Camden Yards, Citi Field, Fenway, Yankee Stadium

The Wednesday in Baltimore was a chilly and rainy one, so I did not do much exploring of the city before the game. However, since the weather was dreary I found it appropriate to visit Edgar Allan Poe's grave. It was in the courtyard of a church with a few other affluent Baltimore dwellers. Before I got tired of the rain I also saw the "world famous" Lexington Market, which appeared to be an indoor flea market (the cheapest food in all of the Northeast) and Harborplace on the Inner Shore which is just and upscale row of shops and restaurants on the water very similar to Bayside in Miami. Then it was back to my car, parked in some seedy neighborhood nearby and off the the parking lot scene at Camden. However, there was not parking lot scene and at the time I pulled into the lot, around 4:30, I was the only car in the lot. Then, as I was setting up shop, a few people starting filing in. And as I was pouring my first shots for a couple of mothers as their kids played with beer caps, I had security rushing up at me. It turns out the Orioles banned drinking in their lots because of liability issues. Apparently, last year during a high school promotion game, some of the kids got drunk and a huge brawl broke out. Funny thing is, for Ravens games in which the same lots are used, anything goes according to the lot attendants. The Ravens aren't as worried about liability and allow grilling, drinking and maybe even promote fighting. Fortunately, there is a row of bars right outside the entrance to the ballpark. I was expecting them to charge an arm and a leg since they basically had a monopoly on the situation, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were selling $3 beers and certain ones 2 for $5. I discovered a nice stout called Peg Leg made by Heavy Seas Beers in Baltimore. Oriole's fans were out numbered about 4 to 1 by Yankee fans and after a few beers it was off to the game.

Outside of the entrance is a statue of Baltimore native Babe Ruth and the inside was just as timeless. Camden Yards is a great place to see a game. Every seat has a great vantage point of the game and most give a nice view of the surrounding scenery. The all brick exterior gives is a warm and old time feeling in a place that is only about 20 years old. The rain had cleared up in time for the game and did not affect the game with only the occasional shower falling intermittently. The O's blew and early 2-0 lead and fell to C.C. Sabathia and the Evil Empire 4-2.

Since I was catching a game in Citi Field the next day at one, I drove to NYC following the game. I will preface my experience with the fact that I am not a fan of New York, but since I had not been there in nearly 15 years I was determined to keep an open mind during my limited time there. My drive took about 3 and a half hours and I got to the place I was staying around 2:30am to discover they lost my reservation. After about an hour and a half, matters were finally squared away but I had to find a legitimate parking spot for my car because I was seven feet from a fire hydrant. There was no spots on the street so I decided to find a garage nearby. For the 6 hours I would be there they wanted $31. I thought this was absurd so after another 30 minutes of circling the streets I finally found a spot. Then off to sleep. However, I sleep like shit because I kept worrying about my car that was packed like I'm living out of it (which I am), with Florida plates on a side street in New York.

A few hours later it was time to go to catch the Mets and Padres at Citi Field and as I turned the corner to my car, I was surprised to find out that. . . .it was still there (yeah!).

It was a quick trip to the ballpark and by 11:30 I was set up and ready to go. But, I could tell by the lack of garbage cans and port-a-potties that the Mets fanbase was not the ideal pregame party goers. However, that was not going to stop me and a few people joined in my festivities. After scalping an outfield ticket for $20 it was time to go and see what Citi Field was all about. If I knew more about the stadium and where the ticket was, I would have never bought it. Turns out it was the very top tier in left field. Normally, not a terrible spot, but the way Citi Field is poorly designed, this level is as steep as a Black Diamond on a ski slope. And to add to further infuriate me, from this vantage point you could not see the outfield from the pole in left field all the way to center. In the second inning, Henry Blanco hit a two run bomb that I couldn't tell left the park, nor could I see the big apple raise up in center- a Mets home staple. I did get to see the apple from Shea which sits in front of the gates. The rest of the game I wandered around the grounds and caught the rest of the action from better views. However, that homerun was only one of two hits for the Mets as Mat Latos outdueled Johan Santana for a 4-2 Padres win.

Some positives about Citi Field: the seats were comfortable and the rows were spacious. There was plenty of concession stands, however they needed more registers. And those nose bleed seats were in the shade, but I think that's because the were above the sun.

Next stop, Fenway. The problem with 1pm games during the week is that by the time they end, and you get out off the stadium traffic, you get stuck in rush hour traffic. Thursday was no different. After taking 45 minutes to leave the lots of Citi Field, it took me another hour and half to get 30 miles into Connecticut. I pulled over at the first rest stop and took a 45 minute nap waiting for traffic to clear and by 7pm it had eased up-relatively. Finally at 9:45, I arrived at my cousin's house in Newton in time to catch the second half of the Celtics win in game four.

