Ballpark Rankings Update

It's been over 5 years since my last ballpark rankings update, so I figured it was time for a refresh.  My ballpark count now stands at 179 total, which includes 33 new ballparks (2 MLB) attended since my last update in 2020, keeping in mind that 2020 was the Covid season.  For purposes of these rankings, I am only including ballparks at which I have attended a game, and I have not factored in any renovations that I have not yet seen in person (for instance I have not been to Rogers Centre since all of the renovations have been completed).  I am also still considering Tropicana Field to be the permanent home of the Rays, since they will theoretically start playing there again in 2026.

MLB - subjective rankings [previous ranking]

1. PNC Park, Pittsburgh [1]
2. Oracle Park, San Francisco [9]
3. Target Field, Minnesota [2]
4. Fenway Park, Boston [4]
5. Camden Yards, Baltimore [5]
6. T-Mobile Park, Seattle [3]
7. Truist Park, Atlanta [6]
8. Comerica Park, Detroit [7]
9. Coors Field, Colorado [10]
10. Citi Field, NY Mets [8]
11. Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City [11]
12. Progressive Field, Cleveland [12]
13. Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia [14]
14. Wrigley Field, Chi Cubs [22]
15. Globe Life Field, Texas [NR]
16. American Family Field, Milwaukee [15]
17. Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati [13]
18. PETCO Park, San Diego [16]
19. Nationals Park, Washington [17]
20. Rogers Centre, Toronto [18]
21. Daikin Park, Houston [19]
22. LoanDepot Park, Miami [20]
23. Yankee Stadium II, NY Yankees [21]
24. Chase Field, Arizona [23]
25. Rate Field, Chi White Sox [24]
26. Dodger Stadium, LA Dodgers [25]
27. Busch Stadium III, St. Louis [26]
28. Sutter Health Park, Athletics [NR]
29. Angel Stadium, LA Angels [27]
30. Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay [29]

MLB - objective rankings (based on 1-10 system in 15 categories)

1. PNC Park (8.00)
2. Progressive Field (7.71)
3. Oracle Park (7.53) [6.86]
4. Camden Yards (7.43)
5. Target Field (7.36)
6. T-Mobile Park (7.21) [6.71]
7. Coors Field (7.21) [7.14]
8. Truist Park (7.14)
9. American Family Field (6.87) [7.07]
10. Comerica Park (6.86)
11. Daikin Park (6.79)
12. Fenway Park (6.71)
13. Citizens Bank Park (6.71)
14. PETCO Park (6.57)
15. Wrigley Field (6.50) [6.21]
16. Nationals Park (6.36)
17. Chase Field (6.36) [5.86]
18. Busch Stadium III (6.36)
19. Globe Life Field (6.20) [NR]
20. Kauffman Stadium (6.14)
21. Great American Ballpark (6.14)
22. Angel Stadium (6.07)
23. Rogers Centre (6.00)
24. Citi Field (5.86)
25. Rate Field (5.64)
26. Yankee Stadium II (5.57)
27. Sutter Health Park (5.27) [NR]
28. Tropicana Field (5.21)
29. LoanDepot Park (4.71)
30. Dodger Stadium (4.57)

Cactus League / Arizona Fall League rankings

1. Camelback Ranch (Cactus/AFL) [1]
2. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (Cactus) [2]
3. Surprise Stadium (AFL) [NR]
4. Hohokam Stadium (Cactus) [3]
5. American Family Fields of Phoenix (Cactus) [NR]
6. Sloan Park (AFL) [NR]
7. Tempe Diablo Stadium (Cactus) [4]
8. Goodyear Ballpark (Cactus) [5]
9. Scottsdale Stadium (Cactus) [NR]
10. Peoria Sports Complex (AFL) [NR]

MiLB Top 10 (class)

1. Parkview Field, Fort Wayne (A+) [1]
2. CHS Field, St. Paul (AAA) [previously independent]
3. Louisville Slugger Field, Louisville (AAA) [2]
4. AutoZone Park, Memphis (AAA) [4]
5. Cheney Stadium, Tacoma (AAA) [NR]
6. Riders Field, Frisco (AA) [NR]
7. Modern Woodmen Park, Quad Cities IA (A+) [5]
8. Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham (AAA) [6]
9. Isotopes Park, Albuquerque (AAA) [7]
10. Truist Field, Charlotte (AAA) [9]

MiLB by League Top 5 (minimum 5 visited in league)
South Atlantic League (A+)

1. McCormick Field, Asheville
2. Maimonides Park, Brooklyn
3. Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen
4. Truist Stadium, Winston-Salem
5. Heritage Financial Park, Hudson Valley

