Tour 2009: KeySpan Park

All photos of Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island day 2, and Keyspan Park available on Flickr.

Thursday brought Erik and I into the minor league leg of our trip, as we will be taking in a couple of New York-Penn League games before we head home. The big, fancy new ballparks were great, but Erik and I jumped at the opportunity to see the Cyclones and the Staten Island Yankees while we were out here, because nothing beats minor league baseball.

Before the game, we did some sightseeing around Brooklyn. We decided to ride the #2 express train to City Hall around noon and walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn across the Brooklyn Bridge. It's certainly not the biggest, or longest, or first suspension bridge ever built, which doesn't really fit with our M.O., but it's definitely the most beautiful in my mind. Walking the mile to Brooklyn, we had a great view of the financial district in lower Manhattan, the Manhattan Bridge, Governor's Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Arriving on the Brooklyn side, we walked past the Watchtower building, which is the Jehovas' Witness publication headquarters, and Walt Whitman Park before stopping to eat at a local diner. After lunch, we then took a couple more trains back to Coney Island to cross another tour staple off the list - swim in nearby river/lake/ocean. In this case, it was the Atlantic ocean, off the southern tip of Brooklyn, and naturally we picked the coldest and cloudiest day so far of the trip to go swimming. We waded around chest-deep for about ten minutes before succombing to the cold water and putting warm clothes back on. After "swimming," we concluded our pre-ball activities with another stop at Nathan's for a dog and some 42-oz souvenir brews. It was the first chance we've really had to just to sit for a couple hours and relax on the trip, and it was great.

After working up a good buzz, we walked the couple blocks down the boardwalk to KeySpan Park, the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, the short-season A affiliate of the Mets since 2001. From the outside it looked to be nothing special apart from a couple plaques and statues, but the inside provided one of the better ballpark views we've seen. The ballpark is a stone's throw from the beach we were at earlier, and you can see the Atlantic unobstructed from the concourse, as well as the Cyclone coaster and the rest of Coney Island. The decor around the park is meant to play off the Coney Island motif, with overhangs mimicing the style and color of the boardwalk's, carnival-style multi-colored flourescent lighting above the concourse and on the light towers, and a cardboard construction of a rollercoaster attached to the scoreboard to add some unique flare. The seating setup there is your standard minor-league design, with a seating bowl, a small section of outfield bleachers, and some suites and press boxes in a 2nd deck behind home plate.

The bad part about being so close to the ocean was that there was a cold, howling wind blowing in all night, which was part of the reason the game ended in a 1-0, 16-inning loss for the Cyclones. It was a pitcher's duel in every sense of the word, as very few balls were hit out of the infield, and only about a half-dozen combined runners advanced into scoring position. Before Mike Lynn lost the game in the 16th on a basehit to right-center by Arthur Bonevacia, a total of 8 pitchers from both teams combined for 24 strikeouts over 15 1/2 scoreless innings. We continuously moved around to keep warm and try to maximize our opportunities for catching foul balls. After our 4th marathon game in 5 days, we had another dog at Nathan's next door since the concession stands all closed in the 9th, and we took another long subway ride home for the night. Tomorrow we our spending our last full day in New York in its fifth and final borough, Staten Island.

park stats and rankings:
aesthetics - 6 (pretty nice on the inside)
views from park - 8 (Atlantic Ocean, Coney Island)
view to field - 10
surrounding area - 7 (beach, Coney Island)
food variety - 3 (mostly dogs)
nachos - 4 (standard)
beer - 4 (pretty pricy for A-ball, only 3 kinds)
vendor price - 5
ticket price - 4 ($12 for seats half-way up 3B line)
atmosphere - 3 (scoreless tie through 15 doesn't help this category)
walk to park - 9
parking proximity - n/a (subway $2.25)
concourses - 6 (good view out)
team shop - 9 (two stories)

best food - corn dog
most unique stadium feature - scoreboard
best jumbotron feature - Tom Hanks/League of their Own, Leslie Nielsen/Naked Gun strikeout videos
best between-inning feature - Nathan's hot dog race

field dimensions - 315/412/325
starters - Kenny Moreland (ABD) v. Darin Gorski (BRK)
opponent - Aberdeen Ironbirds
time of game - 3:58
attendance - 5041
score - 1-0 L
Brewers score that day - 5-1 L

Tour 2009: Citi Field

Photos of Manhattan, Corona Park, and Citi Field available on Flickr.

Tuesday morning came early after spending the previous evening watching nearly every televised baseball game at a local bar. By the time Pete and I rolled out of the hostel, it was time for lunch so we headed to the Shake Shack, the best burger joint in Manhattan. It was not too far from our hostel to the Shack, so we decided to walk it. After making quick work of a couple burgers, fries, and beverages, we decided to cross another tour must-do thing off the list, going up in the tallest building we could. I thought that the Empire State Building was located some where in the 40's streets, a walk of another 20 blocks or so. Turns out, its actually between 33rd and 34th, a considerably farther distance to walk. As we made our way down the isle of Manhattan a brief rainshower force us inside for some souvenir shopping near Times Square. Upon our arrival at the Empire State Building, the line was massive and the price very steep, so we did what we usually do in those situations, we went to the bar. There is a nice little brew pub located in the basement of the Empire State Building. We made friends with the bartender and one of the regulars and tried a sampler set of their beers. After quenching our thirst, it was time to head to Queens, our 4th borough of the trip, and the Mets new ballpark, Citi Field.

We walked the short distance to Times Square to catch the 7 train to Queens. As we pulled into the Mets-Willetts Point station, we were immediately impressed with Citi Field. Gone are the massive blue walls, with 1980s style neon baseball players displayed across them. Shea Stadium has been replaced by a gorgeous brick and steel ballpark. Upon exiting the station, you see the exterior of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, with its arched openings soaring high above the entrance gates. Adjacent to Citi Field is the parking lot where Shea once stood. The location of the pitchers mound, home plate, and the three bases are all marked by bronze plaques and we had a lot of fun posing with each of these. When the gates opened we headed into the park, hoping to take in some batting practice, but as I mentioned, it had rained briefly earlier in the day and the field was still covered. We took this opportunity to walk all over the park, take tons of photos, look in at every team store, and have an early dinner. One thing that is very noticably different about Citi Field from Shea, is the advertising. It is everywhere you look in the new park: on the outfield wall, surrounding the two video boards, on the on deck circles, even on the back of the scoreboard. The team stores are also divided by brand: Nike has a store, Majestic has a store, there is a separate store for baseball cards, and Alyssa Milano's clothing line even has its own store. As you circumnavigate the park, there are also many features that establish Citi Field as unique: the entries from all sides are below grade and require you to ascend to the first deck, there are two large food courts behind the scoreboard and in the upper deck behind home plate, there is a pedestrian bridge connecting center to right field, and there is a market in the right field corner where you can buy snacks and small souvenirs. All of these things put together make the ballpark very user-friendly, with many nooks for people to gather, and it has that closed-in community feel of Camden Yards, despite Citi Field being so far from everything.

