Tag Archives: Baseball

2017 Oakland-Alameda California

While planning a trip to Yosemite National Park, we decided to slip in a visit to Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, home of the Oakland A’s. Having visited every other active MLB ballpark, we dragged our feet visiting this stadium. In the past, we joked that the only way we’d see that stadium is if we were in central California for some other reason. Well, it seems that time had arrived, and we acquiesced to a visit to the see Oakland A’s at home.

Oakland-Alameda County Stadium. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

1. New Jersey to California

We caught a flight from Newark/Liberty Airport to San Francisco International Airport on the morning of Saturday, September 10th. Choosing to visit in September was a conscious decision, as that month generally provides the best weather in the Bay Area during baseball season. Not having flown cross country in about a decade, I forgot how little I enjoy flying. Because I was not careful choosing our seats, we were cramped in less than desirable seats in economy for the six hour flight.

We arrived in the late afternoon of that sunny and very warm day. Weary from the travel and a busy schedule before the trip, we caught an early dinner, then settled into our hotel in Oakland.

2. Alameda/Oakland, Sunday September 11, 2017

With some time before the 100 pm game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, we decided to head to Alameda in search of the “nuclear wessels”. To our disappointment, the nuclear vessels were nowhere to be found. However, we did find the USS Hornet.

The USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum in Alameda, CA. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The USS Hornet, commissioned in World War II, saw limited action in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and recovered the astronauts from Apollo 11 and 12 after splashdown. Decommissioned in 1970, it became a floating museum, moored in Alameda since 1998. Though we arrived just before it opened, the day was already warm. Upon boarding the ship we wandered about, waiting for our guided tour to begin. The all-volunteer staff was both enthusiastic and very knowledgeable, clearly passionate about their ship.

Deck of the USS Hornet. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

During the briefing before the tour, we were reminded that the ship was constructed for use by young men in good physical shape. Tight spaces and sharp turns within the ship made navigation tough for “normal people” (translation: I wasn’t going to these places aboard the USS Hornet). Following the briefing, the tour began. We walked along the museum section of the ship, where we saw types of planes that called the Hornet home during its mission.

Planes on the hangar deck of the USS Hornet. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

When the tour led us to the interior of the ship, I waited as my brother went to visit the battle bridge. Though it had been been renovated several times during its service, the battle bridge was depicted as the one used during its limited service in Vietnam. Following the tour, we were free to walk about the hangar deck and the main deck of the ship.

The battle bridge of the USS Hornet. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Among the aircraft on display on the USS Hornet, my favorite were the F-14s on the main flight deck. The song “Danger Zone” echoed through my head as I examined the pride of the Navy’s planes, imagining what it might be like to pilot one. Before leaving the Hornet, we went astern to get a better view of the San Francisco skyline. This would be as close to the City by the Bay as we would get during this trip.

San Francisco from the USS Hornet, through the haze of the late morning on a very warm day. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

3. Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland CA. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The USS Hornet was about 15 minutes from the stadium, and along the way we saw Willie Stargell Avenue. Arriving about 90 minutes before the game, we had ample time to tour the stadium, inside and out. From the outside, the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum resembled many of the multi-purpose stadiums from that era. In fact, it looked aged, likely many years from its best days.

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, home of MLB and NFL champions. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Walking around the concourse of the stadium, the early afternoon shifted from very warm to hot! Temperatures were in the lower 90s F (33 degrees Celsius), though thankfully the sun splashed day was not humid. After touring the stadium, we ducked into the inner concourse to get something to eat and drink before finding our seats.

While standing in line, someone noticed that my brother wearing his Hartford Yard Goats t-shirt (obtained earlier this summer). It was unusual that someone here would know the team, since had they recently moved to Hartford. However, their new home, Dunkin Donuts Park, was not available in 2016, due to ongoing political issues. This fan mentioned he wanted to visit then, but it didn’t open on time.

Breast Cancer Awareness Day in the Coliseum. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Finding our seats, we discovered we were in full sunshine. When we purchased the tickets, I didn’t believe that the mid September sun in Oakland would be an issue. Undaunted, we settled in for the game. The pregame ceremony were tied into Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and the ceremony was emotional, ending with the release of doves.

