20. Kauffman Stadium - July 18, 2019

On the other side of the state, about 245 miles, is Kauffman Stadium. While in the same state, their setup is very different. Like some of the other stadiums I visited, this park sits in a sports complex. They share a big parking lot with Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs play.

Because of this, trying to plan a full day of events is not as easy as other ballparks. The downtown area has a lot of bars and places to eat. So, whether you go before or after the game, you won't have to go far for things to do. The stadium is about a 15-minute drive to downtown, depending on the time of day.

The view of the skyline from my seat

Getting to the stadium wasn't bad. It's right off the highway, which leads you right into the parking lot. I don't remember how much I paid for parking, but I think it was close to $20. I had a decent distance to walk but it was a straight shot to the gate. It felt longer due to the weather.

There was nothing special around the gates. No monuments, plaques or anything honoring former players. Also, the gates didn't open until an hour before the game. That's a bit ridiculous. Most stadiums are between 90 and 120 minutes before the first pitch.

The game I went to was a 1:15 PM game, 12:15 local time. In the middle of July with the Midwest sun beating down on the open stadium, especially where I was sitting, it was not enjoyable. I believe the "feels like" temperature was around 105 degrees.

I rushed to get something to eat because I thought the gates would open sooner than they did. I had myself a nice pulled pork sandwich, fries and a water. I left my seat to get water or Gatorade four times during this game. My shirt was a different shade of blue by the end of it.

As for the stadium, despite it not being near anything, it's a nice park. The outfield concourse is wide open. In the upper sections, the concourse is open enough to allow a nice breeze to come through while you walk around.

The center field structure is an interesting LED screen that is taller than it is wide and a fountain display on either side of the screen. There is a crown atop the screen for the Royals logo. There isn't much else as far as features go. It's a nice stadium but also simple in some aspects.

Behind the stadium is Interstate 70. It's an interesting backdrop compared to other ballparks. While you're isolated from the city, it's cool to see cars drive by doing their own thing. The grassy hills behind the stadium have a midwest feel to it, which makes sense since we are in Missouri.

The center field scoreboard and fountains

The game I watched was the Royals taking on the Chicago White Sox. Royals won 6-5. They rolled out Brad Keller to pitch against Ross Detwiler (yes, he's still in the league). Neither pitcher was all that impressive.

The White Sox took an early 2-0 lead after the first inning as Leury Garcia scored on an error and Yoan Moncada scored from a double play. They scored another run in the third from a Moncada home run.

Then, the Royals offense woke up with five runs in the bottom of the third. Cheslor Cuthbert led it off with a home run. Jorge Soler hit a two-run home run. Billy Hamilton hit a 2-RBI single. They added another run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-3.

The White Sox scored a run in the sixth. Things then quieted down for a couple of innings. The White Sox scored one more run off of closer Ian Kennedy, making it 6-5 but Kennedy was able to get the final out to win the game.

Despite it being 110 degrees, I enjoyed the game and my visit to Kauffman Stadium. While it is simple compared to other stadiums, it doesn't overdo it with obnoxious statues or features that take away from the aesthetic of baseball. If you do visit Kauffman Stadium, just make sure you go when it's not 100 degrees out.

Now that I visited 20 out of 30, I figured I should post my updated rankings. I did my top 10 after visiting Minute Maid Park.

In reverse order, here are my top-20 MLB stadiums.

20. Citi Field (Mets)
19. Progressive Field (Indians)
18. Guaranteed Rate Field (White Sox)
17. Miller Park (Brewers)
16. Nationals Park (Nationals)
15. Globe Life Park (Rangers)
14. Comerica Park (Tigers)
13. Kauffman Stadium (Royals)
12. Minute Maid Park (Astros)
11. Citizens Bank Park (Phillies)
10. Target Field (Twins)

9. Yankee Stadium (Yankees)
8. Great American Ballpark (Reds)
7. Dodger Stadium (Dodgers)
6. Busch Stadium (Cardinals)
5. Oriole Park (Orioles)
4. Fenway Park (Red Sox)
3. Petco Park (Padres)
2. Wrigley Field (Cubs)
1. PNC Park (Pirates)

I will have to wait until 2021 to continue my visits. Thanks, COVID.

19. Busch Stadium - July 16, 2019

This is likely the only baseball trip I'd be doing this year. With the stadiums I have left, it's hard to find the time and money to do them. But, at least I got two more down and now I have 10 remaining.

