Ballpark #9- Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL

Stadium Opened: 1998
Teams Seen: St. Louis Cardinals (Spring Training); Florida Marlins (Spring Training)
1st Visit: 3/7/03
Most Recent Visit: 3/8/03
# Games: 2
Food: N/A
Team Store: 6/10
Stadium: 7/10

My first foray into spring training was an exciting one- I drove down from Atlanta to hang out with Mari & Ian in Miami and catch a game. I ended up seeing three games- one in Vero Beach (more on that next time) and two at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. There is something different about Spring Training- more laid-back, players are more accessible (AJ Burnett signed my ticket), closer to the action for less money.

And Roger Dean fits those criteria- and it's also unique in that it has two MLB teams sharing the stadium- the Florida Marlins and the St Louis Cardinals. This is becoming more commonplace in the Cactus League in Arizona, but is still a rarity in Florida. So what does this mean? It's great if you're a fan- there is a game every day, because if one team is on the road, the other team is playing at home.

Roger Dean is a nice complex- relatively new (1998), a wide open concourse greets you when you walk in the gate. Scoreboards tend to be small on this level (after Spring Training many Florida stadiums become homes for low-A baseball). The team store was a nice size, bigger than most minor league stores, in order to carry more Major League items for the traveling baseball fan.

One of the big thrills in Spring Training is seeing alot of the younger prospects playing, especially in early March. Unfortunately not too much to report for the Marlins and Cards that year.

My only complaint about the stadium comes after having seen Spring Training in 4 parks- nothing distinguishes it from any other Florida park (except Vero). Not to say that's a horrible thing- they tend to be cleaner, friendlier and more reasonably priced than your average game, but the cookie-cutter-ness of it bothers me a bit. Small thing to complain about when you're enjoying an 80 degree day 1000 miles from snow.

Ballpark #8- Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

Stadium Opened: 1962
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
1st Visit: 4/1/02
Last Visit: 9/16/07
# Games: 6
Food: 8/10
Stadium: 10/10
Important Games Seen:
My 1st home Dodgers game, my 1st Opening Day


So few things in life live up to lofty expectations- you build things up in your mind and are sure to be disappointed. My 1st visit to Dodger Stadium was a major exception to the rule. It took me 29 years to get there, and it was the first time I had seen one of my favorite teams in their home stadium. It was a dream come true, and one of the top 3 highlights of my sports fan-dom.

My first visit to LA was for Opening Day 2002. I spent 6 days there and went to 5 games. While the Dodgers stunk up the joint, going 2-3, I had a blast. I purposely sat in different areas of the stadium for each game, and came to discover that there is not a bad seat in the place. And for the 2nd-oldest National League ballpark (only Wrigley is older), Dodger Stadium is surprisingly as modern as the newest parks. I went back in 2007 as part of our honeymoon, and it was still a treat.

The food is above average, with the world-famous Dodger Dogs leading the way. One suggestion- get the grilled as opposed to the steamed. Though I haven't tried it, the all-you-can-eat section comes highly recommended as one of the better buffets in the game.

Dodger fans get a bad rap for being late and leaving early, but I would put them up with Chicago and St Louis as the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable fans in the majors. It's harder to find than you would think- so many place, you'll see too many fans not aware of rules, strike zones, or the name of the 5th guy coming out of the bullpen. That's not the case in LA.

If you only see 5 ballparks in your life, Dodger Stadium should be one of them. A good time in every way.

Meeting Dodger great Don Newcombe

Staci & I on our honeymoon- 9/2007

Staci thinking Blue

Walking up to Dodger Stadium for the 1st time- Opening Day 2002

Under the lights in 2002

View from the top

Ballpark #7- Tropicana Field, Tampa, FL

Stadium Opened: 1998
Team: Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays
1st Visit: 5/27/01
Last Visit: 5/27/01
# Games: 1
Food: N/A
Stadium: 3/10
Important Games Seen:
My 1st domed stadium


When people ask me what my favorite stadiums are, it is difficult for me to say- beauty, sentimentality, amenities, etc, all play a role and make me change my mind on a regular basis. There is no such difficulty when asked about my least favorite MLB park- it is the home of the D-Rays, Tropicana Field.

What is so bad? It's not location- based right on the Atlantic Ocean, it is in one of the most picturesque areas of Tampa. But the moment you walk in, it is like standing inside a tuna can. It is drab with no personality. Which is strange, because when Tropicana was built in the early 90s, it was used as the jewel to attract unhappy teams. The Thunderdome, as it was known (even the name was awesome!), almost had the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants moving to the Sunshine State. So what happened? Tampa's stadium got surpassed by the retro-stadium trend and looked 25 years old when they finally got their team (the expansion Devil Rays in '98).

My only trip to Tampa was back in 2001. My roommate Mel and I decided to take a road trip for Memorial Day down to Tampa. I was happy to go to my 4th MLB park, until I actually got there. I look forward to going back when their new ballpark opens in the next couple years- but not before then.