I didn’t have the blog up just yet at the time, but I knocked the 2 Florida stadiums off my list earlier this year, going to Marlins Park and Tropicana Field. I like to show about the baseballs I get at the games, but it’s also cool to remember the stadiums I’ve visited as well. I went with my girlfriend Natalie back in May, and this is what happened.  Let’s just say I was disappointed.

Here’s what I first saw when we exited the parking garage. It was really really hot that day, and if it hadn’t been our first visit there, I would have sat in the shade until the gates opened. Florida has a whole different kind of humidity compared to New York, it’s terrible. Moving on…

Here’s the gate I planned on furiously running in to start the day, but for the time being there was more exploring to do.

There were these weird looking letters scattered all over the place, but we found out that the new stadium is built on the old grounds of the Orange Bowl, so those scattered letters spell out “Orange Bowl”. Very artsy.

Also, from what I know, Marlins Park is the first stadium to have their own nightclub built inside. Through the opening I could see the Marlins taking BP. I was tempted to ask a worker to get me a ball, I wanted a spanking new  commemorative baseball the Marlins use for 2012. I hadn’t planned on seeing the Marlins in New York later this year, so I really really wanted one today. More on that later. 

The stadium kind of looks like a spaceship. We worked our way around to the front…

…And found ourselves in front of the team shop. In each stadium I like to go to the team store and check things out, and I also like to collect the pocket schedule for that team/year (Yeah, I’m weird). Here I am in the team store:

Outside, there was a random CPR thing going on, and it was a little weird. The EMT’s doing it were a little pushy.

Finally, it was time to go inside. I was pretty excited. We were the first ones in so I ran inside and looked for easter eggs. Nothing. I walked around to the front by the Marlins dugout, and they were already jogging off the field. Not a good start. It all happened so quick,I didn’t even get a picture. I decided to head to right field for the Giants portion of BP:

See that guy on the left? More on him in a bit.

A few sharp liners flew over my head, but nothing came real close. It was frustrating. Marlins Park is a pitchers park, to be frank. It takes a BIG drive to put one out here. Here was my view after the liners:

…and not one Giant threw a ball to anyone. Not even the kids. Now that’s lousy. I’ve come across a few unfriendly teams. SF, BAL, and the Mets to name a few. It’s not like it was loud and they couldn’t hear us either. It was pretty quiet. Lame.

Remember that guy in the photo? The whole time I was in this section, there was a ball on the ground behind his seat. I was hesitant to take it, but I thought it was an easter egg. I was afraid it was his though. But why would someone put it behind their seat? So I asked him “Excuse me sir, is that yours?” and he said “Uh….. yeah. Yea, thats mine, it uh… fell out of my glove.”

It wasn’t his. I’m just an idiot who tried to be nice. Moving on –

I took some artsy photos of the park on my way behind the Giants dugout to try my luck there.

I was now behind the Giants dugout. I tried several times to get a ball from players and coaches, but to no avail. I also spotted a famous baseball face:

That’s Felipe Alou, for those who don’t know. Pretty cool.

I tried one last time to get a ball from Brandon Belt, who was taking infield practice.

He saw me a few times and looked like he wanted to throw me one, but never did. Unless I caught a game foul ball, I was shut out in BP. Not cool. However, I was there to enjoy my vacation/stadium experience, so we continued exploring until the game started. Here’s some photos and then I’ll explain what they are:

This is an outside concourse that takes you upstairs. It’s far off in the corner and reminds me of a football stadium. I didn’t think it was good placement, it took forever to get upstairs.

Cool view from outside, and heres a view from up top:

I like to take a picture all the way at the top of the stadium looking down, I don’t know why.

The roof was closed because it was 97 degrees and humid. The Marlins either open/close the roof after the game so fans can see how it works. I thought that was pretty cool and yes, we stayed at the end to watch it. It costs 10$ each time they open and close the roof in electric bills. Nuts.

Thought this was a cool vantage point. Impressive architecture with those columns,  I think.

This seat is in left field, it’s the last seat they ever installed in the stadium. There is a red one down by the Marlins dugout on the field level, it’s the first seat they ever installed.

There’s the infamous Fish sculpture that goes off when the Marlins hit a home run. It’s big, colorful, and hideous.

Never saw a stadium with vintage video games, that was pretty cool.

The Marlins also have a “bobblehead museum”, it’s a collection of every single bobblehead given out by MLB teams over the years.

Here were our seats for the game:

And we even got lucky and saw the fish sculpture go off after Giancarlo Stanton homered in the 2nd:

We even got lucky and met Billy the Marlin:

Later, we moved down behind the Giants dugout:

Melky Cabrera started throwing everyone in the crowd balls late in the game. I think it was the 9th inning, and I was wearing my Giants shirt and screaming very loud,but He ignored me or didn’t hear me. I was still shut out. It sucked. As for the result of the game: Here it was –

And heres a shot of me:

The 8 stands for the number of stadiums I’ve visited.So far I’m up to 8 (New Yankee, CitiField, Fenway, Baltimore, Washington, Toronto, Montreal, Miami). I’ve also been to Old Yankee and Shea, but am counting them separately for now. I can’t take pictures there  because they are both demolished.

After the game, we checked out the Clevelander (only perk was great air-conditioning), and the outside of the stadium one last time:

Fish tank behind home plate! And the pool in the Clevelander:

…I took a coaster as a souvenir. Wasn’t paying 10 bucks for a Bud Light, plus I had to drive 😉

Here’s one final pic outside the stadium:

Later on this trip we went to Tropicana Field. I’ll post that trip later. Overall Marlins Park grade: B+. Gorgeous, a little space-shippy, plus I got no balls (Yea go ahead and laugh).

Final Stats: 0 balls snagged. (1 pictured here because I had to BUY one. Ugh)

Marlins record when I attend: 1-2

Giants record when I attend: 1-1