San Francisco Giants

If you build it, they will come. And so it seems at San Francisco’s AT&T Park. The night I attended was the four hundred and something consecutive sold out game.

My memories of baseball in Frisco (yes, I know residents of SF hate it when people say Frisco. I use it just to tick them off) were mainly of the cold. I last saw a Giants home game in old Candlestick Park. A vaunted venue known for making Mark Twain’s famous quote a reality. He said: “The coldest winter I ever spent was the summer I spent in San Francisco.” All I have to say is thank the gods for the heat island effect. The Giant’s new downtown ballpark was unusually warm on Monday night, and if that is an effect of global warming I am yanking my catalytic converter off my car tomorrow.

I was also super excited to finally see the ballpark so many fans rave about. And frankly, it is a sight to behold. A beautiful red brick affair that sits right on the bay, so close that home runs over the right field wall often land in the bay, as did two of them at my game. High angled decks ensure a good view for all fans and the wide concourses are easy to navigate. Getting there is a breeze with so many options, and the entire facility is extremely well designed. It is a hybrid of old-style ballpark with many angles in the outfield wall along with brick and iron construction. In reality, there are only two detractors from AT&T Park: price and distractions. I sold my Toyota and bought a Yugo for the rest of my trip so I could afford a general admission seat with the difference. I won’t have AC or reliable transportation for the rest of my trip, but hey, I got to see a Giants game.

The other negative consists of a huge disney-like playground for kids in the outfield that has a large coca-cola bottle and baseball mitt in it. It was only missing people in animal costumes. And there is a mini Fisherman’s Wharf in the same area that further detracts from the baseball vibe. The real Fisherman’s Wharf is walkable from the ballpark so why bother? I think this is a case of AT&T trying to be all things to all people. How about just trying to be a great baseball venue? It could be done.

That aside, I really liked the park. Clean, pretty good baseball feel, and great fans. Yeah, I know...Giants fans, but fans nonetheless.

Dog:

Bun-fresh, not steamed. Still soft.

Taste-Alpine meats make the frank and while not the best I have had it still ranks pretty high according to my taste buds.

Toppings-fabulous. I was asked if I wanted grilled onions and kraut before it was handed to me. Yes, please. Add PUMP BROWN MUSTARD and SF gets top score.

Price-Considering the ticket price I was amazed that the dog was affordable (for the size and toppings) at $5.25.

Portability-hard to keep all those grilled onions on the dog in a cardboard boat. A wrapper would be better.

It Factor-SF does have some specialty dogs available. The Super Dog and a few others. For being such a foodie town I expected more.

Ballpark:
Location-it doesn’t get any better than being downtown AND on the bay.

Access-walk, bike, BART, bus, cable car, taxi, unicycle….SF scores big.

GA Ticket-after being revived by the paramedics I forked over $23 for a GA ticket. And you ask why I sleep in my car?

Cleanliness-outstanding.

Fans-a sellout crowd that was really cheering on the team. Great fanbase in SF. Even if they are Giants fans.

Ambiance-AT&T would get top score if it were not for all the ancillary, amusement-style distractions.

Dog		Ballpark		Total Dog/Game
Bun	5	Location	5
Taste	5	Access	5
Toppings	5	Cleanliness	5
Price	5	Ambiance	4
Portability	3	GA Ticket Price	2
It Factor	4	Fans	5
	27		26	53

Unlike it’s ugly cousin across the bay in Oakland, San Francisco has an absolutely beautiful ballpark. Combine that with a damn tasty dog and you have winner combo. If headed to the bay area I would recommend planning the trip when the Giants were in town and catching a game.

Oh-the game. Giants beat the Braves 4-2. Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum racked up 11 strikeouts.