I planned this trip about two months before I actually left. It might be the quickest plan-to-trip I've done. I flew into Kansas City and then drove about four and a half hours to St. Louis. It was actually a lot cheaper than landing in St. Louis directly.

Between the two cities is Columbia but that's about it. There are a lot of farms and open land but not much else. It actually makes the ride feel longer than it actually is.

For my nights in both STL and KC, I stayed in AirBnBs instead of hotels. They were much cheaper and not that far of a drive to the stadiums. If you're visiting any stadium, I'd look to go that route first.

Busch Stadium from the top of The Arch

Anyway, this is a stadium blog, not a travel blog. I was in St. Louis for two full days. It rained for one and a half of them. Unlike the next stadium on this list, there is plenty to do around Busch Stadium.

The stadium sits in the middle of downtown St. Louis. There are many restaurants and bars within walking distance. There are a few breweries a bit further away but worth checking out.

The obvious tourist attraction is the Arch, which is a few blocks away. There is a museum and a bunch of other things underneath the actual Arch.

They have a few different packages. The cheapest was $14, which includes a video about the Arch and a ticket to go up to the top. You take a small cable car almost to the top and then walk the rest of the way. The views are amazing. I recommend it.

Getting to the stadium is very easy. There are a bunch of highways that lead directly downtown. Public transportation is also an option. I had my rental car, so I drove to the park. I parked in a lot near the Arch and walked. It was $7 for pretty much all day. As I walked closer to the stadium, some lots were charging up to $30. Park further away and enjoy the walk.

Busch Stadium is a great park. Each entrance gate has its own features, a tribute to former stars. The inside of the stadium is pretty open, especially the field-level concourse. As I was making my way to my seat, I was scouting the concession stands. Some of the prices for food were ridiculous. They had a double cheeseburger for $22. Yeah, no thanks. I'll stick to my hot dog.

The view from my seat

I got to my usual seat, upper levels behind home plate, and took in the view. There was some construction going on in left-center but seeing the Arch in center field was a great sight. I could see the whole field and then some.

The game I saw was the Cardinals taking on division rival Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cardinals lost 3-1. Jack Flaherty started for St. Louis and Dario Agrazal started for Pittsburgh.

Over the first four innings, there were a combined six base runners. It wasn't until the fifth inning when a run was scored.

Corey Dickerson hit a one-out double and Kevin Newman drove him home. The Cardinals tied up in the bottom of the fifth with a Harrison Bader double, a steal of third and Flaherty singling him home.

The score would remain tied until the top of the ninth inning. Closer Carlos Martinez came into the game to give his offense a chance to win. He got the first out with ease. Then, things fell apart.

He hit Starling Marte. Josh Bell hit a single, advancing Marte to third. Colin Moran hit an RBI single. Dickerson walked, loading the bases. Newman grounded out but drove in another run. Martinez then forced Elias Diaz to fly out.

In the bottom of the ninth against Felipe Vazquez, the Cardinals went down 1-2-3 with two strikeouts to lose the game. It was an exciting game, for me at least; probably not for a Cardinals fan.

Overall, this was a great experience at a great stadium. Being able to walk around downtime to kill time before a game is nice. Because of the history, the view and environment, I highly recommend visiting Busch Stadium.

18. Wrigley Field - August 10, 2018

Wrigley Field is a bit more difficult to get to. Regardless of the time of day, there will always be traffic heading up to the north side of Chicago. We ended up driving because we wanted to drink and eat before the game.

You can still do that, but I recommend either taking the train or catching an Uber. The city is crowded and parking, especially on game days, is expensive. We parked in some third-party corner lot that cost $40 and closed about 30 minutes after the game ends. The lot looked like Tetris the way the cars were parked. Of course, we parked first so we had to wait until everyone else arrived. Not ideal.

We went to a great sandwich place called Lucky's Sandwich Company. The game was at 1pm, so we had time to eat something beforehand and not spend money inside. Well, except for a hot dog of course. This place was amazing.

The classic front of Wrigley Field

On their menu, it says "All sandwiches come with tomatoes, fries and seasoned cole slaw served on them." My friends and I didn't see the "served on them" part, so when we got our sandwiches, we were a bit surprised. Regardless, one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. I recommend this place if you're ever in Wrigleyville.

Walking into the stadium, I had the same feeling I did when I walked into Fenway Park - nostalgia. You can just feel the history of this stadium, the joy, the heartbreak and everything in between. Yes, the stadium has seen upgrades over the years but the heart is still there.

