Werner Park

Omaha Storm Chasers, International League

8/10

Entrance is from the third base side, so this is about the fanciest one there is.

The field is prepped for a midweek game against Scranton.

Looking in from right center field.

I rolled into the Omaha area after having seen a game in Sioux Falls the night before. This is the latest home of Kansas City's top farm club, after they moved out of Omaha itself after the iconic Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium closed in 2010. The then Omaha Royals were never totally satisfied in a ballpark built for the College World Series, so when a replacement for Rosenblatt was constructed, the Royals set out on their own, eventually building in suburban Sarpy County.

I ended up staying about 15 minutes away and driving in. The ballpark is eventually going to be at the centre of a fair bit of development, but it largely isn't done yet. Parking was not too far away, and only cost 5 dollars, which is a bit of a rarity these days. The ballpark is substantially nicer than I would have expected and compares well to a Major League spring training venue, particularly Camelback Ranch . It features a wrap around concourse with large berms. I enjoyed the park itself and would give it a plus.

The atmosphere was not quite as good however. I caught this place on a Thursday night and it was relatively empty. Without a decent number of Yankee fans cheering for their farmhands, the crowd would have been a lot smaller.  At the time, I noted a lot of sound effects, which I'm not usually a fan of. I would take off a half point.

Food was pretty standard for this level, with BBQ and Pizza as the standout options. I had a pretty decent pizza, payments were with card only. On the whole, a pretty impressive facility gives this an 8/10 overall.

Linescore

2022-08-25

                                                                       123    456  789  R H E

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders(NYY)        220    001  003  8 12 2

Omaha Storm Chasers(KC)                           000    312  100  7 10 0
Time: 3:00 Temp: 87F  Att: 4,315

Turner Field

Atlanta Braves, National League

7/10

Did not get a good shot of the outside here either. Sorry.

Batting Practice prior to game time.

I more or less crashed the gates here, I was ready I guess.

I rolled into "Hotlanta" in June 2012, after seeing an abbreviated day game in Jacksonville the night before and riding out a Tropical Depression in Lake City, FL. The interstate to Atlanta was rumoured to be closing and not wanting to take any chances, I made a dash north. The weather cleared near Valdosta and from then on it was a warm, clear, but humid day. After a trip to the Atlanta Cyclorama, I headed for Turner Field, to watch the Braves battle the Diamondbacks.

The big plus for Turner field, at least to me, is the fact that it was built to be the Olympic Stadium for the 1996 summer games, which took place here. After the games, rather than having just another white elephant in town, the stadium was partially demolished to become the new home of the Braves. The fact that anyone could show any foresight in this situation, as Atlanta already had the Georgia Dome, is kind of remarkable. But, the finished product is markedly average, with nothing too crazy standing out about it.  Egress from the parking lots across the road was disastrous, with a 20-25 thousand person crowd still turning into an hour, just to get out of the lot. People roamed the parking lots on large tricycles with coolers on them, selling water.

The atmosphere here was also nothing remarkable. Fans were mildly interested in the proceedings. On the concession side of things, I had a Chik-fil-a sandwich(or two) from a stand on the concourse, where I think the proprietors just bought them at a location and hauled them down. I don't remember a whole lot else in this regard.

The biggest shock of all regarding this place is that 2016 will be it's last season hosting the Braves. The powers that be had demanded renovations to Turner to keep the Braves around and after making no progress with a city that is already building the Falcons and a new MLS team a stadium. The Braves decided to move to the outskirts of Atlanta, 15 miles northwest of downtown. The new park is technically in suburban Smyrna, but will apparently get an Atlanta address prior to opening. The main complaints were evidently a bit of a dodgy neighbourhood and the park being about 2/3rds of a mile from any subway station. Still, the park only lasting for 19 seasons prior to closing is a bit of a letdown, especially given it's unique history. I honestly had not considered one more visit in the final year, however, if I do my cross country loop trip this summer, maybe it will have to get a stop.

Update 2023: The Braves moved on to SunTrust Park after the 16 season and I've since gone to a game there as well. This place got an extensive renovation and reopened for Football season in 2017 as Center Parc Stadium for Georgia State football. I'm glad it's still seeing use, but it's still mildly disappointing that the Braves left after only 20 years.

