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Created by:
Jeff LeCrone
Players and Staff
One of the unique aspects about the minor leagues is the accessibility of players. Fans can usually talk to players quite easily if they get to the park early enough. A few teams even gave us access to the clubhouse to get player comments. Here's what they had to say!
The Erie Seawolves
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Coaches:
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Pitching coach Howie Gerschberg and hitting coach Bill Lacheman both played for the Dodgers back in the '50s. When asked which stadiums they liked best, both immediately mentioned Akron and Altoona, which we were to find was a recurring pattern. However, they also mentioned Binhamton, Bowie and Reading. Lacheman particularly liked Reading because of the fact that, while the clubhouse is extremely small, they do a good job of taking care of the players there with respect to food, etc. We also asked them who they thought had the best fans in the league, and they both said Trenton without hesitation because they always have huge crowds there. Both of these guys were very nice to us, and they wished us well on our project. |
| Players: Pitcher Elvin Nina seems to be a very tradition minded guy. The first park he mentioned as one of his favorites was Yale field, not because of it is as luxurious as Altoona or Akron (it isn't), but because of the greats who have played there, including Babe Ruth and former president George Bush. For Nina, this type of tradition even makes up for the fact that Yale Field is traditionally a hitter's park. His other favorite is Blair County Ballpark, because of the atmosphere created by the roller coaster in the outfield and because they treated his girlfriend nicely the last time he was there. His least favorite park was Portland. |
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Derrick Urquhart loves the clubhouses at Altoona and Akron. And, though he didn't say as much, he probably likes the dimensions in Yale Field a bit better than Nina, because he's not a pitcher. |
| Pitcher Matt Beaumont loves Canal Park, but he's got a different reason than any other player or coach we talked to. You see, his home town is about twenty minutes from the park. He even has friends who work in the front office. Matt also likes Altoona because it just seems like the fans have a great time there. He is particularly impressed with Altoona's mascot, Steamer. "He's very entertaining," said Matt. As far as fan support, Matt seems to think that Norwich is one of the better parks he's seen. |
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Harrisburg Senators
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One of the great things about minor league baseball is that it gives fans a chance to see players who are working their way up the ladder. When I met up with Senator's catcher Scott Sandusky, he had just been called up to Harrisburg from the A club in Charleston, South Carolina. Good luck, Scott! |
| When we spoke to pitcher Jeremy Salyers, he had also been recently called up from Charleston, but he had spent some time in Harrisburg before, so he had a little more experience with Eastern League Parks. His favorite park overall, however, was his former baseball home at Charleston, where Bill Murray is an owner of the team. According to Jeremy, fans are one of the more imporatant factors in rating a ballpark. Which city does he think has the best fans in the league, then? Harrisburg, of course! By the way, if you've seen the film "Major League II", the grandstand behind Jeremy should be a bit familiar to you... |
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Altoona Curve
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Mike Ayers likes Akron's Canal Park a good bit, partly for the park itself and partly because they have some players he used to play with at Midland, Texas. "A lot of guys don't like to socialize with the other team's players, but these guys are my friends." Way to be a role model, Mike. Mike says that the best park he ever played at is in Myrtle Beach, SC. His favorite fans are in Reading; he appreciates how they "motivate" opposing players. "They're right on top of you raggin' you all the time." |
Binghamton Mets
| Dan Held of the Binghamton Mets, seen here before a game in New Britain has played at the triple-A level, so he's seen a lot of parks over his career. Overall, his favorites are Dunn Tire Park in Buffalo and Victory Field in Indianapolis. His favorite parks in the Eastern League are Reading's GPU Stadium and his home ballpark in Binghamton, though he thinks the latter could use more atmosphere. Dan was very quick to designate Yale Field as his least favorite Eastern League park, largely because the centerfield backdrop makes it very difficult for hitters to see the ball. "I'd rather play in hell than in New Haven," he told me. |
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Evidently there is a lot of loyalty among the B-Mets for their home park, because catcher Jimmy Gonzales shares his teammate's affinity for Binghamton's Municipal Stadium. Like many others, Jimmy also likes Akron's Canal Park for its sheer luxury. He also mentioned the indoor batting cages at Blair County Ballpark. "At most places, when it rains, your day is shot, and there's usually nothing else to do. But in Altoona, if it rains you can always work on your swing. That's real nice" |