It's got a great look and it's no wonder why it took them so long to implement night games. Being here for an afternoon game was wonderful. The green ivy across the outfield wall. The old school scoreboard in center field. Even the structure was cool to look at.

Getting to our seats wasn't bad. People knew where they were going and getting up to the high level wasn't as bad as other stadiums. I didn't get to sit where I normally do behind home plate, but I did get a picture. We ended up sitting down the first base side a bit. Still a great view.

The craziest part was seeing the bleachers atop the apartments across from the stadium. They are run by a third-party company and span across the whole outfield. They come with access to a lounge, beverages, food and big-screen TVs. If you don't want to be in the stadium, this is a good alternative.

Besides the Yankees winning, this may have been the best game we saw on the trip. The Cubs defeated the Nationals 3-2 and it came down to the final at-bat. Every fan was on their feet when the final out was recorded.

Jeremy Hellickson started for Washington while the Cubs rolled out Kyle Hendricks. Neither pitcher lasted too long. Hellickson was pulled after 5.2 innings, giving up two runs on four walks with three strikeouts. Hendricks went six innings with two runs, eight hits and five strikeouts.

A field-level view

After that, it was a bullpen matchup. Both teams used a combined nine relievers for the final three innings. This is what the MLB is referencing when talking about the pace of play. I don't mind it as much but I get where they are coming from.

Nationals rookie Juan Soto drove in Trea Turner for the first run of the game in the first inning. They added their second run in the second when Adam Eaton drove in Daniel Murphy on a single. The Nationals would be held scoreless for the rest of the game.

Hellickson did a good job shutting down the Cubs. They had just one base runner after five innings. It wasn't until the sixth inning where the Cubs offense woke up.

After three straight walks, Jason Heyward hit a 2-RBI single. Anthony Rizzo walked in the game-winning run in the seventh inning as the bases were loaded.

After two outs, Pedro Strop had an error when covering first base, allowing Eaton to get on base. The crowd was electric. Everyone was on their feet, waiting for the third out. And they got it when Turner struck out swinging. If only I could have been here when they won the World Series.

Hot dog review: Nice crunch, yellow mustard, and grilled onions. Good stadium dog.

Wrigley Field is one of the most historic stadiums in the league. I don't care if you skip the other Chicago stadium, this is one you have to see.

17. Guaranteed Rate Field - August 8, 2018

Getting to Chicago was pretty easy. It's just a 90-minute ride between Milwaukee and Chicago. We could have stayed in Milwaukee if we wanted to. We actually stayed just outside of the city, a bit cheaper.

Guaranteed Rate Field was easy to get to. Right off the main highway. We could have taken the train but leaving our car in part of Chicago was not a good idea. We spent the extra time and gas to drive up to the stadium. Parking was annoying. There weren't many lots and the side street parking situation wasn't ideal. We paid $20 for parking. Not bad, I've paid worse.

The skyline, or lack thereof

Since we had plenty of time before the game, we went to this bar and grill right across from the stadium. It's called ChiSox Bar & Grill. They had a lot of beer on tap and their sandwiches were excellent.

If you don't have tickets for a game, you could spend all game in this bar. Highly recommended.

The outside of the stadium was nice. There were some statues of former players and a nice plaque display at one of the entrances.

We got into the stadium and there wasn't much to look at beyond the field. While there weren't three levels of seats in the outfield, there were LCD screens wrapping around the whole outfield. Guaranteed Rate Field does not have a skyline like the rest of these stadiums have.

The main LCD screen in center field is a nice display. It's not too big but provides enough information for both teams. There are these weird lollipop-looking things above the scoreboard. Not sure what those are about.

We got to our seats down the right-field line, near the foul pole. Like with Miller Park, my friends want to be as close to the action as possible. Not my choice. We had a good few of the action without having to turn our necks too much. The seats were angled a little bit towards home plate. But, with owners want to pack as many fans as possible, this is the compromise they made.

I don't remember what there was to do around the concourse. It's either because it wasn't memorable or because I'm writing this seven months after I visited this stadium. I'm going to go with the latter.

Giancarlo Stanton settling in the batter's box

What I do remember, though, is the Yankees winning 7-3. Luis Severino and Lucas Giolito served as each team's starting pitchers. Severino pitched seven innings and allowed three runs on seven hits and eight strikeouts.

Giolito, on the other hand, went just five innings and gave up seven runs on six hits and three walks while striking out seven batters.

