Wrigley Field: Home of the Chicago Cubs

I visited Wrigley Field, a stadium on the North Side of Chicago,  in the summer of 2016.  This is the home of the National League’s Chicago Cubs. Chicago has two MLB franchises: the Cubs (National League team) and the White Sox (American League team).  The ballpark first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Chicago Whales of the Federal League, which closed after 1915. The Cubs took over the stadium.  The first MLB game was against the Cincinnati Reds on April 20, 1916.  The Chicago Cubs were bought by William Wrigley Jr, chewing gum CEO, in 1921. 

The ballpark was renamed Wrigley Field in 1927. Wrigley Field, the second oldest park in the majors, was named a National Historic Landmark in 2020. What is unique about Wrigley are its ivy-covered brick outfield wall, the hand turned scoreboard, the red marquee sign in front of stadium, and Wrigley rooftops (spectators have views from neighborhood rooftops behind the outfield).  

Wrigley Field is situated in the neighborhood, so you prefer not to drive. Parking is very limited.  Public transit or walking is the best method to get to the park on game day.  The Cubs compete in the National League Central. Founded  in 1876, the Cubbies have 17 National League pennants and  were declared World Series champions 3 times (1907, 1908, 2016). The championship in 2016 was the end of the longest championship drought (108 yr) in North America. 

The current Cubs in 2023 were in the playoff race in early September until they lost their mojo late in the season, being swept by Braves and losses to Brewers. This allowed the upstart Miami Marlins to overtake the Cubs and Diamondbacks in wild card race. By Sep 30th, the Fish clinch the #2 wildcard spot in NL (which means the Marlins play the Phillies in Wild Card series). The Cubs are in the miserable position of being on the outside of postseason contention.  

Progressive Field: Home of Cleveland Guardians/Indians

I visited Progressive Field in August 2014.  The ballpark was renovated after my visit, so all the changes they made later I did not see.  The team was still called the Cleveland Indians, on my visit.  For the park itself,  I was not that impressed. It does have a nice view of Cleveland’s skyline. The ballpark has an area called Heritage Park, featuring 27 plaques of great Cleveland  players. It also has statues of players, like Jim Thome (who played for Phillies late in his career).

The original name of the field was Jacobs Field (first opened in 1994), so many refer to Progressive Field as “The Jake”. It was renamed in 2008. A unique feature of the ballpark are 19 vertical light towers that match the smoke stacks in Cleveland’s industrial zone (3 behind scoreboard, 6 behind first base, 6 behind third base, and 4 in right field).

Since being established in 1901, this team has won 2 World Series (1920 and 1948) and 6 American League pennants. The team’s name was changed to Guardians in 2021.

Comerica Park: Home of the Detroit Tigers

Located in downtown Detroit, Michigan,  Comerica Park has a feel of an amusement park with the ballpark right in the center. It features a tiger carousel, a Ferris wheel (picture being inside a baseball), and a water feature in centerfield (choreographed to music).There are no upper deck seats, so you have a clear view of Detroit’s skyline  from your seat.

When I visited this ballpark in 2016,  I was impressed by the 15 ft tiger in the front entrance. The stadium has 40 tigers:  31 tiger heads, 7 tigers at gates A and B, and 2 on the scoreboard. The Tiger motif is used everywhere. There is no doubt that you are in Tiger country.

https://youtu.be/3Q-dOLgsmbY?si=8cXdsNDFdDOgtKd3

Detroit Tigers have won the World Series 4 times (1935, 1945, 1968, 1984) and have captured the American League pennant 11 times. The great Tiger players (eg. Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline) are remembered along the concourse. Because they play in the American League Central division, they compete against the Twins, Guardians, White Sox, and Royals. Established in 1894, the Detroit Tigers are the oldest continuous one name, one city franchise in the American League. 

In 2022, Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tiger from Venezuela, became the 3rd player in history with a career batting ave above .300, 500 home runs, and 3,000 hits, joining the likes of Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. This past month, Miguel “Miggy” Cabrera is doing his final tour as a Detroit Tiger and has hit 511 home runs (3,170 hits) through Sept 24, 2023. He will retire after 2023 season, but he plans to continue working with Tigers organization. He spent 5 yrs with Florida Marlins (won World Series championship as a rookie); the rest of his career since 2008 has been with Detroit Tigers. I like seeing the crowds of people fight to see him as he makes his last days as a baseball player memorable.

The Tigers are in the building mode currently as of 2023, but I give them props for having a pretty stadium for baseball fans to visit.

