philadelphia-phillies – Page 2

Checking in on the Arizona Fall League

Did you think baseball ended with the conclusion of the World Series? Think again. The Arizona Fall League is in full swing, with 21 games for most teams already in the books. I gave a preview of the players from our three teams that are playing in the AFL that you can read here. The league is structured so that all players can be showcased at least somewhat equally. The goal for these organizations is to get a longer look at players, whether they are top prospects or are intriguing enough to warrant a more in depth look. Listed below are the three players (one each from the Yankees, Mets and Phillies) that are having an impact and could potentially land in the Majors in 2025.

Andrew Painter has a 2.70 ERA in four AFL outings. Photo from Sports Illustrated

Caleb Durbin-New York Yankees

The 24-year old Durbin is a rarity: this is the second straight year he is spending time in Arizona. Originally a 2021 14th round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves, Durbin came to the Yankees as part of the deal that sent Lucas Luetge to the Braves. He is hoping this stint in the AFL solidifies a spot on the Yankees 40 man roster. If not, he will be exposed in the Rule 5 Draft, and most likely, a ticket out of the organization. Durbin has something the Yankees should be interested in: speed. He leads the league in stolen bases with 22 in just 18 games, this after finishing the 2023 AFL season with 21. Playing multiple positions during the Fall, Durbin also has three home runs to go along with a .393 on base percentage. For his efforts, he was named the AFL Player of the Week for the week ending October 26.

Drew Gilbert-New York Mets

Most Met fans know who Gilbert is. As the the organization’s #3 prospect according to MLB.com, he has been on the radar since being acquired from the Houston Astros for Justin Verlander. MLB.com also projects Gilbert to be playing with the big club in 2025. His AFL batting average is a pedestrian .216 but he is tied for sixth in home runs with four. However, he has scored 11 runs in 14 games and has drawn ten walks. The Mets’ outfield does have some room for Gilbert next year. Starling Marte is almost guaranteed to miss time with injury and will be in the final year of his contract. Harrison Bader and Jesse Winker are both free agents. The signs point to Gilbert’s arrival in Queens at some point, perhaps as early as Opening Day.

Andrew Painter-Phillies

Phillies’ fans are salivating at the possibility of the 6-7 right-hander in the rotation in 2025. His performance in the AFL is only ramping up those expectations. In ten innings pitched through four games, the 21-year old Painter has ten strikeouts and a WHIP of .90. His fastball has been close to 100 and he introduced a slider during his last outing. Painter lost the last two seasons because of Tommy John surgery after being taken with the 13th overall pick of the 2021 Draft. Philadelphia’s starting rotation has four locked down spots with Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez. Should the Phillies slide Taijuan Walker back into the fifth spot, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Painter break Spring Training in the bullpen.

MLB in October: More Than Just the Postseason

I get it, the Major League Baseball playoffs are a big deal. This is what every player dreams of, fighting for the chance to win a World Series. However, there are many more teams whose seasons have concluded and are now focusing on 2025. For those fans who love baseball but just can’t bear to watch the postseason without their favorite team, there is still competitive baseball being played. In fact, even the teams still left in the playoffs have a vested interest in this “other” baseball currently in action.

Austin Wells is one of many guys who have played in the AFL. Photo from Sports Illustrated

The Arizona Fall League was formed in 1992 with the purpose of giving all Major League organizations a chance to take a longer look at a certain group of prospects. The AFL consists of six teams, with MLB clubs sending seven (or more) prospects each to form the league. Play for 2024 began on October 7th and will wrap up the season with a championship game on November 16th. It also features a Home Run Derby on November 8th and an All Star Game on November 9th. The list of players to play in the AFL reads like a laundry list of All-Stars and even some Hall of Famers like Derek Jeter. Prominent current players from our respective teams that have participated include Aaron Judge, Austin Wells, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the players from each of our teams who are getting extended paying time in Arizona. Team names of the respective AFL squads are in parenthesis.