The White Sox got out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Jose Abreu had an RBI double and Daniel Palka drove him home with a single. The Yankees quickly answered back as Austin Romine and Shane Robinson each had RBI singles. Two batters later, Giancarlo Stanton hit a line-drive grand slam.

It was smooth sailing for the next couple of innings. Aaron Hicks added the seventh run with a solo home run in the fifth inning. Tim Anderson hit his own home run in the bottom of the fifth and that would be the last run to score for the game.

This game we did stay until the final out. We had to celebrate the Yankees winning.

We got lucky this game. It was dollar hot dog night. Not the best quality hot dogs. Multiple condiment tables ran out of diced onions. I had to walk around half of the concourse to find some. The things I do for onions.

The south side of Chicago is not a place you want to hang out. You'd be better off staying either north or just outside of Chicago and traveling to the stadium. It's a basic park but is open enough that you don't feel cramped or closed in.

16. Miller Park - August 7, 2018

The next part of the trip was heading to Milwaukee. It was about a five-and-a-half hour drive. There is nothing in Wisconsin, outside of the major cities. I don't get how people live out here.

We finally made it to Milwaukee. Driving by the park the day before, the stadium is huge. The roof itself is big. Walking up to it, it looks like a football stadium. If you're visiting it for the first time, it's hard to miss.

The three of us stayed in this motel not too far from the stadium, right off the highway. The only good thing about this place was that there was a bar attached. One of us had a few too many drinks the first night we were there.

A view of the stadium and field

On game day, the gates opened 90 minutes before the game, a little late compared to other stadiums. I don't mind. I really don't need to see batting practice.

Getting to the stadium was fine, some traffic though. But that's too be expected when there's only one highway leading to the stadium.

Parking was cheap for the official stadium lots. $12 for a weekday game. They had a walkway from each parking lot leading to the stadium, making it easier to walk between lots.

There was no skyline because of the back wall being high for the retractable roof. While I didn't have seats in my usual section, I went up to the upper section behind the plate. It's a nice view but nothing to look at outside of the stadium.

The stadium is a little behind on travel between levels. There were few escalators, no elevators for the public and just long ramps. It was a terror walking down. Thank God I was able to sit for three hours to rest up.

There is a lot to do around the park for both kids and adults. They had speed pitch and running the bases for kids. There were a lot of different food choices compared to just the boring concession stands. Like Cleveland, I give Milwaukee credit for having unique food options.

My friends aren't fans of the seats I want to sit in. They want to sit as close to the field as possible. I appeased them here and we sat in the first row in right field. Well, technically not the first row because there's like an exclusive club of people sitting at ground level behind the fence, but we're right behind them.

A view of the field from center field

It was actually a cool view. Because of how many fly balls the Brewers hit, we ended up on TV a couple of times. We never caught a home run, though we were close.

The game featured two of the league's worst starting pitchers in Clayton Richard (SD) and Chase Anderson (MIL).

Richard pitched five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three. Anderson gave up four runs on four walks and five hits and struck out four over 4.2 innings.

The game started off hot with two two-run home runs in the first inning from Jesus Aguilar and Mike Moustakas. The San Diego Padres scored two in the top of the third inning off of a Manuel Margot single. Moustakas had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning. Those would be the only runs the Brewers score all game.

The Padres piled on for the rest of the game. Franmil Reyes hit a solo home run in the fourth. Margot hit his own solo homer in the fifth. He then hit a sac fly in the sixth. Reyes drove in two more runs with a double in the seventh. Hunter Renfroe hit a two-run home run in the eighth. Margot hit a triple in the ninth that brought home two more runs.

The Brewers went down in order in the bottom of the ninth. We did not stay for the final inning. We left after the bottom of the eighth. This is one of the few times I left a game before the last out was recorded. I didn't mind, the game was a blowout anyway.

Hot Dog Review: They had brown mustard and chopped onions at the condiments table. The hot dog itself was a little too juicy, no crunch but the toppings helped. Second-best hot dog of the trip.

There wasn't much to do in Milwaukee but the stadium was worth the trip.

15. Target Field - August 5, 2018

This was the start to the one and only baseball trip I made this year. I was joined by my friends Damian and Evan. Our other friend Chris couldn't make it.

We started by flying into Minnesota, driving down to Milwaukee and then over to Chicago before going home. Minnesota has a decent downtown but it's not a major city like a Los Angeles or New York.

We stayed in an inn just outside the city, in Roseville. Wasn't the best area but it was cheap, which is all I care about. The stadium was easy to get to. Just a couple of turns and onto the highway. There wasn't a lot of traffic for a gameday. Then again, the game was on a Sunday afternoon.

