and just let the road trip come to me. At the end of the day, it was a wild trip that was incredibly enjoyable and fun.

Two days on the train may sound like a rough experience. But, to be honest with you, it really wasn't that bad. I packed some great snacks, good movies and books, and I slept a lot. I went into the trip with the intention of making the train travel part of the actual vacation itself, so I tried to relax and enjoy myself. I think they constant change of scenery, from train to bus to train to bus to train made the trip seem to go by faster and gave the illusion of constant progress to New Mexico. If I were on one train for two days, my experience may have differed.

Albuquerque is an interesting city. It seemed a little rough around the edges, but there were some really nice parts. I guess it is only fair to compare it to other comparable size, i.e. Triple-A, cities. I think it does well against the Fresno and Tacoma of the world, but it still isn't the type of city I'm jumping up and down about. The Old Town district was pretty cool, and the food there was freakin' amazing, but I got the sense that there was a lot of poverty and depression there. Just looking at some of the houses and businesses, as well as the main drag of Central Avenue, it had almost a worn down feeling.

That being said, I have to admit that I didn't give Albuquerque it's due credit. I was there for a little more than 24 hours, and there are some things that I researched that I wanted to do, but just didn't have time. There are some fantastic natural areas outside of the city that I didn't get a chance to see and enjoy. The realization that it took longer to get to the city than I was actually there for sort of cheated me of the whole gamet of experience. If I were to go back, I'd like to explore some of the Native American cultural sites around the city, the natural scenery of the Sandia Mountains, and the city of Santa Fe.

Maybe it has been all these trips on the road, but I have this allure towards public transportation and walking. It has gotten to the point where if I don't walk or if I don't take public transportation in some way, shape, or form, the trip doesn't seem authentic. You seem to get a different perspective on things when you travel and you are forced to live like a local and exist within the community you're visiting. Having a personal vehicle would have been convenient on this trip (I could have visited those sites outside the city, for example), I would have been sacrificing the grittiness of the travel experience.

Isotopes Park will definitely hold a special place in my heart. It represented my 50th different professional park that I have been to. The enormity of this feat hasn't quite sunk in with me. When I look at the map at the top of this blog, I am amazed at how each pin represents a story and experience that is uniquely different from the next one. I am amazed that in seven seasons of Baseball Road Trips, five of which I have chronicled in blogs, I have gone to that many cities. It is something that I am quite proud of.

To the ballpark itself, Isotopes is probably the best Pacific Coast League park I have been to. I don't think it is better than Durham, NC, but it is way better than Cheney Stadium in Tacoma or Raley Field in Sacramento. I really enjoyed the fact that it was built so big, but was designed for the intimacy needed for a minor league par. I also really appreciated the affordable prices. Definitely a winner in my book.

What would I differently on this trip? Well, first, I would want to spend some more time in Albuquerque. Second, it would have been a lot more fun if I had someone to go with me. I have come on here before and complained about the loneliness, but this trip was all about sharing experiences. I would like to have had someone with me while making all those travel connections and train travel. It would have been nice to have someone to go to the Rattlesnake Museum with and to eat dinner at the Mexican restaurant with. While at the game, I'm able to listen to the radio guys, walking to and from the game with someone to talk to and debrief with would have been enjoyable. I hope that I have laid out to you, through this blog, that these trips are uniquely adventurous and exciting. Maybe I have convinced some of you to come in the future.

It may be Labor Day weekend, but I still have one more Baseball Road Trip scheduled. In three weeks, I'll make my way down to Oakland to see the Athletics play. It won't be a huge ordeal, probably just a weekend, but I'm planning on going to the game, seeing my friend, and trying to squeeze out one last trip of the season.

So, until then...

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

Burqueño

All day I've been communicating with friends and family back in Eugene about this trip. Whether it is through texts or tweets, I have been engaging many of you during this trip. What I have realized during all of this is that Baseball Road Trips have morphed again into something truly exciting. They have become more of an adventure rather than just an experience. More often than not, and this trip is no exception, a sense of adventure is more apt to describe what I'm going through.