New York Yankees (Salt River Rafters): Harrison Cohen (RHP), Jackson Fristoe (LHP), Ryan Harvey (RHP), Carlos Lagrange (RHP), Luis Pacheco (RHP), Rafael Flores (C), Caleb Durbin (SS), and Garrett Martin (RF)

Cohen was 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA at three Minor League levels, finishing up by dominating at High Class A Hudson Valley. Fristoe started 12 games at Hudson Valley, pitching to a 3/79 ERA and holding opponents to a .201 batting average. Harvey signed as an undrafted free agent and started 12 games for Class A Tampa. Lagrange is 21 and is 6-7, pitching nine games total at Rookie ball and Tampa. Pacheco pitched at three different levels in 2024, finishing at Double A Somerset. Flores is only 17 and stole 19 bases 49 Rookie ball games. Durbin spent much of the year at Triple A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, posting a .394 on base percentage. Martin slugged 12 home runs at Hudson Valley.

New York Mets (Scottsdale Scorpions) : Noah Hall (RHP), Jonathan Pintaro (RHP), Jawilme Ramirez (RHP), Dylan Ross (RHP), Jett Williams (SS), and Drew Gilbert (CF)

Hall started the season with High Class A Brooklyn but was injured early and did not pitch after April 26. Pintaro, who finished with a 2.68 ERA, worked his way up the ladder in 2024, landing at Triple A Syracuse for his final start of the year. Ramirez also ended up in Syracuse at season’s end, recording a 3.58 ERA. Ross had his season wrecked by injury, pitching in only one game. Williams, the Mets’ #1 pick in 2022, hit .364 in 22 at-bats at Syracuse. Gilbert, the #2 organizational prospect, hit .205 at Syracuse.

PS-Jeff McNeil is also on the AFL roster, presumably to get at bats in anticipation of being added to the NLCS roster.

Philadelphia Phillies (Glendale Desert Dogs): Tristan Garnett (LHP), Griff McGarry (LHP), Christian McGowan (RHP), Wesley Moore (LHP), Andrew Painter (RHP), Wen-Hui Pan (RHP), Jordan Dissin (C), Otto Kemp (3B), Bryan Rincon (SS), and Gabriel Rincones, Jr. (OF)

The 6-6 Garnett climbed the ladder, ending at Triple A Lehigh Valley, and struck out 56 batters in 41 innings. McGary recorded 40 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings at Lehigh Valley. McGowan was injured off and on, pitching in 11 games at Double A Reading. In two Minor League seasons, Moore has posted a 2.33 ERA in 70 games. Painter, the Phillies’ #1 prospect missed all of 2023 and 2024 with Tommy John surgery. Pan registered a 1.29 ERA in 14 games at High Class A Jersey Shore. Dissin registered .354 OBP between Single A and Double A. Kemp played at four different levels in 2024, with 16 home runs and a .392 OBP. Rincon struggled in 2024, spending ten weeks on the injured list. Rincones, Jr has 26 home runs in 188 Minor League games.

I will be periodically checking in on these players until the AFL seasons ends.

MLB Playoffs: Checking in on the Family Vibe

I write this in anticipation of the New York Yankees clinching their divisional series against the Kansas City Royals this evening. I’ve checked in with Ryan today who, like most Yankee fans is waiting for the bats to wake up. As far as the other two kids go, well, their series is over. The New York Mets next play on Sunday vs. either the San Diego Padres or the Los Angeles Dodgers. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Phillies next play a game in 2025, a fact that Caitlyn is trying to come to grips with.

Giancarlo Stanton is the best Yankee in the playoffs. Photo from Sports Illustrated

I knew this would be a really hard week. Someone has to win and someone has to lose, but knowing that didn’t make it better with the realization that one of my kids would be sad. At the end of each game, no matter who won, Caitlyn and Matthew would shake hands and say, “good game” to one another. It speaks to their excellent character and their love for one another. I firmly believe that if it is the Yankees playing the Mets in the World Series, Ryan and Matthew will exhibit the same affection for one another.

On to the three teams:

Yankees: It’s amazing how much Giancarlo Stanton can disappear in the regular season only to become the Yanks’ best hitter during the playoffs. It happened in 2022 and it is happening again now. Aaron Judge is slumping once again and the barbs regarding this on Ryan’s texts continue. His confidence level is not great but he believes that with just enough offense tonight New York moves on. He might even put in a good word for Gleyber Torres if they win. Ryan will be home next weekend so it represents a great chance to get his facial expression on either a Yankee victory or a Yankee face plant.

