Principal Park

 Iowa Cubs, International League

7/10

The crowd files in through a side gate. The gate behind home plate wasn't being used.

The park is still relatively empty with the Des Moines skyline visible over the third base side.

The field is prepared with the Iowa state capitol visible to the right of the batter's eye.

Bonus Shot: Had to get at least one photo of baseball being played. You can see the capitol lit up in the background.

I trundled into Des Moines, Iowa's largest city and state capital coming off a game the night before in Kansas City. The very hot, humid weather followed me. The Cubs had a Saturday night home game against the St. Paul Saints, who since I'd seen them around 6 years prior, had moved into the affiliated ranks, becoming the Minnesota Twins AAA affiliate.

This park opened in the early 1990s and is yet another Populous design. The Cubs have had the affiliation since before it was built. It's located in the heart of Des Moines, at the intersection of the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. There is a front and back tier of seats, with an aisle between them, plus the concourse under the seats. It looks something like a bigger version of the several 5,000 seat Populous parks I'd been to before. There are some outfield seats, in metal bleachers in right, or a club in left, plus numerous suites. It was a somewhat smaller crowd for a Saturday night, a little over half full. The atmosphere was very standard for Triple A.

I ended up driving after the game, so did not take a ton of notes. Concession was not remarkable either way. This was likely a very top of the line park when it opened, but now it's pretty average. Still, I'm glad I got this one in. 7/10.

Linescore

2025-06-07

                                   123   456  789  RHE

St. Paul Saints(MIN)  100   031   010  660

Iowa Cubs(CHC)        000  101   010  362 

Time: 2:52  Temp: 89F  Att: 6,508 

Cubs Park

Chicago Cubs (Spring Training)

9/10

A healthy crowd takes in the Cubs/Angels

This place is jaw dropping for many reasons, including the teeming mass of humanity on the outfield berms. Not a patch of grass to be had.

I hate sitting this close, or paying this much, but it was this or not going and it would've been a long flight home without at least one new park.

 This place was the only new park I got in for my 2014 Cactus League trip. The Cubs moved to Cubs Park(now "Sloan Park") for 2014 after deciding that their old digs at HoHoKam Park weren't good enough for their growing fan base in the Cactus and also seeing Salt River Fields elevating Spring Training facilities to a whole new level of amenities....and prices. But at any rate, they didn't move far, less than 4 miles as the crow drives, staying within Mesa, building a 15,000 seat stadium, the largest for Spring Training anywhere. 

Firstly, this place is expensive. Ticket prices are high, food prices are high, parking's around average, but the ingress is a disaster(more on this later). Still, I don't really rate parks based on how affordable or expensive they are, because everyone has a different view of how much things are worth anyway. At any rate, I digress....

Overall, Cubs Park is pretty impressive. It's enormous, easily comparable to a newer AAA stadium, but with major league concessions, which we hardly got into in one day, but not limited to the Turkey Burger or Pulled Pork Hot Dog as options. I watched the first game here on WGN and they had a 5 minute feature during the game on just the food, with the whole telecast coming across like a big commercial to get out to Arizona. The stadium is really well laid out architecture wise, as almost the entire seating bowl, from foul pole to foul pole is under a giant sun shade, which even as the afternoon drags on, doesn't have many gaps. Atmosphere here was largely reflective of a new park, with lots of curious onlookers, snowbirds wanting to see "the new park" and of course, legions of Cubs fans.

The only knock on this place was the fact it was just so crowded, which usually is only so much of a problem, but I anticipated crowds. I also anticipated that at a new park in its first season, things might not run so smooth. So we left the west valley super early, then got off the 202 at 1215 rolled into Mesa and hit a BRICK WALL. It took about an hour to get from the exit, into a parking spot, then from there, back to the ballpark and into our seats, meaning we were in the neighbourhood almost an hour prior to game time and still late.

If the Cubs want to have a "Premium Tier" park to match Salt River, they need to make the experience match up too. I didn't go back in 2014 or 2015, because tickets were simply not possible to get, unless at a substantial markup. Given the choice between 2 and a half hours in the car from the West Valley to Mesa and 20 minutes round trip to Goodyear for the cheapest tickets anywhere, it was not a hard call. For now, my advice is to all but the most loyal Cub fans, go once, enjoy, then stay away and wait a second, until the prices and crowds die down. One of my cardinal rules(no pun intended) of Cactus League games is to avoid the Cubs, as the crowds follow.

But, don't let that take away from this place, which is still pretty impressive. Just don't plan on going too regularly, for your own sake.

Update 2021: The Cubs continue to draw well here. I haven't been to the Cactus league since a short pit stop in 2017, but did not even attempt to come back here, as ticket prices and traffic keep this one down my list. It's been 7 years now, so it should start to work its way up.

