Kentucky Baseball

Bush Stadium- Indianapolis IN

2012-02-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

Victory Field in Indianapolis is one of my all time favorite parks. I have talked before about how much I love that city, and how much I love the Indianapolis Indians.

For me, it is hard to think about a time when Victory Field was not the home of the Indians.

Well, they actually played at Bush stadium from 1931-1996!

I did drive by recently, and I took a few photos. I was told that they still use the park for games and other events. There is a sign up that they are going to make the old park in to apartments! I think that is very cool! I know the city did use some of the old seats at bus stops too.

Wild Pitches

2012-01-27T11:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know, we are all itching for some baseball. I love the thrill of going to a new town and having the chance to explore their minor league park. Going to a new park, walking in for the first time, and mingling with the locals before the gates open.

During the winter months I spent time staring at the map and trying to figure out what new parks I can hit this season.

I also look forward to visiting my personal "home" parks. I see the Lexington Legends and the Florence Freedom whenever I can.

I am really in need of a trip to the park right now!

Anyway, while we all wait for April, let me recommend a couple of blogs I recently found out about.

"Dodger Blue World" seems to focus on classic moments in Dodgers history. Its a well done blog with cool photos. Dodgers fans and baseball fans in general will appreciate it. Check it out-

http://crzblue.mlblogs.com/

Also check out "Baseball Cards Come To Life!". This is a fun blog about baseball cards. The blogs author often does a little digging to find out odd facts about the cards and the players.

http://borosny.blogspot.com/

Wild Pitches

2012-01-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take a moment to mention Gary Carter. Do a quick search or check any of the news sites. It looks like his condition is getting worse.

Carter was easily my favorite player growing up. He has always been cool and classy.

Detroit Tigers- Comerica Park

2012-01-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

Comerica Park is easily one of my favorite major league venues. I would rank it in the top 3.

It has a big spacious feel. There is a lot going on on the inside, but you don't feel packed in like at some other parks.

I know a lot of purists hated to see the old park go (and, there is nothing sadder in my opinion than the death of a great old ballpark) but this one is lively. The staff was great and the fans were on.

Outside of the park was a little iffy. We did park within a few blocks, and we were hassled a little on our way in. I was cussed at by an aggressive scalper whom I ignored, and several people asked for change. A couple of guys claiming to represent a veterans group asked for a donation, and a guy tried to sell me literature about an alien invasion from space. Seriously. I did not make that up!

That is part of Detroit's charm, I guess. I did see plenty of cops so the whole thing felt safe.

Still, when we got inside of the park, there was the stadium photo guy who asks to take your picture, so you can buy prints online later. Our party was in such a state of continuously telling people "no" and trying to walk away that we continued that with the photo guy.

Once we got in and got settled things were great. I casually chatted with several vendors and staff people who were all helpful. The fans were fun and the atmosphere was exciting.

I love the great tiger statues around the park. The growl and glowing eyes of the two on the scoreboard are just too cool. The huge stone ones outside of the front entrance have to be looked at in person. These aren't just cool statues of giant tigers at the ballpark, they are complicated works of art.

We walked all around the park and there was something exciting to see at every angle. You can see a lot of the city and the old buildings from about any seat. Detroit does have an amazing skyline. Plus, Comerica Park has a lot of rides and lights. It has a bit of an old carnival feel in some areas.

I would call this one of the best MLB parks for several reasons. Seating is comfortable. If you have been to a lot of parks, you know that at some you feel like you are looking down at the action if you have seats in an upper area. Other parks space the seats out better. You feel like you are looking across at the action, even if you are looking down. Comerica is that way. You don't feel like you could fall straight down at any moment.

I also like the vibe inside of the park. With the skyline and the fans, you never forget that you are in Detroit. Along those lines, I appreciate the odd characters outside of the park too.

Toledo Mud Hens-Fifth Third Field Toledo OH

2012-01-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

Toledo is one of those towns I just find myself in ever so often. About once a year we do try to make it up there to catch the Mud Hens.

There is a great baseball tradition here. The Mud Hens have been around forever, and it seems like they have been affiliated with the Tigers forever.

I always have fun in Toledo. The town's art museum can compete with any similar museum in larger cities. Tony Packo's is a great place to stop for some unique food before a game. In fact, I think it might be safe to say that the Mud Hens and Tony Packos are the face of Toledo.

Here are a few pictures I took at a game right before the end of the season.

Wild Pitches

2012-01-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would mention a couple of baseball items while we all wait for pitchers and catchers to report around the middle of next month.

I read that the Louisville Slugger Museum has added some cool stuff. One of the new things you can do there is buy a personalized baseball card of yourself! I think thats novel. I do like the personalized bat thing that they do, but bats are bulky.

Have you ever tried to collect baseball bats? How for did you get? I picked up a few game used ones here and there (mostly at minor league ballparks) and stopped after about 5. They are just so darn hard to display and store.

Oh, if you are in Owensboro this Saturday night (January 7th), the Zooperstars are going to be at the Sports Center for the Kentucky Wesleyan Game! I don't think the Zooperstars have made their way to Owensboro before, so check them out!

Adrian Devine- Braves and Rangers

2011-12-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

Adrian Devine zigzagged between the Braves and the Rangers in the 70s. I sent a note to him recently, and he answered some questions.

He says that his favorite players were Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken Jr., ad Jim Sundberg.

His favorite baseball book is "The Glory of Their Times."

He said that 1977 was a wonderful year, and that he was happy to be a part of that Rangers team.

Cleveland Stadium and Skyline at Dusk, Ohio

2011-12-25T16:32:00.000-08:00

Bird's-Eye View of the Great Lakes Exposition, Cleveland Ohio

2011-12-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

Here is yet another great postcard from decades ago showing the old stadium in Cleveland. Lots going on in this picture from the exposition.

Municipal Stadium and Union Terminal Tower, Cleveland Ohio

2011-12-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

Here is another great old card showing the old Cleveland Stadium. Actually, downtown looks the same to me, but there is more build up near the lake. The Rock Hall and the football stadium are there now, along with other buildings.

Daytona Beach Florida Ballpark

2011-12-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

I found this great postcard in an old friends collection. I don't know a lot about it, so any help would be appreciated! On the back, it reads-

Daytona Beach is essentially a resort and tourists' town and in order to provide an adequate recreational center for the many visitors, the city has built up an island in the Halifax River, known as the City Island Playground. Here one will find baseball, being the home of one of the major baseball league clubs, shuffleboard, lawn bowling and many other games so popular with tourists.

Neil Fiala 1981 Reds and Cardinals

2011-12-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

Neil Fiala spent a little time playing for the Reds and the Cardinals.

I asked him recently about his playing time with the Cards, as he is a St. Louis guy.

Neil told me that playing for his home town Cardinals was a great experience. He says that being around the people he grew up watching, and then being coached by them was exciting.

He mentions that he feels more proud of playing for his home team now than he did when he actually played for them. He says that, when he was playing, he was more concerned about the game, and what had to be done. looking back, he says that he had a really good time.

I asked him about being traded to the Reds.

He said that the trade was good and bad. It was bad leaving St. Louis, but it was good going to one of the best teams in the NL. He says that he really enjoyed his time with the Reds, but nothing beats playing in your hometown.

Mr. Fiala let me know about his time at Triple A. He mentions that he played for the AAA Cardinals in Springfield, which was nice because he was close to St. Louis, and family and friends could come to the games.

I asked about his time with one of my favorite teams, the Indianapolis Indians in 1982. he tells me that Indianapolis was a large city that provided a lot of support to the Indians. They had a lot of big crowds for games there. I asked if he has been back to the new Stadium (Victory) but he has not.

1982 was his last season in baseball, though he did go to spring training in 1983 with the Reds Triple A team. He was going to be a utility player, but he decided it was time to move on.

he says that he has never regretted that decision, as he has been able to enjoy time with his wife and daughters, and to coach at the college level.

Concerning coaching, Neil has been the baseball coach at Southwestern Illinois College for 18 seasons. This year will make 19!

He also managed the Frontier League's River City Rascals from 2000-2001. he says that that was a very busy time. Between his two teams, he was involved in over 175 games a year! He was also the home bench coach for the Gateway Grizzlies, helping out Danny Cox.

Neil says that he is focused on his one team now, and is excited about the upcoming season!

Derrin Doty 1993-1996 Angels minor leaguer

2011-12-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

Derrin Doty played outfield in the Angels minor league system for four years. He made it as high as AA.

Mr. Doty sent a short note recently. He says that he had a great time in the minors, but that he was simply on the wrong team.

He mentions that the competition was tough, and he had to compete against Erstad, Salmon, Edmonds & G. Anderson!

Tommy Boggs- Rangers and Braves

2011-11-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

Suzette, Tommy Boggs' wife sent me a note about Tommy's connection to Kentucky!

She tells me that Tom grew up playing Little League at Gardenside Little League in Lexington. He played until he was 11 years old!

After that, his family moved to Texas.

Wild Pitches

2011-11-25T14:08:00.000-08:00

I hope you all noticed that several minor league teams had Black Friday deals going on. I know the Florence Freedom had some cool things available to those buying some mini plans. Several other teams across the country had specials too. Don't forget to support your favorite minor league baseball team this year!

There is some controversy in the indy leagues right now. Do some searches on the Lake County Fielders. Man, their season was very strange!

Also, the Frontier League's new London Ontario team, the Rippers, has generated some hype and concern.