Midwest League (A+)

1. Parkview Field
2. Modern Woodmen Park
3. Covelski Stadium, South Bend
4. Jackson Field, Lansing
5. Day Air Ballpark, Dayton

International League (AAA)

1. CHS Field
2. Louisville Slugger Field
3. AutoZone Park
4. Durham Bulls Athletic Park
5. Truist Field, Charlotte

Independent Top 5 (league)

1. Haymarket Park, Lincoln (American) [2]
2. Bosse Field, Evansville (Frontier) [3]
3. SIUH Community Park, Staten Island (Atlantic) [previously MiLB]
4. Arsenal BG Ballpark, Gateway IL (Frontier) [4]
5. Northwestern Medicine Field, Kane County IL (American) [previously MiLB]

Independent by League Top 5 (minimum 5 visited in league)
American Association

1. Haymarket Park
2. Northwestern Medicine Field
3. Newman Outdoor Field, Fargo-Moorhead
4. Impact Field, Chicago
5. Franklin Field, Milwaukee

Frontier League

1. Bosse Field
2. Arsenal BG Ballpark
3. Duly Health and Care Field, Joliet
4. Ozinga Field, Windy City
5. Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, Tri-City NY

NCAA / Summer Collegiate Top 10 (league)

1. Warner Park, Madison (Northwoods) [1]
2. Athletic Park, Wausau (Northwoods) [2]
3. Charles Schwab Field, Omaha (College WS/NCAA) [3]
4. Pioneer Park, Greeneville TN (Appalachian) [previously MiLB]
5. Carson Park, Eau Claire (Northwoods) [4]
6. Witter Field, Wisconsin Rapids (Northwoods) [NR]
7. UCCU Ballpark, Utah Valley (NCAA) [previously MiLB]
8. Becker Park, St. John's MN (NCAA) [NR]
9. Copeland Park, La Crosse (Northwoods) [NR]
10. Simmons Field, Kenosha (Northwoods) [NR]

Summer Collegiate by League Top 5 (minimum 5 visited in league)
Northwoods League

1. Warner Park
2. Athletic Park
3. Carson Park
4. Witter Field
5. Copeland Park

Amateur Top 5 (league)

1. Historic Grayson Stadium, Savannah (Banana Ball) [previously Summer Collegiate]
2. Wildwood Baseball Park, Sheboygan (NE Wisconsin)
3. Cold Spring Baseball Park, Cold Spring MN (MN Baseball Assoc.)
4. Laker Park, Lake Henry MN (MN Baseball Assoc.)
5. Martin Schmitt Memorial Park, Pearl Lake MN (MN Baseball Assoc.)

Amateur by League Top 5 (minimum 5 visited in league)
Minnesota Baseball Association

1. Cold Spring Baseball Park
2. Laker Park
3. Martin Schmitt Memorial Park
4. Roscoe Baseball Field, Roscoe
5. Eden Valley Baseball Park, Eden Valley

Ballpark Cities Top 20

1. Portland, OR [1]
2. Seattle, WA [2]
3. Memphis, TN [3]
4. Toronto, ON [4]
5. Boston, MA [5]
6. Savannah, GA [7]
7. Nashville, TN [8]
8. San Diego, CA [9]
9. Milwaukee, WI [10]
10. Victoria, BC [NR]
11. Cincinnati, OH [11]
12. Minneapolis, MN [12]
13. Washington, DC [13]
14. Duluth, MN [14]
15. San Francisco, CA [16]
16. Vancouver, BC [15]
17. Denver, CO [NR]
18. Sioux Falls, SD [NR]
19. Asheville, NC [17]
20. Portland, ME [NR]

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 9/15/25:

Brewers 91-59, +5.5, clinched postseason; 3 v. Angels, 3 @ Cardinals, 3 @ Padres, 3 v. Reds

Twins 65-84, -19.5, eliminated; 3 v. Yankees, 3 v. 4 v. Guardians, 3 @ Rangers, 3 @ Phillies

