tour – Page 9 – Baseball Travels

Toronto, Ontario Friday June 23rd 2006

Roy Halliday gracing the cover of the Blue Jays program.

1. New Jersey to Toronto, Ontario

Less than three weeks after returning from our trip to Southern California, we headed out for our second baseball trip of 2006. The target, located north of the border, was Toronto, Ontario, to see the New York Mets take on the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Since the trip was expected to be less than eight hours by car, we decided to drive, rather than fly. Though the travel time was longer by car, the drive afforded us a view that we won’t see from the air, and we would have familiar transportation while in Toronto.

The drive started well, and before we knew it, we were stopping for lunch in central New York State. However, after that time, the combination of weather and traffic slowed our progress considerably. Our border crossing near Niagara Falls was painfully slow, and the mounting delays were threatening to make us late for the first pitch at Rogers Centre, slated for 707 pm.

Google Maps depiction of our route from central NJ to Toronto.

After crossing the border, we faced an additional 60 to 90 minutes of driving before reaching the ballpark, which included a quick stop at our hotel in neighboring Mississauga. Unfortunately, the delays placed us squarely in the Toronto evening commute, during which our approach slowed to a crawl. Bumper to bumper traffic on Queen Elizabeth Way doomed our hopes of catching the first pitch, and now we were just hoping to see most of the game.

Dejected, we reached Rogers Centre near 730 pm, and luckily did not have much difficulty locating parking. To my great surprise, we caught some attitude from Blue Jays fans as we walked up to the ballpark, because we wearing our Mets jerseys. Toronto was the LAST place I expected to see behavior more closely associated with sports fans in the New York City or Philadelphia metro areas. We did our best to stay out of trouble that was clearly provoking us, and settled into our seats in the top of the second inning.

2. Rogers Centre

Due to inclement weather in the vicinity, the roof of Rogers Centre was closed. Like most MLB stadiums with retractable roofs, the ballpark looked huge with the roof closed. Despite all lighting banks operating nominally, Rogers Centre appeared dark. With no time to tour the ballpark, we got to our seats as quickly as possible. Still irritated by our late arrival, we were confronted with unruly Mets fans two rows behind us.

Two couples from the New York City area were behaving almost as badly as the Blue Jays fans outside the ballpark just minutes before. Loud, rude and obnoxious, these ‘fans” were acting as though they were at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York, not in Toronto. Calling Canadian money “Monopoly money”, we were embarrassed for them (and us). Doing our best to ignore the distractions, we picked up the game with the Mets at bat.

On the mound for the New York Mets was veteran Tom Glavine. At 10-2, Glavine was off to one the best starts of his storied career, leading the NL in wins. Casey Janssen was the starter for the Blue Jays, scuffling his way through a rough 2006 season. Mets third baseman David Wright slugged a three run home run in the third inning, adding to the early Mets lead.

Meanwhile, Glavine kept the Blue Jays offense in check, ultimately tossing seven innings and allowing just a single run. Clearly the ace of an otherwise unremarkable Mets starting rotation, Glavine was tasked with leading a team that was built to win now, supported by a stacked offense and good bullpen. He fulfilled his role admirably that night, turning over a sizable lead to said bullpen.

Mets starter Tom Glavine toeing the rubber at Rogers Centre, Toronto ON.

During the game, we studied the Rogers Centre from our seats. My initial impression, that the stadium was huge, remained with me. The first MLB Park with a retractable roof, it was, at the time of its inauguration, an engineering marvel, and more than 15 years later, remained impressive. Like many domed stadium, it felt as though it lacked character, though to be fair we saw only a small part of the stadium. Though not a sell out, there was a good sized crowd in attendance, which seemed to make the place feel a bit more intimate.

The scoreboard tells the tale. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Glavine and a trio of Mets relievers kept the Blue Jays mostly in check, allowing the visitors to take the opening game of the weekend series. Leaving the ballpark presented no particularly problem, but we did get lost headed back toward our hotel (taking us straight through the heart of the red light district of Toronto). Upon reaching our hotel, we experienced the final surprise of our mostly forgettable day on the road.