I personally get a kick out of the odd and unconventional logos and mascots. I generally take a very neutral stance on anything controversial, but I have to admit, I will likely buy some of their swag.

Wes Chamberlain 1990-1994 Phillies, & 1995 Red Sox

2011-11-21T16:59:00.000-08:00

Wes Chamberlain hung around the outfield for the Phillies and Red Sox during his career. He also spent several years in the independent leagues, which I think is great!

I asked him some questions recently, and Wes gave me some great answers!

He says that, at this time he does not have a favorite current team or player. He does admire the Cubs and White Sox teams of the 70s.

He enjoyed playing in Japan, and also in the independent Northern and Atlantic leagues after his major league career ended.

He has not contributed to a book, and when asked about his favorite book, he says the Holy Bible.

Wes also mention his site, theweschamberlain.com

Riverfront Stadium

2011-11-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

I found this great postcard, sent through the mail in 1981.

The Reds played here from 1970-2002.

Wild Pitches

2011-11-11T06:54:00.000-08:00

What a crazy time in sports right now. A GREAT World Series just ended. I think it is great that the Cardinals BARELY made it there, and they ended up winning it all!

I liked the Rangers too though. I saw David Murphy play for the Sea Dogs several years ago. I hated that he got to be the last out guy. Then again, he can brag about playing in the World Series.

Lots going on in the lower leagues. Anyone keeping up with the drama involving the Lake County Fielders in the North American League? I hope someone writes a book about this team's season. Their broadcaster quit live on air, and there were many financial disputes. I hope things get worked out.

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, as you know, has been kidnapped, and our thoughts are with him. What an unbelievable situation.

Tom Grant 1983 Cubs

2011-11-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

During a seven year pro career, Tom Grant hung out in the outfield for the Cubs, and briefly for the Indians organizations. He did have his cup of coffee with the Cubs appearing in 16 games in 1983.

He sent a note about his career AND Kentucky!

"When I played in AAA Iowa one of my favorite ballparks was in Louisville." He remembers it being in the fairgrounds area, and he recalls good crowds!

The only problem, he says, is that it was turf.

On a hot summer day he would put his feet in a bucket of ice to cool down his spikes!

Bob Randall 1976-1980 Twins

2011-11-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Bob Randall played for the Twins from 1976-1980. Since then, he has spent time coaching at the college level and in the minor leagues.

Bob sent a note to let me know that his favorite major league teams are his former one, the Twins, along with the Royals.

His favorite minor league team is the Indianapolis Indians. He does mention that he loves the Mud Hens and their park!

His favorite current player is Jeff Francoeur and his favorite former player is Bobby Richardson.

He says his favorite baseball book is Bobby Richardson's.

He is involved with Athletes in Action and sent a brochure! Check out their web site at:

aiabaseball.org!

Fritz Connally- 83 Cubs and 85 Orioles

2011-11-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

Fritz sent me a nice note answering some questions.

"I don't keep track of the minor leagues too much," he says.

He does tell me that a friend of his, Steve Buechele manages the AA Rangers team in Frisco.

Mr. Connally is a Rangers fan, saying that Josh Hamilton is a favorite player. He says that Josh's playing looks effortless!

Fritz was excited about attending a playoff game between the Rays and Rangers when I corresponded with him!

Wild Pitches

2011-10-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

I wasn't expecting SEVEN GAMES! This has been fun!

I really think it is fun watching the World Series, and counting the guys that I watched playing in the minors. I was able to catch some of these guys playing in the New York Penn League. They have REALLY made it now!

It has been a strange Series though.

I have been a little let down this year with the coverage of baseball. The World Series is going on, but it seems that most of the sports shows are covering football more.

Old Tiger Stadium- Detroit MI

2011-10-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

While I was in the Detroit area, I took a quick moment to circle to area where the old Tiger Stadium was . I know some in the area were trying to preserve the park. I have been told that there are still efforts to keep the diamond and a bit of the area land up.

I fear this might be a lost cause. Obviously not much is left.

RFK Stadium, formerly DC Stadium in Washington, DC

2011-10-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

It is a bit hard to believe, but this venue is still in use! It was the home of the Senators from 1962-1971 and the home of the Nationals from 2005-2007.

The back of this postcard reads:

D.C. Stadium located at 22nd Street, N.E. and Capitol Street Bridge. In season, the Washington Redskins and Washington Senators play home games here. Stadium features parking for 12,000 automobiles and has a seating capacity of 43,500 for baseball games and 50,000 for football games.

Wild Pitches

2011-10-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

I am dragging from watching these extra inning late night games right now! Man, the Brewers, Cards, Tigers and Rangers all look good!

I like to keep the focus of this blog on lesser known players, strange books, and the minor leagues. I like little known facts and the obscure.

Still, I want to take a moment to tip my cap to the very mainstream magazine, Sports Illustrated. Have you picked up the latest issue? If you look around, you can find subscription deals for way less than a buck each. They even tossed in a Colts jacket with my subscription.

There is a great article about the teams that played past the Red Sox and Braves to make it to the playoffs.

Another article talks about how interesting baseball might be if there was a tournament at the end of the season to determine the weakest team in baseball. That team would get demoted to AAA. The winner of the AAA playoffs would get bumped up to the majors. Yeah, there are some logical issues, but there would be ways to work around that. Yes, I know this would never happen, but I REALLY like this idea. Again, read Grant Wahl's Scorecard in SI for more on this interesting idea.

Chris Ballard and Owen Good contribute a very thorough article on Jack Swift, the last 30 game winner in the minors. EASILY one of the best baseball articles I have read in some time. If you love stories about lesser known and forgotten players in baseball, here you go!

I guess, there is a bit of an underdog baseball theme going in this week's SI!

San Diego Chicken and the West Michigan White Caps

2011-10-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

Previously I went on about how great of a time I had seeing the West Michigan White Caps. My time in Grand Rapids was especially exciting because the greatest promotion in all of baseball was there on on our night at the park. Obviously I am talking about the Famous San Diego Chicken.

I posted about the Chickens appearance in Indianapolis some time ago. He is still pulling many of the same gags, but they just get funnier each time you see them.

I mentioned seeing him to a friend recently. My friend said something about it not being the same guy anymore. I corrected him and told him that the Chicken is still Ted Giannoulas, just as he has been for over 3 decades now.

You have to love the chicken. He has been appearing for forever now, and he is extremely fan friendly. He sticks around after the game to sign autographs for everyone. He does have a merch table at the games (I picked up a cool Chicken bobble head for a very reasonable $10).

Oh, Grand Rapids has a very cool connection to the Chicken in a political way! I toured the Gerald Ford museum, and they have an old mask of Ted's on display! How cool is that?

A tip of my yellow 21 cap goes out to the White Caps for being such a great organization and hosting the legendary mascot!

And, thanks to the Chicken for being so consistently great! I think we are all hoping to catch the San Diego Chicken at many more games!

West Michigan White Caps- Fifth Third Ballpark

2011-10-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Grand Rapids Michigan has something really special going with their team.

The area gives a lot of support to the West Michigan White Caps.

The fans and the venue both have much more of a AA feel than an A feel. This is a nice, slick venue with a very modern atmosphere.

Plus, the White Caps are affiliate with the Tigers, who play just up the road.

These guys have had some attention over the past years because of unique food items (including a huge burger).

I had a nice pork sandwich and potato salad myself. It was really good.

I know this might sound odd, but I felt like this organization wanted to make everything "really good."

Let me explain a bit. I have been to some parks that have a unique museum or statue. Maybe they have a great gift shop. BUT, they might have a very mediocre menu selection. Sometimes parks are excellent in one area, but not so good in another.

That was not the case here. I felt that this team was just really well managed in every area. On a scale of 1-10, EVERY area was at least a 9. The staff was helpful and friendly. They have a well stocked gift shop with unique items. Parking was easy. I checked out their promotions schedule. It was packed.

If I had to take a non-baseball fan to a minor league park somewhere... anywhere... and I wanted them to have the best experience they could possibly have.... I would take them here.

Its a newer park and all, so obviously you wouldn't have the charming history of an older park, but you would have all of the modern comforts.

Even without the history of an older team, they still have signs up mentioning current MLBers who have played, in the past, for the White Caps.

Oh, and Grand Rapids is just a really nice area. They have a nice downtown area with the cool Gerald Ford Museum, and they have the Fred Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park (I will get reviews for those sites up on my other blog). Those attractions, along with the White Caps can justify a 7 day trip to Grand Rapids.

Wild Pitches

2011-10-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of low level professional baseball. I really appreciate the drive of the guys at the lower divisions, hoping that they can keep climbing up. I especially love the unaffiliated minor leagues. It is still professional, but it is VERY low.

I recently read that a very unsettled Frontier League team out of Michigan (it has moved around and even operated as a travelling team) will be moving to London Ontario.

I am so excited about this move! The last time a Frontier League team was in that area, they had the all time coolest name in all of minor league baseball (they were the London Werewolves!). This team will be playing at the same historic field that the Werewolves occupied, Labatt Park.

I read an article recently about an amateur team that also occupies that facility. The team is upset about the new Frontier League team coming in to play their games, and ultimately to compete for the local fans attention.

A few local fans in the area did comment, and it appeared that they felt both teams deserved support.

I do hope that the amateur team continues to get lots of local support. I also hope that the baseball fans in London realize that a Frontier League team in their area is very cool and beneficial.