Sunny Petco Park: San Diego Padres

My next stop to talk about on my personal stadium tour was my visit to Petco Park in sunny San Diego, CA.  I went to this stadium in late September 2019.  Here is a franchise that spends the money (eg. Juan Soto, Manny Machado), but is just short in reaching and winning the World Series.  They have  quality pitching, with starter Blake Snell (probable 2023 Cy Young winner for NL, has 2.38 ERA, 15-9) and starter Yu Darvish (on injured list).  Unfortunately for Padres fans, they have not yet gotten the gold ring.

Petco Park, opened in 2004, is a beautiful ballpark in downtown San Diego.   It is the home of the San Diego Padres. When I went to a game with my mom, we used light rail to make it to the game. Future hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw of the LA Dodgers threw a nice game. Dodgers beat the Padres (1-0).  The Dodgers-Padres rivalry is epic.  Both teams play in same division and (as of Sept 2023) LA Dodgers seem to be ahead in wins vs their interstate rival. 

While we watched the game, you have a view of the bay and the San Diego skyline.   The ballpark revitalized the East Village area, and is located across Harbor Dr. on Tony Gwynn Dr.  The Western Metal Supply Co. Building, which is a historic landmark, was rehabilitated and  incorporated in stadium design, rather than demolished. Petco Park differentiates itself  by moving away from traditional retro-style red brick and green seats. Instead, the park is clad in Indian sandstone and stucco. The exposed steel is painted white and 40,209 seats are dark blue.  It evokes the sandy color of San Diego cliffs and beaches, the blue representing the ocean, and the white representing the white sails of boats (often seen in San Diego bay). They have a huge left-field video board. A ship’s whistle is sounded and torches in center field are lit, when Padres hit a home run. The stadium has been described as a pitcher’s park, because of the dimensions of the outfield.

Founded in 1969, the Padres compete in the National League West division. They have won 2 NL pennants (1984 and 1998), but have not yet won the World Series. The Padres adopted their name from the Pacific Coast League team from 1936, which is Spanish for “fathers” and refers to Spanish Franciscan friars who founded the city in 1769.

Milwaukee Brewers: Trip to American Family Field

 The Crew once again clinched the National League Central Title, guaranteeing  #3 spot in 2023 playoffs, even though the Cardinals beat them earlier that day. The Milwaukee Brewers (nicknamed “Crew”) won the title by default because the Cubs lost to the Braves (6-7). Qualifying for playoffs at end of 162-game season means every game counts if you factor in the calculations of positioning. The good part of this particular scenario is that Phillies clinched wild card on same day with a win against Pittsburgh Pirates. With Cubs losing hours later against Braves, the Phils have #4 spot in playoffs secured. Yay!

All this news makes me nostalgic about my trip to the American Family Field,  ballpark of the Milwaukee Brewers. When I went in August 2014 to Miller Park (former name of the ballpark, located in  Milwaukee, Wisconsin),  the Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (4 - 3) that day. Ryan Braun was in the lineup. Mike Fiers, called up from Triple-A,  was  the winning pitcher, his fourth straight start. He  held Pirates to two hits in seven innings. 

The ballpark has a fan-shaped retractable roof. The grounds have statues to legendary players Robin Yount (Shortstop), Hank Aaron (Designated Hitter) as well as the Hall of Fame radio broadcaster Bob Uecker.  The Milwaukee stadium honors the Milwaukee Brewers and the Milwaukee Braves. Brewers have a number of former or active great baseball players, like Christian Yelich (outfield), Ryan Braun (left fielder), and Prince Fielder (1B). The Crew seems to routinely get into the playoffs, but tend to get eliminated by the eventual World Series winner (eg Cardinals in 2011, Nationals in 2019, Braves in 2021).  That must be tough, but as a fan of the 2008 Phillies team that beat the Crew in the 2008 NLDS, I do not feel that much guilt.

The Milwaukee Brewers were so named for the city’s association with the brewing industry. The franchise was originally founded as the Seattle Pilots, an expansion team in the American League, but they left Seattle for Milwaukee after 1 season. The team has been called the Brewers since 1970.  In 1998, they joined the National League. The Brewers appeared in the World Series only once in 1982. This team is one of only 6 current MLB teams (Rangers, Rays, Padres, Mariners, Rockies, Brewers) that have never won the World Series. 4 of the 6 have a chance to win  it all in 2023, as long as they qualify and get through October.

Chicago White Sox: the Other Team in the Windy City

The next stadium I will discuss is the home of the Chicago White Sox. When I  visited the ballpark in Aug 2009,  it was called U.S. Cellular Field. Located on the South Side of Chicago, the baseball-only park has been renovated multiple times and has been christened three times, originally called Comiskey Park II (1991-2002), then later U.S. Cellular Field (2003-2016), and then most recently Guaranteed Rate Field (2016-present). The picture below is Comiskey park on opening day, April 18, 1991.