Athletics 70-80, -12.0, 3 @ Red Sox, 3 @ Pirates, 3 v. Astros, 3 v. Royals

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 10
Peter - 29

Brewers Enter September With Best Record in Baseball

Labor Day is always a bittersweet day on the baseball calendar.  It serves as the unofficial end to summer with cooler temps starting to roll in, which is always a little sad from a baseball attendance and travel perspective knowing that the season is nearing the end.  However, it also kicks off the most exciting couple of months' worth of action of the entire year.  The "dog days of summer" are fleeting fast, and teams summon every last bit of strength and grit to make it through the final 25 games of the regular season - and for 12 lucky teams, the postseason.  My Milwaukee Brewers are in the midst of their most prolific regular season in franchise history, in which we are on pace for 100 wins and are all but certain to be one of those 12 playoff teams once again in 2025.  I say this every year around this time, but it bears repeating just how impressive an era of Brewers baseball we're in right now, and I try to savor it every day.  Barring some unforeseen tragedy, this is going to be their 7th postseason berth in the last 8 years, with at least 4 and hopefully 5 division titles during that span - and for a team that is dead last in market size and consistently in the bottom third in team payroll, that is nothing short of remarkable.  The Brewers are 4th in all of MLB in total wins since the start of 2017.  We're at a point in Brewers history where we expect to win, and given all of the horrible years we struggled through during my formative years, I try not to take this stretch for granted.  The fact that I'm still steaming from back to back losses to the Jays and Phillies, who are the 2nd and 3rd best teams in baseball right behind us, when we still have a miniscule magic number of 10 with a month left to go in the season, and coming off a 21-9 August which included a 14-game winning streak, tells you all you need to know about expectations this year.  Being a Brewers fan nowadays is about balancing being grateful that we have gotten to watch competitive baseball for nearly a decade with no signs of a window closing, with the fact that simply making it to the postseason is no longer good enough.

We are in an era of Brewers baseball that emphasizes run prevention and fundamentals over strikeouts and homeruns, and it finally feels like every team with a payroll under $300M is starting to catch up to that philosophy.  That was especially evident these last two days watching us play the Blue Jays and Phillies.  The Jays are pretty much a carbon copy of the Brewers - play great defense, great rotation pitching to contact, run the bases really well, high on base percentage with not a lot of slug, a fair amount of positional versatility and depth, and the bullpen is just a who's who of castaways that are kind of the weak link.  The Phillies on the other hand are a bunch of beef cakes set in their positions who mash their way to victories and are loaded with arms that can strike you out, and lots of big name free agents and trades.  Neither way is necessarily wrong, it's just that the Phillies way of doing things costs a lot more, because homeruns and strikeouts still equal WAR, which equals a big pay day.  The Brewers simply cannot afford to go out and sign Kyle Schwarber, and they have to win in the aggregate and in the margins with speed, taking the extra base, and doing the little things right.  They lead all of baseball in 4+ run innings, and a large portion of those have just been hits strung together rather than one or two homers.  It can't be overstated how difficult it is to win that way in today's game with everybody throwing 95+ with movement, but the Brewers do it consistently.  Other than our bullpen, there are just not a lot of holes in our team, and their style of play is fun to watch and very "next man up" mentality.  I think Pat Murphy is the perfect manager for this team and has installed a work ethic and mindset on this team that makes you feel as a fan like they're always trying, they're always in the game, and they're always having fun, which is all you really want as a fan.  Nobody likes to pay hundreds of dollars to go to a game to see people strike out 4 times, or not hustle running to first, to lose their focus in the field, or to get blown out 10-1.  I can't even remember a year where I never wanted to miss an inning or ever turn a game off, because I always feel like they have a chance to win.  And if I can feel that through the TV as a fan, then you know the other team feels that too, and that's kind of the point.  "Relentless" or "undaunting" or "pesky" as Murph would say.

I'm not even sure anymore what my point was when I started writing this post other than just brain-dumping how proud I am of this organization, but I guess I'm just trying to say that the Brew Crew has a style of play that matches up well with anybody, and it gives me higher hopes than in recent years that we can make a deep run in the playoffs.  Hindsight is 20/20 and I've probably said that before, but I sincerely believe it.  It's been interesting to watch how the team's core strength has shifted from hitting during the late 00's/early 10's, then shifted to a dominant pitching staff during most of the Craig Counsell era, and now is starting to shift back towards hitting with stellar defense mixed in during the Pat Murphy era, all while quietly ascending to the #2 overall farm system.  If we can just keep this team bandaged together and hungry the last few weeks of the season, I'm really excited to see some Uecker Magic this October.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 9/2/25:

Brewers 85-54, +5.5, magic number 10; 3 v. Phillies, 3 @ Pirates, 3 @ Rangers, 3 v. Cardinals

Twins 62-75, -17.0, -10.5 WC; 4 v. White Sox, 3 @ Royals, 3 @ Angels, 3 v. Diamondbacks

Athletics 64-75, -12.5, -9.5 WC; 3 @ Cardinals, 3 @ Angels, 3 v. Red Sox, 3 v. Reds

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 9
Peter - 28

Another Disappointing Playoff Exit for the Rox

All photos of Northwoods League Great Plains West Playoffs available on Flickr.

