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Summer of Baseball: Pawtucket gives a true experience

It’s always nice to visit older stadiums, even ones that have had some improvements. These stadiums give you a feel of baseball from year’s past.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island has a stadium like that.

McCoy Stadium, originally built in 1942 and renovated in 1999, seats more than 10,000 fans in a bowl-like stadium. The fences have some distance to them and, depending where you sit, you have a pretty solid look at the full field.

In fact, it didn’t seem like there were pretty much any bad seats in the house, outside of not being able to see fully down the corners in certain areas. But it’s a small percentage of the game, so overall, it’s not bad.

A great way to spend a night.

A great way to spend a night.

What’s interesting about McCoy Stadium, which is home to the Boston’s triple-A team – affectionately known as the PawSox, is the dugouts, which are field-level, cut into the stands, and have no protective fencing in front of it. It was just an interesting aspect to me as they are tucked back a bit and, surprisingly, I didn’t see any foul balls go flying into the dugouts.

As you come into the stadium, the team store, which is a little on the smaller side because of the amount of items they have, is on your right. You then head up a flight of steps where you hit the concourse and can see the field. It looked as though you could make your way around the stadium some, but the concourse didn’t seem to go all the way. Some of it was not available, so I’m not sure if one can walk all the way around. Also, bleachers in the outfield and way down the first-base line weren’t open, so we couldn’t even wander out there to take a peek.

The team store was pretty solid. It was well-stocked with PawSox gear, and it had something you don’t see everywhere – hats from other teams in the International League. I like that. It’s a smart move as visiting fans can get a hat etc. I heard somebody in the store question why they would carry hats of teams like the Durham Bulls and it’s actually quite simple – it’s smart business. It’s only a small section of the store and it could get some extra sales.

We’re now about a month into the season and it has been a chilly spring, but not every concession stand was open. Maybe they open more as the warmer weather comes? But the odd part is the night features a doubleheader, so two seven-inning games, and some of the stands were closing up by the second inning of game 2. Now, I understand the crowd wasn’t huge (nowhere close to the 5,000-plus announced), but people do still want to get some ballpark fare.

As for the choices, all the traditional food was offered. Hot dogs were very good, as were the fries. They had souvenir cups (though it was from the 2014 championship team? Leftovers maybe?) and the prices were on the higher side, but it’s almost what I expected being the area. For example, regular hot dogs were $4 (though jumbo ones were $5), and sausage and peppers were $8. It’s expected at the park, though. Beer selections were quite strong, too.

An excellent choice of brews was available.

An excellent choice of brews was available.

Those we interacted with were extremely friendly and helpful and offered some chatting. Though I didn’t say anything after it was done (maybe I should have?), I did notice two employees who didn’t take their hats off during the national anthem. That’s something that should be second nature to anybody working at the park.

One thing that did, somewhat, irritate me was the lack of “Take me out to the ballgame.” Normally, with two seven-inning games in a doubleheader, they have the fifth-inning stretch in each game. There was no fifth-inning stretch and the song was never played. I joke with one guy I go to games with about him missing the seventh-inning stretch last year in Syracuse during a game (during the eighth he asked me if they did the seventh-inning stretch … they had), but for a team to miss the stretch not once … but twice?

We did ask a few workers after the game and they said they didn’t know why nothing had been played. Maybe it was a glitch? But it was a little odd, that’s for sure. We even tweeted at the team, but never got a response.

One major prop – the program/yearbook is only $3 and is one of the best I’ve seen in the minor leagues. It’s thick and has a lot of information. A scorecard and stats are inserted (and show a $1 price tag, so maybe you can get them separate?), which is always a bonus. And, they had had a person selling them outside the main gate, so that is always cool to see.

Anyway, the stadium as a whole is excellent. From the parking lot, you get to see a big “PawSox” done up in shrubbery and the music being played before the game is excellent. If gives you the feel of baseball. Those in attendance seemed to have a pretty good grasp on baseball, which is a good thing. The seats were comfortable, but if it was a packed house, I can imagine it being a little uncomfortable at times.

