What Made Milwaukee Famous / Made a Loser Out of Me

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Miller Park opened a couple years ago in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it seems like the Brewers want to thank the fans for it. What used to be one of the saddest franchises in all of baseball (what kind of team can switch leagues and no one even cares?) has rebounded to become one of the best teams in the National League. And I'm happy for them. As Paul notes, the Brewers are another team who actually seems to treat their fans in a respectful manner.

Beers were so affordable that I even bought one ($5.25 for a pint of Miller High Life and $4 for a pint of Sharp's; I went for the High Life), and although I didn't try the food, I've heard that it's pretty good. In any event, High Life on draft is delicious.

Because it is a retractable dome, the stadium is very different from the others that we've seen on the trip (and that I've ever seen except Skydome in Toronto, Ontario), but it definitely had charm in its own way. Although it did not have the same view of the cityscape that many of the other stadiums have had, the view that it did have was framed very nicely by the sides of the dome. I've heard that the roof only takes a few minutes to close (when I went to a game in Toronto as a kid, it started raining and took quite some time to close the roof). But I cannot verify this, because the night was clear, so the roof stayed open all game.

The scoreboard was very nice (although there was no clock) and the out-of-town scoreboard was adequate (though it did not declare pitchers). No $5 hats outside, but decent $12 hats (ball and glove logo) inside, though I did not buy one. Unforunately, we didn't get to see Ben Sheets or Cubic Centimeter Sabathia, but Dave Bush pitched pretty well and Jimmy Jazz Hardy and Mike Cameron each homered. Unforunately Cameron's homerun (which was directly down the rightfield line) occurred just after we left a great view directly at the rightfield foul pole (if you go, definitely check out this vantage point, it is a unique -- and exceptional -- one I've never seen at another stadium). This is another stadium, by the way, where you can walk all the way around the stadium and the ushers let you walk around as you please.

We spent the afternoon in Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin Badgers. This is a great city, if you are in the area, it is definitely worth checking out. Madison is characterized by a very nice landscape and a nice downtown with plenty of bars and a great university district. Plus, you can buy beer at the University of Wisconsin Student Center (supposedly the only public university in the country where this is the case. I'm not completely convinced. I went to a public university, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and they gave away free beer once a month). We even got to go for a swim in the lake adjoining the university grounds.

Miller Park Grades:

Biggest Advantages: Good and inexpensive beers, Good team, Interesting design
Biggest Drawbacks: Did not feel as close and intimate as PNC or Wrigley
Overall: B+

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Hey, Chicago, What Do You Say? / The Cubs Are Gonna Win Today

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Okay, I could write for a day about Wrigley Field, but there really isn't any point. Anything that I could say has already been said. Just go.

I will say that, although Chicago is expensive, Wrigley is actually quite affordable. I was shocked that the Cubs actually treat their fans with respect. It's kind of amazing, but I guess that's how you keep a fanbase after 100 years of futility.

Wrigley Field Grades:

Biggest Advantages: History, Ivy, Closeness
Biggest Drawbacks: The Cubs still have never won a World Series since it was built in 1914

Overall: A+

Up Next: Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Ding, Ding, Ding Goes the Trolley . . .

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The new Busch Stadium opened up in 2006 and . . . so here's the review.

Another city, another new stadium, another great view of a downtown. In this case, the view is of the Gateway Arch on the Mighty Mississippi and the city courthouse. Unfortunately, as I said, I think I'm becoming desensitized to this.

Superficially, the stadium reminded me of Great American Ballpark, though that may be in large part because all of the seats were red. The stadium itself is deceptively big, it actually seemed smaller from the Upper Deck than from the Field Level standing room. Along with Detroit, these have been the only stadiums where ushers have been less than polite. Worse than Detroit, the ushers really do move you along here and don't exactly let you stand around and watch the game from different vantage points (aside from the dedicated standing room). A good out-of-town scoreboard and a very nice scoreboard overall (though make sure you bring your glasses, as the statistics show up a little small). Outside the stadium, there were statues of past Cardinal greats and a very impressive one dedicated to the great Stan Musial. Plus, there's The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame.