The St. Cloud Rox squandered another phenomenal regular season with a heartbreaking first round playoff loss at the hands of the Mankato Moondoogs this past week.  The key to winning in baseball - more than just about any sport due to the number of games - is less about your overall season record and more about how well you're playing going into the postseason, so the Rox second-best record of 47-22 was almost meaningless when you consider that they ended the season losing two consecutive games to their first round opponent, the Moondogs.  They would also go on to lose Game 1 of the 3-game set in Mankato, and things were looking grim as the first round is almost always a sweep in this league.  However, they did at least manage to win one game before their eventual downfall, which was the game I happened to go to.  Their 4-0 victory was a game completely dictated by starting pitching, as most playoff games tend to be.  The Rox starter Hunter Day pitched one of the best games of his life, tossing 7 innings of shutout ball with 7 strikeouts and over 100 pitches.  The Moondogs starter Braden Grimm basically singlehandedly lost the game more so than the Rox earned the win.  After getting the first out of the 2nd on a fly out, he went on to walk 4 consecutive batters to hand the Rox their first run, then give up a run-scoring sac fly, and then the Rox managed to steal one more run quite literally on a nifty double-steal play they've been running all season.  The inning would end with St. Cloud leading 3-0 on no hits, and for a long time it was looking like they would win this game while also getting no hit.  However, as soon as Wild Thing came out of the game in the 6th, the Rox would immediately notch their first hit to avoid this odd feat.  The Rox did everything they could to lose this game, as their shortstop almost had more errors (3) than the team had hits (4).  Ben Smith picked a great time for his first save of the season with 2 lockdown innings to close the game.  As I eluded to, this valiant effort was sadly all for naught, as St. Cloud would go on to get smoked 10-4 in Game 3.

This has been a really fun team to watch the last couple of years and it was disappointing to see them lose again, but this is one of the best supported teams in all the Northwoods League, and it was awesome to be a part of it in a playoff atmosphere this year.  The Green Bay Rockers would go on to win their 2nd Summer Collegiate World Series in 3 years (they still call it this even though it is now only one game), and in doing so maintained a streak of all Great Lakes Division teams winning the league since the realignment in 2019.  Megan and I are considering changing up our ticket package next year as we are just not huge fans of Joe Faber Field, but we'll still for sure be out to see this exciting team at some point in 2026.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 8/18/25:

Brewers 78-45, +8.0, -- WC; 5 @ Cubs, 3 v. Giants, 4 v. Diamondbacks, 3 @ Blue Jays

Twins 58-66, -14.0, -9.0 WC; 3 v. Athletics, 3 @ White Sox, 3 @ Blue Jays, 3 v. Padres

Athletics 56-70, -14.0, -12.0 WC; 3 @ Twins, 3 @ Mariners, 3 v. Tigers, 3 v. Rangers

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 8
Peter - 28

ISG Field Renovation

All photos of Mankato and ISG Field available on Flickr.

With summer already winding down, we took a quick 24-hour family vacation to Mankato this past weekend.  For purposes of this blog, the highlight was finally getting to see the extensive $4M renovation to the now-named ISG Field, but we had lots of fun things planned before the 6:30 first pitch.  The trip began with a rainy 2-hour drive south down MN-15 and arriving at the Wow Zone around noon.  This was a kind of like a Dave & Busters type of place with an arcade, bowling alley, laser tag, bar & restaurant, and a small glow-in-the-dark mini-golf course.  We spent a few hours there and then, or course, did some swimming at the hotel pool.  Our kids would have had zero interest in this vacation if it did not involve swimming, so that was a must-do.  We had a little time to kill before heading to the ballpark, so we stopped at the lone brewery in town - Locale - and Megan and I tossed back a flight and played Uno with the kids until game time.  We didn't get to spend much time outdoors during our short vacation, but from what I could tell, Mankato seemed to have a decent downtown and riverfront that might be worth exploring further someday.