The Frontier league has evolved a great deal since the Werewolves pulled out of town a decade ago. The league is expanding, and the teams are drawing fans.

Personally, I have an affiliated team within a few miles of my house. I see that team 10-20 times a year. I drive a lot during the summer to catch other minor league teams. The closest Frontier League to me is an hour away. I go to several of their games each year too.

The Florence Freedom are about 70 miles from my house. I look forward to the weekend games when I have a moment to drive to the area for an evening game. The Florence area is nice. There are several book stores, sandwich shops, and a couple of other local businesses I visit while I am there.

I usually have 1-4 friends I meet for the games too, and we spent a lot of time in the Florence area. We also spend money.

I figure the local economy appreciates my time in the area. I appreciate the fact that Florence has a Frontier League team.

I have spent a lot of time (and money) in minor league towns. I know lots of other people that also visit minor league towns, and support the area businesses.

Off the top of my head, I know that the last two seasons I have supported the local economy in Kansas City KS, Washington PA, Bridgeport, CT, and York PA on road trips to see independent teams.

I have never driven out of the way to see an amateur team.

I hope London thinks about the benefits to their local economy (and, I think the town is thinking that way, as they have OK'd the team to come to town). There are minor league baseball fans out there that are going to come to your area and spent money because there is a professional team there.

Tony Packo's- Toledo OH

2011-10-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

Tony Packo's, in a lot of ways is the signature of Toledo. If someone tells me they drove through town, I will always ask if they stopped there.

There are several locations in the Toledo area, but I always stop by the original, or the one right across from the ballpark. In fact, part of the Mud Hens experience, in my opinion, includes going to Tony Packo's before the game.

The restaurant is famous for it's autographed hot dog buns proudly displayed on the walls.

The restaurant across the street from the Mud Hens has a lot of baseball memorabilia displayed. It almost serves as a local baseball museum. They have some gorgeous panoramic photos of old parks in the area, and actual park relics on display.

And the food is tasty and unique. The vegetable soup is perfect. There is a taste to it that reminds me of Tabasco, but without the heat.

They care about the quality of their hot dogs too. In fact, they are some of the best around. I love hot dogs, and these are some of the best.

If you are traveling in or through Toledo, you have no excuse for not stopping here!

tonypackos.com

Here is a link to an older post of mine on my other blog:

kentuckytravels.blogspot.com/2010/02/tony-packos-toledo-ohio.html

Lansing Lugnuts

2011-10-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

We took a moment to stop and see the Lansing Lugnuts on our recent road trip.

This is an interesting park in an interesting area.

This is one team that has taken the naming rights thing to an entirely new level. Try to say this without getting confused-

The venue formerly known as Oldsmobile Park is now known as Jackson Field at Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium. I have a feeling that locals are probably having a tough time saying it. More importantly, I bet locals are having a hard time remembering it. I am guessing that the park will still be called by it's old name, or the locals will simply generically say, "Lets go see the Lugnuts."

Hey, as a fan of minor league baseball I do try to take note of who has a sign up at the park. If a company is supporting minor league baseball, I do try to think about that.

Then again, I think about how cool it is that Victory Field in Indianapolis has proudly not sold it's naming rights. They are in a bigger market though, with a lot of local fan support.

Still, this is a nice little park that is fun. The staff was great.

Right across from the park are some nice condos and businesses. I have always had a fantasy of living in a nice little place like Lansing, directly across from a park.

I love cool art and cool baseball related statues, and the Lugnuts have them! One piece of art was hard to explain, but interesting.

Wild Pitches

2011-09-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

Check out this witty article from Kevin Manahan and the Star-Ledger:

www.nj.com/njvoices/index.ssf/2011/09/mets-hurt-themselves-newark-by.html

The Yankees tried to move their AAA team to Newark for next year only, as their current top minor league team needs a new home since the park in Scranton-Wilkes Barre will be renovated during 2012.

The Mets objected, as they play within a close distance of Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

The Newark bears of the independent Can-Am league play there now (I am not sure of what their plans would have been if the AAA Yankees came to town).

This has been a great few days for baseball fans.... I hope your team(s) made it. Again, I am pulling for the Tigers, but I like all of the teams that made it this year...

I have mentioned that Cliff Lee is my guy too, so I hope he does well with the Phillies. Oh, did you read the article in Sports Illustrated this week about Cliff and Philadelphia? It is a nice article about the fans, and their relationship with Cliff and the other pitchers with the Phillies right now.

AND.... how can you not be inspired by the Rays? WOW! Joe Madden is simply the coolest guy in baseball these days.

Were you watching the various games on Wednesday night? TELL ME that the baseball gods do not exist..... I thought it was odd too that Red Sox fans everywhere were pulling for a Yankees victory! The Sox don't need another jinx.... They really just got over the curse.... Maybe a Ted Williams stamp could bring them some luck next season?

Ned Skeldon Stadium- Toedo OH

2011-09-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

Ned Skeldon Stadium was the home of the Toledo Mud Hens from 1965-2002. I drove through the Maumee area recently, and had a few minutes to swing by and take some quick pictures.

I wasn't able to get inside, but I did get some photos from around it.

I asked someone near the park about getting in. I was told that a very nice guy keeps the place up, and does a good job. Schools still play there games on the field. I looked for the grounds keeper, but I could not find him.

Wild Pitches

2011-09-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Well, the minor league season is over. I know, you are also asking yourself, "what do I do now?"

Well, there is that whole MLB post season thing that is about to get going. I saw the Tigers at spring training this year, and I saw them in Detroit (and I visited 4 of their affiliated parks this season) so I am pulling for them right now.

One thing I noticed mentioned at the Frontier League web site recently. MORGAN BURKHART will be managing Windy City in 2012! If you are a fan of the league, this is a pretty big deal. Morgan has some time at the show under his belt, and he was the most dominant player in the league in the 90s.

David Cheadle

2011-09-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

David Cheadle literally had a cup of coffee with the Braves, making it in to one game in Cincy, and one in Atlanta.

He sent me a very nice article recently about his career. He turned down a college scholarship to sign with the Yankees.

After hitting a wall out of frustration and breaking some bones, the Yankees dealt him to the Braves. His career highlight was striking out Pete Rose. In school, he pitched ridiculously, pitching the entire way of a 23 inning Babe Ruth league game, allowing 4 hits and striking out 49!

Bush Stadium Indianapolis Indiana

2011-09-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this postcard from 1995. It has been roughed up in the mail, but it still looks good!

Not a lot of stuff out there on the old stadium. This postcard was postmarked 1995, and it says on the back:

"The Indianapolis Indians' move to a new stadium in 1996 will leave the venerable ballpark vacant. The city-owner of the 1931 Art Deco stadium- has opposed landmark status."

Parkway Field, Louisville, KY

2011-09-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is a GREAT postcard of Parkway Field in Louisville, KY. Used from the 20s through the 50s by the old Louisville Colonels. I have had a tough time finding quality items relating to this park!

Stadium Journey

2011-09-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

Hey! Check out stadiumjourney.com! Someone mentioned this one to me lately, and I really like it!

They review ballparks and other sports venues! It is very interactive, has some nice pics, and gives a lot more info than most sites on food, atmosphere, etc.

They have a nice rating system too! This will be a great resource for any minor league baseball (or any other sports fan) that enjoys a good sports road trip!

Joanne Gerace

2011-09-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

I received a note from Joanne Gerace recently. Joanne had an association with author Roger Kahn, as the GM of the Utica Blue Sox.

She mentions the book by Kahn about her and the Blue Sox, called "Good Enough to Dream." Her literary association with Kahn puts her in GREAT company.

Joanne says, "Blue Sox Baseball was my job and passion."

She says that now her favorite team in the majors is the Yankees, and Posada is her favorite!

I will get a review of "Good Enough To Dream" soon!

Wild Pitches

2011-09-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the minor league baseball season is pretty much over. I did make a quick road trip through Michigan, and saw the Tigers, Lugnuts, WhiteCaps, and Mud Hens!

The Mud Hens, obviously are in Ohio, but they are darn close to Michigan, and they have some strong connections to the state. I was glad to see that they are drawing some good crowds! Oh, and I had the chance to indulge in some Tony Packos!!!!

I know Toledo is not the usual family tourist stop, but Mud Hens baseball and GREAT dogs are the perfect combo for a road trip.

I have been to Comerica Park before, but this was my first chance to actually catch a game. The park has a great, lively field. Good friendly staff too! Detroit seems to be trying hard to shake its bad rep, and in general, they are doing a good job. Still, I walked about 3 blocks to get to the game, and I was harassed by various people asking for donations, change, and trying to sell stuff. This was my only negative experience in Detroit though, and it wasn't too bad.

There is an excitement there that reminds me of the vibe going through Pittsburgh a little over a decade ago. Locals seem to have more pride in the area and that is a plus. I hope (and believe) Detroit can pull out of their slump as a town.

The White Caps in Grand Rapids put on a great show! VERY friendly staff and good atmosphere. This area could support a AA or AAA team.

Michael Veeck

2011-09-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

The legendary Michael Veeck sent me a nice, long letter recently! I was very glad to hear from this minor league innovator!

He tells me that his favorite minor league team is the St. Paul Saints, as he is very involved with that team right now.

His favorite major league team is the White Sox. His son is currently working for them!