In the end, this is one of those stadiums I wanted to get to see and am glad I got to make the trip. I’d definitely watch a game or two here again. Ticket prices are reasonable, and there’s an old-school baseball feel to the place.

Park Notes:  

McCoy Stadium
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Home of the Pawtucket Red Sox (Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox)
Visited on: May 7, 2016
Opponent: Rochester Redwings (Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 7.5/10
  • Concessions: 7/10
  • Parking: 8/10
  • Ambiance: 8/10
  • Friendliness: 9/10

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: Rochester is well worth the trip

The 2016 baseball season is underway.

That also means the Summer of Baseball is back and in action. Six games are in the books already (including a doubleheader), but there’s only one new stadium among those.

On a cool spring Friday night, the road took a couple of us to Rochester for a doubleheader between the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders and the Rochester Redwings. This stadium is one that was on the schedule last year, but it had to be skipped a couple of times so it was nice to get there early this season.

Stamped in, lineups down, and two batting practice balls!

Stamped in, lineups down, and two batting practice balls!

And Rochester is an excellent spot for a game.

The unfortunate part to this is it was a spring game where the weather was less-than stellar, thus meaning the attendance wasn’t that good. Though they announced a semi-decent number, reality is it wasn’t that high. But that happens in the northeast, for sure.

Anyway, we showed up a tad early and went to get tickets. After walking over, batting practice was going on, and a ball came toward the fence. Unfortunately, it hit the bottom of the fence as I was ready to grab and bounced away but a nice usher hooked me up with the ball. A few minutes later, when we got in, I grabbed another BP ball, which is pretty cool.

OK, on with the review.

Frontier Field is a solid spot to watch a game. The seats we originally had are tighter and not the most comfortable. Some rain came in (light), so we hightailed it to go higher and under some cover and the seats were much more comfortable, so it seems like there are different seats in different parts of the park.

The main concourse is under the main stands, thus meaning it’s not an open-aired stadium where you can see the field from all parts. Still, it’s spacious and easy to get around. Further, the choices of concessions is excellent. There are local favorites, as well as traditional ballpark fare. The beer selection was top notch and the prices were pretty decent. I’d say it’s some of the best concessions I’ve seen in the minors. People were friendly and helpful all around, especially in the concession area, which is always welcomed.

Walking around the park, the sight lines are pretty solid. Depending where you sit, you could miss some things if they get into the corners of the outfield. You can see the bullpens (and if somebody is warming up) and there are plenty of opportunities for foul balls. Seriously. In the night we were there, there had to have been 50 foul balls that landed in the stands. It’s spacious behind the field and that’s kind of cool if you are looking for foul balls.

Parking is $6 and right across from the stadium, but it needs some work. The pavement is pretty shoddy and there are caution cones and such all over.

There are a couple of grassy berms, one down each line. It seemed like a place for kids to hang out and play, which is cool.

I would love to come back in the warmer months to see the atmosphere here. Though it wasn’t bad the night we were there, with the lack of people it was a little hard to get a feel for how it is with many more people

There is one thing where Rochester stands above other minor league stadiums I’ve been to — they have an organist. This might be the coolest feature there. The organist is excellent and gives that old-school traditional feel to the ballpark. That he plays the national anthem, and God Bless America, and Take Me Out To The Ballgame is an added bonus on top of all the other things. Kudos to Rochester for having an organist.

In the end, the stadium is an excellent place for a baseball game. I would highly encourage anybody to go check a game there if you have a chance. It’s one I am thankful I had the chance to add this one to the stadiums I’ve been to.

