Official (And Last) Road Trip Stop #23: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington, TX

9/26/2009
Rays 3 @ Rangers 15

When history looks back on the legacy of President George W. Bush, it'll probably focus on things like September 11, the War in Iraq, that whole almost-depression thing and the fact that he was the first non-english speaking man to be elected President. But what about the positives? Like....uh....well....oh, he did get the Ballpark in Arlington built. And its a pretty nice stadium. But you'll never hear about that from the damn liberal media, will you?

Actually, I'm kind of surprised you don't hear more about it in the damn liberal media, because Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is pretty much the whole reason that the man was able to become President. The details are outlined in this really interesting New York Times article, but the basic story is this: The young son of President George H.W. Bush invested roughly half of a million dollars to become a 1% owner of the Texas Rangers. A (somewhat surprisingly) shrewd businessman, he and the other owners were able to convince the taxpayers of Texas to pay $135 million to build a new stadium in Arlington. Because tax money for baseball is OK, but tax money for health care is bad. With the revenues generated by the new stadium and a halfway decent team, Mr. Bush became a multi-millionaire off of his investment, and was able to fund his successful campaign to become Governor of Texas, and later, the President of the United States of America. And I thought I was done writing political science papers.

It was built just after Camden Yards in Baltimore, and opened in 1995. It mimics a lot of Camden Yards, from the bricks, to the green seats, to the unnecessarily forced awkward field dimensions, but manages to maintain a distinctly Texas feel. You are reminded you are in Texas around every turn, from either the southwestern food, to the Texas flags and colors, to all the country songs on the PA that basically say "America is awesome, and you liberals and towelheads can get out if you don't like it."

Parking is plentiful, but kind of pricey. However, with Six Flags over Texas being right next door, I was able to use my Six Flags employee ID to park there for free and walk over to the ballpark. Thank you very much.

It is a massive structure, and is actually probably a bit too big for its market. From watching on TV, there always seems to be plenty of seats available, and sure enough, there were tonight too. This may also be because of the weather. It gets unbearably hot in Dallas in the Summer, but there is no roof or any real shade to protect from the heat. It was built just before retractable roofs became more affordable and practical, so it is kind of doomed to always be exposed to Texas heat. This negatively effects the product on the field as well, as the players get tired and worn out much easier in Texas' dog days.

Gee, a stadium built with the sole purpose of making its owners richer without much thought about how it may negatively effect a fan or player experience. This doesn't sound like a Bush project at all.

I really don't mean to bash on Bush, enough people do that already, and the stadium is actually really, really nice. It has very impressive architecture, and I like the distinctly Texas feel that it gives.

This was the last baseball stop on the Trip, and it was a nice one to end on. With Six Flags being next door, you can see the Texas Titan from the concourse of the upper deck. The Titan is almost an exact clone of Goliath back home, and every time I saw it, it served as kind of a looming reminder that it'll be back to reality in just a few days.

Official Road Trip Stop #22: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX

 9/25/2009

Reds 10 @ Astros 4

Houston, you've got a problem.

You call your team the Astros, yet the mascot is a rabbit in a conductor outfit. The franchise has for years been one of the leaders in technology and progressive thinking in the game, yet now plays in a stadium that focuses on evoking the past. I'm confused.

Don't get me wrong, Minute Maid Park is absolutely beautiful. It opened in 2000 to replace the "Eighth Wonder of the World," the Astrodome. In one of the most hilarious unfortunate naming rights blunders in history, the park opened as "Enron Field," and when the now infamous scandal was at its peak in 2002, the team was forced to scramble to find a new naming rights partner, and was able to come up with Houston-based Minute Maid.

It's easy to find in downtown Houston, and parking is pretty plentiful and cheap for a downtown park. I had planned to buy an upper deck seat for about $12 for the game, but wasn't aware that it was fireworks night, so the whole upper deck was sold out. I was forced to buy a seat for $40, which I wasn't happy about until I took my seat about 5 rows from Lance Berkman at first base and right behind the camera well. Great value for a $40 ticket.

The food is OK, but BIG. Of course, this is Texas, so there are a lot of southwestern specialties and tex-mex options. It isn't great food, and its a bit expensive, but you do get a lot for your money in the end.

Minute Maid Park probably has my favorite in-stadium promotion in the league. The foul poles have been christened the "Eat Mor Fowl" Poles, and if an Astros player hits one of them, everyone in the stadium gets a free Chick-Fil-A sandwich. Awesome.

But my one big problem with the place is that you would hardly know that a team named "The Astros" played here.

It was built on the site of the old Houston Union Station, and in fact, the team's offices and team store are located in the old Union Station building. As an homage to the site, a locomotive sits atop the wall in Left Field, and when an Astros player hits a home run, the train toots its horn and moves across the tracks. The mascot is also named "Junction Jack," and is indeed a rabbit in a conductor outfit. Which would all be fine and good, if the team were the Houston Engineers or Houston Conductors or Houston Locomotives, but they're the Houston Astros. Where's the goofy aliens? Futuristic technology? The nods to the amazingly rich history of the space industry in Houston?

The only thing futuristic about the stadium is the retractable roof. I suppose having a space shuttle launch every time an Astros player hit a home run would be a bit much, but even the uniforms and colors are described as being "meant to evoke images of old Texas and steam trains." I think that a few subtle nods to the Union Station site are cool, but its a bit overdone here. Like I said, the stadium is very nice, and you definitely know that you're in Texas, but none of it feels very "Astros-y."

I may be making a bigger deal about this than necessary, but it just feels weird to me. I actually like the train, and think the Union Station incorporation is really well done, but I think I would rather have the space motif than the southwestern train one.

There are a ton of stadiums out there that try so hard to evoke the past. It just would have been nice to see one, especially the one where the Astros play, to present a vision of the future. There's a reason that most modern stadiums don't feature a hill in center field anymore, but the people in Houston didn't seem to get that memo.

The Easiest Batting Practice Ball I've Ever Caught

Another cool thing about Nationals Park in Washington, DC, is the fact that the gates to the stadium open early. Like, REALLY early. They open 2 1/2 hours prior to game time to allow fans to watch both the home team and visiting team batting practice.

I got there at this time, after running out of things I wanted to see in DC and my tour of the Capitol building. (SO not worth it, you see the rotunda, and where the House of Representatives USED to be...if you want to see the Capitol, try to get in contact with the office of your Representative or Senator, and if you don't know who any of them are, stop reading this now and figure it out.) After getting a real workout, I simply entered and sat down in the Right-Center Field seats to catch a breath and rest my legs.

