Results tagged ‘ Rochester Red Wings ’
Rochester Red Wings – May 17
Way back in 2010, when I decided to visit as many MLB and MiLB parks as I could and start The Ballpark Guide, my first stop was in Rochester. (If you want to read my first ballpark visit blog entry, you can do so here. Just excuse the wonky formatting.) In the years since, I’ve thought fondly of Frontier Field and always looked forward to returning. I got back to Rochester for another visit last summer, but when I was planning my current 13-day baseball road trip, I couldn’t resist starting out at Frontier Field.
Leading up to this trip, there were many reasons to be excited about returning to Rochester. First, the overall selection and quality of food is the best I’ve encountered. Second, I think Frontier Field is beautiful; it’s one of my favorite places to watch a ballgame. Of course, before I got to kick back in the sun and enjoy something tasty to eat, I had to cross the border. Ugh:
It’s a long weekend back in Canada, so the traffic was ridiculous. I sat within sight of the border crossing for 45 minutes before getting through, and then it was clear sailing all the way through to Rochester. If you’ve read this blog for some time, you’ll likely recall that I like seeing a few sites in each city I visit, time permitting. One spot I wanted to check out this time is Rochester’s High Falls, which looked cool online and isn’t too far from Frontier Field. Although it’s not exactly Niagara Falls, it’s a neat scene and worth visiting when you’re in town:
In fact, it’s just a short walk from the ballpark. Here’s the view from the opening of the walkway leading toward the bridge over the falls. As you can see, the ballpark is in the distance:
I always wander around whenever I get to a ballpark, and even though this was my third trip to Frontier Field, I stopped to take this panorama by the front gate:
I think you’ll agree that it’s a beauty of a ballpark. One neat feature that I hadn’t noticed in the past — or perhaps that’s new — is some old seats from, I’m guessing, Silver Stadium:
Silver Stadium was the home of the Red Wings from 1929 to 1996. In fact, I plan to check out the site of the old stadium today before tonight’s game.
As usual, I took a walk around the perimeter of the ballpark but this time, I didn’t go nuts with photos. I’ll just share this one:
I’m a sucker for modern brick parks, as I think they do an awesome job of paying tribute to the history of the game. The wrought-iron bars and old-style lights really give you an feel of what a park might’ve looked like several generations ago.
During this visit, the Red Wings were providing me with a media pass, so I wanted to get in early and check everything out. A quick thanks to Tim Doohan for the pass; Tim was with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs last season, and provided me with a pass during my visit there, too. Instead of going straight up to the press box, I went down to field level and saw that Rochester had just started hitting:
As you’ve seen in the past, I enjoy trying to collect a baseball from each park I visit. Getting in early means that I technically could’ve snagged a dozen BP home runs and foul balls, but I didn’t think that was very fair. So, in a move that might make you ballhawks’ heads explode, I tossed balls back onto the field when I found them. While walking through the seats and across the grass behind the outfield fence, I came across several balls. Some were partially hidden:
And others were easy to see:
Watching BP is one of my favorite experiences in baseball, and I prefer it at the minor league level. Instead of standing in a crowd of screaming fans at an MLB park, MiLB parks are virtually deserted during BP. I always make a point of sitting near the field and just taking it all in. One of the cool things about being in the park before it opens is seeing sights you wouldn’t otherwise see. For example, here’s a member of the visiting Durham Bulls hanging out with Red Wings pitcher Caleb Thielbar during BP:
And here’s Rochester manager Gene Glynn talking on his cellphone in the stands:
Back to the ballpark itself: As you no doubt know if you’ve been to Rochester, it’s impossible to miss the Kodak building, which looms just across the street:
Much of the area beyond the outfield fence is closed off during games, but given that it was still open, I walked through the grass and watched some BP with this view:
The area around the Rochester bullpen was lined with lilacs, and I thought this made for a neat photo:
After walking around the entire park and watching a lot of BP, I decided to go up to the press box to check out the view:
It wasn’t long before I noticed these guys standing below me:
What the heck? I began to see more and more guys dressed like ballplayers from days of yore, so I quickly went back down to field level and it felt like I’d stepped onto the set of Field of Dreams. It was an odd juxtaposition. When I looked the left, this is what I saw:
But when I looked to my right, here was the scene:
When the Bulls wrapped up BP, it became clear that these old-timers were getting ready to play a game. Their umpire, who doubled as an announcer for the curious fans who entered the ballpark shortly after the historic game began, provided some clarity. The players were playing a short exhibition game with 1866 rules — no gloves, underhand pitching from 45 feet and no balls and strikes. It was fascinating. When the umpire called a batter to the plate, he yelled “striker to the line!” The umpire, dressed in black, is below:
As much as the 1866 version of the game was different, it was neat to see how much today’s game is similar — despite its evolution. I think guys today are thankful for the gloves, though. Imagine fielding a line drive with your bare hands.
Just as the game was wrapping up, I returned to the press box to meet up with Chris Fee. I got to know him a bit on Twitter a couple years ago when he was writing for the Bus Leagues Baseball website, and now he’s doing a bunch of Red Wings/Twins stuff for Twins Daily. It’s always neat to finally meet someone you’ve conversed with online, and Chris is a good guy. Give his Twitter account a follow and you’ll be glad you did. We blabbed baseball for maybe 15 minutes before I went back to field level to watch the warmups, which had begun after the clock struck 12 on the 1866 game. Here are a couple Bulls you’ll probably recognize:
That’s Shelley Duncan, who’s played more than 300 games in the bigs and Tim Beckham, the 2008 first-overall draft pick.
I wanted to take another full lap around the field before the game began in a few minutes, but the outfield was blocked off. As I turned to head back toward the third base line, a baseball caught my eye. It was stuck in the fence directly behind the visitor’s bullpen. Since the gates had been open for nearly an hour, I didn’t feel bad about grabbing the ball.
