Baseball America's Top Ten Minor League Parks

[alkeiper]

1  	 AutoZone Park (2000)   	 Memphis, TN    	 Cardinals (AAA-PCL)
2 	The Dell Diamond (2000) 	Round Rock, TX 	Astros (AAA-PCL)
3 	FirstEnergy Stadium (1951) 	Reading, PA 	Phillies (AA-EL)
4 	Fifth Third Field (2002)  	Toledo, OH  	Tigers (AAA-IL)
5 	Dr. Pepper Ballpark (2003) 	Frisco, TX  	Rangers (AA-TL)
6 	Whataburger Field (2005)  	Corpus Christi, TX  	Astros (AA-TL)
7 	Fifth Third Field (2000)  	Dayton, OH  	Reds (Low A-MWL)
8 	New Bridge Bank Park (2005)  	Greensboro, NC  	Marlins (Low A-SAL)
9 	Louisville Slugger Field (2000)  	Louisville, KY  	Reds (AAA-IL)
10 	Bright House Field (2004)  	Clearwater, FL  	Phillies (Hi A-FSL)

The entire article is in the April 6-19 issue of Baseball America. Here's the Reading Phillies' press release.

http://www.readingphillies.com/news_04_03_09_stadium.htm

Note the dates. Reading with a park that is almost sixty years old trounces most other parks in America. Anyone here have a chance to attend any of the other selections?

 

[devo]

I might get out to Dayton or Toledo this year but I'll definitely see at least a couple games at the Clippers' new ballpark. All the reviews I've heard of it so far have been of the glowing variety.

 

[Cheech]

I was going to go to a game at Autozone when I was in Memphis last year, but was outvoted by Mrs. Tremendous (got drunk on Beale Street instead). I had no idea it was that highly rated. Bummer.

 

[Dandy]

I never got to make it to Louisville over the past couple of years due to work, but I will be checking out a couple of games out there now that my best friend lives in Elizabethtown and his brother lives in Louisville.

 

[Czech]

I was going to go to a game at AutoZone Park during my visit to Memphis too, Cheech, but I wasn't that interested in watching the Redbirds play the Fresno Grizzlies, so I went to some outdoor blues concert instead. I might go back there sans family this summer (it's that or Oakland, I sure know how to pick my vacation towns) where I can enjoy the whole Beale Street thing a little better than I could when I was 18.

 

[Vitamin X]

Man that's sad that PGE doesn't even crack the top 10. No wonder they're blowing that shit up for soccer.

 

[Jaxxxson Mayhem]

How the hell did the Indians' not get in the top 10?

 

[Gert]

I live in Dayton, and have partial season tixs to Dayton's 5/3rd Field. Its funny because people thought it would not work putting it downtown, but it has somewhat revitalized that area.

What's really amazing is that they always pack them in, even for low A baseball.

 

[Next USC #55]

it's that or Oakland

Oakland? In what world is Oakland a vacation spot? It's OAKLAND, for chrissakes!

 

[alkeiper]

How the hell did the Indians' not get in the top 10?

Do you mean the Spokane Indians, Kinston Indians or Indianapolis Indians?

 

[Smues]

I can't image he means the Spokane Indians. Avista Stadium is nice enough, but I can't imagine it's top 10. Sure it's the best of the three minor league stadium's I've been to, but they were also lo-A stadiums, and Avista has the advantage of having been built when Spokane was AAA.

 

[King Kamala]

it's that or Oakland

Oakland? In what world is Oakland a vacation spot? It's OAKLAND, for chrissakes!

Maybe he wants to pay a visit to pbone and Milkhawk or he's wondering what it's like to get shot (which would explain Memphis being the other choice).

I've only been to two minor league stadiums. I've been to Hadlock Field in Portland (Home of the Double A Portland Sea Dogs) dozens and dozens of times and I've been to Merchantsauto.com Stadium in Manchester, NH (Home of Double A New Hampshire Fisher Cats) once but for a Bob Dylan concert not a game. Hadlock is fairly nice and The Manchester stadium was really cool but I can't imagine either of them being near the top.

 

[alkeiper]

Ranking parks I've been to.

1. First Energy Stadium (Reading, PA)
2. First Energy Park (Lakewood, NJ)
3. Coca-Cola Field (Allentown, PA)
4. Bowman Field (Williamsport, PA)
5. Waterfront Park (Trenton, NJ)
6. NYSEG Stadium (Binghamton, PA)
7. PNC Field (Scranton, PA)
8. Metro Bank Park (Harrisburg, PA)
9. Skylands Park (Augusta, NJ)

 

[Smues]

Mine:
1. Avista Stadium (Spokane, WA)
2. Gesa Stadium, formerly Dustdevils Stadium (Pasco, WA)
3. Civic Stadium (Eugene, OR)

I really need to see something about low-a

 

[sfaJack]

If I end up going to Ohio at the end of May, I'm going to catch a game at Canal Park, home of the AA Akron Aeros. It would be my first minor-league park. Anyone ever been there?

 

[treble]

1) KeySpan Park - Brooklyn
2) Alliance Bank Stadium - Syracuse
3) PNC Field - Scranton
4) Ottawa Stadium - Ottawa (if that still counts)

 

[tekcop]

1. Pringles Park (Jackson, TN)

Yep. That's it. I used to go a quite a bit when the Diamond Jaxx were the Cubs AA team. I think I might have been there only once or twice since they switched to the Mariners. I'll probably go a couple of time this year, though.