The game itself was quite interesting. It feature the return of Manny Ramierez, a New York City native, who was playing his 4th game after sitting out 50 for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Knowing New Yorkers general unhappy moods and having been warned all day by ESPN to expect the worst, we did. The reaction though was mixed. There were a lot of Dodger fans in attendance and Manny was greeted by about an equal mix of cheers and boos. His night was marked not only by this mixed reaction but by an ejection as well. After taking a ball that was clearly outside for a called third strike Manny flung his bat and helmet towards the Dodger dugout and began walking out towards left field. Along the way he removed his arm guard in disdain and flung it into the air. When it landed near home plate, the umpire ejected Manny who simply turned and left the field. The Dodgers did not need his bat though, thumping the Mets 8-0 and running the Mets scoreless inning streak to 22. With Manny out the Mets surffering through another bad loss, many of the fans decided to beat the traffic and the ride back to Manhattan was thankfully not crowded at all.

We started off Wednesday by taking a boat tour around lower Manhattan. Our tour guide was excellent. As we were sitting in the dock, waiting for everyone to board the ship, he offered his ideas for where people could spend the rest of their day after getting off the boat. Once we got underway, he was very informative, pointing out the sites and differnet neighborhoods as we sailed down the Hudson River. Among the interesting facts we learned were that Bob Hope immigrated through Ellis Island from England, and that the Mets are terrible this year. The boat reached the tip of Manhattan and headed out into New York Harbor to pass by the Statue of Liberty and head north on the East River. We passed under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridge before turning around to head south again. Our tour guides final message before turning around? "In front of us is the Bronx...don't go there."

After arriving back at the dock, and once again walking to the subway, we headed for Katz's Deli. Here I enjoyed a delicious salami and mustard sandwhich on rye bread, while Pete tackled a Reuben. We both enjoyed a cool glass of beer with our meal and chatted with the owner, who was making his way from table to table, for a bit. When we finished, it was time to head back to Queens. This time, when we got off the subway, we turned away from the ballpark adn spent a little time walking around Corona Park, the home of the 1964 World's Fair. The first sight we took in was the Unisphere. This is a large globe that was built and donated by US Steel for the Fair. The surrounding pool hadn't been filled yet, so I climed up onto the globe and took some pictures. Next, we headed over towards the observation towers. These are run down and have clearly been left to fall apart on their own, with no upkeep being performed by the city. It's a shame because I bet there is a pretty nice view of the park, and especially of Citi Field from the top of theses towers. Our final stop in Corona Park was the National Tennis Stadium. Then we headed to the ballpark. Today there was batting practice and Pete and I camped out in the left field seats hoping to snag a home run. Unfortunately, the wind was knocking everything down and we came up empty. When batting practice ended, we grabbed some food from the centerfield food court and headed for our seats in the upper deck.

This game was a lot more competitive than the first. The Mets finally snapped their scoreless innings streak in the 2nd and Oliver Perez marked his return to the rotation by giving up only 2 runs over 5 rough innings of work. The Mets took a 5-3 lead into the 9th inning and had Fransisco Rodriguez coming in. But, they are the Mets so things were about to get interesting. Manny Ramirez led off the inning with a home run to right. K-Rod then walked Casey Blake on 4 straight pitches. Mark Loretta recorded the first out of the inning by fanning on a change up. Russel Martin then stroked a single up the middle to put the tying run on second with only one out. Fortunately for the Mets and their fans, Andre Either sent a bouncer to SS Alex Cora that the Mets turned for a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

Citi Field is now in Pete's top 5 ballparks, and I also really enjoyed it. Tomorrow it's back to Coney Island for some short-season A-ball!

park stats and rankings:
aesthetics - 9
views from park - 4 (good view from concourse to East River and Manhattan, but not from seats)
view to field - 8
surrounding area - 3 (park is nice but right now there is nothing happening around Citi)
food variety - 10
nachos - 8 (homemade chips, lots of toppings including steak, pico de gallo, beans, and cheese)
beer - 3 (Mets beer sales = go to store, buy six pack, charge $7 per bottle)
vendor price - 5 (specialty items were very reasonable, ballpark staples were steep)
ticket price - 2 (way more expensive than Shea and much harder to get)
atmosphere - 6
walk to park - 8
parking proximity - n/a (subway $2.25)
concourses - 7 (Field Level concourse is nice but crowded, upper levels leave something to be desired)
team shop - 9 (bonus points for having multiple large shops, but points deducted for not all stores having same items in stock)

best food - Corn-on-the-cob covered in mayo, cheese and cayan pepper
most unique stadium feature - Jackie Robinson Rotunda
best jumbotron feature - Mr. Met leads 7th inning stretch
best between-inning feature - Citi Field organist plays today's pop hits

field dimensions - 335/408/330
starters - Clayton Kershaw (LAD) v. Mike Pelfrey (NYM), Hiroki Kuroda v. Oliver Perez
opponent - Los Angeles Dodgers
time of game - 3:13, 3:30
attendance - 39636, 40027
score - 8-0 L, 5-4 W
Brewers score that day - 5-0 L, 5-4 W

Tour 2009: New Yankee Stadium

All photos of Yankee Stadium available on Flickr.

Sunday and Monday were spent baking under the sun at two matinee contests between the Blue Jays and Yankees at their new stadium. We left the hostel around 10 AM on Sunday after a somewhat restful evening. Our room is much less crowded and rowdy than the hostels we stayed in Toronto and San Francisco, but we still have the token snorers that keep Erik and I awake periodically. Overall, the place seems to have a lot going on and we look forward to meeting some foreigners and taking advantage of hostel tours like we have in the past.