The Nationals were still in Batting Practice, and were working on fundamentals, as any 100-loss team should be. A bunch of players with names I didn't recognize were shagging fly balls and trying to judge hits off of a fungo bat.

There were a few kids trying to get balls in the left field stands, but I was the only person in the right field stands at the time. I normally don't try for balls in BP. I've caught 3 before, but the odds are usually stacked against me and the effort of fighting off a bunch of 11 year olds or ego-maniacal 20-somethings just isn't worth it.

One young player caught a fly ball and looked up in to the right field stands, looking to flip his prize to ANYBODY. Since I was the only one there, he simply said "Hey! Wanna ball?" I must have had a pretty solid look of disbelief as I hadn't even asked, but simply said "Sure!" and made a pretty nice bare-handed catch. (If I say so myself).

I had to look up the name "Maxwell" in the free Nationals program, and the player turned out to be Justin Maxwell, a prospect in the Nationals system who was called up when the rosters expanded on September 1. He seems like he has promise, and is still up and coming, and I'll certainly be paying attention to his career from now on.

It's always a really cool thing to catch a ball, either in BP or a foul ball for those of us lucky enough (I'm not), and its especially cool when a player on the field acknowledges you in the stands. After this, and spending time with the Twins, my perception as a fan is changed, because I know now that players really do care about the fans, and know that we're there, and work really hard to try and keep us entertained. If they don't sign your autograph or flip you a ball, it's not because they're jerks (well, some of them are) but because they're focusing on trying to play well in the game and make you happy that way. You are not entitled to an autograph or a ball, but you are entitled to good baseball.

Official Road Trip Stop #21: Nationals Park, Washington, DC

9/22/2009
Dodgers 14 @ Expos Nationals 2

After a few weeks of driving, and having to sit through some truly awful match-ups, I finally caught up with my Dodgers in Washington, DC at Nationals Park.

Nationals Park opened just last year, and has already had its share of moments. It opened with President George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch, followed by a walk-off home run from Ryan Zimmerman in the opening game. And just a few weeks later, the Pope celebrated mass at the stadium.

It's located about a mile and a half south of the Capitol building, and the Green Line on the Washington Metro lets you off steps from the park. The Nationals strongly encourage public transit, as the parking situation around the stadium wasn't very well thought out during construction.

The place is sparkling and ultra-modern. No boring bricks or green seats here. Its a fresh design, and offers views of the Capitol building in a few upper deck sections. There are some nice touches of the area, too, like in left field where they have a row of cherry trees planted. The building tries to celebrate both the Nationals, and the history of baseball in the Nation's capital.

The Nationals have one of my favorite goups of mascots in the Racing Presidents. It's a shameless direct rip-off of the Sausage Race in Milwaukee, but it has to be my second favorite. Four people dressed in costumes that are caricatures of the presidents on Mount Rushmore race from Center Field to First Base in the 4th inning. It's entertaining, and the fans seem to love it. Also, as a running gag, "Teddy" Roosevelt never wins, and is usually comically foiled as he seeks his first win. I'm not sure off the top of my head if this is a political reference or anything, but its a funny new touch to an old idea.

The stadium really is beautiful, and a really cool place to watch a game. The place could use a better team though. The Nationals are, of course, the relocated Montreal Expos, and came to Washington in 2005 with a new owner, a new stadium, and new hope. It hasn't quite worked out so far, as the Nationals are currently the worst team in Major League Baseball, or, according to manager Jim Riggleman, "not the worst team, just the team with the worst record." Either way, its bad. The Dodgers handled the Nationals easily tonight, with a 7 run inning and a 6 run inning to win 14-2.

The Nationals actually have a somewhat decent offensive line-up, but the team has almost no pitching, and the defense is pretty abysmal. A lot of the fans (and there are a few, surprisingly passionate Nats fans) are excited about the arrival of Stephen Strasburg next year, but its a lot to ask of a 21 year old to single handily save a franchise.

Nationals Park is a beautiful stadium in a cool city, with a team that may or may not have some hope in the not too distant future. The next time you're in town to protest taxes in front of the White House (even though the President ultimately has no say in tax policy) be sure to set aside a few hours and enjoy a game here.

You can see all my pictures of Nationals Park and Washington, DC here.

Off Day in DC

So I had a free day while waiting for my Dodgers to show up in Washington, DC tomorrow night, so I spent it soaking in the sights of our nation's capital.

I started at the National Air & Space Museum and worked my way across the Mall to the Natural History Museum and Museum of American History. It's all great, great stuff and it's a great way to spend an afternoon in Washington, by walking through the museums of the Smithsonian Institution.

The good people at the Smithsonian may need to check their facts, though. As we learned in Kentucky, there is no such thing as evolution. And Dinosaurs and humans lived together. And all of Earth's geological features were formed by the great flood. These two groups may want to get together for a meeting or something, because they both present two COMPLETELY different answers to the reasons behind life on Earth.

The Natural History Museum also features an exhibit on mammals, which is kind of like walking through a weird taxidermy zoo. There is a bison in the exhibit, and really, it isn't quite as cool as being about 20 feet away from an actual, live bison in Yellowstone. But to each his own.

I was bummed to see that the exhibit featuring Archie Bunker's chair and Fonzie's jacket was under renovation at the American History Museum. Two really, very important artifacts in American life.

The Air and Space museum is the best, and features a lot of cool models and simulators. I'm not a very big aviation or space stuff, but they are fields that I have at least a passing interest in, and it is very cool to see the artifacts from the Space Age, when America actually had the will to do something challenging and cool.

There is a television that continuously replays Kennedy's speech in which he declares that the US would put a man on the Moon by the end of the 1960's. It's a stirring, chilling speech, in that there is so much confidence and will to do something. Not necessarily because it was what was right or a smart thing to do, but because it was a challenge. It made me think that we need more challenges in today's American life. More "why not?" instead of "why?" There are always a million reasons to not do something, and we may be passing up great opportunities for greatness in favor of ease.

After enjoying the museums, I walked down the Mall and saw the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the White House. This again was all stuff I had seen in the 8th grade (except the World War II Memorial), but it was nice to see again through a more adult and educated lens.

After all of that, I met my old friend Christina at the White House and we walked all the way back to 6th Street and Maryland to my car and chatted and caught up on life. Always nice to see and chat with old friends, especially in a cool place like Washington, DC.

All in all, a very nice, relaxing, and rewarding day in the District. My Dodgers come to town tomorrow, and I also have a tour of the Capitol Building scheduled, so it should be a fun first day of Fall!