Once the game began, it didn’t take me long to seek out something to eat. I consider two items from Frontier Field as among the 10 best things I’ve ever eaten on my travels, but I was determined to branch out on this visit. I returned to the Red Osier concession stand but instead of getting the delicious sandwich I enjoyed last year, I got the R.O.B.B. sandwich — double roast beef on a salt and caraway seed bun with au jus sauce and plenty of horseradish:
It was absolutely delicious and I can safely say it’ll crack the top 10 when I redo the list in the off-season. Wow!
As for the game, I was especially excited to see prospect Wil Myers. Prior to the season, he was ranked fourth overall by Baseball America and MLB, and it’s always neat to see a top prospect in person. I grabbed a seat behind home plate with this view:
The view, however, was better than Myers’ results throughout the game. He went just 1-for-5 and left three runners on base.
One guy who isn’t struggling is Wings first baseman Chris Colabello. He went 2-for-4 to boost his average to .350. He’s also got 11 HRs, 31 RBIs and an OPS of 1.059:
By the fifth inning, I can’t stay I was hungry, but I was hoping to find something else to eat. I don’t normally eat desserts at ballparks, but I’m always intrigued by Frontier Field’s crepe stand, so I decided to get an order of crepes with ice cream, fresh strawberries and blueberries and whipped cream:
Again, absolutely incredible! It didn’t taste like ballpark food; if I’d received it at a decent restaurant, I would’ve been more than happy.
Once dessert was down, I snapped this shot of the nighttime scene and the Kodak building in the background:
And then moved behind home plate where I enjoyed this view for the rest of the game, which Rochester won 11-6:
Funny thing about baseball — Rochester cruised through much of the game, leading 11-0 at one point. In the eighth, Durham’s offense went nuts and scored six runs. By the end of the once-lopsided contest, the Bulls had outhit the Wings 12-11.
Yesterday’s visit just reaffirms how great Frontier Field is. I’m already looking forward to getting back there later today for the Pepsi Max Field of Dreams game. It features a bunch of retired MLB legends, and promises to be entertaining.
Second Annual Top 10 Ballpark Food I’ve Eaten
In February 2012, I wrote a blog post counting down the 10 best things I’d eaten on my travels in 2010 and 2011. I thought it’d be fun to do, but had no idea of the response I’d get. It’s been one of my top three most-read blog posts to date and my ballpark eating exploits even got mentioned in the Dallas Observer! In honor of Opening Day 2013, it’s time to reveal what things I ate in 2012 were good enough to crack the top 10 list.
As with last year’s list, I’m only considering things I’ve personally eaten and this is an overall list, not just a list of 2012 food. Grab your Rolaids and get ready for your stomach to start growling; you might need to grab a bite after seeing this list. In the list below, you’ll see the name of the item, the park at which I bought it and the team that calls the park home. The number in brackets is last year’s ranking; as you might guess, an “NR” note means it’s new to this list.
** When I released this list, I said I’d post an honorable mention item if I reached 200 followers on Twitter. You responded, so here’s the item, as promised. Thanks for all the follows and for all those who retweeted my message about getting to 200 followers! **
Honorable mention: Curverogie – Peoples Natural Gas Field – Altoona Curve (NR)
I’ve had a number of different types of sandwiches on my ballpark travels, but Altoona’s Curverogie is certainly one that stands out. Introduced to the menu in 2012, it features ham, onions, cheese and an enormous pierogi. As you can see, it was absolutely loaded with ham, and complemented with a nice, crusty roll, it was delicious. It doesn’t quite crack the top 10 because the pierogi was sort of lost among the strong tastes of the ham and onions, but this is still a sandwich I’d buy again and again.
10. Old Bay pretzel – Prince George’s Stadium – Bowie Baysox (6)
Although I ate this pretzel way back in 2011, it’s still the best pretzel I’ve ever eaten. A reader of this blog told me that Bowie didn’t sell the Old Bay pretzel in 2012. I haven’t confirmed that, but if so, it’s too bad. If you like a tangy combination of Old Bay, two types of cheese and pretzel dough, this is a real treat.
9. Shopsy’s Bill Cosby Triple Decker – Rogers Centre – Toronto Blue Jays (4)
Rye bread, corned beef, smoked meat, sauerkraut, cheese and mustard. Mmmm. I tried this enormous sandwich in 2011 and loved it … and then had it again this summer and it was bad enough to slide down five spots on my list. The 2012 version of the sandwich was largely cold, which really didn’t work well. It’s expensive enough that it’s got to be tasty to order, and the verdict is out as to whether I’ll try it again.
8. Clam chowder – Northeast Delta Dental Stadium / LeLacheur Park - N.H. Fisher Cats / Lowell Spinners (8/NR)
We’ve got a tie in the eighth spot on this list! I really enjoyed the clam chowder I had in New Hampshire in 2011, and I’m including the bowl I enjoyed in 2012 in Lowell as a split entry, given that they tasted exactly the same. I had a cold during my visit to Lowell, so the piping hot soup was a welcome relief on my throat. You’ll see above that I had oyster crackers on my soup in New Hampshire, but didn’t bother in Lowell. Still, a really tasty soup for a chilly evening at the park. (Odd how I was sitting in virtually the same spot in both parks, huh?)
7. Steak and cheese sandwich – Fenway Park – Boston Red Sox (NR)
I love red meat, so I’ve had steak and cheese sandwiches at a number of parks. This one was made to order, just like at Subway, which was a nice touch. The bun was soft and doughy, the steak was surprisingly fresh and the addition of hot sauce made this sandwich jump. And, hey, the scenery made this sandwich taste even better.
6. Chickie’s & Pete’s crab fries – Arm & Hammer Park – Trenton Thunder (NR)
Here’s an item that has grown on me since my visit to Trenton last May. I’ll admit I didn’t know what crab fries were, and when I realized they didn’t have anything to do with crab, I was slightly disappointed. But as far as fries go, they were delicious — just the right texture (not bony but not too soft) and the Old Bay was a nice addition. The warmed white cheddar sauce served with them was perfect for dipping, and the portion size was huge, too.
