OT: Ever been to Polar Park?

[GemParty]

Let us take you there.

Podcast-

 

[M.S.G.]

Yes, I have.

 

[GemParty]

We loved it there. 75 min N of Hartford.

 

[UConnJim]

Great stadium.

 

[HooperScooper]

Same architect who designed Camden Yards and the Fenway Park improvements like the seats on the Green Monster. Janet Marie Smith. I had some dealings with her back when she was working for the Red Sox. She was a pleasure to work with.

 

[GemParty]

Same architect who designed Camden Yards and the Fenway Park improvements like the seats on the Green Monster. Janet Marie Smith. I had some dealings with her back when she was working for the Red Sox. She was a pleasure to work with.

Right! She’s great! She’s been on our podcast. Currently working for the Dodgers.

Making the Monster seats was quite the process. I found her very interesting. Here’s that show-

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm looking to go this summer. Didn't get a chance last summer. Looks like a beautiful park, and Worcester is a much better location than Pawtucket was. It's an up and coming small city, and Armsby Abby is brilliant.

 

[HooperScooper]

Right! She’s great! She’s been on our podcast. Currently working for the Dodgers.

Making the Monster seats was quite the process. I found her very interesting. Here’s that show-

When the Monster Seats at Fenway were first opened she told me not to sit there because it was a terrible view. Then they were like the hottest seats in the park! When I saw her later that season we had a good laugh about that.

She gave me tickets to a 2007 World Series game. So for that alone I love her.

 

[GemParty]

I'm looking to go this summer. Didn't get a chance last summer. Looks like a beautiful park, and Worcester is a much better location than Pawtucket was. It's an up and coming small city, and Armsby Abby is brilliant.

Just yesterday alone, we were 10 feet from a handful of pros. $29 a seat behind home plate.

Aaruz - Mets
Luke Voit - Mets
Dalbac
Rafaela
Valdez
Hamilton
Abreu

Let us know what you think of our pod day!

 

[Ports21]

I prefer DD park, but overall it's not a bad experience at all.

 

[GemParty]

We love DD park too. Some clear advantages we noticed at Polar were the food, kids area, and outfield seating.

 

[HCCForever]

We love DD park too. Some clear advantages we noticed at Polar were the food, kids area, and outfield seating.

And of course watching Red Sox team rather than Rockies affiliated team. But I love DD park especially sitting down low behind home plate as I did a few times for UConn games. No chance at those seats at Yard Goats’ game

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Not Polar Park but every year on my way to Maine I’m blown away by Holy Cross’s baseball stadium. Like why is it so nice?

 

[GemParty]

Love UConn grove style setup too.

 

[UConnJim]

Not Polar Park but every year on my way to Maine I’m blown away by Holy Cross’s baseball stadium. Like why is it so nice?

Holy Cross has a good baseball stadium and seats ~3k, but Elliot is nicer (Polar Park is way nicer) and more practical with artificial turf. The park was renovated for the Worcester Bravehearts who play there. The MIAA (Massachusetts) high school baseball championships were held at Polar Park this year vs. being shared by Holy Cross and U Lowell last year.

 

[GemParty]

Anyone else have great minor league ballparks in their state?

One cool thing about AAA is the new 3- challenge rule. Pitchers, catchers, hitters can ask for a call to be reviewed and overturned. Results, like in tennis, go to the jumbotron for all to see!

 

[GemParty]

In the challenge system, the home-plate umpire calls balls and strikes in the traditional manner, but teams can appeal to the Hawk-Eye “robot ump” on certain calls they deem to be incorrect.

• Each club starts the game with three challenges.

• A correct challenge is retained; an incorrect challenge is lost.

• Challenges may only be made by the batter, the catcher or the pitcher (i.e., no help from the dugout).

• Challenges must be made immediately following the umpire’s call.

 

[GemParty]

When the Monster Seats at Fenway were first opened she told me not to sit there because it was a terrible view. Then they were like the hottest seats in the park! When I saw her later that season we had a good laugh about that.

She gave me tickets to a 2007 World Series game. So for that alone I love her.

That’s awesome! She’s very sweet.

 

[Johnny Mac]

Polar Park pales in comparison to the Dunk. Polar missed the mark, unfortunately. A 500% improvement over McCoy, obviously and a very nice experience but Dunkin Donuts Park is superior in every way.

 

[GemParty]

Polar Park pales in comparison to the Dunk. Polar missed the mark, unfortunately. A 500% improvement over McCoy, obviously and a very nice experience but Dunkin Donuts Park is superior in every way.

Love both. Toured both. We disagree.

At DD No cool outfield train or grassy berm
Bbq food is a wash.
Polar - Wormtown Brewery
Polar has Coney Island and Wunder Bar
The field is a wash
Polar has great photo Ops. Rings, Bobbleheads

YG you can’t see left field from the press box. Oh my. And they have the queer net in right.

