Maryvale Baseball Park

It would be very easy to overlook the baseball complex in Maryvale.  You have to drive through a not-so-nice section of Phoenix to get to it.  The sprawling complex for the Padres and Mariners is just a few miles away in Peoria.  And the Spring tenant in Maryvale is the Brewers, not exactly a marquis team.

But you shouldn't overlook this ballpark.  In fact, I've said many times: this is the most underrated baseball facility in the state.

The main entrance for the park is behind first base, which leaves the area directly behind home for a nice plaza with picnic tables (sort of like the one in Scottsdale, where the plaza is actually a little nicer).

The City of Phoenix built and operates this complex.  Maryvale, you see, is simply a neighborhood within Phoenix.  Even though most locals don't consider this the finest part of the metro area, the area immediately around the ballpark isn't problematic.

The City's Facilities Manager told me that Phoenix originally envisioned this complex to be suitable for two Major League tenants (a la Peoria and the complex around the Tucson Electric Park).  The two teams which indicated that they'd be interested were the White Sox and the Brewers.  Well, talks broke down with the Chisox, and they ended up in Tucson (sharing a complex with the Diamondbacks).  The Brewers, though, were in the midst of a financial conflict with the City of Chandler, Arizona, where Milwaukee had been holding Spring Training for 12 years.

Phoenix came through for the Brew Crew, and just as Milwaukee was switching from the American League to the National in 1998, they also moved from Chandler to Maryvale.

Noted baseball architects Ellerbe Beckett designed this beautiful facility.  And here's why I think it's so great:

• The size of the facility is just perfect for Spring Training games.  The stadium has more than enough seats to accommodate the few Brewer fans who come out for the exhibition contests, without having the massive feel of Mesa or Peoria.
• As is the case with several other parks in Arizona, Maryvale has a trellised roof over much of the stands -- but the gorgeous way this is designed is a sight to behold.  
• The practice fields, the grounds around the park, the outfield lawn "seats" and the playing field itself are incredibly, immaculately maintained.  Everything is beautifully landscaped, too.  
• The color scheme is awesome.  The seats, the outfield wall and the pressbox are all a lovely shade of blue.
• As mentioned above, there's a nice plaza area behind home plate.
• The shape of the press box is quite unique.
• The lawn seating is great.  The outfield "hills" are the steepest in the state, meaning you can get a clearer view of the action.  In addition, the lawn area isn't restricted to the outfield (between the foul poles), as there is a grassy berm in foul territory down both lines -- as the photos below attest.

On the left is a shot from an exhibition game in 2004.  On the right, by the way, is a photo taken from the pressbox level -- where Bob Uecker calls the games for the Brewers' faithful back home.  In this 2000 photo, Jose Fernandez is being congratulated by his Milwaukee teammates after capping a six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth with a game-winning homer, beating the Padres 10-9.  Interestingly, the Brewers scored all six runs without making an out!

And a few other notes . . . the food selection is more than adequate (it beats Mesa by a wide margin) . . . the souvenir store is good . . . sitting right behind home plate is particularly nice because the big pressbox provides great shade . . . the scoreboard tells you what you need to know (unlike Scottsdale).  You know, it really is a shame that more fans don't come out to the games in this absolutely wonderful facility! But if they did, I guess, then Maryvale Baseball Park would no longer be the best kept secret in the state!

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