Phillies: Well, Caitlyn’s greatest fear came true. A regression from World Series in 2022 to NLCS in 2023 to NLDS in 2024 materialized in the most painful way possible. Now she is convinced they will lose in the Wild Card round next year and then miss the playoffs for the next ten years. I told her that as long as Bryce Harper is around, that will not happen. She doesn’t want them to win the division next year given the track record of division winners in the divisional round. I countered that the Mets were the best team in baseball since June 1. The first goal any team makes is win the division. All is not lost in 2024. I told her to pay attention to the Phillies’ prospects in the Arizona Fall League.

Mets: I suspect that Matthew would have celebrated a little bit more had the Mets beaten a team other than the Phillies. He said that he felt bad for Caitlyn as he knows what she is feeling. With that said, he is amped for Sunday. He would like the Dodgers to beat the Padres Friday as he believes San Diego is the better team. It’s a good thing there is no school Monday as Game 1 will begin at 8:15 PM EST. I think for as long as the Mets are in the playoffs, he can breeze past his bedtime to watch the finish of each game. Just think, the last time the Mets made it this far, he was 4. It’s now official: everyone in my family will have seen at least one League Championship Series with their favorite team playing.

New York Mets Vs. Philadelphia Phillies: a Week of Being Uncomfortable

Playoff baseball should be exciting. Playoff baseball should be full of drama. Playoff baseball should be a whole range of emotions as I detailed in this post. When the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets play one another in the National League Division series, there is one emotion that I will be experiencing over the week that, dare I say, not many people will have. Actually it’s not an emotion but rather a state of mind.

Buckle up for a long and exciting week. Photo from USA Today

That word is, “uncomfortable”.

I will be playing the role of Switzerland. I will not be rooting for Caitlyn’s Phillies or Matthew’s Mets. The only definitive thing I can say about this series is that I hope the winner goes to the World Series. Beyond that, it pains me to know that at the end of this round, one of my children will be highly disappointed. One of them will not have the opportunity (again) to see their team win a championship. I have already been told by both of them that if there is any emotion (namely anger) that comes out of them, it is not directed toward the other sibling but rather the team. I am confident (and lucky) in knowing that they will not take their frustrations out on one another. I also know that whoever the winner is, he or she will feel genuine compassion for the loser. And I know that the losing child will eventually come around to rooting for the winning team, even if it takes a game or two to get used to it.

As for my thoughts on the series? This has the makings of going all five games with the winner needing 12 innings in Game 5 to secure the victory. Both teams are very similar. Both lineups are full of players that are (I can’t believe I am using this word) grinders. They battle on every pitch and when the stakes get higher, they fight even harder. The expression, “you have to kill them to beat them” applies to both squads. The Phillies have the higher payroll and more well known players while the Mets have the ultimate family vibe, or as Matthew says, “the power of friendship”. I am prepared for both a long series and a lot of knots. However, my greatest challenge will be how well I can soothe the child whose team comes up short.

No Party Like a Lynch Baseball Party

It took all the way until game 161 but all three teams in the Lynch household have made the playoffs. The New York Mets’ incredible 8-7 victory against the Atlanta Braves in Monday’s opening game was one for the ages. It is too bad I was stuck at work missing arguably the most exciting game of the year (thank goodness for MLB At Bat). For the second time in three years, it will be a playoff party in our house with the Mets, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies all playing in the postseason. Though the Mets lost early two years ago, Matthew was lucky enough to attend game three with my sister, Kathleen. Despite the loss, he called it the greatest sporting event he has witnessed. Playoff baseball does that to you.

Francisco Lindor‘s 9th inning home run made it a Lynch Playoff Party. Photo from SI.

This isn’t going to be about predictions. Instead, I am going to gauge the confidence of the kids in the house on how they feel their respective teams are going to do over these next six weeks.

Yankees: I don’t think Ryan is very confident about this group. There have been too many scars from playoffs past to change his mind about 2024. He expects the same same script as 2022: no clutch hitting. We both agree the American League is set up for the Yanks to make the World Series. Anything less than a World Series appearance this year would be a huge failure, one that I haven’t seen in at least a decade. It might be on par or surpass the 2010 ALCS loss to the Texas Rangers. Though Ryan has seen plenty of playoff series for the Yankees, they have never gotten back to the heights of the 2017 ALCS, a Game 7 loss……..pre Aaron Boone.