It was a much shorter ride to the Bronx than to Brooklyn, only about 6 stops on the D-train, and we rose from the 161st St stop and were engulfed with fans, even at three hours before first pitch. The park is not very ornate or complicated, and is a very basic design meant to mimic the original pre-1970s renovation Yankee Stadium - except the $1.5 billion version of it. As one might expect for that much money, no stone is left unturned, yet at the same time nothing is overdone or tacky at all. The outside is all limestone, and "Yankee Stadium" is spelled in gold leaf. The Great Hall behind home plate is done beautifully, with tall banners of Yankees past and present, and is flanked by the main suites area, a Hard Rock Cafe, and the team store. Erik and I immediately headed for Monument Park after our arrival, since in 2007 and '08 we missed it at the old stadium. It is beyond the centerfield wall in the new stadium, and is much more spacious. All of the Yankees' retired numbers are featured with player plaques meandering around a flower garden, and Erik and I took many pictures here. From a design standpoint, my only complaint about this entire ballpark is that the tunnels behind Monument Park and on the 2nd deck are simply painted concrete block - it seems to me that for $1.5 billion that a little drywall might have gone a long way.

From Monument Park, we did a couple laps around the stadium, and took in some rare Sunday BP from the left field bleachers. We came close to catching a couple A-Rod bombs, and we watched AJ Burnett yuck it up with Doc Halladay and some of his other former Blue Jay teammates during Toronto BP. Afterwards, we ate at the food court for lunch. I had a pastrami sandwich from the deli, and Erik had a meatball parm sandwich from an Italian place. There is an insane amount of food selection at the park, probably my favorite part. You can get everything from simple garlic fries and nachos, to sushi, and steak sandwiches prepared by a butcher that day right at the park. Prices also seem to have come down a little from the old park, although it is still expensive compared to most parks. The cheapest price that came in handy on these two hot days were large souvenir sodas for only $6.

Many photos later, we walked up to the upper deck to our seats in the 2nd row of the upper deck, near the left field foul pole. The upper deck reminds me a lot of Great American Ballpark - very wide concourses with access to a slightly higher 400 level via individual staircases. From up there, you can really notice the Yankees' efforts to make the ballpark look like the old one. The dimensions are the same, the overall bowl design is the same, even the same W.B Mason and Nathan's signs were brought over from the old park. The main difference of course is the ridiculous jumbotron in centerfield, flanked by two smaller jumbotrons to either side that are pretty damn big themselves. From our seats we had a good view to the jumbotron (you could probably see it from Queens), as well as the championship banners in right, and the retired numbers in left. The game was a 4-hour marathon that the Yankees came back to win 10-8. It took over 2 hours to complete the first 4 innings, mainly because Joba Chamberlain struggled with his command and gave up 8 runs (3 earned). The Yankees came roaring back with homers by Matsui and Jeter in the 4th and 5th. All the right-field wind-tunnel stories you hear are true - the ball really does carry. Matsui's ball was hit a mile in the air, and Jeter's was an opposite field line drive that found the first row of seats. Jeter's homerun put the Yankees ahead for good, as the bullpen tossed 5 1/3 scoreless and got Alfredo Aceves his first big-league save. After the game, we walked around the team store and scouted some of the outside vendors in preparations for our purchases on Monday, and we ended our Sunday as we usually do, with dinner and a few beers at a local tap for some Sunday Night ball. Tonight's bar was the Pour House, near Columbia, and had a great beer selection.

Monday's game was also a day game in which the Yankees tried to go for the 4-game sweep. It pitted Andy Pettitte against Jays rookie Ricky Romero. We again got to the ballpark very early, but the teams did not take BP today, so we spent most of our time watching Roy Halladay trying to learn a screwball in the bullpen, and raiding the team store. Erik got an inaugural season t-shirt, patch, and bobblehead, and I got a shirt, ball, and some gifts for my mom and Lauren. Today's meal was outstanding - Erik got a steak sandwich, and I got a pulled pork sandwich, and both were decadent. After eating, we tried to get into the Yankees museum, but the line was too long, so we just waited for gametime. Romero gave up 3 over 6.1, and Pettitte gave up 5 over 6+, and Toronto won 7-6. Andy did not pitch all that poorly, but was just left in a couple hitters too long. The Yankees were down 7-1 in the 7th and came back on two 2-run hits by Matsui and Swisher, but it was not enough. Overall, I'd say we both like the park a lot, but the mystique of the old Yankee Stadium is definitely gone. I commend the designers - it's not at all kitschy like I thought it would be, but those goosebumps you get walking from the dark concourse onto the bright green field will just never be recreated. The Yankees do deserve this new park with all its modern amenities, and I think it was a noble effort on no easy task.

Tonight, Erik and I are taking it easy and probably will end up finding another watering hole to watch Monday Night ball at, and tomorrow we're off to Citi Field!

park stats and rankings:
aesthetics - 7
views from park - 2
view to field - 7 (obstructions in upper deck)
surrounding area - 4 (some bars, very lively on gameday, but the Bronx is pretty unsafe)
food variety - 9
nachos - 5 (more cheese and bigger chips needed, and there are only a couple stands)
beer - 6 (expensive, but bonus points for souvenir cups, decent variety)
vendor price - 3
ticket price - 4 (tickets easier to get than at old park)
atmosphere - 8
walk to park - 4
parking proximity - n/a (subway $2.25)
concourses - 9 (wide)
team shop - 10

best food - steak sandwich
most unique stadium feature - Monument Park
best jumbotron feature - Hideki Matsui homerun animation "Gone-zilla!"
best between-inning feature - B-D-4 subway race

field dimensions - 318/408/314
starters - Brett Cecil (TOR) v. Joba Chamberlain (NYY); Ricky Romero v. Andy Pettitte
opponent - Toronto Blue Jays
time of game - 3:44; 3;27
attendance - 46320; 46450
score - 10-8 W; 7-6 L
Brewers score that day - 8-2 L; off

Tour 2009: Nathan's Famous 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest

All photos of Coney Island, hot dog eating contest, and 4th of July fireworks available on Flickr.

After a rough two weeks at my new job, I flew to New York Friday night to meet Erik for our final 2009 trip, the highlights of which are the new Yankee & Mets' ballparks. We are spending a week in New York and we've both been looking forward to this trip since last year. If you would have told me last year at this time that Erik would be working at a fast food restaurant, and I would be living in Iowa, I would have thought you were crazy. But such was the case as I drove to the Mason City airport Friday afternoon, about an hour north of Waterloo. The airport building was no more larger than my parents' backyard, and is mostly meant for private flights, but does operate a commuter propeller jet to and from Minneapolis thrice a day. I boarded the Wahoo Express at about 4:30, and after a layover in Minnesota, another 2 hours of flying, and a 90 minute subway ride to our hostel in uptown Manhattan, I was beat. I met Erik (who had arrived in New York about 10 hours before me and was pretty hammered) at a bar near the hostel for an inaugural drink, and then it was off to bed.

