With the Dodgers in town on the southside for the first time since the 1959 World Series, I decided to make my once every three year journey to the southside.
I'm not really a big fan of the Sox, but I do appreciate that they are playing winning baseball. With the opportunity to sweep the Dodgers, I decided to revisit Comiskey Cellphone Ballpark. Here's the good, the bad, and the ugly from last night's game
The Good:
Food, glorious food - This year Wrigley started using the same food vendor as Comiskey and the choice of an artery hardening bill of fare is widespread. I only grabbed a burger which was pretty good, but there were plenty of stands which could keep you from missing a good majority of a game
Tickets- There are fans going to the ballpark to watch a first place team, but vast stretches of the famed upperdeck are still empty. The lower level was filled though and with the exception of the upcoming Cub series, tickets can be bought easily at the park or on-line. One cool thing that was featured for ticketmaster customers was a kiosk that could print out your will call tickets without having to wait in line. Took about 30 seconds for me to get my seats.
The bullpen bar - After sitting in the reserved bleachers for a couple innings, we decided to walk to the bullpen bar in right field and catch the remainder of the game. The nice thing about the bullpen bar is the field level view and getting to listen to the hecklers get after the opposing right fielder.
The Bad:
Who are you playing? - Ok, going to open up the floodgates. Couldn't help but notice that the anti-Cub feelings are alive and well on the southside. After overhearing a 6-8 year old kid say how he hated the Cubs, I just couldn't believe fans are more focused on the Cubs than their opponent. In the bullpen bar where mother alcohol had set up shop, the feelings were even stronger.
I'll never understand it. Sox fan's hate the Cubs and Cub fans don't care about the Sox and hate the Cardinals. I just went to watch a little baseball my self, but had a good baseball conversation with one of the more rational Sox fans there and had a good time.
Bullpen Bar Outside Seating - Just confusing. With a couple empty tables outside, we made a move to get a seat. Security gives you a pass to go out there and you take empty seats that are available. The confusing part came when we went to an empty table and were turned away from security and told to double up on seating with two other people. Not very bad, but just a confusing arrangement.
The Ugly:
Player Heckling - Dodger right fielder Jayson Werth was taking a bit of abuse at the hands of the Sox fans and it was pretty funny hearing some of the comments. The ambiguous rules of heckling a player are don't swear, and don't make references to the player's family. Pretty simple, but apparently it went a bit overboard for the Dodger RF. Security actually came over and told everyone that the section would be emptied if it got any worse. Confused by the exchange, but undaunted, the heckling took a funny turn with fan's making comments to the new right fielder (Werth was actually moved to LF) such as "You're the little engine that could."
I think security was a little oversensitive because of ESPN being there and the number of mics on the field. I'm sure some exec was getting nervous hearing the commentary from one of the mics and had to do something.
Overall:
I had a baseball jones that needed to be fufilled and with the pathetic performance in the Bronx by the Cubs, watching a 4-3 comeback win in the bottom of the 8th by the southsiders satisfied me. With the Cubs out of town and some pretty good baseball being played, it was a fun overall experience. Keep the Cub paraphenalia at home to avoid the jackasses and its a pretty good time.
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