Michael mentions that he has also worked for the Marlins, Tigers, and Rays.

His all time favorite players are Early Wynn and Larry Doby. Currently, Jim Thome is a favorite, and he says that Jim is a great home run champion.

Michael mentions Jim Bouton's "Ball Four" as a great book.

Thanks Michael! What a great note! I agree with everything! Jim Thome is such a great player with legit numbers! I became a fan back in my Cleveland days.

Bobby Freeman D-Back organist

2011-09-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

If you have followed this blog for some time (again, thanks mom!) you know that I love corresponding with interesting people involved in baseball.

I sent a note to Arizona Diamondbacks organist Bobby Freeman not long ago, and he sent me one of the nicest responses. Thanks Bobby!

I did get his great CD, "Ballpark Hits." I love having ballpark organ music around, especially in December and January, when I am really missing a trip to the park. Please pick up the CD if you enjoy the sound of the organ at a game.

Jim Bouton- Ball Four

2011-09-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Ball Four" is one of those great books that gets a lot of credit, but it probably deserves even more.

Bouton is so honest (not just about his teams, and teammates, but also about himself) you feel like you know him after reading the book. In my edition, in one of the update sections, he even suggests that the reader is sort of like family if they have read to that point. And you do feel for him and his relationships, especially with his family.

Reading the book now, in the 2010s, it almost seems odd that they book was controversial at one time. I can understand the books by Canseco, Rose, and McCarthy being controversial, but Bouton's doesn't feel that way to me.

Then again, I wasn't around when the book originally came out.

Reading about the Pilots during their year is great fun on its own. Reading about Jim's dealing with the Yankees, and shuffling between the majors and minors is fun too.

Jim Bouton is witty as heck. It is difficult to describe his humor, but it is original and unique.

Ed Hearn- Conquering Life's Curves

2011-08-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that one of my all time favorite teams is the 1986 Mets (though, as history goes on, I find the Red Sox and Astros from that year just as fascinating and worthy of admiration- but I hated them back then).

The whole team was great. I remember the names of the all of them.

Ed Hearn was the catcher behind Carter, which made him pretty cool. AND, he was an 86 Met!

Ed jokes in his book about David Leterrman making a joke one night about how all of the 86 Mets put a book out. Dave jokingly mentions that even Ed Hearn has a book out. This was BEFORE Ed actually published his book.

Ed gets traded to the Royals in a trade that many consider very lopsided, with the Mets getting the better deal.

Ed has some physical problems and his career winds down more quickly than he expected.

He comes through a lot, and survives some very close calls, with the help of his wife and religion.

Ed receives a kidney transplant, and becomes a motivational speaker.

This is a really nice book (it reads a lot like Gary Carter's books). He keeps his head up through a lot, and seems grateful for all he has. The last chapter is the best, as he is able to connect to the family of the person who's kidney he receives.

Gary Ross 1968-1977

2011-08-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

Gary Ross played in the majors from 1968-1977, spending time with the Cubs, Padres, and Angels.

I received a note from Linda Ross recently for Gary.

I asked Gary about his time with the Hawaii Islanders. Linda told me that Gary was on the All Star team for the Islanders, and he was the MVP of the game!

Gary was also in 2 books, "Cubs of 69" by Rick Talley and "Tales of the San Diego Padres" by Bob Chandler and Bill Swank.

Wild Pitches

2011-08-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

I am still trying to squeeze in a few more games before the season is over!

Here are a couple of things you might enjoy....

Check out Ben's Blog this week (linked to the left side of the screen under my favorite baseball blogs). He has a fun video of Seals parachuting into Victory Field in Indianapolis!

Also, go to the Akron Aeros site. They have a contest going to rename the team! I am split on this one. They have been the Aeros for some time now.... but.... Aeros is kind of an iffy name. I kind of like the Rubber Ducks suggestion. They do have a cool Star Wars parody video promoting their upcoming fireworks night that is pretty cool. Check that out!

Stan Naccarato- Tacoma Washington Legend

2011-08-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

Stan Naccarato has been involved with baseball in Tacoma for decades! He pretty much ran the franchise there forever! If you follow the PCL, or baseball in Washington, you know him!

He very kindly took a moment to let me know about his career recently.

I tells me that he wears World Series rings from the 89 and 90 A's, and the 78 Yankees. He received them as Tacoma had their AAA teams those years. He says that working with those teams was "top dog fun"!

He says that the Yankees and the Mariners are his favorites.

Chris Green- 1984 Pirates

2011-08-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Chris Green played pro baseball from 1980-1987, spending some of 1984 with the Pirates! He sent me a great note recently!

He tells me about his very first major league game.

"It was against my hometown LA Dodgers". He comes in to the game to pitch to a lefty and strikes him out on three pitches! Catching for the Pirates was Tony Pena.

Chris knew that, after a his relief appearance, a pinch hitter would probably be batting. Well, Chris' teammates let him get a batting helmet and head on to the on deck circle. He had his bat ready!

When he looked back, he noticed that the entire team, including manager Chuck Tanner, was getting a big kick out of the situation!

Thanks Chris!

Sandy Vance 1970-1971 Dodgers

2011-08-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

Sandy spent some time in the eary 70s with the Dodgers.

He sent a brief note telling me about some of his favorites in baseball.

His favorite team is still the Dodgers, and his favorite former player is Sandy Koufax.

Interestingly, this Dodgers fan says that his current favorite player is Tim Lincecum.

He also notes that his favorite books are "Lefty's Legacy" and "I Live for This".

Tom Walker 1972-1977 Major League Pitcher

2011-08-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tom Walker played for the Expos, Tigers, Cardinals, and A's during his major league career.

He let me know recently that he was in a book, "61 Humorous and Inspiring Lessons I Learned from Baseball" by Howard Kellman.

Roberto Clemente

2011-08-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

"My God, Blass thought. Clemente! He's invincible. He doesn't die. He plays as long as he wants to and then becomes governor of Puerto Rico."

I FINALLY got around to reading the Roberto Clemente biography by David Maraniss titled, "Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero."

This is just a cool book. First off, it is about Clemente. Personally, I love number 21. he is such a mythical figure. He died way before I even came along, but he is so fascinating.

Maraniss shows us a lot about Roberto in this book. The title alone really gets Clemente right. Words like grace, passion, and hero are all very appropriate for the Pirates legend.

I think anyone stopping by this blog knows the story of Roberto Clemente, but if you don't, pick up this book. Sure, it is huge, but it is so good you will read it in no time.

Roberto Clemente is one of the few characters in history who truly sacrifices everything for a cause that he believes in. He personally tries to take food and medical supplies to Nicaragua after a major earthquake. He wants to accompany the supplies himself to make sure that the people get the needed items.

I can think of people in our modern times who might sign a check, or help out a little, but I can't think of someone actually going to a devastated area to make sure the government does not take the supplies.

Maraniss does a great job of covering Roberto's career. He also details the state of the people in Nicaragua. I was not aware of the details concerning the bad condition of the aircraft.

Two of my other favorite baseball characters make appearances in the book. I have met Steve Blass and Manny Sanguillen a couple of times. I love these guys and their connection to Clemente. If you attend a Pirates game in Pittsburgh, Manny is pretty easy to locate. Blass is around to, and it is so great still having these guys around.

St. Cloud Stadium Huntington, WV

2011-08-02T00:16:00.000-07:00

West Virginia is a great area with a ton of history! They have had some amazing minor league teams and venues.
I did stop by St. Cloud Stadium recently. This nice little park has been through a LOT and the area has kept it up, but it is especially in need of some care right now.
Check out digitalballparks.com for a very thorough write up on its history.
I am hoping this park still has some life left in it!

Smokies Baseball- Again

2011-07-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

West Virginia Power- Charleston WV

2011-07-14T00:20:00.000-07:00

There is something really cool about this area of West Virginia. I can't put my finger on it exactly.

And, to be honest, I wasn't really impressed the first time I visited the Charleston and Huntington area. I have heard others express that the area is uneventful.

Well, both Huntington and Charleston have nice malls, cool bookstores, and cool places to eat (I have mentioned Hillbilly Hot Dogs and Billy Bob's Pizza on my other blogs). Plus, for those fascinated with strange events, the area has the Mothman and the Flatwoods Monster!

AND, there is baseball. The Power play at Appalachian Power Park which is barely half a decade old, but it feels like a more mature baseball venue.

The old buildings and the brick do a lot for the place. it is not as fancy as some other parks that have gone up in the last 5-10 years, but that is nice in my books. The area and the park have a very retro feel.

I love this organization and area for many reasons. I have had great experiences with the friendly staff, and the friendly locals. As we went up to buy our tickets, a guy with a group of young kids asked us if we were about to purchase tickets. I told him we were, and he gave us an extra he had!

We thought this was very kind! I have had that happen before in Harrisburg. I have also bought cheap tickets from season ticket holders in different cities for a few bucks or so. Anyway, I just really thought it was nice that someone just gave us a ticket.

The night we were there, the Power were wearing the very retro Charleston Charlies jerseys. I really thought this was great, and it added to the over all throw back feel.

Oh, and the Power have a new mascot since my last visit (and the team was in desperate need of a new one). Chuck is their new giant furry mascot and he is great! I have mentioned before that- in my opinion- the more muppet like the better. Chuck is perfect.

They also had a VERY Erie Seawolves like mascot. In fact, I thought that the Seawolves mascot was at the game for some strange reason. Anyway, he was great too, and I think he is a radio station related mascot involved with the team.