We woke up bright and early on Saturday morning - not for a ballgame, but so that we could beat the crowd to Coney Island for the 94th annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest! This is the Super Bowl of competitive eating, and takes place in Brooklyn every July 4th. Erik and I had first seen this event on television at a bar in Rochester when we were there on the main tour and instantly fell in love with Major League Eating. We were hoping that when the schedules came out in March, that the Yankees and Mets would be home around the 4th so that we could attend the hot dog contest, and it just so happens they were. It was about an hour ride to Coney Island, and we got there around 10:30, two hours before first dog. The energy was electric in the beginning, but by around noon the crowd started to get restless as the MC George Shea struggled to fill time with jugglers, rappers, and the Nathan's mascots. Shortly after 12:30, about 40,000 strong began to cheer as the eaters were introduced. There were about 20 participants that made it through qualifiers all over America to be there, but everyone's eyes were on Joey Chestnut, the 2-time defending champion with an iron stomach, and Takeru Kobayashi, a scrawny Asian kid with crazy hair that had won the event six years prior before Chestnut burst on the scene. These two have been shattering records throughout MLE, particularly in this event, and although ESPN talked up a few other gurgitaters as having an outside chance, everyone in the crowd knew it would be one of these two fine specimens.

And, they're off! The rules are simple: eat as many hot dogs and buns as you can in 10 minutes, dunking in water is allowed, and automatic disqualification for a "reversal of fortune." Chestnut, a notoriously fast starter, shot out of the gates and shook down 23 dogs in the first two minutes. Kobayashi caught up and briefly took the lead about halfway through, but Chestnut was steady for the entire 10 minutes and eventually won with a new 10-minute world record of 68 hot dogs. Takeru took 2nd with 64, and Patrick Bertolotti took 3rd. Overall, the pregame was pretty boring, but I was glad we got there early, because from the looks of the crowd, most couldn't see as well as we could. We were so glad to be a part of hot dog eating history, that we attempted to eat as many as we could after the contest. Erik had two and some fries, and I had three, and we were both stuffed. That just goes to show how remarkable these guys are - I could maybe have forced down two more, and maybe do a dozen with some training, but 68? Ingesting 20,000 calories in one sitting is just something you have to be born to do.

After lunch, we walked around Coney Island for a bit. We got a preview of the Cyclones' park before we go there on Thursday, walked around the boardwalk and the beach, and rode the infamous rickety Cyclone rollercoaster. We headed back and napped for a good two hours before concluding our long day by purchasing some PBR tallboys and watching Independence Day fireworks on the Hudson. There were six barges out on the river, from 59th St down at least 30 blocks, shooting off six identical fireworks shows in unison, and it was amazing. This was my 5th city in the last 5 years that I've celebrated the 4th of July, and they seem to just keep getting better. Tomorrow and Monday we are watching some day games at the new Yankee Stadium!

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 07.05:
Brewers 43-39, -1.0 (3 v. Cardinals, 3 @ Dodgers)
Reds 40-40, -3.0 (4 @ Phillies, 3 @ Mets)
Twins 43-40, -2.0 (3 v. Yankees, 3 v. White Sox)

RACE FOR 2009 "MOST GAMES ATTENDED" TITLE:
Erik - 26 (+13 worked)
Peter - 34

Waterloo Riverfront Stadium

All photos of Waterloo Riverfront Stadium available on Flickr.

Two weekends ago, I concluded my move to Waterloo, Iowa. As I mentioned in the Cedar Rapids post, there are a ton of ball teams around me that I look forward to exploring (I guess I should also mention that my job is pretty cool). Naturally, before even settling in, I spent my first full day as an Iowan attending a Waterloo Bucks game. My dad left early Sunday after the move, but Lauren and Erik stayed for the day to take in some Sunday matinee action.

The Waterloo Bucks are celebrating their 15th season in the Northwoods League in 2009, and they play at Waterloo Riverfront Stadium, which is just west of downtown. The ballpark was built in 1946 and hosted the Waterloo Diamonds of the Midwest League for 35 seasons before becoming the home to the Bucks and the University of Northern Iowa Panthers, whose campus resides in nearby Cedar Falls. Anyone who was following the news closely last year can recall the devastating 100-year flood that caused tons of damage along the Cedar River, including Waterloo's riverfront. The Bucks had to play about 3/4 of their season on the road last year due to flood damage and a high river, and even currently, a heavy rain is still capable of soaking the field to the point that it causes a postponed game. The city's refusal to update the ballpark was one of the main reasons the Diamonds left for Lansing, but with the flood damage sustained last year, the city had no choice but to rebuild. The evidence of the new building, besides the construction trailers, can be seen in the transition from exterior to interior. As you exit your car and walk through what resembles a marshland, the exterior appears brand-new, with a nice stone gate with tickets windows built in. However, on the inside, one can see the water mark on the 25' wall in the outfield, and all of the rust and paint damage on the metal bleachers around the park. There is also now a retaining wall beyond the fence to protect the street and train tracks from ballpark flooding. I later read in the program during the game that there were new clubhouses and batting practice cages built as "structures inside the structure" that can be wheeled out during a flood.

With that being said, after we arrived at this beautiful gate and took in some BP at the brand-new batting cages, we were understandably disappointed once we got inside. We were there plenty early and got to walk around the entire circumference of the ballpark, watch the players warm up from the retaining wall in the back, and hit the team store/room. Ticket and beer prices were fair, but beyond that, not a lot going on. The party deck, which has become pretty standard at your typical minor league/semi-pro ballpark, is usually the barometer for how well the team draws, and these were nearly empty. The Bucks were 6-17 on the day we were in attendance, and by unfortunate circumstances happened to match up against the best pitcher in the Northwoods League, Zach Varce. He was dominant, striking out 9 over 7 and giving up no runs. The Bucks' starter Scott Williams would have nearly matched him, had it not been for his four walks issued, but he did end up tossing 8 frames. Overall, there were only eight combined hits in the game. Nick O'Shea had the lone offensive highlight of the afternoon with a solo shot in the 6th.

