10. Minute Maid Park - June 9, 2017

The second stadium of this "Texas Two-Step" was Minute Maid Park. Driving from Dallas to Houston was a simple, but long trip. It took a little over three hours to get to our hotel.

Getting to the stadium, though, wasn't bad. We found an all-day parking garage for just $10. For it being a game day, we could not pass that up. The garage was just a couple of blocks from the stadium and the downtown area.

Around the stadium was a little sketchy. There were a lot of homeless people hanging out by the gates. So, if you do head down there, just be careful. We didn't have an issue but you never know.

The view of our seats. My apologies for the glare.

Before the game, we walked around the city for a bit. There is a cool trolley system that a lot of people use for their transit but everything seems to be within walking distance. It looks like a clean city with enough to do before the game.

There were some bars and restaurants just a few blocks away. We grabbed a couple of drinks at one place and then ate at this BBQ place right across from the center field gate. It was so good! Texas BBQ is no joke.

Unlike for the Rangers, we splurged a bit for our seats here. We were three rows behind the Astros dugout on the first base side. I spent less on the Nationals, Orioles, Dodgers and Padres tickets combined. But, my one friend is a huge Astros fan and never been to the stadium, so we appeased him for this game.

We got to the stadium a couple of hours before start time. We saw the Angels take batting practice. This was the first time I got to a game this early, not a fan. I don't see the big deal, especially since we weren't in an area to catch any BP home runs.

The stadium was great. Because of the dome, it takes this weird, rectangular shape. But seeing the train across the left field wall was cool. The video board in right field was huge. And center field had this cool party deck with drink specials.

I took a walk around the stadium and there were a lot of licensed food places. You definitely have your choice of meal here. We didn't eat at the game but we did take advantage of their "buy a large soda, get a free refill" deal. They didn't remove the sticker for the refill, so we bought like 2 cups and had like 9 servings.

Carlos Correa, Marwin Gonzalez and Jake Marisnick
(Jose Altuve is behind Correa)

Anyway, leading up to this game, my friends and I were checking the probable pitchers, seeing what the matchup would be. With injuries and skipped starts, it was all over the place. It ended up being Matt Shoemaker against Brad Peacock. Shoemaker pitched seven innings, giving up four runs. Peacock lasted just three after giving up four runs on seven hits and four walks.

There was a lot of scoring early, 5-2 after four innings. The Angels ended up winning 9-4. Kole Calhoun drove in three runs and Luis Valbuena and Martin Maldonado each had two for the Angels. Alex Bregman hit a two-run home run in the seventh.

Seeing Albert Pujols in person, even if he was just the DH, was awesome. He's been an integral part of baseball for years, so seeing him before he retires was another check mark off the baseball bucket list.

It was also Star Wars night at the stadium. There was a long parade of people dressed as Star Wars characters on the field and people posing for pictures around the concourse.

Overall, this was a great stadium. However, I would not sit that close for a game, even if it's for my own team. The view was alright, but I'd rather look down at a game instead of being eye level. It was a hot day so I wish they kept the roof closed but it did cool down once the sun set behind the stadium.

Now, that I've seen 10 stadiums, I figure I would rank my top 10, in order.

1. Camden Yards
2. Yankee Stadium
3. Petco Park
4. Globe Life
5. Minute Maid Park
6. Fenway Park
7. Citizens Bank Park
8. Nationals Park
9. Dodger Stadium
10. Citi Field

I have four more stadiums coming up, putting the total at 14. Stay tuned.

9. Globe Life at Arlington - June 7, 2017

Planning this trip was a lot of fun. Unlike most of my visits, I wasn't going alone.

I've talked about my plan to visit all 30 stadiums to a lot of people. Some of my friends were interested in joining me on a trip or two. They aren't going at it the same way I am, but if they can knock a couple of ballparks off their list, why not?

So this trip included my friends Damian, Chris and Evan. I just became good friends with them over the last year so this was a big test to our friendship. And, luckily, we came back alright.

The view of the field from our seats

It took months of planning. Trying to find a week off of work for four people is crazy. We also had to buy the plane tickets, hotel rooms, game tickets and rent a car. We broke up the expenses over the course of a couple of months to make it easier on our wallets. Everything was booked by April and the countdown began.

Regardless of when you visit Texas, it's going to be hot. If you're walking around, visiting the historical stuff or bar hopping, make sure you bring lots of water.

Anyway, this is about the stadium, not Texas as a whole. Before we saw the baseball game, we took a tour of AT&T Stadium, the monster of a stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play. Even as an Eagles fan, it was impressive. Playing catch on the field was a great experience.

