eastern league

Summer of Baseball: Portland a good place to catch a game

November 21, 2016

Hadlock Field is one I’ve wanted to get to for a few years now. It’s also one of those fields kind of all by itself (Maine has one affiliated professional team), so going just for a game isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do, despite Maine being an amazing state.

So, let’s break it down.

Hadlock Field, built in 1993, is a solid minor league park. Though I’m not a fan of aluminum bleacher flooring, it’s a pretty comfortable all-around park. The ambiance is solid, which seems to be a pretty good trend when it comes to Boston Red Sox affiliates. The site lines in the park are good and the seats are decently comfortable.

The night we were there was cool, too, as it was a Seinfeld-themed night. Though not the biggest Seinfeld fan, John O’Hurley (who played J. Peterman) threw out the first pitch. It’s always neat to see things like that.

Anyway…

The park has an older flavor to it as the concourse is under the seating bowl. The concourse is decently wide but was definitely crowded. The team store is small, which shocked me, if not just because it’s a Boston affiliate. I think I hold the idea that Double-A and above would have better team stores, and despite seeing many smaller ones, it still shocks me.

The food selection was solid and the hot dogs were really good. I will say I didn’t have the food selection on the minor league food fight as it was this amazingly huge ice cream sundae sort of thing … and well, my blood sugar went up just looking at what it included, let along eating it. So I just went with a regular old ice cream and it was solid. Beer selection was pretty strong, too.

The stadium itself is pretty nice. A “monster” in left field is a nice tough, and I like the scoreboard. The elevated bullpen in right field was a very cool setup, too. I think overall, it’s hard to not go here and have a good time. That being said, I have to pull off some points for the aluminum flooring because it’s really tough, at times, to pay attention to the game when there’s so much stomping on that flooring.

Parking is decent and not far from the stadium. The area felt safe and after, it was easy enough to get out, which is always a positive.

I’d definitely visit again, as long as it was encompassed with other aspects. For me, it’s a hard trip to pull off just for a game, but it’s definitely not a bad place to take in a game.

Park Notes:

Hadlock Field
Portland, Maine
Home of the Portland Seadogs (Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox)
Visited on: July 15, 2016
Opponent: New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays)

Ratings (out of 10)

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

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Summer of Baseball: Erie gives an intimate experience

August 16, 2016

This summer has been full of baseball, that’s for sure.

As of me writing this review, I’ve been to 50-plus games, and I’ve loved every inning of it. I don’t even want to think about how many miles I’ve been to watch these games. But it’s totally worth it.

With all the new stadiums I’ve been to, I’ve gotten behind on the reviews. On a hot summer day, finishing up the trip to Cleveland, we hit up Erie on the way home.

Jerry Uht Park is the home of the Double-A SeaWolves, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. In the past, I used to keep a lot of tabs on this team because of when I covered the short-season Single-A affiliate of the Tigers. In the past few years, it’s because they are in the Eastern League and I’ve attended many EL games.

Erie can now be crossed off.

This was an interesting park, that’s for sure. The park opened in 1995 is located in Erie. Originally home to a New-York Penn League (short-season A) team, the SeaWolves moved to Double A in 1999. According to the team’s website, more than 3.5 million fans have been to games since the team started in 1995.

Stamped in at Erie.

This park is definitely right in the city. It’s tucked in nicely and we came on a Sunday afternoon game, so the attendance was sparse at best. We had called ahead and found out where there might be some shade and we ended up in the second level on the first-base line, which was named one of MiLB’s top 10 “seats” in 2008.

The park has some quirks, which makes it cool. Remember those second-level seats? Well the ones on the first-base side and third-base side are nothing alike. As I noted above, the stadium is built within a pre-existing city block, so it’s a little tight. The third-base side is more traditional with the seats leading up. Those first-base side ones, though, are stacked on top of the concourse and the back row of the lower seats. It’s a pretty cool place to watch a game from as you overlook the infield and don’t feel distant, despite being in the second level.

In left field, there’s an arena and it’s basically part of the wall for the baseball field.

Not many people were in attendance the day we were there, so we had the chance to sit back and watch. The sight lines are solid and you can walk around the field some and still see what is going on. There isn’t a full wrap-around concourse, but there’s plenty of space on the other concourses.