Watching a pitcher's duel in 90+ degree heat with sparse attendance was not how I envisioned my first Waterloo Bucks game, but I will definitely be back for more. Erik and I are in New York City this Friday for our final Tour 2009 trip - New Yankee Stadium and Citi Field! Stay tuned!

park stats and rankings:
aesthetics - 4
views from park - 3
view to field - 9 (dangerously unobstructed)
surrounding area - 2 (cemetary, park, run-down homes)
food variety - 6
nachos - 9 (loaded with taco fixings!)
beer - 7 (decent variety, dollar-beer batter, points off for false advertising of local beer)
vendor price - 7
ticket price - 8
atmosphere - 2
walk to park - 2
parking proximity - 8 (adjacent lot for free, but more of a field than lot)
concourses - 3
team shop - 5 (good variety for NWL, but small)

best food - nachos
most unique stadium feature - entry
best jumbotron feature - n/a
best between-inning feature - hit target in outfield with water balloons

field dimensions - 335/375/335
starters - Zach Varce (GB) v. Scott Williams (WAT)
opponent - Green Bay Bullfrogs
time of game - 2:18
attendance - 1072
score - 2-0 L
Brewers score that day - 3-2 L

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 06.29:
Brewers 40-35, -- (3 v. Mets, 4 @ Cubs)
Reds 37-37, -2.5 (3 v. Diamondbacks, 3 v. Cardinals)
Twins 39-38, -4.0 (3 @ Royals, 3 v. Tigers)

RACE FOR 2009 "MOST GAMES ATTENDED" TITLE:
Erik - 25 (+12 worked)
Peter - 32

Veterans Memorial Stadium

All photos of Veterans Memorial Stadium available on Flickr.

I have mixed feelings about my upcoming move to eastern Iowa, but one of the definite perks is the abundance of minor & independent league baseball franchises nearby. There are 14 teams (that I know of) within 3 hours of me, seven in Iowa alone. The city I'm moving to, Waterloo, does have a Northwoods League team, but as I strive to get my fill of professional baseball, the Cedar Rapids Kernels will probably become the team I follow most intimately. They play about 45 minutes southeast of Waterloo, and I was excited to catch a Wednesday kids' day matinee on my way back to Milwaukee after signing my lease.

I left at about 10:15 for a noon first pitch, and it was a very relaxing ride spent honking at cows through miles of rural nothingness. Cedar Rapids is Iowa's second largest city and has been home to the Kernels in some form since 1891 (my favorite former team name of theirs is the Bunnies). Much like every Iowa city I've been to, old dirty factories dominate its downtown, the largest of which there is the Quaker Oats factory. But, also like every Iowa city I've been to, Cedar Rapids has a wonderful riverfront and has a very vibrant and historic community. Iowa seems a lot like Madison, in that most people are either born or go to school there, and then you stay forever. I have an unexplained comfort level with all of the small blue-collar cities and farmland in Iowa that would turn off most city folk, and I look forward to exploring this city more when I have some time.

The ballpark is a couple miles outside of the central business district and is in sort of a sports complex that also contains a football stadium, an ice arena, and a high school diamond. I must have parked in the players lot, because all the gates on my side were closed and I had to take a long stair around the building to get to the main gate. It looks incredibly old from the outside, particularly from the side that I parked, but I actually just looked it up and it was built in 2002 and designed by 360 Architecture. The interior more reflects this newness, as there is a nice concourse that I would compare to Fifth Third Field in Dayton, a play area and picnic area in left field, and bleachers past 1st base. The team store, scoreboard, and suites were all above-average for an A-level team. I find myself using the phrase similar to "pretty good for the minors" a lot when doing these posts, but as this is my 7th Midwest League ballpark, really all of them have been pretty nice except Clinton and Beloit. Even so, the Lumberkings' park is like 70 years old and was still way better than the Snappers - again, Pohlman Field needs to get its act together or the team has to move.

After purchasing a Kernels cap, grabbin' some chow, and obtaining a magnet schedule for my new apartment, I headed down to my seat by the 1st base dugout directly underneath the blazing sun. When it's too hot for beer and the mascot is spraying the kids in the audience with a water gun, you know it's gonna be a long day. The Kernels got spanked 11-3 by Kane County. The Cougars scored in each of the 1st 6 frames with the help of three homeruns, and 3 hits by cleanup hitter Steve Kleen. Every ball hit in the air looked like a golf ball carrying off the tee. Josh Barfield's brother Jeremy hit the most impressive shot for the Cougars that wound up in the hot tub in left field. The Cougars' starter Figueroa gave up only 3 over 6, and the lone highlight for the Kernels was a towering solo shot by Angel Castillo in the 8th.

park stats and rankings:
aesthetics - 4
views from park - 2
view to field - 9
surrounding area - 3 (other sports venues and a bar)
food variety - 8 (grill along 3rd base with a dozen kinds of burgers)
nachos - 3 (come in bag with cheese dip cup)
beer - 6 (moderately priced, Coors Bud & Leines)
vendor price - 8
ticket price - 4 ($7 for lawn seats?)
atmosphere - 5 (Camp Day)
walk to park - 1
parking proximity - 8 (where I parked was free, but hard to find gate)
concourses - 6 (featuring Cedar Rapids walk of fame)
team shop - 7 (includes CR HOF)

best food - tenderloin sandwich
most unique stadium feature - Randy Kuehl's Honda Home of Honfidence pavilion
best jumbotron feature - Mr. Shucks does the Cupid Shuffle
best between-inning feature - "Trash or Treasure" game featuring Curby, the Cedar Rapids recycling mascot

field dimensions - 315/400/325
starters - Pedro Figueroa (KC) v. Tyler Chatwood (CR)
opponent - Kane County Cougars
time of game - 2:42
attendance - 2965
score - 11-3 L
Brewers score that day - 9-8 W

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 06.18:

[I won't have internet access for awhile, so here are next week's series]

Brewers 37-29, +1.0 (3 v. Twins, 3 v. Giants)

Reds 33-31, -3.0 (3 @ Blue Jays, 3 @ Indians)

Twins 33-33, -2.0 (3 @ Brewers, 3 @ Cardinals)

RACE FOR 2009 "MOST GAMES ATTENDED" TITLE:

Erik - 21 (+10 worked)

Peter - 30

3rd Annual Civil Rights Game

Shortly after Erik and I got back from Memphis for last year's Civil Rights Game, Bud Selig announced that it would no longer be an exhibition game in Memphis, but rather would become a roaming regular season game in different cities every year. We had mixed feelings about this - we were very happy that the game was becoming popular enough to warrant a larger venue and more diverse crowds around the country, but disappointed to see it leave Memphis, which may collectively be our favorite city to visit. We also feel that this should still be an exhibition game, which allows for the game itself to serve as more of a backdrop. We had a blast in Memphis last year and were looking forward to going back someday soon, and now with the game moving, we are grateful we got to see it in perhaps its final time there.

