CLEARWATER -- Tampa Bay finally has a stadium worthy of major league baseball. Too bad it's used by the big clubs only during the spring.
Bright House Networks Field is the warm-weather home of the Philadelphia Phillies (and their Clearwater Threshers affiliate), and the facility offers all a fan could ask in a modern ballpark: a video screen in the scoreboard; Wide concourses that encircle the field; seats, with cup-holders, that are actually angled to face the middle of the field; a great selection of beer and food and a kids play area.
This place is so snappy, it could make you sad. You'll wonder if the Yankees, those trendsetting owners of their own contemporary stadium across the bay, aren't envious of some of these classy touches. You'll wish the Devil Rays had a place half as nice for the regular season.
But it's too late to cry over spilled beer. There's still a lot of spring baseball to be played. And to see any, just a little patience is needed.
Bright House Networks Field lives in the middle of some of the most stifling traffic congestion in the Tampa Bay area -- and thanks to road work at U.S. 19 and Drew, this is the epicenter of a nightmare. Even some residents of northern Pinellas County, who are used to having their will to live sucked right out of them during grueling daily commutes, chuckle when you mention you've got tickets for this venue.
I arrived about 90 minutes before Tuesday's Phils-Twins game so I could tour the place and loosen up in preparation for dealing with Phillies fans. (A boy no older than 5 in a Phillies visor offers an eardrum-shattering "You stink!" toward a Twins outfielder in the first inning. Nice.)
It's my third encounter with Philly element in five days, so I'm surprised how quiet this stadium gets once the game gets going. Maybe it's the lack of offense today -- "Is this a soccer match?" asks a neighbor -- or the wide-open expanse of grandstand. It's so quiet, I wonder if the people around me can hear my thoughts.
A friend and I leave our seats and make the rounds, eventually settling behind the outfield bullpens, where we can watch relief pitchers warm up and see the game at the same time. From this vantage point, a spectator can truly appreciate this palace built for baseball.
Today's scorecard:
Today's victim: Andy Schiro, a friend of mine since high school who still plays baseball in a 30-and-over league, came along today. With Andy in tow, I knew that we'd be breaking the previous record for earliest beer of the day.
First beer: Ah yes, that'd be 12:14 p.m. -- a large draft of Kirin Ichiban, a brew I usually drink only with sushi. There's a "World of Beer" stand that nearly made me drop to my knees. Other selections included Dos Equis, Sam Adams, Rolling Rock, Bass and Guinness Draft. Brilliant!
Last steriod reference of spring training: Last in my series anyway, and the honor goes to Andy, who was perusing the free baseball cards handed out to fans. "How many of these guys do you figure are on steriods?" (Sammy Sosa was among the cards, so figure it out yourself.)
The food: Finally, some regional food. We scored a pair of Philly cheesesteaks ($5.50 each) before the game started. Darn tasty. Pizza, hot dogs, french fries are plentiful here. And there's no shortage of concession stands. A tiki hut beyond left field offers buckets of beer and mixed drinks.
Parking: $5 buys a spot and a long walk. There's practically no parking adjacent to the stadium, so prepare to hoof it. Because of the neverending construction along U.S. 19 (I recommend avoiding Drew Street entirely), prepare for bad traffic when visiting here. We arrived shortly before noon for a 1:05 game and thousands of fans were ahead of us.
Admission: A ticket doesn't come cheaply here. Face value is $16 to $24. Because it's a new park, you'll find the good seats are gone. But plenty of ticketholders mingle around the front gates, selling their extras for face value. There's "berm seating" on the grassy hills beyond the outfield fences that any ticketholder can use. The views from here are great, so if you don't like your seat location, give this a try.
Tanning factor: Only a handful of seats are in the shade, so bring the high-powered sunscreen. The berm seating in the outfield is more like a beach, with fans stripping down to the essentials.
Souvenirs: A nicely stocked giftshop offers a wide variety of gear. Hats and shirts for the Clearwater Threshers, the local Phillies affiliate, practically outnumber the big-league team's offerings. Want something more unusual? A beach towel with a rendering of Bright House Networks field on it will set you back $25. Even the stadium's tiki hut has its own t-shirt.
Next up: That's it for this spring's series. I'm five-for-five.