One thing, though, is when we were there, not all of the concession stands were open. It makes sense with the crowd they had, but we’re taking June. I can understand not having everything open if attendance is not doing well, but it seemed almost like a ghost town in parts of the stadium – including the stands. Still, people were friendly and helpful when needed.

The heat didn’t help that weekend, that’s for sure. And it was also Father’s Day, so that could put a damper on the attendance.

The team store is definitely more like a short-season A one as it’s barely something to walk into, and it has some rolled out areas and then the check out. Still, there were some good selections of items and it was easy to find the Passport stamp, which is good.

Free programs were also a positive and it seems like many teams are catching on to this idea, which is good. People don’t want to have to pay $2-$5 each game they go to for a program. Many teams sell the same program each game. In fact, one other Eastern League team sells the same program each game (no updates) and doesn’t insert stats/standings – you only get those if you are a season-ticket holder. Many teams who do the free programs make them smaller, and some even update them every home series or month, depending on the team.

The food selections seemed decent. We had already eaten that day, so I got the normal hot dog (above average) and souvenir cup soda. I didn’t try the MiLB food fight item because, honestly, I was way too full to try it. They had real ice cream that you could easily find (not just dippin’ dots), which is always good.

In the end, Jerry Uht Park was a positive experience and a stadium worth checking out. The ambiance wasn’t great, but there weren’t many people there. So I rate it a little lower in that category, but have a feeling it’s better when there are people in the stands. We parked across the street in a parking garage, but there didn’t seem to be an overabundance of parking. I wonder how this place would be on a night when they drew a good crowd. I imagine it could be tough.

It’s a good stadium worth checking out if you are close. Plus, Double-A ball is usually pretty solid to watch.

Park Notes:

Jerry Uht Park
Erie, Pennsylvania
Home of the Erie SeaWolves (Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers)
Visited on: June 19, 2016
Opponent: Bowie Baysox (Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles)

Ratings (out of 10)

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

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: Reading celebrating its 50th with the Phillies

July 11, 2016

Reading calls itself Baseballtown. With a stadium that was completed in 1951, and one that’s had some renovations over the years, the Reading Fightin Phils have a unique and interesting stadium.

FirstEnergy Stadium is different than when I last visited in, I believe, 2009. They’ve done many upgrades, to make the field a bit more fan friendly, yet have kept the quirky aspects of the park in place.

When you come into the park, you have an area where the food items are and it gives you the feel of a courtyard. It’s definitely busy there, so you might need to push your way around if you want to get somewhere. The concourse is under the main grandstand, so you are behind the action. There’s also not a full walk-around concourse, but that’s normal for older stadiums.

A place to lean and keep score, with a great view.

You can go out into parts of the outfield, though, to watch the game from different vantage points. Overall, sightlines were OK and it is a tad picturesque of a place to watch a game. Seats are a tad old-school, but it kind of goes with the stadium. They aren’t bad, but I also will say we didn’t sit in ours for awful long.

Concession wise, there is the regular fare from ballparks. Being it was a dollar-dog day, I chose that as my choice for the night. It looked like they had a lot of the regular choices, which is good. I didn’t get too deep into the area with everything going on as it was crowded and after a long weekend of baseball and other items, I just wanted to watch a game.

The field is nice and it has some cool areas. Like many parks today, there were spots people could rent out etc., for large groups.

The on-field things were fine and didn’t detract from the game too much, which was good.

The team store is not huge, but it is very well stocked with different items. Because of that, it’s not easy to get around, but if you want something – odds are they likely have it. That’s always a bonus, of course, as it makes no sense not to stock up, especially with the rebranding the team did a year or two ago.

This was the 50th anniversary of the team being associated with the Phillies, so it was nice to get there during this season. The action on the field was solid, and it’s an easy place to watch a game. The atmosphere is pretty good as people seem to enjoy watching baseball.

I will note this, though – it seems like some of the people (the fans) weren’t the friendliest in the world. I’m not saying this is all of them, and I’m not even saying the people we encountered were regulars. But it was … odd.

Let me give an example.

Throwing hot dogs in Reading.

The tickets I purchased were underneath the overhang, as there had originally been a threat of rain. We got to our seats and made sure we had the right spot. No sooner than we sat down, the lady (an older lady) made sure she told us “If they aren’t your seats, you’ll have to move.”

