Thank you for everyone that took the time to follow along and leave comments.  We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed blogging about it.  We also want to thank Jacob Wilson and Mark Newman of MLB.com for helping us get the blog started and putting us on the front page. 

We are planning to do this again next year with another 5 or 6 stadiums.  If you are planning your own trip and have any questions or want some tips that we learned along the way, feel free to leave a comment on any of the blogs and I will get back to you.

 

Thanks Again,

Brent, Brandon, Cory, Tanner

We decided to break each city down into 5 categories, Stadium, City, Food, Fans, and Parking. Each person ranked the cities from first to last in each category, first place recieving 6 points and last recieving 1.  Highest total in each category recieved 6 overall points down to 1 for last.  These rankings were just based on our experience, and each person was not asked to explain their ranking.  Your experience with each city may be different but we wanted to let everyone know what we thought.

 

Best Stadium

6. Wrigley Field, Chicago:  The overall appearance and outdated facilities were why we ranked this last.  While it is still Wrigley, it just didnt have the appeal for 4 guys that werent die hard Cubs fans.  It was hard to get to, and didnt have anything outside of the ivy walls to offer.

5. Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia:  Even though the stadium is new, there isnt the WOW factor to it.  Ashburn Alley was a great place to watch the game from, its hard to get information from there.  The main video board gives most of the info instead of having screens around the stadium to keep us informed on pitch speed, batters count, outs, pitch count and inning breakdown.

4. Yankee Stadium, New York:  Yankee Stadium only had 1 serious flaw.  The Mohican Sun Sports bar in center field blocks a large portion of the stadium for many people sitting in the bleachers.  From our seats we were unable to see deep center, right field, and the big screen from the 3rd row.  While they attempt to make up for it with TV’s on the side, they are still hard to see.  With all the technology in todays stadiums, we would think that they could have designed it better.

3. Progressive Field, Cleveland:  Cleveland was a great stadium.  You can get into the stadium 2 and a half hours early for BP, and there really isnt any flaws too it.  It fell to third just due to lack of a wow factor.  The fireworks were great, but just not enough to push it past the top 2.

2. PNC Park, Pittsburgh:  By far the best fan experience.  The players threw dozens and dozens of balls into the stands and they were always giving stuff away between innings.  Also as they say in real estate, location, location, location.   The backdrop of the city and the river behind the stadium made for a great view throughout the entire game.

1. Comerica Park, Detroit:  Comerica drew 3 of the 4 first place votes.  From the minute you get within view of it, you are wowed.  Statues of Tigers everywhere, some climbing on things, most holding baseballs in their mouths.  Once inside the stadium you have the legends alley and the Chevy Fountain that are great to see. The players were great about balls and autographs and everyone at the park was extremely friendly.  This is one field we could all agree we would return to again.

 

City (This category was the hardest for us.  By no means did we want to trash anyone’s home, we just wanted to express how much we enjoyed the top 2.)

6. Detroit: While the field was amazing, the damage done by the economy to Detroit was more than noticeable.  The area around the stadium was pretty rundown.  It wasnt a city we felt inclined to spend alot of time in.  Even though we had plenty of time before our next game, we headed out of town immediately.

5.Chicago: Overall terribly unimpressed.  If not for the damage done to Detroit by the economy, Chicago would have came in last.  It was hard to navigate, and traffic was terrible.  The city is extremely old and outdated, and could use some work, at least to the area around the stadium.  The sidwalks were in need of repair and overall it just seemed very dirty.

4. Philadephia:  Again the city was very old, it probably would have ranked higher if we had spent more time there, but with our limited experience, it wasnt unforgettable.  The streets are very narrow and parking for the Cheesesteaks was almost non exsistant. 

3. New York City:  While it had everything to offer, it was just too much.  While we did get to see some great sites, it has its negatives.  The traffic alone was terrible.  The constant smell coming from sewers and subway tunnels was someting we could have done without.  Like Chicago it seemed very dirty.  Finding simple things like a bar or food was somewhat of a struggle without having a guide.  Prices alone were enough to bring the city down.