After a much-needed good night sleep, I checked out of my hotel and boarded the city bus up back up to Old Town Albuquerque. I caught just a fleeting glimpse of it yesterday on my visit to the Rattlesnake Museum, so I was excited to spend the majority of my day in this unique district. My first stop was the Natural History Museum of New Mexico. 

In the preparation for this road trip, I had learned that the Natural History Museum had an exhibition of artifacts recovered from the Titanic shipwreck. The doomed vessel sunk 101 years ago in the North Atlantic and has gained an almost mythical aura about it. I was very interested in the exhibit and I was very glad to have the opportunity to visit it. 

I can't decide what was creepier, the rattlesnakes from yesterday or the sight of a leather purse that was brought up from a shipwreck and belonged to someone who died on the boat? Once again, my museum trip was incredibly fascinating and enlightening. The exhibit on the Titanic had nearly 100 artifacts that had been brought up from the wreckage. The items included things as mundane as spoons to the opulent bottles of wine and personal documents. While touring the exhibit, I couldn't help but continually imagine what it would have been like in 1912 and boarding that ill-fated ship. The stories surrounding that doomed vessel are fascinating and somber, all at the same time. 

Here is a question I want to throw out to all of you: in this exhibit, they had a record of all the casualties from the Titanic. Under the third-class passengers was a Patrick O'Connell. Do you think he is a long-lost relative of mine???

The museum wasn't just the Titanic exhibit, however. I was impressed by the wide array of fossils and geologic representations from all the different evolutionary periods in Earth's history. This was all concentrated, of course, in New Mexico's natural history. Either way, it was fascinating to see the skeletons of Tyrannosaurs and Stegosaurs.

After the museum, I finally got my chance to wander around Old Town. Setup like a colonial Spanish village, Old Town is about ten square blocks of city surrounding the Old San Felipe church and a main plaza. It's filled with quirky shops that cater to tourists and a bunch of restaurants, primarily Mexican. It was pretty dead when I was walking around, but I'm not that surprised considering it was a Monday afternoon. I'm sure on the weekends the place is hopping. 

I ducked into the old church before grabbing a bite to eat at one of the small restaurants around the plaza. The San Felipe church is, by far, the oldest building in Albuquerque. It was built in the late 1700's and just underwent a complete restoration. It is the stereotypical New Mexico church as it has that distinct stucco brown color and lined with cactus in the front. Walking up to it made you feel like a Spanish conquistador or Franciscan friar. 

After eating lunch, I made my way out to the airport on public transportation. I had to change buses at the downtown bus station, which made for a real authentic experience. However, I did get into a conversation with a nice old lady about the city and public transportation in general. It is these types of interactions that are so customary when you take public transportation in an unfamiliar city. You just have to roll with the situation and seize the positive opportunity they present. 

I made it to the airport in plenty of time, got on the Southwest flight, and made the two hour flight with no hassles. I was in the middle seat behind a crying baby the whole way, but I had to keep things interesting, right?

I had about two hours to kill in Portland, so I went to my favorite Irish pub in downtown for a few drinks and to listen to a live band playing Irish folk music. On my way to the train station afterwards, I ducked into Voodoo Doughnuts for some sweets.

I'm currently on the train back to Eugene right now with an ETA  of around midnight. It's been a long day with lots of adventures (see, I said it!) and I am glad to be going home. 

It has been a pleasure updating all of you these past four days. Look for a Final Thoughts tomorrow evening.  

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)

The Isotopes

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment and the city of Albuquerque, NM! It certainly has been an adventure to get here, and like all baseball road trips, scarcely has a moment gone by where I haven't been doing something or going somewhere.