5. Boog’s BBQ turkey sandwich – Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Baltimore Orioles (4)
As I said above, I’m a big red meat fan, but the turkey sandwich I had in B’More in 2011 was outstanding. And meeting 1970 AL MVP Boog Powell at his concession stand was an added bonus. A word to the wise — the horseradish is molten hot. Go easy.
4. Red Osier prime rib sandwich – Frontier Field – Rochester Red Wings (NR)
The highest-debuting entry on this year’s edition of the list, the Red Osier prime rib sandwich in Rochester was amazing. I’ll concede that the photo isn’t overly great; I snapped it fast because I wanted to get eating. The prime rib was the best I’ve eaten outside of a steak house and far better than Quiznos prime rib, for reasons of comparison. I’m definitely hitting Red Osier when I visit Rochester again. Thanks to a few readers of this blog who told me to check this item out — you were absolutely right!
3. Quaker Steak & Lube chicken wings - Rogers Centre – Toronto Blue Jays (3)
Unlike my second experience with the Shopsy’s Bill Cosby Triple Decker, I ate the Quaker Steak & Lube chicken wings again at Rogers Centre this past fall and they were just as good as ever. Hot, meaty and flavorful. There’s nothing else to want in a chicken wing. I went to an actual Quaker Steak & Lube restaurant in Cleveland in 2011 and I’m happy to report the quality of the ballpark wings isn’t any less than at the restaurant.
2. Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese – Frontier Field – Rochester Red Wings (2)
The buffalo mac and cheese at Frontier Field was the first thing I ate since starting The Ballpark Guide in 2010, and it remains the second-best thing I’ve eaten. Nearly three years after eating it, I still consider is the best mac and cheese I’ve ever eaten and will have a hard time saying no to it when I’m in Rochester this year.
1. Bo Brooks crab cake sandwich – Ripken Stadium – Aberdeen IronBirds (1)
The crab cake sandwich in Aberdeen hangs onto the championship belt for another year. As I wrote last year, it’s the type of sandwich you could eat every inning. The crab tasted fresh and didn’t have that gross seafood odor. The tomato and lettuce were a nice touch, the bun was tasty and the Old Bay (which seems to be prevalent on this list) just topped everything off. I wonder if 2013 will finally be the year I find something better at the ballpark.
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Empire State Yankees – July 19
On July 17, 2010, I made Rochester’s Frontier Field the first ballpark I visited since coming up with the idea for my website, The Ballpark Guide. This past Thursday, almost exactly two years later, I made a nine-hour round trip to visit Frontier Field again. This time, I was joined by my photographer friend Ryan, who visited Centennial Field in Burlington, VT, with me last summer. So, the photos you’ll see below are a mix of his photos and mine.
It’s my goal to eventually visit every MLB and MiLB park, which means repeat visits aren’t normally on the agenda. But ever since that first visit two years ago, I’ve looked forward to returning to Rochester. The ballpark is absolutely incredible, the food is amazing and the team has been extremely helpful and kind to me since the start. If those aren’t good reasons to go back, I don’t know what is.
Ryan and I met at 5:30 a.m., set the GPS for Rochester and drove for several hours. Although I’m always excited on every baseball road trip, I get even more pumped up when approaching the park, and as we drove through Rochester, we could see signs for Frontier Field. Eventually, we were able to see the ballpark’s red sign in the distance:
We had extra reason to be excited for this trip, because the Rochester Red Wings were giving us media passes and a pre-game tour before the park’s gates opened. A special shout-out to the team’s director of marketing Matt Cipro and account executive Derek Swanson, who were immensely helpful leading up to (and during) our visit. I’ve had a number of tours of different parks in the past, and they’re great because they give me a deeper understanding and appreciation for the park and all its features.
This game was unique in that the Red Wings weren’t playing. As you may know, Frontier Field is also being used by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees this summer, as their home field, PNC Field, is under a major renovation.
Instead of parking in the main lot, we were able to drive straight into the VIP lot, because Matt had put my name on the VIP list. We parked here:
And then, Ryan got a photo of me wearing the new T-shirt I made up for this visit:
The VIP lot is also where the players park, and it’s always fun to check out some of the nice cars, including this Jaguar:
We parked about 9:25 a.m., and with our tour with Derek scheduled for 10 a.m., we had a bit of time to wander around the outside of the park and take some photos. We checked out the view from the main lot across the street:
The empty pavilion in front of the main gates:
And a Red Wings sticker on a light post in the parking lot:
I normally travel alone, so documenting everything can be a lot of work. Luckily, as I was taking some shots of the side of Frontier Field …
… I glanced over to my right to see Ryan capturing the visiting Charlotte Knights:
The team had just pulled up in a coach and was heading toward the door that would take them down to the clubhouse:
After the players disappeared, we continued walking down Morrie Silver Way, parallel with the bricked side of Frontier Field. I love this park’s old-school feel, and I looked up to capture this shot that I really like:
(I think it looks neat in black and white.)
When we reached Plymouth Avenue North, we could turn and look through the outfield gates to see inside the ballpark:
There’s something really cool about seeing an almost-empty park but knowing it’ll be hopping in a short period of time. We continued along the outside of the fence behind the outfield fence …
… while I kept a watchful eye out for any baseballs that might’ve been hiding in the grass from the previous day’s game or batting practice. (Fortunately, I didn’t find any. And when I say “fortunately,” it’s because I’d have faced a moral dilemma about climbing the fence. Just kidding. Sort of.)
Then, we turned back and passed by the outfield gate again …
… and made our way back down Morrie Silver Way toward the front of the park:
The pavilion in front of the gates was still quiet, and since it was a couple minutes before 10, we went into the park’s office to meet Matt and Derek. Soon, they arrived and Matt gave us our passes. Instead of a traditional media pass, we were given premium-level tickets to allow us to sit anywhere, as well as photo passes that would get us anywhere we wanted to be.