The Chicago White Sox team, established in 1894 as part of the American League (AL), gets overshadowed by the other team, the National League’s Chicago Cubs, especially in recent years when the crosstown Cubs in late Sept 2023 are playing for a playoff spot. What I remember about the stadium is that I was in the upper level (high up) with an unobstructed view of the field.  The game was between the White Sox and the Cleveland Indians. Home team lost; final score was 2 Sox - 6 Indians. I noted that the ballpark has one of the highest decks in baseball. Since 2001, stadium was retrofit to include a multi-tiered concourse beyond center field, adjusting the fences to make the outfield less symmetrical, the removal of 6600 seats at the top, and creating luxury suites. Before this renovation, the ones in upper deck could not venture anywhere else in park, such as lower deck concourse. This renovation helped in allowing movement between the areas.

This historic team, one of the 8 charter franchises in AL, won the World Series three times (1906, 1917, and 2005) and the AL pennant seven times.  The name, Chicago White Stockings, was shortened to White Sox in 1904. This stadium did recognize its great players, such as Paul Konerko (1B), Ted Lyons (starting pitcher/manager), Billy Pierce (starting pitcher), Frank Thomas (1B, DH), Mark Buehrle (starting pitcher), and Carlton Fisk (catcher). Also, there are pictures of the “Black Sox” scandal (when 8 White Sox players fixed game to lose 1919 World Series to Reds, thus being banned from MLB for life).  It took the White Sox 87 years to win the World Series, the 2nd longest MLB championship drought of all time, after the Cubs’ 107 seasons.

I did not find this ballpark that unique. The ballpark was  standard fare, with Kentucky bluegrass covering the field. No wonder the team is looking to get a new stadium in the coming years, once the lease expires. The talk is that the team may move to the suburbs of Chicago or move to Nashville. The 2023 Chicago White Sox are under .50 ball. You know your team is desperate for attendance when Chicago White Sox announced $1.00 lower level tickets and free parking for Thursday’s White Sox-Diamondbacks 1:05 pm game (9/28/23). Going back to .50 ball should be the goal, rather than nearing 100 losses and probably firing manager at end of season. It is a sad state of affairs in South side of Chicago.

PNC Park: the Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates

On the western end of Pennsylvania along the North Shore of Pittsburgh lies PNC Park, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, since 2001.  This park is next to the Allegheny River and has a view of downtown Pittsburgh.  What is unique about PNC  Park is the liberal use of limestone in the building’s fascade, a riverside concourse, and the steel work around building. The park’s playing surface is Tuckahoe Bluegrass. Drainage system beneath field can handle 14 in of rain per hour. The seating capacity, 38, 496 seats, is the second smallest of any MLB park (the smallest being Fenway). PNC Park has a reputation as a pitcher’s park, with a deep left field and a 21 ft wall in right field (called Clemente wall).

The Pittsburgh Pirates have won 5 World Series (1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, 1979). Originally called Pittsburgh Alleghenys at founding in 1881, the team joined the MLB in 1887 and part of  National League division. The Pirates at the start of the 20th century was considered among the best teams (with Hall of Famer, Honus Wagner). In 1970s, the Pirates had a resurgence behind Roberto Clemente. In 2023, the Pirates have been on the bottom of the standings. This team currently have the 6th longest World Series Championship drought.

The park pays tribute to Roberto Clemente, great Pirate player, by naming the adjacent (6th street bridge) after him. From my seat in 2006, I could enjoy my clear view of the field and enjoy local eateries, like Primanti Brothers.  Seats are angled toward the field and aisles are lowered to give fans improved views of the field.  At 51 ft, the batter is closer to the seats behind home plate than the pitcher.  The majority of seats ( appr. 28000) are on the 1st level. Also, with the exception of bleachers, all seats at park offer a view of Pittsburgh’s skyline.

The present Pirates as of 23 September 2023 was mathematically eliminated from 2023 playoff contention. This did not stop the Pirates from coming behind from a 9 run deficit to beat the Cincinnati Reds, a team fighting for a playoff spot. This was the largest comeback in franchise history. I enjoyed that the Pirates showed a flare of no quit this late in the season.  See link for highlights: https://youtu.be/TpBFLbSIz34?si=AHtmEQIhxYUgWV_P

Kaufman Stadium: Home of Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals have been at Kaufman stadium for 51 years as of 2023. Called the K by locals, this stadium, opened to fans in 1973, has become one of the beloved ballparks in Missouri.   It has been renovated over the years.  The artificial turf was replaced by grass in 1995. The LED video display board is the tallest in baseball and has 3.5 million pixels. 

