- After dithering on a decision for a while, I finally joined The Society for American Baseball Reserach, or SABR. The tipping point for me was a 25% discount on my first year's membership I got as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. I'm looking forward to getting involved with the Boston chapter and hopefully attending their next meeting.
- I'm going to be really interested in following the negotiations between Albert Pujols and the Cardinals over the next couple of weeks. You have to think that Pujols is looking for A-Rod type money. Will the Cardinals pony up? And if they don't, who will? The Yankees and Red Sox are tied up with big contracts at first base for years (assuming the Sox sign Gonzalez). Would another relatively high payroll team make a splash by signing him? There don't seem to be a lot of candidates - Mets, Angels, Cubs? Can you imagine if the Cubs signed Pujols away from the Cardinals? That would amp up the rivalry another few notches.
- I would really like to get to one of the New York ballparks this year. Tickets for Citi Field will probably be a lot easier to obtain.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Stuff
A few thoughts as we move into the month of February. Hopefully, the fact that pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks can distract me from the thought of yet another snowstorm bearing down on us.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Connecticut Ballparks
Back to the list of ballparks. Tonight, I'm focusing on the three minor league ballparks I have visited in the state of Connecticut.
Dodd Stadium, Norwich Navigators: The Navigators are gone, replaced by the Class A Connecticut Tigers, but Dodd Stadium endures. It's a very nice ballpark in a very odd location. It's way in the back of an industrial park, so there's nothing really near the ballpark other than office buildings. I do have a great story about Dodd Stadium, though. The Navigators were a Yankees farm team, and I ran a group outing to the ballpark for the New England area Starfleet chapters in 1997. I had to go down to Norwich to pick up the tickets before the day of the game, so A. and I decided to make a day of it. We stopped at the ballpark to meet the group sales manager, went to the casino for a few hours and then went to the ballgame that evening. When we got to the ballpark, we chatted with the group sales manager and she found out that I was a Red Sox fan. So she tells me that the Yankees 1996 World Series trophy was going to be at the game that night and that it was the only way I would have a chance to see one! It took seven years, but she was eventually proved wrong.
Yale Field, New Haven Ravens: Historic Yale Field was a great take. It's a classic old ballpark and was a fun place to watch a ballgame. It's also the site of this famous picture of Babe Ruth with future president George H. W. Bush.
New Britain Stadium, New Britain Rock Cats: New Britain Stadium is typical of most of the newer minor league ballparks built in the last 20 years or so. It seats around 7,500, has lots of exposed brick, and good sightlines. The Rock Cats are the AA affiliate of the Twins, and with Minnesota's productive farm system there's a pretty good chance you will see a future star at the ballpark. Recent alumni include Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter and David Ortiz.
More minor league ballparks to come!
Dodd Stadium, Norwich Navigators: The Navigators are gone, replaced by the Class A Connecticut Tigers, but Dodd Stadium endures. It's a very nice ballpark in a very odd location. It's way in the back of an industrial park, so there's nothing really near the ballpark other than office buildings. I do have a great story about Dodd Stadium, though. The Navigators were a Yankees farm team, and I ran a group outing to the ballpark for the New England area Starfleet chapters in 1997. I had to go down to Norwich to pick up the tickets before the day of the game, so A. and I decided to make a day of it. We stopped at the ballpark to meet the group sales manager, went to the casino for a few hours and then went to the ballgame that evening. When we got to the ballpark, we chatted with the group sales manager and she found out that I was a Red Sox fan. So she tells me that the Yankees 1996 World Series trophy was going to be at the game that night and that it was the only way I would have a chance to see one! It took seven years, but she was eventually proved wrong.
Yale Field, New Haven Ravens: Historic Yale Field was a great take. It's a classic old ballpark and was a fun place to watch a ballgame. It's also the site of this famous picture of Babe Ruth with future president George H. W. Bush.
New Britain Stadium, New Britain Rock Cats: New Britain Stadium is typical of most of the newer minor league ballparks built in the last 20 years or so. It seats around 7,500, has lots of exposed brick, and good sightlines. The Rock Cats are the AA affiliate of the Twins, and with Minnesota's productive farm system there's a pretty good chance you will see a future star at the ballpark. Recent alumni include Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter and David Ortiz.
More minor league ballparks to come!
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