2. Pittsburgh:  From our walk to Doubledays along the river, to our experience at Doubledays, this place had it all.  This was the only city we found people tailgating before the game, while that may not seem like a big deal, we are from Wisconsin, and thats what we do before all games.  Doubledays was great, the people actually went out of their way to talk to us and the city was gorgeous.

1. Cleveland:  We were immediately impressed the minute we exited the car.  The city was extremely clean and the buildings were beautiful.  The sidewalks weren’t in need of repair, and buildings didnt seem to be falling down around us.  There wasn;t trash laying everywhere, it was the only city were we just walked and kept on walking because we wanted to see more.

 

Food

6. Detroit:  Really it wasnt that Detroit had bad food, just that they lacked anything special.  Hot Dogs and Little Ceasars Pizza just doesnt catch your attention.

5. Cleveland:  They only thing that put Cleveland over Detroit was our seats.  We were able to enjoy bbq pulled pork, corn on the cob and more.  The food served on the party deck was amazing.

4. Chicago:  The Chicago dogs were amazing, however that was all they had to offer. It was definitely enough to push them out of the bottom 2 for the first time, it wasnt enough to carry the category.

3. Pittsburgh: We may have just been lucky, but 3rd was unanimous for this group.  Doubledays was just like home to us.  The bartender immediately chatted us up and the owner was the cook.  Our burgers were huge and they came with a heap of fries.  Tanner commented to the owner that he sure doesnt skimp on portions, he replied, “I tried to avoid doing the things that upset me when I go out to eat.”

2. Philadelphia: The Philly Cheesesteak really is as great as they say.  Had we had more time, we all agreed we would have had a 2nd one. 

1. New York City: Wow, just wow.  The pizza was to die for, the Canoli was an amazing dessert.  The prices were much higher than everywhere else, but the food was just to good to change our minds.

 Fans

6. Chicago: Rude, rude, rude, rude.  There is a line between being a fan, and just being obnoxious, Cubs fans erase that line.  From just blatantly repulsive statements, to the sheer lack of knowledge about the players they are screaming at, we certainly could have done without them.  We did have a family behind us that attempted to make up for them, but we saw more people removed from this one game, than the other 5 combined.

4t. Detroit: The fans in Detroit seemed to turn on their team rather quick.  At the start they cheered their team proudly, by the middle of the game, the fans were yelling at their own team and insulting the players.

4t. Cleveland:  They just weren’t into the game.  While the ones around us were knowledgeable about the team, and cheered them on the entire game, the stadium was virtually empty, yet it was the largest attendance the team had had all year.

3. Pittsburgh:  We gave them alot of credit for the fans showing up game after game even though the team hasnt been winning in almost 2 decades.  The people around us cheered and cheered, and stayed throughout the game.  Even the younger kids sitting next to us were able to answer our questions about the stadium.

2. Philadelphia:  This one was a close vote.  Phillies fans are almost has hardcore as Yankee fans.  They packed the stadium to the brim.  They constantly cheered and cheered, and booed the mets with all they had.  They knew all about their team, even though almost half of it is on the dl.

1. New York:  What can we say, these people just love their team, probably more than they hate the Red Sox, which is saying something after our experience.  From the 1st pitch to the last they are behind their team always believing they will win.  Dedicated with tattoos, hats, shirts, and jerseys, they were geared up like no other team we had seen.  They represent themselves well, while cheering against the Sox, it wasnt just swearing and nonsense, it was sheer love for the Yankees.

 

Parking

6. New York City: While we understand that there are 500 million cars in New York and only 9 parking spots, its still a pain to park a car.  When you finally do find a place, the prices are outrageous. 

5. Chicago:  Nowhere to park at all.  Had it not been for us having a laptop with wireless access, I dont know what we would have done.  Even when we did find a place, we had to walk forever to reach the stadium.

4. Philadephia:  We didnt rate this based on the downtown parking, just on the stadium parking.  While there is plenty of parking for everyone, everything is right on top of eachother, and getting in and out isnt easy.

3. Detroit:  Parking was readily available and priced based on distance which was a nice factor.  It just didnt seem very secure, and the thought of a night game made us happy we attended a day game.

