4/9/2009
I really, really like Petco Park. Despite its name.
The home of the Padres, it has an interesting and rather original design, has plenty of good seats, and is generally a very nice and relaxed place to watch a baseball game.
Opened in 2004 to replace the aging and baseball un-friendly Qualcomm Stadium, Petco is situated right in downtown San Diego and has served as an anchor for revitalization in the formerly rundown Gaslamp District. Because there’s not a whole lot of things that white people love more than to be able to use the word “gentrification.”
Getting there is kind of a pain. Being downtown, parking is rather hard to find and expensive. I think I paid $20 the last time I was there. I’ve heard there’s cheaper, but good luck finding it. The San Diego Trolley makes a stop right outside of the stadium, but really, what self-respecting Southern Californian uses public transportation?
The neighborhood has become what looks like a pretty cool place to hang out before and after games. There are plenty of bars and other social grazing areas, and the San Diego Convention Center is a short walk away. You can get a nice view of the San Diego harbor and the Harbor Bridge from the Upper Deck concourses, and a nice view of the Downtown San Diego skyline from your seat.
The stadium looks like it belongs in San Diego, and, other than the Western Metal Supply building in left field, there aren’t a lot of stupid gimmicks that could drastically affect play. The field is huge though, which leads to its reputation as a pitcher’s park with a lot of low-scoring games.
I really like the option to sit at the Park in the Park, where you can pay $5 and pick a spot on the lawn beyond the center field wall. The only downside to this is that the batter’s eye obstructs most of the view of the action, though there is a video screen to help out.
Like Dodger Stadium, I enjoy the view that is offered by the upper deck. Shouldn’t be too hard to find a reasonably priced seat up there these days, as the Padres are kind of, well, bad.
Unlike Dodger Stadium, Petco is fun to walk around before and during the game. There are some interesting things to see, like the Park in the Park, the view from the Western Metal building, and there are games and stuff for kids to do (you know, other than shut up and actually learn about baseball) in right field. Oh, and if you get bored, you can look for the brick that PETA so graciously donated to the outside walkway. Those clever, animal-loving bastards.
The absolute best part of going to Petco was seeing Trevor Hoffman come in to close games. “Trevor Time” was a pretty awesome experience, even for a non-Padre fan. However, the Padres cut ties with Hoffman after 2008, and he’s now closing out ballgames in Milwaukee. (Or trying to, anyway)
I really don’t have many bad things to say about Petco (the park; I’m sure the company eats puppies and is working on a kitten death ray or something). I have sat in a pretty bad seat once, down the left field line on the field level. The Western Metal building tends to obstruct the view a little bit down there, and seeing the scoreboard is impossible. They have also retired Steve Garvey’s number, even though he will always be remembered more as a Dodger. The red dog and blue cat mascots from the Petco logo are kind of annoying too. Oh, and the name is stupid. But really, that’s it.
The fans in San Diego are pretty laid-back and docile. They usually greet you with a chirp or two if you are in your Dodger shirt (as I usually am) but calm down and are pretty nice to chat with. They won’t be able to tell you how many outs there are, but know when something is up whenever the scoreboard tells them to chant “Beat L.A.”
If you ever have a break from the Zoo or Comic Con, Petco Park is a very nice baseball stadium in a very nice city. It is definitely worth the time for a baseball fan or someone looking for a relaxing afternoon/evening to check out.
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