Official Road Trip Stop #20: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

9/20/2009
Padres 4 @ Pirates 0

Ahoy Mateys! Climb aboard and I'll spin you a yarn about the terrors of the deep, way down below in the depths of last place in the National League Central. And be warned - dead baseball franchises tell no tales!

The Pirates have been black spotted ever since Barry Bonds left town after the 1992 season for San Francisco. Since hilariously losing to Sid Bream and the Braves in Game 7 of the NLCS that year, the Pirates have failed to have a winning season. At all. Not one. They are truly, a historically bad franchise.

There isn't even any hope at the moment, either. The Pirates have been plundered (I'm on a freaking roll) of almost all of their talent, and are, yet again, rebuilding. It is so bad, that at this afternoon's game, when a 9 year old was asked on the Pirate Vision who his favorite Pirate was, he didn't know, because anybody worth mentioning has been traded away. I honestly feel bad for kids who are forced to root for a team that features Lastings Milledge as the #3 hitter in the line-up.

The Pirates may be the best case for a booty salary cap in baseball that there is. They are marooned in the small market of Pittsburgh, but just this year, the Steelers of the NFL and the Penguins of the NHL managed to win their respective championships in sports that have a salary cap in that same market.

What makes the Pirates toiling in Davey Jones' Locker so much more depressing is the fact that they do have such a great history and tradition, with names like Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell, and the fact that they play in such a beautiful, beautiful stadium in PNC Park.

PNC Park opened in 2001 and quickly became the favorite stadium of many, many people. I really looked forward to this one as I had heard absolutely nothing but good things. The stadium is situated right on the North Shore of the Alleghany River, with a magnificent view of (surprisingly) beautiful downtown Pittsburgh. Two things that I'm a sucker for.

The stadium is beautiful, and may be the sole reason that more Pirates fans haven't yet walked the plank. There was a surprisingly decent crowd this afternoon on a "Family Sunday" to see the Pirates and Padres, two teams that have been eliminated from contention since sometime in May. However, with the Steelers game starting at 4, it felt more like a giant Steeler tailgate party than it did a Pirate game.

Like Camden Yards, PNC Park is very simplistic, and resists throwing in too many gimmicks. The view and the ballgame are enough for the fans here, and its great. Its another place where you know that "the Pirates play here." There are a lot of Pirate references and puns, which is harmlessly fun. When the Pirates do manage to win, they have a Jolly Roger flag that they will actually raise, which is a pretty cool touch, but it may look like its actually from the 1700's with all of the moths that are currently attacking it.

PNC Park is absolutely beautiful, and Pittsburgh actually seems like a pretty cool city. There just has to be some way to make the Pirates a relevant franchise again to make seeing games at PNC Park truly worth it. And I think I'm out of Pirate words, so this is the end.

You can see the treasure chest of PNC Park photos (HA! I'm good!) here.

Official Road Trip Stop #19: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

9/19/2009
Red Sox 11 @ Orioles 5

It seems like a good 75% of the stadiums that I have visited try to, at least in some way, capture a part of Camden Yards. Camden Yards is the original "new-retro" stadium, and opened in 1993. The park helped to revitalize the franchise and the surrounding neighborhood in Baltimore. Other teams and cities have taken notes on the benefits of building a new stadium, and by 2012, more than 20 teams will have built a new stadium since Camden Yards was built.

Many of these stadiums try to capture a part of it, and some of them do a pretty nice job, but I can now tell you that the original is the best.

The thing that I like most about Camden Yards is that it remains understated and simple. It has a lot of really neat features about it, like the B&O Warehouse hovering above right field, and the view of Downtown Baltimore's skyline, but the baseball game remains the sole focus and attraction, unlike several places that I have seen.

The Orioles are a pretty sad-sack franchise these days, but they do have great tradition, and several great players have worn the orange and black. There is some pretty good talent emerging from the Orioles' minor league system, but when you're in a division with the Yankees and Red Sox, its kind of hard to compete. This was greatly emphasized by the amount of Red Sox fans that made the trek to Baltimore for this game. The stadium had to be 75% full of Sox fans, to the point where the Orioles merchandise stands were actually selling Red Sox caps and t-shirts. Talk about low.

The food at Camden Yards is fantastic. There are a ton of great grilled options on the Eutaw Street concourse in front of the warehouse. This is where most of the fans enter the park, and the great smells from here waft throughout the stadium during the game.

There is a simple scoreboard with an modest HD screen. It mostly provides stats and scores, and not much else. And really, who needs more?

What sets Camden Yards apart is the simplicity. It uses its elements well, and doesn't try to do too much or try to be something that it isn't. There are a lot of places that simply try too hard and almost lose focus on the fact that you paid $20 to see a baseball game.

You can see all the Camden Yards photos here, and a special thanks to TJ, who was kind enough to let me tag along with free tickets that he was able to get from work!

It's up to you...

I love New York City. I feel very comfortable there, and feel like I can fit in very well, and figure out my way around after just two visits.

I took the train from New Haven, CT for the Mets game, and walked from Grand Central Station to Times Square to catch the 7 train before the game. I had been through Times Square before, but it is still a pretty cool place to see.

There’s a really cool feeling when you walk off a train and into the lobby at Grand Central. You feel like you’ve made it, and that you’re a part of New York.

I can’t recommend that everyone take a trip like I’m doing. That requires borderline insanity. But what I do recommend for everyone, is to spend any amount of time in New York City that you possibly can. Even if just for a 10 minute walk from Grand Central Station to Times Square.

There are just so many things going on, and so many people living lives, and people and food and experiences from all over the World converging here. It’s the unofficial center of the Universe, and walking through it can put a lot of things into perspective. How significant are your problems to the billions of other problems that are within the city limits?

It’s the same feeling I get when I sit near a window on an airplane. Your eyes are opened to how many people there actually are in the World, and to realize that so many of them are so much more unfortunate than you are really helps to put things in proper perspective and put a new degree of thankfulness in your life.

Official Road Trip Stop #18: Citi Field, Queens, NY

9/18/2009

Nationals 6 @ Mets 5

 Citi Field in Queens is the brand new home of the New York Mets. Like Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, it opened this year and is beautiful. It replaced the aging Shea Stadium to much fanfare, though by most accounts, anything would have been better than continuing to watch games at Shea.

I got there by taking the 7 train from Times Square – a true New York experience. This is probably the best way to get there, as New York drivers are quite aggressive and parking is expensive. All of the maps on the Subway still refer to the stop as “Shea Stadium” and the station itself is now called “Mets Baseball,” as the City decided against the expense of re-doing all of the signage.