Oh, you want to hear about Globe Life Park? I guess I can talk about that, too.

We got stuck in a bit of traffic on our way to the stadium. Leaving for a 7:05 game at 5 is not a good idea. Rush hour exists everywhere. We took a couple of backroads and parked in a cheap side lot for like $17. The outside looked like a warehouse, similar to Fenway Park. But, this was more modern.

After hearing the news that the Rangers are looking for a new ballpark, I was expecting this place to be a dump but it wasn't. It was actually really nice. Walking around the concourse, you could see outside. Unfortunately, it didn't include much. Just a bunch of parking lots and Six Flags Over Texas.

In center field, there's this cool structure that is three levels with balaconies for people to watch the game. I have no idea how to get there but I would look into it if you ever visit the stadium.

We sat in the upper 200s, down the right field line. We didn't care exactly where we sat as long as we got into the stadium and saw a game. We splurged for the Astros game, but I'll get into that in the next post.

The center field structure I referenced

The game featured a pitching matchup between Yu Darvish and Zack Wheeler. Both pitchers went at least seven innings.

The game was tied at 3 heading into the ninth inning after Robinson Chirinos hit a two-run home run in the eighth. The Mets took a 4-3 lead after a throwing error and Matt Reynolds scores from second base. Addison Reed closed the game in a 1-2-3 inning.

Jay Bruce hit two home runs, a two-run homer in the fourth and a solo home run in the sixth. He had 75 percent of the team's RBI. I've seen the Mets three times now and this could be the worst offense this team has had in years. The Rangers were also missing Adrian Beltre, Mike Napoli and Jonathan Lucroy.

The coolest thing about the game was that it was dollar hot dog night. They weren't the best hot dogs but slap a little mustard and chopped onions on it and it's perfect. I had four. Don't judge.

Overall, Globe Life Park was a good stadium. After the game, my friends and I discussed where we would rank it and after minutes of discussion, I put it in my top five. The only negative was the lack of things to do around the stadium. You have Six Flags but that's about it. Oh, there is a WalMart down the road.

If you need to cross this off your list, get a ticket in the upper sections. I don't see a reason to spend the extra money on a field level ticket.

8. Fenway Park - August 12, 2016

This was my final baseball visit of the 2016 season. Unlike some of the others, this was a little easier to plan. All I had to do was take a day to drive to Boston, watch a game and come home. However, with the history behind the city, I had to spend more than one day in Boston.

I somehow ended up talking my brother into joining me on this trip. Our hotel was in Southborough, about 35 minutes away from Boston, not too bad. We spent a couple of days exploring the city, checking out some historical areas, visiting the Samuel Adams brewery and met up with an old friend later that night. All of this lead to Friday night, the night this trip was built around.

The view of the infield from my seat (with a little pole in the way)

Our check-out time was around 11 am, so we had a couple of hours to kill before the game. If you ever go to a Boston Red Sox game, take mass transit. The area gets so crowded with cars and the parking garages hike the prices up so much on game day.

After almost an hour (I may be exaggerating) of driving around, we settled on a $50 lot. And, of course, while walking around we found a cheaper lot.

My brother and I walked for I don't know how long. We walked through a park, into the city and saw their Holocaust Memorial. We then stopped at a pizzeria to eat before the game. After all of that, we still had plenty of time to kill. We grabbed the tickets, made our way to the stadium and waited for the gates to open.

Once inside, the stadium looked like an old warehouse. I've seen the inside plenty of times in movies (The Town and Ted, to be specific), but to see it in person was pretty cool.

The week we visited was the week the sun felt like it was 10 feet away. We bought a couple of waters outside the stadium and held our own during the game. We got to our seats and waited patiently. The one thing I regret is not going to the top of the Green Monster and take in that view. Maybe next time.

The game got off to a hot start. Jean Segura hit a lead-off triple, but was later tagged out. Rickie Weeks hit a two-run home run. In the bottom of the first, Hanley Ramirez hit his first of two three-run home runs. They scored another run off a single.

The Red Sox scored another four runs in the bottom of the second. The first came off a David Ortiz single and Hamirez hit his second home run right after that. As a Yankees fan, I kept my fandom to a minimum, but I was amazed at his performance.

The legend, "Big Papi" David Ortiz

The Arizona Diamondbacks scored a couple of more runs throughout the game. Ortiz hit a home run in the bottom of the seventh. In a quick lapse in judgment, I got up with the rest of the crowd and cheered the home run.

It was his last season, so it was pretty cool to see it in person. This was my first time seeing the Red Sox live. My brother took a picture and sent it to my mom. I was surprised I was let in my house when I came home.

