Bridgeport Bluefish & The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, CT.

OK, I know Bridgeport is a LONG way from Kentucky, but we did do it on our week long road trip!

I was very excited about seeing this park. I will try to get some pictures up soon, but this is a great park right off of the interstate. It is very accessible, and we didn't have to drive through town to get to it.

They had a nice, well stocked gift shop that even had some bargains. Unfortunately, I did not find a card set, and I did hear rumors that one would not be produced this year for this team. This is unfortunate, as the team seemed talented.

The park is elevated on the outside. You do have to go up a lot of steps to get to the main entrance, and then come down some, depending on where your seat is, once inside.
The really cool thing about this park is it has a very industrial feel. There is some factory beside it, and some other buildings. The Ballpark at Harbor Yard has maybe the coolest feature I have ever found at a park- a rail line. Trains pass over the outfield area every 15 minutes or so. Locals may not appreciate it, and season ticket holders are probably tired of the novelty, but it is unique!

The staff was generally friendly, we talked to a couple of park employees who were great. They obviously took a lot of pride in the team and in the park. The park did seem to have a lot of ushers who were obtrusive at times. I will take enthusiastic ushers anyday over ones that don't pay attention though.

I took a lot of photos at this park, and the pictures don't do it justice. The park is one that you need to see in person.

The Atlantic League vs. The Frontier League

Bridgeport and York are both members of the Atlantic League. This is a great, established league. I love the Frontier League and enjoy getting out to see this league whenever I can. I was excited to see how the Atlantic League compared.

We were totally impressed with the way these guys operate. I have read that the Atlantic League maintains a standard with the parks comparable to AA. I would rate these two parks at better than AA in general.

I love the teams that the Frontier League puts on the field. The Frontier League seems to have a lot of guys who weren't picked in the draft, or who have played some around the A level. They are young prospects trying to sneak in or back in to affiliated ball. With the exception of Joe Charboneau having one Veeckish at bat for the Canton Crocs in 2000, I can't think of any other former Major Leaguer appearing in a Frontier League game.

The Atlantic League seems full of former AA and AAA guys, along with some notable former Major Leaguers. It was fun catching Pete Rose Jr. in this league. Gary Carter and Tim Raines are managers. There are names in these league you will recognize from the 80s and 90s.

We had a great time catching games in the Atlantic League. We love the Frontier League too. I guess, with any independent league or minor league team, it is good seeing the local community come out to support them.

York Revolution at Sovereign Bank Stadium, York, PA.

Maybe 45 minutes from the Gettysburg area is York. Do to time limits, we really weren't able to see a lot of this town, but we did make it out for a ball game!

We were able to catch games at two Atlantic League parks this time around and I am so glad that we did. This are great parks, well maintained and exciting.

The York Revolution play at Sovereign Bank Stadium. Initially I felt overwhelmed by the park. You walk in and the place is electric. There is a lot to take in. Looking towards the outfield, the place seems excitingly inconsistent.

To the left is the Arch Nemesis which is 6 inches taller than the Green Monster. At over 37 and a half feet, it is something. It is pretty bold of this team to one up the Red Sox, and it really gives this stadium some character.

Moving along, the park also has a visible children's play area, and then standard park adds. The adds seem to be layered a bit, with some over the outfield wall.

Another very cool tradition at this young park is the firing of a canon when a player for the Revolution hits a home run. Seriously! I am not making this up!

Also, adding to the team's boldness, they do have some in between inning entertainment provided by the "Big Hitters". The Big Hitters are a group of guys with some size to them. They dance.

Their gift shop was well stocked with the usual unique and interesting items.

Similar to what I have seen with the Florence Freedom, the Revolution was giving away nice, small magazine style programs. Along with the usual adds, the Revolution included some cool articles about some of their players, stats, etc. A great feature I noticed that other teams neglect is that they note national anthem performers. I would LOVE to see other teams give this kind of credit in their programs.

The only problem at this venue is that it took us a little while to park and to buy tickets. We may have went on an exceptionally enthusiastic day though. They had a good crowd. Much better than I expected for Indy league ball. Then again, I have seen a lot of local support for many minor league teams this year, thank goodness!

This team draws a great, friendly crowd that seemed appreciative of the action on the field. There were chants, and friendly banter in the stands. I can honestly say there was an almost Major League vibe going on. This is the kind of park I would like to visit again. A lot of care has gone in to the making of this team and park. The locals seem to support the team, and they have a lot to be proud of!

Appalachian Power Park (again)

With a little retooling on our trip schedule, we were able to fit this game in kind of last minute. Originally, we weren't going to be in the Charleston WV area, then we realized it would be pretty easy to get to this area for a second time this year.

This is a cool park, and I was excited about getting to see a game here. The park is quirky and scrappy. It is small and you feel very close to the action.

The fans seemed pretty diverse. In some ways, I felt like I was at a high school sports event, as there were a LOT of kids and teenagers running around. I also saw plenty of older guys there paying close attention to the action on the field. I noticed one of the older guys yell (by name) at one of the kids to set down. The kid apologized and set down. So the crowd seemed familiar with each other and respectful.