It was announced in September that the game would be in Cincinnati this year and in 2010. This year's guests and Beacon award winners include Bill Clinton, Hank Aaron, Bill Cosby, Oscar Robertson, Tony Perez, and Muhammad Ali. Erik and I were reluctant to buy tickets since this season by far is our busiest and most expensive Tour Plus year, but long story short we eventually caved in, but since I am now moving to Iowa next weekend for a job, we had to sell our tickets. If any city was going to have this game besides Memphis, I was glad it was Cincinnati. As our long-time readers know, I went to grad school there for 3 years and made a lot of great friends, saw a lot of Reds games, and learned a lot about the city as well.

Only a couple years before I got there in 2004, there were race riots in Over-The-Rhine, a former German area of the city that now has a 95% poverty rate, an average family income of $5,000, and is one of the roughest ghettos in the country. These riots ensued at the border of OTR and the downtown and really tainted an already poor reputation of racial inequality in Cincinnati, what with former Reds owner Marge Schott's famously racist attitudes. These stories of riots, racial hatred, and policy brutality my friends at UC would tell me seemed like such a distant past for someone coming from the outside, but for them it was very real. These friends and I all toured the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center as a class at architecture school, and most of us took a studio right on the border of Over-The-Rhine that was focused on improving the inner city through better public transportation, both things that would be unheard there of a decade prior. I remember driving through OTR, or sometimes even taking the bus through it, and how I had never seen such a poor rundown area in my life. I just never fully grasped my friends' lingering concerns for getting home before dark from studio, when I was also reading news articles about gentrification and seeing new housing developments go up on the fringes of Over-The-Rhine. I was lucky to come into Cincinnati while it was on the upturn and making strides to get better, and I can only imagine what the city was like just eight years ago during those riots. Cincinnati has come a long way since 2001, and even since I've lived there, and it deserves this chance to showcase its improvements. I'm sure I speak for the Reds organization and all its fans that we are very proud that Cincinnati is getting the Civil Rights Game this year, and hopefully Erik and I can make it next year.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 06.15:

Brewers 34-29, +0.5 (3 @ Indians, 3 @ Tigers)

Reds 31-31, -2.5 (3 v. Braves, 3 v. White Sox)

Twins 32-33, -3.0 (3 v. Pirates, 3 v. Astros)

RACE FOR 2009 "MOST GAMES ATTENDED" TITLE:

Erik - 21 (+10 worked)

Peter - 28

Wildwood Baseball Park

All photos from Wildwood Baseball Park available on Flickr.

There may have been thunderstorms and tornado warnings in southeastern Wisconsin yesterday, but about an hour north in Sheboygan, Erik and I tailgated under blue skies at our first Northeast Wisconsin League game. This is a league that I discovered about four months as I was looking for work - because of course, if I was going apply to work in a city, there had to be ball nearby. While sending in applications to some firms in the Green Bay, Appleton, and Sheboygan areas, I ran across the NE Wisconsin League and Wisconsin State League, which are semi-pro leagues that run concurrently with many of the same teams. With Erik taking an LSAT exam 15 minutes away from the park on the day of the Sheboygan A's home opener, we marked this date on the calendar right away and have been looking forward to it ever since.

We got to the park around 5:30, early enough to beat the parking attendant and start a tailgate. It seems like the type of lot where tailgating would be discouraged, but the A's welcome it (as quoted on their website). Sheboyan is a pretty city right off the lake and the ballpark is in a very nice area with a park and some softball fields across the street. As we fired up the grill and popped open a couple PBR tallboys, our anticipation for the game only grew as we watched all of the players arrive in 10-year-old Hondas and Toyotas, some clearly coming straight from another job. We wrapped up the tailgate about 45 minutes before first pitch and purchased tickets, walked around the park, bought some beer (beer comes in pitchers!), and watched some bullpen sessions. Watching the players warm up, I was instantly reminded of why I loved semi-pro ball - if you want to play ball and you're dedicated enough, you can find a team just about anywhere in America to play for.

I found out two things quickly upon entering the stadium. Well, three things - #1, Wildwood Park was 5 times better than Pohlman Field and the city of Beloit should be ashamed of itself. There's just no reason that a team in this league should have a better team store, scoreboard, field, pressbox, and attendance than a minor league franchise - I won't even get into the fact that the A's are 7-1 and the Snappers are like 20 games below .500. #2, I had expected this league to be of the Golden League variety, a bunch of has-beens and never will-bes. Actually, it's somewhere between a college summer league and a semi-pro league. There are some older players on the roster that dabbled in the minors - one of the relievers was 41 - but most of the team is made up of college kids. Whereas Northwoods kids come from all over the country though, this league is mostly local talent. The third thing I picked up on was the rich history of baseball in the Sheboygan area, which I never would have guessed there was. The Sheboygan A's (note: upon investigation, "A's" is not short for Athletics...it's just A's) are in their 47th season and are very much a local institution. The city has continuously supported the team, and has raised millions of dollars throughout the years to keep the franchise running and to update the ballpark. On this night, the pregame ceremony had the owner, team president, and mayor on hand to burn the Wildwood Park $105,000 mortgage note as a symbol of it being paid off in the offseason. The joy and loyalty in the faces of the ownership, the boosters, and the crowd was very inspiring. In 1973, fans raised money for a new ballpark; in 1997, fans raised $400,000 as part of a major renovation that included the mortgage; and this coming year, fans will again come to the team's aid for a third ballpark renovation, this time to add expanded amenities, a new protective net, and a jumbotron. Aside from the nearby Green Bay Packers, never have I seen such unquestioning community involvment, pride, and fan dedication in an sports organization that goes so far beyond the game itself, and I was truly honored to be there to help celebrate.

Speaking of the game itself, it certainly was not a letdown following all the pregame hubbub, as the A's rallied from 2 down in the 9th to win 6-5. Greg Blahowiak got the start for the A's and pitched great, giving up only 2 runs and 3 hits over 6. Mitchell Gardner pitched the final 3 innings and got the win. In the end, it was defense that won the game for Sheboygan, as they made a couple nice plays in the infield and the centerfielder Albright made an amazing diving catch, and on the flip side Menasha had five errors. 2B Matt Shilter had 3 hits for the winning team, and David Novak drove in the winning run in the 9th for the walk-off victory.