The Red Sox sent out David Price, who had one of the best starts of his season. He went eight innings and gave up three runs on 10 hits and one walk while striking out eight. The Diamondbacks started Patrick Corbin. He was pulled after 1.2 innings, and I don't blame the manager for doing it.

We left after the eighth inning. The game was over and we had a long drive ahead of us.

The city of Boston is amazing. If you plan on visiting Fenway Park, you need to make a week out of it. Whether you like history, beer or just plain architecture, there is so much to do. Fenway is a great example of the both history and architecture. The only downside is similar to what I said about Oriole Park, the pillars holding up the second tier obstruct the view of the infield and outfield for many fans.

This was the final stadium I visited in 2016. The schedule for the 2017 has been released and I already began planning my trips for next season. Thank you all for reading along and I look forward to the adventures 2017 can bring.

7. Oriole Park at Camden Yards - July 24, 2016

I spent most of Saturday visiting the historical monuments and museums. It was definitely an experience I recommend taking part in.

After that, I packed all my stuff and made my way to Camden Yards. Correction, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The stadium is located right off Highway 395 and across the street from M&T Bank Stadium where the Ravens play. After following cars around a neighborhood like cattle being led to slaughter, I found a cheap $10 lot. I had a bit of a hike ahead of me, but I'd rather save the money and walk.

If you enter the stadium from left field, you are greeted with a walkway full of shops. Just walking around the stadium, you get a historic feel. The name alone brings back some great memories. There are team stores, restaurants and more to enjoy before you get to your seat and enjoy the game. I didn't spend a lot of time out there. For a 1:35 game, it was over 100 degrees out. Or at least it felt like it.

My view down the third base line.

There was a Jim Palmer jersey giveaway for the first 10,000 guests 16 and over. That's a weird age limit for a jersey. Why can't a 10-year-old get a jersey?

The game didn't even start and I was sweating through my shirt. I grabbed a water on my way to the seat. Again, why can't people just sit in their purchased seats the first time? I don't get why people decide to just plop wherever they feel like it when they sure as hell know they will have to get up eventually.

When I bought my ticket, I was scouting the stadium layout and noticed something strange. There was a large overhang from the second deck for the back rows on the first level. Pillars and the sections themselves obstructed the view of a lot of people. Fly balls were hard to judge once they reached a certain height.

The starting pitchers were Corey Kluber (Cleveland) against Vance Worley (Baltimore). I was excited to see both teams. The Indians were 16 games over .500 before the game and competing in the American League Central. The Orioles were just as good at 56-40.

Cleveland has some young stars like Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez to pair with veterans Mike Napoli and Jason Kipnis. The Orioles have sluggers Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo.

Orioles stars Manny Machado and Adam Jones

While the score doesn't reflect it, there was a lot of excitement throughout. The Indians struck first with a double and sac fly in the fourth inning to go up 2-0. The Orioles responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

Jonathan Schoop (pronounced scope) hit a solo home run in the fifth. The Indians tied it up in the top of the eighth. The Indians brought in closer Cody Allen to bring this game into extra innings. That would not be the case.

Pedro Alvarez reached on an error by the catcher. With two outs, Pinch hitter Nolan Reimold hit a walk-off home run to left field, sending Orioles fans home happy. That was my first time experiencing a walk-off hit, let alone a home run, so I got caught up in the moment, even though I was wearing a Yankees hat.

The game time was 2 hours and 46 minutes. Oh, I forget which batter, I think Trumbo, but someone lost grip on their bat and it flew into the stands. It later happened again, this time on the third base side.

On my way out of the stadium, I opened up Pokemon Go (remember that game) and caught some uncommon Pokemon. I bought another water bottle and made it to my car. Even though I made a wrong turn, I was able to get onto the highway and begin my drive home. I made it back minutes before eight o'clock and was able to watch WWE Battleground.

Before you ask, I did grab a hot dog with fries. Again, it's a great ballpark food. I added chopped onions and mustard. It could have been cooked a little longer. I like some grill marks on my dogs, but it could have been worse.

Though my view was blocked a little, I had a good time at the park. I had a good view of the infield. I do recommend buying tickets for an upper section so this doesn't happen to you. Overall, Camden Yards has a historical presence that you can't ignore. I would easily go back to this stadium, with better seats next time.

There is one more ballpark I visited in 2016. I'll post that visit sometime next month.

6. Nationals Park - July 22, 2016

Planning to visit Philadelphia was easy. I can drive there pretty much any day I want. It's traveling to these next two stadiums that was the problem.