The next morning I wandered around Boston. I had been to Boston previously, a little over a decade ago, and had done the whole Freedom Trail thing. But since it was fall the last time I was there, I decided to see the Harbor and the North End of the city. I never knew the North side was so Italian and not Irish. I really liked it. Around 3:30 I came across the statue of Sam Adams and decided it was time for a drink before the game. This was the only game I did not drive to because parking is expensive($35) and nobody tailgates anyway, they just go the the countless bars surrounding the stadium. So I boarded the subway and quenched my thirst.

A few hours later my cousin, Allan, and I were sitting maybe 55 feet from home plate for the Sox hosting the Phillies. The whole experience was amazing. I don't think there is a bad seat in the house, minus the few obstructed views due to support columns. Fenway Park is truly hollow ground and one cannot help but feel that they are back in time while taking in a game there. It is the anti-commercialization of professional sports inside the grounds that are literally on top of the city streets. It was serene-none of the bullshit between innings, the so and so kiss cam, or the whoever trivia question of the game- no potato guns shooting tee shirts every 30 minutes and no commercials while watching a game live (the opposite of Citi Field). As far as the game action goes, the Red Sox ate AARP member Jamie Moyer alive for 9 runs before he could get an out in the second inning. The Nation scored 12 in the first three innings, hit 8 doubles and rolled over the Phillies 12-2 on a beautiful and clear 64 degree night. The next morning it was up at 7am to head back to New York for a 1pm game at Yankee Stadium against the Astros.

From the outside the New Yankee Stadium is a classic throwback to historic parks like Polo Grounds. Inside is the same as well, down to the nearly symmetrical outfield fence- no random corners or angles like so many stadiums have. I was disappointed to see that the grass was not kept in good shape and there where huge brown spots. Before the game, I walked around the Yankee Museum, which houses artifacts of Yankees history including their World Series Trophies. My seats, like Citi Field was on the top tier, but unlike Citi they where down the first base side and I could see the whole field. However I found it funny, that on every seat up there in the clouds, there was a warning to be aware of foul balls and bats. Now the possibility of a ball is very slim, but a bat-that's just absurd, we were higher than the foul poles. Derek Jeter led off the game with a homerun, his 24th career lead-off tying him with Ricky Henderson for the franchise record. After that it was all downhill for the Astros. Jeter, added his second homerun of the game, a 3 run bomb and Jorge Posada hit a Grand Slam, his first since 7/26/04. That HR put him on a list with only four other catchers to hit 350 doubles and 250 HRs in their career. The game mercifully ended with a 9-3 Yankees win.

Curently I am in Carlisle, PA about 30 miles west of Hershey where I will catch a Phish show tomorrow. If you will be there hit me up 954-552-3057. Then it's off to Cleveland on Monday where my father is joining me for a few games.

The bar next to the place I'm staying is like Andy's times 1000. I couldn't even stay in long enough to have more than one beer, but during that I time I struck up a conversation between a couple of truckers and a guy who scrapes off road kill. He informed me he had "taken care of a couple of bambi's today".

Shoutouts:

Allan and Cyndi for the hospitality and of course their washer and dryer. Sorry for such a short visit.

Wayne Bloom and Commonwealth Financial Network for tickets.

John Henry and The Henry Foundation for tickets

The Celtics for getting another game closer to beating Kobe and the Lakers.

The car full of girls that I gave a jump to when there battery died at Yankee Stadium, then proceeded to be confused at the fact that I was not a Yankee fan at a Yankee game.

A person I won't name ponted out that i have made sevral splling and gramatical mistake. That sentence is you you James.

Randoms:

I met a lady that works for MLB.com in the Yankee Stadium lot. She took a picture of my sign and posted it on twitter.

Miguel Tejada's batting song is to country music

There is a high school directly across the street from Fenway-how sweet would that be.

Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" at Fenway is a really fun ballpark experience

People with ski racks need to take them off in the summer. It makes every car look like a cop.

You are an asshole if you wear Yankee gear to a Mets/Padres game. Just suck it up and shell out the extra money to see the Yanks play.

The speed limit on I-95 in Rhode Island is 45 and 55. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS

After the National Anthem at Citi Field I though there was a flyover. . .turns out it was just a plane taking off from LaGuardia.

837 miles traveled, lost track of how many songs but lots of great ones

Best tunes of the last couple days: Jay Z "Roc Boys, The Wombats "Dr. Suzanne Maddox Loves Me", Kings of Leon "Slow Noght, So Long", She Wants Revenge "Tear You Apart", Puddle of Mudd "She Hates Me", Dr Dre/Snoop "Nuthin But A G Thang", Grateful Dead "Dire Wolf", Nas "Virgo", Slighlty Stoopid "Open Road".