ISG Field was directly in between downtown and our hotel, and we parked in a free lot beyond the 1st base dugout, just barely out of reach of any errant foul balls.  This was the same lot I remember parking in with Erik on our trip there 15 years ago, but beyond that, almost everything else has changed dramatically.  To call what ISG Field underwent in the 2017-18 offseason a "renovation" is almost not a strong enough term, as the grandstand behind home plate is just about the only remaining feature from the original 1961 ballpark.  Looking back through my 2010 photos, the park is almost unrecognizable beyond that grandstand.  One of my most vivid memories from my last visit is that the players had to change clothes on the field after the game because they didn't have proper locker rooms, so that was an immediate need that was addressed first and foremost in this renovation, along with additional restrooms and new dugouts.  The players also received a 100% new field turf playing surface, which just makes sense in this climate and at this level of baseball.  On the fan side of things, the concourses have received a jolt with a slew of new concessions, including a neat little right field area featuring a couple of snack sheds and a platform stage for pregame musical acts.  The right field corner is also the general admission grass berm which is where we sat, and although the music drowned out the PA speakers until the game started, it was a very chill and casual atmosphere here that was ideal for families and those folks who aren't super into the game itself.  Several new seating areas were added around the ballpark as well that have a wide range of inclusivity.  The third baseline now has the "Dog Pound," which is akin to the Duck Blind in Madison - an all-you-can-eat-and-drink section with picnic tables that sells individual tickets.  There is also a similar area called the Diamond Lounge which is atop the Moondogs' 1st base dugout.  Same concept, but you can only reserve tables in this area with a half season or full season ticket package, so it's a bit more exclusive and upscale, which I thought was a neat idea - sort of like a rewards member lounge at an airport.  Going even more exclusive, two new group areas were added as well.  The Community Bank Ledger Lounge is right next to the Diamond Lounge and is basically the same except it is for groups only.  I thought that the Dog House Suites were the coolest new addition to the ballpark.  They are constructed with hollowed-out shipping containers stacked on top of each other, just beyond the right field wall.  Each "container" holds a group of 20, and a shared private rooftop holds another 80 people.  This area features special catering available nowhere else, and it is also the only place in the entire ballpark where you can catch a homerun!  Lastly, a large new jumbotron was added adjacent to the right field pole, probably one of the bigger ones in the league aside from Madison and Green Bay.  

The renovation was extensive, cohesive, much-needed, and well-deserved for the city and the team.  It was a great example of how a partnership (city paid $3M and team $1M) can benefit not just the immediate fanbase, but the entire city, as this park is used throughout the year for high school and college sports, and other events as well.  I do still have a few gripes with the park following the remodel.  First and foremost, I'm not sure how you spend seven figures on a remodel and don't throw in another 5 grand for a bounce house.  The fact that a ballpark in this league does not even have a feeble attempt at a kids area is very shortsighted and beyond my comprehension.  As a parent of small children and as somebody who's grown accustomed to wandering the park during the game, it's a pretty glaring omission.  It would not be hard to fit something like this in an outfield corner and it could have paid for itself 10X over by now.  Secondly, the sound system is nearly inaudible, at least where we were sitting.  I would argue that the GA family section needs a better sound quality than anywhere else so that they can at least hear what they can't see.  Again, not sure how you spend all that money to upgrade the scoreboard but keep the old shitty speakers.  My last complaint would be about the severely underutilized area behind the grandstand.  When you enter the ballpark, the fruits of the renovation are right in front of you, but they're all mostly compacted together right by the entry, and it's kind of a pinch point.  The team could have easily spread out some of the new concessions in the cavernous area behind the grandstand that is just this weird lonely expanse of concrete.  I'm not normally an advocate of active concourses that can't see the field, but in the case of how this park is laid out, it makes sense and it could be a pretty cool Madison or Everett plaza space if done right, and it would alleviate the congestion of the front entrance, especially for sellouts like Saturday night was.  Overall though, I think my complaints are really just me looking for things to point out, and most people who are not avid ballpark enthusiasts would not even notice or care.  This was a very thoughtful renovation, and it pulls ISG Field up from the bottom of the league to at least the middle if not near the top.

We only made it about 5 innings after our long adventurous day, and the Moondogs already had a commanding lead over our hometown Rox by then, in a game that was essentially meaningless as both teams had already clinched the playoffs.  This game would be the 2nd of 3 victories in consecutive days by Mankato over St. Cloud, as they also won Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs last night against each other.  My daughter did defect to becoming a Moondog fan during the game after one of their players threw her a shirt and his cap during warmups, and I can't say that I blame her.  Mankato ended up winning by a final score of 10-1 in front of over 2,000 fans in the final game of the regular season.  Arizona Freshman Tony Lira went 2-4 with 4 RBI and Iowa Senior Caleb Wulf went 4-5 out of the 3-hole, finishing the season with a .322 average.  Team MVP Tyson Leblanc notched another 2 hits for the visitors and finished the year with a .345 average in 41 games.  Both of these teams have a reputation for stellar pitching, and Moondog starter Daniel Quintero delivered another fine performance with 7 strong innings of 1-run ball.  