Taking in the ballpark before the first pitch, I realized that my preconceived notion of the Coliseum may have been wrong. While it is indeed a multi-purpose stadium, it was not the rundown facility I had expected. Granted, we did not experience the plumbing issues that grabbed national headlines, but I felt as though the poor reputation the Coliseum has may be unfounded.

The view from our seats at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Despite the fact that this was important game for both teams (since the A’s were only three games back of the AL West leading Houston Astros), there were many empty seats at the game. It made me wonder if the heat was a contributing factor in the low attendance, or if baseball was not as popular in Oakland as it had been in the past.

Starting for the Houston Astros was left hander Dallas Keuchel, two years after his Cy Young award winning season. However, he didn’t bring his best stuff out of the bullpen, allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings with four walks.

Dallas Keuchel delivering a pitch during the second inning at the Coliseum. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

In contrast, A’s starter Kendall Graveman pitched a gem, allowing one run in six innings. Supporting the great start, the A’s scored 11 runs in the fourth through eight innings. With the A’s putting the game away in commanding fashion, I turned my attention back to the stadium. Though aging and need of maintenance, the ballpark holds special memories for both A’s and Raiders fans. We’ve seen stadiums in worse shape, especially at the end of their lives. The Coliseum was a fine place to see a ballgame, especially under the cloudless sky.

The A’s slant on the race many teams run during the seventh inning stretch, featuring Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers and Rickey Henderson. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Following the game, I took one more look at the place. Even though it’s true I wouldn’t have traveled to California simply to see the Coliseum, I’m happy that I visited on this sunny, hot afternoon. It helped me disperse the idea that the stadium was simply a dump. Will we visit again?? It is unlikely, but I did enjoy the afternoon watching a game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

2018 Baseball Road Trip – Day 3 (New Orleans Louisiana/Biloxi Mississippi)

Sunday morning in New Orleans dawned wet and humid, with steady rain falling through mid morning. The rain tapered to showers by about 1000 am, as we awaited the 100 pm game between the Oklahoma City Dodgers and the host New Orleans Baby Cakes. To our great surprise, the Baby Cakes tweeted that the game was postponed not long after 1000 am. Though it was wet and humid, it seemed as though the game could have been played.

Suddenly, we were faced with a hole in our schedule. Not wanting to wander the French Quarter in the drizzle and fog, we searched for something else to do. My brother noted that there was baseball in Biloxi, Mississippi, with a 200 pm start time. Since there was no baseball here, we headed out to southwest Mississippi.

Google maps showed a 90 minute trip from our hotel to MGM Park in Biloxi, MS.

Unfortunately, the rain seemed to follow us east toward the border. In fact, it fell so heavily that I considered pulling off and waiting it out. As we drove, I was prepared for the possibility of arriving in Biloxi just in time for the game to be postponed. As we got closer to our destination, the rain subsided, though the sky remained threatening.

In spite of the rain, we made good time getting to Biloxi, which left us an opportunity to explore the city. The skyline of Biloxi was dominated by the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, located along the Gulf of Mexico. It is the largest building in Biloxi by far, and we could see it from the highway into town.

The Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, MS. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Driving through Biloxi, it was clear that the effects of Hurricane Katrina were still haunting the city. Newer construction was built on pylons several feet tall, hopefully saving the homes in the event of another hurricane. It was also clear that parts of the city haven’t recovered from the storm, with many unoccupied buildings away from the coast.

A home rebuilt on pylons to hopefully prevent damage in the event of another tropical system. (Photo credit:Jeff Hayes)

Of course, we happened on churches in Biloxi. The one that struck me most was the Nativity BVM Parish Life Center. The church towered over its section of Biloxi, and is part of a larger complex on Washington Loop. Even with the clouds and rain, the building exuded character. After driving through much of the city, we headed back toward the ballpark to find parking.

Nativity BVM Parish Cathedral, Biloxi MS. (Photo credit:Jeff Hayes)

1. MGM Park

Upon arriving at the ballpark, we found no parking in the general vicinity. We pulled into a parking lot adjacent to the park itself, where the attendant told us that the parking lot was for players, scouts and others involved in the game. When I asked where we could park nearby, the attendant looked in the car, pointed to my brother, and said “He looks like scout”. At first, I didn’t get it, but he was offering to let us parking in the players lot for the game. Talk about Southern hospitality!!!