Rather than stay at the Renaissance Hotel in the Rogers Centre (as the cost seemed exorbitant), I chose a cheaper hotel outside of the city. As we pulled into the parking lot, I realized I’d made a big mistake opting for the cheaper solution. Located in a dilapidated section of Mississauga, the environment was intimidating, and I seriously wondered if my car would still be in the parking lot in the morning. Being much too late to make other arrangements, we settled in and hoped for the best.

Arizona Saturday, May 5th 2007

1. Downtown Phoenix

Following breakfast near the hotel, we set out to explore downtown Phoenix ahead of the evening baseball game at Chase Field. Wall to wall sunshine greeted us as we began our outing, with temperatures in the 70s and low humidity. On this nearly perfect morning, we focused on our attention on Copper Square, nestled in the middle of downtown Phoenix.

Since it was relatively early on a Saturday, we had little difficulty finding parking, with most lots charging about $10. A quick walk around revealed that the Square consisted of attractions and various places to eat. Taking the place at face value, we wandered about taking pictures. Like most of our travels through cities with MLB franchises, we found an old church. Saint Mary’s Basilica, founded in 1915, is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the greater Phoenix area. The Spanish Colonial Revival architecture was unique in my experience, and fit in seamlessly with its surroundings.

A commemoration of the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1985

Wandering around the Square, we encountered interesting sculptures encompassing a fairly large area. At first glance, the bronze statues appeared to be nude, but upon closer inspection, the statues were indeed scantily clad. There was not much in the way of context for the statutes; in fact, there did not seem to be any obvious reason the sculptures were on the streets of downtown Phoenix.

All told, we saw about a dozen of the statues, in various states of repose, scattered about the Square. Other than the statutes, and a quick glimpse of one of the entrances to Arizona State University, the area was unimpressive, but the pleasant temperatures and cooling breeze made the morning into early afternoon quite pleasant.

2. Chase Field

Chase Field, Phoenix AZ. Note the narrow dirt path between the mound and home plate. Dubbed a “keyhole”, Chase Field is one of only two MLB parks to feature one (Comerica Park in Detroit is the other). (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Following lunch at the Copper Square, we retired to the hotel for a break before the evening game at Chase Field. The Saturday evening matchup, slated again for a 640 pm first pitch, would be played with the roof closed. Once again, gusty winds presented enough of a hazard to force play under the dome, despite sunshine and seasonably cool temperatures. This was disappointing, as we would not get the opportunity to see a game at Chase Field under the stars.

Having seen the ballpark last evening, we arrived about 40 minutes before game time. Parking was once again plentiful and relatively cheap, and with little to see outside the park, we headed into the stadium. Crossing from bright sunshine to the relative darkness of the roof covered Chase Field, it took a few moments to adjust to the changes in lighting. My first impression of the park was confirmed; though it was a “newer” ballpark, the closed roof made the place look and feel immense.

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

After grabbing a typical “baseball” dinner at at nearby concession area, we found our seats. Even though the crowd was sparser than typical for a Saturday night, we could not manage to acquire lower level seats for the contest. However, our second level seats down the third base line afforded us a good view of the ballpark and the action.

Starting for the hometown Diamondbacks was Brandon Webb. the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. Webb was off to a good start in 2007, one of the stalwarts of the Diamondbacks’ starting staff. Webb would win 18 games in 2007, then lead the NL in wins 2008 with 22. Following his string of outstanding campaigns, Webb suffered a series of rotator cuff injuries, which brought his career to a untimely end.

Diamondbacks starter Brandon Webb delivers a pitch at Chase Field, Phoenix AZ (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

The Mets starter was Jorge Sosa. A veteran pitcher acquired from the Atlanta Braves at the end of the previous year, Sosa was coming off a rough 2006 season. Thus far in 2007, Sosa sported a 2.48 ERA, yet was in search of his first win of the young season. With a pair of right handers squaring off against each other this evening, we felt as though we might witness a pitcher’s duel in the desert.