An interesting factoid is that St. Louis, in my opinion has had, by far, the most attractive fanbase of any stadium we've yet seen. We'll see how Cubs fans do, but as of right now, the Cards take the cake. They also score major points for putting the kibosh on "The Wave."

No opportunities for street meat outside, but a decent watering hole just a block or two away with $6 tall boys (24 oz beers). We couldn't find any $5 hats, either.

Andrew and I stayed with an old college buddy of mine in Maplewood, Missouri, a few minutes outside the downtown and ate lunch at Schlafly's and toured their brewery. As an experienced brewery tourer, I can say that this was a pretty good one. The food was good (and quite filling). The beer, aside from the Raspberry Hefeweizen, was also quite good. On Monday night, we found our freedom at Blueberry Hill and, following that, Cicero's. We finally ended the night at Saratoga Lanes, a bowling alley I'd highly recommend for its $2.50 beers and (most of all) its manual scoring.

The other folks stayed downtown and seemed to enjoy it. They toured the Anheiseur-Busch brewery and said that it was a good tour. We considered touring Anheiseur-Busch but, ultimately, figured that it unfortunately must end with drinking beers brewed by Anheiseur-Busch (or InBev, or whatever).

Before the game, we briefly walked around the park with the Gateway Arch and, if you've got the time, it's a nice park to see, very clean and the arch is pretty impressive in person.

Mike also claimed that he liked the old Busch Stadium moreso than the new one, so that's something to keep in mind, as well.

Busch Grades:

Biggest Advantages: View of the Arch, Scoreboard, Proximity to the Bowling Hall of Fame (?)
Biggest Drawbacks: Impolite ushers

Overall Grade: C+ (still above average, but not that much)

Up Next: Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois

. . . Finally, just want to give a special thanks to Mike Reuther for putting us up for the two nights and Kevin Brown for meeting us out (neither of you will probably read this)

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Going Down to Cincinnati, Ohio . . .

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Hey Leatherheads, still at the hotel in Florence, Kentucky, a touching suburb a short ride across the river from Cincinnati. Post title comes from the song "Cincinnati, OH" by the Morris/Sussex County, New Jersey-based band Annoying Customer. So here's the review of Great American Ballpark.

The stadium scores major points because, like PNC Park and the new Nationals Stadium, it's on the banks of a river (the Ohio), with a beautiful panoramic view of the river as it passes by. I'd also like to stress that this is a corporate-sponsored stadium. I really wish more teams tried to work in at least a decent sounding name to their corporate-sponsored parks, for example, when the San Francisco Giants approached Ralph Lauren about sponsoring "The Polo Grounds." I completely understand why it's good to have a corporate sponsor (it basically pays for a superstar every year), but it would be nice if the names weren't quite as contrived as U.S. Cellular Field.

Great American is another open-space walk-around stadium. They shoot off something or other (cannons?) when homeruns are hit (Brandon Phillips hit one), which is pretty sweet. Edinson Volquez managed to pitch through quite a bit of trouble and it was a pretty exciting game (though that should not necessarily be included in the review).

As far as grabbing a bite before or after the game, we went to some restaurant/bar called "In Betweens," not a great place, but the waitress was nice enough. They also charged for water. We were hoping to just grab a slice, but no such luck. Also, no street meat outside, but there were quite a few people selling $1 bottles of Ice Mountain Water ("pure as the driven snow") and $3 bags of peanuts.

Similar to the rest of the stadiums we've been to, no one ushered you along if you stopped somewhere to take in a bit of the game. I feel like this freedom to wander around the parks at your leisure is so amazing, and yet it is present everywhere we go. It really drives home how crappy Shea is, and especially how crappy the people who run it treat us fans.

