Trout Dominance To Lead The American League?

Opening Day has finally arrived.

After a lengthy off-season that saw huge free agent signings from James Shields, Giancarlo Stanton and Max Scherzer, along with the mega San Diego Padres/Atlanta Braves only 24 hours ago, the season is surely one not to miss. There are numerous questions heading into this season regarding who will be the contenders come October, will there be another surprise late season playoff rush similar to the Kansas City Royals and how will the returning Alex Rodriguez be received.
Let's take a brief look at the American League and what there is to expect.

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Reigning AL MVP Mike Trout heads a revitalized Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim coming off a 99 game win season prior to being swept in the ALDS by the eventual AL Champion Kansas City Royals. The offensive combination of Trout, Albert Pujols, Cole Calhoun and upcoming CJ Crohn is sure to complement the starting rotation. Questions headed into the season is the returning future ace, Garrett Richards coming off a season-ending knee injury in Boston, the state of Josh Hamilton and whether or not CJ Wilson can return to form.

The Seattle Mariners are the Angels surefire competition in the division this year with the additions of Nelson Cruz and Seth Smith to an offense that already includes Robinson Cano, Dustin Ackley and Kyle Seager. The balanced batting order providing protection to Cano will provide the Angels toughest competition and run support to the rotation headed by Felix Hernandez. Don't be surprised to see Taijuan Walker make a run at the AL Cy Young Award this year. Billy Ball continued in an offseason frenzy that saw the Oakland A's rebuilt through multiple trades and free agent departures. Did you really think the likes of Jon Lester and Jeff Samardzjia would stick around this season? I didn't. The team who dominated the West in consecutive years provide offense in acquired DH Billy Butler that they will lack following the trades of Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson.

The Houston Astros look to finally climb their way out of the cellar by adding free agents Evan Gattis and Colby Rasmus who will provide protection to Jose Altuve and the constant Home Run threat Chris Carter. Last but not least, how will Prince Fielder and Shin Sin Choo perform in their second year with the Texas Rangers?

The West is the Angels division to lose, but don't be surprised if the Mariners are knocking on the door deep into the summer months.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

The Detroit Tigers look to continue their dominance of the American League Central following a fourth consecutive division title. Questions are aplenty in Motown heading into Opening Day this season. Max Scherzer departed for the Washington Nationals, David Price is signed through the end of 2015 and will Justin Verlander could start the season on the DL? The starting rotation was considered baseballs best two years ago has seen the departures of Scherzer, Doug Fister, Rick Porcello and Drew Smyly, with the addition of David Price in a trade last year is a s state of uncertainty just like its aging bullpen. Yoenis Cespedes provides a needed offensive bat to provide support to starts Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez who are entering the season coming off recent injuries. This is where a future star in J.D. Martinez can step up and provide additional support.

The Kansas City Royals shocked Major League Baseball en route to a World Series appearance against eventual champions, San Francisco Giants. The departures of "Big Game" James Shields, Nori Aoki and Billy Butler in free agency netted little in return of an aging starting pitchers Edinson Volquez and Chris Young presents a need for Yolando Ventura to have a breakout season for any hope in returning to the post season. Look for the Royals to compete in a division that could once again be wide open.

Much like the Cubs, the Chicago White Sox had a busy off season signings of Jeff Samardzjia, David Robertson, Melky Cabrera and Adam LaRoche are sure to add a much needed offensive threat that the White Sox look to continue following the success of Jose Abreu in 2014. The biggest question this year for the White Sox is the health of ace Chris Sale who will start the season on the Disabled List. Corey Kluber heads up the Cleveland Indians following his CY Young winning season. Still many questions going into the season for the Tribe. Michael Brantley heads up the offensive workload that is set to continue well into this season following a run at the AL MVP last year. Then there are the Minnesota Twins to made news in the off season wit the feel good story following the re-signing of Torii Hunter, signing of Ervin Santana and departure of Michael Cuddeyer. The Twins have failed to reach the post season since winning the Central in 2010 due to numerous injuries from key players. Rising star Brian Dozier looks to head up a subpar lineup that includes 2009 MVP Joe Mauer.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