Derek led us out into the cross-aisle behind home plate, where we began our tour. There’s a wide cross-aisle that wraps around Frontier Field, and a huge opening directly behind home plate. It’s a perfect area for trying to catch a foul ball, as evidenced by this sign:
The tour quickly went down to the field:
No matter how many times I get the fortune of standing on a professional baseball field, it never gets old! From there, we went up the tunnel behind home plate…
… through the hallways around the clubhouses and training rooms and rode an elevator up to the suite level:
The entire time, Derek was telling us cool stories about Frontier Field, its history, its operations and pretty much everything you’d ever need to know. You could tell he loved his job and enjoyed taking people on tours.
We made a quick stop in the press box:
And then went to check out some of the suites. Although the suite common area, shown above, is enclosed, you access the suites via a walkway that you can see in the eighth photo of this post. As we walked along the suite level, I noticed the Rolls-Royce suite, so I couldn’t resist commenting on it:
Without hesitation, Derek pulled out a key, opened the door and led us in. We went out to the box seats on the suite’s balcony, and I took this panorama:
The next suite we entered was the biggest in the park, and roughly three times the size of most of the other suites:
From this suite, we could see some of the Charlotte players warming up down the first base line:
And I also took a panorama to show the beautiful skyline beyond the outfield fence:
Derek explained that unlike a lot of MiLB parks, Frontier Field’s outfield isn’t overly cluttered with billboards. It’s mostly left open, which affords fans a great view of the cityscape. See the tan building behind the right field foul pole? There’s a cool story surrounding it. The Red Wings were affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles between 1961 and 2002, and when Frontier Field was built in 1996, it was built with the same field specs as Camden Yards, to give players a Camden Yards feel before they made it to Baltimore. The ballpark was placed so that the tan building could represent the B&O Warehouse, which is one of Camden Yards’ signature sights. Cool, huh?
Our tour took us all along the suite level, and in addition to seeing the indoor suites, we also checked out the open-air suites at each end. After going as far as we could on the third base side, we changed direction and went all the way to the Hardball Cafe, which is down the first base line. It’s a giant, open-air suite for groups of 100:
While there, a bottle of Red Wings wine caught our eye:
By now, Derek had spent probably 45 minutes with us, but still wanted to show us more. We went down to field level and out to the group picnic area behind the right field fence, where groups can eat here:
And then stand above the right field bullpen and watch the game or move to the seating bowl. We also saw the park’s most unique suite, the Power Alley Grille, which is enclosed in glass and situated in right-center:
And the most comfy seat in the house, just to the left field side of the outfield suite:
We then passed under the batter’s eye, which has a neon advertisement that is turned off during play and on between innings, which I think is really smart:
I can’t resist showing these unlit and lit shots taken once the game began:
And under the 25×35 video board in left field, which is the largest screen in the county:
(See the Empire State Yankees logo on the screen?)
In all, Derek spent about 75 minutes with us and gave us more information than I could’ve imagined. It was amazing of him to spend so much time with us, especially as the start of the game drew close. Thanks again, Derek!
Because we’d covered everywhere in the park during our tour, we decided to check out a few more sights and then grab some food in time for the first pitch. We made a brief stop at the team shop, where I enjoyed looking at the game-used bats, including this one used by Cincinnati’s Zack Cozart:
An area recognizing former Red Wing Cal Ripken, Jr.:
And this shot, which shows some of the engraved bricks that make up much of the open area down the third base line:
You’ll notice the Red Osier concession stand in the background. Last time I visited Frontier Field, I had an excellent bowl of gourmet mac and cheese, but many fans weren’t shy about telling me that I missed the park’s best item — a prime rib sandwich at Red Osier. I love beef, so I got an original Red Osier sandwich, added a bit of horseradish and documented the evidence before devouring it:
It was absolutely delicious. The meat seemed like actual prime rib, rather than brown-dyed mystery meat. I could’ve eaten three or four of these things. It was that good, and I definitely recommend it. Remember that top 10 list of the best things I’ve eaten at ballparks? Let’s just say I’m going to have to revise it in off-season to include this sandwich.
While I washed my prime rib down with one of my ballpark favorites, a cup of freshly squeezed lemonade …
… Ryan mowed through a Buffalo wing chicken steak sandwich, which he said was delicious but spicy:
We watched the first four innings from the first base side. There’s not a bad seat at Frontier Field, but I love sitting on the first base side, as you get a perfect view of the historic Kodak building towering above the field:
While here, I took shots of my ticket and pass, as I always do:
The game was entertaining; 15 strikeouts in total, and two Yankees gunned down at home. On one of them, the runner was out by so much that when Ryan snapped this picture of the catcher waiting with the ball …
… the runner wasn’t even in the frame yet! But a second later, he was:
In the third, after a close play at home, Knights manager Joel Skinner took exception to the call and emphatically protested his case. It was one of those “I’m going to stay out here and complain until you throw me out” arguments, and that’s exactly what home plate umpire Chris Ward did, as you can see in this three-shot sequence that Ryan captured:
One of the notable players to see was former Chicago Cub Kosuke Fukudome, who signed a Minor League deal with the Yankees less than a week earlier, and was suited up for Empire State. After he walked early in the game, Ryan snapped his photo …
… and Fukudome appeared to wave at Ryan. It was hilarious and odd.
I wanted to grab something else to eat before we switched seats to the third base side, and I settled on a white hot dog, just because I was curious:
Had I been blindfolded, I wouldn’t have known the difference between this dog and a regular one, although it’s not something I’d likely try again. I don’t know if it was just this one or all white dogs in general, but this one had a spongy consistency that I wasn’t crazy about.
We spent the rest of the game on the third base side, and were able to capture some cool player shots, including Empire State catcher (and occasional Yankee) Francisco Cervelli:
Charlotte starter Matt Zaleski, who got the loss:
Corban Joseph, who I noticed was using a Sam Bat:
(I mention his bat because I toured the Sam Bat factory a month or so ago, which you can read all about it here.)
