After spending the night in Morgantown, West Virginia, we got on the road again for about a three hour trip across to DC. We made our way to a parking lot behind centerfield and noticed that just about every car parked had Phillies logos or Phillies fans standing around it ( our fans out numbered Nats fans 3:1…no joke). When we got up to the gate with our tickets we realized that unfortunately there would not be batting practice for the day game starting at 1:35. So we got very familiar with the ballpark being there two hours early, walking around the entire concourse, watching Chase Utley do some pregame running drills to stay in shape on the DL.

For lunch we decided to eat some barbecue again and found the perfect stop in centerfield where a white tent smelling of wood fire meat burning came to our presence. Teddy’s barbecue it was called and we both got in line. Dad ordered the short ribs and claimed they were honestly the best ribs he has ever had, yes, ever. I got the beef brisket sandwich equally as good.  We went up to the second level of the centerfield section underneath the score board that had couches and places to sit down right next to a full length bar. 1:00 rolled by and so we made our way to our seats, about twenty rows above the third baseline and Phillies dugout.

As game time neared some of the Phils came out to stretch and throw while the starters finished up their throwing routines. The national anthem was sung probably by the most dramatic woman I have seen in quite some time, especially in the 7^th inning during God Bless America. Priceless!!!!

Originally we were supposed to see Stephen Strasberg pitch but as fate would have it, the start before he had shoulder tightness and was put on the DL. John Lannan got the start instead and matched up against Cole Hamels. In the first inning the Phils jumped on the board quick with some clutch two out hitting by Werth, Francisco, and Brown. The only bad part was when Howard went back awkwardly to second base rolling on his ankle. Hopefully all is well and he can be back real soon.

Hamels pitched very well except for two innings, giving up two doubles in an inning and later serving up a big-time tater to Adam Dunn with a runner on. It was 4-2 in the seventh when Jimmy led off with a walk and Polanco doubled him home. Then with one out and runners at first and third, Francisco hit a possible double play ball that Zimmerman bobbled, only able to get the lead runner and the Phils tied it up. The theme of our trip did not go away, and unable to score anymore, the game went into extras, yes that’s right.

The eleventh inning came with the game still tied and Placido Polanco did it again. A man at third and two outs, he roped a single up the middle to give us the lead which was then followed by a much needed insurance run by Jayson Werth. The whole crowd knew who the Phillies next pitcher was to enter the game. Swarmed by flocks of boos by Phillies fans and hopeful cheers from Nats fans, Brad Lidge entered the game. Of course Zimmerman was his first batter, but this time it had a different ending, a grounder to third for the first out. Two fly ball outs proceeded and the game was over! A successful ending to an awesome trip capped with a Phillies win!

This park was beautiful and really had everything you would want. The food options were great with Gluten free food to finger licking barbecue. All the concourses had interesting art and baseball facts and great views from every angle. As dad liked to point out, they even had cup holders at reachable levels. The music and scoreboard fan interaction was nicely done and the President’s race was enjoyable, although Teddy needs to win at some point. The press box was very high up which isn’t the smartest thing to do for announcers and the left field stands are a little bare, but then again, these are nitpicky items. All in all, my dad and I both agree that this stadium was probably our favorite; A beautiful park in a beautiful city, and a perfect way to end our road trip. I had an amazing time, seeing stadiums, players, new cities and driving down the interstate- this was a trip I will never forget! I’ll keep posting from time to time about the Phillies’ playoff run-

Thanks for reading!!

Jake

I type from the car tonight as the Phillies and Nationals game tomorrow begins at 1:35 and our wakeup call will be close to seven. The shortest drive of the trip so far came this morning as we journeyed from an hour outside of St. Louis on to Cincinnati. A scheduled four o’clock start to appease Fox Saturday baseball, we pulled into a nearby parking garage by the stadium at about two thirty. We climbed up the steps to the outfield gate above the street and for the second straight day happily received a bobblehead, this time Reds current pitcher Homer Bailey. We made our way around the concourse taking pictures from every angle and I travelled down to field level to get some close ups of Larry Chipper Jones taking grounders and Heyward taking batting practice. Walking over to right field we looked out onto the Ohio River, the scenic backdrop to the outfield and walked along the pathway curving around centerfield.

Game time neared and the threat of rain had mainly disappeared. We took our seats just two rows back of the first level in left field and got a big dose of heat and sun we had not experienced in a while. Dad could not stand the heat, especially with no hat so he left for the shade and came back with a Reds hat and luckily found some sunscreen to apply! 

The game’s starters were Bronson Arroyo for the Reds and Jair Jurrjens for the Braves and after a big jet flyover the game began. Jonny Gomes, the Reds’ leftfielder, ran out towards us to take his position and in case anyone was not aware of who he was, it was made evident by a lady in the first row who screamed and proclaimed her love for him every inning.