The end of the Northwoods League season always signals the unofficial end to summer for me, so this was no doubt a bittersweet trip, but very fun nonetheless.  It's looking like it might be another year where the Rox squander a phenomenal regular season, but hopefully they can avoid elimination and prove me wrong in Game 2 of the playoffs tonight - more on that next week.

park stats and rankings
(see original post from 8/4/10):
aesthetics - improves to 6
views from park - 3
view to field - 5
surrounding area - 3
food variety - improves to 7 (bonus points for free pulled pork on Fan Appreciation Night)
nachos - 5
beer - improves to 8 ($3 domestics before first pitch)
vendor price - 8
ticket price - 9 ($10 GA)
atmosphere - 7
walk to park - 4
parking proximity - 10
concourses - improves to 6
team shop - decreases to 4 (just a shed)
kids area - n/a

best food - pulled pork
most unique stadium feature - Dog House Suites in RF
best jumbotron feature - Moondog logo graphic, just to show off that they know how to work the new jumbotron
best between-inning feature - Dress Like a Moondog race

updated field dimensions - 315/390/320

starters - Piercen McElyea (STC) v. Daniel Quintero (MAN)
opponent - St. Cloud Rox
time of game - 2:28
attendance - 2068
score - 10-1 W
Brewers score that day - 7-4 W

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 8/11/25:

Brewers 73-44, +6.0, -- WC; 3 v. Pirates, 3 @ Reds

Twins 56-61, -11.0, -5.5 WC; 3 @ Yankees, 4 v. Tigers

Athletics 53-67, -14.0, -10.0 WC; 3 v. Rays, 3 v. Angels

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 8
Peter - 27

Arizona Approves Funding for Chase Field Renovations

(photo from my visit to Chase Field for the 2023 World Series)

The Arizona Diamondbacks are currently in the process of selling off players to plan for their future, and they're planning for their future on the operations side as well.  Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed legislation last month that will unlock up to $500 million in funding for critical Chase Field infrastructure renovations.  These funds are being activated through an increasingly common mechanism in the sports world (including the new A's park), which is essentially a tax district that will capture all sales tax revenue generated by the stadium and a defined surrounding area, as well as "jock tax" revenue, and use that money to pay back the funds.  Not to get too much in the weeds here, but I think it's worth pointing out in today's political climate that the governor is a Democrat in a purple state and this bill received wide bipartisan support.  I mentioned in a post last year that the Diamondbacks are up against the end of their current lease approaching in 2027, and without these renovations, the team surely would have been forced to explore other stadium options.  So, regardless of what you might think of subsidizing sports venues, it was a wise move for Gov. Hobbs' reelection campaign to push for this bill to ensure the D-Backs did not leave Phoenix under her watch - this new source of funding will keep the Snakes in Phoenix through at least 2057.  Chase Field has been a boon to the urban core since the franchise's inception, particularly within the last few years following the team's World Series run in 2023.

I was at that World Series, and I vividly recall how much the stadium had barely seemed to change at all in the previous 16 years since I was first there in 2007.  The speaker system was a garbled mess, the jumbotron looked like it was well past its functional use, screens were pixelated and hard to read, and the air conditioning did not seem to be reaching to the upper deck where I sat.  By that point in 2023, the D-Backs had not even been able to safely open their roof for a couple of years while fans were inside.  All very similar problems that the Brewers faced recently, which also had to be rectified with state funding.  The Chase Field bill passed by the State of Arizona made it very clear that no money can be used for any aesthetic upgrades or fan suites, so if you factor in the $250M the team is also kicking in for that aspect, this stadium could look and feel very different in a few years.  Selfishly, I'm always sort of secretly hoping for new stadiums, but in the case of some teams like the D-Backs or the Blue Jays that have prime downtown real estate with an expensive obsolete roof, a renovation makes way more sense.  Despite the fact that I've been to Arizona for baseball more than just about any non-resident state, I may just have to return to see the renovations when they are complete.  It's a very exciting time in my world as a ballpark chaser, as all these chess pieces start to move with different teams, to think about how different the baseball stadium landscape might look in the next decade.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 7/31/25:

Brewers 64-44, +1.0, -- WC; 3 @ Nationals, 3 @ Braves, 3 v. Mets

Twins 51-57, -12.0, -5.5 WC; 3 @ Guardians, 3 @ Tigers, 3 v. Royals

Athletics 48-63, -15.0, -10.0 WC; 3 v. Diamondbacks, 3 @ Nationals, 3 @ Orioles

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 8
Peter - 24

Tampa Bay Rays Reportedly Being Sold

It was announced around the All-Star Break last week that Stu Sternberg, the current majority owner of the Tampa Bay Rays, had reached an agreement in principle to sell the team to a group led by Patrick Zalupski, a Florida developer.  Details are scarce at this point, other than the fact that the valuation is around $1.7 billion, and that the deal could be completed as soon as September.  It's worth noting that Sternberg originally purchased the Rays for "only" $200M in 2004.  One other important detail is that Zalupski is interested in keeping the team in the Tampa Bay region, despite being based out of Jacksonville, and surely that had some weight in Sternberg reportedly accepting his bid.  This all comes at a time when the Rays are in the middle of a playoff push in their temporary home at an A-ball park, and the team's immediate and long-term future homes are both severely in doubt.  The MLB schedule has been released around this time the last few years, and I suspect it hasn't been released for 2026 yet because nobody is certain whether or not Tropicana Field will be repaired in time for next season.