And Ramiro Pena:
The weather throughout the entire day was perfect. It was overcast and in the mid-to-high 70s from the time we arrived to the time we left:
One hilarious thing the gameday staff did late in the game was show solo fans on the video board while Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely” played. It was funny enough that I laughed right out loud at some of the images:
The Yankees won 2-0 …
… and we wandered around for a few minutes after the conclusion of the game, stopping to check out the Red Wings Hall of Fame wall, which is extensive:
I’m definitely glad to have made a return visit to Frontier Field, and while I don’t know when I’ll get back again, I’ll definitely enjoy it when I do. Thanks to Matt and Derek for going out of their way to make our visit so memorable.
I’m planning a road trip for about a month from now, and I’ll post details about it soon — probably sometime next week, once the details are ironed out. As always, please visit The Ballpark Guide to not only read comprehensive ballpark guides, but also to support my travels. Thanks!
Day Trip Coming Up
On the morning of Thursday, July 19, I’ll be hopping in the car when it’s still dark out and doing something that’s a symptom of my baseball obsession — driving about nine hours round-trip to watch a three-hour baseball game.
And I can’t wait.
I’ll have an announcement about my next big baseball road trip before long, but in the meantime, I’m excited to share that I’ll be visiting Rochester’s Frontier Field in a little over a week. Almost two years ago to the day (July 16, 2010, to be exact), I visited Frontier Field, and it was the first ballpark I went to since launching TheBallparkGuide.com. Here’s a panorama I took during that visit:
Since then, I’ve been to more than 30 other parks on my travels.
So, why the return trip to Rochester? Well, there are several reasons. I absolutely loved the entire Frontier Field experience when I visited two years ago, and since Rochester is within day trip-distance for me, I’ve decided to go again. Although I normally travel solo, I’ll be joined on this trip by a friend who is also a photographer, and he’ll be helping me out by taking photos for my website. Last year, he visited Vermont’s Centennial Field with me, and you can check out a blog post about that visit here.
One of the unique things about this visit is that the Rochester Red Wings won’t even be playing. The Empire State Yankees (formerly the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees who are spending 2012 as a travel team) will be the home team, and they’ll host the Charlotte Knights.
I’m hoping to get a chance to be interviewed on the game’s radio broadcast to talk about my website, as I’ve done at other parks earlier this summer, and I’m also really looking forward to enjoying some of Frontier Field’s food. I’ve been unabashed in saying that Rochester’s ballpark has the best overall food quality and selection of any MiLB park I’ve visited. Last time, I had the buffalo chicken mac and cheese …
… and it was delicious. This time, I’m hoping to try a few other things, based on some recommendations from fans. (If you’ve been to Frontier Field and have a food recommendation, please post it in the comments below.)
I may post a few goals prior to this trip, as I’ve done in the past, but either way, it should be a great day.
Thanks for reading!
Top 10 Ballpark Food I’ve Eaten
As I mentioned yesterday on Twitter, I’ve been working on compiling a list of the top 10 food items I’ve eaten on my travels.
Well, the results are in, and I’ve got a number of tasty items that you must try if you ever have the chance. Before we begin, let’s go over the ground rules:
1. I’m only counting food I’ve eaten at parks I’ve visited. You won’t see any items on this list that I haven’t eaten or sold at parks I haven’t visited.
2. I’m looking at individual food items, rather than a ballpark’s overall selection.
Let’s begin!
10. Pulled pork nachos – Classic Park – Lake County Captains
You might think you’d need to reach for some Tums after getting through these ample nachos, but they’re not heavy in a bad way. The pulled pork was excellent and better than I’d expect to find at a ballpark. The one knock on these was the server forgot to give me cheese.
9. Apple crisp – Parkview Field – Fort Wayne TinCaps
Parkview Field has several apple-themed dishes on its menu, given that Fort Wayne in the place Johnny Appleseed is buried. The apple crisp was the best ballpark dessert I’ve ever eaten. (And the ‘Caps helmet it’s served in is a cool bonus.) Visit my website to read about all the apple treats and other food items at Parkview Field.
8. Clam chowder – Northeast Delta Dental Stadium – New Hampshire Fisher Cats
I ate Northeast Delta Dental Stadium’s clam chowder on a July evening last year, and even though it was a hot day, really enjoyed the soup. I can see it being the perfect ballpark food on a cold April or September night. The clam chowder isn’t the only seafood item on the menu here. Here’s the full list.
7. Philly cheesesteak – Cooley Law School Stadium – Lansing Lugnuts
I wasn’t a huge fan of the processed cheese goop on the Philly cheesesteak in Lansing, but the bun was fresh, the steak was perfect and the onions and peppers were savory.
6. Old Bay pretzel – Prince George’s Stadium – Bowie Baysox
Crab might as well be the official food of Maryland, and if you’re having crab, you need to season it with Old Bay. This cheese-filled jumbo pretzel was rolled in Old Bay. Dangerously perfect.
5. Boog’s BBQ turkey sandwich – Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Baltimore Orioles
I tried turkey and pork sammies at Boog’s BBQ in Baltimore, and the turkey one ranked higher in my books. It’s expensive, but you get an ample amount of meat and can also load up on onions, Old Bay, BBQ sauce and horseradish.
4. Shopsy’s Bill Cosby Triple Decker – Rogers Centre – Toronto Blue Jays
Shopsy’s makes darned good deli sandwiches and the Bill Cosby Triple Decker was outstanding. It was huge, filling and not as greasy as you might expect. The coleslaw and pickle were a nice addition, affirming that I’d eaten healthily by getting a meal with “vegetables.”
3. Quaker Steak & Lube chicken wings – Rogers Centre – Toronto Blue Jays
Quaker Stake & Lube wings are delicious, and surprisingly, the quality doesn’t drop off when served at a stadium. I’ve had several flavors of these wings at Rogers Centre, and they’re all winners in my book.
2. Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese – Frontier Field – Rochester Red Wings
Mac and cheese? Check. Chicken and hot sauce? Check. Blue cheese dressing? Check. Simply the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had anywhere. If you’re in Rochester, don’t pass up a chance to try any of the gourmet mac and cheeses. On my website, TheBallparkGuide.com, I’ve got a complete rundown of Frontier Field’s delicious foods.