The Braves got on the board quickly in the first when an error by the catcher and some following singles and walks gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Arroyo then settled in and the only bad pitch Jurrjens made was a solo homer by Scott Rolen that landed about five rows back and to our left in the fourth. The game was going by quickly and luckily some clouds rolled in to block the sun. Then the bottom of the seventh came and the Reds finally made their mark. Rolen again sparked the offense with a double followed by two singles to tie the game. Then with two men on base, one of the strangest plays I have ever seen occurred. Hanigan, the catcher, belts a gapper into left center field scoring both runners. As he is about to coast into second, centerfielder Melky Cabrera picks up the ball, rears back to throw, but the ball slips out awkwardly from his release and flies out of his hand from the wall to the middle of centerfield. Hanigan races around third and scores! A 5-2 ballgame.

The Reds then turn it over to their closer  Cordero, you know, the pitcher that is supposed to end the game after his team has built a lead for eight long innings. Someone who has confidence and actually gets a job done.  It sounds unfamiliar to Phillies fans as I listen to Brad Lidge blow yet another save in this pathetic excuse of a season he is having. It’s time for him to GOOO!!! Thanks bud, you won us a ring but now you’re costing us another.

Anyway, Cordero came in and closed the door and the Braves lost! Some fireworks popped and Reds fans went home happy with their team tied for first team.

The stadium is actually nicer than I envisioned. The underneath concourse is open air and not confining and you are able to walk around the whole stadium.  The food consists of nachos, hot dogs and pizza and that’s it, but then again its Ohio, not many vegetarians there. Dad says the bathrooms are nice because of the foamed soap and the in-game music was not bad. I also like the steamboat club seats in centerfield, however there is not much to look at in right field except for the large set of grandstands.

We stopped in Morgantown, WV and now head to DC to finish this great trip. Hopefully the Phils can pull something out to not get swept and get back on track in the division race. On to Nationals Park!

I’m not sure I could have been more upset by a big green and yellow blob than I was last night. About fifty miles from St. Louis everything was going well until we realized the grey clouds taking over the sky. My trusty blackberry, a phone I would wear out by night’s end, gave me radar every five minutes and it did not look good. We made good time into St. Louis helped by the time zone shift and pulled into the centerfield parking lot. Ready to eat, we a few blocks over to Joe Buck’s restaurant for some pregame ribs; it was sprinkling at the time. 

When we decided to head on into the stadium so we could get our Vince Coleman bobble-heads, part of the 25^th anniversary celebration of the 1985 pennant winning Cardinals team, we ended up having to wait in a long line…2 hours before game time. Cardinals fans are either the most dedicated fans ever or a little mentally out of it. Every fan had red on or some kind of Cardinals apparel and seemed to be waiting outside of every gate. Luckily the attendants opened the stadium to us just when it started to pour.

We got inside, under the tiers and got our first glimpse of the field, tarp covered and soggy. Fans gave their opinions on the oncoming storm as we stood there praying for something to happen.  We walked around the park while we waited and then saw the grounds crew turn back the tarp, dump the water and line the field. The national anthem was sung and it was looking good. Then the tarp came out. Ugh, so close.

Fans  were then shown the radar on the big screen and the hunk of green mass on the map was coming our way, very slowly. Well long story short, we waited out a 2 hour rain delay with the other 25,000 fans that stayed for the Pirates game and ball officially started at  9:35.

Chris Carpenter and Jeff Karstens were the starters and they were dominant. In fact no team had an extra base hit the entire game, twelve singles between both teams. There were a few nice web gems and nasty strike outs but Dad and I were faced with the prospect of extra innings and a game passed 11:00 again.

The game went by quickly, still scoreless and so in the bottom of the ninth Pujols came up to bat. It’s over! Except for the fact that he struck out as did Matt Holliday. In to extras, St. Louis built another chance and this time it finished. Ludwick doubled, Molina bunted him to third and the Pirates blew the game with a classic error to the second baseman and the run scored.

Our night had finished; Ten hours or so at the stadium complex.

Busch stadium is truly serene, I am sure, on a sunny day, and the backdrop of the arch is awesome. The food choices were ok and the music was not great, but the electricity of the field was muffled a bit from the delays.  Architecturally it is very pleasing to the eye and a great place to catch a game. My Grade B+

I have to end my post here as we race to Cincinnati for the afternoon game. Hopefully the Phils turn things around and the Reds can beat the pesky Braves.

Off to Cincy!

I write to you today with just five hours of sleep somewhere outside of Columbus Ohio, a city with probably more life on a Thursday night than Cleveland would during an Indians-Yankees game when A-rod is trying to hit his 600^th home run.

We pulled into the city of rock around 4:30 again, found some parking behind the soon-to-be vacant Quicken Loans arena, home of the Cavaliers, and took out cameras and Bobble Chase up to the left field porch. Gate C  was the only place open for fans to enter the stadium as the attendants only let the fans watch batting practice from the outfield until 6 o’clock when all the gates open (of course by that time every starter had hit and I was left with close-ups of Ramiro Pena). Mariano, fielding BP near us in left field had to have personal discussions with every fan he gave a ball to, making sure they were Yankees fans, not fans with a Phillies hat.