Let's for argument's sake say the sale does go through.  Even if that happens, this essentially resets the entire new ballpark process back pretty close to square one.  Which means that we're looking at probably minimum 5 years out for when the Rays could potentially be playing in a permanent new home.  The new ownership group could certainly build off the legwork of past site studies, government negotiations, and designs, but they are also reportedly only interested in covering 60% of the stadium cost, which will mean trying to resurrect old public financing deals or finding money elsewhere.  St. Petersburg says they're keeping the door open to the new ownership group, but I find it hard to believe that they'd open their ears and their wallets all over again, only this time in 2026 dollars.  The new ownership group reportedly does prefer Tampa to St. Pete, but the current ownership group has tried and failed so many times in Tampa that I can't see that happening unless there is a larger private financing chunk, or if new previously unvetted sites emerge.  Tampa is in a different county than St. Pete which further muddies the political aspect.  The biggest site contender for a ballpark in Tampa in the past is now slated to become a soccer stadium, so that would seem to be off the table.  I'm obviously not a real reporter and I'm not privy to the day-to-day conversations, so maybe things have changed on that front, and maybe Tampa is willing to loosen their purse strings since they were within a fingernail of the team building in St. Pete.  But purely as an outsider who's been following this story for 20 years, to say I'm skeptical is an understatement.  My money would be on Orlando swooping in.  They've demonstrated that they have substantial private backing and have an organized campaign to bring a team to the area.  I could see them partnering with Zalupski to make something happen there if he doesn't have the stomach for a multi-year process in Tampa Bay.  I'm honestly kind of surprised that Orlando didn't win a bid to land the Rays in the first place.  Orlando is only about 90 minutes from Tampa and roughly the same size and media market, so I think this would also satisfy Commissioner Manfred's desire to keep a team in this area.  I've been wrong many, many times before, but as of July 21st 2025, that is my guess.

As always, and as I say multiple times a year with the Rays - stay tuned.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 7/21/25:

Brewers 59-40, --, +5.0 WC; 3 @ Mariners, 3 v. Marlins, 3 v. Cubs

Twins 48-51, -11.5, -5.0 WC; 3 @ Dodgers, 3 v. Nationals, 3 v. Red Sox

Athletics 42-59, -16.0, -12.0 WC; 3 @ Rangers, 4 @ Astros, 3 v. Mariners

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 7
Peter - 23

Return to Milwaukee

All photos of American Family Field available on Flickr.

My family and I just got back from a whirlwind 9-day return visit to Milwaukee this past week.  We went to Summerfest, we hung out with friends and family, we visited many parks and beaches, we ate frozen custard, and we imbibed at restaurants and bars both new and old.  But one of the highlights was of course returning to American Family Field.  It's interesting every time we come back to my home ballpark now to see it through a fresh set of eyes.  I don't want to say I ever took it for granted when we lived in Milwaukee, but I definitely get much more excited for the limited opportunities I do get to go to Brewers games now, and I have a newfound appreciation for the comforts of home and all its quirks.  I tend to be much more observant and live in the moment when I go to new or seldom-visited ballparks, and I definitely felt that internal shift in my mindset during our two games at AmFam Field.  Tuesday night's affair pitting young phenom Jacob Misiorowski against the old battle-tested Clayton Kershaw was probably in my top 10 regular season MLB games I've ever witnessed in person, and something that was made even more special by the fact that I was a tourist instead of a resident.  It's weird to write a post entitled "Return to Milwaukee" when I lived there for 75% of my life, but this was really my first time at a Brewers home game that I truly felt like a visitor, so I think the title is fitting.  It was an odd feeling to be sure, but being around those two huge crowds was also very rejuvenating, and it was nice to be among my people and remember why I am a Brewers fan.

