Manifesto?

[Stokes1931]

Dang it, I forgot I've been to Rancho Cucamonga. I haven't been to Inland Empire. The stadium is actually in San Bernardino and people tend not to into that city if they don't have to.

Also, I didn't think to mention Fresno. I've caught many games there when they were the Giants' AAA affiliate. Haven't been to a game there since then. For a few years, we had an annual tradition where we'd visit my folks for Independence Day and catch the game and the fireworks show that evening. I miss that but the kids started to hate the loudness of the fireworks so we gave it up.

Reno is quite the drive to catch a game. Probably a pretty drive though. I haven't been on that stretch of the 80 in a long time. Depending on where we move, I hope to drive it next summer to go to Great Basin.

As I recall, the area around the Fresno ballpark is quite rundown. Lots of homeless people and trash on the streets. I was surprised. Maybe it has gotten better, or worse. I haven't been there since it was the Giants AAA team. Now it is the Astros farm team, I think.

I am thinking I may need to go do a tour of the NWL sometime. I love that area, and when the Mrs. and I were first married, we'd often vacation in the NW: Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Mt Rainier, Lake Chelan, North Cascades National Park, etc. Pushed on into Banff and Jasper and Calgary and Glacier/Waterton a time or two.

 

[LHG]

As I recall, the area around the Fresno ballpark is quite rundown. Lots of homeless people and trash on the streets. I was surprised. Maybe it has gotten better, or worse. I haven't been there since it was the Giants AAA team. Now it is the Astros farm team, I think.

I am thinking I may need to go do a tour of the NWL sometime. I love that area, and when the Mrs. and I were first married, we'd often vacation in the NW: Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Mt Rainier, Lake Chelan, North Cascades National Park, etc. Pushed on into Banff and Jasper and Calgary and Glacier/Waterton a time or two.

Yeah, it is pretty rundown around there. When that stadium was first built in the early 00s, the city had high hopes that it would spur a revitalization process for the downtown area. It did not. Maybe that was part of the reason why Fresno got bumped all the way down from AAA to low A ball. I don't know. But it was certainly odd that they did that when Fresno was far from the lowest attended teams in AAA. I think Fresno was middle of the pack in that area and, considering the park location, that is no small feat. People braved a sketchy area to support their team.

The Pacific Northwest is beautiful! I'd love to live up there if it was more sunny, but then it wouldn't be so green. We made the trek there right after I graduated from high school and again two years ago. I want to go back.

 

[tzill]

Yup, been to all of them. Visalia is funky, built in like 3-4 phases, each with different architecture. The Stockton ballpark is right on the water, and can get a bit chilly even in the midst of summer.

How about Inland Empire (Riverside) or Rancho Cucamonga? Those are pretty recent stadiums. I like RC, except for the team they host.

Reno has a new AAA stadium, and it is pretty nice. I have driven to see a game and then driven back to Ceres. A long drive, usually with friends to see friends. And baseball.

The new stadium in Reno is literally a short walk from my old fraternity house. It's pretty nice, although Moana stadium holds a lot of great memories. We'd play some games there.

 

[tzill]

As I recall, the area around the Fresno ballpark is quite rundown. Lots of homeless people and trash on the streets. I was surprised. Maybe it has gotten better, or worse. I haven't been there since it was the Giants AAA team. Now it is the Astros farm team, I think.

I am thinking I may need to go do a tour of the NWL sometime. I love that area, and when the Mrs. and I were first married, we'd often vacation in the NW: Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend, Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, Mt Rainier, Lake Chelan, North Cascades National Park, etc. Pushed on into Banff and Jasper and Calgary and Glacier/Waterton a time or two.

The Vancouver stadium is small and very ordinary. Nice, but nothing really noteworthy.

 

[MarcoPolo]

How would you compare the 2007-2009 teams to what we have now?

I have a picture somewhere that I took of the stands at PacBell in ?2009? about 4 minutes before games start. Very telling. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[Stokes1931]

I have a picture somewhere that I took of the stands at PacBell in ?2009? about 4 minutes before games start. Very telling. I'll see if I can find it.

This is Dodger Stadium before the 3rd inning of a home game.

 

[LHG]

This is Dodger Stadium before the 3rd inning of a home game.

View attachment 348667

Looks a lot like Dodger Stadium after the 7th inning.