Mets: I don’t know how you can top what we saw in Atlanta. I kept getting texts from Matthew that shows the emotion baseball can provide. He went from running around the living room with joy in the top of the 8th inning, calling Edwin Diaz a bum in the bottom of the 8th inning to having no words after Francisco Lindor’s home run in the 9th inning. But he has also been educated in the woes that comes with the territory if being a Mets’ fan. He does think they will beat the Milwaukee Brewers in three games. I think that will give him great joy and he will call it a successful season. Of course, a series win over the Brewers sets up an NLDS match with…..the Phillies.

Phillies: The Hunt for Red October makes its third consecutive appearance. Caitlyn’s big fear is this: the Phillies lose in the NLDS this year after making the World Series in 2022 and the NLCS in 2023. The National League is so much harder than the American League in that any one of the six teams has a chance to win it all. She is a Nervous Nelly during regular season games; with playoff games she paces around enough to complete a marathon. There will be lots of talking to the TV and out loud to anyone who will listen (usually me). As far as her confidence level goes, she believes this is the year it all comes together.

The Atlanta Braves: the Common Enemy

If it’s a Sunday in September, then you know it’s an important day on the baseball calendar. It is September 29, so it is the final day of the regular season. The final two playoff positions come down to three different teams so it will be indeed a wild day. Two of our three teams, the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies are comfortably in the playoffs. The third team, the New York Mets, are limping into Game 162 as one of those three teams fighting for the last two postseason berths. What most likely awaits them is a trip on Monday to visit one of the other teams they are fighting and the team both Caitlyn and Matthew can’t stand: the Atlanta Braves.

Matt Olson and the Atlanta Braves: Public Enemy #1. Photo from Sports Illustrated

Yes, the Braves. I don’t think there is a Mets’ fan in the world that believes the trip down south is going to end well. It seems like forever that the Braves have continually haunted the Mets. Even Matthew, despite being 13, knows the scars. After all, it was 2022 when the Mets needed to win only one game in Atlanta to win the National League East. Instead they were swept and then proceeded to lose the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres. It was earlier this week when Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach sent New York into a possible, fatal tailspin by throwing seven innings of one run ball. In 2022, Matthew actually went to Game 3 of that Wild Card round and though that was a bitter loss, the constant pounding of the Mets by the Braves has worn the kid down.

As for Caitlyn, you would think she looks down on Atlanta. The Phillies have beaten down the Braves in both the 2022 and 2023 divisional round. I actually think she dislikes them even more than Matthew does. Perhaps it starts with the fact that despite beating the Braves that last two years in the playoffs, Atlanta has finished ahead of them in the division. There is also Marcell Ozuna whose checkered history includes a battery and aggravated assault charge for allegedly hitting his wife as well as his DUI arrest. Of course, the Braves also employ Orlando Arcia, the man who, after Game 2 of last year’s NLDS mocked Bryce Harper with the immortal phrase, “atta boy Harper’. I do believe she is nervous about potentially facing that team a third consecutive season in the playoffs, all the more reason for her dislike towards them.

As for Ryan, the Braves mean nothing to him. There is no Yankees-Braves rivalry until they potentially meet in the World Series. But since his brother and sister don’t like them, he is not a fan, either. A Lynch nightmare scenario does exist in 2024. The Braves can prevent the Mets from making the playoffs, beat the Phillies in the National League playoffs and beat the Yankees in the World Series. If that scenario plays out, the Lynch family won’t be taking a road trip to Atlanta any time soon.

Embracing Pennant Chase Baseball

It is sad that the Major League Baseball regular season is ending in less than two weeks. 60% of the teams in the league will not be playing in October. Our daily routine over the last six months of checking box scores and Quick Pitch highlights will conclude, leaving a void until the Spring. Fortunately, for the fans in our house, there is so much more on the line and as we continue more intense scoreboard watching over the next 12 days. All three of our teams are in playoff position yet we still check the other teams that are in direct competition with our teams to see where our playoff seeding is.

