Safeco Field

Seattle Mariners, American League

10/10

Seattle's finest keep an eye on the crowd leaving out the left field gate after a game against the Jays in 2010.

            

Finally got a decent, centered shot facing out here in 2015.

The shot with the roof closed is also centered now.

Me and Safeco Field go back a long way. This was my third Major League park, after the then-Skydome and Kingdome. I remember watching the first ever game here against the Padres in 1999 on a summer road trip, on television. Before long, we were down here, seeing amongst other teams, the Blue Jays, Royals, Devil Rays, Red Sox and Blue Jays again. Each time was for two games, for a total of 10, making it my most attended park at any level. So I know this one best of all. It is one of my absolute favourites, no doubt about it.

But where to even start? Firstly, Safeco is a retro-modern park and it does quite well. The main entrance is apparently inspired by Ebbets Field, but I mostly used the outfield entrances, which are adorned with banners of the biggest names on the team and feature some decent art installations of key moments in club history. The upper concourse features banners dedicated to many different baseballers, many who never played for the Mariners, including some Negro Leaguers and a few NPB players.

Some of the other quirks of Safeco include a hand-operated scoreboard in Left Field, the standings of all three divisions of the AL via flags in left field and the retractable roof, which comes in handy the first few months of the season, although it doesn't help with the temperature. The park is located in the "SoDo" or SOuth of the DOme district, as Safeco was built next door to the Kingdome, with the team moving over in the middle of the 1999 season. Qwest Field was built on the Kingdome site. The area is dotted with pubs and is only a few blocks from Pioneer Square.

The atmosphere in Seattle is in the top tier of the MLB parks I've been to to date. Mariner fans love their team and while there aren't as many of them coming out in recent years, they loyally supported sub-par teams for a long time before finally deciding to stay away(except when King Felix is pitching). Still, Mariner fans seem on the whole to be quite knowledgeable and while they cheer, they keep it clean and games with lots of opposing fans(the bigger clubs and the Blue Jays draw here) they are more of the "thanks for coming" type as opposed to something more sinister.

So many visits here means I know the food quite well. Besides standard ballpark fare, the Mariners have incorporated numerous local options into the menu. Firstly, Kidd Valley hamburgers make a nice gourmet burger and a great milkshake. Secondly, Ivar's seafood(deep-fried seafood, but still..) is another local treat. Thirdly, there is the "Red Hook". Red Hook make a few different kinds of beer now but "A Red Hook" gets you a nice India Pale Ale. Lastly, I almost forgot to mention the Garlic Fries. They could easily be the most popular thing in the park. By the late innings, you will smell garlic.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this park every time I go and if you are a serious ballparking type, you need to budget a few games here. If you're in town and looking for a good night out, head over if you can.

Update 2016: I have now seen 11 games here and will be upping that to 14 next month when I swing through for a three game set versus the Blue Jays. There are some interesting food choices in the center field concourse that I only remember being new, not much about them. I will head out there for sure when I go back.

Linescores

2000-07-27
                      123   456  789  R H E
Toronto              100  000 501  7 16 0
Seattle             000  020  000  2 7  1
Temp: 75F   Time: 3:26  Att: 40,398



2000-07-28          
                       123   456  789  RHE
Toronto              004  000  000  461
Seattle              021  300  10x  790
Temp: 70F  Time: 3:11   Att: 37,126

2003-08-26
                       123    456  789    R H E
Tampa Bay       300    000  000   3 7 0     
Seattle             000     040  50x  9 12 0
Temp: 72F   Time: 2:58  Att: 43,287

2003-08-27
                       123    456  789    R H E
Tampa Bay        021  020  021   8 11 2
Seattle               000   030  010   4 5  1
Temp: 73F   Time: 2:58   Att:  42,442

2004-08-26
                        123  456   789   R  H E
Kansas City        400  002   100   7 11 0
Seattle              100  001  001   3  8  3
Temp: 70F   Time:  3:08  Att:  30,962

2004-08-27
                       123  456    789   R  H  E
Kansas City       001  030  010   5  9  0
Seattle             000  031  03x  7 14 1
Temp: 66F  Time: 2:30  Att: 35,690


2007-06-25
               123   456  789  R H  E
Boston      002  000 002  4  8  1
Seattle       010  050 30x  9 10 1
Temp: 65F  Time: 3:21   Att: 33,830
        
2007-06-26
                 123   456  789  R  H  E
Boston     101  022  010  7 14 1
Seattle      310  022  00x  8 12 1
Temp: 73F  Time: 3:25  Att: 35,045

2010-05-19


               123   456   789  R H E
Toronto     001  200  000    3 6 1
Seattle     000  000  200   2  10 1
Temp: 57F  Time: 2:36 Att: 19,208

2010-05-20
               123   456  789  RHE
Toronto     000  020  100  350
Seattle     001  000  003  480
Temp: 52F  Time: 2:35  Att: 20,452

2015-07-26
               123   456  789  10 R H E
Toronto      130  000 100   0  5 9 1
Seattle      102  000 200   1  6 13 1
Temp:66F  Time: 3:05  Att: 35,159