All in all, Great American Ball Park was simply a good experience. I feel, unfortunately, like I'm becoming desensitized to how great these new parks are (this year was also the first time I've seen games at the new Nationals and Phillies arenas) and I'm going to want to electrocute myself when I get back to New Jersey. I should have realized I'd feel this way because it's how my roommate, Shaun, felt when he came back from a vacation in Michigan a month ago.

It probably hurt the experience that we didn't get to see Adam Dunn or Joey Votto (though he did pinch hit). Newport on the Levee was a decent enough place to go out, kind of reminded me and Andrew of Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, for those of you who've been there. $1 Miller Lites is always nice. We ate at Montgomery Inn, a very nice place with good ribs, but post-date your check for your next paycheck.

Great American Ball Park Grades:

Biggest Advantages: Walking around, Friendly service,
Biggest Drawbacks: Nothing special in comparison to the other stadiums we've been to
Overall Grade: B/B+

Up Next: Busch Stadium in Saint Louis, Missouri

In Detroit 442 / Maybe, Baby, I Could Ride With You

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What's up, Leatherheads? No time for an update this morning, as we were on road early in the a.m. to get to Cincinnati in time for today's 1:15 start. More on Cincinnati a little later, as this review is for Comerica Park in Detroit.

By the way, as a quick aside, I'd just like to update it that we attended Cleveland's Feast of the Assumption, which was a good time. Much lower key than New York's San Gennaro Festival, if any of you have been there. Additionally, Cleveland's West Side Market was a pretty fun place, kind of similar to Pike Place in Seattle, but different in many ways as well. Maybe Ichiro should check it out the next time he's in town.

So Comerica Park is another new stadium in the Jacobs Field mold. Like PNC Park and "The Jake," it was not designed to give a feel for the old-time ballparks, but instead to give a more modern sense. Another similarity to Jacobs Field is its openness and view of the city nearby, as well as the entrance being in the outfield.

Speaking of the city nearby, we arrived in Detroit with just enough time to take a little walk around and see some of the city. There was a park just a few blocks away (Mauritius Something or other Park) that wasn't too bad, but seemed kind of small. Additionally, a five- or ten-minute walk can take you to "GreekTown," which is a little neighborhood with a bunch of Greek restaurants where you can grab a gyro before the game (although we did not). GreekTown is pretty small, but if you have the time, it's kind of cool to see how close it is to the stadium. I feel like areas like that really suffer when parks come in and the corporate world takes over, but I guess that's not necessarily true (Little Italy and Camden Yards in Baltimore, for example).

Comerica is also another park where you can walk around the whole stadium to get different vantage points, which -- as I pointed out before -- is a really nice feature. We had standing room only tickets for the outfield balcony (a great view), which placed us in the vicinity of statues of past Tigers greats (and there have been a bunch). The only time we were asked to move on was when we accidentally stumbled into what I guess was a private event. The usher was less than polite, but then again, we were in Detroit.

Another great feature of Comerica was that they played pretty good music throughout. Even Curtis Granderson bats to Bell Biv Devoe. Oh yeah, and it was pretty cool to see the American League's Speed King, Justin Verlander.

Comerica Grades:

Biggest Advantages: Tigers statues, Great views of the game from almost every section, GreekTown
Biggest Drawbacks: No one sells $5 hats outside the stadium
Overall Grade: B+

Up Next: Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio

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If I ever saw myself saying I'm excited going to Cleveland, I'd punch myself in the face, because I'm lying.

Today's title comes, of course, from Ichiro's famous lambasting of Cleveland, Ohio, home of Progressive (formerly Jacobs, named after the current Marlins first baseman, perhaps?) Field and the second stop on my stadium tour. I'm transmitting my thoughts via World Wide Web from Lakewood, just outside of Cleveland.

In order to fulfill the conditions of my parole, as well as my love of public service, I'll review the ballpark. But I'm going to call it Jacobs Field. So, without further ado, let's get to the nasty.