After the game, we celebrated the victory with a tap at a local bar down the street, despite being 2+ pitchers deep and having an hour drive ahead of us. We both paid for that decision this morning! The trek was definitely worthwhile, and I can only hope that any other NEW and WSL experiences we have are half this entertaining, or at least have an awesome mascot like A-1!

park stats and rankings:
aesthetics - 3
views from park - 3 (houses)
view to field - 4 (close but obstructed by posts and fence)
surrounding area - 5
food variety - 4 (menu appears large, but is mostly candy and beer)
nachos - 5 (good cheese to chip ratio, very cheap)
beer - 7 (only Bud & Coors, but points added for pitchers and souvenir cups)
vendor price - 10
ticket price - 9 ($5 behind home plate, $3 GA along the lines)
atmosphere - 6 (small crowd but very involved)
walk to park - 4
parking proximity - 10 (across the street for free)
concourses - 2
team shop - 4 (decent variety but not a lot on display, and the store is actually a shed)

best food - nachos
most unique stadium feature - bullpen area easily accessible by fans for viewing
best jumbotron feature - n/a
best between-inning feature - live oldies band

field dimensions - 320/395/320
starters - Mike Lloyd (MEN) v. Greg Blahowiak (SHB)
opponent - Menasha Macs
time of game - 2:45
attendance - 191
score - 6-5 W
Brewers score that day - off

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 06.09:
Brewers 33-24, +2.5 (3 v. Rockies, 3 v. White Sox)
Reds 29-27, -3.5 (3 @ Nationals, 3 @ Royals)
Twins 28-31, -4.0 (4 @ Athletics, 3 @ Cubs)

RACE FOR 2009 "MOST GAMES ATTENDED" TITLE:
Erik - 19 (+8 worked)
Peter - 26

Mallards Home Opener

All photos of the Mallards' 2009 home opener available on Flickr.

With me now having a girlfriend that lives in Madison, I have become completely unphased by the 2.5 hour roundtrip from Milwaukee. And so, it should come as no surprise that a few days ago I decided that I was going to make another trek out west for the home opener of the most exciting team in baseball, the Madison Mallards. Winning a ticket in a drawing on Saturday and Lauren having off Monday nights all but sealed the deal. I decided to not drag her to yet another baseball game on her one day off, so I rode solo to be one of the 5200+ screaming fans in attendance.

I arrived at the ballpark about 20 minutes before first pitch, knowing that I would need a little time to find parking and to take in the new surroundings. More than any other ballpark I know, Warner Park adds and changes so much from season to season. It is so different now than from when I first went there three years ago that I can hardly imagine what it must have looked like during the Mallards' inaugural season of 2001. Madison has the attendance to be able to invest in their park, team, and promotional calendar that other Northwoods League teams simply do not. The most noticeable features inside the park this year are the expanded Duck Blind and the addition of bullpens in left-center and right-center, which I'm sure are probably the only enclosed bullpens in the NWL. The Duck Blind has been pushed closer to the foul line to allow for more seating and has added a section of bleachers, since it can be hard to see from that area (although people who purchase the all-you-can-eat-and-drink seats typically aren't too attentive, understandably). The same has been done on the left field side, where an existing section of bleachers has been angled and pushed closer to the field. The fences have been pulled in for the third year in a row to accomodate the bullpens in the outfield, which are surrounded by chain-link fence and advertising. The team stores seem to contain a lot more items this season as well, and it looks like they finally figured out how to use the jumbotron they installed last year. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, the concession stands now serve funnel cake! All of the annual additions always seem to contribute to an atmosphere I would already rate a '10,' which just goes to show you that there is no real substitute for good cheap concessions and quality entertainment.


As for the game itself, it was a back-and-forth battle in which the home team eventually pulled out a 7-6 victory over the Rochester Honkers. It seemed for most of the night that nobody really wanted to win, as eleven total errors were committed, and the defense only got worse as the night got cooler. There were also at least seven hit batsmen that I could count, three by the Mallards' starter and son of Dodger great Orel Hershiser, Jordan. He lasted only 1-1/3 and his ERA is now 20.26 after his first start since missing his entire season at USC with Tommy John surgery. The Mallards' bullpen would surrender three more runs (none earned) after Hershiser's exit en route to a walk-off win in the 9th. Pitchers in the Northwoods League are really just experimenting with pitches for the next collegiate year, and defense is usually shotty; the real treat is to pick out which hitters are adapting to using wood and put together quality ABs. Every year, I like to latch onto a Mallard who I think is gritty enough to have what it takes to get drafted, and this year my favorite Mallard so far is the C/DH Ben Long. He wears #00, and he runs out to the bullpen after making outs to warm up relievers, so he caught my attention right away. He was 2-4 on this night, and I found out on the car ride home that he is hitting .588 on the season, so I must know how to pick 'em! I'd also give an honorable mention to Troy Channing - he is the cleanup hitter and has a really nice stroke. Now let's see if he can follow in the footsteps of my past projects of Jordan Comadena, Mike Rohde, and Tony Campana and latch onto a pro team someday. As always, I was entertained the entire game by an assortment of new and old between-innings games and some wild plays in the field, and I'm excited for another season of Northwoods League baseball.

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 06.02:
Brewers 30-21, +1.0 (4 @ Marlins, 3 @ Braves)
Reds 27-23, -2.5 (4 @ Cardinals, 3 v. Cubs)
Twins 25-27, -4.5 (3 v. Indians, 3 @ Mariners)

RACE FOR 2009 "MOST GAMES ATTENDED" TITLE
Erik - 18 (+ 8 worked)
Peter - 24

Tour 2009: Final Season of HHH Metrodome

All photos of Minneapolis and Metrodome available on Flickr.

This past weekend, Peter and I attended the Sunday Night Brewers-Twins game at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The Twins will be moving into a new stadium in downtown Minneapolis next season and are celebrating their last year in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. I'll start by detailing a brief history of my experience with the Metrodome. While I was attending college across the Mississippi River at the University of Minnesota and cutting my teeth in the political world, I found paying summer work with the Minnesota Twins. I began working for the Twins in the summer of 2005 as an usher at the Metrodome. Being an usher at the Dome has many particular challenges that other stadiums just don't have. First of all, all the seats face the 50-yard line when the Dome is set up for football. This leads to Twins fans having to sit or crane their necks 45 degress to see home plate when there is a ballgame going on instead. To aid these fans a little bit, Metrodome ushers hold back fans returning to their seats from the restroom, concession stand, etc. until there is a change of batter. As one can imagine, this leads to many backups at the entrances to the sections and plenty of upset fans who are missing the game. Another challenge of working at the Metrodome is the panic doors. For those who do not know, the roof of the Metrodome is supported by pressurizing the air inside, there is no structure. Fans must exit and enter the stadium through revolving doors in order to maintian the pressure. These doors would never do in an emergency however, so each gate also has 8 panic doors. When these doors are opened the pressurized air inside the Dome rushes out, creating a wind tunnel. Often, Dome engineers will allow for a few of these doors to be opend following a game to ease congestion exiting the stadium. The wind tunnel effect leads to a few falls. Additionally, on days when the doors are not open, there are always a few drunks who either want to fell the rush of air or who simply can't wait to get to the bar, who open these doors. Closing them again is quite a challenge. I worked for the Twins for three years, the last being the summer of the main tour in 2007. I saw the team win the AL Central pennant on the last day of the season, saw Justin Morneau win an MVP award, and saw Joe Mauer become the first American Legaue catcher to win a batting crown. I played softball on the outfield turf and made a lot of good friends. After the Twins play their last game at the Dome, I'll miss it. Many say that the stadium is a dump, but to me its special.