The blossoming Mets offense struck first, scoring a pair of runs in the second inning (courtesy of a Shawn Green two run home run). Aside from that, both starters were on top of their games, keeping the opposing offenses in check through the first five innings. The quick pace of the game brought us to the sixth inning just under the two hour mark.

Cavernous Chase Field with the roof closed, again. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

In the top of the sixth inning, the Mets offense erupted for four runs, ending Brandon Webb’s night. The Mets’ Sosa threw six and one-third innings, giving up two runs before exiting game in the seventh inning. A trio of Mets relievers shut down the Diamondbacks the rest of the way, preserving a 6-2 victory for the Mets, with Sosa earning his first win of the year.

Leaving Chase Field shortly after the Mets win, I looked around for what might be the last time. We would forgo the series finale Sunday afternoon in favor of a trip to the Grand Canyon, so I’m am not sure if/when I’ll see the ballpark again. While it was certainly worth the visit, I’m not sure my impression of the park was high enough to ensure a return in the future.

Diamondbacks program for the series with the Mets.

Arizona, Friday, May 4th 2007

Our first baseball trip of the year took us to the Desert Southwest, a part of the country I had not yet seen, to see the New York Mets take on the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. Hoping to avoid the searing heat of Arizona, we chose to visit in early May, before the days when high temperatures regularly top 100 F would arrive.

We decided to take our Mom along on the trip, so she could get a taste of this part of the country. The trip began quite ominously, as we missed our flight from Newark, NJ to Phoenix, AZ because a dump truck full of sand left us immobile on the Garden State Parkway. We normally arrive at the airport two hours before the flight to avoid problems like this, but we were stuck in the same place (literally) for more than two hours.

Realizing we would miss our flight because of the dump truck incident, we quickly made reservations for a later flight while still locked in traffic. Fortunately there were seats for Phoenix available, and we found ourselves flying out in the mid afternoon. Arriving in Phoenix close to dinner time, we checked into the hotel and decided to eat at the nearby Waffle House. Following a disappointing meal in the greasy restaurant, we retired to the hotel to rest after a VERY long travel day.

1. South Mountain Park, Phoenix

Huge cacti in South Mountain Park, Phoenix, AZ

Following our harrowing travel to Phoenix, we spent the morning and early afternoon hours at South Mountain Park. The largest municipal park in the USA at 16,000 acres, South Mountain Park offer trails for hiking and sweeping views of Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun. Fortunately for us, high cloudiness dimmed the sun to some degree, keeping temperatures in the 80s, along with low humidity levels.

A warm breeze greeted us as we started our visit at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center. After learning about the park there, we headed toward Dobbins Lookout. From the 2300 foot elevation, we could see the entire Valley of the Sun, as well as the mountains north of Phoenix. Unbeknownst to me at the time, there was a semi present haze over the Valley, which made viewing the city more difficult than expected. Still, the vantage point gave us an amazing view of Phoenix.

Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun from Dobbins Lookout at South Mountain Park.

From Dobbins Lookout, we wandered among the cacti, rocks and vegetation nearby. Having a fascination with cacti, this was my first up close encounter, and I was not disappointed. Being the middle of the day, the wildlife was well hidden, but the birds and the flora were fantastic. This portion of the park reminded me of pictures I had seen of the High Desert of northwest Arizona, though there was much more in the way of trees and bushes here.

Driving along the highway through the park, we stopped at various locations to get better views of our surroundings. Being from the Northeast, the rock formations vaguely reminded me of the rocks deposited by glaciers throughout the Delaware Water Gap. Scattered among the rocks and scrub brushes, I remained transfixed by the cacti. Ignorant of the different types of cacti, I wandered among them, taking picture after picture.

Cacti scattered among the rocks and scrub brush in South Mountain Park.

Engrossed in my environment, I lost track of time, and we ended staying in the park FAR longer than intended. At the behest of my companions, we left South Mountain Park in search of lunch in Phoenix. Having investigated only a small part of the park, I fully intended to come back during our visit. The park became an instant favorite, and we had only been here for less than a day!

Goodbye for now, South Mountain Park. See you again very soon!