Dennis Haskins, Mr. Belding from the show "Saved By the Bell" was the "promotion" on the night I was there. It was kind of funny, there were several signs promoting an appearance by Mr. Belding. I don't think I noticed any promo material using the actors real name.

Haskins was very entertaining. He was interviewed a lot, and he had a very long autograph line. He sang a few songs too! He did a very respectable "Brown Eyed Girl" between the game and the fireworks. In fact, I need to find a recording of him doing this song, as it is still in my head!

Dora the Explorer was there too. She must also be a big fan of baseball. I have seen her in Toledo, Lexington and now Charleston this year.

It was a good game, with Kannapolis beating up on the Power for the win, but the Charleston crowd seemed happy. It was a fun night.

We stayed for fireworks after the game. It was a great show. The fireworks, like the action on the field, felt very close. In fact, I had to dust a little black dust off of my clothes afterwards.

I forget the exact promotion (I think it was a strike out batter of the game promotion) but you could take your ticket from the nights game to a Quaker Steak and Lube for for 6 free wings with a food purchase! If you have ever had wings from this chain, you know this is a great prize. Unlike other similar promotions, we took advantage of this one (I probably own 60 expired coupons for a free White Castle burger given out at various ballparks).

I saw a little more of Charleston on this trip. I didn't think Charleston had a lot going for it, but the fact that a Quaker Steak is there (the chain seems to mostly be in PA and OH) definitely improves the areas coolness score. Actually a minor league ballpark, a nice mall AND a Quaker Steak pretty much define a cool town.

New England

OK, I know I am trying to keep things mostly centered around professional baseball in and near the great state of Kentucky. Well, recently we took a trip up to New England to visit several parks between here and there. In fact, within about a 1 week period we saw ballparks between Charleston West Virginia and Portland Maine. We visited 10 parks, seeing games at 5.

Some I had visited before and it was nice seeing them again.

Some were very kind and generous about letting me look around even during off hours (the folks with the Hudson Valley Renegades were super!) while other parks had very limited access when games were not being played (Hadlock Field in Portland and the new Coca Cola Park in PA come to mind). Anyway, it is always fun checking a park out!

I will try to get some reviews and pictures up over the next few days.

Myron Noodleman and Lousville Bats vs. Charlotte Knights

I am almost embarrassed to admit that this was my first time seeing the Bats this year. Mostly because of the weather and other commitments, I just haven't been able to make it to a Bats game until this last Saturday.
I experienced a little deja vu watching this Bats team. It seemed like I had watched the same team in Chattanooga last year. I guess that's a good thing.
It is funny, sometimes when you see several different minor league teams that are linked to the same big league team, you start to see the same faces. Its great when you see those guys at AA one year, and AAA the next.
I have experienced this with the White Sox's AAA team, the Knights. I have seen the White Sox a few times over the last several years and I have seen the Knights play here and there. In 06, I remember Josh Fields playing for the Knights against the Mud Hens in Toledo. I saw him the next year at spring training with the White Sox. It was nice seeing him again with the Knights this past weekend.
I really like Louisville Slugger Field too. It is a very photogenic place to catch a game. It is in a city area. I do prefer seeing games a little more "out" with green trees behind the outfield wall, but Louisville looks so nice. With the bridge visible, you do know you are in a bigger area, but it is still Kentucky!
This park is clean and friendly. There are ushers and staff that are very visible and helpful, but they are unobtrusive. Most seemed eager to talk about baseball.
Parking is plentiful and easy to access. I saw most lots next to the park charging a reasonable $5.
This was also my first chance to catch Myron Noodleman which was a treat. Unlike many baseball fans, I LOVE big furry muppet type mascots. Myron is an actual person, so I went in a little skeptical. How can a minor league travelling attraction be entertaining if they aren't in a big furry costume??
Myron Noodleman is just a funny comedian type of guy doing in between inning sketch gags.
I wasn't sure what to expect from minor league entertainment that wasn't an umpire harassing muppet. I got it pretty quickly though. The whole gimmick starts out a bit slow, but it grows on you quickly. The crowd got in to it pretty quickly too. Watching a nerdy guy doing dance moves (he had the moves down by the way) is just funny. By the end of the game, I wanted to see more of his strange humor.
The funniest part of his act was his fan interaction. He was all over the park messing with fans. It was sort of like watching a clueless annoying fan and a great comedian all at once. His delivery and style are perfect.
Myron is kind of like that joke that doesn't seem funny at first, but then the more you think about it, the funnier it gets. When Myron comes out at the start of the game, he doesn't seem that funny. He dances around and all. Its good for a chuckle. Then, he does the dueling banjo act (mimicking a coach giving signals while a coach responds). That's funny. Then he keeps going. He walks through the crowd like he owns the park, making fun of fans, and just being over the top obnoxious. I saw him bring some hecklers down a few notches too, which was appreciated by everyone, including the hecklers.
I am looking forward to the next time Myron comes to town. His act is entertaining and original. I hope he keeps doing this for decades to come.