There were a lot of parking garages and for cheap, considering how close we were to the stadium. The garage we parked at was, I believe, $13 for 10 hours. Not that bad. It was also connected to the SkyWalk.

The Minnesota skyline

The SkyWalk is a cross-city elevated walkway that allows you to get to most of the major attractions without having to be outside. And, for it being August, this was a welcome treat to us. You could walk to US Bank Stadium, home to the Vikings, or Target Field and Target Center, where the Timberwolves (NBA) and Wild (NHL) play.

The negative about the area was that there weren't a lot of places to eat. Again, it could be because it was early Sunday, but we had to settle for Starbucks before the game. If you go see a night game, there are a few pubs and restaurants to eat at beforehand.

As for the stadium, I was very surprised. I was expecting a basic stadium, like Nationals Park. However, this was my second favorite of the trip.

There is a huge team store in the stadium. A nice open area near the right-field gate with benches and a bar to watch the game. An interactive area for kids.

I took my obligatory picture of the skyline from the upper levels behind home plate. It was a decent skyline with the downtown in the background. The seats were a little steeper compared to the other parks I've visited. There was a big scoreboard in left field and an extra level of bleachers in right.

The view from my actual seat was good. We sat down the third base line, a few sections after the away team's dugout. Seats weren't angled so you had to turn your body to see the infield. MLB did a good job keeping fans protected as the nets extended past the dugouts.

The game featured the matchup of Danny Duffy (KC) against Ervin Santana (MIN). Duffy lasted six innings despite giving up six runs on eight hits and a walk. Santana was pulled after 4.1 innings and three runs.

The view from our seats

The Royals scored first with a two-run home run by Lucas Duda. The Twins came back and took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the second from a Jake Cave grand slam, the first of two we saw on this trip. The Twins scored two more in the fourth.

The Royals slowly crept back and added a run in the fifth and two more in the seventh after a Whit Merrifield home run.

Fernando Rodney, the relief pitcher that always seems to find a job, came in in the ninth and gave up two hits before locking it down and recording the save. For two bad teams, this was an entertaining game.

After the game, we drove to the Mall of America. This place is HUGE! We actually went back the next day to do some things we missed. There are four Lids stores, two mini-golf courses, an indoor go-kart and arcade place and much more.

And now time for the award-winning Hot Dog review. The dog I ate had a nice crunch, a lot of chopped onions. Had to use yellow mustard instead of brown. It was really good.

Overall, I enjoyed this stadium. It's very open. The concourse is nice. Good views up top. The lower level seats are angled towards the infield, making it easier to see the action. Definitely one to check out soon.

14. Progressive Field - August 24, 2017

Like Detroit, I stayed at a house just a 10-minute drive to the ballpark. I left the neighborhood and took one road all the way down. For the price, it was in a great location.

When I made it to the downtown, it looked like a sports complex dropped in the middle of the city, with Quicken Loans Arena right next door. Maybe because it was a Thursday, but it didn't seem that crowded for a popular matchup.

Trying to find parking wasn't that hard. There were a lot of lots and garages near the stadium. The downside was that even third-party parking lots cost $20. It could have been an effect of the two teams playing. There was a parking garage attached to the stadium with its own security entrance in left field. That was pretty cool.

The one weird thing about this game was that the gates opened just one hour before the game. Most of the other stadiums I've been to open their gates 90 minutes before start time. That doesn't give a lot of time to get peanuts, souvenirs and get to your seats.

The stadium view from my seat

Walking into the stadium, I got this high-end, fancy feel to it. There were a lot of unique places to eat like a Build Your Burger stand and crazy hot dogs, including one with pierogi and one with Froot Loops. Those prices were a little outrageous, the most expensive of the four stadiums, that I ended up getting food at a standard food stand.

Of course, I got a hot dog. I put this horribly tasting stadium mustard on it. I finished it but I didn't enjoy it. The hot dog itself was good though. I got a hot chocolate and fries later in the game.

There was a huge scoreboard above the left-field bleachers and third-level bleachers in right field, which wasn't used for this game, that blocked a lot of the backdrop. The only opening was behind center field but there were seating and dining. Not much of a view of the city.

Seating looked good for most of the stadium. Not a lot of obstructed seats. The only thing I noticed was a big overhang on the first base side that blocked a lot of the view for those sitting in the back rows. My seat, again, was behind home plate in the upper 500s section. I felt a little further away from the game compared to Cincinnati but it still wasn't that bad. It was worth the $30-something I paid.