I wanted visit both Maryland ballparks in one trip. While it's not too far, about 3 hours, I didn't want to take more time off of work.  So, trying to find that one weekend when both the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles were home was difficult. The same goes for Chicago, but I have to wait until next year for that.

The view from my seat in Section 222.

I was able to find one weekend towards the end of July that worked. The Nationals played a Friday night game and the Orioles played a Sunday afternoon game, and then I would make my trek back home.

I strategically booked a hotel in the middle of both cities, so I didn't have to drive a ridiculous distance to either stadium. Getting to the hotel wasn't too bad, just a lot of traffic. There seems to be a theme here.

I made it to my room at around 3:30 PM, the game started at 7:05 PM. I unpacked, charged my phone a bit and left at 5:00 PM. And luckily I left at that time because getting into Washington D.C. was not fun.

I finally parked, about 45 minutes before game time, in a lot that charged $30 for parking. And that wasn't even the most expensive. I recommend taking mass transit when visiting Nationals Park.

The stadium looks nice on the inside, but there's nothing memorable about it from the outside. If you look towards left-center field, the stadium is flanked by two large parking garages. Compared to some stadiums, like the ones in Pittsburgh and St. Louis, with a nice city backdrop, Nationals Park was a big let down.

As far as my seat, I had a very good view. I sat in Section 222, down the first base line. However, I wouldn't consider this a level-200 seat. The way the stadium is laid out, the even sections are upstairs and the odd-numbered ones are down. This should technically make this a level-300 seat.

The game itself was entertaining, despite it being my third time seeing the Nationals in the last calendar year. Washington welcomed in the San Diego Padres, another team I already saw. The starting pitchers were Luis Perdomo (SDP) and Tanner Roark (WAS).

Nationals star hitter, Bryce Harper

Padres right fielder Matt Kemp kicked things off with a solo home run in the first inning. The Nationals came back with two runs, including a solo homer by Jayson Werth. Kemp later his a 3-run home run in the top of the 5th. Daniel Murphy hit a home run of his own in the eighth, but it wasn't enough as Padres won 5-3.

In what seems like a regular part of these reviews, I had a hot dog from the park. Hot dogs are the easiest food to eat while walking around the stadium. The one that I had wasn't bad. It had a nice crunch and went well with chopped onions and mustard. No ketchup on hot dogs!

Getting back to my room was not as bad as getting to the game, but it still sucked. I had to drive around this neighborhood just to get to the highway. Drivers were pulling out in front of other drivers, blocking the opposite lane of traffic. Once you read my review of Fenway Park, you'll understand my hatred for traffic if you don't already.

Of the two stadiums I visited on this trip, I liked this one for a couple of reasons. One, my view was a lot better and two, it wasn't as hot out. The stadium was a little too bland for my liking. There weren't any memorable features to the stadium like many others.

If you're in the area, check out Nationals Park. Other than that, I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this park.

5. Citizens Bank Park - May 17, 2016

Once the 2016 MLB schedule was released, my trip planning became more serious.

I was looking at most of the East Coast teams, seeing which teams are available to me and how I can maximize the most of a single trip. Considering my location, Jersey Shore, I'm quite surprised I didn't get to Citizens Bank Park earlier. It's only a 90-minute drive from my house.

About a month into the season, both the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins were not in a good position. The Phillies are clearly rebuilding and the Marlins have two star players. It wasn't the most exciting matchup.

The big difference about this trip is who I went with. It wasn't by myself or with either of my parents. This time, it was with my brother.

We were sitting lower, seven rows from the wall.

My brother played baseball growing up, like me. We're on the same softball team, too. But, over time, he grew out of the sport and watched basketball and football. I watch those sports as well, but there's just something about the game of baseball that intrigues me. So, the fact that we was actually joining me on this trip was pretty cool.

I got home from work and we left right away. We made pretty good time, considering we had to make one extra stop. He wanted to get a Philly Cheesesteak. I've been to both Pat's and Geno's before (I prefer Pat's), but he hasn't. I parked, horribly, and we got the cheesesteaks wit' onions. They were good. We then got to the stadium and walked around the concourse before getting to our seats. It was raining, but the ushers were nice enough to wipe our seats off beforehand.

We were sitting down the third base line, allowing us to see the Marlins warming up. I had to point out most of the Miami players as he wasn't caught up on current rosters. He did know a couple, Martin Prado, Giancarlo Stanton and Ichiro. As far as the Phillies went, he didn't know any. I barely knew who the starting lineup was.