Captains and Legends

Sometimes you have a strange moment of realization. You realize that something you have appreciated will end. It might not be that big of a deal. You still get the same amount of sleep when you go to bed that night, but you are sad to hear about it anyway.

Every morning I check the Lexington Herald Leader to see what they had to say about the previous night's Legends game. They do a nice job of giving a brief description of the game. I do wish they would cover the Horsemen a bit more thoroughly, but I am very happy with their Legends coverage in general.

I noticed a note at the end of their few paragraphs concerning Saturdays game against the Captains, which was the last game of the series against Lake County.

The Herald Leader noted that this would be the last game ever between the Captains and the Legends in Lexington.

The Captains switch leagues next year.

This isn't that big of a deal in general. In fact, I doubt many people care.

I have mentioned here before though that we used to see the Captains a lot when we lived in the Cleveland area. They were our team. In fact, even when they play the Legends now, we are a little conflicted about who to cheer for. Its one of those situations where we want both teams to win.

I guess I can admit too that, when we would see the Legends play the Captains in Lake County, we always cheered for the Captains. The Legends seemed a little cocky back then.

It has been a bit of a treat seeing the Captains play in Lexington. They have a great park near Cleveland- Skipper, Captain Tony and the Lighthouse are missed by us.

The Legends are my team now, and it is strange being a fan of one team for a while, and cheering them on against another team that you used to cheer for.

I am sure we will catch a game in northern Ohio maybe every other year or so. We aren't in that area a lot, but we have found ourselves there a time or two since we moved. That will be nice, but we will miss seeing them at least a few times a year. I think we might even miss that conflicted allegiance feeling too.

Huntington Park, Columbus Ohio

I finally made it to the new Huntington Park in Columbus. Again, I was unable to catch a game here, but I was able to stop by and look around on a trip through the area.

The Columbus Clippers organization has always been top notch. I always felt that they promoted their team and baseball in general well. I have never had a bad experience with these guys.

While passing through the area recently, we stopped by. The Clippers staff was great. They were very friendly about letting me walk around the place and hit the gift shop.

This is a beautiful park. In fact, it is really hard to say just how perfect it is. The skyline view of the city is amazing. The park feels modern and traditional. I am really just going to have to put some pictures up on this one.

The Coop was great too. 70 years of history is hard to replace. I do recall hearing some rumors that a soccer team or race cars might try to move in to the old Cooper Stadium. We will see. It does break my heart when old parks become vacant parks.

This is a great one though. I am itching to catch a game here.

The gift shop was clean and nice. They did have a great selection of shirts and novelties, including some very cool retro shirts. Items were a bit pricier than what I am used to at the low A and indy league gift shops.

Their program was $2 and looked great. 4 baseball cards were included in the program! I was excited to add another Trevor Crowe card to my collection!

Looking through their program, and having seen this team earlier in the year (I did see the Clippers play the Mud Hens in Toledo before they had a chance to play their 1st game at Huntington) I am really excited to see so many players that were former Lake County Captains. When we lived in Cleveland, the Captains were our team. We had partial season tickets, and went as often as we could. Frank Hermann, Chuck Lofgren, Niuman Romero and Trevor Crowe come to mind. All nice guys that I saw at the A level, and it is so exciting seeing that they have come this far.

I am trying to figure out a time that I can get up there to see a game. With Easton, Cosi, their arena area, the Columbus Zoo, and Short North, Columbus has a lot going for it. With this towns desire to improve and to make itself better, it reminds me of Pittsburgh in a lot of ways.

Rain

I have had most of my recent travel and game plans cancelled because of the weather. I just haven't done a lot lately. I am making plans though! I did hit a rain delayed Lexington Legends game Friday, and the next night I went to a Florence Freedom game, also rain delayed.

Florence is such an underrated area. There is a lot going on right there that I have talked about before. Their walking tacos and sliders for $1 are about the best ballpark deal around.

I've noticed at the last few Freedom games they ask all former and active military guys to stand for a moment of recognition. Pure class. Every team around should be doing that.

The Horsemen did well too. I love this Arena football team. It does seem like they are getting more support. Their on field host Steve is funny as heck.

Appalachian Power Park

I have seen the West Virginia Power play the Lexington Legends and the Lake County Captains at their home parks several times. This was my first trip to the area and I was very excited about catching a game at Appalachian Power Park.

I guess I should start out by saying that my game was rained out. I did not get to see a game here.

I was still able to get a great look at the park. I have travelled around to a lot of baseball locations and facilities, and I must say, the guys running the Power's home operation get an A+. I can think of a couple of parks where the staff seemed annoyed that someone actually wanted to spend some money in their gift shop. They had no clue about baseball, their particular team, etc.

The staff at Appalachian Power Park seemed to take a lot of pride in their facility. They seemed happy to let me come in and check things out.