2. Pittsburgh:  We just put the Park Address into the GPS, and when we found the stadium, we found parking.  $15 right across the street and people were tailgating.  Very simple in and very simple out.

1. Cleveland: Parking was everywhere downtown.  We found a great lot for $10 and unlike most cities, it was good until 6am the next morning.  It was right behind Quicken Loans Arena, which is immediately adjacent to Progressive Field.  In and out was no problem at all.

Overall

6.  Chicago (9 out of 30):  Other than the food, the city had nothing we liked.  Our goal is to visit every stadium within in the next 5 of so years, we truely have no desire to see a White Sox game after our Cubs experience.

5.  Detroit (15 out of 30):  While it may seem strange that this was the only stadium we made it a point to say we would return to, it was all the city had to offer.  With no specialty foods and a city that needs alot of work, it just didnt recieve that great of an overall score.

4.  Philadelpia (18 out of 30):  Its low ranking may truely have been due to lack of time spent there, the stadium itself is where they took the biggest hit.  We would have liked to see more things there, but time just didnt allow it..

3. New York City (20 out of 30):  Food and Fans vaulted it to this point, but the sheer size and cost of the city is what keeps it from the top.  You almost have to stay in the city to keep it accessible and everything there was expensive.  6 guys went out for pizza and 2 beers and it cost us $108.  We may have actually spent more in NYC than the rest of the trip combined.

2. Cleveland (21 out of 30): Yes we wouldnt have guessed this would be 2nd at the start of our trip either, but Cleveland (in the summer at least) is truely a great experience, we arent sure why LeBron left.  We walked to the waterfront, and even attended Cleveland Browns family day,(thanks to the fans) all with 0 hassel. We found a great hotel in the city for a great price.  Had the food been a little more memorable, it probably would have hit #1.

1. Pittsburgh (23 out of 30): The city never finished under 3rd in any category.  The worst team by far was the best experience.  We didnt have 1 single bad thing to say about it.  The people, the city, the game, and the food was amazing.  Definitely a town that should be on any sports fan list to see.  Even if its not a Pirates game, the city is gorgeous and the people were great.

 

 

 

 

 

We got into NYC the night before the game about 7pm.  We decided before we left to splurge and stay at the Manhattan Hilton that night which was about $199 for the night.  We had a couple friends who lived there so they met us at the hotel to show us some sites and to take us to eat.  We ate some New York Pizza and had Canolis for dessert, they were amazing!  We walked around the city til about 12:30am then headed back to the hotel to get some sleep for the finale.

The next morning we got up and checked out, but the Hilton held our bags while we were at the game for $3.50 each which was much easier than getting the car from the valet and trying to find a place to park the car.

The subway was only a block away from the hotel so we jumped on there and bought passes to the stadium and back for $4.50 each.  The subway dropped us off right at the stadium, which was worth every penny.  We stopped in a shop across the street and picked up some Yankees gear and headed in.

Our seats didnt turn out to be what we were promised.  We were 3rd row in the bleachers, which we had been told wouldnt be obstructed, but they certainly were.  After a quick call to Stubhub, they attempted to get us different tickets, but due to the 1st pitch being 15 minutes away, they were unable to.  Instead they gave us a $40 credit for future ticket purchase which was fine with us.

We returned to our seats and caught another great game.  From the start to the finish, the Yankees fans were completely in the game.  From chants of “Boston Sucks” to cheers for the team were constant throughout the game.  Many fans even went as far as to get Yankee Tattoos.  On the other hand the Boston fans were not about to back down, and cheered their team on the entire time. 

Early in the game 2 Boston fans in front of us decided the sun was too hot and decided to put up an umbrella.  After asking them to put it down and being told off more than once, we sent a text to stadium assistance, and the response I got was beyond my expectations.  They first responded with they recieved our message.  Next they sent another message saying someone was on their way.  Finally they asked if someone had helped us and was the situation resolved.  An usher showed up within 5 minutes and informed the ladies they had to put it down, they complained for a minute, then promptly left the seats.

