Minor League Baseball stadiums you've been to

[TBGKon]

I just figured I'd start a friendly thread about the Minor League Baseball stadiums you've visited, and which you think is best.

I've been to Space Coast Stadium (Melbourne, FL), Jack Russell Stadium and Bright House Networks Field (both Clearwater, FL), Knology Park (Dunedin, FL) and Legends Field (Tampa, FL)

Space Coast Stadium is bland. I hate those bright teal seats (I know they were put there because the Marlins were the original spring training tenants, but come on) The stadium has no flavor.

Jack Russell Stadium is the former home of the Philadelphia Phillies spring training and Clearwater Phillies Single-A Minor league team. This park was classic. It was boring, but it had that oomph (sp?) that made it a great park.

Bright House Networks Field is the new home for the Phillies spring training and the Clearwater Threshers single A minor league team. I love this park. It has a full concourse around the stadium, even in the outfield. Every seat is angled towards home plate and it just has that great baseball feel.

Knology Park is the spring training home to the Blue Jays and single A Dunedin Blue Jays. This place reminds me of Space Coast Stadium. But I like it better than Space Coast because it has more of a baseball feel.

Legends Field is where the Yankees spring train and where the Tampa Yankees minor league team play. As much history as this franchise has, the stadium blows. It was built in (i think) 1996 and could have been so much better. It has the same field dimensions as Yankee Stadium, but the facade is bland. I really wish it was more like the retro-crazed park design series.

In order I rank these ballparks:

5th place - Space Coast Stadium

4th place - Knology Park

3rd place - Jack Russell Stadium

2nd place - Legends Field

1st place - Bright House Networks Field

[HatCityEnforcer]

Most of the minor league stadiums I've been to are in the Northeast....(*--not used anymore)

Yale Field (New Haven, CT)

New Britain Stadium (New Britain, CT)

Beehive Stadium (New Britain, CT)*

Municipal Stadium (Waterbury, CT)*

Harbor Yard Stadium (Bridgeport, CT)

Dodd Stadium (Norwich, CT)

Dutchess County Stadium (Beacon, NY)

Lackawanna County Stadium (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA)

CityIsland Stadium (Harrisburg, PA)

McCoy Stadium (Pawtucket, RI)

Waterfront Park/Mercer County Stadium (Trenton, NJ)

Best of the bunch, IMO are New Britain Stadium, McCoy, Waterfront, and Harbor Yard.

Hopefully this season, I'll finally get my butt to Keyspan Park down in Coney Island....

[Gary]

The only one i've been to was Scottsdale Stadium, which used to be home to the Phoenix Firebirds

[ROCHitman]

What a nice idea. Thanks for the thread. I've been planning, in it's innfant stages, a summer vacation to take someday where we (my girl and I) do is hop from city to city, town to town to visit America's minor league baseball stadiums and teams. You guys might give me some great ideas.

[yh]

The only one I've been to for a game is the ironically-named, baseball-only All Sports Stadium in Oklahoma City. This was back in 1990-93 when the Rangers' AAA club there was the OKC 89'ers. Now the team, which is still the AAA club for Texas, is called the Oklahoma Redhawks, and they play in Bricktown Ballpark in downtown OKC - a facility that I've only seen on tv, but which looks to be a very nice park.

[Mac the Knife]

I've only been to three:

Durham Athletic Park (still there, kinda; where Bull Durham was filmed),

Durham Bulls Athletic Park (its replacement), and

Five County Stadium, home of the Carolina Mudcats.

Durham Athletic Park had a homespun feel to it. Five County Stadium was a more modern place, but also with a bit of a homespun feel, though I haven't been there since a huge expansion they undertook a few years ago.

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park (or "D-BAP") is what I'd like to think a new Fenway Park would be - modern on the outside with lots of shops, places to grab something to eat, etc., but a mix of modern and old school on the inside (short outfield fences complete with a "blue monster" in left, a scoreboard here and there, but not tricked out to look like you're watching a video game.

[BBTV]

I've seen actual games at:

Reading (PA) Municipal Stadium (now some corporate name) which was remodled a few years ago. It is absolutely great for kids.

Island Park (Harrisburg Senators): Very unique layout, with the park on an island (hence the name.)