The gift shop was small and crammed, but well stocked. I was very impressed to see signed game used caps (I would love to see more teams selling signed game used gear). They had a fun selection of shirts and other items including some retro style stuff from the older Charleston team. The guy running the store seemed very knowledgeable about the team, the park, etc. We talked about the recent draft, and the South Atlantic League in general.

The staff was very kind about letting me walk around the park and take pictures. I truly felt like I had the place to myself, and the other staff did not seem to mind my being there. I pretty much walked all around.

This might be one of the most unique parks I have come across. In fact, it is very hard to describe. It just went up in 05, but it has the feel of a park much older. Not that it looks worn out, but it seems more mature. It kind of feels a little outdated in a charming way.

Hypothetically, lets say I had no knowledge of this park before coming to it. Lets say someone showed it to me, and asked me to guess its origins. I would guess that some thoughtful baseball purists had a hand in it, several decades ago. I would assume no modern company could have thought this up. I would probably also wrongly guess that the downtown area was build around the park. The park just feels natural here, and it feels like it has been woven into the downtown area for a lot longer than it really has.

It is open and accessible. There would be plenty of places outside the fence of the park to look in on a game. All of the seating is close, and near the field.

Some of the park is built in to buildings that already were up in this downtown area. It sort of reminds me of the Louisville AAA park in that way. I think this really adds to a park, and the area near it.

There were a lot of banners up showing former players from the area who have made it. I really like this feature at a minor league park. I know Pawtucket and Indianapolis do this a lot, and it looks cool.

The park is really cool, but the only draw back is there is not a lot of stuff going on in Charleston. It is a nice town, but.... They do have a great 3 story mall. There is a movie theater close too. Free parking seemed scarce, with pay to park garage space around the mall. I do think charging to to park while you shop at a mall is bold.

We even picked up a pamphlet about things to do in Charleston. Most suggestions required a 30 minute or so drive out of town. Huntington is close. I do want to check out Pt. Pleasant and the Moth Man museum sometime. Marshall University is around here. But there just isn't a lot really going on in this area. I will take a book on my next trip here.

Speaking of books, this park is bursting with character. Even at its young age, a lot of love has gone in to it. I would really enjoy a book about this park. It is young, but a book is justified even at this point.

Let me make it clear though, I will make another trip here. The ball park alone has a cool feel, and I was there without a game going on! I can only image how fun it must be with a game!

odds and ends

I have not been out to a ball park recently. I am planning on visiting some that I have not seen before soon, but not a lot else has been going on. The Lexington Legends had 3 of their guys in the SAL all star game, which is exciting for them. There are several players on that team right now that look good. It is a more exciting team this year in general.

The Legends are playing the Bowling Green team this week. It is very sad that this rivalry will not be allowed to develop, as the Bowling Green Hot Rods change leagues next year.

The Florence Freedom have a fun team too. They will be playing 2 of the new Frontier League teams this week. I am hoping to get up there to see at least one of those games.

One of the new teams is from Avon Ohio. The Lake Erie Crushers operate in my old stompin' grounds. Northern Ohio is a very nice baseball area, especially with this addition. The Lake County Captains of the SAL and this new Frontier League team are both short drives from downtown Cleveland.

The Crushers are managed by John Massarelli, who managed the Washington Wildthings for several seasons, and was one of the Leagues most successful managers. He is a fun manager to watch. I kind of figured an affiliated team would sign him up he is so good!

The Freedom are also playing the Sliders from Michigan, who were a traveling team last year. The year before they were in PA playing at a very small field, drawing very small crowds. They now play on the campus of East Michigan. I am not sure of the current situation with fan support, but I hope it is better (I guess it has to be better than last year, as a traveling team there are no fans to cheer for you!). I just read on their web site that their fireworks night was cancelled, as the sponsors pulled their support, which is very bad.

I am glad the Freedom and the Legends are getting good fan support.

Justin Randall and the Evansville Otters

I know the Otters aren't having the best season at the moment, but who cares. They have a ton of history behind them. They are one of the oldest indy teams around, and they play at Bosse Field, which has been in existence since 1915!

I love the Frontier League. The League is really developing a great reputation. I kn0w Owensboro was trying to get a FL team at one point. In ways, I wish they had gotten in to the league when they had a chance. In other ways, I fear a FL league team there would have failed miserably. Unlike when it began, the league is really a bigger market organization now. Areas close to Cleveland and Cincinnati support teams in this league. Early FL teams in Ashland and Pikeville failed quickly (the Ashland team folded after 11 games).

Evansville and Florence have teams that get a lot of local support, AND they are 2 of the oldest teams in the league.

Justin Randall played for both teams last year, and he is with Evansville this year. He coaches at Ashland University (in Ohio) too. He mentioned that his favorite field is Bosse. Being from Canada, his favorite team is the Blue Jays.

He noted that the new field at Florence is shocking. I was trying to think of a term for the new turf there, and Justin described it perfectly. "Shocking" is the best description! That, along with the various colored seats in the Freedom's park make it the most colorful park I know about.

Neall French and the Charleston RiverDogs

The Charleston RiverDogs recently played a series of games against the Legends here in town. 4 games were played, I was at the 1st and 3rd one, and listened to the 2nd one on the radio.

