tour – Page 15 – Baseball Travels

Richmond, VA, May 20th and 21st, 2017

The first baseball trip of the 2017 was a short one, at least with respect to distance. Our target was The Diamond, home of the Flying Squirrels in Richmond, Virginia. From home in Maryland, Richmond is just two hours away on Interstate 95 South, making it an ideal choice for the first baseball trip of the season.

Being a member of the Eastern League, the Flying Squirrels are a familiar team, as both of the us live near Eastern League teams and see the team at least a couple of times a year. Since The Diamond was so close, we didn’t leave Maryland until early afternoon to arrive in Richmond early enough to check into our hotel and get to the ballpark.

1. The Diamond, Richmond Virginia, Saturday May 20th

The Diamond, Richmond VA. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Arriving about 60 minutes before game time, we found that parking was not an issue at The Diamond. Like many suburban ballparks, there is parking on site, and the price was average for a minor league park ($5). Walking from the parking lot, The Diamond looks huge, due in part to the concrete construction of the seating area stretching from foul line to foul line.

The view of The Diamond from the parking lot. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Originally constructed for the Triple A Richmond Braves, the capacity of nearly 10,000 is larger than the typical Double A Stadium. Though the ballpark has undergone a few renovations, the stadium has the feel of a 30+ year old structure, which is not necessarily a bad attribute.

After walking the concourse taking pictures of the park, we perused the concession stand closer to home plate on the field level. The main concession area offered standard fare, though there was a wider food selection in concession locations located on the field and upper levels.

The view from our seats. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We settled into our seats behind the visitors dugout about 30 minutes before the first pitch. The Flying Squirrels’ opponent was the Harrisburg Senators, the Double A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Mainly clear skies and temperatures in the 70s set the stage for a pleasant evening for baseball in Richmond.

The Diamond was somewhat reminiscent of Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton, New Jersey with its two tiered row of advertising billboards in left field. The ballpark has a modest video board/scoreboard in left center field; otherwise, the ballpark was unremarkable. In some respects, the lack of multiple video boards was a blessing, allowing fans to concentrate on the game, rather than the technology.

The video board/scoreboard in left center field of The Diamond. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

It is typical for Saturday night minor league games to draw well, and this evening was no different at The Diamond. While the crowd was sizable for the contest, the number of people in the ballpark that evening was nowhere near the announced attendance of just over 9,000.

After the Squirrels scored a run in the first inning, the Harrisburg Senators took the lead in the third inning, scoring three runs. The Senators tacked on two more runs in the fifth, taking a 5-1 lead as the evening gave way to night in Richmond.

The Flying Squirrels completing a 1-4 sacrifice during the third inning, as the Senators took a 3-1 lead. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Though the Squirrels scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings, the Senators held on for a 5-3 victory. As often happens when the home team fall behind, the crowd started thinning out after the seventh inning, and by the time of the last out, the stadium was almost empty. The parking lot was nearly deserted, allowing for a quick getaway to the nearby hotel.

The Diamond at night. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

2. The Diamond, Sunday May 21st

During the night, a cold front pushed through the Richmond area, and the morning dawned with cloudy skies and drizzle. Temperatures were cooler than Saturday, and humidity levels increased as well. With the game at The Diamond scheduled for a 1200 pm start, we decided to spend a part of the morning exploring Richmond.

The cool, humid and occasionally drizzly conditions precluded a walk through Richmond, so we opted to conduct a driving tour of the city. Being the capital of the Confederacy for the bulk of the Civil War, Richmond is replete with historical sites, which deserved more attention than a driving tour could afford. Being a history buff, I will need to return here in the future to better appreciate the history of Richmond.

The Diamond on a cool, overcast late Sunday morning. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We arrived at the Diamond about an hour before the first pitch. Unbeknownst to us, fans were invited to play catch on the field prior to the game. Unfortunately, not knowing about this opportunity, we were not prepared to take advantage of it. So, rather than take the field, we spent the time before the game wandering around the park, taking pictures and exploring the offerings of the concession stands on the field level.

For the Sunday matinee, the Flying Squirrels donned alternate home jerseys. Sporting their “waffle” jerseys, the Squirrels took the field for the first pitch, which occurred just after noon.

Jordan Johnson, sporting the “waffle” jersey, delivers a pitch in the first inning. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The clouds and cool moist flow made watching the game this afternoon a bit less enjoyable than last night, but not that out of line for weather just prior to Memorial Day over the Mid Atlantic.