I love the teams small but stocked gift shop. They have $10 pull over jerseys which was nice.

You can walk all the way around the field, and feel very comfortable here. I saw some guys in the bleacher seats who had brought in a radio to listen to the game. There are some great fans in Charleston.

I can't stress enough how much I like this area. Like I said, there is a mall, and a ballpark- two huge pluses. But, I didn't see as many cell phones or texters. The fans were setting and enjoying the game. it is a relaxed area. This is the kind of place where you can go, and truly trick yourself in to thinking you are watching a AAA game in the late 70s.

Florence Freedom

2011-07-12T00:28:00.000-07:00

There is a casual party like atmosphere at a Florence Freedom game. The crowds and the security are, in my opinion, a bit more cool than at some of the other parks. The Freedom have a bit more of a sense of humor, and the team plays more small ball than most- making for a very enjoyable evening at the park.

I love the restroom artwork that they display. Check out the Bigfoot painting! TOTALLY COOL!

I love the eyeball race. It is fun..... and creepy. When I am around giant eyeballs, I feel like I am being watched by giants in a Twilight Zone episode.

The Freedom do a better job than most with their on field staff and games. There are some new faces. Check out the guy in the pink shirt. he did a great job of getting the crowd involved. I must admit that I miss the girl they have had the last couple of years. Back flips are awesome.

The Freedom have some of the best mascots too (and I LOVE mascots). Some of their mascots area bit odd (I have no idea what the green guy is- and Sponge Bob is around a lot for some reason too).

Anyway, I am glad the the Florence Freedom are at it again this year!

Juan Valdes

2011-07-10T00:39:00.000-07:00

There are many players working their way up through the minor leagues. Thousands.

That is one of the cool things about the minors. Each year, there are some new guys hoping to make it.

I now follow the Kentucky minor league teams closely, and a few others. I like to keep tabs on the Lexington Legends, Indianapolis Indians, and the West Virginia Power.

I did spend a chunk of time in the Cleveland area and became very familiar with their major league team, and pretty much their entire minor league system.

At one time we had season tickets for the Lake County Captains. We really enjoyed the team, the park, and the area. In fact, when we visit other teams and parks, we compare them to the Captains.

One of the Captains players we really pulled for was Juan Valdes. We liked his scrappy style of play, and his happy attitude. We saw him play with the Captains often.

Well, things happen. Some guys get promoted, and eventually have their major league careers or their cups of coffee. Some guys get released.

Juan kind of disappeared from affiliated baseball. I was happy last year to see his name appear on an independent league team's roster. I was even happier to see his name appear on the roster for one of my favorite teams this year, the Florence Freedom!

Sure, the chances of Juan making it to The Show are not as good these days as they were when he started out, but thats OK. he is coming up on a decade long professional baseball career, and that is cool. That does give a guy some bragging rights.

I have enjoyed catching Juan with the Freedom this year and no matter where his career takes him, we are still pulling for him.

Wedding at the park

2011-07-08T00:38:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, we have a theme going on this week!

A wedding happened before the Florence Freedom game a few weeks ago!

Bro, you need to thank your wife for letting this happen! Not just the wedding at the ballpark, but also for mixing in the Star Trek theme too! WOW!

Seriously, I could see a bride reluctantly agreeing to getting married before a game. I could see a bride VERY reluctantly agreeing to a Star Trek wedding. Getting both to happen is just too cool. She's a keeper!

More love at the park

2011-07-06T00:27:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah! That's ANOTHER marriage proposal at a park this season! Congrats to Tara and her guy!

I think this is great! For what its worth, I proposed to my wife at Natural Bridge.

I would love to hear from anyone involved in a park or stadium marriage proposal!

Love at the Park

2011-07-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

OK, I have watched TWO marriage proposals AND a wedding at games this year!!! Both proposals were at Kentucky Parks (Lexington and Bowling Green) AND the weeding was in Florence before a Freedom game!

Congrats to all! Very nice! Oh, and if you were one of the couples at these games, feel free to contact me, I took a few (low quality) photos.

The two pics above were from the Bowling Green game.

Babe Ruth by Rebecca Clark Rau

2011-07-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

I have not read a thorough biography on Ruth. Recently, I was looking at books at Joseph Beth and I came across this one by Kentucky author Rebecca Clark Rau.

This is a nice, easy to read volume on Ruth. It is pretty to the point, giving a fun account of each season, of his growing up in Baltimore, and his last days.

Rau does add a little creativity to the account, assuming some of Ruth and his family's thoughts at times, but you can tell where the creative assumptions occur and where the facts are.

I enjoyed reading about Ruth's early days with the minor league Orioles team, and his desire to pitch less as his career went on.

Another thing I like about this book is that the author mentions locations of some of the Ruth landmarks (his dad's bar, for example).

I was happy to see a Kentucky author put such a nice book together! If you have not read up on the Babe, check this book out!

babethelegend.com

Wild Pitches

2011-07-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

The Lexington Legends got in to a little fight the other night in Charleston! Check it out!

You know, I do love keeping the game clean and all, but a fight is a fight. AND, fights start because people care about what they are doing. I would like to encourage all players to not fight..... but I am sure as heck glad that these guys feel so passionate about the game. Hats off to both teams.

wchstv.com/newsroom/sports/bbs/bbs110627_680.shtml

Thanks to Josh Lewis and Channel 8 news in Charleston for keeping the cameras going!

Anyone catch Wade Boggs in the SyFy Channel monster movie "Swamp Shark"? The SyFy channel, in my opinion, does a good job on their movies. I thought this was an enjoyable movie. Wade Boggs plays a wimpy cop though. he only appears towards the end of the movie and has a few lines. Still, it was good seeing him!

I heard a few weeks ago about the current situation with Gary Carter. Carter is one of my all time favorites, and I really think the world of him. If you aren't up on his career, or his health issues, go to his web site.

garycarter.org

Obviously, I am hoping things get better with him.....

Tennessee Smokies near Knoxville

2011-06-30T05:20:00.000-07:00

I FINALLY had the chance to catch a game at Smokies Park near Knoxville!

I have been through the area before, and I have stopped by to check out the park, but the times before have been on non-game days.

There are a lot of things to like about this park and this team. The park has several very unique features.

The Smokies have one of the coolest souvenir shops around. It is very upscale, unlike some teams that have a kiosk, or stand. They have a great selection of hats, shirts, jerseys, etc. They have always had game used jerseys for sale when I have been there, and they offer game used bats! Their programs are very attractive and reasonable at $2 each.

They have some unique items too, like baseball clocks.

There is a very green hill behind the outfield wall. I like a nice city skyline view at a park, but I love green too. It has a very relaxing, rural feel to it.

Let me take a moment to mention the hotel where we stayed. There is a great Hilton right next door to the park. Walking distance! These days, I have a personal preference for Hyatts in general, but this is a really nice, friendly hotel.

Plus, many of the rooms have a nice view of Smokies Park! I talked to the Assistant GM Timothy there for some time and he was great! The place almost feels like an independent place more than a chain.

Oh, the legendary Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg areas are close by. Very close to the park here are a great Bass Pro Shop and some other cool little shops.

I did have a little trouble at the concessions. I got a pretzel at the pretzel stand. they did not have cheese, but they said I could try to get some at the main concession area, depending on who I talked to. My drink mix was a bit off too. Then again, it was a hoppin' day when I was there. They were busy.

They do have a cool, refillable cup program thing going on. You buy their travel mug for $10, then refills are a buck after that.

The park itself is just really nice. It has a nice open feel, and it is spacious. You can have a seat on the grass area about the outfield wall, AND you can walk all the way around the park. That is a feature I really appreciate at any park.

So, check out these photos! I will probably be back here soon!

Reggie Baldwin- 1979-1978 Astros

2011-06-27T10:55:00.000-07:00

Reggie Baldwin played for the Astros in the late 70s.

He says that his best time in Baseball was hitting his first major league home run in the Astrodome off of Jim Bibby.

Reggie is now pastor of Antioch International Ministries in Ann Arbor.

http://antiochint.org/

Jim Tyrone- 1970's Cubs and A's

2011-06-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

Jim Tyrone played for the Cubs in 1972, 1974, and 1975, and he played most of the 1977 season with Oakland. He sent a nice note recently.

He says that he really doesn't have a favorite team though he does follow the Rangers, as he lives in their area.

He tells me that Billy Williams will always be his favorite former player. He helped Jim with his hitting. He says Dick Williams is a close second.

He loves watching Mitch Moreland with the Rangers. He feels that Mitch will be a great player as he matures.

baseball Interactions

2011-06-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hey, I stumbled over another cool blog recently that I thought others might enjoy. The blog's author has left a couple of comments here, and it looks like he is doing a fun job of documenting his correspondences with former players too!

Check out baseballinteractions.blogspot.com

Kim Andrew 1975 Red Sox

2011-06-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

Kim Andrew played a couple of games for that great 1975 Boston Red Sox team!

Kim let me know a little bit about himself recently.

He says that, since he lives in the LA area, he usually gets the Dodgers games. He is pretty busy these days though, so it is hard to watch them. He usually sees the highlights on cable.

Right now he says that he has no favorite teams.

He did meet Ryan Braun a couple of years ago, and he has followed his career. He feels that Braun is putting up some good numbers and could eventually make it to Cooperstown.