Sacramento River Cats

Sometimes I forget the disparity in resources between Single A and Triple A baseball. Saturday night the reality hit me like a Vida Blue fastball (bonus points if you can remember Vida Blue). Other than visiting the major league parks I had been lingering in Single A, mostly California League, ballparks since leaving Arizona. The difference is staggering. First there is the sheer size of the stadium. A few of the lower leagues have dirt parking lots and are low slung, single tiered facilities that have seen decades of baseball as well as their fair share of deferred maintenance. Walking up to ballpark in Sacramento with the name “Raley Field” blaring out in four-foot tall electrified letters quickly reminds one that you are just one step away from the big leagues.

Raley Field opened in 2000 and is still in outstanding shape. The last 14 years have been kind to this Pacific Coast League venue. The River Cats play in a superb stadium that sports the best manicured outfield, general admission seating, grass berm I have seen to date. It has trees for shade and is larger than most. The Sacramento skyline looms over the right field wall and the Sacramento River flows gently by. One very cool and unique aspect of Raley Field are the support pillars on the main concourse. They are embedded with tiles hand painted with baseball and River Cats themes by local school children who made them circa 2000. It adds color and a community connection to what would otherwise be just another busy concrete concourse.

Dog:

Bun-the bun was really cold when I first grasped the dog. But the frank was super hot so by the time I got around to eating it it had evened out.

Taste-the Weinerschnitzel frank was fatty, salty and large. In other words it was pretty darn good.

Toppings-Triple A team with Single A toppings. No kraut or jalapenos.

Price-For the size of the venue and level of play I suppose I should not be surprised at the $5 price tag. It was a large frank, but still a bit pricey.

Portability-cardboard boat doesn’t really cut it.

It Factor-there is the really large “Dinger Dog” (named after the mascot). It seemed popular with the fans but not sure it would lure them to the ticket window.

Ballpark:

Location-just across the river from downtown. In an up and coming area that has lots of new construction.

Access-big bonus for having free bicycle valet. From the number of bikes it is obvious many bike to the park. Love that. Parking is pricey at $10, unless you park in the employee lot...that is free. Hey, they didn’t ask, I didn’t tell. From the number of new condos being built nearby, it look like many people will be able to walk to the park soon.

Cleanliness-impressive.

GA Ticket Price-$10 is the cheapest and that is on the grass berm in the outfield. A bit overpriced, even for AAA.

Fans-there was a long line waiting to get in when I arrived. It was Saturday and it was fireworks night. Still, the River Cats have great fanbase support that were into the game.

Ambiance-nice ballpark with a baseball feel to it. I never felt I was at the circus like I do as some stadiums. Sacramento has a winner with this venue, but there are still some Single A parks that beat it in combined score.

Dog		Ballpark		Total Dog/Game
Bun	4	Location	5
Taste	4	Access	5
Toppings	3	Cleanliness	5
Price	4	Ambiance	5
Portability	3	GA Ticket Price	3
It Factor	3	Fans	4
	21		27	48

Then there was that mesmerizing Miller Lite billboard I could not quit looking at. The flow out of the bottle was some sort of material similar to the sequined dress of a Las Vegas show girl. It helped after the sun went down.

The game was a yawner until the late innings, where the River Cats rallied to beat the Salt Lake City Bees 4-3 in 11 innings.

Modesto Nuts

Nuts win! Not the game….they actually lost that to the Stockton Ports 5-2. But the Modesto Nuts do win, in my humble opinion, best team name and logo in the California League. So much you can do with it. Including having a mascot named Wally whose head looks like a giant walnut...or testicle depending on how many beers you have had. Not only does the team sport a nifty moniker it has some decent digs. Nothing swanky or slick, but a typical Single A ballpark that has some interesting history. Including being the Single A ballpark to have had the most Hall of Fame members play in it.

Me and Wally the...uh....Walnut

I love the old parks, and John Thurman Field was built in 1955. Additionally, it was renovated in 1997 and Modesto did a good job of adding some modern amenities while maintaining the original ballpark charm. There is no specially quirkiness that makes it a stand out, just good old-fashioned design that helps fans focus on the plays on the field rather than feel in architectural awe. There is something to be said for showing up at a ballpark and thinking to yourself, “yeah, this is what I expected. Let’s play ball.”

