Getting the Bell Rung

Saturday night we went to Huntington Park for the first time to check out the new ballpark.

I did not take any decent pictures, but it still looks like this when I walked around it back in March.

It's a lovely, intimate place to see a baseball game. You're very close to the action and the sight lines are excellent. I do not think there is a bad seat in the house.

The quality of baseball was poor. Both teams, the Clippers and the Bisons are suffering from being the AAA affiliate of a couple of bad major league teams this season in the Indians and the Mets. It was a lousy game, that the team from Buffalo won 2-1.

I do miss Cooper Stadium. I live two miles from there and see it, abandoned, every day. I know why there is a new stadium, but it hurts seeing a functional structure go to waste.

That said, it is a modern minor league ball park, with concessions that are approaching major league prices. The food was quite good, and there is a variety of dining options that Cooper Stadium simply did not provide. There is Tim Horton's, Roosters, City Barbecue and more.

The beer selection has improved considerably. Locally there's Elevator, there's also plenty of Leinenkugel. Imports are slim, but represented by Labatt's and the big boys are there if you want Miller or Budweiser.

I was also impressed that parking, when Nationwide Arena does not have an event, is only three bucks. This was a pleasant surprise.

What I did not like was the aggressive shouting of the vendors in the stand. Having a patter is important when you're selling cotton candy, but sounding like Sam Kinison is not going to get me to spend money with you.

The sound system is very lacking in power. I was not expecting it to sound like a rock concert in there (and was grateful it did not) but we were sitting directly under a speaker and were having problems hearing what the announcer was saying. It needs a lot of improvement.

Not sure if I'm going to be able to get there for any of the few home games left. The night we went was a sellout, it's good to know that people are going to the games. I hope they continue to support the team when the luster of the new stadium fades.