Mr. Andrew spent some time playing in Italy and I asked him about this. He said it was a fun place to play and to visit, but it was not much of a challenge for him. Plus, the country's main sport is soccer.

Indianapolis Indians

2011-06-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

I know, I have mentioned the Indianapolis Indians here a zillion times, but here I go again! I got to see my first game in Indy a few weeks ago. I really look forward to my visits in this town.

If you have never spent a weekend in Indianapolis, do it! Seriously, get a room downtown for the weekend, preferably a 3 day weekend, if not longer. Several museums are within walking distance, and the Circle Center Mall is just a great, cool place in my books. The Pacers, Colts, and Indians all play within walking distance of most of the downtown hotels. Indianapolis is a very alive town with music, theater, and restaurants too.

Victory Field (they have not sold the naming rights- a very classy move!) is one of my favorite parks. it is roomy, and the staff has always been friendly.

I love the skyline too. It seems have been in change over the last few years, but it looks right now. You can see the major hotels and other buildings from the park, including Lucas Oil Stadium, and the Eagles Nest rotating restaurant on top of the Hyatt Regency.

The team has fun promotions too. When I went in April, the entire team was signing autographs on the concourse!

One more thing. The Zooperstars were there too! I am starting to think that those guys are following me around! I don't mind though, they are always fun!

"The Bullpen Gospels" by Dirk Hayhurst

2011-06-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

The "Bullpen Gospels" by Dirk Hayhurst is one of my new favorite baseball books. I think "Everything Happens in Chillicothe" is still my all time favorite baseball book, but this might be a close second.

Hayhurst writes a very fun and entertaining book about players having a good time in the minors, hoping to make their way up to the majors.

There are many, MANY fun stories in here. If you like reading a book simply for fun stories about baseball's minor leaguers, you can't go wrong with this book.

Dirk is open about his own personal flaws in the book. He even reveals some moments when he has been vain and a little uppity.

There is a fun story about Dirk, humbly volunteering at a soup kitchen. He thinks that some of the people coming in for food might enjoy having an autographed baseball card from him. Obviously, a signed baseball card is pretty meaningless to some of the folks coming in. Dirk ends up helping one of the people in need by trading his good shoes for the man's worn out footwear.

Another time, Dirk is dealing with his stresses in life (family problems, career choices,etc). He gives a baseball to a young disabled boy who actually can't even grasp the ball. He realizes that his problems do not seem so significant.

Personally, I am a huge fan of the Frontier League. Frontier League managing legend John Massarelli makes an appearance in this book, which is pretty cool with me. On an unrelated topic, why hasn't affiliated baseball given this guy a chance??

Oh, Yoda and the Baseball Grim Reaper show up too! Both are fun characters, but I am more impressed with Massarelli myself.

Anyway, this is a really nice book.

Bowling Green Hot Rods

2011-06-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

I did swing by the Bowling Green Ballpark in 2009, before it was completed. I have tried to get back each season a time or two for a game, but I have not been able to mostly because of weather. Well, recently, I was finally able to catch a game there!

I have always thought that Bowling Green was a great town. Plus, it is so close to the cave area, and even has some cave's right in it (Lost River Cave, for example).

I think the town has taken some of the momentum that Owensboro once had. I think a minor league ballpark is a perfect example. I am very glad the Owensboro has the Owensboro Oilers now, but the town came close to see a professional team a few years back when the Frontier League thought about putting a team there. Well, Bowling Green finds a way to get an affiliated team to come to town!

Bowling Green has done a great job with this park, and with this team. The park is near the college campus, and a little ways off from the mall. It is close enough to the stuff you will want to see in town, but still in its own space.

So, we arrived at the ballpark about an hour before the start of the game. I asked at the ticket window for seats under a roof area as there was a drizzle going on. We got two great ones for $10 each behind home but covered! Perfect! And, in my books, a good value.

The guy running the gift shop seemed knowledgeable about baseball, the team, and the park. EVERYONE that I talked to at the park seemed proud of their association with the team and they acted happy to be there.

Bowling Green Ballpark is not a park with all of the bells and whistles you see at other parks, which, in many ways, is nice. Physically, I might even describe it as standard. Let me clarify how I feel a bit- it was pleasantly traditional. They have a very nice, spacious concourse area, a bar, and a nice gift shop. It doesn't have the loud, obnoxious, cluttered feel some parks can have.

Concessions were more than reasonable. We had two souvenir cup drinks, and two dogs (quality dogs too by the way, not the 6 in a pack kind). That was around $12.

I had heard that the park uses a lot of netting. Personally, I hate netting, but it is appropriate here as the park has a smaller feel, and the seats are close to the action. I did not mind the netting as much as I thought I might. There are some areas on the sides with no netting too.

As we left the park, a staff person thanked us for coming out. That was nice! Again, the staff seemed happy to have each fan out at the park. Other parks, take note!

Oh, there was a marriage proposal at the game I went to too! Very nice!

"I Told You I Wasn't Perfect" by Denny McLain

2011-06-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

I recently pick up "I Told You I Wasn't Perfect" and read through it pretty quickly. Denny McLain is easily one of the more odd characters in recent baseball.

There is something very likable about him. He is interesting, he has dabbled in flying, business, gambling.... and baseball. In fact, he probably had one of the best seasons a pitcher could possibly have in 1968.

But... there is something very unlikable about him too. He spends time doing some bad things that hurt a lot of people. He spends time in jail. He associates with questionable characters.

He does come off as a family type of guy who loves his wife and kids. You hope Denny McLain, at some point, redeems himself.

In this book, Denny kind of does at the end, after leaving jail. He talks openly about his ego and his need for taking chances.

This book does make you feel some sympathy for Denny in a lot of ways. The death of his daughter is very tragic. The fact that he was such a superstar who takes such a fall is very sad. The fact that at one point he finds himself working at a convenient store is depressing. He was humble about it, but still, you feel bad for him. He was on the cover of every major magazine at one point just a couple of decades earlier.

I met Denny once at a card show in Detroit (see photo). He was very friendly, and seemed happy in general. He was kind to all of the fans. I remember telling him that it was good to see him there. He said that he was glad to be there!

I am all for giving someone a second chance, but Denny seems to get several second chances.

As far as baseball personalities go, Denny is a one of a kind. I like reading about him. I think, a decade from now, people will really be fascinated with him. I would love to chat with Denny about baseball and his life. I would not, however, go in to business with him.

Oh, Denny does talk in this book about his first professional baseball team, the Harlan Smokies! he is not very kind to the people of Harlan at that time (his descriptions of the area and people are not flattering), but it is still great hearing a little about Denny's brief time with that team. He says he throws a no-hitter in his very first game for the team. I like that Kentucky connection!

Willie Norwood 1977-1980 Twins

2011-06-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

Willie Norwood spent some time playing for Minnesota in the later 70s mostly.

He took the time to answer some questions recently!

I asked him if he had a favorite team in the majors or minors. I also asked if he had a favorite player. He said, "no" to these questions.

He did mention that he remembered playing for one of my favorite teams, the Mud Hens.

He also said that he did not have any stories relating to baseball and Kentucky.

Thanks Willie!

Jack Baker- 1976-1977 Red Sox

2011-06-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

Jack Baker spent some time with the Red Sox in 1976 and 1977.

He let me know recently that he still follows the Red Sox and the Braves. Also, he follows the minor league teams in Pawtucket and Birmingham.

He mentions that his favorite players are Jim Rice, and now Kevin Youkilis.

As a kid he loved Mantle, and says that he has read most books on Mickey.

Ross Seaton- 2009 Lexington Legends

2011-06-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

Former Legends pitcher and 2008 3rd round pick Ross Seaton sent a note recently.

Ross is not pitching for AA Corpus Christi in his home state of Texas.

He says that he loved playing in Lexington. He made a lot of friends at a local church!

He says that the league was great, except for the travel.

Right now he is happy to be playing back in Texas. With justified confidence, Ross says that he can only imagine how great it will be to play in his home town!

Tom Bruno- 1976-1979 MLB

2011-06-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

Tom Bruno spent time in the late 70s playing for the Blue Jays, Royals, and Cardinals. Tom now spends time fishing and hunting professionally! My dad is jealous!

I asked him specifically about playing for the Mud Hens in Toledo. He says that he really doesn't remember a lot about that time (blogger's note: as much as this blogger enjoys Toledo- autographed hot dog buns, a great art museum, and strangely named sports teams, I understand that there are those who see the town as unremarkable).

I asked Tom about books, and he mentions Doug Gladstone's "A Bitter Cup of Coffee". That one is about former major leaguers who's playing time ended before 1980, and they lost out on some significant benefits.

Concerning Kentucky, Tom mentions that he has done some championship walleye fishing at Cumberland Lake!

Wild Pitches

2011-06-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

It is a very interesting time for baseball right now.

I caught a report on NPR that Barry Bonds has offered to pay for the college educations of the children of Bryan Stow. Stow is the Giants fan who was attacked by a couple of fans at Dodger Stadium.

Personally, I am not a fan of Bonds. I can think of many reasons to not be a like him as a player. this act, however, is classy. I tip my hat to him on this one. In my opinion, acts like that can really help a guys image.

Randy Savage

2011-06-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

I really hate to admit it but when I was a kid, I loved wrestling. I think all boys do.