Ok, enough history. Here's what happened this past weekend. I arrived in Minnesota on Friday afternoon and meet up with a buddy of mine who I would be staying with through the weekend. Pete had an interview in Madison and wouldn't be getting in until later in the evening. After meeting my buddy and having a beer and terrible hot dog and a South Minneapolis bar, I headed for the Dome. I parked a few blocks away and bought a $5 ticket from a few Brewers fans outside the Metrodome Plaza. I headed into the stadium and began making my way around visiting many of my old friends. It was good to catch up with all of them and it made me wish I was back in Minnesota and working for the Twins. I settled into my seat and was heckled by a few Twins fans sitting near me. The Brewers took it on the chin in game one, losing 11-3. Michael Cuddyer hit for the cycle and Kevin Slowey dominated the Brew Crew.

On Saturday morning, I headed down to the Mall of America in Bloomington. I was not going to shop, however. The MOA stands on the site of the Twins first ballpark in Minnesota, Metropolitan Stadium. Hidden inside the amusement park at the center of the mall is a plaque that marks the location of home plate. Several hundred feet away, above the Log Flume ride, a red chair sits high above the floor. This chair marks the landing spot of the longest home run at Met Stadium, hit by Harmon Killebrew. After a quick bite to eat I headed for the Dome. The Twins are using special balls this year commerorating their last year in the Dome with a pretty sweet logo and I wanted to see if I could snag one during batting practice. After purchasing a $10 GA ticket and then making my way down to the lower level, I raced down the stairs near the left field foul pole. About half way down the section I spotted it, sitting under the last seat in the row. I had my Metrodome souvenir. I decided to go down to the rail anyways and shortly after a soft grounder was hit toward the corner. One of the Twins ran over and when I held up my glove, he flipped the ball to me. I was pretty excited, especially when I looked at the ball and discovered that it was a commemorative, but not from the Metrodome. The Twins had just suffered three heart-breaking walk-off loses to the Yankees in New York and had apparently took some of their commemorative balls on the way out of town. The ball that was flipped to me has a scuffed logo so I'll just have to try for a clean one when we're in New York in July. After snagging these two balls I headed toward my seat and some beers. The Brewers would lose on Saturday night as well. Anthony Swarzak made his Major League debut for the Twins and went 7 great innings, allowing no runs on only 5 hits and two walks, while striking out 3. Twins catcher Joe Maur supplied much of the offense in the 6-2 win, going 3-3 with a walk and a solo home run and scoring 3 runs.

I finally met up with Pete on Sunday afternoon. Pete had attended his roomates wedding the previous day in Alexandria. We met at the Dome and proceded to Matt's Bar in South Minneapolis. Matt's is the home of the Jucy Lucy burger. Another bar stakes claim to the invention of this awesome burger, but everyone knows Matt's was the first. The Jucy Lucy is a cheeseburger that, rather than having the cheese melted on top, has it stuffed in the middle. Each burger comes with a warning form your waitress to wait a few minutes since many first timers have been burned with molten cheese squirting out of the burger with their first bite. The Jucy is toped with pickles and raw or fried onions and should be washed down with a cold glass of Grain Belt Premium. It is delicious and not to be missed. Following lunch at Matt's we headed to downtown Minneapolis to check out the future home of the Twins - Target Field. I will miss the Dome but man am I excited to watch a game at this place. The structure of the ballpark is complete and a lot of the glass and limestone curtain walls are already in place. The ballpark looks simply gorgeous. One thing I find peculiar about Target Field are the demensions of the playing field itself. For all the abuse that the Metrodome takes, the Twins are mimicing its dimensions at the new stadium. Yes, there will be a 21 foot high fence stretching from the right field foul pole to right-center field. Fortunately, it will be a padded wall rather than a baggie at the new stadium. The new stadium will feature man of the modern ballpark luxuries that the Metrodome just can't offer. There will be luxury suites, resturants, a huge team store, and an HD scoreboard only slightly smaller than the one the Yankees have in thier new stadium. Like I said, I can't wait to get there in 2010.

As for the game, it was another disappointment for the Crew. Scott Baker dominated for 8 1/3, allowing just 3 runs (2 in the 9th) on 7 hits. The one bright spot for Milwaukee was Mike Cameron who hit his 250th career home run in the 4th. Prince Fielder added a 2-run bomb to the upper deck in right which chased Baker. Joe Mauer continued his torried month, hitting a home run in the first inning and going 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Justin Morneau also cracked a homer over the baggie, deep into the upper deck for his 13th of the year.

I concluded my farewell to the Metrodome by taking in the Memorial Day matinee between the Twins and Red Sox. I arrived at the Dome about an hour before first pitch and spent my time wandering, taking photos, and saying my last good-byes. I finally got a picture next to the Kirby Puckett seat. This seat in left-center field marks the spot where Kirby Puckett's 11th-inning homer run landed, sending the 1991 World Series to its epic Game 7. This home run will forever live in the memory of Twins fans with the words "And we'll see you...tomorrow night" echoing as Puck rounded the bases pumping his fist. The game itself promised to be a good one with Fransisco Liriano facing Brad Penny. Liriano didn't have his stuff though, giving up 11 hits and only lasting 4 innings. The Twins tried to make it interesting in the 9th, however, with Joe Mauer hitting a pinch hit 2-run homer with 2 away to pull the Twins within 1. But, they would get no closer and the Sox triumphed 6-5.

So farewell Metrodome, and Target Field, we'll see you...tomorrow night!

STANDINGS AND UPCOMING SERIES AS OF 05.28:
Brewers 27-20, -1.0 (3 v. Reds)
Reds 26-20, -1.5 (3 @ Brewers)
Twins 24-25, -3.5 (3 @ Rays)

RACE FOR 2009 "MOST GAMES ATTENDED" TITLE
Erik - 17 (+ 8 worked)
Peter - 21