The Boston Red Sox on paper are the clear favorite to run away with the American League East this season. Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez join a roster that already contains "Big Papi" David Oritz, Dustin Pedroia and Mike Napoli that is sure to be a force to be reckoned with. Hanley Ramirez provides a star presence in the shadows of the green monster that has been missed since Manny Ramirez departed long ago for the Dodgers. Returning to the Red Sox this season is former pitcher, Justin Masterson who makes up a new look rotation that includes Clay Bucholz and fellow off-season acquisitions Wade Miley and Rick Porcello. The Red Sox appear to be all-in for another run at the World Series title following a dismal 2014 season.

Reigning AL East champions, the Baltimore Orioles will miss the weapons of Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis who departed in the off season, but will welcome back star Chris Davis following a suspension and down year of production. J.J. Hardy and Matt Weiters will begin the season on the disabled list. The success in 2015 for the Orioles depends on the health of Manny Machado, Chris Davis and how the starting rotation will fare heading into a long summer.

The once powerful New York Yankees said goodbye to longtime captain Derek Jeter last season, opening up the position to Didi Gregorious. A roster of aging stars presents many questions headed into Opening Day. How will Alex Rodriguez fare following his season-long suspension for 2014, is Mark Teixeira still a threat at the plate and how will the starting rotation fare? Don't count out the Toronto Blue Jays as a sleeper team in 2015.

Russell Martin, Josh Donaldson and Justin Smoak join a roster that is ready to pounce with power from Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnarcion. The Jays will be without former closer Casey Janssen who departed for the Washington Nationals and Marcus Strohman who is on the 60-day disabled list. Then there are the Tampa Bay Rays. The team who has produced quality starting pitchers and offensive power is without former ace David Price who was traded at the deadline to Detroit, multi positional player Ben Zobrist and ex-manager Joe Madden in the off season for the Chicago Cubs. New manager, Kevin Kash brings a line-up headed by star Evan Longoria, Desmond Jennings and Asdrubal Cabrera. Known for making late season pushes for the playoffs, this season will be an unknown for the Rays. Hopefully they can finally lock in a new stadium deal in hopes of bringing in prized free agents.

PREDICTIONS

AL West - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
AL Central - Detroit Tigers
AL East - Boston Red Sox
WILD CARD - Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles

A National Dominance Of The Mid-Summer Classic

National League dominance at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game will continue following the announcement of the Washington Nationals hosting the 2018 edition of the mid-summer classic. Traditionally, the All-Star game has followed a rotation where the American and National League stadiums host the game every other year since the mid-1960s.

The criteria for hosting the game has followed a course of newly built stadiums and stadiums that haven't hosted in some time being awarded it. Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati will host its first All-Star game later this year since 1988, while San Diego's Petco Park will showcase their beautiful downtown stadium. The Miami Marlins will host the cities first ever All-Star game at Marlins Park in 2017, while the game makes its return to our nations capital in 2018 at Nationals Park. Washington hasn't hosted the classic since 1969 when the Senators played at RFK Stadium.

Following the announcement of the 2018 host stadium, many questions still persist for stadiums that have yet to host it, or haven't in decades. The Tampa Bay Rays Tropicana Field is the only stadium that has yet to host the All-Star Game. Given the recent announcement that the team is still struggling to find potential sites for a new stadium in the Tampa Bay area, it is unlikely that the team will land the game until a new stadium is built.

While the All-Star Game is the showcase of Major League Baseball's best, 35-years have passed since the legendary Dodgers Stadium has hosted the game. Many would assume that given the recent upgrades to the stadium that is home to the reigning National League and CY Young winner, Clayton Kershaw, would make perfect sense as a future host stadium, 2019 any beyond.

