Monday, May 12, 2008

The Best: MLB Ballpark


Welcome to "The Best," a new series from the people who brought you "Would You Do," "Blogger Interviews" and "What Really Grinds My Gears."

It's just what it sounds like: what's the best ______? "Best" is such a subjective word and that's really the point -- let's get you guys talking! If this works, there will be intelligent, thoughtful debate on the day's topic. And if it doesn't work, well, back to the drawing board.

Perhaps the best vacation we ever took was a nine-day tour of eight Major League ballparks. We took redeyes through lightning storms, got free umbrellas in Houston and hung out in the dugout with Jon Miller and Joe Morgan in Colorado.

We've seen a lot of ballparks and we bring many factors into play when thinking of our favorite. Appearance, food, fans, location, special features (like the pole in centerfield at Minute Maid!).

With all things considered, here's how our top five would play out:

1. PNC Park (Pirates)
2. AT&T (Giants)
3. Camden Yards (Orioles)
4. Ballpark in Arlington (Rangers)
5. Wrigley Field (Cubs)

Your turn. Make your case for the best ballpark in the comments.

16 comments:

Unknown said...

This is a great topic to discus. i am interested to see the rankings.

1) Camden Yards (Orioles) - Great park, started the trend for all the other ones, and on top of that the Inner Harbor is a great area.

2) PNC Park (Pirates) - Awesome park, plus the tickets are insanely cheap. The backdrop for the stadium is great with the Roberto Clemente Bridge (i think that's what it is called) and just the scenery itself. The ushers and everyone that works there are the friendliest I have ever met.

3) Citizen Bank Park (Phillies) - Its so nice that the Vet is gone. All the seats are great.

4) Wrigley Field (Cubs) - Classic Stadium, and for an older stadium its still in pretty good shape with the positioning of the seats and that there aren't really any obstructed views.

5) Kaufman Stadium (Royals) - The fountains are cool. Its underrated. Its worth checking out.

Honorable mention: Jacobs Field (Indians) (close 6th)

rstiles said...

I have been to about 6 ballparks and PNC is by far the best!!!!

I will say, Yankee Stadium is so rich in history....it was really something walking into The Stadium for the first time...

Anonymous said...

the best I've been to:

AT&T, Wrigley, Camden, Safeco (doesn't get much pub but it's a great park), Fenway

GMoney said...

Good topic although didn't we discuss this here before???

1. Camden Yards
2. Jacobs Field
3. Comerica Park
4. Yankee Stadium
5. SkyDome - I haven't been there since the 90's but it seemed to high-tech and innovative when I was a kid

Cecilio's Scribe said...

made first trip to PNC last year. phenomenal. can't argue with that one. and, although, it might not score big on the tangibles, i still think Fenway needs to be in that top five. something about it...and i'm an NL guy.

Anonymous said...

Other end... The Worst parks:

5. Tropicana Field
4. Dolphin Stadium
3. Jacobs Field (remember the bugs?)
2. Metrodome
1. Shea Stadium

Anonymous said...

jacobs field, chavez ravine

Anonymous said...

The Ballpark at Arlington sucks. No complaints on the other 4. Nice topic for discussion.

Anonymous said...

great american ball park - best name, pretty park

Bokolis said...

1) Pittsburgh, hands down. Even though the place is new, I got the feel like they've been playing ball there for 100 years.

I'm sure Frisco would go here, but I (or anyone in my circle) haven't been there.

2) Wrigley - They HAVE been playing baseball there for 100 years and it still doesn't feel like a dump...as opposed to the "cathedral" in the Bronx, which IS every bit the dump, which anyone, one they get past that mystique, should realize. Extra points to Wrigley for the surrounding neighborhood.

Camden, Colorado, Philly, Jacobs, San Diego, Turner, if you ask me, are all the same. If you must, keep that order. I'm going to try to knock out some Midwest parks this summer.

When do we get to do the dumps, past and present?

Anonymous said...

Such a nice blog. I hope you will create another post like this.

Gennaro said...

1. Fenway Park
2. Wrigley Field
3. Camden Yards
4. AT&T Park (San Fran)
5. Dodger Stadium

(Old Yankee Stadium would have been on the list and love the new Citifield)

Anonymous said...

1) ATT Park: As a giants fan i go to a lot of games here and it never gets old, no matter how mediocre the giants are. Nothing beats a nighttime view of a lit up Bay Bridge from my seats on the rightfield side.
2) Fenway: I saw Boston College play Harvard there in April. Even though it wasnt the Sox, it was still amazing.
3) Wrigley: Historic, enough said. Plus the area around the park is electric on gamedays.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who thinks the yellow seats at chavez ravine are attractive must be colorblind or just plain stupid

viagra online said...

It is indeed the best stadium for baseball, no other can be up to its standards.

Anonymous said...

Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the
book in it or something. I think that you could do with a few pics to drive the message home a
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