1. Bo Brooks crab cake sandwich – Ripken Stadium – Aberdeen IronBirds
Aberdeen’s menu offers many variations on crab and the crab cake sandwich was killer. On a fresh bun atop lettuce and tomato, and seasoned with plenty of Old Bay, this is the type of sandwich you could eat every inning. Definitely worth the drive if you’re remotely in the area. Visit my website for a complete guide to Ripken Stadium’s food selection.
I’m curious to hear about the amazing food other people have eaten, and where. I’ll be sure to check it out!
As always, follow me on Twitter to read the latest about my website, my blog and my travels.
Game Programs
I’m a huge fan of taking in the entire ballpark experience every time I watch a game. For me, this typically means trying to snag a foul ball, getting a handful of autographs and eating some unique food. It also includes grabbing a game program and checking out what it has to offer. My stipulation, however, is that I rarely get programs if you have to pay for them. I’m not big on paying for something I’ll likely only flip through once, and if I buy one, I’m less likely to want to throw it out later.
I don’t have programs from every ballpark I’ve visited, but I have a handful that range from amazing to bland. Here’s a look at them.
Aberdeen IronBirds
For a Short-Season A franchise, Aberdeen’s “First Pitch” program has a lot to offer. For one, it’s printed specifically for the game you’re attending. (Most teams print programs per series, week or homestand.) It’s got a clean, attractive cover and a preview of the night’s game. Because the program is printed for each game, all the standings and stats are up to date, which is a huge bonus for a stats guy like me. A couple standout features in this edition of “First Pitch” were a list of IronBirds with Twitter accounts and a well-illustrated diagram of pitcher Aaron Wirsch’s four pitches, along with commentary from the pitcher himself.
Bowie Baysox
Baltimore’s AA franchise in Bowie provides a program called “Baywatch” for each home series. This one had a decent fan guide to Prince George’s Stadium, a list of former Baysox who’ve made the Major Leagues and a discussion between the team’s infielders on turning a double play.
Cleveland Indians
The Indians’ “Batter Up!” is given out free and printed for each series. Of course, you can also buy a more in-depth game program, but this one’s worth picking up. It’s got a good concession directory, a fan guide to Progressive Field and a couple interesting articles. I was also impressed with the full-page ad for Cleveland’s Midwest League affiliate, the Lake County Captains, who play just 15 minutes outside of C-Town.
Delmarva Shorebirds
A South Atlantic League franchise, the Shorebirds program “Play Ball” is one of the shortest I’ve seen. Still, it contains a couple interesting stories on Shorebirds players, a decent look at the team’s opponents and a nice, comprehensive breakdown of each team in the Baltimore Orioles system.
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Fort Wayne’s “Gameday” program is printed each homestand, which is pretty much the norm in the Minor Leagues. This one had pink as a dominant color, given the theme of the team’s homestand, Turn the Park Pink for breast cancer awareness. This program featured a thorough, five-page guide to Parkview Field’s food and interesting features such as a tutorial on how to score a game, a map showing the location of each Midwest League franchise and a couple articles about the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire offers an amazing fan experience, but there wasn’t anything to write home about in the “Inside Pitch” free program. The schedules, stats, rosters and promotional schedules were all handy, but they’re all things you’d expect to find here. The worst part was the ads, even though I know they’re necessary. Early in the program, 22 out of 23 straight pages were full ads. Ugh.
Potomac Nationals
The P-Nats, as they’re often called, provide a standard gameday program for free. It’s got all the things you’d expect, but a few interesting pages are the breakdown of the Washington Nationals’ farm system and a look at the Carolina League franchises. Additionally, this program isn’t overly laden with ads.
Rochester Red Wings
After spending two sentences explaining how I don’t buy programs, I’ll quickly recant that statement to say I spent $1 on Rochester’s yearbook during my first ballpark trip in 2010. Simply put, it’s one of the best programs I’ve ever seen, and for $1, it’s a real bargain. This baby is more than 100 pages long and contains a ton of interesting information — not just ads and more ads. The highlights of this edition were a look at the Red Wings’ uniforms throughout the years, an article about Stan Musial’s time as a Red Wing, in-depth player profiles, a pretty good guide to Frontier Field and an ultra-thorough map of the where to find every food item sold at the ballpark. (In case you’re wondering, the cover is damaged because I spilled water on it. Oops.)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
The big perk to the S/W-B Yankees’ “Play Ball!” program is like the IronBirds, it’s printed for the game you’re attending. Although it’s relatively short in length, “Play Ball!” has an interesting game preview, a “This Date in Yankees History” page and an interesting section about the players to watch from the visiting team.
Toledo Mud Hens
It’s a toss-up whether Toledo or Rochester has the best program I’ve seen so far on my travels. “The Muddy Times” is amazing, and might get the nod over Rochester because it’s free. This book is giant, measuring 9.5 by 12 inches and numbering 112 pages. The pages are newsprint, but they’re thick and in full color. I love the cover shot, as well as the in-depth player and coach profiles, the 2010 season review, some good player Q&As and an awesome two-page spread on the Detroit Tigers’ top 10 prospects, written by Baseball America. This is the type of program you’d spend $5 on and still feel as though you got your value.
Washington Nationals
Like Cleveland, the Nats hand out a free game program to complement their paid program. “Inside Pitch” (which is the same title as New Hampshire’s program) is printed on thick paper, which is a definite upgrade over the newsprint in some programs. This one has an extensive Nationals Park fan guide, a guide on how to score a game and even two removable player cards (Jason Marquis and Michael Morse).
Ballpark food and snacks
Ballpark food can be one of the best things about going to a baseball game. If it’s plain ol’ hot dogs and pop, it’s not necessarily noteworthy. But if it’s exceptional food, like the fare served at Rochester’s Frontier Field, it can truly improve your whole experience.
Rochester – July 16, 2010
I’ve been to more baseball games that I can remember, dating back to 1988. I’ve been to Toronto Blue Jays games at old Exhibition Stadium and SkyDome/Rogers Centre. I’ve been to dozens and dozens of AAA Ottawa Lynx games in Ottawa, Ontario. I’ve even been to a couple World Baseball Classic games in Toronto.