Park Notes:  

Frontier Field
Rochester, New York
Home of the Rochester Redwings (Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins)
Visited on: April 29, 2016
Opponent: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders (Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 8/10
  • Concessions: 9/10
  • Parking: 7/10
  • Ambiance: 7/10
  • Friendliness: 9/10

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: SWB gives fans a great experience

PNC Field is a great place to watch a game.

PNC Field is a great place to watch a game.

There’s something to be said about renovations instead of demolishing and rebuilding a stadium. If done right, it can be a wonderful thing.

Take, for example, PNC Field. Formerly known as Lackawanna County Stadium, the park underwent a major renovation – with a price tag of more than $43 million – in 2012, which forced the AAA Yankees affiliate to play all their games on the road.

But when they returned for the start of the 2013 season – what a change the stadium had.

Seats are good and give excellent sight lines.

Seats are good and give excellent sight lines.

I had been to this stadium back when it was home to the Red Barons, the AAA affiliate of the Phillies. And I came last year to see the new work. I’ve been twice this year and this stadium truly impresses me in its looks, sight lines and amenities.

If it wasn’t for the stadium that houses the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, this one would top my list for minor league parks.

The neat part of the park is you can still feel some of the old stadium still here, despite it having an incredibly shiny new look.

Overall, this is one excellent ballpark. The parking is easy, the entering of the stadium is simple (and they allow you to leave/re-enter if you need to go to your car – which came in handy on a giveaway night) and it’s simple to get to off of I-81. For the game we came to in 2013, the leaving was really crazy and tough, but it seems like they’ve learned and made it better as both times I’ve visited this year, we’ve left quickly.

Back to the stadium.

A free program is always appreciated.

A free program is always appreciated.

This is a great spot for baseball. The seats are roomy and there’s plenty of room. There are standing spots all around the stadium with a small “table” that runs around the stadium. The outfield standing section is especially nice with a wonderful view of the stadium. One other nice tidbit to note — it’s another stadium that has gone to the free program setup. It’s nice to see that being done more and more.

There are some excellent places around the park, too, including a seating section in right field that is set up near a bar area. The only downfall there – and for the bleachers in the right-field foul ball area – is the sun will beat down on you. The same can be said for the outfield lawn seats, which seem to be more and more the normal at minor league parks and it a really smart idea. The stadium has a full walk-around concourse, which is always nice to see at parks. It gives people a chance to stretch their legs and take a stroll around the park without missing a pitch.

This is near the outfield lawn seats.

This is near the outfield lawn seats.

The food choices here are pretty standard and the prices aren’t too bad. Each time I’ve been here, however, ice cream has been off the list because I can’t see waiting in massive lines when I am there for a baseball game. The beer selection, too, is pretty solid.

The Rail Riders have their fair share of in-between-innings games, which is fine. They aren’t too crazy and they don’t disrupt the game. The mascots are seen and are friendly and engaging.

Finally, the team store is really nice and has a lot of items available for purchase. The prices aren’t too bad, basically what you’d expect at most parks.

In the end, this is a great stadium to watch a game at. It’s comfortable, affordable (tickets are around $10 each) and it makes for a fun evening at the park.

Park Notes:  

PNC Field
Moosic, Pennsylvania
Home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders (AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees)
Visited on: Saturday, June 21 and Friday, August 8.
Opponent: Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox) and Columbus Clippers (AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 9/10
  • Concessions: 9.5/10
  • Parking: 9/10
  • Ambiance: 9.5/10
  • Friendliness: 10/10

I am embarking on a summer of baseball with the plan to hit a minimum of 10 stadiums this summer. Hopefully, there will be more than that. I will report on each park that I hit on the blog.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: Allentown raises the bar

When it comes to minor league baseball – there are stadiums and then there are stadiums.

Depending what a fan looks for, you can find anything. You can find the places set more for families with playgrounds and things always going on, to finding parks where baseball is what it is all about (and, in my eyes, should be). Sometimes you find a good middle ground.

Coca-Cola Park is a great place to watch a game.

Coca-Cola Park is a great place to watch a game.