Baseball returning to Montreal?

In an announcement made earlier today by Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, a new stadium must be in place for any chance in bringing the sport back to Montreal.

The key is for an adequate facility in Montreal that could support baseball over the long haul. The Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds are scheduled to play a two-game exhibition series on April 3-4, just days before the start of the regular season following the successful exhibition games at Olympic Stadium in 2014 between the Blue Jays and New York Mets.>

For baseball to return, but succeed in Montreal, commitment and dedication must be put in place in hopes to lure an existing franchise back to the city that failed to draw over 1 million fans in its final seven seasons prior to relocating to Washington D.C. as the Nationals.

The Expos joined the National League in 1969 as MLB's first franchise based outside of the U.S. Acquiring stars like Gary Carter, Pedro Martinez and Vladimir Guerrero, the franchise struggled when the Canadian dollar lost value and efforts to leave Olympic Stadium for a modern facility failed.

Dealing with their own struggles to build a new stadium, the Tampa Bay Rays have recently been linked to the Montreal market, even though team owner Stuart Sternberg has stated that he insists on making baseball in Tampa Bay work. The Rays, locked into a deal with Tropicana Field until 2027 would have to pay the city if they leave their current home.

Time will tell, whether in the present or future on the state of baseball in both Montreal and Tampa Bay.

Food For Thought: A Look at MLB Stadium Food

In my last entry, I spoke about the benefits of touring MLB ballparks across the country and in neighboring Canada. Taking these tours will leave even the simplest fan of baseball satisfied with the hope of a return to the ballpark. If you missed the entry, you can read it here.

A trip to the ballpark can never be complete without taking in all of its senses. From the fresh cut outfield grass to the newly delivered store merchandise and last but more importantly, its variety of food offerings. To the average fan of the game who attends one or two games a year it's simple, hot dogs, peanuts, nachos and beer. These very same items can be found at dozens of stands and hawkers through-out the ballpark which is what separates them from it's truly unique items. Moving away from tradition and into the future, ballparks around the league are cooking up fresh and innovative grub that will be sure to catch anyone's eye.

Hot Dogs and Burgers



The most common food item consumed on a nightly basis is the ballpark classic, the hot dog. It's a cheap, inexpensive item that has become legendary in the game of baseball, most notably by the classic Dodger Dog for those who prefer to stick with tradition rather than what's new. Combining tradition and innovation, the future looks promising as teams are capitalizing on the changing tastes of their fans by creating new items that is sure to cater to ones appetite.

Prior to the start of the 2014 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks unveiled their D-Bat Dog, an 18-inch corn dog stuffed with cheddar cheese, jalapenos and bacon, served with a side of fries for a price of $25.00

"This is really about providing our fans with new options each year, and in the case of some of our larger items, it's really about sharing with the family," said D'Backs team president and CEO Derrick Hall regarding the D-Bat Dog.

The Texas Rangers hold the distinction of creating the $25.00 hot dog when they created "The Broomstick", a 2-foot hot dog smothered in chili, nacho cheese, jalapenos and onions in 2012.

If it's a burger that you are after, be prepared for the unexpected! While many ballparks are going the conservative route by forming partnerships with established chain restaurants (Jack In The Box, Carl's Jr. and Ruby's), Tampa Bay, Texas and Washington DC are creating their signature burgers with a twist.

Tampa Bay Rays Fan vs. Food Burger
Price: $30.00



Anyone who finishes this 4-pound burger and a pound of fries will receive 2 tickets to a future Rays game and a shirt.

Texas Rangers Beltre Burger
Price: $26.00



A pound of beef combined with a half pound of bacon, onions, cheese, and chips on a pretzel bun.

Looking for a quick snack between innings?

So you decided to eat before the game or still might be hungry from lunch? These unique snacks are your best bet depending on which city you are in.



Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles): Crab Waffle Fries

Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City Orioles): Royal bacon blue fries

Safeco Field (Seattle Mariners): Oyster po'boy sandwich

US Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox): Chicken and Waffle Sandwich

Comeric Park - Detroit Tigers

Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Major League Baseball Detroit Tigers organization, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000.

One day after visiting the legendary football stadium, "The Big House" in nearby Ann Arbor, I had a few hours to explore the Detroit area before heading to Toronto that evening. The city of Detroit is known by two familiar nicknames, The Motor City and Motown, while also going by popular 20th century nicknames, including Hockeytown after the legendary Detroit Red Wings NHL franchise and Detroit Rock City after the popular KISS song. Comerica Park was part of a revitalization plan for Detroit that included the construction of Ford Field, home to the Detroit Lions of the National Football League.

Several minutes after arriving to Comerica Park, I had purchased my ticket for the tour of the ballpark and met the tour guide, Stanley. Since the tour wasn't scheduled to begin for several minutes, I took turns sharing baseball stories with Stanley and his fellow tour guide. As I came to find out, one of them used to live in the same city as I do, so talk about a small world after all. Much to my surprise, the tour guide took off his Detroit Tigers 2012 American League Championship ring off and let me take a look at it. Never did I think on this day here I would have been given permission to physically touch but get to see the Tigers 2012 ALCS ring as close as I did. Sure, I've seen various awards through-out the past few years, but this was amazing!

The tour kicked off a few minutes later as our tour group proceeded into the part of the stadium nicknamed, "The Jungle." This area of the park is located within the Pepsi Porch picnic deck between the 100 and 200 levels. The next area that we visited on the tour was a living tribute to Detroit Tigers legends that could be compared to the New York Yankees "Monument Park" at Yankee Stadium. Ty Cobb, Al Kaline, Hal Newhouser, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg and Al Horton have individual statues dedicated to them, each made in a unique way that the player was known for in their playing time.

Just shy of the player statues is the massive LED video scoreboard that I was informed reaches nearly 10 stories in height, ranking 4th in MLB stadiums. Located at the ends of the scoreboard are two of the eight Tigers statues that are located through-out the ballpark. These tigers eyes light up following a home run or victory for the team.

>Many tours of professional sporting venues always include a brief visit to a "designated suite" on the tour that can be your typical suite that anyone can purchase if they have the money or in some cases, the owner suite. We were treated to the Detroit Tigers Champions Suite on this tour. Four suites were converted into the Champions Suite that contains the legendary Tigers 1968 and 1984 World Series trophies, Justin Verlander's 2011 American League MVP and Cy Young Awards and Miguel Cabrera's 2012 American League MVP Award. In route to winning the 2012 AL MVP Award, Miguel Cabrera left his mark in MLB history becoming the first player since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 to win the Triple Crown in batting. The Triple Crown Award is located inside the Champions Suite only a few feet from his MVP Award.

Comerica Park contains many artifacts and historical pieces that make up the Tigers history spanning one generation to another. Making up a unique portion of the lower seating bowl is the Tigers Den, special seats that offer in-seat service, VIP hospitality and great views of the ballpark. These seats are are sold as full and partial season ticket plans. Leftover seats are also offered as single game tickets. Stanley informed us to check StubHub should we ever want to sit in these seats.

Our tour of Comerica Park ended with a visit to the press box, visitors locker room and dugout, the training room and playing field. This was the fifth tour I've taken of an MLB ballpark and is one that I won't forget for sometime.