That said, I was pretty stoked the morning of July 16, 2010 as I loaded the car for my first baseball roadtrip of the summer. Why? Because this would be the first baseball stadium I would visit for my new website, TheBallparkGuide.com.
The plan was to be away from home for two nights, hitting three Minor League Baseball stadiums on my three-city journey in New York State. Rochester, the farthest destination, would be my first stop.
I headed out late morning and the plan was to cross into the United States at the Ogdensburg crossing. That plan was all well and good until I got to the 1,000 Island Parkway, which had slowed to a turtle’s pace. It was a bad sign when a bunch of bikers beside me had turned off their motorcycles and were inching them forward by foot.
Here’s a shot I took of my Garmin Nuvi 255W GPS after a 30 minutes on the parkway. It was stop and go for 70 minutes, and I should’ve taken another shot of my GPS screen. Anyway, after 30 minutes, you’ll see my overall average was a frustrating 1 km/h. Awesome.
After I paid to use the bridge (ugh), I passed successfully into the United States without much of a hangup at the border. I passed through Ogdensburg, Watertown and Syracuse and had to make a quick stop at the Waterloo Premium Outlets, just west of the ‘Cuse. The Under Armour store at the outlet has some ridiculous deals.
When I was there, I spotted this car in the parking lot:
A little while later, I arrived in Rochester and made it to Frontier Field‘s neighborhood. As an aside, I’ve got to say how awesome it is to finally have a GPS. After years of thinking it was ridiculous to have someone tell you where to turn (and years of frustratingly getting lost in new cities) I decided to get a system prior to this first roadtrip. It was awesome. I know this should come as no surprise, but it led me directly to the stadium. And when one of the approaching roads was completely torn up due to construction, my trusty GPS gave me an alternate route.
Parking at Frontier Field is a bit iffy. There’s a gigantic lot adjacent to the stadium, but it’s a trick. Most of the lot is for Kodak employees, as there’s a huge Kodak office almost across the street from Frontier Field. After driving into the lot, then doing the embarrassing reverse back into the street after the gate wouldn’t open because I didn’t have a pass, I drove around the block a time or two until I found the entrance to the stadium lot.
I loaded up my backpack with some ballpark essentials — camera, ball glove, balls to get signed, printed rosters of each team and some bottles of water — and headed to the will call ticket window. Because this was my first roadtrip for my website, I was a bit giddy ahead of time and bought a ticket online. This proved unnecessary, as it’s pretty easy to buy walk-up tickets to Minor League games. Anyway, I picked up my ticket and quickly headed to the side street along the stadium where I took this picture:
I love walking around stadiums and documenting my walk with photos. I snapped this photo, showing Frontier Field from a unique angle. It’s hard to tell it’s even a ballpark from this photo. It looks like it could be a factory or a train station, I think:
I kept walking and took this picture of the great Bob Gibson on a lightpost outside the stadium. I didn’t even know Gibson played in Rochester, so learning a bit more about the Red Wings history was cool to see:
My trip was looking up already. I walked to the back of the stadium, peeked through a gate and took these photos:
You have to love stadiums at which you can watch the on-field happenings before the gates are open. I hate how you’re not allowed in Minor League Baseball stadiums during batting practice, but it’s neat to be able to watch a few minutes of it, at least. I kept on walking and took this shot of the Kodak building, which stands pretty tall in Rochester’s downtown core:
A moment later, I was roughly behind Frontier Field‘s centerfield, and took these photos of the stadium’s rear sign and gate:
I then hurried back to the stadium’s main gate. It was largely empty when I first arrived, but it was now starting to get crowded. I got in line about 25 people back and couldn’t resist buying a program for $1. $1! This program was packed, too. Lots of cool stuff to read about the team while I waited. When the gates finally opened an hour before game time, I ran in and took a bunch of photos.
Here’s a pretty neat looking bird in the main concourse. (He’s a red wing, I suppose.)
And here’s a horse made out of baseball gloves:
The horse was pretty neat, though all the gloves were covered in people’s names. I’m not sure if this was done prior to it being built or by vandals after it was put on display.
I checked out the Rochester team shop and bought a team logo ball for $6. I planned to get it signed by as many players as possible, before and after the game. I headed to the left field corner where there’s a grass hill/picnic area. I love being one of the first people in a nearly empty ballpark. Here’s a look back at the home plate area, showing just how empty Frontier Field still was at this time:
And here’s a pretty pristine-looking outfield. You’ve got to admit that Frontier Field is beautiful. It’s only a AAA ballpark, but its quality is Big League.
As I made my way around the stadium, the stands were still pretty empty. This early, people were congregating in the ballpark’s concourse and getting food. Here are a few looks at some almost empty stands:
A little under an hour before first pitch, the Red Wings have one player sign autographs in the concourse. I headed that way and found it was outfielder Brian Dinkelman. Dinkekman went to McKendree College, where he still holds 25 of the school’s all-time baseball records. I got his signature on my team ball.
After getting my autograph, I made my wall back out to the field to find my seat. I was in the 12th row of section 110, which is on the first base side of home plate, next to the Red Wings dugout. After getting my bearings, I gathered around Rochester’s dugout where a number of players were signing autographs. I added a few more signatures to my team ball, then returned to my seat for the anthem and pregame festivities. As you can see from the photo below, I was nice and close to the action:
Did you know that Baseball America named Rochester as Baseball City USA? I didn’t.
By now, the once-empty stands were getting pretty full:
It was a rough first half-inning for Rochester, which gave up one run on four hits. Frontier Field has a pretty basic scoreboard, but it gets the job done:
I snapped this photo during the bottom half of the first inning, showing the action on the field, the fans and the Kodak building looming in the background:
And by the time the first inning was over, I’d had enough of my seat. Crammed up against a couple nerds talking about work and checking their BlackBerrys every two minutes? Ugh. I love moving around during ballgames, so I was on the move again. Between innings, I hit the concession stand where I bought buffalo chicken mac and cheese. That’s right. It’s a big bowl of mac and cheese with chunks of chicken, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and bleu cheese dressing. It was amazing!