It took two full days and nights to get here from Oregon. I left Friday night from Eugene and traveled overnight to Sacramento. Getting into the California capital before sunrise, I boarded a bus to the lovely (being sarcastic, here) city of Stockton. I waited for about 45 minutes at the Stockton train station where I boarded the southbound San Joaquins to Bakersfield. In Bakersfield, I jumped on another bus to Los Angeles. After waiting about two hours at Union Station in LA, I boarded the Southwest Chief for one more overnight trip here to Albuquerque. Yes, I agree with your observation that the itinerary was wild and wacky. Bottom line is that I'm here safe and sound. 

The Chief was about 90 minutes late coming into Albuquerque, so I was a little behind schedule to begin with. My original plan was to it up the Rattlesnake Museum and Natural History Museum, but considering I hadn't showered in two days and that I was pretty road weary, I wanted to rest a little. However, my hotel room wasn't quite ready for me, so I chose to go to the Rattlesnake Museum. 

I boarded the city bus up to Old Town and the museum. The small museum is barely the size of a souvenir shop, and I was able to adequately tour the facility in about 30 minutes. However, that half-hour gave me the absolute creeps. Snakes aren't really my thing, and seeing rows and rows of highly venomous snakes separated from me by a simple pane of plexiglass just made me shiver.

Here's the thing: these snakes just sat there and stared at you. Some are three or four feet long, and they're all coiled up ready to strike at you. The essence of the Baseball Road Trip is the experience, but I think I might have nightmares about that museum. I have no regrets about going, but I was just way too freaked out.

 I didn't really get a chance to see Old Town Albuquerque. I'll be sure to come back up here tomorrow and check it out a little more. It seems like kind of a touristy area, but it looks like a neat district. 

After getting checked into my hotel, taking a much-needed shower, and an early dinner, I walked about a mile down to Isotopes Park.

Built in 2003, I had heard so many good things about Isotopes Park. All the review websites and some friends told me that this particular park was totally worth the two day trip down. Located next to the University of New Mexico's football stadium, I was immediately floored by just how big the stadium actually is. The exterior facade is more reminiscent of a Major League park with the light-up baseball decorations and public art. I was also surprised by how cheap the tickets were. $15 for seats four rows behind the home dugout!

There are a lot of neat quirks to Isotopes Park. On dead centerfield is a 15-foot tall hill that is in play. In fact, Isotopes centerfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. had an incredible catch up on the hill in the sixth inning. I was told this was put in for two reasons: first, since the ballpark is at such high altitude, the designers wanted to make the ballpark bigger without simply moving the fences. Second, in the original design, that was where the "drive-in" section was going to be. You could drive your car to the outfield fence and watch the game from the comfort of your own vehicle. It is a good idea, however after September 11th, the idea was scrapped and the designers had to amend their plans. 

Out on deep right field, the designers put in a special section that reminds me of the "Roost" in Toledo. Next to that, there is an actual multi-tier berm seating that can bump up the attendance even more. 

Here is a very important factoid: Isotopes Park is the 50th different professional baseball park I have been to since 2007. Isn't that crazy?!?!

After getting to my seat, I had to dodge raindrops for the first five innings or so. I am still in awe that I actually saw it rain in the desert, but I could deal without the whipping wind and booming thunder and lightning that I saw. It made watching the game a little difficult, but I always keep my little umbrella in my backpack, so at least I was prepared. 

The Nashville Sounds got a big fourth and fifth innings scoring ten unanswered runs on Albuquerque Isotopes pitchers winning by the final score of 10-5. Nick Parker of the Nashville Sounds was a single away from hitting for the cycle. 

After the game, I walked back to the hotel and just laid down. The game pushed almost four hours, so I was one tired pup. 

As for tomorrow, I'm going to wake up and go to the Natural History Museum. My flight to Oregon leaves at 4, so I'll have time to tour the museum, go through Old Town, and grab some lunch at one of the little restaurants that are down there. I get into Portland at 6 and then I'm taking the late train down to Eugene. I should be back into town around midnight. 

It's been a wild day here so far, and tomorrow should bring more of the same!