The 2rd game was a brilliant one on the part of Charleston. Hector Noesi took a perfect game to the 7th before walking a batter. Casey Erickson relieved Noesi, pitching a perfect 8th, and the switch pitcher Pat Venditte pitched the 9th. Ronald Ramirez had the Legends only hit, a home run against Venditte in the 9th inning.

A no-hitter is something special, but you hate to see one pitched against your team. In that respect, I was pretty happy Ramirez hit one.

On the other hand, a no-hitter is pretty rare and exciting, even if it is against the good guys.

As a side note, I almost went to the similarly pitched AAA one-hitter by the Paw Sox over the Louisville Bats. It was a rainy day here, I figured Louisville had similar weather. They played, and again, I missed a great pitching performance from Clay Buchholz.

So, the Yankees single A team had a great showing against Lexington. This team looked more like a AA team. Several of these guys have a real chance.

I did correspond a bit with Charleston first baseman Neall French concerning the game, and playing baseball. He said that his favorite park to play in so far has been the RiverDogs home park, "The Joe." He said that his second favorite park so far is the one in Bowling Green.

Neall noted that his favorite team is the Yankees, as they have been good to him.

I asked Neall about what he thought of the new team and park in Bowling Green. He said, "the new team in BG is a talented team with some exciting players, and they play in a top notch stadium. Great place to play, with outstanding facilities."

I asked him about the one-hitter in Lexington, noting the outstanding pitching performance. Neall responded, "And that one hitter was a great game to play in, what a great pitching performance?!"

I may have put too much emphasis on the "pitching performance" part of my question. It was without a doubt, a great performance from the entire team.

I was pretty excited that Neall responded to my questions about his career, playing in Kentucky, and his experience in the game in Lexington this year.

I know Neall comes out of the Bay Village/Cleveland area, and went to St. Ignatius High School. I know when I lived in the Cleveland area, I bumped in to guys from the school doing volunteer work more than once. I met some St. Ignatius students doing volunteer work over their Thanksgiving break one year. Many kids would be home playing video games or sleeping! I have a lot of respect for any alumni coming out of this service minded school.

Neall is doing good with Charleston this year after playing with the Gulf Coast League Yankees last year. It will be fun watching his career as he goes up the baseball ladder. Thanks Neall!

Kentucky Horsemen at Rupp Arena

Unfortunately, I was unable to get out and do a lot this weekend. We originally planned to do a quick road trip through Tenn. but things fell apart. Actually, I had some dental work done and my jaw and face are feeling pretty rough. Resting around the house sounded like a great idea!

I did catch up on some stuff. We also took the time to catch a Horsemen's game at Rupp. The crowds are looking better, but they announced the attendance at just a little over 3,000.

I really love Rupp, and I really love the Horsemen. Going to any event at Rupp is a good time.

I know I have talked about how great Rupp is before, but every time I go there, I feel more of an appreciation for the place. The arena food is affordable, and the staff is friendly. Their security is exceptional too. I honestly haven't seen a lot of bad stuff go down at Rupp, but I have noticed security jump into action when it has happened. I'm not kidding either. Security at the arena is very perceptive, and I have noticed them take action before an unpleasant situation gets ugly.

The Horsemen continue to put on a great show. They have mentioned that they operate as a not for profit at this point. I think this started with the 09 season, and was the only way to keep the team from going belly up.

Its a bit strange, I know the Louisville team was drawing a much bigger crowd than the Horsemen, but that team is no more.

Going to a Horsemen's game is a lot of fun. They have the pyro like they do at a UK basketball game. The team is a lot of fun too. Their on field announcer, Steve, is probably the best on field guy I have seen at a pro sporting event in some time (are you listening Microphone Mike?). He is funny and witty. He shows a lot of subtle humor too, which is appreciated. Also, this season, the team has Jared Lorenzen. This guy has played in the NFL!!! He's fun to watch too, and I think he is having a good time hanging out in the Arena 2 league for now. Jared alone is worth the price of admission.

You can still get great seats for as low as $10, PLUS this past Saturday they offered buy 1 get one free tickets. It's a great way to get the Rupp Arena experience, and see a fun sports team at a reasonable price, without fighting a crowd of 24,000 plus.

I love downtown Lexington and Rupp. I love getting downtown late afternoon early evening, eating at Deshay's, taking the walk ways over to Rupp Arena, passing the shops, and getting to a game.

5/14/09 Florence Freedom vs. Evansville Otters

The Freedom hosted their 1st exhibition game at Champion Window Field this past Sunday. They beat the Evansville Otters in an exhibition game.

I am a little embarrassed to admit that this was the 1st time I have ever seen the Evansville Otters play. I grew up near them, I have been to Bosse Field (in the off season) but this was my first time actually seeing the team. I have tried to see them many times. Hopefully, I can catch a home game this season.

I really enjoy catching the Freedom. I enjoyed the Freedom/Miners game a few days earlier at Crosley (mentioned in my last post) but the Freedom's home field has a great vibe going on. It seems to get better each season too.