It certainly didn't hurt that the Brewers are playing so well right now.  They just finished a perfect 6-0 homestand to end the first half at 56-40, which is the most wins a Brewers team has ever had at the All-Star Break in its 57-year history.  I could digress for hours on the Brewers' long-term strategy for success - and in fact I did edit out multiple paragraphs from this post - but needless to say, it's impressive that this team is still breaking records in the midst of an 8 1/2-year run the likes of which this franchise has never known.  They've been doing it primarily with defense and pitching the last 5 years or so, and myself and 38,000+ fellow Brewers fans got a glimpse of the franchise's future pitching star on Tuesday night with a dominant 12-strikeout performance against a future Hall-of-Famer (I think that term is used way too loosely but I don't think anybody can deny Kershaw will have a plaque in Cooperstown).  It was only Miz's 5th career start, but it was so impressive that I think it was the cherry on top that earned him a controversial selection to the All-Star Game.  Megan and I also went to Friday night's beatdown of the Nationals.  Christian Yelich and electric newcomer Andrew Vaughn both homered in this win, with DL Hall and Quinn Priester combining to complete all 9 innings with only 3 runs allowed between them.  The walk back to the car in the pouring rain never seems to bother you after a big win, and feeling that energy in the parking lot is one of the things I missed most about American Family Field.

Speaking of energy in the parking lot, one thing I am certainly guilty of taking for granted when I lived in Milwaukee is tailgating, so we took full advantage of that Friday night.  There just aren't that many places where drinking in a parking lot is not only allowed but encouraged, and it was a sight for sore eyes.  It was really more of a "beergate" as Erik and I used to say, because we didn't want to grill anything and be too full so we could explore some of the seemingly perennial food upgrades at the ballpark.  Concessions and audio-visual enhancements would make AmFam Field nearly unrecognizable to anyone who has not been there in the last decade.  This year's newest addition comes in the form of a new bar and food truck park in the left field corner on the loge level, which was previously a dead zone that will not be missed.  I thought the food in the 3rd Street Market Hall in right field was still much better than this area, but I liked the intimate vibe here, and it's a really cool bar that has at least a partial view of the field, which you can't say about many other bars at this ballpark.  I appreciate that the Brewers make every effort to work with what they have and constantly improve the fan experience, which they know is so important as a revenue generator.  There's only so much they can fit within the bones of this 25-year old retractable-roof park and it will always pale in comparison to the Target Fields of the world in terms of modern design and amenities, but the food, drinks, intangibles, and atmosphere - not to mention the team - are near the top of just about any other MLB experience you'll have.  I made the comment to Megan on Friday night as we were leaving that I still like Target Field better as a stadium, but the palpable vibe and energy at AmFam is way better, and ultimately what good is a beautiful stadium if it doesn't have atmosphere?

With each passing visit, I feel a bit more disconnected from Milwaukee as "home," and it gets a little bit more surreal every time we go back.  We had a lot of great memories there, but we unfortunately had to move away rather suddenly due to circumstances I won't get into, and that in and of itself will never make Milwaukee feel the same.  But the common thread, besides family and friends, is and always will be the Brewers.  Sometimes it only takes a fleeting experience to make something feel familiar to you all over again.

See below for an update to my American Family Field rankings for the first time since 2017.

updated park rankings
(see also previous rankings from 4/11/17):
aesthetics - decreases to 6 (interior is starting to feel outdated)
views from park - decreases to 3 (becoming more and more obstructed)
view to field - 4
surrounding area - improves to 4 (discovered lots of great places when we lived nearby)
food variety - 9
nachos - 9
beer - decreases to 7 (better variety, higher price)
vendor price - 7
ticket price - decreases to 9
atmosphere - 8
walk to park - 6
parking price/proximity - improves to 7
concourses - decreases to 7
team shop - 10
kids area - 7 (added category since 2017 - you can race a sausage!)

best food – Story Hill BKC burgers or 3rd St Market Hall
most unique stadium feature – roof, Bernie's slide
best jumbotron feature – Roll Out the Barrel 7th inning stretch
best between-inning feature – Johnsonville Sausage Race

updated field dimensions - 342/400/345

starters - Clayton Kershaw (LAD) v. Jacob Misiorowski (MIL); Mitchell Parker (WSH) v. DL Hall (MIL)
opponent - Los Angeles Dodgers; Washington Nationals
time of game - 2:17; 2:15
attendance - 38175; 35057
score - 3-1 W; 8-3 W

Brewers score that day - 3-1 W; 8-3 W

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 7/14/25:

Brewers 56-40, -1.0, +4.0 WC; All-Star Break, 3 @ Dodgers

Twins 47-49, -11.5, -4.0 WC; All-Star Break, 3 @ Rockies
Athletics 41-57, -16.0, -11.0 WC; All-Star Break, 3 @ Guardians

2025 GAMES ATTENDED:

Erik - 7
Peter - 22