Opening Day!

Now that the Red Sox have beat the Yankees and ESPN has gotten the season underway, attention turns to Opening Day around Major League Baseball. Below are personal pictures of stadiums that get underway today.

Philadelphia Phillies (Roy Halladay) at Washington Nationals (John Leman)

Nationals Park in Washington D.C. is the scene for the defending National League Champions, Philadelphia Phillies to open up 2010. Nats Park is among the nicest, but it is definitely home to a team whose fans are just happy to have baseball in the Nation's Capitol.

Toronto Blue Jays (Shawn Marcum) at Texas Rangers (Scott Feldman)

One of the more spacious ballparks in the majors, the Ballpark at Arlington is now the older sister to Jerry's Cowboy Stadium. Every seat is a good seat, but lacks an ambience outside the stadium.

Los Angeles Dodgers (Vicente Padilla) at Pittsburgh Pirates (Zach Duke)

PNC Park in Pittsburgh is definitely the nicest stadium that doesn't have a team deserving of playing there. A beautiful view of downtown Pittsburgh beyond the outfied fence, the ballpark has many fine dining, restaurant and drinking options surrounding it.

Colorado Rockies (Ubaldo Jiminez) at Milwaukee Brewers (Yovanni Gillardo)

A look back to one of my favorite stadiums in the majors, this is County Stadium, the previous home to the Milwaukee Brewers. This was taken in the last year for the park, as you see the newer Miller Park awaiting to be opened just beyond center field. County Stadium will forever be remembered as the home for the movie, "Major Leagues." Each park has plenty of parking surrounding it allowing for the best tailgating in the majors.

Detroit Tigers (Justin Verlander) at Kansas City Royals (Zach Grenke)

Gone through some remodeling since this picture was taken in 2001, Royals Stadium is one of the nicest settings for baseball. Part of a two stadium complex, Royals Stadium shares the parking lot with Arrowhead Stadium, home of football's Kansas City Chiefs. The home to the Royals allows the best ticket prices to bring the home family of any park in the league. They, too just need a team worthy of its existence.

Of course the Chicago Cubs open on the road in Atlanta. Game time for that first pitch is 3:10 CT.

Play Ball

There is nothing quite like an afternoon game on Chicago's North Side. Today is the home opener for the defending National Legue Central Division Champions. This would have been the ideal day to take my father to Wrigley Field. There is nothing I would've enjoyed more than to take him to opening day on his birthday. Today the Cubs open up with Colorado, the last team my dad and I saw together play the Cubs at Wrigley.

PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Faithful readers to this blog know about our trip to this stadium already. As it was on this night, Houston is today's opponent.

Definitely a true pleasure to visit this historic Stadium. Dodger Stadium, nestled into Chavez Ravine, is one of the ballparks I remember watching post-season baseball growing up. Sitting here this May evening, it had the feel of October ball. Temperatures dropped into the 50s and you could sense what it would be like to play baseball here in the post-season. Long-time Dodger rival, the Giants open up the '09 campaign in L.A.

Pittsburgh Trip

Below are photos from our trip to Pittsburgh. Although the Hawkeyes lost, I don't want anyone to think we treated this as a vacation. I have a friend who is the play - by - play voice for the Houston Astros. I was able to get tickets for me and my staff, although I could only stay for three plus innings before I had to return to the hotel for meetings.

The picture of the exterior of Heinz Field is our first look at the stadium. From the airport the buses took us through a tunnel which emptied into downtown Pittsburgh and this look of the stadium for the first time.
The Heinz Field Staff would not allow anyone to walk on the grass. All of us had to stay on the cement behind each sideline and end zones.

The Video Staff. (L-R) Bob Rahfeldt, Morgan Hawk, Nick Ehret, Matthew Engelbert. There are two other members of the staff who did not make this trip.

The Roberto Clemente Bridge that connects the downtown area to PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

PNC Park, the home of the Pirates had a couple of fine restaurants housed within that had outdoor seating outside the ballpark. Our baseball tickets were complimentary of Brett Dolan, the play by play voice of the visiting Houston Astros.

PNC Park and its famous view of the Pittsburgh Downtown Skyline.

The view from our seats.

PNC at Night.

PNC Park at Night from the Roberto Clemente Bridge

Firewaters was the place to be, outside of PNC, for all fans of the Hawkeyes. A private Hawkeye party kept many of us out until later in the night when five dollars would gain you access.
The Pittsburgh Skyline from high above Heinz Field.
The Pitt Dance team, impressively working out as early as 8am on Game Day. This performance took place during the third quarter.
The Iowa Locker room prepared for the team's arrival.
On the field prior to Pitt's arrival.