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;) 

Top Ten Favorite Major League Ballparks

I'm in the midst of my incredibly long train trip to Albuquerque, and it is time to finally rank my Top Ten Favorite Major League Ballparks. I like to think that this is the last top ten list I need to write, and while I'm traveling on a baseball road trip is an appropriate time. So, without further ado, here we go...

10. Busch Stadium - St. Louis, MO

Located mere yards from the Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium is a fun place to take in a game. The place just oozes with tradition as there are historical markers and statues all over the place. There is no doubting that this is the Cardinals' home venue and that the people of St. Louis support them no matter what. The knock upon it is the price of everything. It is just way too expensive for my simple and frugal tastes. 

9. Coors Field - Denver, CO 

It amazes me that it took so long for me to get out to Denver and see a game at this great park. My favorite seats, upper deck, had one of the best views in all of baseball with the front range of the Rocky Mountains. The only thing that knocks this ballpark down, just like in St. Louis, is the prices. 

8. Nationals Park - Washington DC

My view on this ballpark may change because when I went there last, the Nationals were absolutely horrible. However, Nationals Park is a great ballpark set in a fantastic city. I love being able to take the Metro to the park and walking through the Navy Yard district in DC. The knock against this park is the fact that when I went, it was sparsely attended and the team was awful. 

7. Camden Yards - Baltimore, MD

If I hadn't gone to this park a second time, it may not have made this list. Camden Yards started the trend of the downtown ballparks, and we should all be thankful for that. The places just drips with baseball history as the Babe Ruth Museum is only two blocks away. The ranking is down because of the fans that first game I went to. 

6. Angel Stadium - Anaheim, CA

The Moreno family, who owns the Angels, had set the precedence for best organization in profession sports, as indicated in various sporting magazines. There was high expectations when I wen there, and they didn't disappoint. Everything from the costs to the ballpark design was done, I felt, in a way that encouraged the fan to come back again and again. My only strike against it is the car-centric nature of it and the lack of public transportation options. 

5. Petco Park - San Diego, CA

Putting aside that San Diego is just a great city, the ballpark is fantastic in its own right. I love the setting in downtown, the design of incorporating the Western Supply building, and the Park at the Park in centerfield. If it weren't for the fantastic ballparks ahead of it on this list, it would be tops. 

4. AT&T Park - San Francisco, CA

The view makes this a high-ranking park. Set on the San Francisco Bay, you just can't get enough. I also appreciate the effort to incorporate the public transportation into the ballpark through the trains and the trolleys. It is a little expensive, though. 

3. Safeco Field - Seattle, WA 

I'm allowed a little biases in this ranking, am I? But, in all seriousness, the game day atmosphere of walking down Occidental Avenue, the view of the skyscrapers from the upper deck, and the great food choices make this park a top-tier venue. There is a reason why I went to more Mariners games than Ems games this year. 

2. Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL

C'mon folks, it's Wrigley Field. Did you really think I'd have a top ten list and NOT have it? The place is a baseball cathedral, plain and simple. Every fan, whether a die-hard or casual needs to experience Wrigley Field at least once in their lives. The Wrigleyville neighborhood, the Bleacher Creatures or the Bartman seat are all baseball immortality. The upper deck at Wrigley is closer to the field than some seats in the first level at Oakland or old Yankee Stadium. It does cost an arm-and-a-leg to go to a game, but it is worth every penny. 

1. PNC Park - Pittsburgh, PA 

How can a team that is so bad have the best ballpark in all of baseball? Yes, I did say ALL of baseball. The seating is perfect, the view is incredible, the prices are reasonable, and the fans are in to it. Every ballpark I have been to has been compared to this one, and for a very good reason. While Wrigley has the quirks of an old ballpark, sometime you just have to appreciate the modern amenities of a newer park. I just hope that the Pirates make a run to the post season because then the whole nation will get to see this park for what it is. 

Now, let the debate begin! I'm just about ready to head over the Grapevine into LA for my last connection onto Albuquerque. I will talk to all of you tomorrow!  

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)