As soon as you get off the train, you are greeted with the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, which is the signature element of the stadium. Inside, there are pictures and quotes of the American hero, as he broke the color barrier in nearby Brooklyn. This area of the stadium tries to pay homage to Ebbets Field and the Brooklyn Dodgers, and does a nice job acknowledging New York’s baseball past. This would all be awesome if the Dodgers played at Citi Field, but they don’t. The Mets do, and it isn’t their history, it’s the history of a team that plays 3000 miles away.

The Mets history is adequately represented, but not as prominently as the Brooklyn Dodger history in the rotunda. The markers of Shea Stadium are in the parking lot, so you can stand where home plate and the pitching rubber was. The old home run apple from Shea Stadium is on display in a concourse, and the skyline from the old scoreboard hangs above a concession stand in Center Field.

However, nothing about the stadium really screams “the Mets play here.” What I absolutely loved about the new parks in Detroit and the Bronx, was that there was absolutely no doubt that you were about to see a Tiger or Yankee game. Here, you’re not quite sure if you’re going to see the 2009 Mets or the 1947 Dodgers. Which might actually be a good thing because the 2009 Mets, well, suck. The only real thing that you can point to is the giant home run apple in center field that rises whenever a Mets player hits a home run, but it seems that’s happening only about once every two weeks these days.

Citi Field DOES have all the great amenities of modern stadiums. There is about as big a selection of food as there is at Yankee Stadium, and a Shake Shack in Center Field. I had a Shake Shack burger, because they are all the rage. Usually there are lines that last innings to get one, but since the Mets are now mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, there were minimal lines. The Shake Shack is sort of becoming New York’s answer to In n Out Burger. It’s an OK burger, but I wouldn’t wait the hour in line for it like some people have reported. I prefer the Double Double.

The field of play at Citi Field is massive, and the Mets offense has paid the price this year, hitting noticeably fewer home runs. Tonight, David Wright tattooed a ball to left-center field, but because the distance out there was 384 feet, it fell just short of the wall for an out. It would have been a home run in any other ballpark.

Citi Field is a beautiful, beautiful new ballpark, but kind of lacks a soul at the moment. Something about the place just didn’t feel very comfortable to me, maybe because of the fact that the naming rights for the place is being funded by the American taxpayer. It may just need time, and a few good Mets teams (that might take a while), but it just doesn’t feel like the “Home of the Mets” to me. I liked it, but it could use a few tweaks.

All my photos from Citi Field are here, but please forgive the quality. The battery on my camera died, and I was forced to use the iPhone for pictures.

The Turning Point

So I disappointed myself a bit the other day.

On the way to Boston, I had intended to take a circuitous route that would allow me to set foot in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before seeing the game at Fenway Park.

However, the fatigue of all of my driving finally set in, and I decided that it would be better to catch up on sleep instead of picking up a total of 11 electoral votes. So that’s 3 states that I will be missing from my record.

Fenway Park then turned out to be the turning point. It ends up being the furthest East that I will be going, so really now everything is just part of the long journey home. A major milestone indeed.

Official Road Trip Stop #17: Fenway Park, Boston, MA

9/17/2009
Angels 4 @ Red Sox 3

Like Wrigley Field in Chicago, there really isn't much that can be said about Fenway Park that hasn't been said already. It's just about time for Fall here in Boston, and tonight offered an almost definite Division Series preview between the Angels and Red Sox. This is the third time seeing the Angels for me on the trip, and coincidentally, the third time seeing Ervin Santana pitch. It was their first win for me, though, so my curse on them must be broken. Anyway, I'm taking the easy route with this one with a photo post. Enjoy!

 

You can see all the photos of Fenway Park here.

Official Road Trip Stop #16: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

9/16/2009
Blue Jays 4 @ Yankees 5 (10 innings)

So this is what one and a half billion dollars looks like.

The "House that Jeter built" (well, and George Steinbrenner and a few pissed off New York taxpayers) replaced the "House that Ruth built" this year, and it is, in a word, amazing.

I was fortunate enough to visit the original Yankee Stadium last year before it closed. It was special, historic, the cathedral. It was also kind of a dump. There is a lot to be said for history and charm, but sometimes you just need a fresh start, and the Yankees pulled theirs off very, very well.

Like in Detroit, there were very high expectations in replacing such a historic and beloved ballpark, and the Yankees were certainly able to meet those expectations. It is beautiful and squeaky clean, with homages everywhere to the deep, deep Yankee history and tradition. I dubbed it "Yankeeland," because that's almost exactly what it is.

The most amazing thing about new Yankee Stadium is that it feels so much like the old one. I struck up a conversation with a man next to me and he told me about how he was at Game 6 of the '77 World Series in which Reggie Jackson hit 3 home runs against the Dodgers. He kept having to correct himself when he would say "I saw it here, err, I mean, across the street." It picks up where the original left off, and doesn't skip a beat.

Unlike most new places, there isn't much to do in the Stadium but watch the game, which is a very, very nice change of pace. There is the Great Hall and the Yankee museum and Monument Park, all showcasing the rich history of the Yankees, and that's about it. I arrived too late to avoid any lines to see Monument Park or the Museum, but I am told they are great. Plus I saw Monument Park in the old stadium and was told not much has changed.

Like the city it represents, Yankee Stadium has the widest variety of food options that I've seen. Everything from Johnny Rocket's to Sushi to the Hard Rock Cafe that's in the right field corner. And there are pretzels the size of your head. It's all pretty expensive, but all looked pretty damn good for ballpark food.

The field dimensions are all the same as old Yankee Stadium, and the signature Yankee frieze rings the roof of the stadium. There is also a gorgeous massive HD video screen in Center Field.

For 1.5 Billion Dollars, the place had to be pretty amazing, and it is. It is definitely worth a trip to New York to see this new cathedral. It's not the original, but eventually, it too will have its memories and players, like Derek Jeter and his passing of Lou Gehrig as the all-time Yankee leader for hits. It's a great experience and great place to host the next generation of the Yankees.

Official Road Trip Stop #15: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, OH

9/15/2009
Astros 4 @ Reds 5

Well, this one went to the dogs. Literally.

In one of the oddest promotions that I have seen so far, the Cincinnati Reds hosted "Bark at the Park," in which about 500 special "dog tickets" were sold in two sections down the right field line. The only problem for the Reds is that there were almost as many dogs in the stadium as people. And people are important because, well, they spend money.

Nonetheless, the promotion was a lot of fun, and I got a free Reds dog dish for the pooches that I miss back home. There were special dog treats, photo opportunities, and a lookalike contest that made me think I should get my Minnie a little Dodger jersey and enter her as "Minnie Ramirez." Come on now, that's pretty damn clever.