I’ve never had that happen to me before, especially by somebody not working for the team. I will say as we came up the stands, one of the people there had their feet up on our seats, and a jacket over top the back. So I guess we were infringing on their “territory.” Still, it was a little off-setting.

We decided, instead, to stand for the game at the top of the bleachers where there’s a place to lean etc. Two more people were encountered – and they were the same. I asked one person if people could stand here and he looked at me like I was green and had three heads.

As I walked the concourse a little later, three – yes three – people bumped into me as they weren’t watching where they were going. I tried to avoid the collisions but they weren’t paying attention. None of them said excuse me (despite them being at fault and watching their phones and not where they were going), rather gave me a dirty look.

Honestly, these aren’t things I want to share because it’s hopefully not the norm. But this was part of my experience and, honestly, it took away from my experience.

I didn’t really interact with many people who work for the team or stadium, but it seemed like there were a lot of people around.

Park Notes:

FirstEnergy Stadium
Reading, Pennsylvania
Home of the Reading Fightin Phils (Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
Visited on: June 12, 2016
Opponent: Altoona Curve (Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates)

Ratings (out of 10)

Stadium: 7.5/10
Concessions: 7/10
Parking: 8/10
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Friendliness: 6.5/10

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: Harrisburg give options for watching

February 24, 2016

Note: I am finishing my 2015 Summer of Baseball stadium reviews. I have two left, including the one below.

As the end of the 2015 baseball season approached, I was still interested in trying to add a couple of more parks and it appeared there was a chance to do a two-in-one-day trip.

All stamped in!

So, hey, why not?

On a nice and hot early September weekend, two of us headed down into Pennsylvania to see two games, with the first being in Harrisburg, home of the Double A Senators. I ordered tickets ahead of time in the “cheap seats,” but when we got there, things would change. More on that later.

The ride down was easy enough and, once we got there, parking wasn’t too bad. But let me tell you something about Metro Bank Park – it’s on an island in Harrisburg. There’s one bridge on and off the island. Some suggestions are also to park off the island and walk to the game. On a normal day, we may have considered this. But with a short window to get to our second game (in York), we needed to have the ability to try and get in and out fast.

We headed down a little early, as normal, so we would have time to check things out before the game. Parking on the island turned out to be pretty easy for us (for when we got there), but I could see where it might be harder closer to game time. It only cost a few bucks to park on the island, so overall not too bad.

The pulled pork, slaw, and chips were a pretty good lunch.

We then walked to the stadium, picked up the tickets and headed in. I have to say – this is a cool stadium. Though there are parts that seemed a little “cookie cutter,” I really liked the feel of the stadium. You could circle the stadium, but have to go up and down and over and around in parts. Oddly enough, that was kind of cool as it was different.

Behind home plate, you could walk around the stadium in a shaded atmosphere. The outfield was open for watching the game, which made it cool. The big screen in right field was just that – huge!

Our seats were in left field and with the sun beating down, that wasn’t going to be fun. Down the first-base line, there was a tent area that was kind of cool, but it might not have been the best sight line. So we ended up settling on a spot below the scoreboard, which engulfed that whole area in shade. There were places to stand with a mini table and we parked it there for the game. It turned out to be a smart move.

Good view.

What a great spot to watch the game from, too! That was the one great thing about Harrisburg — though you had a seat, you had several options on where to watch the game from and it wouldn’t interfere with anybody else. Parks like that are a plus in my mind.

The team store was nice (and air conditioned) and had several good choices. Food at the stadium wasn’t too bad overall. Prices were decent. Before the game, we went to an area where there’s several food options. I ended up with pulled pork and it was pretty good. Later in the game, of course, I grabbed a hot dog. I thought that was decent as well, especially because I got it at the spot below the scoreboard and they made it to order. Made it even better.

The people we chatted with seemed friendly and welcoming, so that’s always a bonus.

It appears the Senators have changed the name of the stadium to FNB Field, so I am sure that means I’ll have to get down there again for a new stamp!

Overall, this trip was a solid experience and it was a good place to take in a game.