The matinee’s lineup cards posted on the wall of the Squirrels’ dugout. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

As often occurs for Sunday afternoon minor league games, the crowd was much smaller than the night before, though the weather might have had an influence of people’s plans. In any event, the starting pitchers dominated the much of the game, with the Senators taking a 2-1 lead into the the top of the seventh inning.

The view from our seats. Note the sparse crowd on this cool and drizzly afternoon. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The Senators broke the game open in the seventh, scoring four runs and putting the game out of reach. By this time, the bulk of the crowd had left, leaving few people in the park when the final out was recorded. Rather than linger to get more pictures of the park, we headed north back to Maryland.

Though The Diamond has some interesting aspects, it is an unremarkable ballpark in a city with a rich history of baseball. Based on my impression of the ballpark, I felt that one visit would suffice. However, we would visit again about a year later, the last stop on a longer baseball tour.

BBT Ballpark, Charlotte, NC June 16th 2017

The start of our second baseball mini-road trip of 2017 started on Friday, June 16th. Our first stop was scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina, to see BB&T Ballpark. Having seen a photo of the park, I felt as though it was worth a visit, before traveling to our final destination, SunTrust Park in Atlanta.

Google Maps showing a 6 hour 30 minute drive from Greenbelt MD to Charlotte NC.

Our drive took us through Richmond, VA on Interstate 95 South (where we saw The Diamond, home of the Richmond Flying Squirrels from the highway) before linking up with Interstate 85 South near Petersburg, VA. Following a quick stop for lunch, we pressed onward toward Charlotte, NC. As we traveled south, the warm and humid airmass was becoming increasingly conducive to thunderstorm development.

Scattered storms started to dot the route toward the ballpark. Arriving in the Charlotte area around the time of the evening commute, the combination of traffic and storms slowed our approach, and it appeared as though we might miss the first pitch. We weaved our way off the interstate to the ballpark complex. Though not raining at the time, it was apparent that heavy rain has just occurred at the ballpark.

The view of BB&T Ballpark from the street outside the parking garage. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The rain at the ballpark was heavy enough to bring the tarp on the field. Putting the tarp on the field almost always involves a rain delay of at least 30 minutes, and this delay worked in our favor. Rather than arriving just about the time of the scheduled first pitch, we were given some time to explore the ballpark before settling into our seats.

Storms moving away from Charlotte NC. The storms resulted in a rain delay at the ballpark. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We parked in the same deck used for the Carolina Panthers games, and ambled over the park. BB&T Ballpark was yet another example of a ballpark with an urban setting as its backdrop. This seems to be a trend for minor league parks, as it was for some MLB parks in the previous two decades. The skyline of Charlotte was impressive from street level was we headed toward the stadium.

Because of the 45 minute rain delay, fans were still milling around outside of the park, waiting to gain entry. With some extra time before the first pitch, we encircled the ballpark before heading inside. We noted a center field entrance, which is unusual for a minor league ballpark.

Center field entrance for BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, NC (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Mainly out of convenience, we entered through this gate. BB&T Ballpark has a concourse that surrounds the playing field, and we walked the entire circle, taking pictures and marveling at the view in right field. Clearly, the ballpark was designed to feature the amazing view. Though I had seen the view in a photo earlier, it did not do the incredible vista justice.

The amazing view of the Charlotte skyline from left field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

I had only caught a glimpse of the ballpark, and it was already my favorite!!! My previous favorite (PNC Park in Pittsburgh) also features a magnificent skyline, but for some reason, this one seemed more majestic. As we walked along the concourse toward home plate, every view seems better than the last. I began wondering if I needed to move to Charlotte, if for no other reason that to visit this place as often as possible.

This is it!!! Of all of the views at the park, this one is my favorite! (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The best view from the park was the last, peering out from under the overhang just to the third base side of home plate. Unfortunately, our seats were not located in this prime piece of real estate. The Charlotte Knights, the Triple A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, draw well, and after seeing the ballpark, that was not surprising. In fact, tickets for this game were at a premium, and rather than get seats via the normal route, we needed to use StubHub to get seats for this game.

The Knights’ opponent for the game was the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates (a team we would see at home later in the 2017 season). Because of the 45 minute rain delay, the starters for the game were just warming up when we reached our seats. We were treated to a up close look at the Knights’ starter Lucas Giolito as he completed his warmup pitches in the bullpen before heading out to the mound.

