Minor league ballparks

[cardsfan]

I have been to 41 MLB ballparks, but, only 3 MiLB parks. What are some of your favorites, worth going to? I've been to Davenport, Iowa's ballpark.

[ashbury]

I like almost every minor league park better than almost every major league park. So I'm not necessarily a good guide.

 

What do you go to parks for? I like to be able to walk the perimeter from the inside, for instance, and the newish park in Reno (near where I used to live) allows for good viewing from the outfield as you saunter looking for a craft beer or whatever, and still I have lots of good vibes from attending games there.

 

The newish park in downtown Indianapolis is nice, and they've revitalized the nearby area so that there should be things to do after the game.

 

Old and despised McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket is a fabulous place to watch a game since it's rarely well-attended (lame duck seasons now that the team is relocating to Worcester) and you can sit down close to the action for the price of a cheap ticket. That town spent so much time denigrating their park (boo hoo, it's built on a landfill) but never deciding how they'd like to move forward instead, that they talked themselves right out of their team. Good Italian Sausages on a roll with plenty of peppers and onions there along with the requisite craft beers. I'll be going there at least once when Rochester is in town in a couple of weeks.

 

You mentioned Davenport and (when it's not flooded) the night-time view of the lighted up bridge is indeed a highlight.

 

Somehow I never warmed up to Raley Field in Sacramento, and I don't know why. It has all the disadvantages of being in an urban area, but few of the pluses.

 

The park where the Brooklyn Cyclones play is at Coney Island, and that's kind of a fun environment. Plan the day so you spend a couple of hours on the boardwalk, ride a ride or two, then enter the ballpark.

 

Portland ME and Lowell MA have downtown ballparks that hearken back to those cities' early industrial roots, and I enjoy that atmosphere.

 

I love love love any low-minors game. In the same spirit I also enjoy the high-school (or lower!) environments of the Cape Cod League for college-age players.

 

The minor league parks near Phoenix, where all the Arizona Fall League games are, all are first class places.

 

Among the Twins' affiliates, it's been a long time since I was at Cedar Rapids but I enjoyed the one game I attended there (it was before the Twins time of course), and at Ft Myers I like the grassy areas for alternate seating down the first base line and in the outfield. Haven't ever made it to Rochester, and Pensacola is new for us but definitely on my to-do list if I ever am in the region (the photos look outstanding).

 

So, really, you need to narrow down your question more, to reflect what you look for (and what you don't care about, or what turns you off to a place), along with maybe some geographic restrictions, to get the feedback you want.

[cardsfan]

I go to MLB ballparks as part of a geographical visit. I plan sometimes around the Cardinals.

 

Let's do the minors around Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, eastern Dakotas as far as ballparks go.

 

Why do I visit? It's fun, memories and it's there. I took my nephew to 25 ballparks.

 

I wish I would have visited more milb parks.