Being the classy organization that they are, the Freedom were letting people in to the game for a canned food item. Most people I saw brought in more than just one, so the Freedom seemed to have had a nice little collection going.

The Freedom have put down that new fake grass stuff on their field. I thought it was pretty cool. Jenn wasn't so sure. It looked nice though. There is kind of an orange/brown grass where the base path dirt used to be. I do appreciate watching a grounds crew prep, but this stuff looked nice. The colors of the grass really stand out. You notice it the second you step in and see the field.

The Freedom still have their original mascot Liberty. Their new mascot, Belle is about the greatest mascot around. She is, without a doubt, the coolest mascot in the state, and she may be the best mascot in all of the Minors. I love big muppets and so do you. The Freedom also have a new mascot that I think they called the Run Rabbit. Rabbits are creepy.

Continuing with their very family friendly (and affordable) theme, the Freedom have added a $1 menu!!! This is super cool. I would love to see this catch on at other parks. They have small burgers for a buck each.

I am really looking forward to my next game in Florence, this is a great park that is very casual and relaxed. The staff is friendly, and they don't have ushers telling you to get out of the isles, or asking to see your ticket.

Crosley Field in Blue Ash Ohio

I was able to hang out some at the Florence Freedom's exhibition game against the Southern Illinois Miners. This game was played at the Crosley Field in Blue Ash. I really love the Frontier League and the Freedom. This was a fun event at a fun place.

I have to admit that I only recently heard about the "new Crosley Field" in Blue Ash, OH. The original was before my time. I have seen pictures, but I have no personal connection to it in anyway. You would not be able to go to this Crosley Field and pretend that you were at the original. The original had a view of the Cincinnati skyline and held over 25,000. This field is one of several in Blue Ash. A few hundred could watch a game here comfortably. In many ways, it is an appropriate place for high school level play, and it feels like any other lower level amateur field. It is very unique though. I love this sort of thing. Blue Ash put this re-creation together as part of their community sports complex. I read that there are original seats form the original Crosley Field. The seat frames looked original to me. Also, there is an original ticket booth there which seemed it's age. They have a replica scoreboard too. I read that the dimensions of the field are the same as the original. There are plaques displayed with signatures of Reds players.

I really love the idea of trying to recreate an old park. I do know some larger cities have tried to make smaller versions of their big league stadiums for the kids. This is similar. I did find myself thinking about other additions to make the park more authentic, and more like the original. More seats? More replica era ad signs? I quickly abandoned this line of thinking. Without a big league budget you really can't make a Major League park- original or replica. Blue Ash has done the nicest job possible in carrying the Banner of Crosley Field.

The Freedom organization put on a nice show too. They scheduled this and another preseason game here since their regular park is still being prepared. No tickets needed. The game had an extremely casual feel as players and fans mingled. The Freedom played the same team the night before in IL, and that game was shown live on the internet which was cool.

Lexington Legends

I have finally been able to get out to Applebee's park. I got to watch Rome the other night and I was able to see the Legends play the new Bowling Green team.

Bowling Green played the good guys on Saturday and Sunday. They looked very sloppy on Saturday ending the game with a big loss, and 5 or 6 errors. The next day they looked good winning.

I am hoping to catch a game at the new park in Bowling Green soon. I am glad to have another pro team in the state. I drove by their new park a few weeks ago, and it looked like a very unfinished construction site. Obviously the park was put together in time. I am also curious about the parking situation in the area with the college near by.

I know a couple years ago Owensboro was close to getting a Frontier League team in town. That whole plan fell apart. A few years ago Owensboro would have fit right in to that leagues landscape. The Frontier League has really sprung in to a nice upscale league. I am a fan of both, the Frontier League and Owensboro, and as much as I would still love to see pro baseball in the Boro, I can't see it happening. Owensboro does have the amateur team, the Oilers, and they have the pro basketball team the Bisons. I hope they keep both.

Back to the Legends. Last years team had a lot of heart, but it felt like a desperate low A team. Sometimes it didn't feel like a team, it felt like a bunch of guys trying to keep their pro careers alive a little longer. I felt their pain at times. It was hard watching them. I do hope that a couple of players on that team find their rhythm somewhere else in the system and make it.

I feel a lot more optimistic about this team. I chatted briefly with the new coaching staff this year. Their energy was infectious.

Pete Rancont, who is a bit over 60, had a smile on his face like a 5 year old getting his 1st base hit ever. He seems excessively happy. This guy is too mature for this kind of enthusiasm! I hope he can stick around Lexington for awhile, I like watching him coach and interact with the Legends.

Tom Lawless is Tom Lawless. He was on some of those great 80's St. Louis teams. He played for the regional favorite Reds too. He also played for both Canadian ML teams. He seemed pleasant to me, but you can tell he can be tough as needed. I could easily see him working his way up as a manager.