As none of us would have ever guessed, the game turned out to be the lowest scoring of them all.  Jon Lester had a no hitter going for the first 4 or 5 innings which was exciting, while the Sox got 2 runs in the 2nd.  Mark Teixieira made it interesting with a Home Run, but the Boston pitching was able to strand the bases loaded more than once.  Papelon picked up the save, and the two teams split the 4 game series.

The Yankees fans were a great bunch, while they are very dedicated to their team, they werent overly obnoxious.  When they heard about our trip, they had 50 questions for us, from the best stadium, to what city had the best looking girls. 

Overall NYC was a great time, we got to take in the sites and see the best rivalry in baseball.  Driving around the city is crazy, and we would highly suggest using the subways and cabs before driving on your own.  The food and fans were great, while the city really was alot to take in.

We are currently on the 15 hour trek home, and will post our final analysis shortly, including our vote for best baseball city on our trip.

 

Sorry for the long update time, the last 2 days have been pretty packed with driving and activities in the last two stops.  Sleep was hard to come by.

We found a hotel outside Harrisburg and got to sleep about 3am on Saturday night at The Roadway in for about $70.  We wanted to be back up and on the road by 9, but we were so tired we slept in and didnt get moving til around 10-1030.  We arrived in Philadelphia about 90 minutes before game time, but we had to stop downtown and try the famous Philly Cheesesteak.  The line at Pat’s was extremely long but the food was worth it, we didnt have time to also try Geno’s, but if its even half as good it would have been worth it too.  After that we headed to the stadium.  We arrived just as the game started, parking is readily available at the stadium for $15.

We got into the game just after the first inning.  We made a quick stop at the pro shop to grab some gear, and then headed to Ashburn Alley to take in the game.  It was extremely hot, but once again we got to see a great game.  The stadium was really nice and Phillies fans are something else, the stadium was beyond packed.  The game came down the top of the 9th, with 2 outs and a man on 3rd, but the Mets were not able to get him home, as the Phillies survived 6-5.

Our stay in Philly was short lived, immediately after the game we headed north to NYC, to meet up with some friends and see the sites.

 

After out arrival we were ready to eat.  We did some research online and found a place on line called Doubledays. We headed from out parking spot which we found with ease only 2 blocks away for $10.  We headed towards the bridge and walked along the river behind the stadium.  We found out that you can infact take a boat to the game and tie up right behind the outfield   We took a walk across the Clemente Bridge which had an outstanding view, then just two blocks away was the bar.  From the outside it didn’t look like much, but once inside it did not disappoint,  For about $10 we each had giant burger and a plate full of fries that were delicious needless to say.  The owner was actually the cook, and he wished us well on our trip.

We headed back to the stadium about an hour and 45 minutes before game time.  After a quick stop in the pro shop, we headed to our seats.  Just like Detroit, we had an amazing usher who escorted us to our seats and wiped them down for us.  We sat front row left field wall in the bleachers for $37, which we purchased off stubhub.  PNC park was absolutely amazing.  The background of the city and the Clemente Bridge, made for an amazing view from out seats.  The park was extremely fan friendly with only a 3 foot wall seperating us from the action. 

We made it in time to catch Rockies BP which turned out to be a highlight of our night.  After 3 games of failing to get a ball, we finally got one, but we had to earn it.  The Rockies bullpen catcher Mark Strittmatter came over and after telling him of trip he said he would give us a ball if we could answer a question right. 

He first asked Tanner, how many outs are in an inning.  He quickly answered 3, which is unfortunately wrong.  Next he asked me what is 30 divided by half plus 15.  I said 30 which again was wrong.  Next came Cory’s question, do People from Kentucky pronounce their capital Louisville or Louieville.  Cory dropped the ball and we were 0-3.  He told Brandon to say silk 5 times fast, after which he quickly said what do cows drink.   Needless to say we were now 0-4.  After joking with some Rockies players he came back and said he would give us one final question.  I volunteered to take it.  He said you have 2 coins that total 30 cents, 1 is not a quarter, what are they.  FINALLY a hit, and the ball was in hand!

Answers:(6 outs in an inning, 75, Frankfurt, Water, Quarter and a Nickel.)