Jacobs Field opened in the early 90's, a few years after Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore (as long as I can remember). I'm not 100% sure why, but I feel very much like Camden started the idea of getting ballparks away from boring, drab, cookie-cutter stadiums and going back to the olden times or forward to the 21st Century. Any look is better than the Shea Stadium/Philadelphia Veterans Stadium look of the 60's/70's.

While Camden Yards sought progress through embracing the looks of the old-time ballparks, Jacobs Field sought progess through a new look, which has now become relatively commonplace. Like Camden Yards, PNC, Citizen's Bank and many others, visitors to Jacobs Field are treated to a view of the city's skyline. This is a great feature and one that I know my friend Craig favors.

There is a nice little Indians Hall of Fame section near the entrance to the park (which is in the outfield, kind of like the new Nationals Park). One thing I will complain about is that we came into the Stadium while the first inning was just beginning and as we were walking to our seats (watching Vlad Guerrero bat) an usher told us we had to walk to our seats from the inside, where we couldn't actually watch the game.

Cleveland was an okay city, probably not quite as bad as Ichiro would have you believe, but there also wasn't an incredible amount going on for a Friday night. $4 32 oz. Labatt Blues at the Winking Lizard is a nice touch. Oddly, it seems like no one in Cleveland knows how to cross the street, because there seem to be cops on every corner. It's sort of like being in elementary school.

Jacobs Grades:

Biggest advantages: Nice park, Good area nearby to hang out, Cheap parking
Biggest drawbacks: Not quite as nice as some of the other new stadiums (still very nice)
Overall mark: B+

Up Next: Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan

Come Put Me Out of My Misery / 'Cause I'm Not Dead (I'm in Pittsburgh)

Greetings, y'all, I am communicating with you via world wide web from beautiful Harmarville, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. Today's title comes from Frank Black's song which you can listen to at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDLqJndTdQY -- a chill, laid-back song which makes me wonder where in tarnation Debaser came from.

Anyway, a quick review of PNC Park for all the Leatherheads that haven't had the good fortune to visit it. If you're in the area, definitely stop by. The stadium is situated in such a way as to overlook a couple of really sweet bridges. The seats were incredible (just a few rows off the field down the rightfield line) and were so affordable (just 20 bucks) that being a Mets fan makes me want to cry. Another great feature of the arena (and this is beginning to be customary for all the new ballparks) is that you can walk around the whole stadium. Citizens Bank Park (the new Phillies stadium) was constructed likewise.

In fact, PNC very much reminded me of CBP, except everything was so much lower, so much closer to the field. At the risk of alienating all the Phillies fans who read this, I have to give credit where it is due. PNC Park came first -- and it's better.

The seats were not situated perfectly for sight-lines, which was kind of annoying because you were sort of craning your neck the whole game to see the pitches, but other than that I really don't have any complaints.

Plus, there was a fireworks show with REO Speedwagon performing following the game (if that's what you're into. For me, it's not. No offense to all you REO Speedwagon Leatherheads out there).

Since this is a baseball site, I'm not going to review the city, and I really didn't have enough time to get to know it well, but the folks that I did meet (everyone from the ushers at the stadium to the bartender after the game) were all very nice. The title of this post is not indicative of the experience I've had here whatsoever.

PNC Grades:
Biggest advantages: Beautiful park, very affordable
Biggest drawbacks: Having to watch the Pirates play
Overall mark: A-

Four Kids on Tour, Three Thousand Miles

Hey . . . Leatherheads . . .

Just wanted to let you all know that a few high school friends and I are about to head out on a baseball stadium road trip. We'll be catching games in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago (Wrigley) and Milwaukee. Since I just got this laptop (big shout out to the good people at Wal Mart (is that an oxymoron?)!) and I (supposedly) blog about baseball, I think I ought to bring it along and do an update in each city.

So keep checking, as I'll be submitting entries almost every day for the next two weeks.

First up, Pittsburgh!

By the way, Flashing the Trivia: What song did this post come from? Follow-up: Whose story does the song tell?