I've been around (but never in a game) Campbells Field (Camden N.J. Riversharks.) People I know say it is a great experience. I found a pic on DigitalBallparks that shows the view of Phila. from the field. Pretty cool if you ask me.

[hubsportsfan17]

removed

[KennyRock]

EDIT: Wow, I'll read the topic title last time.

One of the only minor league parks I've been to has been the Wide World of Sports field(not sure what it's called) where the Braves minor league trains. It's well kept, but the only bleachers are behind the batting cage, meaning it's impossible to get a good view of the game.

[slapshot]

Edward A. LeLacheur Park, Lowell, MA - Lowell Spinners (NY-P). Beautifully designed stadium, comfortable seats, wide aisles, open concourse with full view of the field unless you walk behind the pressbox area. Minuses: one major exit for 5,000 fans, and not enough seating.

Hadlock Field, Portland, ME - Portland SeaDogs (EL) Totally open seating, mostly bleachers. Very intimate, the left field stands share a wall with a gymnasium and football field. Prettier exterior than interior. Has a full-zise replica of Grene Monster in left field, hides the passing highway. Wall looks huge due to small scoreboard at field level.

McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket Red Sox (IL) A lot of seating stuffed into a small park. Major renovations done a few years ago to attract 2004 AAA All-Star Game. Many seats along infield are under a roof, and its supports provide many a partially obstructed view. Small berm above left field wall is great place to shag batting practice and other home runs. Outfield grass especially comfortable for camping (Cub Scout Camporee). Great views of surrounding city and industrial park where the stadium is located (note sarcasm).

Doubleday Field, Cooperstown, NY. Went during HOF weekend back in 1999 (Ryan, Brett, Yount). Oneonta Tigers (NY-P) played a game there during that weekend. Historically, the stadium and city is beautiful. Realistically, a crapshack that looks and feels like it could collapse at any moment.

Cashman Field, Las Vegas, NV - Las Vegas 51s (PCL) Very underwhelming but comfortable ballpark. Sits in valley, you can barely make out the stadium lights from street level. Only stadium I've been to with misting machines. I went in April, so it was barely 80 when the game started. Pretty boring place actually, but I got to see a game, so it's all good.

Boardwalk & Baseball, Orlando, FL. Former spring training home of Kansas City Royals. Very large (15,000+ I think) stadium, half turf, half grass. Large replica of Kauffman Stadium scoreboard w/crown in center field. I was there for a high school marching band competition, so the field was laid out from third to first bases. Must have been a good place to see a ballgame, I don't remember if there were roof supports or obstructed views. I think the stadium has been torn down since.

Gill Stadium, Manchester, NH - New Hampshire FisherCats (EL). Very historicl, but with many renovations. I've never seen a baseball game there, but I've refereed a few football games (multi-use facility). Has the new Field Turf, seems pretty comfortable. Not many stands, less than LeLacheur in Lowell. FisherCats will move more downtown to their own stadium this spring.

Alumni Field, Lowell, MA. Original home of Lowell Spinners. Glorified High School field, but definitely best ballpark I've umpired in. Wide gravel warning path, full working electronic scoreboard. Last memory I have there was taking a foul ball in the throat.

I've driven past the field in Rochester, NY, but it was winter, so I couldn't really say anything about it, except it looked cold.

[LMU]

I've driven by the Epicenter in Rancho Cucamonga and Isotopes Park in Albuquerque. The Epicenter is kinda plain, but I love the look of Isotopes Park... it's decorated with glass to give it a '50s style look.

[Phil]

They ain't Minor League, but the Goldeyes play in a mighty fine facility in the heart of Winnipeg... CanWest-Global Park.

Image is a bit large, but it shows the place off pretty well.

Not many better place to go on a summer evening.

Mmmmm... mini donuts.

[FiddySicks]

Raley field in Sacramento is like my second home. the nicest stadium ive been to hands down for a minor league game

[marlinfan]

Ft. Lauderdale Stadium (Spring Training home of the Orioles)- pretty old stadium. Most of the seats in the stadium covered, outfield bleachers, Comerica Park-like batter's eye, right next door to a municipal airport and Lockhart Stadium former homes of the MLS Miami Fusion.