COMERICA PARK FACTS:
Hosted the 76th MLB All-Star Game in 2005
2006 and 2012 World Series
Sold-Out Jay-Z/Eminem concert on September 2nd and 3rd, 2010
Vans Warped Tour annual stop

Angel Stadium of Anaheim - MLB Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Throughout the years, the modern-style stadium has gone through many name changes and seating arrangements under its different ownership regimes. Angel Stadium of Anaheim, as its commonly referred to as this day has served as the home of the MLB Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim since their move from nearby Los Angeles in 1966. Prior to the ground breaking of Angel Stadium, the Angels called Wrigley Field in 1961 ( Pacific Coast League affiliation) and Chavez Ravine (Dodgers Stadium) from 1962-1965 their home. Unknown to the youth who are just beginning to understand the game of baseball, Angel Stadium has undergone several structural modifications in its existence beginning in 1980. To accommodate the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, Angel Stadium underwent a major reconfiguration to a multi-purpose stadium which saw the stadium extend the upper deck and mezzanine completely around the playing field which as result, blocked the view of the local mountains and 57 freeway. For those who never got to experience this configuration, you can see a photo of it here. The Rams eventually relocated to St. Louis in 1994 where they have played ever since. During that same year, the stadium suffered minor damage as result of the Northridge earthquake on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The stadium was restored to its baseball-only configuration beginning in 1997 following the Angels acquisition by the Walt Disney Company. These changes resulted in the majority of the outfield seating being demolished in-favor of an out-of-town scoreboard below the right field seats, outfield bleacher pavilions and the "California Spectacular", a mountainside covered in real trees and artificial rocks which feature water geysers and fireworks erupt at the beginning of a game and anytime the Angels win or hit a homerun.

If you plan on going to the stadium for the first time, I recommend parking away from the stadium in smaller lots as it's more affordable. For food options, you have many options between The Grandstand selection of stadium food, Panda Express, Carl's JR and Jack In The Box. If you're not a fan of stadium food, there is a small strip mall located across the street made up of Togo's, Carl's JR and Fresca's.

Angel Stadium has hosted its share of notable events including:
MLB All Star Game: 1967, 1989 and 20110
KROQ Weenie Roast 2000 featuring Ozzy Osbourne
Rod Carew and George Brett's 3,000th career hit
Reggie Jackon's 500th career home run
Mickey Mantle's last game-winning home run
Site where Nolan Ryan threw 4 of his record 7 career no-hitters.

Dodgers Stadium

Safeco Field - MLB Seattle Mariners

I recently made a trip up to Seattle to catch the US vs. Panama World Cup Qualifier at Century Link Field. Only a few feet across the street sits Safeco Field, home to the Seattle Mariners. The origins of baseball in the Seattle area date back to the early 1900's upon the founding of the Seattle Rainiers. The Rainiers were a minor league baseball team who played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 to 1906 and 1919 to 1968. Baseball would return for one season in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots before they were sold and relocated to Milwaukee where they would become the Brewers following a controversial sale by then owner and current MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. Thankfully, baseball would return again following a lawsuit in 1970 over the sale and relocation of the Seattle Pilots. The Seattle Mariners entered MLB as an expansion team in 1977 along with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Mariners called The Kingdome their home until 1999 once Safeco Field opened across the street.

Safeco Field is a retractable roof baseball stadium that is owned and operated by the Washington-King County Stadium Authority. While the stadium is known for being a retractable roof stadium, the roof acts as an "umbrella" for the stands and field due to the weather that primarily effects the Pacific Northwest region. Getting to Safeco Field is very accessible and convenient to get to should you decide to visit Seattle by the light rail train spanning from Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEATAC) that runs through the city limits stopping at many points of interest. There is also the option of driving to the stadium if you are willing to pay $15.00 and up depending on who is in town.

Depending on who is in town, you can score very good seats on Stubhub for the game. I was able to get a seat 25 rows from home plate for a very reasonable price. The stadium offers a wide variety of food options for anyone and everyone but please keep in mind that you will have to pay a little bit more if you plan on eating or drinking at the stadium. Pioneer Square is also located within walking distance should you want to go there if eating from the local street vendor is not your thing.

Touring Safeco Field is one of the must-do attractions while in Seattle as it delivers many behind the scenes areas not available to the general public. Every tour departs from the team store that is just shy of the main entrance to the stadium. The team store is the ultimate destination for any Mariners fan as it contains historical artifacts and merchandise spanning the different areas of Mariners baseball. While on the tour, we explored the owners suite where we learned about the teams affiliation with Nintendo USA in the owners suite, explored the dugout and warning track along the field and visited the press box before the tour ended. Overall, a great tour!