Welcome to MGM Park in Biloxi, MS! (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We proceeded to walk completely around the park before going inside. MGM Park is the home of the Biloxi Shuckers, the Double A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. Their opponent this afternoon was the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The game was slated to start at 200 pm, but one look at the field suggested that time might be optimistic.

The rain had ended, and the sun was peaking out from the clouds, but there were puddles on the field. We wandered through the concourse as the ground crew worked feverishly to ready the field for the game (that’s how it’s done New Orleans Baby Cakes!). While we were walking, we heard a voice yell out “Bowie BaySox!”. Since I was the only one there wearing a Bowie BaySox cap, I assumed he meant me.

MGM Park about an hour before game time. Note the large puddle in the infield behind second base. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

As it turns out, the gentleman (whose name escapes me) worked in public relations with the Bowie BaySox years ago, but he remembered the BaySox caps. He gave us an oral history of MGM Park, and then offered us a tour of the press box. My brother took him up on his offer, and spent some time in the Shuckers press box before the game.

Just as we found our seats, the sun started to come out, with clearing coming in from the Gulf of Mexico. My brother applied sun screen, and asked me if I wanted to do the same. Saying “I think I’ll be ok” was me not respecting the sun in late April near the Gulf Coast. Eventually, bright sunshine splashed the field, and I was on my way to a nasty sunburn.

While we waited for the game to start, the ground crew worked to ready the field. Obviously, they had their work cut out for them. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Due to the diligent work of the ground crew, the game only started about 30 minutes late. Starting for the Biloxi was Wade Miley. He had signed late in the off season, and was sent to Biloxi to tune up before joining the Brewers. Miley was rusty, and it showed, as he gave up four runs (including two HRs) in three plus innings of work before being taken out of the game.

Wade Miley delivering a pitch in the top of the first inning. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The remainder of the pitchers entering the game for the Shuckers fared no better than Miley, giving up nine runs on 10 hits in mop up work. In contrast, the Shuckers offense was limited to three runs by the Biscuits’ pitchers. With the outcome of the game determined fairly early, some of the relatively sparse crowd exited early, leaving the ballpark nearly empty for the last half of the game.

A view of the a Gulf of Mexico from MGM Park. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

For the rest of the game, I admired the view of the ballpark. Even though it was obviously a prefabricated stadium (based on the appearance of the seating area), the views made this place stand out. With the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino prominent in centerfield, and Gulf over right field, the ballpark looked much bigger than it actually was.

The view from our seats, with the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino looming over the centerfield fence. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Following the final out, the Shuckers invited fans to play catch on the field. Of course, my brother and I were prepared, retrieving our gloves from the car. We spent the next 20 minutes playing catch on the field of MGM Park, before we were gently reminded that the ballpark would be closing soon. After our game of catch, we briefly visited the beach adjacent to the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. There were seemingly more seagulls than people as the sun began to set, and the white sandy beach reminded me of home.

The beach along the Gulf of Mexico in Biloxi, MS. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The quick walk along the water was the perfect ending to a great day. This experience was my favorite of the trip, in part due to the fact that it was completely unplanned. The clear skies made for a much easier drive through the darkness back the hotel in New Orleans.

2018 Baseball Road Trip – Day 4 (New Orleans Louisiana to Houston Texas)

Following a very unpleasant experience at the hotel last evening, we spent far too much of the morning dealing with the aftermath. The wasted effort was carved out of time originally dedicated to exploring New Orleans. Undaunted, we checked out of the hotel and headed for the French Quarter.

1. New Orleans

The French Quarter, New Orleans. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Arriving at the French Quarter around 900 am, we surprisingly found parking fairly quickly. That was fortuitous, since we were slated to see a New Orleans Baby Cakes game starting at 1100 am. With little time to spare, we lit out to explore the area. Of course, we probably visited the French Quarter at the precisely wrong time to get a flavor for the place. Instead, we decided to take in the architecture unique to this part of the world.

Either the French Quarter was just waking up, or just going to bed. It was tough to tell. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

With relatively few people wandering the streets this time of day, we were able to cover a good amount of ground in short order. I found myself fascinated by the local architecture, which seemed to meld the Art Deco of Miami with baroque feel of Paris or Montreal. Much of the activity this time of day consisted of restaurant or bar employees hosing off sidewalks, and delivery people restocking for the day.