Roger Dean Stadium (Spring Training home of the Marlins and Cardinals, and minor league Palm Beach Cardinals and Jupiter Hammerheads)- very nice park, central piece of a Main Street type development. Built in a retro/South Florida fashion. Nice place to go if you want to do something after the game.

[Dilbert]

Ive only been to two.

Hadlock Field- Portland(Maine) (Before the major wall renovations)

and Most recently(2 years ago)

Dunn Tire Park- Buffalo

My favorite of the two was Buffalo.

[EagleFan344]

Marinelli Field-Rockford Riverhawks

thats it I think

[LEWJ]

This is the only one I've ever been to., fifth-third field in toledo, ohio... home of the Toledo MudHens

[Broken Record]

What a nice idea. Thanks for the thread. I've been planning, in it's innfant stages, a summer vacation to take someday where we (my girl and I) do is hop from city to city, town to town to visit America's minor league baseball stadiums and teams. You guys might give me some great ideas.

Sounds like a great trip. Make sure you visit Smokies Park just outside Knoxville, TN at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains to watch a Tennessee Smokies game. The stadium is wonderful. Then head two hours down the road to see the Chattanooga Lookouts, they've also got a great park.

[Brian in Boston]

* I've been to all of the current Triple-A ballparks, including Round Rock's facility when the Express were playing at Double-A.

* I've been to all of the current Double-A ballparks with the exception of the new facilities in Corpus Christi (TX), Manchester (NH), Pearl (MS) and Springfield (MO).

* I've been to all of the current ballparks in the Advanced Single-A Carolina and Florida State Leagues, as well as the California League ballparks in Bakersfield, Lake Elsinore, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino and San Jose.

* I've been to all of the current ballparks in the Single-A South Atlantic League - including Greenville's facility when the Braves of the Southern League played there - with the exception of the new parks in Greensboro (NC) and Charleston (WV). I've also been to the Midwest League ballparks in Dayton (OH), Fort Wayne (IN), Geneva (IL), Lansing (MI), Peoria (IL) and South Bend (IN).

* I've been to all of the current ballparks in the Short Season Single-A New York-Penn League, as well as the Northwest League ballparks in Eugene(OR), Everett (WA), Spokane (WA), Vancouver (BC) and Yakima (WA).

* I've been to all of the current ballparks in the Rookie level Pioneer League except the new facility in Orem (UT).

* I've been to all of the current Atlantic League ballparks with the exception of the facility in Lancaster (PA). I've been to all of the current Northern League ballparks, with the exception of those in Calgary (AB) and Edmonton (AB). I've been to the current Can-Am League ballparks in Brockton (MA), Lynn (MA), New Haven (CT), Quebec City (QC) and Worcester (MA), the latter in its capacity as home field of the College of the Holy Cross baseball program. I've been to the current Central League ballparks in Fort Worth (TX), Jackson (MS), Shreveport (LA) and El Paso (TX), the latter when it was home to an affiliated Texas League franchise. I've been to the current Frontier League ballparks in Sauget (IL), O'Fallon (MO) and Washington (PA).

[pcgd]

I've been to 4 and driven by one:

Victory Field in Indy: Beautiful, saw nomar play a rehab game there. Its basically downtown, awesome view. Loved it.

Fox Valley Stadium in Appleton Wis: Also great, D3 world series is played here Wooded area, big fences, nice stands, good location and easy to park, get to/etc.

Doubleday Field in Cooperstown: Agreed with previous statement

Richard Dean Stadium (I think) marlins spring training: Pretty nice...out in the middle of nowhere though

Also, driven by GMC stadium outside of St. Louis (illinois side). Looks nice...but need to go inside this summer. You can see the arch from there, but I think they turned it in the wrong direction. If it faced the other way you'd have the skyline in centerfield.

This one is a summer college league stadium...but I got to play there about 5 times in HS/Legion and its where The Babe was filmed. Danville Stadium in Danville, IL. Horrible location (bad part of a bad town), pretty run down but you feel like you've stepped back in time there. Weird outfield lines (300, 410, 300), old rundown stands, real dugouts (something I only got to experience there) it was great.