Linescore

2012-06-26

                         123   456  789  R H E

Arizona             001   000   000  1 8 0

Atlanta              140   000   21x  8 17 0

Time: 3:01  Temp: 88F  Att: 23,513

Chase Field

Arizona Diamondbacks, National League

9/10

Despite being here a few times, I never got a good shot of the outside.

Looking in, you can see how it looks a bit like a permanent dome.

Looking out, it's a whole different story.

Chase Field is a favourite of mine, for a lot of reasons. Right in the middle of the "Stadium District" in downtown Phoenix, right across the street from what is now the Gila River Arena, it's part of a downtown that has signs of life outside of banker's hours. There's tons of parking, right across the street from the Arena is my favourite. Light rail runs right past the venue and the freeway system for the whole area points right at downtown. I did 6 years of Cactus League baseball in the area as well, so I know it well and have lots of memories here.

This is a retractable roof ballpark with some retro-modern elements, like those dark green seats and wide open concourses with polished concrete. I did two games in here in 2011, Game 162 versus the Dodgers, where I spent most of the night watching the out of town scoreboard to see if I needed to leave for Texas or not, a 2nd Division series game against the Brewers where Paul Goldschmidt cleared the bases with a grand slam off Shaun Marcum, then a spring training game in 2013 against the Reds, and two more that September against the Blue Jays, for a total of 5 times.

For those of you that don't like domes, I have news, Phoenix has to have one. The days I went to see them play the Blue Jays, the mercury sat at 41 degrees Celsius(105 F). 41! In the middle of the summer, it can go even higher, so unless you want a repeat of the Houston Colt 45s playing in oppressive heat all season, this is the way to go. I did see a game with the roof open and it was about as good as can be, especially with the large panels along the exterior wall facing the outfield that will open up as well. I'd give it a half point as it succeeds a little better than other retractable roof parks in resembling an open air park when the roof's open.

The atmosphere here is a little above average, the game versus the Dodgers was a little quiet, as the D-Backs had already locked up the division, but the playoff atmosphere was raucous to say the least. Baseball is probably 3rd most popular around here as the Suns and especially the Cardinals are also on people's radars around Phoenix.  I'd still say the fans here are slightly above average as far as being into the game.

The big plus here is the food, there are Fatburger stands all over the park and as much as I like it, I haven't eaten at one of them yet. The pizza stand features the triple threat pizza, which might be the best pizza outside of Chicago, that I've ever had at a game. Cold stone creamery and I believe some subway rounds out the selection, which is very broad. There isn't really a food item that screams Phoenix, but a good selection of good options more than made up for it.

Overall, if you're looking for a place to cool off in the midst of a brutal Phoenix summer, look no further. A 9/10 from me.

Update 2023: I have not been here in nearly 10 years, but the layout of the park has not changed much at all. There's been nothing I've seen regarding a replacement, even as it is about to enter its 25th MLB season. It's served it's purpose well.

Linescores

2011-09-28

                             123   456  789   R H E

Los Angeles(NL)   101  201 200  7 12 0 

Arizona                 000  000  005 5 7 0

Time: 2:47  Temp: 94F(Roof Closed)  Att: 41,791

2011-10-04

                      123     456     789   RHE

Milwaukee     001   000     000    1  3 1

Arizona          201   050     000    8  11  0

Time: 3:01 Temp: 75F(Roof Closed)  Att: 48,312

Note: Game Three of Division Series

2013-03-29

                      123     456    789   RHE

Cincinnati      000   000      101  251

Arizona         000    010      000  180

Time: 2:33 Temp: 85F  Att: 14,839

2013-09-02

                      123     456    789   RHE

Toronto         020     000     002   450

Arizona        000      000     001  140

Time: 2:19  Temp: 76F(Roof Closed)  Att: 21,014

2013-09-03

                      123     456     789   R H  E

Toronto          140    010     013    10 15 2

Arizona         000    120     100    4  7  2

Time: 3:00  Temp: 77F (Roof Closed)   Att: 19,100

Sioux Falls Stadium

 Sioux Falls Canaries, American Association

8/10

A smaller crowd lingers around the entrance about 45 minutes before first pitch.

A relatively new turf field is in place here.

The relatively unique seating bowl, without many fans sitting in it just yet.

I rolled into Sioux Falls on a Wednesday night, after a night without baseball in the other Dakota. This was the first of 5 games in 5 nights for me. I ended up staying across the street, quite deliberately, so I walked over around 40 minutes before the first pitch. The ballpark is part of a sports complex, including two arenas, another stadium, a convention centre and a hotel.