I have to say that Frontier Field might have the best food you’ll find at a Major League or Minor League park. I’ll correct myself if I’m ever proven otherwise, but Rochester serves up some amazing grub. In addition to typical ballpark food, there was a gluten-free vendor, a variety of Italian food and a bunch of other great-looking stuff. The mac and cheese filled me up, but next time I go back to Rochester, I’m going with an empty stomach.
I ate my dinner in the upper deck behind the first base line. When I was done, I snapped this photo of the sun setting on right field, with some of downtown Rochester in the background:
Then, it was down to the right field corner where I took a look at the bullpens. As you can see from the thermometer, it was 77 degrees at 7:44 p.m. — a pretty nice night for ball:
Yes, I was watching the game despite all my walking around. Pat Neshek came on in relief in the game’s late innings. Neshek is the best autograph signer in the game today and a real friend to the baseball card hobby. Here’s a none-too-good photo of Neshek pitching:
By now, I was over on the third base side where I took this zoomed-in look of a concession stand in the right fielder corner — just what every growing child needs: Fried dough:
Off to the right field corner I went to spend an inning on the grass hill:
After sitting on the grass, I settled into a fairly deserted row in the right field corner. I like my legroom, and I despise being crammed into a row with other fans. Plus, if a foul ball headed toward this section, I’d have a good chance of getting it:
By now, the game was getting late and it was getting dark. The window for good photos was pretty much up, so I just enjoyed the remainder of the action. Indianapolis won an offensive battle 10-7. Following the game, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra put on a show that was timed with fireworks. Not my kind of music, but it was pretty neat to see. Here’s a shot of the RPO, including some members clad in Red Wings jerseys, warming up:
After the game, I ran back to the main concourse outside the stadium and waited near the players’ parking lot. I read some great advice about autograph collecting at Frontier Field on SportsCollectors.net, and quickly found the area was littered with other autograph collectors. I grabbed a bunch more Red Wings on my team ball and ended up with about 10 signatures, give or take.
Afterward, it was back to my car and onto my hotel. I booked my hotel through Hotwire. Ever use that site? Its premise is you get your hotel cheaper than anywhere else, and I’ve typically had pretty good luck with it. You pick how many stars you want, and in what area, and the catch is you don’t know what hotel you’ll get until you book and pay. In this way, it’s a gamble. It’s sweet when you make out better than expected and miserable when you don’t.
On this night, I was headed to Extended Stay America. Huh? This wasn’t a chain I’d heard of, and I’d read it was located in a strip mall. That turned out to be untrue; it was only beside a strip mall. I cautiously checked in and hopped into the elevator. I have a theory about hotels. If the elevator is clean and not shady, the guest rooms are nice. If the elevator is gross, the rooms will be, too. The Extended Stay elevator was neither clean not secure feeling. You know those elevators that feel like they’re about to drop? This was one of them. Anyway, the room proved to be fairly plain and while it wasn’t exactly clean, it was passable for around $60. The downside was its single bed (ugh) and while it had a full kitchen, it wasn’t anything I’d consider putting edibles near.
The end of an excellent first day. On to Auburn’s Falcon Park tomorrow!
Welcome to my blog!
Hello, MLBlogosphere!
My name is Malcolm and I’m a die-hard baseball fan. For years, I’ve loved attending ball games in person, like many of you. While I enjoy sitting and watching the best game in the world, I also love walking around the stadium and really exploring it. As a Canadian, and I’ve attended dozens and dozens of Toronto Blue Jays games over the years. I’ve been at Rogers Centre so much that I could double as anyone’s personal tour guide to the stadium.
So, I thought, why not create a website that offers tips and tricks to visiting each stadium in the major leagues and minor leagues? Ambitious, yes, but this is a long-term project that I hope other fans will work on with me. Other sites of this nature do exist, but I haven’t come across one that really satisfies what I’m looking for as a fan.
Last summer, I put this plan into action and began travelling to several ballparks and compiling research. This research — extensive notes and photographs — was gathered to eventually be used for my website, TheBallparkGuide.com.
Between July and September 2010, I visited:
- Frontier Field, home of the AAA Rochester Red Wings
- Falcon Park, home of the A- Auburn Doubledays
- Alliance Bank Stadium, home of the AAA Syracuse Chiefs
- Coca-Cola Field, home of the AAA Buffalo Bisons
- Progressive Field, home of the MLB Cleveland Indians
- Eastwood Field, home of the A- Mahoning Valley Scrappers
- Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays
- Merchantsauto.com Stadium, home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, home of the Tri-City ValleyCats
Since then, I’ve been working feverishly (well, most of the time, anyway) with my awesome brother-in-law to launch our website, TheBallparkGuide.com.
Now, more than six months later, I’ve got the first ballpark breakdown on our website. The Ballpark Guide isn’t about rating each ballpark, because it’s so hard to compare venues — which is better, Fenway Park or Wrigley Field? Instead, The Ballpark Guide is all about providing fellow baseball fans with a comprehensive guide to each stadium. It’s our hope that when a fan wants to visit a new stadium, he/she checks The Ballpark Guide for a complete breakdown of that facility.
Where should you park for cheap? What food should you make sure to try? What hidden secrets are there to obtaining an autograph or a ball? It will all be at The Ballpark Guide.
So, you ask, where does this blog come in? The Ballpark Guide isn’t a travel journal; there’s a lot about each of my trips that doesn’t really make sense to include on the site. But, this information would be perfect to blog about on a travel blog. That’s where The Ballpark Guide Blog comes in. Because I’ve already visited nine stadiums, I’ve got a lot of travel blogging to do. I’ll do that in the near future, and once I’m caught up, the blog will talk about my travels as they happen.
In the meantime, please feel free to check out my website, TheBallparkGuide.com.
Malcolm - TheBallparkGuide
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