What John Thurman Field does have in its favor is location. It is sandwiched between a 9-hole municipal golf course and a city park. A “park within a park” concept that works well for the facility. More importantly, as the rankings bear out, the Nuts have a very affordable baseball experience accompanied by a good dog. And that’s what it’s all about isn’t it? Watching a great game, dog in hand without having to sell a kidney to finance it?

Dog:

Bun-fresh and steamed.

Dog Station

Taste-Sysco provides the dog, although I could never ascertain for certain the manufacturer. Regardless, it was damn tasty.

Toppings-nice selection that was only missing jalapenos. Odd considering the areas demographics.

Portability-nice, large foil sleeve.

Price-at $3.75 a dog (and a nice sized dog at that) feel free to get two.

It Factor-most minor league teams struggle here. Modesto is no exception. Calling it the “Home Run Dog” helps a little, but not much. No outrageous specialty dogs to lure the fans into the park.

Ballpark:

Location-not far from downtown and in a nice green park area.

Access-mostly drive-to but one could bike from downtown. Five bucks to park isn’t a crime and free parking can be had in exchange for a short walk.

GA Ticket Price-$7 for a bleacher seat on either baseline is a fair price for a good seat.

Cleanliness-surprisingly, for such an old park it was really clean.

Fans-really large crowd for Single A. I am sure the fireworks lured many in, just as the chilly evening chashed some out. A very lively crowd as well. I think the kids plus sugar factor accounted for some of the screaming though.

Ambiance-you won’t be wowed by John Thurman Field, but do you really want to be? Real seamheads want a baseball stadium, not an amusement park, and the Nuts have done a fine job of keeping it real and pure.

Dog		Ballpark		Total Dog/Game
Bun	5	Location	4
Taste	5	Access	4
Toppings	4	Cleanliness	5
Price	5	Ambiance	5
Portability	5	GA Ticket Price	5
It Factor	2	Fans	5
	26		28	54

A rating of 54 for a California League team is not to be taken lightly. The Nuts put on a great game and worthy of a visit if in central California. And grab some nuts while seeing the Nuts. Did you know that the vast majority of almond production in the world takes place in the region? Now you can stop wondering why the teamed is named The Nuts.

Special thanks to Brian VanderBeek of the Modesto Bee who gave me great insight to the stadium and it’s associated history, as well as some really interesting accounts of his time as a writer for the New York Mets. He interviewed me about my trip and the Bee’s photog captured my best side while eating a dog for their front page (I don’t take a bad picture really). Here is the link to the story in the Bee: http://www.modbee.com/2014/05/09/3333242/mans-search-for-best-meeting-of.html?sp=/99/1571/&ihp=1

Stockton Ports (sort of)

Today was supposed to be an off day. Schedules and geography you know. But the Baseball Gods smiled upon me and turned my sights toward Stockton. The Stockton Ports are another California League team and are currently on the road. And since their ballpark would normally be empty the City of Stockton is hosting the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Baseball Championships. There were two games today at Banner Island Ballpark and I took in the first one that saw Cal Poly Pomona defeat Sonoma State 9-4. Great pitching by the Pomona starter. It was a pretty exciting game overall….if you can get over that aluminum bat thing.

I took the opportunity to grade the park and dog since it is the same hot dog they would serve during the Ports games and the ballpark gets same treatment. Since there were only about 100 fans there for the college game I made a best guess for the “fans” score based on the other California League games I had attended in Lake Elsinore, San Jose, Bakersfield and Inland Empire.

Dog:

Bun-not steamed and stale. Not a good way to start a hot dog.

Taste-the Miller’s hot dog frank was ok but not especially tasty. It was large and filling though.

Price-$4 is about average for a minor league venue.

Portability-a smallish cardboard boat. By now we have ascertained that a wrapper or sleeve is the way to go to keep the goodies on the dog.