Lucas Giolito as he finished his warmup in the bullpen before the game. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Giolito, once the pride of the Washington Nationals farm system, was dealt to the White Sox for Adam Eaton in a controversial trade. Frankly, I was surprised to see Giolito still in Triple A, assuming the White Sox could use the help at the big league level.

However, it didn’t take long into his start to determine why he was still in Charlotte. Giolito surrendered three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings, while striking out five and walking four. His control was actually worse than his line showed, going into deep counts again many batters.

The view from our seats down the right field line. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Despite the shaky start by Giolito putting them behind, the Knights’ bats came alive in the sixth inning, scoring six runs against three Indians pitchers, including left hander Antonio Bastardo (so that’s where he was hiding). As the evening faded into night, the Knights’ relievers held the lead as the offense tacked on two runs in each of their last two at-bats.

BB&T Ballpark at night. The backdrop is still magnificent. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

As often happens during blowouts in the minor leagues, the fairly large crowd started thinning out after the seventh inning. The extra room allowed my brother to wander about, taking pictures of this gorgeous stadium. By the time the Knights recorded the final out of their 12-4 victory, most of the crowd was gone or leaving. This is often fortuitous for us, since it generally means a cleaner getaway.

What can I say??? This ballpark quickly became my favorite, and was well worth the stop before heading south to Atlanta. If you are a baseball fan and find yourself within range of Charlotte when the Knights are home, do yourself a BIG favor and visit BB&T Ballpark. You need to see it for yourself to truly appreciate it.

Good night BB&T Ballpark. I will definitely be back as soon as possible. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

UPDATE: Saturday, August 28th 2021

As part of another North Carolina based baseball trip, we revisited BB&T Ballpark (now called Truist Field) for an evening game on Saturday, August 28th 2021. After walking through downtown Charlotte (something time did not allow last time we were here), we entered the ballpark via the home plate gate. While I passed through security with no issues, my brother was stopped. Security informed him that his camera was too large to bring into the stadium!

Dejected, my brother was forced to return to the vehicle to drop off the camera. Though there was a sign stating no cameras with lenses more than 50 mm were permitted in the park, I was stunned by the turn of events. NO OTHER BALLPARK in the US (or Japan, for that matter) has EVER turned my brother away because of the size or sophistication of his camera. My brother has NEVER received a single complaint about his camera or lenses being a hinderance to any fans’ enjoyment of the game. In my opinion, enforcement of a regulation that detracts from a fan’s experience at the ballpark is counterproductive. We are lifelong baseball fans, and enforcement of what seems to be an arbitrary rule felt like a slap in the face to that devotion.

So, despite the magnificent view of downtown Charlotte from the ballpark, the experience was indelibly marred for me. Under no circumstances will I ever revisit Truist Field. This is in no way reflective of how I feel about Charlotte or the fans of the Knights. My wrath is pointed directly at management of Truist Field regarding their asinine policy about cameras in the ballpark.

SunTrust Park, Atlanta GA, June 17th and 18th, 2017

Google Map route from Charlotte NC to Atlanta GA.

1. SunTrust Park, Saturday June 17th 2017

Following an enjoyable visit to BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, North Carolina, we headed out on the next leg our our journey, toward Atlanta to see the Braves host the Miami Marlins at Truist Park (known as SunTrust Park when we visited). The game was scheduled for a 410 pm start (presumably at the behest of Fox Sports), before which we needed to complete a three and one-half hour drive.

Fortunately for us, traffic was relatively light on Interstate 85 South, and the trip flew by. We stopped at our hotel just long enough to drop off our bags and relax a bit before heading out to the park. Not knowing much about the new ballpark, we simply followed the Google directions for parking.

SunTrust Park from the edge of the pedestrian walkway. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We were quite surprised to find out there was no on-site parking at the stadium. Instead, we were directed to a lot at a municipal building about three-quarters of a mile from the park. There wasn’t much guidance about transportation to the stadium, so we followed the crowd toward the ballpark. Crossing over Interstate 75 on a pedestrian bridge, we reached the entrance to the park in about 15 minutes.

SunTrust Park, about 10 minutes before the first pitch. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Granted, this was the inaugural season for the ballpark, but seemingly the Braves hadn’t worked out the problem of getting fans to the complex. Luckily for us, the weather was dry and seasonably warm. Heat or thunderstorms could wreak havoc with people trying to attend the game, especially those with limited mobility. Hopefully, this oversight has been corrected since our visit.