The game featured a great pitching matchup, at least on paper, between Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox and Trevor Bauer of the Cleveland Indians. Things didn't go well for either pitcher as neither of them lasted six innings. The final score was 13-6 Indians.

The Indians were first on the scoreboard with four runs in the bottom of the second. Roberto Perez, Giovanny Urshela and Francisco Lindor had back-to-back-to-back RBIs. They scored their fourth run on an error.

Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer

Mitch Moreland got the Sox on the board with a solo home run in the third but the Tribe scored two more in the bottom of the inning. Boston scored three more runs off of a Xander Bogaerts triple and Moreland single.

The Indians scored six more runs between the fifth and seventh innings, including home runs from Jay Bruce and Lindor and RBI doubles from Perez and Yandy Diaz. Moreland hit his second home run in the top of the ninth but it wasn't close to enough for the Sox.

I made my down to the field-level seats towards the end of the game. With the game being a blowout, most of the fans started to make their way home early. Again, I don't see why people sit this close. While everything is at eye level, you don't get the full view of the field. Being in the upper sections allow you to see pretty much everything.

Of the four stadiums I visited on this trip, this would be my least favorite. The backdrop, or the potential of one, was blocked by the scoreboard and bleachers. The area around the stadium wasn't anything special. I didn't see a city where you can spend most of the afternoon before going to the game. This truly felt like an "arrive, see game, leave" situation.

This was the last day of a 5-day, 4-game trip. Well, six days if you count the drive home. It was a great time. I'm pretty sure that crosses off all of the ballparks I can drive to and I'm thankful for that. Eh, I could drive to Toronto if I wanted to.

I have 16 stadiums left. I plan on doing 4 a year for the next 4 years. I'll figure that out in the offseason. This is it for 2016, though. So, with 14 stadiums down, I want to go over some fun facts.

I've seen the Washington Nationals play 3 times (so far).
The home team is 5-9.
The Pirates game on August 21 was my first extra-innings game.
I've been to 8 games in August, 2 in June, 2 in July, 1 in May and 1 in October.
The collective scores have been 60 (home) and 79 (away).

Thanks for reading and following along.

13. Great American Ballpark - August 23, 2017

For the next two cities, I didn't stay at a hotel/motel. I stayed in two Airbnb's. If you're not familiar, people list a room on the app. If you like it, you request it and if they accept, you're all set. Pretty much just staying in someone's house.

Now that that's over, let's get to Great American Ballpark. Getting to the park was easy, but tedious. Ohio drivers don't seem like they're in a rush to get anywhere. For a 7.5 mile drive to the park, it took about 20 minutes.

Cincinnati has more of a city feel than the previous two. It was very crowded and cars all over the place. Yet, it was still not as busy as New York. I don't think anything will. Granted, it was a Wednesday so that may have played a factor. The one thing that bothered me while driving around was how narrow the lanes are. They were a little wider than a car.

The view of the field and backdrop

I parked in front of Paul Brown Stadium in a third-party lot for $10. I didn't feel like driving so I took the first thing I saw. As I walked towards GAB, I saw other lots for the same price. I should have waited. Oh well. The walk was nice. There was a nice park with swings, benches and a great view of the Ohio River and Kentucky on the other side.

Around the stadium were high-end bars and eateries. Cincinnati is fancy as fuck. I waited until I got into the stadium, but I could see myself grabbing a beer or two before the game at one of these players. Once inside, it feels like an actual park. It was very open with fields, benches and great landscaping. There was even a kid's area with a play place and ball pit.

As I walked to my seat, the concourse was wide open. Like, semi-truck wide. It was great. I hate having to squeeze past people to and from the concession stands.

While my ticket said I was in the 500s, it felt just a little higher than the 300s in the previous two stadiums. Yes, I was a little higher but the view was just as good. I didn't feel too far away from the game. The steps were a little steep but I'd rather that than being a mile away from home plate.

The one thing I did notice was that there were cobwebs all over the seats in my section, and I assume in others as well. It was a bad season for the Reds, so they probably didn't have many fans going to the games let alone sitting that high up.

The view was great. The Ohio River wraps around the outfield with the Kentucky woods on the other side of the river. There is a center-field bar called The Pilot House. I never made my way over there. I was relegated to watching them on the opposite of the field.

A view of the mound visit during the game

The video board in left field extended the length of the bleachers. The right field side had fewer bleachers. There was a smaller video board over them but nothing too distracting from the backdrop.

