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independent league baseball

Summer of Baseball: Sussex County felt a little dusty

As the World Series is underway, I thought it was time to continue the Summer of Baseball posts and reviews. With going to 75 games this summer, I saw a lot of new stadiums and I have a lot to catch up on.

We’ll start the return with the Can-Am League, which is an independent professional league based in the Northeast and Canada.

Sussex County was the second Can-Am game of the year, following a trip to the Rockland Boulders. The experiences were extremely far apart.

The Sussex County Miners grabbed me with their cool logo and such, so it was a Sunday afternoon trip down. I did pick up a hat, for the record. Once there, it was easy to find parking (there were no more than 150-200 people there the day we were there — tops) and in we went. It was hot as could be that day, so we basically were looking for shade. The ticket person was an excellent help and set us up.

In we went.

First impressions go a long way though, and the impressions weren’t positive. The team store was decent, but was based outside the actual stadium. The inside area for team items wasn’t bad, either. Food choices were average and normal for baseball.

The field had seen better days, that’s for sure.

sussexcounty2

I did grab a ball…

Let me preface that by saying we were in a drought, but I’ve played on bad softball fields that were better than this field — and that’s saying something. It was dry all over and just didn’t have the feel of a “professional” team.

I realize, too, that I’ve been spoiled going to Atlantic League games. But Rockland County’s stadium and such was excellent as well, so I was shocked at how downtrodden Sussex County seemed to be.

Skylands Stadium, in Augusta, New Jersey, isn’t the newest of stadiums, being built in 1994. Still, it’s only a little beyond 20 years, so it shouldn’t feel this down. The seats are the ones that are already down and boxy, so that usually just irritates me, too.

I couldn’t get a vibe, either. Of the workers I spoke with, I thought there was a friendly aspect. But at the same time, you have to wonder how many of them enjoyed being there through a game like that with nobody in the stands.

It was in the mid 90s that day — and I only saw one or two people go to the ice cream vendor on the main concourse in the stands. The poor girl kept searching for shade when nobody was there.

Kids did run rampant, dashing all over the field for foul balls and such. That can get annoying when nobody is in the stadium because they don’t care where they go in search of the ball.

Let me give an example — with the full story. When we got there, we checked out where we were sitting and then went for a snack and to walk around. When we came people we in our seats. I wasn’t going to create a stink over it, so we just went to the aisle across from where we were sitting. In the second inning, those people got a foul ball.

That stunk.

Later in the game — in the fifth or sixth inning — an elder lady (probably in her 80s) slowly walked up the steps. We were sitting in the top row. She informed us that I was sitting in her seat.

They say fans in Los Angeles show up late?

Anyway, we decided to pack up and head to the main bleacher area (where like five people were sitting) because it was now in the shade. So I told the lady to give me one moment as I packed up my stuff. As I did, a foul ball came flying up, hitting the “luxury” suites over me and then dropped right in front of me. I picked it up, packed the rest of my stuff and started walking down the steps.

Then came the mad rush of 10 kids rushing for the ball asking where it was. All the while it was in my bag.

Look — I don’t mind if you give a ball to a kid who is sitting near you and acting nice all game. But kids who are running all over the stadium, jumping over seats, and not caring about other people for one — they ain’t getting it.

Not to mention the section we were in was one where a lot of people were because there was shade.

Anyway, that’s my story.

In the end, the experience was that of a baseball game on a sub-par field. The action wasn’t the best that day, which made it worse. Overall, it was a below average experience and one I likely won’t look to replicate. The lack of a crowd didn’t help, either, as the ambiance was basically non-existent. It seemed like a group of people were there for when one of the original Batman helicopters landed and made a dust storm. I was actually shocked it left before the game started as it didn’t seem like it was going to.

The hot dogs were pretty solid, though, so that’s a good thing. The hat I got was excellent as well. Prices, as it seems to be in independent ball, were a little high all around, making the subpar experience a little more of a sting.

Park Notes:
Skylands Stadium
Augusta, New Jersey
Home of the Sussex County Miners (Independent)
Visited on: June 26, 2016
Opponent: Quebec Capitales (Independent)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 4/10
  • Concessions: 7/10
  • Parking: 9/10
  • Ambiance: 4/10
  • Friendliness: 7/10

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: Southern Maryland has the independent feeling in a good way

Over the past couple of years, I’ve had the chance to hit independent baseball teams and stadiums and I’ve found that, for the most part, it’s pretty solid.

Atlantic League teams have stadiums that have a similar feel, but also have uniqueness to them. The ambiances at most of the ones I’ve visited have been pretty solid as well.

That brings us to Southern Maryland.

A great night for baseball in Southern Maryland.

