Which park has the best view? The coldest beers? The tastiest hot dogs? It's time to hand out some personal laurels to the five spring ballparks in the Tampa Bay area.
BEST PARKING: I give the nod to St. Petersburg's Progress Energy Park, mainly because its downtown location means there is some free parking available if you know where to look. Tampa's Legends Field and Clearwater's Bright House Networks Field both have ample parking, but it's a hike to the stadium.
BEST VIEW: If you have seats on the first base side of Progress Energy Park, you can see boaters gliding across Tampa Bay and small planes landing and taking off at Albert Whitted Airport. Hard to beat that.
BEST FOOD: Bradenton's McKechnie Field is the runaway winner here. I'm still drooling over the footlong hot dogs. Add Subway subs, pizza, Greek salads and ice cream sundaes to the menu, and it's hard to beat lunchtime with the Pirates. Runnerup: Clearwater's Bright House Networks Field.
BEST BEER: With a beer selection more diverse than many pubs, Bright House Networks Field is the champion. Dunedin's Knology Park, home of Canada's Labatts Blue, is a close second.
FRIENDLIEST STAFF: A tie between the staff of Bright House Networks Field and McKechnie Field. Ushers, vendors and box office employees at both fields go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
BEST IMITATION OF A REGULAR SEASON GAME: Tampa's Legends Field takes the honors here. With a lineup more appropriate to an all-star game, the New York Yankees attract hordes of enthusiastic and loyal fans.
BEST NOD TO THE PAST: Bradenton's McKechnie Field. This historic park reflects the best of the game's history and tradition. It's a must visit for fans who still appreciate the actual game more than the circus surrounding it.