Yankee Stadium Tour

The day had finally arrived in September 2012 where I could say that I set foot inside Yankee Stadium, home of the legendary New York Yankees. For my 30th birthday, I decided to spend it taking a tour and catching game at the ballpark. Just like the tour of Fenway Park that I took a few days later, Yankee Stadium is one of the must see tours for any fan.

The tour began at the Yankee Museum after the teams security detail went over the ground rules and do's/don'ts while on the tour. The Museum is what any museum should contain, legendary items and artifacts that have made this team who they are. Residing in the middle of the museum are two bronze statues which pay homage to the Don Larsen/Yogi Berra perfect game in the World Series. Situated between the statues is a massive glass case containing over a hundred signed baseballs that included Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth and Randy Johnson. I was able to spend about five minutes in the museum taking in all the sights that included exhibits dedicated to Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and The Boss, former Yankee captain Thurman Munson's locker as it appeared prior to his death and the World Series Trophies.

After departing the museum, we made our way to legendary Monument Park in center field. Monument Park is a living tribute to the legendary Yankees who donned the pinstripes during their career. The tour guide explained to us the history of Monument Park, the plaques of the retired numbers and the plaques dedicated to the 9/11 Attacks and Pope Benedicts visit.

The final stop on the tour took us through the lower level of the stadium until we reached the playing field and dugout. We were given a few minutes to take photos in the dugout and of the field but security was very strict at this point as they did not allow any photos of you on the field unless it was by their photographer. This was the low point of the tour as it gave us a feeling like we were being hurried along the entire time and weren't really given the opportunity to soak in everything.

Later on that night, I returned to Yankee Stadium to see the team take on the Tampa Bay Rays. Near the end of the game I was able to witness history as Derek Jeter surpassed Willie Mays for sole possession of 10th place on baseballs all-time hit list.

Citi Field - MLB New York Mets

I paid a visit to Citi Field in the Queens borough of New York City. Citi Field replaced the aging Shea Field as the home of the New York Mets just a few feet away. The exterior of the stadium is reminiscent of Ebbets Field with an entrance named the Jackie Robinson Rotunda after the Brooklyn Dodgers legend. The rotunda honors Robinson's life and accomplishments. Unlike many stadiums, Citi Field features orange foul poles rather than the standard yellow, which make this field unique.

Getting to Citi Field takes a little bit of time from midtown Manhattan by the New York Subway 7 train at Mets-Willets Point. The stadium is located within an area of Flushing that is home to USTA Billie Jean National Tennis Center where the annual US Open tennis grand slam tournament is held and the Unisphere, the iconic 12-story high stainless steel globe that served as the centerpiece for the 1964 New York World's Fair.

This day in particular was unique as it was my first visit to Citi Field, but it was the 11th anniversary of the September 11th attacks in the city. The Mets played host to rival NL East Washington Nationals. Prior to the game, a moment of silence as a tribute to the anniversary occurred along with a moving tribute to the events that had occurred earlier in the day in Benghazi. Being in the city on this day was surreal and I took in every minute that I could. Anytime I go to a new stadium, I make it a priority of exploring every part of it not knowing when I will make my return. Little did I know that while walking through the upper deck in left field I would lay my eyes on a piece of American History that I would never forget. Each year on this day, the city of New York as a tribute displays two massive light towers that shine into the sky on the site where the twin towers once stood. These lights were visible to the eye as far as Citi Field and were something that I had to see up closer later that night. The photo below I took on this night last night atop Rockefeller Center.

Citi Field in its own right is a beautiful stadium to visit, whether for the first or last time. The 2012 season marked the 50th Anniversary of the Mets organization that was in the process of its promotional marketing campaign for this years MLB All Star Game.