2. Chase Field, Phoenix

Chase Field with the roof closed, Phoenix AZ. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Following lunch and some time relaxing at the hotel, my brother and I headed out to Chase Field to catch the game between the Mets and the Diamondbacks. Slated for a 640 pm start (which seemed like an odd starting time for an evening game, but we would find out later that the Colorado Rockies often start evening games at that time), we arrived about two hours before game time (just as the gates to the stadium were opening). Unlike many other MLB parks, we found few fans milling around the park this early. This might be attributed to not having much else in the vicinity to do before heading into the park.

Surprisingly, there was little in way of parking at the stadium itself, but there was ample parking within a couple of blocks of the ballpark. Since we arrived early, we parked down the street for about $10, which was a bargain compared to some other MLB parks. As is our custom, we walked around the park shortly after arriving. There wasn’t much in the immediate vicinity of Chase Field, so after taking a few pictures, we went inside.

Walking up to Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

When we entered the park, the roof of Chase Field was open with mainly clear skies, light winds and temperatures in the 70s. Our first impression of Chase Field was that is was huge, even for a domed stadium. Holding 48,000 plus fans, the stadium featured the largest capacity of the “newer” ballparks we had visited. The concourse allowed us access to much of the lower level, and we encircled the playing field, taking pictures.

Chase Field with the roof open. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

We briefly stopped in right centerfield (not far from the pool) to take in some batting practice, as Mets players shagged fly balls in the outfield. As batting practice ended, we continued the tour of Chase Field on our way to our seats. Despite ideal weather conditions, we noted that the roof was closing. In the short time since we entered the park, the wind picked up outside, and the Diamondbacks management decided that wind was a hazard with the roof open. By the time we reached the upper deck to get a picture of the park from behind home plate, the roof had closed.

Strong winds were the cause of the roof closing at Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Like most MLB parks, there were no shortage of places to eat, with a large variety of Southwest based entrees and ballpark favorites. Before heading to our seats, we ducked into the lower concourse to grab a baseball dinner. During our tour of the ballpark, we noticed Randy Johnson warming up in the bullpen. A sure fire Hall of Famer, Johnson was still at the top of his game in 2006, a formidable opponent for the surging Mets.

While Randy Johnson often dominated opponents, his record against the Mets was rather pedestrian, especially in the playoffs. So, while the Mets were facing one of the best pitchers of the era, their high powered offense might just be a match for Johnson. The Mets sent right hander John Maine to the mound, who was enjoying the best stretch of his young career. Coming into this start, Maine was 5-0 to start the season, with a sterling 1.32 ERA.

Randy Johnson warming up in the bullpen prior to his start at Chase Field versus the New York Mets. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

Given the starting pitching matchup, we thought we might witness a low scoring game, though we did not know the characteristics of Chase Field, especially with the roof closed. We got our answer early, as the Mets scored a run off Johnson in the first, followed by two more runs in the second to take a 3-0 lead. It seems as though the Mets would continue their mastery of Randy Johnson.

Meanwhile, the Mets John Maine was cruising, extending his streak of good starts in the desert. During the game, we got a much better look at Chase Field. The first thing we noticed was the size of the crowd, which seemed disappointingly small for a Friday night. There were fewer fans in the park than the announced crowd of 26,000, making the park look that much larger.

The Mets John Maine threw six effective innings at the Diamondbacks, leaving a 5-1 lead for the bullpen. Though the Mets relievers allowed a pair of runs in the eight inning, closer Billy Wagner shut down the Diamondbacks in the ninth to preserve the 5-3 victory. Despite the number of runs scored, the game was played in a very economical two and one-half hours.

During that time, I feel we got a good sense of Chase Field. My initial impression remained with me through the game; the ballpark is HUGE, especially with the roof closed (like most stadiums with a retractable roof). Its size did not project any sense of intimacy, a seemingly important attribute of “newer” MLB ballparks. Of course, a stadium with a roof is a necessity in the Valley of the Sun, for the benefit of fans and players alike.

The swimming pool in right center field at Chase Field. (Photo credit: Jeff Hayes)

However, the necessity appears to make Chase Field somewhat less charming, in my opinion. We would be back the next night, giving us another opportunity to explore the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.