Travis Driskill just made the switch from ML pitcher (Orioles, Rockies, and Astros) to a coach in the minors a couple of years ago. He also spent a little time playing in Japan which increases his cool level several points. You get the impression that he still might be able to give a few good innings if needed. Travis seems like he has a ton of excitement about baseball, his job, and being at the park. Rumor was Charley Taylor should be back soon, and I am excited about that. That guy is minor league gold, but I wish we could keep Driskill around too. I called him coach, and he insisted on being called Travis.

Maybe its the way Lawless manages, or maybe we really do have some prospects here. I have enjoyed watching these guys trying to impress with bunts, steals and focus. This should be an exciting team for Lexington.

For fans of other sports, I did catch a Horsemen's game the other night and had a great time. Former UK and New York Giants Quarterback Jared Lorenzen is with the team and is very exciting. They guy is just entertaining, as is the rest of the team. Some of my older friends have complained about the loudness of Horsemen games (and it does get loud). If you can deal with the noise, these games are a lot of fun. Also, Kentucky basketball legend Kyle Macy was interviewed at the game about his upcoming gig managing a pro basketball team that will play at the new arena at the Horsepark!

Lansing Lugnuts, Michigan

We stopped by Oldsmobile Park to check out the home of the Lansing Lugnuts. I had a moment to run through their gift shop and take a few pics of the park.

This was one of our briefest stops ever at a park. The place looked nice, had some character to it. There were some nice statues and scenery.

The downtown area, close to the park, was getting ready to host their "tea party" while we were there, and the area was getting a bit chaotic.

The town and the park area seemed pretty busy too.

West Michigan Whitecaps

Continuing on with Michigan.... We were able to stop by Fifth Third Ballpark near Grand Rapids Michigan. Again, we were unable to catch a game here, but we were able to stop by the park, look around, and hit the gift shop.

I really hoped to catch more games on this trip but we were hitting towns on off days (I have no doubt Jenn planned things this way... more time at malls).

"Fifth Third" is becoming way too common of a name for parks. I guess, as a fan of the minors, I do appreciate support.

This park has gained some notoriety lately for their massive huge $20 burger. I have seen spots on this in the national news. I think the burger was originally meant to be a meal for 4, but some have answered the challenge, and have taken out the entire burger on their own. A t-shirt was available in the gift show giving the "nutrition" information on it.

They have a nice gift shop, with a sale section. I picked up some shirts with Darth Vader on them from their Star Wars night at the park. Does it get any better than combining Star Wars and baseball?

I did not get to see a game here, but I enjoyed checking the place out. It is close enough to the parent team in Detroit that locals do get to see guys from the main team on rehab assignments. I hope to catch a game here in the future.

Fort Wayne TinCaps, Indiana

On my last road trip, I made a brief stop at the new park for the new Fort Wayne team. The formerWizards are still affiliated with the Padres, but they have a new identity and a new park.

I love this new logo and name. Its cute and funny. I have heard that some of the locals don't like it (jokes have been made about the apple with the pot on its head) but it is original.

This road trip was originally planned so that we could hit opening day games here and in Columbus, but, do to other obligations, that did not work out. I was able to stop by briefly to take some pictures. The gift shop, unfortunately, was not open. It looked well stocked. I am going to have to order some merchandise because the logo is so funny. I really want a t-shirt.

From what I could see this park looks great. It was a few days before their opener, but it looked ready to go. They had a very cool video board and the park really made this downtown area look fun.

Indianapolis Indians, Indiana

Indianapolis has quickly become one of my favorite towns to visit. If you stay downtown, you are a brief walk from just about anything. Indianapolis is a nice city that seems to take pride in keeping itself up. The downtown area is especially well maintained and kept up.

The Indians play at Victory Field. Victory Field is a short walk from most attractions (we walked to the park from our hotel). It is a very nice AAA park, with lots of lawn area, and nice, affordable seats close to the action.

The staff was great too. Friendly and helpful, but not difficult. I didn't see anyone hassled for standing in an isle for more than a few seconds. The staff was nice and casual.

I would imagine that the park usually has a great city skyline view, but there is some construction going on across the street affecting the view at the moment.

The Indians have a well stocked gift shop. It did seem a bit small for AAA, but it had the usual jerseys, shirts, cards, etc. They had postcards too, which I wish more parks stocked. In general, I would say their merch was a little more expensive than at other parks.

I was pretty excited to see Tom Gorzelanny pitch on this night. I had seen him pitch for the parent team Pirates before, and I always liked him. As a fan of the minors, I love catching guys playing for different teams in a system. I hope he is with the big club soon though.

Andrew McCutchen is another fun guy in the Pirates organization. I have seen him play at every level and it has been great. Like Gorzelanny, he is a nice guy too. I always see him chatting with fans and signing autographs before games. I've had the privilege of talking to him a couple of times, and he seems humble. I think just about anyone who has seen him play or talked to him is in his corner.

The Indianapolis Indians are a bit of a confusing team. I don't get their logo at all. It might be the most unbaseball logo around. I love their mascot, but I prefer the big, warm and fuzzy muppets. I know my purist friends like to act like they hate them, but I think deep down, they want to hug them. They secretly enjoy them too. I can't explain the Indians red, short haired critter mascot.