Fenway Park Tour 2012

As I mentioned in a previous entry, I spent the finale of my 30th birthday trip in Boston. Feeling like I didn't get enough of Fenway on my previous trip 14 months earlier, I booked another tour. 2012 marked the 100th Anniversary of Fenway Park. What made this trip so much better than the previous one was that the Red Sox were out of town so I got to see more of the stadium then I did the year before. After purchasing tickets at Gate D, we proceeded to the team store prior where all Fenway Park Tours begin. I'm still not sure what can compare to spending over an hour in this legendary ballpark on a brisk fall day in September. Taking a page out of previous stadium tours that I had been on, it's usually a good thing to tour the stadium when the team is out of town because you get to see the goodies which the stadium has to offer.

Once everyone had arrived, the tour departed from the Red Sox Team Store and into Fenway Park. Our first stop was in the portion of the stadium that runs along third base. The tour guide made it known that this was the portion of the park where the movies Ted and The Town had been filmed at. Next we were taken up to the wooden seats that are located next to the left field foul pole which is next to the Green Monster. Here our guide made his rounds asking which teams everyone supported, while making it known the Red Sox were still the best in baseball. During this stop on the tour, many interesting facts about the stadium and the team were explained. While I knew some history about Fenway, I never knew how many changes that the stadium has undergone over the years. Up next was the famed Green Monster seats atop left field. The Green Monster has served as the manual scoreboard for Fenway Park that employees operate through-out the game. Until recently, the Green Monster was never accessible by fans until a seating section was added. The monster is made up of several historical elements including morse code along the American League portion of the scoreboard containing the initials of the Yawkey Family and the hard-to-miss ladder which was previously used by workers to retrieve home run balls prior to the addition of its seats.

The famed Press Box was up next on the tour after we made our way through the halls that contained history from all of the years the Red Sox had been a team. The press box sits above home plate and offers an exceptional view of the stadium and nearby Boston Back Bay. On any given day, the Red Sox employee who runs the press box determines whether or not the windows will be opened or closed for the duration of the game. Due to its close proximity from home plate, foul balls are frequent in this location. As an unexpected surprise, this tour was given the opportunity to visit several behind the scenes areas of the ball park that included the visitors dugout, warning track and Red Sox dugout. Being the fan that I am, having the opportunity to walk into the locker room where many legendary and Hall of Fame players was a very surreal experience. Not to take away from the opportunity to walk on the field and sit on the dugout benches, the locker room easily took the cake. While on the warning track, fans were allowed to have their photo taken by the teams official fan photographers, Fan Photo that they could purchase for a small fee at the end of the tour.

In addition to the major highlights of the tour, our guide also shared several stories about the park including the famed Pesky Pole, The Lone Red Seat that signifies the longest home run hit at Fenway by Ted Williams on June 9, 1946 and ending with a visit to the publicly visited Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Fenway Park - Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays 7/4/11

July 3rd and 4th, 2011 are days that I will always remember. They will go down as my first visit and first game at Fenway Park in Boston. While on an East Coast trip to celebrate my aunt and uncles wedding in nearby Rhode Island, my family and I made a trip up to Boston to celebrate the 4th of July and catch at game at Fenway. On the afternoon of July 3rd, we were able to catch one of the last tours that day of Fenway, rain or not. Just before the tour, we got a bite to eat at a restaurant called Game On. It backs right up to the Green Monster portion of the park so it gives you the feeling like you are in the park. The tour starts inside of the Red Sox team store directly across the street from Fenway. The team store itself is an experience itself as a fan of baseball could easily spend nearly 20-30 minutes inside of it just seeing all of the history combined with the size alone. Those who are fortunate to take the tour are given a detailed historical tour that makes Fenway the ballpark that it is.