I am not a fan these days. I cringe a little every time I am at a ballgame and they play the Ric Flair "Whoo!" over the PA. I think to myself this is baseball. The outcome is not pre-determined. I wish they would play a Vin Scully call instead, or maybe a John Fogerty song clip.

But, when I was very young, every kid I knew loved wrestling- including me.

I remember seeing Randy Savage and Austin Idol at the Sports Center in Owensboro beating each other red with a strap one night. Another time, Savage and his brother, Lanny Poffo wrestled Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson. Savage tried to pile drive Morton on the announcers table. The crowd unloaded on Savage like he was Freddy Krueger. THEY HATED HIM. Savage convinced the fans that he wasn't just trying to win a match. He was trying to put someone in the hospital... or worse.

Savage ALWAYS looked wild eyed and ready to hurt someone. Especially someone that the fans loved. He looked like he had just had a couple of drinks and was ready for a bar fight if someone looked at him the wrong way. He had to be the most intense human alive.

You had no doubt that if Savage saw Ricky Morton at the mall, or at Wal-Mart, he would try to pile drive him there too. Savage truly sold his bad guy image in a way that no one could pull off today.

Later in his career, when he became more famous, his character was watered down. He dressed in colorful costumes and hung out with the comic book like Hulk Hogan (who, at the time, was literally copyrighted by Marvel Comics). Sadly Randy Savage became likable.

Before his career as a wrestler, he was a minor league baseball player. jimmy Piersall was one of his minor league team managers (I know their conversations were probably strictly about baseball, but it is fun to imagine those two guys sharing a dugout having strange conversations about running the bases backwards).

He never made it past low A, but by all accounts, he was very determined. Sports Illustrated has a nice write up on their site about his playing days. The local paper here in Lexington also had a very nice article, interviewing local baseball legend Doug Flynn about his friendship with Savage. Flynn knew him in baseball circles, AND officiated one of Savage's wrestling matches later.

I felt sad when I was told by a buddy that Savage died a couple of weeks ago. Some characters are very easily duplicated, but there will never be another one like Randy Savage.

Elmer Kelley Stadium- Madisonville Kentucky

2011-06-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Digitalballparks.com really deserves a lot of credit. It might be my favorite site these days.

They have done a great job of covering parks everywhere that have been used professionally at some point.

In fact, I found out about this park while visiting that site.

So, thanks to Digitalballparks.com, I spent a few moments visiting this former home of the Madisonville Miners.

I was there on a very rainy, muddy day. I hope to catch a game there at some point since the park is so nice, and so well preserved.

Sam Bowen- 1977-1980 Red Sox

2011-05-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Sam Bowen played for the Red Sox from 77-80 in a few games. He also spent a lot of time with the AAA Red Sox team, and he played EVERY inning of the 33 inning game between the Paw Sox and Rochester Red Wings!

He mentions that Dan Barry just released a great book about the game!

Sam tells me a great story about Kentucky. In his first year at AAA, 1977, he was in spring training and his team had no home. The previous year in Pawtucket, the owner bankrupted the team! Boston had to find a new AAA home quickly!

Well, Louisville was the leading choice, and the Red Sox had been there some time before. Sam says that right before the AAA Red Sox broke camp for Louisville, the AAA Pawtucket team was sold, and the new owner paid all debts!

Thanks for the great story Sam, and for the tip off about the new book about the longest game! I picked up a children's book about the longest game when I visited McCoy Stadium a few years back! I am glad a new one is out there!

Doug Clarey- 1976 Cardinals

2011-05-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Doug Clarey played for the Cardinals during 1976.

"although my major league career was relatively short, I cherish each and every memory. I am a very lucky and blessed person to have had the opportunity to play professional baseball" he tells me.

He mentions that he now lives in LA, and follows the Dodgers, though he doesn't stay up on all of the current players in baseball right now.

He mentions that the game now is very different from when he played in the 70s. He feels that change has been influenced by the huge salaries the players are paid now.

He feels that players in the 70s were more fundamentally sound than the players now.

I asked him about the Holyoke Millers in Massachusetts. He says that he remembers Matt Gilante was his manager, and the town was charming. He enjoyed playing there.

Doug mentions that he is one of the 13 players who had short but successful careers mentioned in the book, "A Glimpse of Fame" by Dennis Snelling.

Concerning Kentucky, he says that he doesn't remember playing in Kentucky.

Craig Cacek 1977 Houston Astros

2011-05-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

Craig Cacek made it to the majors with the Houston Astros, playing in 7 games in 1977. He recently sent me a very nice note!

In his letter, he recommends reading Roger Kahn's "Good enough to Dream." He says that it is a fantastic book about the minors.

He also mentions that he loved reading "Ball Four" as a kid.

Craig says he is mentioned in 3 books- "One Hit Wonders" by George Rose, "The Portland Beavers" by Carlson and Andersen, and "Nearly the Greatest."

He mentions that he never had a major league baseball card, but he had some from the minors from 77-82.

Concerning his favorites, he says that he loved the 62-68 Yankees growing up. He especially loved Mantle. His other favorite players were Kaline and Rusty Staub.

I specifically asked Craig about playing for the Charleston Charlies. He says that he loved playing there, and the fans were great. His two favorite cities were Portland and Charleston.

About Kentucky, Craig says that he never played in the state. He also clarifies that he has never been here, but he would love to see the horse country and the Derby.

Mike Rogodzinski- 1973-1975 Phillies

2011-05-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

Mike Rogodzinski sent me a very cool, and very honest note recently about his time in baseball.

If you read my blogs often, you know I love reading books about baseball, and baseball with a connection to Kentucky. Mike let me know that he was part of a book about Jim Bunning by Frank Dolson.

Mike said that he loved playing in Reading for the R-Phils. He hit one of the longest homers in Reading Municipal Stadium history. Mike said that, at the time, Maris was the only other player to hit the ball over the right field wall and into the street. Mike says that experience made him feel great!

I asked Mike about playing for the Mud Hens. Mike said that he didn't think much of playing in Toledo.

I also asked him his opinion about the way the game is played today.

"Players today can't do any of the things that make the game great."

He says that pitchers can't bunt, outfielders can't hit the cut off men, and defense is non-existent.

Hey Mike, thanks for the note!

Hensley Field- Lakeland Florida

2011-05-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

I know, I picked a bad time to visit a park and get photos. Still, I got a couple of shots of the other Lakeland area park that has hosted the Tigers for spring training.

Kal Segrist 1952 Yankees, and 1955 Orioles

2011-05-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Kal Segrist played in 20 games during 2 years in the majors. Kal sent a note and answered some questions for me recently.

He lets me know that he played for the Kansas City Blues in Louisville for his first series in professional baseball. He would visit Louisville often over the next four years in baseball.

He started out playing shortstop. He was moved all over, and finally ended up at third.

He says that he really doesn't care for professional baseball now, feeling that it is about the money and not about team spirit.

Kal recently had his 80th birthday, and I really appreciate his taking the time to send a note!

Butch Wynegar 1976-1988 Major leaguer

2011-05-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

Butch Wynegar spend most of his career with the Twins, then he spent the mid 80s with the Yankees. he finished his career with the Angels in 1987 and 1988.

He had a great career, and he is one of those great characters in the game who could probably retire and be happy, but he is still around the sport as a coach in AAA!

I asked Butch about his career. "I am starting my 5th year as AAA hitting coach for the NY Yankees this year. It is nice being back with the Yankees as a coach!"

Cy Buker- 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers

2011-05-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

Cy Buker played in the majors 65 years ago! During WWII he was able to spend some time with the Brooklyn Dodgers!

Cy VERY kindly sent a great note to me recently.

I asked Cy about other players, playing in Kentucky, and some other things.

He told me that his memory is faint these days. He says that he remembers playing in Louisville, but he can't remember the name of the hotel his team stayed in.

He says that he had all sorts of records relating to his career but they were stored in an attic. He rented the house out, and the renters cleaned out the attic.

Concerning playing in Louisville, he says that he remembers flooding. He tells me that, as the teams train would come approach Louisville, all you could see was water.

Also, when his team was scheduled during Derby- things would get wild.

He spent four years in the old American Association, and he says that he enjoyed every minute of it.

He says that Louisville always had a good ballpark with long fences, and well maintained grounds. He says there weren't any parks better. He enjoyed pitching there.

He mentions some of the other parks he pitched in. He mentions Minneapolis was brutal for pitchers. He says you could almost spit over the right field fence from home plate!

He says that Columbus, Indianapolis, and Kansas City were OK.

Cy, thanks for the letter, and all of the info! I appreciate your taking the time to write!

Gary Wheelock- Angels and Mariners

2011-05-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

Gary Wheelock played some games for the Angels in 1976, and he played for the Mariners in 1977 and 1980. He kindly took the time to send me a brief note recently!

He let me know that Sandy Koufax was his favorite player.

I asked him about playing for the Spokane Indians specifically, and he said that it was a pretty city with good fans.

He also mentioned that his favorite baseball movies were "Field of Dreams" and "Damn Yankees".

Bruce Von Hoff

2011-05-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Bruce Von Hoff played for that very early Astros team between 1965 and 1967.

He sent a nice note about his playing days, and answered some questions.

He says that he loved playing, but now he does not follow any teams.

I asked him if he had a favorite baseball book, and he mentions Willie Mays' "The Life, The Legend."