Aaron Judge leads the Yankees to another AL East title. Phot from Sports Illustrated

We have Ryan checking in on the Orioles to see if the Yankees can finally put some distance between them and win the American League East. Spoiler alert: the race is over. Matthew is making sure the Mets continue to stay ahead of the Braves while also eyeballing the second wild card spot as the Diamondbacks have entered another September swoon. Caitlyn is anxious for the Phillies to claim the best record in baseball while also rooting for the Dodgers and Braves to lose every night. Two teams are comfortably in playoff spots while the third is making life easier for their fans. It is indeed a fun time of year, even though one of us is 140 miles away. This is a far cry from last year when both the Yankees and Mets missed the playoffs and Caitlyn had playoff baseball all to herself.

Baseball is so much better when all three of our teams make the playoffs as was the case in 2022. Competitive baseball in September helps us cope with the start of school and the end of warm weather. For at least two kids, the season will have a bitter ending. Here is hoping one of them will be smiling when the last out of the 2024 season is made.

Mets Vs. Phillies: Siblings on Opposite Ends

It’s a big weekend in my house. The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies play one another in a three game set in Philadelphia. However, this won’t be the only time the two play each other this month. Next week, they will be in Queens for four games beginning Thursday. The stakes are high with the Phillies closing in on a division title while the Mets are trying to remain in a Wild Card spot. Perhaps the biggest item over these next three days is that this will affect the mood in my house. Caitlyn (Phillies) and Matthew (Mets) are sure to be honed in on every single pitch and for one of them, going to school on Monday will be quite the chore.

When Harper and Lindor meet, I play Switzerland. Photo from the Philadelphia Inquirer

But first, a quick story as to how Caitlyn became a Phillies fan.

The year was 2016 and the month was also September. The Mets were making a late push to secure a playoff spot. Matthew was already established as a (mostly) maniacal Mets fan. I could remember him watching the first Spring Training game of that year (or 2017) and getting upset that Yoenis Cespedes struck out on three pitches. Anyway, during that September push the Mets played the Phillies a number of times. Philadelphia wasn’t very good that year, finishing with a record of 71-91. The Mets beat them repeatedly, and Matthew was very vocal in his support. Caitlyn, who did not have a team at that point, finally had enough and said, “That’s it, I’m becoming a Phillies fan!” Speculation that it was a phase ended when she saw me looking at baseballreference.com and asked to see the Phillies roster for the following Spring.

Fast forward to today. I am extremely lucky that my three kids get along so well with each other. I could honestly say there has never been an occasion where there has been anger among the three of them. This weekend, Caitlyn and Matthew will not be making fun of one another whenever the Mets or Phillies make a mistake. They will be annoyed with the losing result and thrilled with the winning outcome. But they won’t take it out on each other. Between the two, I would say, Caitlyn will show more emotion and let me tell you, she comes out with some great one liners when she is annoyed. Even when the Phillies are in say, a 20-10 stretch she finds reason to be aggravated. The London series in June provided some great quotes as the Phillies melted their late lead away in the Sunday contest:

“Oh my gosh, this team stinks”.

“At least three players need to be left in London”.

“I would have a better time flushing my money down the toilet than watching Jose Alvarado pitch”.

Of course, the next time they win, all is forgiven.

Me? I remain neutral. I have one wish after this weekend: the result is not a sweep. I want to see happiness for both children. Someone is going to be disappointed at least twice. I would like this series a little bit more if the Mets had a stronger hold on a playoff position. I expect some great baseball from two these long time rivals.

And I hope come Monday morning, Caitlyn and Matthew go off to school without a frown.

The Week Ahead in Major League Baseball July 22-July 28

I’ve been behind on my writing but I’m right on schedule with the happenings in Major League Baseball. The Atlanta Braves, at one time the clear #1 Wild Card team in the National League, has seen their lead shrink a little bit. The Houston Astros, thought to be dead at the beginning of May, are back on top of the American League West. The All Star Game, while not a truly memorable contest, still reminded everyone why it is far and away the best All Star Game in professional sports. The trade deadline arrives next week so the games coming up represent the final evaluation of teams considering to buy a playoff push or sell for the future.