During the tour, our guide took us through-out Fenway including the famed Green Monster, Press Box and Red Sox Hall of Fame. The next day, we ventured out early to Fenway as it was a day game against Toronto. Fenway is the perfect location for a baseball stadium as the surrounding streets are closed before and after the game. Here you will see many street cart vendors and fans coming and going from the local bars and restaurants. Not even 8am is early enough for the diehards to start pre-gaming before a 1pm game. As a tip to any first timers, eat before the game or wait in line at the bottom of the stadium for your food. There are no vendors through-out the stadium you will have to get out of your seat to get food at the lower level during the game. If you are planning on catching a game at Fenway, purchase your tickets in advance as much as possible. I had to purchase mine on StubHub many months in advance.

Chase Field - MLB Arizona Diamondbacks

Becoming the fastest expansion to win a World Series (2001), the Arizona Diamondbacks became an expansion team during the 1998 MLB season. Built as the first stadium with a retractable roof in the United States, the Diamondbacks have called Chase Field in Arizona home since their debut in the National League. During my trip to Phoenix last year, I was able to take in two games and a tour of the stadium. It was also my last time to see Atlanta Braves 3B Chipper Jones during his farewell tour before retiring at the end of the 2012 season.

The tour itself is a treat unlike many others, you get to see an experience a lot many fans don't. The tour started just outside of the team store prior to departing into the interior of the stadium containing the 2001 World Series Trophy and items from the 2011 MLB All Star Game.

During the tour, we were allowed access to many areas of the park that are usually off-limits to fans including the press box, media room and dugout. There is also the chance that you run into a player like we did, Philadelphia Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon. What other MLB stadium can also boast that they have an operating hot tub within the confines of their stadium? While we were in the press box and dugout, we were fortunate enough to catch a portion of the Phillies batting practice.

The stadium itself has one of the best atmospheres in the game for any fan of baseball. Cheap food and beer along with crowd participation. If you are one of those who prefers to eat before the game, I suggest checking out TGIF Fridays located in left field. A portion of the restaurant faces the stadium and offers outdoor seating. Did I also mention that if you arrive early enough that you can watch batting practice from it?

Heritage Field - Yankee Stadium Hollowed Grounds

Following its closure in 2008, "The House That Ruth Built" began its transformation into parkland named Heritage Field. Located on the hollowed grounds where Yankee Stadium once stood, was incorporated into three natural turf baseball fields, the largest oriented in the original direction of Yankee Stadium. Heritage Field is located directly across the street from where new Yankee Stadium is located. A portion of the façade from Yankee Stadium can be seen in the photo above. If you ever have the opportunity to make a trip to NYC, the site is worth a trip to visit.

Ebbets Field Site - Brooklyn Dodgers

The home of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913 - 1956 before they moved to Los Angeles. The grounds where the stadium once stood is now home to the Ebbets Field Apartments. The exterior facade of Citi Field in nearby Queens was influenced by Ebbets Field. Ebbets field was home for 5 NL Pennants and the 1955 World Series for the Brooklyn Dodgers, their only before relocating to LA. The photo is from a bus tour I took in Brooklyn, NY in August 2011.

Petco Park - MLB San Diego Padres

I had the opportunity to pay a visit to Petco Park in May 2012, home of the San Diego Padres. The stadium opened in 2004 as the replacement for nearby Qualcomm Stadium which served as home for the Padres from 1969 - 2003. The open-air stadium is located in downtown San Diego within walking distance of the famed Gas Lamp District was built into the historic Western Metal Supply Building located in left field. It offers fans easy access to the stadium from the nearby trolley and provides views of the downtown skyline and neighboring cities.

Prior to that evenings game against the Miami Marlins, I booked a tour of the stadium along with about a dozen other fans. While most tours MLB stadiums provide access to portions of the stadium usually not accessible to the general fan (field, club house, press box), sadly Petco Park didn't. During the treat we were taken around several parts of the stadium that were limited to a portion of the press box (below it), the Padres Hall of Fame and the Western Metal Supply Building before ending up in the lower bowl as batting practice commenced.