I also asked him about playing for the legendary Asheville Tourists in 1969. He said that he "had a blast" in Asheville. He mentions that he loved the drinking water and the cool evenings. He also says that he had some great teammates who were a bunch of cut- ups.

I asked Bruce if he had any good baseball stories relating to Kentucky. He said that he did not, but he did go to the same high school (Batavia, IL.) as basketball legend Dan Issel!

Jim Strickland 1971-1973 Twins

2011-05-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Jim Strickland pitched for the Twins in the early 70s, and he briefly joined the Cleveland Indians in 1975. Jim sent me a great note recently.

I asked him about stories relating to my state. "No Kentucky stories" he tells me.

He goes on with a great story about playing for the Pocatello Chiefs in Idaho. His manager at the time was Tom Lasorda! Well, the future Dodgers manager started a brawl against Idaho Falls. It was the 25 players from Jim's team, against the 42 with Idaho Falls. Jim was pitching that day. The fight lasted 20 minutes, and Jim stresses that everyone fought.

Jim fought the pitcher for the other team. Jim says that after the fight ended, he was the first hitter- hitting against the guy he was just fighting! Jim hit a line drive between the pitchers legs and drove in two runs.

This was Lasorda's first year managing. Jim says he knew Tommy for a long time- he was the scout that had signed Jim!

Atlanta Fulton County Stadium

2011-04-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

What is left of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium is in the Turner Field parking lot. I like the way that, at least a little of it, is preserved. We actually drove the bases. Again, see my previous posts about the Braves organization, touring their park, and seeing their museum.

Joker Marchant Stadium- Lakeland, FL

2011-04-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Joker Marchant Stadium was a highlight of our baseball road trip.

Physically it was not the most impressive park but, over all, it just had a nice feel. Good staff, good fans, and good atmosphere.

The Detroit Tigers coaches and players seemed happy to see the fans, and even interacted well. Check out the photo of Tom Brookens hamming it up for a fan's photo! Awesome!

Unlike some of the other parks we visited, the Tigers were pushing the home town minor league Flying Tigers. The usual home team's merchandise was available in the gift shop, and they had Flying Tiger souvenir cups at the concession stand (you could choose that, or a Detroit Tiger's spring training cup). Oh, and season schedules for the minor league team were available.

To me, ticket prices here were a bit more reasonable. We had a couple of seats in a very nice area near the Tiger's dugout. Stadium staff came around to check tickets before the game. And again, unlike at some other parks, I thought the staff was at least pleasant as they asked people to return to their actual seats. We had a good time chatting with fans in our area!

Check out the picture of the guy who brought his stuffed tiger to the game! it looks like the tiger has his neck turned to check out the action at the plate!

The Tigers were playing the Nationals, and there was a ceremony before the game acknowledging that great 2006 team, as Pudge was on hand now with Washington. It was very nice.

We generally enjoyed the city of Lakeland too. We found a couple of really nice restaurants we liked downtown. Traffic wasn't too bad either. Sometimes you visit a park and think that it is nice, but you have been there and seen it- and there is no particular reason to go back.

We did not feel that way at Joker Marchant.

I would like to go back to see the minor league team, or to catch the Tigers training again.

Luther Williams Field Macon, GA.

2011-04-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

I was very excited about stopping by Luther Williams Field in Macon recently. The park is one of the oldest, and it hosted the legendary Macon Peaches for decades. I was glad to find out that an independent pro team in the Peach State League is playing there! I would love to catch a game sometime at this facility. http://peachstateleague.com/

Jim Bouton, Bryce Harper, and Beer

2011-04-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

A funny thing happened at my local ballpark the other day.

Jim Bouton tossed the first pitch! I thought that was pretty cool. I also thought it was a bit odd that my favorite team, the Lexington Legends, did not mention Jim's appearance on their web site.

Sure, there was a mention that National's prospect Bryce Harper would be there. In fact, there were adds in the paper about it.

Don't get me wrong, seeing big name prospects is a big reason to to see a minor league game. It is one of the reasons I go to a lot of games.

But come on, there should be some mention of Bouton at the park, right?

They did announce at the start of the game that he would be selling and signing his book for the first few innings.

I went to find the author/pitcher. I was pleased to see a huge line of young people waiting around.
WOW! I figured thats pretty cool! Some young baseball fans (they looked to be college aged) going to pick up a copy of "Ball Four!" How cool is that?

Then I remembered, it was $1 beer night. The kids weren't in line to meet Bouton, they were there for cheap beer.

I walked right up to Jim and bought a new copy his book, and he kindly signed it. There was no line. I did see people coming up after me to buy books though.

I DID email the Legends about the lack of promoting Jim Bouton's appearance.

The Legends are a classy group, and they let me know that THEY only knew about his appearance a few hours before the game themselves. They said that they wished they had known sooner so that they could have promoted it!

So, after getting that email, I sort of looked at things a little differently. For the price of a ticket on this night, a baseball fan could go to the park expecting $1 drinks and baseball prospects. Seeing Jim Bouton was an unadvertised bonus.

Turner Field- Atlanta, GA.

2011-04-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

For $12 you can tour Turner Field in Atlanta! I think thats pretty cool.

We stopped by for the tour on our way to Florida.

The Braves are a pretty classy organization. The tours are walk up and pretty much hassle free.

I love it when a park makes it easy for you to check things out, even on a non-game day.

The tour includes admission to the Braves Museum (see my other post). Also, the tour was thorough, including visits through the suites, dugout, and the field.

I love it when I get one of those cool old timers as a tour guide. You know, the guys who know everything about baseball. Well, for this tour, our guide was young, but still knew a lot about the team and the park. I was pleasantly surprised.

In fact, all of the staff here when we went were great. There was a friendly attendant in the parking lot keeping an eye on things (I like that kind of security).

Atlanta Braves Museum and Hall of Fame

2011-04-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

Wild Pitches

2011-04-15T08:18:00.000-07:00

Man, the season is here again! I get so fidgety right before the season starts.

There is so much going on right now, it is a good time to be a baseball fan. Well, except here in Lexington- rain has affected baseball in town.

Still, I am glad the season is going again.

I am excited about seeing some new parks, some prospects, and seeing some parks I visit about once a year. There are some great day and weekend trip baseball towns in and around the state. Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana the Virginias and Carolinas all come to mind for me.

Most towns that have a minor league team also have great museums, restaurants, and other attractions. Go see a game somewhere this weekend!

Tropicana Field

2011-04-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex- Florida

2011-04-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/

Osceola County Stadium, FL

2011-04-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

We took a moment to catch the Astros playing the Tigers this sprint training, at the Astros facility in Kissimmee.

We had a very nice experience at this park, as it only hold 5300 and it feels very comfortable, while a bit minimal.

The promo for this game was a dog and coke with every ticket which was a treat! Oddly, though the park belonged to the Astros, there seemed to be more fan support for the Tigers. That is spring training. The park had a more casual feel than some, so we felt comfortable venturing out and watching the game at different angles.

Space Coast Stadium Florida

2011-04-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

Steinbrenner Field- Tampa, FL.

2011-04-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Steinbrenner Field in Tampa is impressive! In fact, the park, and the vibe had a much more major league feel than a minor league park feel.

Then again, this is the New York Yankees spring training home!

Like I said, you would not guess that the park is the regular season home to the single A Tampa Yankees. If you did not know, you would automatically assume that a triple-A team plays here. I guess thats just how the Yankees do things.

We had a lot of fun here and enjoyed the Yankees vibe.

We parked at the football Buccaneer's NFL stadium parking lot, and took a pedestrian bridge over to this park. The gift shop and food vendors were hoppin' but there were plenty of them, so it was easy to get a beverage, or a shirt.

We had a lot of friendly people around us too which was cool.

I have included a couple of pictures from the ped bridge (showing the football stadium and the road), and one of the bridge.

Wild Pitches

2011-04-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

So, I recently got back from a spring training road trip to Florida! I had a lot of fun. I actually got to see several games, stopped at a few parks, and took in the sights around Florida.

See my other blog about some of the other roadside attractions we were able to see. I am still thinking about the trip.

This was my first time doing spring training in Florida, and the obvious comparison to Arizona comes up. We visited probably the same number of parks in each state.

For now, I have to say the edge goes to Arizona. it is close though. We felt that staff at the parks in Arizona were a bit more fan friendly than in Florida.

Sure, you are in minor league parks, but they still have a major league vibe going on. We felt that, in the Cactus League, the feel was just more relaxed.

Let me give a quick comparison. We stopped at the Peoria Sports Complex one morning in Arizona. No games were scheduled at that time, but we thought we would stop by for the heck of it.

There were some great, talkative old timers running the gift shop who just seemed happy to be there. They encouraged us to go check out the minor leaguers training that day. We had a great time talking to the guys around the park and in the gift shop. One of the Padres minor league coaches came over and asked us how we were doing! We had a similarly nice experience at Tempe Diablo Stadium before an Angels game.

We had some great experiences in Florida too, and I will write about those as I review the parks we visited, but the mood was more "big league" than in Arizona.

In Florida, we stopped at Space Coast Stadium on a non-game day. The staff there almost seemed confused that people showed up on an off day. Sure, I know that a lot is going on and all, but I think the Nationals of all people should be happy anyone shows up anytime.

As I was in Florida, some things felt off too. I saw a lot of Ohio plates! I know when the Indians and the Reds moved to Arizona I felt it was a great fit, but I am not so sure now. Especially after reading about attendance to their games this season.