Florida Auto Exchange Stadium

Toronto Blue Jays, Spring Training
Dunedin Blue Jays, Florida State League

6/10

The main entrance to the park is pretty nondescript.

The best view from behind home plate I could get without blocking someone.

A decent crowd hangs around to watch the Blue Jays get polished off by the national team.

I finally finally made it to Dunedin after many years of ballparking for a spring training match up in 2017. The game saw the Jays taking on the Canadian entry for that year's WBC. The Jays were missing a few regulars to other WBC camps and a few to injury, so it was a Quadruple-A roster to start. J.A. Happ was shelled right out of the gate as the Canadian nationals went on to win their only game of the 5 pre-tournament and round robin games they played, with little struggle.

The park itself is quite old, opening in 1990, although it somehow looks older than that. It's a facility that is definitely lacking in many areas, the least of which is the cramped team store, in an outbuilding off the concourse, seats that are benches, with not much room between people or in the aisle and a general lack of parking in the area. I ended up parking about 3 blocks away on the lawn of a bar for about 10 dollars(free drink ticket included!). The concourse is a little narrow, but is mostly kept clear.

Concession, on the other hand, is also lacking in options, but at the very least, prices are comparatively low. Atmosphere was tough to judge with the non-MLB opponent for this one, but I'd say it's slightly above average, but not deserving of special recognition. Overall, I'd take off a full point for facility, which would leave this as a 6. It looks more like a bigger, dated, minor league park, as opposed to most of the other Spring Training ones. It's way too big for the High-A team it hosts in the Florida State League, which usually averages just under 800 fans per game.

But, the Blue Jays themselves are well aware of the park's shortcomings and are working on it. More of concern to the team is that the minor league complex and training fields are a 15 minute drive away. A 5 minute drive was enough to have the Oakland side desert Phoenix Municipal for Mesa. This was a big bone of contention for the Jays, but it appears they're willing to live with it, as a tentative deal will see this stadium and the training complex both heavily renovated, even if they remain a fair distance apart.

I will likely give this one a pass until renovations are completed and try to see the Blue Jays in Clearwater or Tampa.

Linescore
2017-03-07
                         123  456   789   R H E
Canada             122  000   011   7 13 0
Toronto             000  000  100   1  2  2
Temp: N/A  Time: N/A Att: N/A

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers, National League

9/10

Large photos of Dodger players line the outside of the Stadium in 2009.

The view from the upper deck pre-game vs. Arizona in 2009.

Packed house on a hot summer night versus San Diego in 2013.

I have been to Dodger Stadium twice. I went in 2009 to watch LA play the Diamondbacks and again in 2013 where they played San Diego on a Saturday Night. I found the first visit quite a bit better, but it was mostly not the ballpark's fault. Anyhow...

In '09 I was already in the LA area having been to Anaheim twice and Rancho Cucamonga the night before. I ended up going up Pacific Coast Highway and exploring Malibu, before checking out Will Rogers State Park before driving to the ballpark and arriving pretty early. I didn't know the aggravation I'd saved myself at the time. I was in the upper deck and remember a real cultural mosaic in our section. People from all different backgrounds just sat and watched baseball.The game was close, with a few lead changes, I enjoyed a Dodger Dog and it ended up going 10 innings. Ronnie Belliard(was it Ronnie Belliard?) hit a homer in his first at bat as a Dodger, Manny Ramirez hit a home run and utterly mangled a routine fly ball to left.  ESPN quipped after the game that it "looked like the ball was chasing Manny and he was trying to get away from it."  The game itself went into an extra inning before the Diamondbacks pulled out a win. After the game ended, I was caught up in the legendary Dodger Stadium traffic and funneled onto the Long Beach Freeway. Pre-GPS, I had no idea where to go and ended up in East Los Angeles, doing a U-turn via Olympic Blvd, before heading north and out of town.

In 2013, I came down from the North Bay area, having seen the A's the night before. My scenic detour along the Pacific Coast Highway and Monterey really hosed me and I got into the area 20 minutes before the first pitch. I promptly ended up stuck in traffic trying to exit the 110 Freeway. Then, out of nowhere, I decided to hit the detour button. I ended up getting into Chavez Ravine by driving past the LA Fire Academy and after stop for food and souvenirs, got to my seat in the bottom of the 2nd. It was a Saturday night game against San Diego in the midst of a pennant race, so it was crowded. I ended up with an obstructed view seat at the back of the 1st level, next to a very angry Japanese tourist, clutching his Japanese language guide to the MLB rosters. It was very hot and my Dodger yearbook ended up going for a walk, although I ended up getting a free jersey and a t-shirt for my stepfather, who lived in the LA area for a few years as a kid after his family emigrated from Northern Ireland. When he passed away that winter, the Jersey was buried with him. He and his very English father ended up watching Sandy Koufax pitch at the LA Coliseum......anyway.

On the whole, I really like Dodger Stadium. The only negative in my mind, is the location. Traffic, is horrendous. You need to be here a minimum of 90 minutes before the game starts to actually get parked and to your seat before first pitch. The park is basically built into a big hole. There is nothing around here but parking lots. Public transportation is just not a thing in this part of Los Angeles.

On the plus side. It's Dodger Stadium. It is the mecca that the Dodgers moved to the west coast to build. Sight lines are not bad, concessions are still above average, but the big thing is atmosphere. In the 2nd game, it was intense the people watching were in a borderline frenzy. They would not have looked out of place in the Roman Colosseum.