Toppings-not too shabby. Missing kraut.

It Factor-basically non-existent.

Ballpark:

Location-nice. Next to the arena and waterfront area. The “nice” area of downtown Stockton.

Access-bus routes exist. Walkable from downtown. Bikeable.

GA Ticket Price-I would say $9 is pricey but they really are good seats, not bleachers or grass berm. Better than average price for what seats you get.

Cleanliness-spic and span.

Ambiance-Nice new and modern ballpark with a nautical theme. Built of very high end block with accentuating colors. Some skyline is visible over the left field wall and the canal runs along the outfield just over the knoll. Excellent job combining modern architecture with baseball vibe.

Fans-get an estimated score based on other California League venues.

The Ports had a chance to score big with their fabulous ballpark. The dog drug them down a bit. Still, if for some reason (and I have no idea what that would be other than fleeing the mafia) you find yourself in Stockton, California head on out to Banner Island Ballpark and enjoy the game.

Dog		Ballpark		Total Dog/Game
Bun	2	Location	5
Taste	3	Access	5
Toppings	4	Cleanliness	5
Price	4	Ambiance	5
Portability	3	GA Ticket Price	4
It Factor	2	Fans	4
	18		28	46

San Jose Giants

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More California League action on Wednesday as I watched the Giants, not THOSE Giants, the San Jose Giants, take on the Modesto Nuts. San Jose has an older gem of a ballpark. And I love the name...San Jose Municipal Stadium. It looks and feels like a baseball park and reeks of baseball ambiance. That is something that has been lacking on my trip as of late.

It has a standard semi-circular design with a small, tight concourse. It is also a small capacity ballpark which makes every seat a great one. And as a breath of fresh air, the facility was part of a government stimulus program that actually worked. It was erected in 1942 as part of a WPA project. Washington take note. AND it is still standing, in use, and in pretty good shape.

What is hard to explain is the price of a seat. At $12 for a general admission ticket it is pretty pricey. Remember this is Single A baseball. The night before I paid $15 for a GA ticket at a Major League game….and it included a hot dog. It might just be a San Jose thing. I went to a county park to hang out yesterday afternoon and they wanted $6 for entry...into a park. For that I expect not only entry but foot massage as well. Oh...it costs $10 to park at Municipal Stadium.. Again way too pricey for a minor league venue. I parked a 15 minute walk away for free. Hard to justify those prices. Did I mention I live on a fixed income?

Dog:

Bun-fresh and steamed.

Taste-the Hebrew National frank was damn good.

Toppings-I had a foodgasm….PUMP BROWN MUSTARD. The holy grail of hot dog toppings. Also a good selection of additional toppings. They had me at PUMP BROWN MUSTARD.

Price-$4.50. OK. I guess I am paying for that PUMP BROWN MUSTARD. I bit much for the dog.

Portability-nice sized foil sleeve.

It Factor-not much in the way of selection of other dogs. Meh.

Ballpark:

Location-close to downtown, but still too far away. Near a park and college ballpark.

Access-I am sure there is bus service, but mostly a drive-to park.

Cleanliness-for an ancient park they do a nice job. But getting an old park really spotless is like getting a log cabin really spotless.

GA Ticket-Nice military discount, but even with a good seat $12 for general admission is way too much.

Fans-a really nice crowd for a Wednesday night and they were really rooting for their team.

Ambiance-a super baseball vibe that cannot be bought or manufactured. Top score.

Dog		Ballpark		Total Dog/Game
Bun	5	Location	4
Taste	5	Access	3
Toppings	5	Cleanliness	4
Price	3	Ambiance	5
Portability	5	GA Ticket Price	3
It Factor	3	Fans	5
	26		24	50

For an older venue in a Single A league a score of 50 is something to be proud of. If the Giants could manage to bring their prices of admission, parking and dog down they would be a top contender. Regardless, if you have the cash, a game a Municipal Stadium is not to be missed.

Me and Gigante