Class AA Photo Album

Eastern League

The Eastern League boasts 12 teams, the most in Class AA. There are some really classy parks in the EL, too, including my favorite in all of AA. There's only one park that was originally built prior to 1987, but it is far more interesting than almost all that were built after. And speaking of this, if anything, the EL suffers from having so many of its parks (nine of the twelve) constructed during the 1990s -- an era where there was some nice architecture, but for the most part, these '90s stadiums seem pretty similar in design.

Blair County Ballpark

When I finally ventured to Altoona during the 2006 season, I attended the Eastern League All Star Game in Blair County Ballpark. I had visited the other 29 Double-A parks in the country, but for some reason I hadn't made it to Altoona until then. Well, let me tell you that I saved the best for last!

Sure, the facility was nicely decked out for the All Star Game, but the things that make it so special are on display every day of the year. The exterior is stunning, and is a fit for the team's nickname and Altoona's claim to fame. You see, the famous "horseshoe curve" is just a few miles east of the city, and it is an engineering marvel where railroad tracks permit trains to make an enormous change in elevation by skirting around the edge of a huge gorge. The Eastern League team, the Curve, took its name from this historic landmark. One end of the exterior of Blair County Ballpark resembles an immense railroad roundhouse, while the rest of the structure is in a stunning brick -- with a vintage look.

The food choices and sight lines inside are wonderful as well. But perhaps the park's best feature is something that is actually outside the stadium: a working rollercoaster just beyond the right-field wall. Make a point of arriving early for a Curve game and go next door to the amusement park and ride the coaster. You'll love the view of the seating bowl.

First Energy Stadium

At first glance, the home of the Reading Phillies might not strike you as being one of the wonders of Minor League Baseball. If you think this, though, you'd be dead wrong.

First Energy Stadium positively sizzles with excitement, features and passion. The city and the team have done an incredible job of adding features -- including one of the very best swimming pools in the sport -- and wonderful concessions and games for the kids. In fact, Minor League News named this facility the best Minor League park in the country for 2005.

The team takes its long-time affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies quite seriously, and the fans are downright passionate in their love for all things "Phillie." Venture to Reading to catch a game here. It is one of the best experiences in the Minors.

Canal Park

At the time it opened in 1997, Canal Park in Akron was probably the nicest stadium in AA baseball -- and it's still pretty darn nice today.  It's very "fan friendly," and its location next to a downtown canal (see the foreground of the photo on the right, which was taken outside the park on the third-base side) adds to its "scenic" aspect.  The Akron Aeros call this home.

MerchantsAuto.com Stadium

I have to admit, I was a little fonder of this facility before its name changed from Fisher Cats Ballpark to MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, but I don't need to go into the (obviou$) reason why this happened. The park itself is quite nice, and its setting along the Merrimack River is scenic, although the layout of the park doesn't take advantage of this like it could. There's an immense play area for the youngsters, and the food selections are very good. Parking, though, isn't in ample supply.

If you visit Manchester, please make a point of visiting lovely (and historic) Gill Stadium, where the franchise played for one year while the new park was being built. It's a distincitive style of New England ballpark architecture that is becoming scarce.

Mercer County Waterfront Park

Between the first time I attended a game in Trenton's park (right after it opened in 1994) and the second time (in 2004), a lot of enhancements had been made, with the most important being the playing field. In Waterfront Park's early days, the field -- which is right next to the Delaware River (see above left) -- drained horribly, and the grass was always in terrible shape. Now, though, the playing surface, as well as the concessions and activities for kids, are quite solid.

The park that ranks sixth in the Eastern League was built in 1996 directly next door to the park it replaced, Beehive Field. Frankly, a real beehive is a lot more attractive than that sterile baseball dump. So the new park, which pretty much matched the modern architecture that was so prevalent when it was built, was a welcomed sight indeed! (Photo courtesy of Charlie's Big Ballpark Page site)

Originally built to house the Marlins' entry in the Eastern League, Hadlock Field has some teal touches, but that doesn't detract from this cute park. I prefer seating bowls with some kind of roof, and this doesn't have one, but the atmosphere at a Sea Dogs game is a lot of fun. But then of course, the atmosphere can be a bit chilly up in Maine, even in July! By the way, the park is named for successful high school baseball coach Edson Hadlock, Jr.

Like New Britain Stadium, the design of the home of the Bowie Baysox didn't stray far from the typical design of new parks in its era. However, as someone who lived nearby when it opened, let me tell you that it represented a revelation to folks in the D.C. area. Not only did suburban Washington have a pro-baseball team to call its own, locals had never seen a park like this, as it outdid Harry Grove Stadium -- three counties away in Frederick, Maryland -- by a wide margin. Also, when it first opened, it was probably the most unfinished stadium in which I've ever attended a game. None of us complained, though.

This park is located in a very interesting spot near Norwich, CT, as you have to travel up and up and up through a business park to reach the top of the hill where the baseball action occurs. Unfortunately, the facility fails to offer fans a nice view, as advertising signs block the vista that (I assume) would be visible if the ads weren't there. The hilltop setting, though, is very pleasant with lots of mature trees surrounding the park.

Situated at the corner of Stadium Drive and Championship Way, on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River next to downtown Harrisburg, the home of the Harrisburg Senators certainly possesses a special location. Often plagued by floods when the river rises, this ballpark has seen many overhauls through the years. It has also seen some unbelievably good teams call it home. One such team was the 1993 Senators that won the Eastern League regular-season crown by twenty games, and swept through the playoffs on the backs of stars such as Ugeth Urbina and Cliff Floyd. Major renovations are tentatively scheduled for 2008.

This park was originally built to house a low-A NY-Penn League team. However, the franchise was so successful that it quickly jumped to the Double-A Eastern League. The stadium features an unusual double-deck structure, and the atmosphere is very family-friendly.

Unusually sterile, this facility boasts neither a special location nor an appealing architectural design. There's no debating that the Binghamton market deserves pro baseball. However, the fans there deserve a nicer ballpark. There is, though, a pleasant view of the hills that abound in this part of New York State.

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