A great night for baseball in Southern Maryland.

During the planning of a trip to see Nationals Park for an afternoon game, the Blue Crabs had a night game at home. From where we parked to take the metro into DC for the Nationals game, it was only about 30 minutes to Regency Furniture Stadium.

The parking was free (awesome), though the lines to get to the will call tickets was a little long and slow, which confused me. Turns out a person at the front of the line was attempting to buy tickets to add on to ones he already bought. Once he got out of the way, it went fast.

The team store wasn’t bad. There were a bunch of items available and prices were actually pretty strong. It didn’t have a lot of items in the store, but if you wanted a shirt or a hat, you could find one. Again, prices were pretty good overall, too.

Food prices were relative to most baseball parks. There were the normal items and such. Hot dogs were decent, so that’s always a bonus. There were also souvenir cups. On another note, it seems like the milk shakes were top of the line, too.

As for the park itself, I found people to be friendly and the park as a whole was cool. The sight lines weren’t bad, though if you were all the way down a corner (where the stands are pointed toward home plate), it’s not a perfect view. You can walk around the whole park and in left field, there’s a small water park and a basketball court, which I could do without seeing at a baseball field.

One of Southern Maryland's coaches watches fireworks following the game.

One of Southern Maryland’s coaches watches fireworks following the game.

People seemed into the game, so the ambiance was solid. They had an on-field guy who was decked out in a colorful outfit who worked to get the crowd pumped up. There were some good spots for photos, so that’s good as well.

The night brought fireworks, which were really good. After the game, we talked with a couple of season-ticket holders who helped us land an Atlantic League ball (with the red and blue seams) via the manager.

In the end, I had a really good experience at the park and would definitely go again. There had been reports that the Batavia Muckdogs (NY-Penn League) would be moving there, but that apparently got squashed. So for now, it seems the Blue Crabs will continue. One thing I’ve realized with the Atlantic League is it’s always a good experience and decent baseball. They had a pretty solid crowd that night, too, which helped.

For fans of professional baseball, it’s a good spot to catch a game. Check it out if you are in the area.

Park Notes:  

Regency Furniture Stadium
Waldorf, Maryland
Home of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (Independent)
Visited on: June 11, 2016
Opponent: Long Island Ducks (Independent)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 8/10
  • Concessions: 7/10
  • Parking: 10/10
  • Ambiance: 8/10
  • Friendliness: 9/10

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: Rockland a good independent experience

It would seem independent professional baseball is doing quite well. There are several league that all seem to be unique and have solid ballparks and players.

In the end, it’s baseball and it’s usually pretty solid.

Looking in from right field.

Looking in from right field.

Last season, I went to several Atlantic League games. Thus year, I might do the same but I also want to sprinkle in a few Can-Am League games.

The Can-Am League, founded in 2005, is a six-team league with teams in the United States and Canada. One (Rockland) is in New York, two (New Jersey and Sussex County) are in New Jersey, and three (Québec, Trois-Rivières, and Ottawa) are located in Canada.

Over the years, some other teams have come and gone. Québec is the crown jewel of the league, it seems, winning six of the 11 league championships.

By chance, the first Can-Am League game I’ve seen featured the Capitales as they visited the Rockland Boulders and Palisades Credit Union Park.

As has been my experience with independent ball so far, the stadium delivered for the most part. There were some things that seemed like they could be better, but overall this stadium is really solid and probably could even be good for a minor league/affiliated team.

The 4,500-plus seat stadium opened in 2011 and cost $38 million to build. A full walk-around concourse gives you the chance to have some really cool views. Parts of the stadium are really nice, while others seem a tad unpolished. The seating bowl is really nice and gives you excellent views of the action.

There were several seat features that I liked. First, in right field, they had the Budweiser Short Porch that put you field-level and close to the action. As you went toward center, there’s a higher bleacher area, but it also had a table in front of you. So every seat had a place to lean. If you do book (like I do), it’s even better in that regard. It almost gave me the feeling of an older press area.

As you continued around, the left and left-center bleachers are nice and give you a good view. In the left-field corner, there’s a “party” bar area with more seats – in foul ground – that are field level. Pretty cool.

It was definitely a cool place to catch a game.

Keep a watch on the action!

Keep a watch on the action!

The concessions were standard ballpark fare. Hot dogs were average. The fries were normal. They had souvenir cups, which is always a bonus. One total plus? Rita’s Italian Ice. That’s always a bonus when I go to a park on a warm night.

The seats were comfortable and wide, which is always nice. There didn’t seem to be a bad seat in the house. The lineup board (double-sided) was right when you came in. Programs were free, but a scorecard (which had rosters and such for both teams) was just a buck. The team store had a variety of items and the prices were solid overall.