The ballpark itself is really nice, and opened in 2003. I'm a sucker for waterfront settings, and this one is just that, on the Ohio river with a view into the bluegrass of Kentucky. Very, very pretty from the upper deck on a warm late summer night. It is partially on the site of old Riverfront Stadium and located next door to the US Bank Arena, which was hosting a Metallica concert this night (more on that later) and down the street from Paul Brown Stadium where the Bengals occasionally play football when they aren't beating their wives, burglarizing, or driving under the influence.

Cincinnati oozes with baseball history, as the Reds were the first professional baseball team. The Reds always play their season opener at home, as is tradition, and opening day is usually seen as an unofficial holiday in Cincinnati. The Reds, despite being owned by Marge Schott for a time, have always been seen as one of the sports' classiest and well-respected franchises. This is all showcased very, very well in the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum located just outside the ballpark. Outside of the museum is a rose garden marking, appropriately enough, where Pete Rose's 4192nd hit landed in Riverfront Stadium, breaking Ty Cobb's all-time hits mark. Rose may never get into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame, but he is beloved and celebrated here at the Reds Hall of Fame in Cincinnati, and it is well deserved.

Parking is kind of hard to find close to the park, but there are several garages and lots in downtown Cincinnati for a reasonable price, as long as you're willing to walk a bit.


Chili is the specialty in Cincinnati, and they'll put it on just about anything. The food at Great American was OK, but nothing special, and reasonably priced.
The stadium design itself is unique and modern. Its a nice change of pace from the brick and steel that is so common these days. There is a beautiful HD Screen on the scoreboard towering above left field, and a party deck shaped like a Riverboat in center field. There are also a pair of smokestacks that shoot fireworks when the Reds hit a home run or win. In the grandstand, there is a gap between third base and home, allowing fans in the outfield to see some of the downtown Cincinnati skyline. The park celebrates both Reds' baseball and the city of Cincinnati itself, which is a really cool combination to see.

However, it is just too bad that nobody was there to see it. The announced attendance for this game was just over 11, 000, but it was one of those nights when they were very obviously announcing the PAID attendance. The Reds used to be a perennial powerhouse, and in a city that loves Reds baseball as much as Cincinnati does, it is a shame to see such a classy franchise struggle to draw fans. I'm not sure if the problem is economic in Cincinnati, or if fans are just fed up with seeing a mediocre product on the field, but the Reds and their fans deserve better, especially after being accustomed to such great teams as The Big Red Machine and the Nasty Boys. You know that there's a problem when the dogs make more noise than the fans, and when you can CLEARLY HEAR THE METALLICA CONCERT IN THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR. Yes it is late September and the towel is just about thrown in, but it was a gorgeous night on the Ohio River, and baseball was being played. It's a beautiful stadium, but probably isn't worth a return visit until the team gets better and more people start showing up.

Quick Update

I'm sort of crunched for time lately, so I'll have reviews for Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Yankee Stadium in New York, and Fenway Park in Boston up either late tonight or tomorrow.

Thank you all for reading and for your comments and support through either here or Facebook! It really does mean a lot to me that people are keeping up with me!

Thanks!
- Andrew

A Glitch in the Matrix

I made a sort of unusual stop outside of Cincinnati today, at the Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky.

The Creation Museum is a Museum that seeks to promote "God's Word" and scientifically prove that the events of the Bible are actual, hard fact and all actually happened. Which is kind of hard to do when they...well, didn't.

Now, I have to walk a very fine line in writing this. I really hope not to offend anyone, but with the opinions that I'm about to spew, that probably isn't a likely outcome. I totally and completely respect everyone's right to believe what they do, and there is nothing in this that I can say that will convince someone of such strong faith otherwise. All I ask is that I am allowed my right to disagree and point out why I disagree.

Now that that's out of the way, the Creation Museum is fucking nuts. The museum is born out of a belief in Young Earth Creationism and a group called "Answers in Genesis," which tries to scientifically prove that the Bible is fact. The museum's goal is  to "exalt Jesus Christ as Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer," to "equip Christians to better evangelize the lost," and to "challenge visitors to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord." I had heard about this place in the evil secular media, and simply had to see it for myself. There are millions of Americans who actually believe in this stuff, and the really, really scary thing is that they vote. There simply had to be a convincing and reasonable argument here for so many people to believe in it, and I was determined to find it.

It costs $23 for admission to the Museum. Because God loves you, but he needs money. He always needs money. There's also a planetarium for an additional fee, but I didn't bother. It's probably just a ceiling painted with white clouds.

You first enter into an exhibit that explains how the mainstream scientific community has it so wrong. Their assumptions don't take into account God's word. It actively endorses the rejection of what is taught in science classrooms, because public schools are secular, and Christians are so persecuted that there is no room for the Bible in schools. Everything you are taught in geology, biology, chemistry,  astronomy, all of it is wrong because it doesn't start from the Bible. Hey, California State University, I want my tuition back!

You are then introduced to life-size figures of Moses, Jesus, and other figures that I don't know because I never cared. One woman could not believe "how different Moses looked than what I imagined," as if the wax figure of Moses at the Creation Museum were the definitive interpretation of how Moses looked. I began to see how so many people believe this stuff.

You then travel back in time, to 6000 years ago, and see the story of Genesis unfold before your very eyes. You are introduced to Adam, and watch as he names all of the animals. ALL of the animals. With names like "anteater," and "bee," you could tell that there were good days and bad days with this job. Oh, and there were Stegosauruses in the Garden of Eden. Fact. It is explained how the World was perfect. No poisons, weeds, or thorns. Thorns are a key part of the evidence of the Young Earth Movement. Mainstream science has claimed to find fossils of plants with thorns from millions of years ago, but that's impossible because the Bible clearly states that there were no thorns before 6,000 years ago. Shot down, science.

We then see as Eve is introduced and things get awkwardly sexual for a place so hell-bent on promoting family values. There's the next scene, where of course the serpent tempts Eve, and she and Adam eat the forbidden fruit. The room suddenly goes dark and flashes of lightning appear as "the world's not safe anymore." We see images of pregnant teenagers, wolves eating their prey, and black children. It's like that scene in Snow White's Scary Adventures at Disneyland after she eats the apple, except with Bristol Palin instead of the witch.

It made me wonder why, after he created such a "good" and "perfect" world, God didn't invest anything into maintenance and oversight, and left an obviously incompetent Adam in charge. It's like if Six Flags built Earth.

After sin, all of the world's problems are presented, including weeds. Fucking Adam. We see as Adam and Eve raise children in a World not as great as Eden. Brothers and sisters are forced to reproduce together for the sake of the population, but the museum explains that it was OK because those were the times. We're all related, you see, and all are decsendant from Adam, so even today we're all kind of incestual. But don't have sex with your cousin today, that's wrong. Thanks for the clear message, church.