Bryce Harper and the Phillies host the Guardians this weekend. Photo from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Series to Watch: Cleveland Guardians at Philadelphia Phillies

It’s a tasty interleague matchup as the teams with the first (Phillies) and third (Guardians) best records in baseball meet for a weekend clash at the Bank. Both teams have lost two of their first three games coming out the break. Despite the stumbles early, each team enjoys a relatively comfortable lead at the tip of their respective divisions. The Phillies can actually do Cleveland a favor to start the week as they travel to Minnesota to take on the second place Twins. This is the Terry Francona mini classic as two of the legendary manager’s teams square off in a potential Fall Classic preview.

Player to Watch: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

The future Hall of Fame pitcher is set to make his season debut on Thursday against the San Francisco Giants. Kershaw isn’t the only Dodgers pitcher making a return this week as Tyler Glasnow will return on Wednesday against those same Giants. All eyes in baseball will be on Kershaw as the last time we saw him in a Major League game, he didn’t make it out of the first inning in Game One of the 2023 National League Division Series. His final rehab start was Friday night in Oklahoma City where he pitched four innings and gave up three runs on six hits. A patchwork LA rotation will certainly get a boost with both Kershaw and Glasnow coming back this week.

The White Sox are solid in the rotation.

The Chicago White Sox are heading for a historically bad season. They are 27-74 and are currently on a seven game losing streak. Their run differential is an unsightly 191. What is utterly confounding is that their starting rotation is actually pretty darn solid 1-3. Garrett Crochet was the Sox’s All Star representative and leads the American League in strikeouts with 150. Eric Fedde sports a 2.99 ERA in 19 starts. Rookie Drew Thorpe has a 3.02 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP through his first seven starts. Crochet is one of the hot names in trade talk and Fedde could be gone as well. It’s a shame that the efforts by these pitchers is being wasted by an offense that has scored 30 runs fewer than the next lowest team.

A star under the radar

Much has been made of Oakland A’s rookie closer Mason Miller. The big right-hander routinely hits 100 MPH and was the club’s lone All Star. However, the player you should watch is outfielder and designated hitter Brent Rooker. The 35th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Rooker is hitting .462 over his last 15 games. Oakland is his fourth stop in his career that started with the Minnesota Twins. He was given regular playing time last year and responded in a big way by clubbing 30 home runs and going to the All Star Game. Rooker has been even better this year, hitting .294 with 22 home runs and an OPS of .951. You don’t hear Rooker’s name much as a tradable part but any team looking for a right handed power bat should be looking in the A’s direction.

Hanging Out at the Bank

This past Saturday, June 29th saw our family attend the second of our three game “road trip” this baseball season. In May, we went to Yankee Stadium to watch the New York Yankees hand the Chicago White Sox yet another loss. Saturday had us head south to Philadelphia as the Phillies hosted the Miami Marlins. Once again, the weather cooperated almost fully. A little bit of humidity couldn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves as we had some great seats down the left field line. It’s too bad the home team could not taste victory.

Our seats down the left field line. From my photos.

The Marlins walked away with a 3-2 win on the strength of two Nick Gordon RBI’s. Aaron Nola pitched reasonably well, allowing two runs over 6 2/3 innings but could not get the one big out. With two outs in the top of the 7th and the Phils leading 2-1, Nola gave up the tying hit to Miami backup catcher Nick Fortes, who was hitting .158 at the time. It was the right decision by manager Rob Thomson to leave Nola in the game. Trust the veteran pitcher to get out the #9 hitter and go into the home half of the inning with the lead. It didn’t work out and then the next batter, Jazz Chisholm, Jr. ripped a single to close out the scoring. On the bright side, we saw Garett Stubbs hit his first home run of the season. My daughter says Stubbs is the best backup catcher in baseball and would start for a lot of other teams. Who am I to disagree?

My family has been to three ballparks: Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, and Citizens Bank Park. They all say the same thing: the Bank is the nicest of the three. I’m not sure if I agree 100% with that assessment but there are some things about Citizens that are solid. It is so easy to get in and out of the place compared to the New York parks. There were no escalators and ramps like the other two places. We literally walked into the stadium and entered on the same level as our seats. There is also a little bit more of a retro feel at Citizens. The overall experience at the stadium also seemed to be less of a hassle than at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field. All of them are unique in their own special own.

Up next is Mets-Nationals on July 11 at Citi Field. Maybe next season we can expand our horizons but going to either Baltimore or Boston. It would be great if one day, we can say we have seen all 30 Major League stadiums.