Probably the most confusing part of the Indians is their name. Think about this scenario. The Indianapolis Indians are playing the Cleveland Indians affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. Try explaining that the AAA Pirates, the Indians, are playing the AAA Indians to a friend that does not know how the minor league systems work. I mean, I like the fact that the AAA teams do not take the name of the parent team (except for that arrogant Pawtucket team!) but carrying the name of a former parent club is just too much.

I really like this park, and I look forward to my next trip there. The only bad thing about going to see a game in Indy is that there is so much else to do in this town.

Indiana, Michigan and Ohio road trip

It has been a little while between posts, but we just got back from a trip around Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. We hit several parks, but we were only able to see games at 2 of them. I will try to get something up about each game and park in the next few days.

I did have to miss opening day games in Lexington and Bowling Green for this trip, but it looks like all went well, and it seems that Bowling Green's park was ready for opening day to my surprise.

Memphis Redbirds vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Finally! I attended my first game of the season! I feel better now.

I made it down to Memphis to catch the 1st of 2 exhibition games between the St. Louis Cardinals and their AAA team, Memphis at the spectacular Memphis Autozone Park.

Memphis is an impressive drive. We spent Thursday night in Nashville, after driving several hours in rainy stormy weather.

This was my second trip to Memphis within the last year. Memphis is an impressive town on several levels. It has attitude and history. The town is intense.

We made our way downtown a few hours before the game. We walked around the park and the Peabody Hotel next door. Many St. Louis players were walking between the hotel and the park. To me it seemed to have a pretty cool vibe, in general. There were about 20 fans trying to get autographs. Players were generally accommodating. I must say that the staff from the ballpark seemed the only downside to the whole situation. I saw staff get pretty rude with discouraging the autograph seekers.

We had to go in to the Peabody to say hello to their ducks. There is no reason to go to a Memphis game and not walk across the street to the Peabody to see their ducks. They enter the hotel lobby at 9am, and leave at 5. They come and go from the elevator, and a red carpet is put out for them.

The Peabody was very active. The basketball Mavericks were in town, and we road up the elevator with one of their players, and we road down with one of the Cardinals, which was pretty cool.

We made our way to the game after walking around a little. The game had a good crowd, but was far from a sell out. There were still plenty of seats. There was a booth set up to promote St. Louis travel and they were giving out draw string bags and travel guides.

This was my 1st trip to this park to see a game (I was here last year, but my game was rained out). This park is very nice. It has its own personality for sure. The big batter logo over the front entrance is a real trademark for the team and the city. The walkway around the park enables you to walk the entire way around the field. I wish all parks had this. I recently read that this park was rated #1 in a recent poll of parks in the minors. It is beautiful on the inside and outside.

The park is built into their downtown, so people in many of the surrounding buildings could watch the game from a balcony.

There was a great selection of food items too. For $6.50, you could get a huge hot dog, covered in cheese, chili, and a couple of onion rings. I put relish on mine.

The Clydesdales were there! This was very cool. They made a lap around the field and they looked great.

Fridays game saw the AAA Birds get beat up by their parent team. It was very exciting to see Pujols do his thing. I was also excited to see Ryan Ludwick. I saw him play with the Mud Hens a few years ago, and love his story. The guy has had potential and bounced around. He is starting to get some deserved recognition.

This is a cool stadium, in a cool area. I found out later that Friday Night Fights was going on down the street too! Memphis has so much going on, it is easy to miss out on some stuff.

The only minus about this park and this stadium is the security. It seemed like annoying staff were everywhere telling people what not to do. One guy in the row in front of me complained very loudly about something (I am not sure what) and one of the staff at the stadium came over several times to apologize for the situation. This staff person literally blocked my view of the game for about 10 minutes.

I was telling a friend about how bad the staff there seemed. I compared the situation to security and staff at Lexington's Rupp Arena. I am at Rupp for many sporting events through the year. Their staff is very casual and helpful. The few times I have seen them escort someone out, or hassle someone, it has been very justified and quick.

In defense of the staff at Autozone park, my friend pointed out Memphis can get rough at times. Also, this was a bit of a Major League event. They may have added some to their security because of that.

Still, even with annoying staff, this was a fun game, and this is a great park. I did not get to go to Saturdays game, though I listened to some of it. Jose Oquendo took an at bat for the cardinals, and Memphis manager Chris Maloney took an at bat for his team.

On the way back home, we stopped to see a couple of parks. We stopped briefly in Jackson TN. to look at Pringles Park, home of the Diamond Jaxx. It was gated up, so we didn't get a good look. I did see a game here last year, and this is a great place (with very friendly staff) to catch a game.

We also stopped briefly in Bowling Green to get a look at the new park where the Hot Rods are scheduled to begin play. With only a couple of weeks left until opening day, there is a lot of work still needed on this stadium. I am glad the town has a team, but the stadium looked far from finished. I am not sure about game day parking either.