One unique feature of this ballpark is 322-ft water spectacle  featuring cascading water, that shoots out water during homerun by Royal.  The outfield was pushed back in 2004 season to make it one of the most spacious parks. In fact, Kaufman has the 2nd most playable field square footage in the Majors (behind Coors field in CO). 

The Royals are a MLB team in the American League Central division, founded as an expansion team in 1969 when Athletics (played in Kansas City from 1955 to 1967) left KC for Oakland. The Royals have won 2 World Series (1985 and 2015). The name “Royals” pays homage to the American Royal, a livestock show, horse show, rodeo, and championship barbecue competition held in Kansas City annually since 1899. The Royals have their share of greats, like  George Brett, Whitey Herzog, and Frank White. Their greatest rivals are the St Louis Cardinals (I-70 series).

When I visited Kaufman Stadium in August 2018, the Royals played the St Louis Cardinals.  The Cardinals won (St Louis Cardinals 8 - Kansas City Royals 3). What I liked about this game was the resilience on the Royals team.  They had a losing record (under 0.5). Despite that, the opponent had to bring their A game to beat them at their home park.

In Sept 2023, Royals once again have a losing record (53-102) while their opponent, the Houston Astros  (85-70), are competing for a playoff spot. The Royals know they have a young team, but getting wins (especially series wins) against the defending champion Astros really builds confidence for the future. If your team  cannot be in postseason, beating teams that are competing late in the season is a fun exercise for the young inexperienced Royals.  Watching scoreboards is exciting at the end of regular season, as teams on brink of elimination race to qualify for postseason berths.

Minnesota Twins: Target Field

 The Twins play their home games at Target Field.  I went to Minneapolis, Minnesota to see a game on August 6, 2022. The Minnesota Twins played the Toronto Blue Jays. The Twins won (Blue Jays 3 - Twins 7). The name of the team, Twins,  is a reference to the twin cities, St Paul and Minneapolis. This American League team was founded in 1901, as the Washington Senators.  When they moved in 1961, they changed their name to the Minnesota Twins. As a franchise, they have been World Series Champs 3 times (once as Senators in 1924, twice as Twins in 1987 and 1991).

Target Field is an open air baseball stadium, that opened in 2010. The ballpark is considered a modern take on Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, and Oracle Park in San Francisco. The design of stadium uses local limestone, heated viewing areas, and a heated field. There is a pedestrian bridge from the ballpark to downtown. In Minneapolis if you have a good pair of walking shoes, you can walk everywhere downtown. The stadium does not have a roof, but it does feature an enlarged canopy to protect fans from the weather. Inspired by Liberty Bell at  Citizen’s Bank Park (after each home run lights up the Liberty Bell), when a Twins player hits a home run, the Minnie and Paul sign lights up with strobe lights surrounding the Minnesota state outline and Minnie and Paul shake hands.  If you walk around Target Plaza, there are statues of great Twins players (eg. Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, Harmon Killebrew, and Kent Hrbek).

The 2023 Twins are a good post season bound team.  They clinched the American League Central title yesterday, but in playoffs that is the beginning of the ride to the World Series.  You have to win at least 2 series (best of 5, best of 7) if not playing in wild card series (best of 3) to even make the World Series. Then, you play a 7 game series against the National League representative to call yourselves the World Series champs.  This year the Twins do not face the Yankees (all Twins fans must be happy about that), who annually seem to eliminate the Twins from the playoffs. The Twins will face (if season ended today) the Houston Astros, who are hungry for a repeat of their 2022 title, at home. It will be a fight.

I can root for this Twins team, as long as it is not against my Phillies. If Phillies are in it, which would mean meeting Twins in World Series, this team’s drought continues. I do not hide my bias.

Boston Red Sox: my trip to Fenway

 Boston baseball fans have a home. In Boston, it is called Fenway Park. This ballpark, built in 1912, is the home of the Boston Red Sox, one of American League’s original eight charter members. The Boston Red Sox have won the World Series nine times. 4 of these championships came in the 21st century (2004, 2007, 2013, 2018). Fenway has hosted World Series 11 times.   This team, founded in 1901,  has a proud baseball history. They had players like hall of farmers, Babe Ruth (traded to Yankees, “curse of bambino”), Ted Williams, and David Ortiz. The biggest rival for Red Sox is those New York Yankees.

When I visited Fenway Park on June 24, 2017, I was impressed by how much Fenway is right in the city. I am used to ballparks being outside the neighborhood. Due to its age and constrained location in Boston’s Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood, those in Boston love their ballpark.