The stadium is actually 1940s vintage, but was renovated in 2000. The park is a concrete grandstand with seats that has a relatively large, slightly off centre suite building as well. Attendance was announced at just over a thousand, but I think some sort of rodeo or fair was in town(I drove past it on the way in, I'm reading it may have been the State fair) so people drifted towards that. This is a pretty decent, if not unusually laid out ballpark. There is a concourse under the seats and a large aisle that wraps around the seating area, between the upper and lower boxes. There is a relatively large video board in the outfield. 

The food here was relatively standard, but I ended up ordering a borderline healthy chicken wrap from a place in the left field corner and it was one of the best things I ate on this trip. The guy taking orders noticed my Stockton Ports hat(a giveaway item from my first time there) and asked if I'd come from Sioux City. I told him what I was doing and he asked which parks I'd like the best and listed Spokane, Pittsburgh and Albuquerque for sure, as well as a few others. I had to list them again for the guy making the food then the wrap was made to order for me(no avocado), was a good experience.

The atmosphere for the game was a bit flat, but it wasn't for lack of trying, just a lack of people on a Wednesday night with the State fair in town. Overall, good concession would bump this one up to a solid 8/10. I'd consider coming here again, but with a few other options within a few hours, it may be a little while.

Linescore

                                        123    456   789   R H E

Sioux City X-Plorers         111    102   001  7 12 1

Sioux Falls Canaries         000   010   100   2  6  0

Time: 3:13   Temp: 80F   Att: 1,108

Raley Field

Sacramento River Cats, Pacific Coast League

7/10

It does have a decent facade though....

Opening night in 2019 versus Tacoma.

A better camera meant a much clearer shot across the field in 2019.

Firstly, indulge me,this is another ballpark that seemingly everyone likes, BUT me. It will be added to the growing list of candidates for "California Retreads" a journey of redemption starring low rated parks in Fresno, Visalia and Rancho Cucamonga. That could even come to fruition this summer. At any rate...

We rolled into town on a Saturday night after I had spent the day as designated driver for my ladyfriend, who took in some wine tasting in the Napa Valley and apparently, so did everyone else. Fireworks night saw the ballpark at 1,500 over capacity as just under 16,000 took in the Rivercats, then an Oakland affiliate, take on Oklahoma City, who were then with Houston.

This ballpark is considered relatively successful, in the early 2000s, the Vancouver Canadians, the last of three Canadian teams in the PCL, moved south, to bring the league back to a market it has even more history in, Sacramento. Attendance is usually the best in the entire league as Sacramento is such a sports town, having gone to great length to save the NBA Kings a few years ago.

Still, I really didn't like this park for a few reasons. Firstly, the large crowd made parking a bit of a chore, plus lines for everything, including food, were awful. Lines for everything stretched to at least 20 people, which made getting something to eat difficult. The "gentleman" sitting next to me insisted on throwing peanuts with someone in his group, when I asked them to be careful, this was apparently  an invitation to be a knob for the rest of the game. Still, that could have happened anywhere. The team was wearing R2-D2 themed Star Wars jerseys, plus it was fireworks night. This led to the atmosphere having little to nothing to do with the game, which was frustrating.

The only thing that wasn't a minus about this one was the park itself, which seemed quite serviceable and had a relatively decent layout, the concourse was quite wide and it has a nice entrance and decent seats/sightlines.

Still, an issue with food service and a pretty awful atmosphere hurt the score badly. I think I caught it on a bad night and as of right now, I'm headed back next month to take in a pre-season tuneup between the Rivercats and Giants. I can't imagine the score staying so low.

Update 2023: The preseason game against the Giants sold out in no time, but I did make it back here later. Five years after my first visist, in 2019, we were on our spring roadtrip and it just so happened that we'd be in town for opening night. We went over there and after being given other people's tickets in addition to our own, then giving the other tickets back, we headed inside to watch the River Cats, now affiliated with San Francisco, take on the Tacoma Rainiers. This was the first game, of the first year of metal detectors in the high minors, so ingress was a bit slow, but with a crowd literally half the size of my first trip here(which was actually over capacity), there was room to spread out. 