Linescore:

2014-03-25

                                123   456   789  R H E

Los Angeles(AL)     100  100  006   8 13 0

Chicago(NL)           020   010  100  4   9 1

Temp: N/A   Time: N/A    Att: 15,276

PK Park

Eugene Emeralds (Northwest League)

8/10

No doubting who the landlord is here. Nice facade though.

A decent crowd takes in a Sunday evening contest versus cross-state rivals Hillsboro.

Overall, this is a decent little place.

My first visit to PK Park was on my 2014 summer loop. The Ems were taking on the 2nd year Hillsboro Hops in a Sunday evening match up. We arrived after a long drive from Sacramento and I was looking for a good game to move on from a disappointing night there. This was the first time I'd seen a team in 2 different parks, after seeing the Emeralds twice in Civic Stadium.

The Emeralds ended up moving in here after their old park started to show it's age. Fortunately for them, the University of Oregon brought it's Baseball program back up to the varsity level and built PK Park, in the parking lot of Autzen Stadium, where the football team plays. "The Autzen Zoo", where the ticket office for the Emeralds is located as well, dwarfs this relatively small ballpark.

PK Park has a relatively steep seating bowl, with some suites on top. The field has not the greatest backdrop, of the practice facility for the school's soccer teams and some tall trees. Concessions are slightly above average, featuring such random items as the Bison(Buffalo) corn dog. The atmosphere here was also slightly notable, as having been here 3 times, I can tell you Eugene is a baseball town.

Overall, this place is a sadly much needed upgrade to Civic Stadium that the Emeralds badly needed and all they had to do was switch landlords. I'm in no hurry to go back, but this place is worth at least 1 visit.

Update 2019: The Emeralds are now the Cubs affiliate in the NWL. They continue to draw decent crowds, averaging just over 3,400 a game. I can't find a reliable number for how the Ducks draw at their park, but for 2019, it was less than this. Eugene is not on the chopping block as part of the reorganization of MiLB and I'd be very surprised if this changed. This is the last park until the bay area, so it always has a decent chance of snagging me for a game on the way through.

Linescore
2014-08-17
                                          123   456   789 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17  R H E
Hillsboro Hops(ARI)              100  330   000  0  0   0   0   0   0   0    2   9 17 1
Eugene Emeralds(SD)          500  200   000  0  0  0    0    0   0   0   0   7 16 3
Time: 5:28 Temp: 79F  Att: 2,543

Wrigley Field

Chicago Cubs, National League

10/10

 Pre game photo number 1 prior to Cubs/Cardinals

 Here's #2.

During game 2 versus the Pirates, this post completely obstructed the pitcher's mound from my seat.

I had the good fortune(and judgement) to go to Wrigley Field for 2 games in 2012, on a Friday Afternoon against the Cardinals and the following Tuesday night against the Pirates, as part of a loop out of Chicago. I did not, however, have the good judgement to download the ton of photos I took before flying home, and when I returned home, my camera wasn't in my suitcase. Did it get swiped at the hotel? Out of my bag? Did I forget it somewhere? The questions haunt me still.... The good news, is unlike any other park from that trip, I did get some cellphone photos, so there's something here.

Anyway, Wrigley Field is simply put, amazing. I haven't been to Fenway Park yet, but it is likely the only one that compares to this. It is a veritable baseball time machine. Walking into the narrow concourse with numerous concession stands dotting the aisles is a real experience. Prior to 2015 at least, the Cubs had managed to keep Wrigley true to it's heritage, minimizing billboards and video screens. The atmosphere is second to none. Red shirts dotted the stands as numerous Cardinal fans from Chicago, St. Louis and all points between turned out for one of the great rivalry matchups in baseball. This happened to a lesser extent with the Pirates. The stadium and atmosphere were a big plus. The only possible knock is the presence of posts. My ticket for the Pittsburgh game was a bit of a let down after a post literally obstructed the pitcher's mound(see my photo).

Whether it was Cub fans living and dying with the Cubs/Cardinals or giving a sarcastic cheer after a recent Cub callup from Iowa (finally) broke up A.J. Burnett's no-hit bid in the 8th inning, it is an atmosphere like few others. San Francisco, St. Louis and Los Angeles(either one) are good comparisons.

And the food.....during the 2nd game especially, I stuffed my face. I cant even remember, but the highlight for me was the Chicago style deep dish pizza. It was like Pizza and cornbread? shortcake? had a love child right there on Addison, try it. Everything I ate here was great.

The only other sort of knock is the lack of parking, which shows the park's age. I took public transit the 2nd game and while it's busy, I do recommend it. The Cubs are still limited to so many night games a year, to avoid the ire of locals, so most games end around the evening rush hour. Still, I was able to get to Gary, in nearby Indiana, for a night game in time for first pitch.

I absolutely LOVE Wrigley. I love it. There's simply no comparison and if you have the opportunity, even if you don't like baseball(does that describe anyone here?) you need to go.