This is the oldest active ballpark in MLB.  The park has unique attributes. The park has the “Green Monster” in left field (37, 167 ft wall, scoreboard manually updated during game, picture of green monster is above), “the Triangle”(quirky part of center field),  and “Pesky’s pole” (foul pole in right field). It is the 5th smallest MLB ballpark by seating capacity: 37, 755 seats. Fenway has been renovated multiple times in its history, but it remains a Cathedral of Baseball. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Being there to watch a game, you feel close to the action.  The short right field fence (302 ft), narrow foul ground (smallest of any active MLB park), and closer than normal outfield fences make this a hitter’s park.  I enjoyed the game at Fenway.

NY Yankees at Yankee stadium

 

Yankee stadium  is the one of the most famous  ballparks, situated  at 1 East 161st St, Bronx, NYC. It is the current home of the New York Yankees.   This is a franchise, founded in 1903, that has been World Series champs 27 times. The last one 2009 really hurt, for they beat my Phillies.  

The original Yankee Stadium was built in 1923 and demolished in 2010.  That one (which I visited prior to demolition) was often called the “Cathedral of Baseball” and the “House that Ruth Built.”  The new Yankee stadium, built a block away, does not have the history of the Old Yankee stadium (85 yr history).  The present Yankee stadium does though pay homage to that old ballpark and has lots of baseball nods to Yankee greats ( eg Babe Ruth).  

As you walk in to Yankee stadium, it reminds you of a Roman Colliseum. The sheer magnitude of the imposing structure let’s you know that you are in Yankee territory. The Yankees know how to celebrate their history. The baseball fan could spend hours looking at the pictures and taking in Monument Park in centerfield. Monument Park is an open air museum honoring the greatest Yankee players.  All the retired numbers, plaques, and honors are there for any baseball fan to view.  Think of it as seeing a slice of baseball history without having to go to Cooperstown, NY for MLB Hall of Fame.

The food is expensive (eg. Draft Beer = $20) and the tickets are pricey, but you expect that in NYC.  I was not surprised. Viewing the game in July 2018 was enjoyable for I  was able to see the big screen and had a clear view of the field from my seat in the outfield.  At the game, the Yanks beat the Braves (6-2).  The Bronx is a fun place to go, if you have the funds. 

The present Yankees in 2023  are not in the playoff hunt and are fighting not to have a losing record. This team though can act as spoilers to prevent a rival, Toronto Blue Jays, from getting into the post season. This time of year, it is fun to watch the final games of the regular season for each game determines who gets in and who is outside contention looking in.

   

Washington Nationals: a trip to DC area

The next trip was local, for I can drive to Nationals park in 3.5 hrs  and return home in the same day.  It is one of the benefits of living in the Northeast. There are five MLB ballparks near me. I am within driving distance  to both New York City teams, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and DC.  Many Phillies fans drive down to DC to catch a weekend series with the Nats during the regular season. It was so bad  that 70 percent of attendees were Phillies fans for Nats/Phils games.  Nats management had to make a special rule for Phillies/Nats games so they sell tickets to DC fans first then they open it up to people outside zip code.

Let me talk about Nationals park, which is along Anacostia River in the Navy Yard neighborhood of  D.C. This ballpark is the home of the Washington Nationals (World Series Champs- 2019), who are in the same division (NL East) as my Phillies.  The “Nats” (as I refer to them) were originally the Montreal Expos, founded in 1969.  The Expos, who wanted out of Montreal, were bought by the MLB. The DC contingent convinced the MLB to take the team from Montreal to DC with the promise of a new stadium.  The Nationals were established in 2005. The move of franchises from city to city, because of new ballparks,  becomes a trend in modern baseball. For instance, St Petersburg, the city near Tampa Bay, just approved a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, which will be ready by 2028. The inability of a franchise city to provide a new stadium has forced the Athletics to move from Oakland to Las Vegas, a city that will fund a new stadium for the franchise (if move approved by 75% of MLB owners).

The noteworthy feature about this ballpark is that from the upper decks on first base side of the field you can see the Washington monument and the US Capitol building. The game was easy to get to using public transit. You get off at Ballpark-Navy Yard stop.  

A side benefit for me  is that I annually watch the Nationals in Spring training  while they are in Palm Beach, FL. As a consequence,  the Nationals roster ( photo below of #22 Juan Soto at Spring Training 2022, when still a Nat) is familiar to me  as much as the Phillies roster. The Nats are not contenders right now (but with free agency, deep pockets  and young talent, this can change quickly in baseball). The Nats have burdensome contracts for injured players (eg Stephen Strasberg) and traded away talented players (Bryce Harper) along with players retiring  (Ryan Zimmerman-3B, 16 yrs as Nat, his #11 number was retired in 2022 and has been nicknamed “Mr. National”). In a couple of years, this team will get its bearing and be competitive again.