And then there’s Coca-Cola Park, home of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Opened in 2008, this park has been on my must-visit list for a long time. It’s not easy to secure a ticket to these games, but one can get them when needed (StubHub, Craig’s List etc.), so seeing a game isn’t impossible by any means.

In my summer of baseball, this was on the list. And I’m glad I did finally get here – and have been there twice so far this year.

This is the top of the line when it comes to minor league parks, at least those I’ve been to. Though I won’t give it a perfect score across the board – it is going to take a lot for me to do that – I will say the experience here was top of the line.

Everything I need at the park!

Everything I need at the park!

The park itself is much like newer ones – there’s a wrap-around concourse, which is nice. Lawn seats in the outfield lend for a nice view of the field, as well as a spot for possible home runs. The seats are nice and roomy – and even better that they angle toward the field, giving you a good view from wherever you sit. One downer to the setup, however, is a lack of shade when sitting. The first time we were there was a Sunday afternoon game and I baked to the point where I had to get up and head to the concourse for an inning. The second time, we went at night and where the sun set, it was caught behind the luxury boxes and it was a lot nicer.

This is a park that goes beyond the game, though. There are other things to do and see. The concessions are aplenty. But it doesn’t take away from the product on the field, which is nice. They definitely push the pig part of the name as there is a lot of bacon reference. In fact, they have bacon hats and uniforms for certain days.

A great touch - you can pick up a pre-made scorecard with the day's lineups.

A great touch – you can pick up a pre-made scorecard with the day’s lineups.

The sight lines are nice and you can see everything going on. The bullpens are a bit interesting and it’s nice to be able to stroll around the entire park without missing a pitch. There’s also plenty of standing room, where you can lean on a small “table” and watch the game.

The team store is pretty big, too, which is super nice to see at this level. There were plenty of options, one of which was a team pin – something many minor league teams don’t seem to have. As a collector of pins, it’s nice to find these.

One very cool thing is the IronPigs’ social media center, which is in the concourse. It’s a small room where you can see all going on with the social media world. I spent an inning my first trip chatting with the person running it and it’s a very cool setup. It’s definitely a smart move to have something like this as social media is an extremely important part of society and sports.

Though the ad walls in left and right are a little too much, the park overall is really nice.

Though the ad walls in left and right are a little too much, the park overall is really nice.

One more cool thing – lineups. As person who keeps a scorebook at each game I attend, I always look for the lineup board. Coca-Cola park doesn’t have one, per say, but they take it up a notch by having a spot where you can pick up rosters and lineups at a customer service spot. The best part is the lineups are on a scorecard, so if you don’t have your own, it’s right there for you. Programs (titled Pork Illustrated) are free as you enter the park, too, which is a nice thing. Three stadiums (Allentown, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, New Britain) I’ve attended this year, so far, have free programs and it’s a touch that is very nice to see.

Though not many, there are a few negatives to cover – specifically advertising. In right field and left field there are monster walls full of ads. Though I understand revenue is important, this is a bit of an eyesore. It doesn’t block anybody from seeing the game, which is good, but it does make the stadium look a little cheaper.

The IronPigs also sett their media guide, something I don't see a lot of minor league teams still doing.

The IronPigs also sett their media guide, something I don’t see a lot of minor league teams still doing, or even having.

Parking was also a concern of sorts. Though both times it was pretty easy to get in and out, the first time was a nightmare when leaving the park. There was a massive holdup and it was backed up a long way. It did improve the second time immensely. One note – parking lots are set up so roads run through it, which means when you are exiting, you’ll likely have seas of people walking in the roads.

In the end this is a great experience and a great park to watch a game in. It helps, too, that it’s a farm team of the Phillies. They put some great work in here. Those who work here, at least those I interacted with, were top line, too. They were knowledgeable, friendly and fun, which is a good thing. It makes the overall experience that much better.