I gave this park a 10/10 the first go through, but after my experience at game #2, I had to take it down to a 9. Still a fantastic ballpark.

Update 2017: I have not been back here since my two visits, by coincidence, four years apart to the day. Rating it again based on my past memories, I'd give it a plus for both the facility and atmosphere, with the concessions being somewhere between average and a half point, so it stays at 9. Maybe in a few more years, I'll try and head back.

Linescores
2009-08-31
                                123   456  789  10  R H E
Arizona                    020  000    010 2  5  10  1
Los Angeles(NL)     010  002   000  0  3 5  1
Temp: 88F  Time: 3:02  Att: 45,211

2013-08-31
                               123   456  789 R H E
San Diego              000   100  000  1 10 1
Los Angeles(NL)  000    000  11x  2 13 0
Temp: 85F  Time: 2:53  Att: 53,121

Hammond Stadium

Minnesota Twins (Spring Training)
Fort Myers Miracle, Florida State League

No Rating

The park has a short, palm tree lined boulevard walking up to the main entrance.

A good crowd waits between innings of Cardinals/Twins.

A quick shot back at the press box.

I ended up having quite the day on my scheduled visit to Hammond Stadium. I had flown into Miami the night before, to find that my suitcase had hung back in Houston. I ended up waiting around until nearly 11 before the airline called, to let me know my case had hit town. After a quick run to MIA, I headed out for the drive across Alligator Alley to Fort Myers, knowing full well I would be very, very, late. After a grassfire in the area of I-75 slowed things down a bit, I arrived after the parking attendants had left and snagged a spot for free. A short usher conference determined I was still allowed in and I set an all time lateness record, walking in in the bottom of the 6th inning. By the time I arrived at my seat, the top of the 7th awaited me. A relatively large crowd greeted me, as the Cardinals( who always seem to have a following) were the opposition for the day.

My visit here was so rushed(I might have been inside for an hour) that I can't offer a whole ton of insight. It looks like a decent place, the concession appeared ok, but not great and the atmosphere was not bad, especially since as I mentioned, the Cardinals seem to drag a few fans from park to park with them. A tight  1-0 game into the bottom of the 9th saw the Redbirds get the first two outs, before the wheels fell off and the Cardinals threw away the game winning ground out twice in a row. The Twins won it in the 10th, which arriving so late, I was pretty excited was actually played.

Overall, looks like a decent place, but just way too rushed to really get to know it. I only have a few Grapefruit League parks left to do, this one is top of the list for a 2nd trip.

Linescore
2017-03-06
                       123    456   789 10 RHE
St. Louis           001   000    000  0  173
Minnesota         000  000    001  1  290
Temp: 76F   Time: 3:18  Att: 8,615

Smith's Ballpark

Salt Lake Bees, Pacific Coast League

8/10

 The crowed queues outside for a Monday night game versus El Paso.

Pre-game festivities well underway for the Bees/Chihuahuas

 The scenery of this ballpark is tough to beat.

After we left our seats to wander. About 60% of the crowd stayed until the end.

We rolled through here in the summer of 2014, having seen a game in Great Falls the previous afternoon and headed for a baseball-free evening in Las Vegas the next night. I had Salt Lake in mind for awhile, I'd heard nothing bad about it and the scenery was supposed to be amongst the best anywhere.

It was a Monday night match up seeing the hometown Bees lined up against the El Paso Chihuahuas. Monday is without question, the hardest sell for attendance, and like a lot of other clubs, Salt Lake go for the family crowd, which they got plenty of. We sat upper deck, first base side and the adult to child ratio was pretty low. I remember the concessions as nothing spectacular, but on second thought, there were a lot of unique choices. Atmosphere was alright, I vaguely remember some on field promotions/contests and the fans weren't terribly into the game, but did recognize good plays. We ended up sitting next to a guy in a Nashville Sounds jersey, who as it turned out, was on a similar trip, only with no Major League games....since 1994's strike. Some people have even better memories than me I suppose.

The best thing about Smith's Ballpark is actually the park itself, which is rare. The location is one plus. While there isn't anything too memorable right next to the park, there is a lot between the park and downtown. Light rail stops right next the ballpark and parking appeared to be easy enough. We walked about half an hour from downtown to the game after driving a good distance that day and besides the fact that it's around 35 Celsius in Utah in the summer, it wasn't bad at all.  I would gladly go to another game here and would recommend it.

Update 2017: We went back here again in 2015 for what ended up being a 7 inning game as part of a single admission doubleheader against Las Vegas. The ballpark is great, but this time, the atmosphere began to drag things down a little. It's par for the course that most people are quite casual about going to a game in this day and age, but the crowd at this game bordered on oblivious. A woman walked into our row and proceeded to stand there for about 40 minutes, talking to a friend she had run into. It had been kind of an inkling before but it seemed to cement that this is clearly a place to hang around first for some.

I really like this park, the food is average, but the atmosphere is non-existent, people don't care about the game at all. It's not bad enough to take off a point, but I did consider it. Salt Lake is an area I swing through usually at least once a year, but I'd prefer giving Ogden another look before coming back here.

Linescores
2014-08-11
                                           123  456  789  R H E
El Paso Chihuahuas (SD)       002   010  202  7 9 1
Salt Lake Bees (LAA)            322   001  00X   8 10 1
Temp: 94F  Time: 3:02  Att: 10,817  


2015-08-08
                                           123  456  7  RHE
Las Vegas 51s (NYM)           112   000  0  490
Salt Lake Bees (LAA)            001  000 0  140
Temp: 77F  Time: 2:32  Att: 11,176