In my visit to DC on Sept 8, 2014, I watched a baseball game  between the Nats (80-61) and the struggling Phillies (66-76). Cole Hamels was pitching; the Nats came from behind and won. (Washington Nationals 3 -  Philadelphia Phillies 2). In 2014, the Nationals were the better team. In 2023, tides have turned; the Phillies have the better lineup. I do not mind the Nats too much, for Phillies can beat this team most of the time. The other 2 teams, Braves and Marlins, in our division pose a bigger challenge.  The Nationals ballpark is a wonderful place to see a game.  The grounds are beautiful and the views of the Capitol are awe inspiring. Catch a game if you are in DC. #Natitude

Head to Oracle Park: Home of San Francisco Giants

 San Francisco is known for Golden Gate Bridge and baseball. I visited Oracle Park, along the San Francisco Bay, in May 2009 when the ballpark was called AT & T Park.  The ballpark was renamed Oracle Park in 2019 when Oracle Corp. purchased naming rights.  

When I went to the ballpark, this was a planned excursion before I met up with friends to explore San Francisco and Sonoma Valley for a week. I used the Muni metro to get to the game, which dropped me directly outside the park. There is a 24 ft high brick wall in the right field, erected in honor of former Giants player Willie Mays. This field has a reputation of being the most pitcher-friendly ballpark in the National League. The reason is the depth of the outfield limits home runs. Behind left field bleachers is an 80 ft tall Coca-cola bottle with slide that blows bubbles every time Giants have homerun.

What I remember about my trip to this park was the local hot chocolate, Ghirardelli.  It was a cold, rainy day, so a hot drink was needed.  I remember that Hall of Famer Randy Johnson was starting pitcher for the Rockies. This San Francisco Giants team has a proud history. The team was founded in 1883 as the New York Gothams. Team was renamed New York Giants  in 1886, eventually relocating from NYC to San Francisco in 1958.

The franchise has 8 World Series Championships (2nd most in National League and 5th most of any franchise), having played in the World Series 20 times.  I liked the view of the Bay and skyline as you watched the game. Warmed up with hot cocoa, I had a good time at the game.

NY Mets home stadium - Citi Field

      Let’s talk about the Mets (aka New York Metropolitan Baseball Club). One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed NL teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. The team's colors evoke the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants.

     The Mets management spends the money (payroll in 2023 according to USA Today: $353,546,854), but the product on the field is unsuccessful in getting post season success.  My stadium stop at Citi Field in Flushing, NY (Queens, New York City) was easy to access from Hamilton in April 2017. I can get to a Mets game in less than 3 hours using NJ/NY transit. I got there in time to explore the area and get into Citi Field. All I did was follow all the people with Mets attire.  Public transportation is my preferred way to get to ballparks. It allows me to go with the locals and enjoy the environment pre-game.

      The Mets (2 World Series: 1969, 1986) have been overshadowed by the Yankees (27 World Series) for decades.  The Mets have good players, like Pete Alonso; have the payroll.  However, they  are stuck in the middle of baseball. They are  not bad enough to be on the bottom of the rankings, but they are not good enough to reach the playoffs.  They have a slim chance  in the race for national league pennant year after year. It doesn’t help their case, that Braves and Phillies are in NL East too. 

      The stadium is a traditional park with all the modern perks, like the big screens and premium box seats.  I was suitably impressed.  The architect was inspired by Pirates’ PNC park. All the seats are green in color, which pays homage to the Polo Grounds, previous home of Mets. There are monuments and/or banners to great Mets players, like Gary Carter, Daryl Strawberry, David Wright, Mike Piazza, and Tom Seaver. 

      This ballpark is the only ballpark in MLB to feature orange foul poles rather than standard yellow, a unique characteristic that was carried over from Shea Stadium. In essence, this stadium honors the old ballparks of Mets and incorporating it with the new.  For example, the exterior fascade of Citi Field is reminiscent of Ebbets Field, but there is a huge red apple statue  in front to provide the whimsical (NewYork City = Big Apple).  The Mets have a state of the art stadium, which is nice when I stop in when Phils are in town.

Chase Field: visit the Arizona Diamondbacks

 When I visited Phoenix in May 2019,  I went to a Diamondbacks vs Braves game.  I remember the heat in Arizona as I waited to get into the stadium.  This is one of the enclosed ballparks, due to extreme heat. I was happy to be out of the heat when I made it to my seats.