Dollar dog night prompted my dad to get a few Sugardale Dogs, over 51,000 sold last night. Not too filling, we decided to get a real dinner and got some good chicken dinners in a little courtyard behind first base. Before the game started we found the Indians little hall of fame garden behind centerfield, two levels, similar to Ashburn alley with the names of their top 100 players and members of their personal hall of fame.

As game time neared it was clear that Yankees fans outnumbered Tribe fans maybe by 2:1, everyone eager for Alex to make some magic. The scheduled starters could quite possibly have been the most boring matchup this year, Cleveland putting out Mitch Talbot and the Yankees countering with Pettite substitute Dustin Moseley.  By the third inning however Talbot pulled something, the trainer rushed out and Mitch had to leave the game, a heartbreaker…well not really. That one injury sparked one of the longest nine inning games I have seen. The relievers each had their own slow rhythm, every pitch requiring going off the mound, picking up the resin bag, taking a hat off and digging the rubber. Then there’s A-Rod.

Let me paint you a picture. Its dead quiet in the stadium, but then again it’s Cleveland, even though the Yankees are in town, the game lacks pizzazz. Then A-Rod comes up to cheers, muffled boos, and a guy who like calling him “Juice”. His second at bat was the closest he came of the night  when he flied out to deep center with the sacks full. It seems impossible for him however to not have 600 on his mind. Camera flashes nearly blind him every pitch that’s thrown . He went a disappointing 1-6 but god gave us as many at  bats for him as he could, and so did Joe Girardi.

It was still a close game until the seventh inning when, with two outs, the Yankees exploded with base hits and walks, putting up a big crooked 7 in the score column.  Now you would have thought, with the game in a 9-1 situation that the stadium would lose a lot of weight but until A-Rod’s name was taken out of the scorecard, history was always available to be made.

Progressive Field in itself is starting to get dated. It was built in 1994 and some of the architectural features lack the modernized feel so many 21^st century parks have. Take our seats for example; 1^st level under the second tier and we were unable to see the scoreboard, furthermore did not have a t.v. in front of us as we lost the high pop ups. The food options are ok, not very great if you are vegetarian and want anything healthy. The scoreboards are not HD and need to change like Camden Yards did a few years ago. The breeze off the lake is awesome however, keeping the temperature cool and comfortable.  I was impressed with the detail in the left field score board, showing every possible stat for a player and giving the fans a visual personal scorecard too.

Cleveland is a struggling team, they have outfielder Shin-Soo Choooooooo as they call him to root for, and then that is practically it. So we fell short on the A-Rod 600 sweepstakes but then again how much does it really mean for history.  My plea for Progressive Field is to be progressive and modernize it up a bit, get some new music beats, and a better out of town scoreboard. The seats are nice and close to the field but it still needs some work.  My grade C+

Now we head into the deep Midwest as we travel to St. Louis and Cardinal country, a chance to see Pujols again! Hopefully Oswalt dazzles in his debut!

After a stock full day at the harbor, a trip which included purchasing Aquarium tickets, killing time by eating lunch at Chipotle, walking in 103 degree heat around the harbor, loitering at Best Buy for an hour, and then finally experiencing an awesome aquarium, my group of friends and I decided to finish the night with an Oriole game. A beautiful park like this, with a minor league average attendance, buying tickets at the window was a simple as pie, not to be confused with Felix Pie.

I found some great barbecue on Eutaw street, ate in the picnic area and then mozied on over to left field to find our seats; there was no hurry because it was just way too hot for batting practice. The crowd gave one of its larger cheers of the night before the game even started when the announcer proclaimed the game time temperature was 99 degrees.

The game itself was not too action packed. The Orioles, the worst team in the major leagues, do not have much to cheer for, especially when their starter Brian Matusz walks three batters in the first inning. My personal highlight was not cheering for the unlucky Orioles, but really to just watch Joe Mauer play baseball. He came up a short 0-5 but there were still a couple of highlights. Denard Span made an incredibly timed leap and robbing catch over the wall to take away a home run from the red hot Luke Scott. Delmon Young went to bed very happy last night as well. He ended his night with a 4-4 night with 3 RBI, including a homerun and a nice double play, making a catch down the leftfield line and then gunning down Miguel Tejada tagging from first. The Twins ended up taking the game 7-2 and Scott Baker finally piched to his capabilities, going into the 7th.

It is tough to get the crowd working and so I certainly take that in mind when I rate the music and filler beats during the night. There were lots of repeats in terms of clapping cadences but the sound guy only puts them on to eliminate the silence in the stadium. The only buzz pervading through Camden yards came mainly from Twins Fans and during the Kiss Cam when some innapropriate conduct between a couple riled the attendance.

All in all, we had a great time, mainly because we are not Orioles fans. The stadium is beautiful, especially in the third inning when the sun hits the warehouse beautifully! Cannot wait for my 5 city roadtrip starting Wednesday at New York! Go Phils!!!

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