Rating the stadiums: Group 3

Now we're getting into the better stadiums, the ones I'd recommend.

Coors Field
Nationals Park
Progressive Field
Miller Park
Safeco Field
Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Coors Field is a classic, one of the first new stadiums. The food and beer were great, but most of the rest about it was adequate. Nationals Park was pretty good in all areas but the only thing memorable was the Presidents race. Progressive Field also had top food and beer but I can't think of anything else.

Miller Park is in the middle of nowhere and a lot of people like ballparks in neighborhoods. It's retractable dome, but they do get points for Bernie Brewer going into the beer after a home run and the sausage race. I returned to Safeco Field the weekend before last and it still gets top points for the beer and not a lot for anything else. Angel Stadium of Anaheim is an old ballpark that gets points for the rock garden in center but not much else. So here are the ratings so far:

11 Coors Field
12 Nationals Park
13 Progressive Field
14 Miller Park
15 Safeco Field
16 Angel Stadium of Anaheim
17 Comerica Park
18 Minute Maid Park
19 Fenway Park
20 Rogers Centre
21 U.S. Cellular Field
22 Marlins Park
23 Yankee Stadium
24 Target Field
25 Chase Field
26 O.co Coliseum
27 Wrigley Field
28 Globe Life Park in Arlington
29 Dodger Stadium
30 Tropicana Field

Next time we start to get into the ones that are really great to catch.

Ballpark Chasers in Seattle

The comic book/scifi nerds have Comic-Con. What do ballpark chasers have? Yes, we're called ballpark chasers. There's a website and everything. And there's a meetup. Maybe it's not Comic-Con but it'll be a bunch of people who are enthusiasts of seeing the Major League ballparks talking about something they love, going on a stadium tour, and watching a game. We'll share tips and I sure have a lot of them. There aren't many things I'm an expert at but ballparks is now one of them. "Oh, you're going to Great American. Well, you should..." And I can show them my At The Ballpark ap and bask in the glory of having already hit them all.

August 8 and 9, 2105 Phillies at Padres

I wanted to make a return trip to Petco in San Diego and my Phillies coming to town was the perfect opportunity. What's great is that they are actually playing well right now, unlike last month. I wanted to sit in some place out of the ordinary and found out how to get a ticket to sit in the Western Metal Supply building.

Isn't that really different? Here I am sitting there.

It's kind of cool that the building has a bar that looks like this.

That's not your typical crowded stadium concession stand, is it?

The problem with this seat is that the view really stinks. It's a place that's kind of fun to sit but not so much to watch the game. The Padres also have a cool picnic area beyond right field, but the view stinks there too.

Most stadiums have microbrews but Petco has booths and booths of microbrews. I didn't count but I think they had 4-6 from about a half dozen local breweries. It's like a beer festival at a stadium.

And look at this. It looks like what you'd find at a gourmet deli, not a ballpark. I had a salmon melt sandwich and it was delicious. If you wonder why I rate Dodger Stadium so low, just go to Petco. They have great food and beer selections and all sorts of other fun things that the Dodgers don't bother with.