For this trip, I got there super early.  I was able to see the batting practice of the visitors, ATL Braves. What is nice about batting practice is that you can video and take pictures to your heart’s content.  I did just that.

What I liked about this ballpark was that the arena was comfortable in terms of temperature (temp is a factor when you watch games).  I enjoyed the vantage point from my seat.  I was able to get a good view of the action. The big screen kept me up to date and allowed me to see the replays, which is like watching from your television at home.  There is something about being in a live sports event though. Television viewing of a baseball game doesn’t capture the vibe of the Arizona fans around me.  I enjoyed the game, especially when Braves lose. If you do not have a horse in the race, root for the home team (my motto).

Truist Park: Atlanta Braves baseball park

 I visited Atlanta in Sept 2022 to go to a Braves vs Phillies game at the home of the Atlanta Braves, Truist Park (originally called Suntrust Park). Name changed because of the bank merger. The Braves (4x World Series Champions - 1914, 1957, 1995, & 2021 / 18 NL pennants) are a team that is so good currently the other teams are gunning for them. They won 104 games in the regular season, considered top of the NL in offense and defense. As someone in enemy territory,    I do think the Braves have a really nice set up in Atlanta.  If you go, you need to go a bit outside downtown Atlanta (10 miles northwest of city). The only reason to go to this part of surburbia is to see a game. Truist Park was surrounded by lots of shopping places and restaurants. They have an area called The Battery Atlanta, shopping area, that was built at the same time as the ballpark.  I did visit the Braves past ballpark, Turner Field (1997-2016). This current ballpark, Truist Park, is amazing. No seats have an obstructed view by design.  I was seated in the outfield. The atmosphere was fun, and I was not hassled too much for wearing Phillies attire at the Braves park.  I did get an Atlanta Braves cap, for I wanted a souvenir of my ATL Braves trip. The Braves, the home team, won this particular game I attended, but we tend to play the Braves a lot. We will play again another day. In 2022, the Phils went on to beat the Braves in the playoffs as a wild card team.  I am hoping in 2023 history is repeated and my Phillies beat the juggernaut Braves.  Wait until October.

The ballpark has a classic ballpark feel to it and there are a lot of references to great Braves players ( eg. Hank Aaron #44). As one of the oldest teams, the Braves highlight their past accolades.  The Braves were founded in Boston, MA, in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings, then became known as Boston Braves in 1912. The Braves are the oldest continuously operating professional sports franchise in America. This team has been based in Atlanta since 1966. I enjoyed my visit as a pure baseball exercise.  I was engulfed in so much baseball history that I could spend hours reading the signs. The pitching  staff that the Braves had in the past (eg. Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, & Tom Glavine)  and currently have, with Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, and Bryce Elder, makes them one of the favorite teams to win the World Series year after year. The Braves did win World Series in 2021. Their batting order too is formidable with Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson. At the game I attended, I witnessed the chop where the Braves fans were chanting and doing the chopping motion in the 6th inning of the game.   I was impressed by the excitement of the Braves faithful.

Today, as of 13 Sept 2023, the Atlanta Braves clinched their 6th Division NL East title in a row.  Those Braves beat my Phillies to win the series in Philly. We will see what happens if the 2 teams meet in the playoffs.  Anything can happen in a best of 5.

LoanDepot Park: Home of Miami Marlins

When I travelled to Miami in 2016, I visited the Marlins park, a baseball stadium that has a retractable roof.  This retractable roof is an engineering marvel, for it closes in 15 min from the open position (5th ballpark that has a retractable roof. There are 8 MLB stadiums with this feature).  Besides rain, the roof also helps with the triple digit heat in South Florida and humidity. Those watching the game at the park can watch in a comfortable atmosphere. Marlins park has the roof closed for most games. It is open a handful of times in the season.

 I still call the Miami Marlins the Florida Marlins, because that is the name they used when they started.  As a Florida resident in my past, I have Marlin attire so I was able to look like a local.  The team officially changed its name in 2012. The Marlins are in the same division as the Phillies, Braves, Nationals, and Mets. As a consequence, we play them a lot especially because MLB has lots of divisional games near the end of the regular season.

This team was an expansion team in 1993. What boggles me is that this expansion team has the same amount of World Series titles as my hometown Phillies.  Marlins won the National League(NL) Pennant and World Series in 1997 and 2003, which happened to be 2 of 3 postseason appearances (all as wild card berths). This is a team you do not want to underestimate.  They can get hot and cause trouble if they make the postseason.