After God gets fed up with the World after Adam, he says "fuck it" and starts over by wiping out his "perfect" creation with a flood. Luckily he warned Noah, who built the Ark and saved two of every animal, including dinosaurs. We get to see a replica room on the Ark, and it was big. After the flood, dinosaurs somehow became extinct while everything else lived on (this isn't explained very well). The flood is also responsible for all of the geographic features on Earth, because all the water made the ground so soft that things like the Grand Canyon were able to form.

It is explained that most dinosaur fossils are the unlucky ones who didn't get a ride on the ark, and the flood buried them in the sedimentary rock. It is explained that the Bible does not mention dinosaurs because the word was not invented until 1841."Behemoths" are mentioned in the Bible, so this must be what dinosaurs were called by God's word. Simple divine misunderstanding. Also, there is evidence of dinosaurs existing after the flood, because of all of the stories about dragons from medieval times. This means that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is real too, because nobody would just make up stories for entertainment value.

There is so much more to go after, but my head is starting to hurt. The museum simply mocks itself with shoddy logic and kind of lame exhibits, and it really isn't even that much fun of a place to be. It is very obviously trying to appeal to kids to influence their mind before evil secularists do, but I can't see kids having very much fun here. You have more fun and probably learn more scientific fact by riding the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios.

I really, really wish I were making most of this up for hyperbolic or comedic value, but 90% of it is absolutely true, and their actual argument. (I threw in the Rudolph thing. Oh, and God probably didn't actually say "fuck it.")

I once heard a "conservative christian" comedian on XM (can't remember his name, because he wasn't very funny) who argued that there are two groups of people that can be unfairly mocked in this country and nobody cares: Christians and Southerners. While I agree to some extent that there is sometimes some unfair targeting of these groups, I argue that it is fair to make fun of these people, because they choose to believe in fairy tales and attend NASCAR races. You can't make fun of a person with down syndrome, because that person never chose to have down syndrome. These people, however, have made a conscious decision to believe in the Bible and to try and convince me and the rest of the World that everything that I have been taught and believe is wrong. Fair game.

I chose to attend the Creation Museum and to hear the argument against my beliefs. I tried to be fair, and I was very respectful of the Museum while I was there, even though I had the incredible urge to ask the woman in the bookstore if they sold any non-fiction. The argument did not sway me.

The thing that upset me the most was the exhibit that explains "you are the way you are because it is God's will." What a depressing way to view life, being told that you can not be any better than you are because of God.

Again, If you honestly, truly believe in this stuff, then there is nothing that I can do to change your world view. I respect that, but am very concerned about the majority of this country's population that actually believes this.

I consider myself an agnostic, leaning atheist. I don't have the answers, and don't believe that anyone can ever be too sure of any answer. It is simply so narrow-minded to believe that any one answer is truth. What concerns me about a place such as this, is that it is so certain of itself, and doesn't acknowledge any other possible reasoning behind life.

Official Road Trip Stop #14: Comerica Park Detroit, MI

9/14/2009

Blue Jays 5 @ Tigers 6 (10 Innings)

Comerica Park in Detroit was another very, very pleasant surprise. I again didn't have much expectations for this park, and was delighted to find a very under-rated jewel in the Motor City.

Before I arrived at Comerica Park, I went to see the site of the old Tiger Stadium, the long time former home of the Detroit Tigers. It was a rich and historic ballpark at the corner of Michigan Ave. and Trumbull Blvd. Tiger Stadium was beloved in Detroit, but its time had come, and in 2000, the Tigers moved into Comerica Park. A very, very small portion of Tiger Stadium was still standing today, but will be gone soon. There were efforts to save the structure of the Stadium as an historic site, but the efforts have finally failed, and it will soon be completely gone, so I felt very fortunate that I was able to see such a place, even if just a sliver of it, before it was too late.

After checking out Tiger Stadium, I experienced the Canada debacle, and by the time I arrived at Comerica Park I was just happy that I was finally allowed back on American soil. (Which is really a feeling no American citizen should ever have, but I digress.)

Comerica Park is a park that was burdened with huge expectations, as it was replacing such a beloved place, and I believe that the Tigers managed to meet and exceed those expectations. Comerica beautifully manages to pull off the perfect balance between "old time feel" and modern amenities. It probably doesn't have the charm or history that Tiger Stadium had, but I'm told it smells much better.

I have two favorite things about Comerica Park. The first is the open view of the Downtown Detroit skyline, something that is becoming standard for downtown stadiums. I also absolutely love all of the giant tiger statues that are all over the park. Everywhere you look, you are reminded that you are in the home of a team called the Tigers, which is really cool. In fact, the tiger statues that are on top of the scoreboard roar and have eyes that light up whenever the Tigers score a run. A very, very cool touch.

Center field has a Bellagio-esque fountain that dances and shoots off whenever the Tigers do something good, and there is a baseball themed ferris wheel and carousel that features all tigers. Again, normally these kind of things annoy me at a baseball stadium, but it works here. The ferris wheel and carousel are hidden from game view, so they aren't that much of a distraction, and look kind of fun to do before a game.

Comerica Park also has great food options, including a stand that sells Big Boy burgers. As in, Bob's Big Boy burgers. They even have a big boy statue! There's also standard ballpark fare, but the food court surrounding the carousel has chinese food, greek food, italian food, just about every ethnicity in Detroit is covered, basically. Oh, and they have stands named things like "Gameday Grrrrill" and "Tigers ReTAIL." Too. F'ing. Cute.

The Tigers are even playing good baseball, and are currently holding off the Twins for first place in the Central Division. Consequently, the atmosphere and fans around the park are great, even though most of the fans seem to realize that they're in for a date with the Yankees, and that it most likely will not end well for Detroit. No matter, as Red Wings season is about to start. This is Hockeytown, USA after all.

Being downtown, there are plenty of things to do before and after the game. There is the Hockeytown bar and restaurant and Chris Chelios' Bar across the street. Ford Field also looms over the left field corner, which is where the Lions play football. Or try to, anyway. Comerica Park is also right across the street from the historic FOX Theater and the Fillmore, which was hosting a Snow Patrol concert this night. This led to an interesting dynamic of drunk overage male Tiger fans hitting on giddy underage emo-girl Snow Patrol fans in the streets after the game. Fun to watch.

Comerica Park is an excellent, excellent ballpark and I highly recommend a trip to see the Tigers play if you ever happen to be in the area. Great ballpark, great atmosphere, and great prices too! In a city that's hurting, its a great way to forget about the problems.