Firstly, the park really presented as the jewel it is. It's a large, modern facility with a decent backdrop of the "Ziggurat" and the Tower Bridge. It was easily a cut above other parks at this level in the past, but now, with a few more newer ones visited, it's right about the standard. The food was not too bad, but somewhat expensive if memory serves. The atmosphere was not bad for the very first day, it was a little annoying, but nothing close to my previous trip here. On the whole, I'd probably give a half point for facility, which would still bump this place up to a 7. I'm glad I got back here to see it again in the end.

For 2020, this place took on a different sponsor and is now known as "Sutter Health Park".

Linescores

2014-08-16                                      123   456   789   R H E

Oklahoma City RedHawks(HOU)    110  000   005  7 11 0

Sacramento River Cats(OAK)          200  000   000   2 3 1 

Time: 2:57 Temp: 89F Att: 15,618

2019-04-04                             123   456   789  10  11   R H E

Tacoma Rainiers(SEA)           000   200   010   0    1     4 10 1

Sacramento River Cats(SF)    000  001   002   0    2     5 13 0

Time: 4:00 Temp: 62F  Att: 8,820

Elks Field

 Brooks Bombers, Western Canadian Baseball League

This is a very no-nonsense, amateur ballpark. For spectators, there isn't much of a gate, or a door.

Large metal posts make it difficult to get a clear shot of the field, but this is about as good as you'll do.

I've been around 10 games here, but didn't pay once. That's because I volunteered here. I got around 6 or 8 games of play by play, a few games doing the music and one doing the public address. I never really watched here, but this is about what I can tell you. The park is actually relatively new, opening in 2015. It's got a small metal seating bowl with a good sight lines. There is an elevated platform on the third base side where group functions occasionally take place. The atmosphere is very small town, as the park holds well under 500 people, usually only getting up to around 300. But, the people who go typically want to be there and season ticket holders make up the bulk of the support. The concession options here are slightly above what you'd expect for a place this small, with local beer on tap and mac and cheese bites available as well. The 2022 season was a step up for the Bombers, as they made their first playoff appearance and they'll be looking to build even more in '23. I will definitely make a point of swinging by here this summer when I'm in the area.

Bricktown Ballpark

Oklahoma City Dodgers, Pacific Coast League

8/10

Statues of Oklahomans Johnny Bench and Mickey Mantle(not shown)  are located outside of the ballpark.

A modest mid-week crowd takes in Oklahoma City vs. Sacramento.

All in all, a pleasant evening for baseball.

I rolled into OKC for the first time in June 2015, having driven down from Kansas City that day, making a brief pit stop in Wichita, to see Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, home of the National Baseball Congress. I've known about this place for awhile, since it hosted the AAA championship game for a few years and consistently gets mentioned in various lists of "best ballpark".

As the name implies, the park is located in the Bricktown area of Oklahoma City, only a few blocks away from the home of the NBA's Thunder. The park features a decent redbrick façade (who isn't doing brick these days?) and some statues of Oklahoman baseball legends including Johnny Bench and Mickey Mantle. I caught a game featuring the newly minted San Francisco affiliate Sacramento and the equally new Oklahoma City Dodgers, who were in their first year with that affiliation and were playing it up quite a bit. Everything from ballpark signage to the uniforms to a recording of Vin Scully welcoming everyone to "Dodgertown". It was prominent, but avoided being over the top. However, the night did suffer from the curse of the midweek home game as a "good for a Wednesday" kind of crowd showed. Most of the time I seem to hit the PCL parks when no one is home. Oh well.

The plus from my perspective was the concessions, which featured a variety of options including my choice, the Chicken Fried Steak sandwich, which I did have to wait for, but being as I arrived well before game time, this wasn't so bad. I don't remember any other choices, but do remember having to think for a bit before getting in line, which usually means only good things.

Overall, a nice park that was a little empty and a little quiet when I attended, but above average food options.

Update 2022: Looking back at the box score, both Corey Seager and Austin Barnes were in the OKC lineup that day. I still haven't made it back down here. It was an option for a potential Texas trip, but I ended up choosing a Midwestern swing instead. When I do finally go that way, this will be a strong favourite for a stop going down or up. 

Linescore

2015-06-03

                                                    123  456   789   R H E

Sacramento River Cats(SF)        100   120  003  7 11 0
Oklahoma City Dodgers(LAD)     000   000   003  3 9 0

Time: 2:21 Temp: 86F Att: 4,082