Park Notes:

Metro Bank Park
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Home of the Harrisburg Senators (Double A affiliate of the Washington Nationals)
Visited on: September 6, 2015
Opponent: Akron Rubber Ducks (Double A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians)

Ratings (out of 10)

Stadium: 8.5/10
Concessions: 7.5/10
Parking: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Friendliness: 9/10

I am continuing the Summer of Baseball from 2014 and hope to blog about each new stadium I visit in 2015. Ones visited in the past can be viewed linked up in the 2014 version.

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: Altoona gives a great atmosphere

February 17, 2016

Note: I am finishing my 2015 Summer of Baseball stadium reviews over the next month or so. I have three left, including the one below. I also have a review I am planning for something else. so this should take us into March and closer to the start of the 2016 season!

Years ago, I worked back-to-back summers at the local college as a painter. Basically, we painted dorm rooms.

One of those years, we had the radio on each day with the station out of Binghamton. The local Double A team – the Binghamton Mets – was set to host the Altoona Curve. So the radio hosts were being funny – or attempting to be – by telling a joke with Altoona (though, to be fair, this joke has probably been told with so many different towns…) and it went like this:

“Did you know the toothbrush was invented in Altoona? If it was anywhere else, it would be the teethbrush!”

Stamped in for a game in Altoona!

The radio hosts, of course, got a good chuckle out of that.

That was my first true connection with the Curve until a few years later, when I worked for my local newspaper and we had a kid from an area school playing for the Curve.

It’s truly one of baseball’s best names for sure. And for a few years, I’ve heard from a friend how good of a stadium Altoona had. This past August, I finally had the chance to see a game at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Opened in 1999, PNG Field is really a gem. There are great sightlines throughout the park. The upper concessions aren’t in an open concourse, but the lower ones are, so it’s possible for you to grab a bite to eat and still be able to see the game.

A berm in part of the outfield allows people to sit out there for the game, too.

We sat down the right-field line. In fact, we were the last two in the row in the second tier of seats. So it was a nice spot. No worries with sun and a good view of the field. One really cool feature of PNG Park is beyond part of the outfield wall is Lakemont Park, which features many amusement park rides and such. One of those – a roller coaster – is viewable over the right-field wall at PNG Park, which is really cool.

It’s a great view in Altoona.

Everybody I encountered at the park was friendly. It was easy to navigate and there were a few things to see when we walked around. The team store was decent, but it was the end of the year so there weren’t a lot of choices. It looked like the stock was down, and that makes sense with how many games were left and such.

Food choices were pretty solid. Of course, I went with hot dogs and they were pretty good. I got to some ice cream at the end of the night, too, and enjoyed that. It also looked like there was a decent beer selection. Downstairs, they have the normal concession stands, but they also have stand-alone stands, for things like Italian ice etc.

Play ball!

There’s a bar/restaurant sort of thing down the left-field line, too, but I didn’t get out there to look at it too closely. People were there for it though. It may have just been a fancier looking concession area, but it seemed like people enjoyed it.

The area seems to really support the team and the night we were there (fireworks night), they came out in droves. There’s a negative to that, though. Parking was tough. They have a three-tiered parking garage and only a couple of lanes going in. It took us quite a while to get in, which is a little frustrating. Where the field is situated, there aren’t a lot of open spots around to park.

On the flip side, we were smart and decided to bolt before the fireworks. We watched them from the parking garage and were out of there before the crowd started to pour out of the stadium. That’s a good thing as we were heading back to New York that night and had a ride ahead of us.

Overall, though, this was a really good experience. I’d definitely come to the park again as it’s a nice place for a game. There are enough spots to find shade, too, so that’s always a bonus. PNG Park is good for baseball, but also has enough space and such for families to come and enjoy, even if there’s a few little ones who want to run around some.

Park Notes:

Peoples Natural Gas Field
Altoona, Pennsylvania
Home of the Altoona Curve (Double A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates)
Visited on: August 29, 2015
Opponent: Trenton Thunder (Double A affiliate of the New York Yankees)

Ratings (out of 10)

Stadium: 8/10
Concessions: 8/10
Parking: 7/10
Ambiance: 8.5/10
Friendliness: 9/10

I am continuing the Summer of Baseball from 2014 and hope to blog about each new stadium I visit in 2015. Ones visited in the past can be viewed linked up in the 2014 version.

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