Summer Baseball Tour 2011

The All Star break designates the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half. By now, we have a good idea which teams will contend for a spot in the postseason and which teams are already looking ahead to the arrival of Spring Training 2012. Story lines begin to heat up as we continue the Major League marathon through the dog days of summer as we approach the September stretch run. Over the next six weeks, I will be attending 13 Major League games in 11 different cities and I will blog about my experience at each game. My goal is to provide some entertaining insight and to highlight the unique experiences of each ballgame. The following are eight factors that I think have an influence on the baseball fan experience. 

Target Field is the first stop on the Summer Baseball Tour

The City: A short bio of the city will be given here as well as a few personal thoughts. 

The Home Team: Each team has its own place in the baseball hierarchy. The Washington Nationals are not the New York Yankees – not now, not ever. I will give a short history of the home team, characterizing their importance to the city and recounting famous players and plays. 

Game Setup and Crowd: The time (day or night), weather, and the day of the week (week or weekend) have an effect on the size and the demographic of the crowd. Each game that I attend will be assigned a grade between 1 and 10 stars based on the attendance and the atmosphere. 

The Stadium: Each stadium has its unique features that differentiate one from another. For me, this includes the immediate area surrounding the stadium. Each stadium that I visit will be assigned a grade between 1 and 10 stars based on the architectural design of the stadium, its location within the city, and its historical relevance. 

Location of Seat:  Each seat offers a different perspective of the game and the field of play. The location of the seat also influences the surrounding demographic, depending on the cost of the ticket. A seat in the outfield bleachers provides a significantly different experience than a first row seat behind home plate. Each game that I attend will be assigned a grade between 1 and 10 stars based on my view of the field and the game and the fans in my section. 

Opponent: The opponent impacts the size of the crowd (some teams draw more than others on the road), as well as the intensity of the game on the field and in the stands. Each game that I attend will be assigned a grade between 1 and 10 stars depending on the significance of the rivalry and the ability of the opponent. 

Quality of Starting Pitching: The importance of quality starting pitching cannot be understated. There is a significant difference between watching Roy Halladay and Jo-Jo Reyes pitch. Each game that I attend will be assigned a grade between 1 and 10 stars based on the quality of the starting pitchers. If the home team holds the advantage in the matchup, this will positively affect the grade because it gives the home team a better chance at winning the game. 

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is a 9 time All Star and 3 time NL MVP

All Stars: The more MVP’s, All Stars, Rookies of the Year, Cy Young, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winners involved in a game the better. Each game will be assigned a grade between 1 and 10 stars depending on the star power present on the field. 

Food: Each stadium has its signature dish, usually incorporating local culture. I will do a quick review of whatever food I consume at each ballpark.  

Ballpark food options at Fenway Park

Game Recap: I will also write a concise game recap, choosing to emphasize key moments.  

The following idea was first used by bestselling author Nick Hornby in his book Fever Pitch, an autobiographical account about his life as a fan of Arsenal FC from 1968 to 1992. Hornby outlined seven semi-rare things that would make a football match memorable for him. I came up with my own checklist of seven memorable feats for a baseball game. 

Triple = Speed, one of the most exciting plays in baseball.

Multi Home run Game = A monster display of power.

Home run Robbery = Also includes a play in which a player reaches into the stands to make the catch, a superb display of concentration and athleticism.

Walk off Hit = Coming up big in the clutch and sending the fans home happy.

Complete Game = Starting what you finished, a dominant pitching performance.

Double Digit K’s = Swing and a miss, intimidating opposing hitters with filthy stuff.

Pitcher touches 100mph or more =Throwing heat and lighting up the radar gun. 

This is a list of six things that are highly unlikely to happen but if they did, would be historic.

Hit for the Cycle

Steal of Home

No-Hitter

Perfect Game

Triple Play

Individual Player Milestone 

I hope you enjoy reading my blog. Comments are always appreciated. Tonight I will be at Target Field for Royals at Twins and for the official beginning of the Summer Baseball Tour 2011.