A couple of blocks from the Mississippi River we encountered some churches. Each church appeared to be more ornate than the last. Not being a religious person, I don’t share the same spiritual connection to the church as others, but that doesn’t prevent me from enjoying the architecture of the building. Something about the ornate design fascinates me, as though a story was being told by the structure itself.

Saint Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square.

In the time we had remaining, we walked down to the Mississippi River. New Orleans is the fourth location along the Mississippi that we have visited (the others being St Paul MN, St Louis MO, and Memphis TN), and each has its own charms. Following a wet and snowy winter upstream, the river was higher than normal, but the flow was gentle. There was little activity on the river (due primarily to the time of day), but it doesn’t take much to imagine it busy with commerce and pleasure crafts.

Looking south along the Mississippi River in New Orleans. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Game time was approaching rapidly, and admittedly we spent little time in this very special place. From the little we sampled, it was clear that there was much more than needs to be explored. New Orleans beckons for a longer stay, and I hope to do that in the near future.

2. Shrine on Airline

Shrine on Airline not long before the first pitch. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Fortunately for us, the ballpark was only about 20 minutes from the French Quarter, and we arrived early enough to walk around the ballpark before game time. The Baby Cakes hosted the Oklahoma City Dodgers (the Triple A affiliate of the LA Dodgers) at Shrine on Airline, located down the street from New Orleans International Airport.

Shrine on Airline from centerfield, shortly before game time. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The 1100 am game time is typical for get-away days for minor league teams. With the game ending around 200 pm, it allows teams to travel to their next destination at a reasonable time. When we made plans for this game, it was supposed to be the second game we saw here on this trip. However, the rainout the previous day left us this last chance to see the ballpark before moving on to Houston.

We didn’t know it at the time, but this WOULD be our last chance to see the ballpark (at least for the foreseeable future). Following the 2019 season, the Baby Cakes moved to Wichita, Kansas, becoming the Wind Surge for the 2020 Pacific Coast League season. New Orleans is seeking another minor league team, but there are no immediate plans to bring baseball back to the Big Easy.

Welcome to the Shrine on Airline! (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

After entering the ballpark, we conducted our typical trip around the stadium. Walking around, taking in the park, we got the feel of a modular stadium. The facilities seemed minimal, and while the ballpark holds 10,000 fans, it had more of a Double A stadium feel. The 1100 am start time resulted in a sparse crowd (which is typical). Many of the fans were members of local schools and clubs (also typical of an 1100 am start). The light attendance made the stadium feel nearly empty as the first pitch was thrown.

The Shrine on Airline, about 30 minutes before game time. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The starting pitcher for the OKC Dodgers was left hander Manny Bañuelos. The name was not familiar to me, but it was clear early that he brought his best stuff with him to the mound. Bañuelos allowed no run and no hits in four innings of work, striking out nine. Despite the great start, he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth.

Manny Bañuelos delivering a pitch in the first inning for the OKC Dodgers. Bañuelos tossed four hitless innings, striking out nine. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We have seen this in minor league games many times before. Players (especially pitchers) having a great game are suddenly and inexplicably removed. It has been our experience that minor league managers are more interested in evaluating talent than adhering strictly to game situations (seemingly at the behest of the parent club). For the Baby Cakes (the Triple A affiliate of the Miami Marlins), starter Sandy Alcantara (who would be promoted to the patent club not long after this appearance) nearly matched Bañuelos pitch for pitch, allowing one run on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The Baby Cakes scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth, breaking a 1-1 tie. They held on for a 3-1 victory, though the Dodgers threatened in the ninth, scoring one run and leaving runners at first and second as the game ended. Since we had miles to cover before our next stop, we did not linger long after the game ended. Though the stadium was “cookie cutter”, not distinguished from stadiums like across Minor League Baseball, I was glad we visited the Shrine on Airline, especially since the Baby Cakes have left New Orleans.

Google Maps showing our route from New Orleans to Houston.

Our next stop was Houston, a trip Google Maps depicted as a five and one-half hour drive. The drive was fairly easy, as we would miss the commute in New Orleans leaving in the early afternoon, and arriving in Houston as evening fell. The entire trip had us on Interstate 10, a highway on which we had never traveled. The trip was eye opening in that much of the roadway was over the bayou of southern Louisiana, a place we’d never been. By the time we arrived in Houston, I was tired enough for just a light dinner, followed by an early bedtime.