Obviously, the Braves and local government had plans for the area. The gates were not yet open, so we walked around the complex. Adjacent to the stadium were bars, restaurants and shops, most of which were not yet open for business. By the time we had encircled the area, the gates had opened, and we entered the ballpark.

Clearly, the ballpark was anchored to the Comcast Building in right field. Unfortunately, the building seemed to be something of an eyesore (in my opinion), which detracted from the overall feel of the park. The stadium featured a functional but unobtrusive video board in center field, flanked in left field by a smaller video board dedicated primarily to game stats, which I found to be very useful.

The Marlins lineup for the late afternoon game with the Braves. This lineup had six former or future All-Stars.

The park appeared much bigger in person than on TV, due in large part to the third deck spanning foul territory from pole to pole. This detracted from any sense of intimacy within the stadium. In fairness, we didn’t get to explore the park much before the game, so perhaps another look tomorrow afternoon would change my initial evaluation. One thing was certain: this park was a welcome relief from Turner Field.

The Freeze in action. After a stunning loss the night before, The Freeze got back to his winning ways in commanding fashion tonight. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The Marlins’ lineup for this contest was actually fairly well stacked, featuring future NL MVP Christian Yelich. This lineup struck for five runs in the fifth inning to take the lead. However, the Braves clawed their way back into the game, tying it in the bottom of the ninth. Brandon Philips singled in the winning run in the bottom of the tenth, securing the come from behind victory.

Following the final out, we traveled with the herd back over the pedestrian bridge to our parking spot. Though the new stadium had some positive aspects, the parking issue seemed to overshadow them. We would be back tomorrow afternoon for the final game in the series.

2. SunTrust Park, Sunday June 18th 2017

Having seen much of what we wanted to see in the Atlanta area back in 2011, we stayed close to the hotel until checkout time. We decided to get an early start for the afternoon game, heading to the parking lots outside of SunTrust Park so that we would arrive at the park when the gates opened.

Clouds gathering during the late morning threatened rain, but for the moment we were dry. With the extra time, we got an extended opportunity to explore the park. One the gems we missed the night before was the Braves Hall of Fame, located at Monument Gardens.

Hammerin’ Hank in the Braves Hall of Fame. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Thirty one plaques, commemorating Braves greats from the Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta eras of the franchise, are interspersed with multi media presentations and memorabilia. The Braves Hall of Fame is oriented linearly, which could result in a crowded visit with a large fan presence in the stadium. Fortunately for us, there were not many fans in the Hall while we visited. The Hall is informative and entertaining, having something for even casual baseball fans. Being a die hard, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Before looking for our seats, we headed for the concession stand to get lunch. There are many concession areas within SunTrust Park, including a Waffle House and Chick-Fil-A on the field level, as well as other outlets from restaurants in the Atlanta area. Despite the wide variety of food available here, our choices were more pedestrian in nature. If you are willing to explore, you can probably find something to suit varying tastes somewhere within the park.

SunTrust Park, about 90 minutes before game time. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Shortly after finding our seats, the clouds yielded a few sprinkles. However, the rain was short lived, and was completely finished before the start of the game. Eventually, skies began to clear, and we were washed in sunshine during the second half of the game. The start of the game was unusually late, with first pitch scheduled for 130 pm. Most Sunday matinees begin closer to 1 pm, but we’ve found that games in Atlanta start later than most parks, presumably because of traffic.

Miami starter Jose Urena delivers a pitch in the first inning. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Starting for the visiting Miami Marlins was 25 year old right hander Jose Urena. Though he only allowed two runs in six plus innings, he had some control issues, particularly early. Urena hit three batters in the first three innings, and when hit, Matt Adams was NOT happy about it.

The Marlins held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Braves struck for four runs, with the majority of the offensive outburst aimed at Marlins reliever David Phelps. The 4-2 Braves lead lasted one-half inning, as the Marlins tied it in the top of the eighth. Much like the game last night, the game came down to the Braves final at-bat.

The Braves erupted for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead.

And just like the previous night, Brandon Phillips was the hero, singling in Johan Camargo to seal the Braves’ 5-4 victory. The happy Braves fans filed out of the SunTrust Stadium, heading back to the distant parking lots. We saw two good baseball games in a brand new park. SunTrust Stadium is a significant improvement over the Braves’ former home, though the curious parking situation was a definite detraction from an otherwise nice ballpark.