The main thing Cincy is known for is the chili. Unfortunately, I didn't have any. I, of course, had a hot dog. They had Nathan's for a dollar more. No Thanks. Still no chopped onions. Do they not know what onions are in this part of the country?

After seeing the Chicago Cubs win the World Series last season, I was excited to see the young stars on this team like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber and others. The Reds, on the other hand, have some talent. Guys like Billy Hamilton, Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez come to mind.

The starting pitchers were Mike Montgomery (CHC) and Asher Wojciechowski (CIN). Not the best matchup of the four games. Montgomery pitched six shutout innings while Wojciechowski left in the fourth after allowing eight runs on eight hits and three walks.

The Cubs quickly got on the board with three runs in the first inning. Jason Heyward drove in another in the third. Schwarber hit a three-run homer and Tommy La Stella hit a two-run homer in the fourth.

I moved down to field level seats in the eighth inning. At this point, the crowd was mostly Cubs fans, which was weird. The Reds hit into a double play in the first and the place erupted with cheers.

The Reds were being shutout until the ninth inning. Votto, Suarez and Scott Schebler all hit solo home runs in the bottom of the inning. While everyone knew they weren't coming back from 9-0, seeing some of the Reds fans have hope was nice.

The field seats are angled towards home plate, which helps the neck during a three-hour game. But with the nice backdrop and fewer seats, I don't mind sitting up top.

I like the atmosphere of Cincinnati and there's a lot to do around the stadium. I don't think it's in my top 50 percent but it's definitely close. I have one more stadium to cover to end my 2017 trips.

12. Comerica Park - August 22, 2017

Getting to Comerica Park from Pittsburgh was a trek. Luckily, the distance between my hotel and the ballpark was very short, like 5 minutes. I could have walked but let's just say Detroit has a certain reputation.

As soon as I got to the hotel, again shout out to Comfort Inn, very deceiving, it started downpouring. I thought, "If I had to spend the day in Detroit and not go to a game, I'm going to be pissed." Luckily, it didn't come down to that. It cleared up a couple of hours before the game.

I took about a 10-minute drive to the downtown area and noticed a couple of things. One, they have like a monorail/tram service above the streets outside of the metro area and then is street level once you get downtown. I thought one of the cars was going to tip over.

I found a simple parking lot that cost $10. It wasn't too far away from the stadium. Most of the parking lots had different levels. I guess it's for the time of day. If you're there early it costs more to spend all day in Detroit than if you got there by 6:00 PM, it would only be $5 or $6. Lots closer to the field or Tigers' official lots were closer to $20 for parking.

The view of the field and skyline from my seat.

I had some time to kill, so I decided to walk around. The second thing I noticed about the city was how clean it was. It was modern, too, with the train system and businesses all around. I was expecting something completely different. I actually enjoyed walking around.

There were a lot of places to eat before the game. I was hungry beforehand so I caved and had a slice of pizza. That doesn't mean I skipped out on a hot dog. I couldn't go two games in a row without one.

Ford Field is right next to Comerica Park. That stadium looks huge from the outside. Back to baseball, I entered from center field again. I gotta stop entering from the complete opposite side of where I need to go.

There was a cool car display in center. The backdrop was pretty cool, too. The Detroit skyline was nice. I sat in section 329, off-center. The dirt around home plate was shaped like home plate. Not sure if I've seen that before. Most of the other stadiums have a dirt circle around the plate.

The left field video board wasn't as big as some of the other stadiums I've seen. I appreciate them not wanting to block the backdrop with a huge board but they could have made this one bigger.

The cool thing about this game was that I was seeing my team, the Yankees. I haven't been to a Yankees game in a couple of seasons and this team was fun to watch on TV. The offense was young and exciting and the bullpen was electric, especially after the trade deadline.

The small video board in left field.

This game was over before it even started. The starting pitchers were Matt Boyd (DET) and Masahiro Tanaka (NYY). Boyd lasted just 2.1 innings while Tanaka pitched a full seven innings. The Yankees won 13-4 in three hours and 14 minutes.

The Yankees got on the board early with a two-run home run by Gary Sanchez and then a sacrifice fly from Aaron Hicks in the first inning. They scored four more runs in the third and two more in the fifth. Hicks hit a solo homer in the seventh and Sanchez homered again in the ninth.

The Tigers scored on an RBI double in the third, two-run homer in the seventh by Nick Castellanos and inside-the-park home run from Castellanos two innings later. The Yankees pitchers prevented the Tigers from getting on base and scoring.