It’s also a relatively short drive for me (2.5 hours or so), so I can see getting back there a couple of more times this year. If you are looking for a solid minor league baseball experience, this is a good spot to choose.

Park Notes:

Coca-Cola Stadium
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
Visited on: June 10 and June 27.
Opponents: Indianapolis Indians (AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) and Rochester Redwings (AAA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins)

Ratings (out of 10):

  • Stadium: 9.5
  • Concessions: 9
  • Parking: 8
  • Ambiance: 10
  • Friendliness: 10

I am embarking on a summer of baseball with the plan to hit a minimum of 10 stadiums this summer. Hopefully, there will be more than that. I will report on each park that I hit on the blog.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: Syracuse a solid spot to watch a game

I’ve always been a fan of the Syracuse ballpark. It’s quaint, easy to get to and, usually, easy to get out of. But, despite a city of about 145,000 people, it doesn’t seem like the Chiefs draw on a nightly basis.

NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse.

The day I was there was a cool spring afternoon with a 2:05 start and had an announced attendance of 2,559. With the seating capacity at NBT Bank Stadium at about 11,000, I am quite sure the stadium wasn’t a quarter filled, so it was easy to put the feet up, watch the game and enjoy. Parking had a fee of $5, but I can’t imagine that would necessarily scare people away.

The layout of Syracuse is quite nice. I’m not sure there’s a bad seat in the house. However, one thing I learned from the year before – it’s better to sit on the third-base side because of the sun. If you are on the first-base side and it’s hot and sunny, you’re in trouble. Therefore, it’s the third-base side for me.

I know there aren’t many people who do this anymore, but I am a baseball nerd in that I still keep a scorebook. Last year, I backed a Kickstarter campaign for a Halfliner (bia the Eephus League) and it goes with me to any professional game. So, when doing this, you need the lineups.

Everything needed for a game!

Most professional stadiums (and many smaller college summer leagues) have a lineup posted. You’ll often see people with scorebooks scribbling the lineup so they can keep track of what’s going on. I noticed it last year – and again this year – that Syracuse doesn’t have one. That makes it a little difficult for those of us who keep score to do it.

That means getting the names off as announced or when they come to bat. It takes away from the experience.

At one point, the new general manager was walking around and chatting with people. He sat with us for a few minutes and I noted this one important piece missing from the baseball experience. He assured me it was in the works and hoped, by the next time we visited for a game, one would be in place. I do, too, as even for those who don’t keep score, it’s nice to be able to look at a lineup.

Warming up in the pen.

Turns out, though, this is a whole new regime in Syracuse. The Chiefs lost upward of a million dollars last year, and this new GM is part of a new group hoping to turn things around. From our brief talk, he seems to have some good ideas and a vision, so hopefully he can make the franchise viable again and put some people in the stands.

Overall, the stadium is a good place to watch a game. There are plenty of options in regard to concessions. The hot dogs were pretty solid, albeit a bit pricey for a Triple-A team that doesn’t seem to overflow the stands. I only had that and a small order of fries, so I can’t comment on the quality of everything else. But if it’s anything like the dog and fries, it should be good. There are a lot of choices, and that is always a good thing.

Though I didn’t dabble, the beer selection was the normal items, though I did see a few local brews as well.

In the end, Syracuse is a good stadium to visit. I’ll likely do it at least one more time this summer, hopefully with a lineup card available.

Park Notes:  

NBT  Bank Stadium
Syracuse, New York
Home of the Syracuse Chiefs (AAA affiliate of the Washington Nationals)
Visited on: Sunday, May 18.
Opponent: Columbus Clippers (AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 7.5/10
  • Concessions: 7/10
  • Parking: 9/10
  • Ambiance: 8/10
  • Friendliness: 8/10

I am embarking on a summer of baseball with the plan to hit a minimum of 10 stadiums this summer. Hopefully, there will be more than that. I will report on each park that I hit on the blog.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!