The game started hot, with the Marlins getting a single and double, but left them stranded. Phillies prospect Tommy Joseph scored the first run with a home run to left, barely making it over the wall. Philly pitcher Vince Velazquez didn't last long, only five innings but struck out 10. The Phillies won 3-1. By the time the game ended, my brother and I were standing in center field. Now, that was a view. We left as soon as the final pitch was thrown.

During the game, there were a couple of foul balls hit near us, but nothing reachable. Later, a ball ricocheted off the second deck siding and bounced back towards our section. My brother, like the outfielder that he is, ran to the row next to us and lined up to catch it, but it went over his head and the ball girl caught it. He then somehow convinced her to give him the ball. He was really happy. Mind you, he's 23 years old. The fact that he was getting into the game made me happy.

The Libery Bell in center field

The stadium was nice. Again, it's a big East Coast stadium. Multiple tiers, bleachers where you wouldn't think seats are and people standing in the outfield. Unlike other stadiums I've visited, the second deck did not overhang and the seats were angled enough that you could see over the person in front of you.

Another cool thing is the liberty bell in center field. After each Phillies home run, it lights up and "rings." Realistically, the lights move back and forth to simulate the bell ringing.

Just like Citi Field, there is nothing to do around the stadium. Citizens Bank Park is in a sports complex with Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles) and Wells Fargo Center (76ers and Flyers). You can walk a few miles to the historical part of Philly, but that's about it.

Overall, I liked Citizens Bank Park a lot. It was very spacious and the field was nice. It did help that I had a nice view of the field. I didn't check out the food situation since we ate before the game and my brother brought peanuts into the field, which the staff didn't seem to have a problem with. All in all, definitely check out the field, just maybe wait a couple of years until the Phillies are contenders again.

4. Citi Field - October 3, 2015

This trip to the second New York park was another random one. I remember talking to my parents in our living room about something, obviously. Somehow the topic of baseball was brought up.

It was getting towards the end of the 2015 regular season. The New York Mets were competing for the National League East title and my dad, a Mets fan, was excited because his team was finally better than the New York Yankees. My mom and I didn't want to hear it, but I guess I was a little happy for him.

Our left field seats

So, with about a month left in the season, I looked to see what games we could potentially go to. The only one that would work with both of our schedules was the October 3 game against the Washington Nationals. Yes, I would be seeing the Nationals for a second time this year. It definitely won't be the last.

Getting to Citi Field was horrible. Unlike my mom, my dad loves driving in the city. We haven't lived in New York since 1991, but somehow my dad still knows his way around more than he does where we currently live. I don't get it. Anyway, there was just so much traffic. I'm not sure what is worse, LA or New York traffic.

We finally got to the stadium and it was freezing. The wind was whipping through the parking lot and at our seats in the outfield. I was prepared, but an extra hot chocolate definitely helped.

This was the second game of a day-night double header. As a result, the Nationals trotted out their second string squad. With Wilson Ramos or Yunel Escobar being the biggest names in the starting lineup, you'd think they would have a hard time winning the game. The Mets didn't put out their best lineup either, but they had some better hitters.

Actually, quite the opposite happened. The Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer pitched a no hitter.

Remember what I said in the Dodgers game about jinxing no-hitters? This time, though, it didn't make a difference. We were all talking about it. I could see other fans glancing at the scoreboard as they murmured about the possible feat. He missed the perfect game by one base runner, reached on error. He struck out 17 on 109 pitches. Just amazing.

The Mets starter, Matt Harvey, wasn't bad either. One run allowed on four hits and struck out 11 in six innings.

The view from my second visit to Citi Field

As far as the stadium goes, which is what this whole blog is about, it was nice. The outfield concourse was nice as I was able to see the game while waiting for food. If you're walking behind home plate, the field is blocked, as I saw when I visited Citi Field the following April for my dad's birthday.

The only downside to visiting Citi Field is that there is nothing around the stadium to do. It's surrounded by parking lots. There's a train, highway and side streets. There are no real restaurants or landmarks to visit while waiting for the gates to open. If you plan on making a day out of this, I'd park in the city and take the train to and from the stadium.

Similar to what I said about Yankee Stadium, Citi Field is big. There are four levels of seating, but it doesn't look like any section hinders your view of the field. It just proves that the East Coast loves their baseball, 41,000 people were in attendance for this game. Just the fact that I saw Scherzer's second no hitter of the season made this a special event.

Citi Field is nice. The home run apple is still in center field and there are some nice tributes to the Mets legacy around the stadium, but once you sit down, it just doesn't seem that special. Maybe that's why I jokingly call it "Shitty Field."