After that we settled in for a game that started off slow but ended with a bang.  In the top of the 9th it was 5-2 with 2 on when the unthinkable happened, the Rockies hit a home run to tie the game.  Unforutately the Pirates werent able to score in the bottom half of the inning.  Top of the 10th the Rockies again blasted a 2 run home run to take the lead, and it seemed as all was lost.  But in the bottom of the 10th, with 2 on and 2 out, Alvarez hit a 3 run walk off home run and PNC exploded! 

The Pirate players were extremely generous with balls with the outfielders throwing 2 into the stands each time they took the field.  Their mascot also was on the field more than once in the game to shoot shirts from a cannon into the stands and was joined once by some other staff that used a 3 person waterballoon launcher to throw even more into the stands.  Also they had a Pierogi race that unlike most standiums that has the 4 comstume wearers race around the infield, they run around the outfield fence and even give high fives along the way!

We seemed to have picked some great games to attend when we found out that afterwards the Pirates were having fireworks and a concert by George Thurogood!  Unfortunately due to the length of the game (over 4 hours) and the time it will take us to get to Philadelphia for a day game tomorrow, we were unable to stay, although I am sure it was an amazing show.  The Pirates do this once a months, so be sure to check out schedule when attending games.

Overall Pittsburgh was another Home Run.  The debate went on throughout the game if PNC was better than Comerica, but never the less, it was an amazing experience.  We didnt really try any specialty food, but the fans, the city and the game were amazing.

We are currently on the road to Philadelphia to try and cut up the driving.  I will post some pictures later and more from the Phillies and Mets tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

 

We pulled into Pittsburgh about 4pm.  We have 3 hours to gametime so we are going to swing to a place called Doubledays for a burger and a beer.  Pittsburgh looks very promising, more info to follow the game.

 

So we walked around downtown Cleveland for a few hours to take in some sights before the game.  Cleveland is a beautiful city with lots to see, from historical buildings to parks and fountains.  We walked down to the lakefront to see the Browns stadium and the Rock and Roll HOF before heading back to the Hairy Buffalo Bar & Grill for a beer.  From there we headed to the game.

We arrived at the stadium 2 hours and 15 minutes early.  The team opens up Gate C earlier than the rest of the stadium so fans can watch batting practice.  While we still didnt get a ball, the team was extremely generous tossing balls into the crowd.  An hour and 15 minutes before the game starts they open up the first base line for an autograph session.

We purchased the $60 Bud Light Party Deck tickets for this game, which is located in the right field corner and includes all you can eat and drink (no alcohol, although a cash bar is located there) for an hour before the game and an hour after first pitch.  The menu is picnic style and incudled pulled bbq pork, hot dogs, fried chicken, mac and cheese and more.  We had planned an eating contest but were unable to work out a scoring system to measure how much each person ate.  Needless to say we ate alot!

We were first in line to get on the party deck which does have limited seating, so we hurried down and sat front row once again.  The game looked bad for the Twins, until Jim Thome hit what certainly looked like a 2 run HR in top of the 9th to tie the game, but was ruled a double.  The runs scored later anyway, but in the end Matt Laporta hit a walk off HR in the bottom of the 9th to win it for the Indians.  After the game the Indians put on a fireworks show (this is done every friday night) that was breathtaking.   It lasted about 15 minutes and was done to music, it was a great time.

The Party Deck was a great experience, the view was fantastic, and the food was great.  The fans around us were really nice, and knowledgeable about not only the team but the city, giving us advice on places to go and things to do.

We decided to stay in Cleveland tonight instead of moving on due to Pittsburgh being so close and the extra sleep could do us some good.  We found a 2 room suite at the Intercontinental Hotel and Suites for $109, a little more than usual, but definitely worth it.

Overall Cleveland has been an amazing experience.  Not just the Indians game, but the people and the city itself.  More from Pittsburgh tomorrow!!

 

 

The drive from Sandusky to Cleveland was short and simple.  We found the stadium without any problems, and found parking 2 blocks away for $15.  We are 4 hours early for the game, so we are going to go walk around Cleveland for a little while and see the town.  We are sitting Bud Light Party Deck, near the Right Field foul poll for $60. Eating contest will take place tonight, updates will follow the game!