As a baseball park, this stadium did not impress me.  Food was average fare. Crowd was less than what I typically see at MLB games. Because this is a team that has only been around since 1993, the Marlins do not have much of a baseball history compared to other clubs. The only selling point is the roof, but I prefer the traditional baseball park in which the audience gets rained on along with players. I know that means rain delay if rain is too intrusive on gameplay.  That shows my age a bit.  This ballpark would allow the teams playing to play on, for the roof can be closed accordingly. At the particular game I attended, the Marlins (aka Fish) played the St Louis Cardinals and the roof was closed for the game.  I was hoping the Fish beat the Cardinals. Unfortunately, the Cardinals prevailed.  

Now, let us fast forward to September 2023.  My Phillies played the Fish at 7:05 pm (night game).  Phils lost by 1 home run, by a run allowed to a batter that has only hit 5 home runs all season. It was bad luck for us. I am reminded how these Marlins are fighters and they still have a shot at reaching postseason. They are playing for one of the 3 wild card berths in the National League. Phillies should beat this team; we will see how this 3-game series plays out.  

Denver stadium - Visit Coors field

Next stop that I would like to discuss was my trip to Denver to visit the home stadium of Colorado Rockies, Coors Field. What a view as I watched a night game in May 2023!  The stadium was surrounded by the Rocky mountains.  Those who play here have to get used to the altitude and how far the baseball travels in the mountain air.  Because of these facts, this ballpark, opened in 1995, is considered a hitter’s park.  Many MLB pitchers dread pitching in this stadium. I saw why when I saw all the hits made by both teams during the game.

My favorite memory of this park was the pre-game atmosphere, walking into the park.  You can feel the excitement of the Rockies fans as they hit concession stands and made their way to their seats.  I have been to Denver before, but this was the first time I have been able to fit a game in.  I do not remember the score on that day in May. I checked on ESPN based upon the date. Aside, this is why it is nice that I have all the ticket stubs of the games I have seen as well as the MLB app to remind me of my digital tickets.  The score was 10 Rockies - 7 Mets. Verlander (future Hall of Famer) pitched for New York.  Colorado hitters had clutch hitting vs Verlander. I enjoyed my stay in Denver. Baseball was fun in the mile high city especially when the home team wins.

Baseball in Oakland at Coliseum: Sad but historic team

 This past August I went to the Coliseum , the home of the Oakland Athletics.  This stadium was the 29th stadium that I visited.  It reminded me of Veterans  stadium in Philly, for it too was a multi-purpose stadium of concrete and steel.  The problem with Oakland was that the management has totally given up on this team, which is reflected by the product on the baseball field.  At the game that I  attended, the Baltimore Orioles smoked the A’s. The Orioles won easily (9-4).  70 percent of the people around me wore orange and black, rather than the home team.  I sat in the front section.  Barely 3500 people were at the Friday night game.  I have seen more people at Double AA baseball game in Reading.

I did like the nods to the past successful Athletics teams, when I looked at old pictures, murals, and memorials to past greats.  Oakland A’s have won 4 World Series titles; as Philadelphia Athletics, the team (founded in 1901) won 5.  That is a grand total of 9 championships. The history highlighted at park was interesting to a baseball fan and reminds those of what once was.

 Once upon a time the A’s were a force to be reckoned with. Nowadays,  it is a shadow of what it was. The fans left had “Sell” tshirts on and even chanted Sell the team by the 8th inning, for they are sick of Oakland’s management, especially their unwillingness to spend money while still thinking Oakland tax payers will foot the bill for a state of the art stadium.  The Oakland A’s will move once the stadium is built in Vegas in 2028 (if MLB approves the move).  I am saddened by the state of baseball in Oakland.  Oakland fans deserve a good competitive team, rather than one in the basement of baseball. 

I did see fans in green, but it looked like they were there for the promotion (eg. Free Tshirts)  rather than rooting for the team. It seems to me the San Francisco Giants (across the Bay) will rule the area in terms of baseball until things turn around in Oakland. 

Wasted on a franchise: great players that do not reach post season

 Let’s talk about the Anaheim Angels (renamed Los Angeles Angels). What a waste of great players (Trout, Ohtani)!  They are technically still in the race, but most baseball experts agree that they will miss the post season again despite having 2 of the best players on their team.  How do we explain it? That is baseball. The teams play 162 games so it is a long season littered with ebbs and flows, injuries, as well as stretches of bad baseball and winning/losing streaks.

I visited the Angels stadium in August 2019.  It was a pretty stadium, that lauded their 2002 World Series championship.  There was lots of photos of Ohtani and Trout around ballpark.  I was not overly impressed with the food.  I liked my visit there but it was average park in my estimation. 

Below is a photo of Trout (#27) at the plate.