The next morning, I took a drive north to 8 Mile Rd. Yes, as cliché as it is, I had to. Now that is the part of Detroit I was expecting. Two completely different parts of the city. I then made my way down south to Cincinnati. Another four-and-a-half-hour drive. Fun.

Overall, it was a great visit. Comerica Park and Detroit as a whole surprised me. It could sneakily move into my top seven parks after I talk about the next two. I liked the stadium. Great views from the top and the seats in the lower deck didn't seem to be obstructed by the overhang. Definitely a park not to wait until the end of your trip to visit.

11. PNC Park - August 21, 2017

Wow. This trip. I spent more time driving to each city than I did sitting in a seat watching games. Though, the first game going 12 innings made it closer.

The genesis of this 4-game swing was to cross off as many stadiums as possible in the shortest amount of time. Pittsburgh and Cleveland aren't a far drive from me, but only two stadiums wouldn't be worth that driving. Detroit and Cincinnati were just a couple of hours away from each other, so I did some planning and found the best route and schedule to visit those four in four days (not counting driving there and back).

The trip to Pitt wasn't bad. It took me about six hours, stopping for gas and food included. I arrived on Sunday, so I had an extra day in Pitt. I didn't want to get there and then have to leave for the game right away. The hotel I stayed at was about 15 minutes away from the ballpark, took two highways and next thing I know, I'm driving along the Allegheny River. Shout out to the Comfort Inn, excellent quality.

I found a nice $9 lot off of 9th Street. There were plenty of garages to park in and for cheap considering it was game day. I walked around for a few before heading to the stadium. I like the feel of downtown Pittsburgh. It's obviously a city but I got this small-town feel from it. I can't explain it but it just felt "home-y." It was very clean, too.

The Pittsburgh skyline from my seat

There is a lot to do before the game, so you can definitely make a day out of visiting Pittsburgh. Plenty of places to eat. I was very hungry so I couldn't wait for the game. I grabbed a pulled pork sandwich and a beer. No hot dog review for this park.

If you park on the other side of the river, you'll have plenty of ways to cross to get to the park. The most famous is the Roberto Clemente Bridge. That's the way I took. Along the bridge was hundreds of padlocks on both sides of the bridge, couldn't find the meaning to this. At the end of the bridge is a statue of Roberto Clemente. You could also take the 7th and 9th Street bridges, but they are a little further away.

The cool thing I noticed is that people docked their boats on the water and went to the game. That's awesome.

Enough already. It's time to talk about the stadium.

I entered from center field. Considering my seat was behind home plate, I had two ways to go. I went left, heading towards right field. I think I made the right choice. This area was called the Riverwalk, as it's along the river. There are restaurants and tables to relax at before getting into the actual stadium.

I sat in Section 319, slightly to the left of home plate. It was the perfect view. In previous games, I was getting seats as close as I could but not get a full view of the stadium. Just look at my pictures from Baltimore, Los Angeles and some others.

Sitting that high up did not take away from my view of the field and game. I also got the best view possible of the bridge and Pittsburgh skyline. That was the focus for all four ballparks, get the full scope of the field and backdrop. Pittsburgh definitely had the best of both.

The view of the field from my seat (zoomed in on by camera)

As for the game, the Pittsburgh Pirates welcomed the Los Angeles Dodgers. The starting pitchers were Alex Wood (LAD) and Gerrit Cole (PIT). They lasted 6.0 and 6.1 innings, respectively. It was then a bullpen game as the two teams combined to use 12 relief pitchers.

The Pirates started off the bottom of the second with back-to-back home runs from Jose Osuna and Sean Rodriguez. They added a third run from a Josh Harrison solo shot in the 3rd.

The Dodgers took a 5-3 lead in the 7th. Corey Seager hit an RBI single. Two batters later, the recently acquired Curtis Granderson hit a grand slam. The Pirates tied it up in the bottom of the 8th.

Neither team would score again until the top of the 12th when Yasiel Puig hit a home run. Ross Stripling recorded the save to end the game.

The home runs were fun and the Pirates tying the game was exciting but staying in my seat for 4 hours and 35 minutes wasn't fun. After all the driving the day before and the driving I had to do the next day, this was not favorable.

Overall, just walking over the bridge and entering the stadium immediately put this in my top 5. With the view from my seat, it'll be tough to keep it outside of my top 3. If you get the chance, visit this ballpark as soon as you can. There's history mixed with modern features to make this a great ball park.

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."