The food choices were OK, and what I tried was decent.

There were some negatives here, though. There seemed to be a lack of security as some kids in our area threw their baseball gloves all over the place for much of the game. The section wasn’t crowded, mind you, but it was annoying and the father had his nose in his phone for most of the game. In the right field section, there was a massive play area for kids. Now, if you stayed away from there, bonus. But it’s there as a warning. There’s also a kid’s train that goes arounf the park the whole time.

The focus didn’t seem to be on baseball for many in attendance. It was a scout night, though, so that could have been a major factor in it. But the ambiance at the park didn’t seem like a baseball focus.

In the end, I’d go again. It was a nice stadium at a decent price and extremely easy to get to. The baseball was pretty solid overall and I enjoyed the night. The stadium is nice and it has its own unique features, making it a place to check out if you get the chance.

On a side note, Québec’s uniforms were awesome and I need to get a hat. I did like Rockland’s uniform’s, too – very solid.

Park Notes:  

Palisades Credit Union Park
Pomona, New York
Home of the Rockland Boulders (Independent – Can-Am League)
Visited on: June 4, 2016
Opponent: Québec Capitales/ Les Capitales de Québec (Independent – Can-Am League)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 8.5/10
  • Concessions: 7.5/10
  • Parking: 8/10
  • Ambiance: 7/10
  • Friendliness: 9/10

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Summer of Baseball: York is a unique stop

Note: I am finishing my 2015 Summer of Baseball stadium reviews. The final review is below. To see all reviews I have done the past two years, please visit my Summer of Baseball page.

As the season dwindled down in 2015, a couple of us had wanted to hit a couple of more stadiums. But the minor leagues were winding down and making a trip to a new major league stadium wasn’t going to work within the time frame we had, as well as financially — at least for me.

All stamped in at York!

All stamped in at York!

A late-season double-header in two stadiums offered us the chance to do a “two-fer,” which was perfect on a hot September day. The first trip was to Harrisburg and the Double A Senators. The nightcap was the fifth Atlantic League stadium visited in 2015 — the York Revolution and Santander Stadium (which has been renamed for 2016).

One thing I’ve figured out this past year is Atlantic League stadiums are pretty fun to visit. The stadiums are usually pretty solid when it comes to watching games, and there’s usually some interesting things happening.

York was no different.

The stadium features a full walk-around concourse, so you can see the game from most parts. There’s a nice berm in the outfield to be able to sit and such.

The food offerings were pretty solid. I enjoyed the hot dogs at the park. Concession prices were on par with other places. Seating was comfortable enough.

There are some fantastic things about this park.

For one, the scoreboard is manual operation. We wandered out at one point and chatted with the operator. He’s a teacher during the school year and his summer gig is operating the scoreboard for the Revolution. How cool is that?

The park as a whole is a tad unique with the way things wrap around the park. The scoreboard, walking behind a few other things etc. You can watch the game from most parts, but not all. There were a few negatives, but more of that in a moment.

The Revolution also have a cannon — seriously. It goes off for homers and when the team wins. That is uber cool. A video of the end of the game we were at is below.

Not everything was perfect, though.

Some of the seating seemed a bit off to me. If you went down the right- and left-field lines, the end parts of the seats curved back toward home plate, thus giving people a more direct look at the batter and such. The issue with that? If a ball goes into one of the outfield corners you won’t see it. Heck, anywhere in the outfield and depending where you are sitting in those sections, and you could be straining your neck to watch some of the action.

Looking out from the scoreboard in York.

Looking out from the scoreboard in York.

I understand the thought process behind something like that, but at the same time, I’m a believer that I should be able to watch the whole game without having many issues. If you on the third-base line, it would be a pain to watch the scoreboard even. That’s not an issue down the first-base line.

Parking was a little iffy, too. Though close, you are parking mainly at a high school stadium lot, then walk to the ballpark. There are other lots, but you need to weave in and out of certain spots to get to them. If you aren’t local to the area, it can get a little confusing.

Overall, it was a good experience. I’ve gotten to enjoy Atlantic League games and hope to hit a few more this year. This was a good time and I could see going again, especially with a name change as the passport stamp will (I’d imagine) be changing because of that.

That wraps up reviews for 2015. Here’s looking ahead to 2016!

Park Notes:  

Santander Stadium
York, Pennsylvania
Home of the York Revolution (Independent)
Visited on: September 6, 2015
Opponent: Bridgeport Bluefish (Independent)

Ratings (out of 10)

  • Stadium: 8/10
  • Concessions: 8/10
  • Parking: 7/10
  • Ambiance: 8/10
  • Friendliness: 9/10

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!