The Great White South

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

- Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution

So with a few hours to spare before the Tigers game tonight in Detroit, I decided to take this thing international and take the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel into Canada. This is actually a pretty cool way to enter Canada, as it is the only place in the non-Palin United States (I believe) where you actually have to drive SOUTH in order to get INTO Canada.

At the Canadian border checkpoint, the Mountie examined my passport and asked what I was doing all the way from California. I explained about my trip, admonished him for not being properly dressed in the red suit and hat, and was let into Canada. Free healthcare and all.

Just across the street from the border checkpoint was a Tim Horton's, where I planted the road trip's flag. After stimulating Canada's economy with the purchase of a donut and a Pepsi, I immediately turned around and headed back for the amber waves of grain and purple mountains majesty.
However, on the other side of the Detroit river, the story about my road trip was not good enough for the United States Department of State.

I was "randomly selected" (HA!) for further screening. I respectfully asked if there was a problem and if I was suspected of a crime, something that EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN HAS THE GUARANTEED RIGHT TO ASK WHEN BEING SEARCHED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

I was given a standard reply of "every person entering the United States is subjected to a search." Which isn't good enough. At least, it shouldn't be.

However, being the son of a law officer, and understanding that this is a post-9/11 world (so f'ing tired of that phrase, by the way) I knew that challenging simply wouldn't help anything.

I had absolutely nothing to hide, and figured that it would take 10 minutes, tops, to search my car. I mean, these guys should have pretty standard places to look for drugs and bombs by now, right?
I handed over the keys to my car and surrendered all electronics, as asked. Good thing I never installed that "car bomb detonator" app to my iPhone.

Inside, I was again interrogated about my trip. I was forced to explain how I could afford such a trip, and my work situation. The customs agent looked flabbergasted that I could get so much time off from work at the "height of the theme park season," and challenged my assertion that I was at Wrigley Field yesterday, because they "tore that place down." I really, really hope he was testing me, because it was becoming painfully obvious that the people in charge of allowing tourists into our country's economy don't know a fucking thing about tourism.

I was then asked to wait, and watched through the window as agents scoured my car, undoubtedly looking for weed. Now, I have never, ever touched (or even really seen) the stuff. But, to their credit, my appearance, and car's appearance, and the fact that I was in Canada for less than 20 minutes probably didn't look too good on my part. It just made me think though, about how far out of whack our societies' priorities are when we waste so many resources looking for weed.

After the agents were done, they brought out a dog, just to be absolutely sure that I wasn't planning to suicide bomb Detroit. I watched as the chocolate labrador jumped up and down and around and in and about the inside of my car, finding nothing. I remembered that there was some beef jerky on the front seat that I had been chewing on on the drive from Chicago. I couldn't help but think of how funny it would have been if he were to become distracted by the jerky.

After about 45 minutes of unwarranted search and seizure, I was finally told that I was "free to go" and was handed back my keys. I made sure that I had the keys in my hand before I let out "I just hope he didn't find the jerky," and left on my way to the Tiger game. The agent did not look pleased.

Again, I understand the reasoning behind such a search, and that it is for my protection, and that we can not be too careful in these times. But as a law-abiding United States citizen with absolutely nothing to hide, the whole process was incredibly frustrating, and I couldn't help but think that I was selected just because my situation was somewhat unusual, which is profiling. There are guarantees against this kind of stuff in our most basic and fundamental rights as outlined by the Bill of Rights. In exchange for security, we Americans have forfeited a pretty heavy chunk of our liberty, which is incredibly dangerous to our way of life. In fact, I really don't even mind being searched, but I would at least like a reason why. What probable cause did I present that made the United States feel like I was a threat? This I will never know, and that, my fellow Americans, is wrong.

Sorry for the libertarian rant, but this is my blog and I can do what I want. Now excuse me while I e-mail this post to Secretary of State Clinton's office.

Official Road Trip Stop #13: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

 9/13/2009
Reds 2 @ Cubs 5

We've completed "The Loop!"

There really isn't much to say about how a Summer afternoon at Wrigley Field is about as perfect as a baseball experience gets that hasn't already been said, so I'm going to take a break on this one and let this photopost do the talking.

 

 

This is the infamous "Bartman Seat" (I was in the same section today) and the poor guy's view...

 

 

You can see all of my Wrigley Field photos here.

Official Road Trip Stop #12: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO

 

Uh, whoops...

 

9/12/2009

Braves 7 @ Cardinals 6

That's better. My, how time flies. Yes, that first picture is a 12 year old Andrew, about to watch Mark McGwire hit 2 home runs in one game against the Chicago Cubs in old Busch Stadium in 1999. Oh, 12 year old Andrew. There is so much to warn you about. Including that 10 hour drive that you decided to attempt on 4 hours of sleep from Minneapolis to St. Louis. Dumbass.

The second picture is of road-weary 22 year old Andrew, who made it to St. Louis and new Busch Stadium in time for the 3 pm (thank you, FOX national telecast!) first pitch.

Yes, I was very, very tired taking in this game, and as a result didn't soak in much of new Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006 and hosted the All-Star Game just a couple of months ago. I did the standard walk around the main concourse, but wasn't particularly blown away or interested in any of the stuff down there. After seeing quite a few stadiums now, the new ones kind of tend to blend together. There's food, maybe a local specialty, a big team shop, maybe a rotunda behind home plate, and a place to look at the field and take pictures. Busch Stadium has all of the above, and really doesn't separate itself much from the other newer stadiums.

The exterior is brick, to evoke old time baseball (yawn), and the seats are all red, which kind of gives it the look of being full all the time when it really isn't. 

The food is nothing special. Standard ballpark food and Hardee's. I'm still too scared to try Hardee's. Yes, I'm aware that it is probably exactly the same as Carl's Jr., but something about the name "Hardee's" just seems wrong to me. I know, weird, right?

The most distinctive thing about Busch Stadium is the view of the St. Louis skyline and the Arch, which from my seat was pretty damn cool. The weird 3PM start time allowed for some cool twilight views of downtown as the sun went down late in the game.

A lot is said about the "Cardinal Experience." It is often said that St. Louis is the "best baseball city in America" and that St. Louis has the most knowledgeable and passionate fans. It might be due to the fatigue, but I call BS. I didn't see or hear anything that would lead me to call Cardinal fans any better than any other fans that I have seen through this trip. Yes, they are pretty good fans, and the atmosphere was pretty good (well, until Ryan Franklin blew the save), but the absolute best fans? That's debateable.