Update 2017:  Looking up the box scores from this game, AJ Burnett did record a 1 hitter in my second game here, which is the closest to a no-hitter I've come. Wrigley did undergo a pretty significant renovation, with ownership having to vaguely threaten to move the team into the suburbs to get it done. While a relatively small LCD screen had been added in 2012, when I went, a much larger one was added during these renos in left center field. Still, the ballpark's character appears to have been respected. I would like to go back soon, for some actual pictures and to see the renos, but wasn't willing to give up new parks on my latest trip through Chicago. This park stays at a 10, with the facility, food and atmosphere well above par. A must see.

Linescores
2012-07-27
                        123  456  789  R  H  E
St. Louis           141  110  100  9  10  1
Chicago(NL)      303  000  000  6  10 1
Temp:77F  Time: 3:03  Att: 40,778

2012-07-31
                         123   456  789  RHE
Pittsburgh           400  000   100  580
Chicago(NL)        000  000   000  013
Temp:75F  Time: 2:50  Att: 33,158

HoHoKam Stadium

Oakland Athletics(Spring Training)

8/10

The exterior of the ballpark was somewhat bland and didn't do it justice. See the new one further down.

The stadium teems with rooters for a Satuday afternoon clash with San Diego.

Another shot of a nice crowd.

Bonus Picture: This shot from the left field pole shows the layout of the grandstand, with only a few spectators dotting the seats.

The newly repainted exterior really "pops" (I hate that phrase, but it's true). No wondering who plays here.

A giant new LED scoreboard welcomed me in 2014

Pre-game preparations for Cubs/Oakland

HoHoKam Stadium was the Chicago Cubs Spring Home from 1997-2013. I've been to two games here, a Fall League game in 2011 and a Cactus League game the next spring. HoHoKam was the last Cactus League park I went to and I was glad to have all of them in the bag.

My first experience with this park was in the fall league, seeing a decent game with only around 50 people in the stands. The fans ended up bunching up in the middle innings as it began to rain, with the only cover in the back few rows.

Still, the Fall league doesn't give you a really good picture of a park, so I decided that I had to get this one in for 2012. We headed over for a Saturday afternoon game versus the Padres and found out that in March, the area gets unbelievably crowded on game days. Traffic is bad, parking is worse and you must brave the crowds for everything from food to the toilet. This place averaged over 10,000 people....in 1999(!) and it hasn't let up since. I'd recommend avoiding the Cubs when they're on the road and only going to their home games when you feel you must(Cubs fans are exempt from this). The Cubs know they have a good thing going in Mesa, so prices for everything from tickets to concessions can be relatively high. The exterior is a bland grey, although Cubs legends names and numbers are in the sidewalk outside, which I thought was a nice touch.

On the plus side, this is a nice place to watch a game. There is an upper concourse effectively dividing the park in half, the lower seats are close to the action, but the loge seats have most of the shade. The atmosphere is pretty good, the Cubs have a pretty good contingent come to Arizona from the Chicago winter, following them from park to park around the Valley.

But, the park was at its limit and the Cubs decided they'd rather build their own and for 2014, they will be training at Cubs Park, a brand new 15,000(!) seat facility about two miles west, but still in Mesa. The Cubs were giving up a few thousand paying customers for every home game and the neighbourhood wasn't handling the game day crowds too easily. But unlike most ballparks that get passed by, HoHoKam is still relevant. The Oakland A's, training in Phoenix at Municipal Stadium, see HoHoKam as a massive improvement over their current digs, particularly on the training side of things, so after a year to get ready, Cactus League baseball will return in 2015. HoHoKam is now one of the older parks in the area, but with the A's wisely choosing to move in, it will be in the Cactus League loop for years to come.

Update 2016: I managed to get back here to see the A's version of this place in 2015, it's first season since Oakland's return and was pretty happy with the work that'd been done. The two big differences I caught were the Facade and the Scorboard. The board is a big new LED job which in my opinion, does add to the experience slightly, while the park is painted(on the outside) in A's colours. On the inside, things are only so different, with concessions being adequate and the atmosphere being around normal for Spring Training. Still, the improvements here are worthy of a point for facility, so this place goes up to 8/10. If I was in the East Valley(as opposed to out west) I'd likely make this a regular.

Linescores

2011-10-16
                                  123    456   789    RHE
Surprise Saguaros         000   052   001   891
Mesa Solar Sox             201  210   001   791
Temp: 83F  Time: 2:45  Att: 145

2012-03-24
                                123    456   789    RHE          
San Diego                  000  300   002    591
Chicago Cubs             010  000   000    133
Temp: 86F  Time: 2:40   Att: 12,872

2015-03-24
                         123    456   789    R  H  E
Chicago Cubs      101    000   000   2  6  2
Oakland               226    120  10x    14 18 1
Temp: N/A  Time: 3:27   Att: 9,032