Yankee Stadium

Major League Baseball Park # 3

Date: August 9, 2009

Park: Yankee Stadium

Teams: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees

Score: New York Yankees 5 Boston Red Sox 2

This stadium wasn't planned for the summer of 2009. Ruddley and I went out to western New York to visit his grandfather for the weekend. While at breakfast on Saturday morning we got talking about the ESPN Sunday night game which happened to be the Sox/Yankees in New York. I can't remember who's idea it was but one of us came up with the brilliant idea of trying to get tickets and go to the game "on our way home". Keep in mind, the Bronx is far from "on our way" in fact it's very out of the way. Oh well, I never said I don't like adventure. 

Long story short, we were able to get tickets using the iPhone, made a trip to Best Buy to print the tickets and we were golden:-). The only problem is that we had brought our dog along with us and I was almost certain that even though she is a Boston Terrier, there was no way I could hide her in my purse. Ruddley's grandfather was kind enough to volunteer to watch her for the week until we could come back and pick her up. 

Instead of parking at the stadium, I decided it would probably be best to drive to CT, park there and take the train in. This is what I usually do when I am visiting NYC. My uncle lives in Darien, CT and so I tried to get in contact with him. Unfortunately he was busy that night and wasn't able to meet up with us before we had to catch our train. He did tell us about a new route called the Yankee express. This route only runs on game days and goes directly to the stadium. The train then doesn't leave until the game is over and I think it runs for an hour after the game. Uncle Mac was kind enough to pick up a pair of round trip tickets and left them behind one of the signs in the parking lot at the train station. 

Maybe it's because I am a Red Sox fan and I'm kind of biased to Fenway but I wasn't impressed with the new Yankee Stadium. We walked in and it seriously looked like a mall. High end restaurants that over look the field where you have to put your napkin in your lap and white wine glasses were set on the table. No. No. No. Baseball is spilled beer, hot dogs, peanuts and ice cream served in the miniature team helmets. Of course Ruddley thought it was the best thing ever and had a million and one reasons why it was better then Fenway. This is just how we live. I live in Red Sox Nation, he lives in Yankee Universe.

Just inside the main entrance to the stadium

Since it was an ESPN Sunday game with the Red Sox and Yankees and we got last minute tickets we didn't have the best seats. I think we paid 90.00 each to sit waaaayyyyyyyy up top in the outfield. I know some of you are reading these blogs and can't believe how much we spend to go to these games. Haha. I can't remember exactly anymore, but I think we got 2 beers, 1 cheeseburger and 1 french fry and spent 36.00. ahhhhh this was not an inexpensive date.

Red Sox warming up

Watching batting practice in the outfield

Remember how I said this was a Sunday night game? Yeah, that also meant we had to be at work Monday morning. Red Sox/Yankees games have the reputation of lasting a looooong time and could easily go into the wee hours of the morning. I spent most of the game doing the math in my head. I knew we needed to leave Darien, CT by midnight to be back at home by 6:00am...just in time to shower and leave for work. It was about an hour train ride I think and if the game started at 8:00, that meant it needed to be over by 11:00 and we needed to be on the first train home. Like I said, the train didn't leave until the game was over so it wasn't like we could leave early. 

I remember watching the final outs on the HUGE tv by the main entrance and as soon as the game was over we ran to the train. We made the first train, got back to our car and hit the road. By the time we got to Kittery, Maine we were dragging (duh!). I think we would each drive 15-20 minutes and then have to switch drivers. We pulled in to our house just in time to take a quick nap, jump in the shower and head to work. 

Yea, the next day we were tired but we had so much fun. I'm glad we did it. 

Citizens Bank Park

Major League Baseball Park # 2

Date: May 29, 2009

Park: Citizens Bank Park

Teams: Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies

Score: Philadelphia Phillies 5 Washington Nationals 4

We continued on our park tour while we were in PA visiting my Aunt Sue and Papi Jack. Our friend Greg joined us for this trip. We weren't sure if the weather was going to hold out for us or not since it had been pouring almost the entire hour from my Aunt's house to Philly. 

We had great seats behind just to the left of home plate and just as the first pitch was about to happen, the skies cleared and we were good to go (we did buy a sexy Phillies poncho though...just in case!) The boys were way more interested in getting some good Philly cheesesteaks in the food court then they were in watching the game. While they were off searching for food I hung back and actually watched the game...what a concept:-)

The view from the foot court in center field

I'm now writing this almost a year and a half after the game so I don't remember too many details. It was a beautiful night, the sky turned a crazy shade of red after the storm passed by. It was a good game and I didn't get sucked into buying a blue and maroon Phillies shirt (although I really wanted one). I really liked that the food court was in center field and you didn't miss any of the game while waiting in line for food/drinks. Parking was also a plus...meaning, I think we paid 5 bucks! Win!

Fenway Park

Major League Baseball Park # 1


Date: April 25, 2009

Park: Fenway Park

Teams: New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

Score: Boston Red Sox 16 New York Yankees 11

We have been to Fenway several times over the last bunch of years. I usually have to beg and plead for Ruddley to give me the okay to buy tickets since you pretty much have to take out a loan these days to get tickets at Fenway. Then there is the gas, parking, food, drinks, and merchandise that all add up too. It generally turns out to be an expensive day.

On this particular day, the Yankees were in town. We woke up and I asked Ruddley if he wanted to try and get tickets to the 4:00 game. I was shocked when he said "sure". I got on craigslist right away and found a season ticket holder in New Hampshire that wasn't able to make it to the game that afternoon who was selling his 3rd row bleachers seats for a "reasonable" price. Reasonable meaning, I didn't need to take out a loan, but I also could have gone on a nice shopping trip for the amount we paid for 2 Red Sox/Yankee tickets. After several emails back and forth we jumped in the car and headed south. We met Jim (who is now listed in my cell phone as "Red Sox Hookup"...haha) in a mall parking lot in New Hampshire gave him $300 bucks in cash in exchange for 2 tickets and kept on going.

It was a fantastic game. I mean, any Red Sox/ Yankees game is always fun. There was a lot of runs scored, lots of Yankee fans thrown out of the game, a beautiful afternoon (82 degrees in April), good ballpark food and we paid 7.50 for each beer we downed had. Of course it wouldn't be a game at Fenway without Sweet Caroline in the middle of the 8th and Dropkick Murphys bringing out Papelbon. Ruddley was even brave enough to wear his Yankees hat. Oh, and the Sox won! There is nothing like Fenway Park.