St. Louis is a baseball town, I will give them that. Then again, you kind of have to be when your other options are the Rams, the Blues, and Mizzou.

The Cardinals do have great tradition and have been the team of some of the games greatest players, including current incarnation, Albert Pujols. The history of the franchise is proudly displayed throughout the Stadium, including the statues outside of the left field gate of Stan "The Man" Musial, Ozzie Smith, and others.

Busch Stadium is a nice enough place, but didn't offer much to draw me back. There aren't any real bad things to say about it, but there aren't many things that really set it apart from the others, either. If I were to recommend a family trip to see the Cardinals in St. Louis, it would be to see Albert Pujols play, and not necessarily to see the stadium. 

You can see all of my Busch Stadium pictures here.

My Day in the Big Leagues

 9/11/2009
A's 12 @ Twins 5

I'm not going to review the Metrodome as I have been the other stadiums. It simply isn't worth it. The stadium is nothing special, it's a dome, rats and mice share space with Joe Mauer's bats, and it won't be hosting Twins baseball anymore after only 9 more home games. Oh, and there's a swastika in the roof. It's a unique baseball experience to be sure, but it is done as a baseball stadium, as the Twins get ready to move to beautiful (and I mean BEAUTIFUL) Target Field in 2010.

What I will do, however, is tell you all about my day in the Big Leagues.

Perry Castellano has been one of my dad's best friends for many, many years. He was the best man at his and my mom's wedding (not exactly a good luck charm on that one), and has known me since the day I was born. After injuries cut short his career as a firefighter, he followed a new path in life, becoming a 40 year old intern on the strength training staff of the Texas Rangers system. After bouncing around the minor leagues and switching organizations, Perry was eventually promoted to the position of Major League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Minnesota Twins. And he's loving every minute of it.

So when I wrote to him about my travels, he was more than thrilled to meet me in Minneapolis and get me a ticket to the game, and little did I know, much much more.

We "left for work," as he does most days, at about noon. We arrived at the Dome at about 12:45 and wandered through the bowels of the stadium until we reached the Twins clubhouse. This is domain that only a select few people ever see. Usually in order to enter a Major League Clubhouse, you either have to have had a .300 average in AAA or at least a media credential, but here I was, watching Perry say "how we doing today?" and joking with guys like All-Star catcher Joe Mauer and manager Ron Gardenhire.

Perry changed and then introduced me to the early birds that were there. Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, the coaches, and "Gardy" just to name a few. I tried to hide my awe as I made the rounds. I doubt it worked well.

Then I shadowed Perry as he went through his gameday rituals. I watched as Perry mixed a sports drink for the players, and then followed him as he set up the weight room for the afternoon work outs. Mind you, this was all starting at about 1:00 in the afternoon, for a game that would start at 7:00 that night.

As the strength and conditioning coordinator, Perry's main job function is to make sure that the players (who are, at the same time, million dollar investments) are ready to play every day. This is no small feat, when you consider the 6 month, 162 game schedule. As the season winds down into September, and the Twins continue to try and catch the Detroit Tigers for the Central Division crown, this job becomes that much more crucial.

This job carries a lot of pressure, and is under a large magnifying glass, but Perry doesn't appear fazed. He is very humble, and knows how much hard work (and luck) it has taken him to get to this point in life. And he realizes that tomorrow could bring three pulled hamstrings and that his job could be in jeopardy. So he soaks it all in, and loves every minute of it.

The job has its drawbacks, as he is away from his wife and kids for 6 months at a time. But he luckily has a very supportive wife and great kids, and just has to look at his name on a Major League locker every day to make it worth it.

As we waited for the players to get ready for the weight room and pitchers to get ready for their bullpen work, we went out and walked around the field of an empty Metrodome. It is always really neat to me to see a stadium when it is completely empty. I walked around, stood on the mound, felt the astroturf, kicked the dirt, and basically did everything a fan would do if they had access to an empty major league diamond.

Then we headed back under the stadium to the weight room/batting cage, where Perry helped the guys do strength and endurance drills, and I watched Joe Mauer try to perfect that beautiful, beautiful swing of his. I watched pitcher Kevin Slowey do a limited work out, due to his injured wrist. Kevin and I chatted, as he wanted to hear about stadiums he hasn't pitched in yet, and he told me how he wished he could do something like my trip. To hear a major league baseball player say he was jealous of me is something that validates this whole trip.

The weight room and cage is the only one in the Metrodome, so the visiting A's eventually came in to use it as well. I just stood and gawked like a little kid when I realized that I was in a room with Joe Mauer, Denard Span, Kurt Suzuki, and Rajai Davis.

We then went out to the bullpen to watch the starting pitchers do their between-start workouts. A starting pitcher pitches about once every 5 days, but doesn't just work once every 5 days. Every day those guys are working out, throwing in the pen, or doing something that looks equally excruciating to mere mortals. A lot of fans have BIG misconceptions about the life of a starting pitcher, and yes, there is sound reasoning behind keeping track of pitch counts. To borrow a phrase from that crappy MTV show, you think you know, but you have no idea.

We went back to the clubhouse as it got closer to time for batting practice. More and more players and media had shown up, and the relatively small Metrodome clubhouse felt pretty crowded pretty fast. So I headed to the dugout and watched batting practice and took pictures and enjoyed all the Dubble Bubble I could eat. As fans began to show up, they stood above the dugout looking for autographs. A couple of times, someone accidentally dropped a ball, or a card. When I would go to pick it up and hand it back to them, there was this look of severe disappointment in their face when I would emerge from the dugout and they realized I was nobody. Talk about humbling.

After taking his swings, Justin Morneau came and sat next to me on the bench. He too told me how cool my trip was, and was nice enough to take a picture with me. After batting practice was done, I went and took my seat behind home plate, and watched as the evolution from empty stadium to game time was complete.

I wasn't much of a good luck charm, as the Twins lost the game, and badly.

It was hard to watch them lose, especially after getting to know them throughout the day. After seeing the game through that lens, I had a whole new appreciation for the life of a Major League Baseball player. As a fan, it is sometimes hard to remember that they are just people, and employees in the business. Yes they play a game for a living, but they work pretty damn hard to be so good at that game. It is a pretty tough life and there is a ton of sacrifice involved for people who are not much older than I am. They put in 10 hour days, almost every day, for at least 6 months, and they wouldn't trade it for anything in the World. They hear your cheers, but they also hear your boos and taunts. They're people, and for the most part, really nice people.

So thank you, Perry, and to the Twins, for letting me spend a day in the Big Leagues. It's an experience that I will surely never forget, and I really, truly appreciate it.

You can see all my photos from the Metrodome here.