 

[HooperScooper]

Polar Park pales in comparison to the Dunk. Polar missed the mark, unfortunately. A 500% improvement over McCoy, obviously and a very nice experience but Dunkin Donuts Park is superior in every way.

I've never been to DD Park but it's for a AA team and Polar Park is for a AAA team. I have to imagine that Polar Park has more amenities because of that.

Does DD Park have a premium club for premium ticket holders? Polar Park does. My son knows someone who works there so we got premium tickets once with access to the premium club. Pretty nice amenity for a minor league stadium.

 

[GemParty]

I've never been to DD Park but it's for a AA team and Polar Park is for a AAA team. I have to imagine that Polar Park has more amenities because of that.

Does DD Park have a premium club for premium ticket holders? Polar Park does. My son knows someone who works there so we got premium tickets once with access to the premium club. Pretty nice amenity for a minor league stadium.

Yes. DD has the YG Club. It’s nice.

 

[Johnny Mac]

Love both. Toured both. We disagree.

At DD No cool outfield train or grassy berm
Bbq food is a wash.
Polar - Wormtown Brewery
Polar has Coney Island and Wunder Bar
The field is a wash
Polar has great photo Ops. Rings, Bobbleheads

YG you can’t see left field from the press box. Oh my. And they have the queer net in right.All baseball fields are

First of all, there's nothing as pretty as a baseball field, even a bad one. (Some golf courses come close.)

In a game of inches, Polar comes up an inch short. It's not a bad place but it is less than it could be. I get the sense that it was built on the cheap.

The field lighting is supplied by standard Musco modular light poles. My kid's high school has that. It's good, it's cheap, it functions, but there was an opportunity to do something a little nicer. I like the way Dunkin integrates their lighting into the roof system.

Polar has an extraordinary amount of exposed concrete. It works, it functions, and its cheap...but very ugly (think PAWS-ARF...blech). Polar decided to paint every square inch of concrete with a monotone blue paint. Yuck.

The materials used seem to be industrial grade but not the cool industrial grade of a hipster coffee shop, the cheap industrial, functional grade of an outdoor facility that will receive very little maintenance once its installed. Built to last.

And can anyone explain to me what this narrow stairway is doing in right filed at Polar? Not quite wide enough for 2-way traffic it provides access to this ugly terrace but makes access to/from right field and the 1st base grandstand awkward.

I get a kick out of the peculiarities of a baseball stadium. I like the fact that the opposing teams meet at home plate before the game to go over the ground rules. "If the ball hits to the left of the yellow line it's in play, to the right it's a home run!" I might be the only one who liked Tal's Hill. The net in right field of Dunkin is one of those things without being a Metrodome Baggie.

Overall, I got the feeling that Polar was built quickly on the cheap. I was expecting better. Still love a baseball field, any baseball field.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I’m Headed to Polar Park right now. Need to figure out where to park and eat.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Found this good boy. Seemed like a sign

 

[MrSec238]

First of all, there's nothing as pretty as a baseball field, even a bad one. (Some golf courses come close.)

In a game of inches, Polar comes up an inch short. It's not a bad place but it is less than it could be. I get the sense that it was built on the cheap.

The field lighting is supplied by standard Musco modular light poles. My kid's high school has that. It's good, it's cheap, it functions, but there was an opportunity to do something a little nicer. I like the way Dunkin integrates their lighting into the roof system.

Polar has an extraordinary amount of exposed concrete. It works, it functions, and its cheap...but very ugly (think PAWS-ARF...blech). Polar decided to paint every square inch of concrete with a monotone blue paint. Yuck.

The materials used seem to be industrial grade but not the cool industrial grade of a hipster coffee shop, the cheap industrial, functional grade of an outdoor facility that will receive very little maintenance once its installed. Built to last.

And can anyone explain to me what this narrow stairway is doing in right filed at Polar? Not quite wide enough for 2-way traffic it provides access to this ugly terrace but makes access to/from right field and the 1st base grandstand awkward.

View attachment 89739

I get a kick out of the peculiarities of a baseball stadium. I like the fact that the opposing teams meet at home plate before the game to go over the ground rules. "If the ball hits to the left of the yellow line it's in play, to the right it's a home run!" I might be the only one who liked Tal's Hill. The net in right field of Dunkin is one of those things without being a Metrodome Baggie.

Overall, I got the feeling that Polar was built quickly on the cheap. I was expecting better. Still love a baseball field, any baseball field.

The chief build was during 2020 when obviously the world was burning. They had to be ready for 2021 and faced a ton of obstacles due to it. They then decided to slow down production on the intricacies of things to get the important part open. And have made major enhancements each of the last two years too.

So yes there were prob some corners cut due to the circumstances for sure

 

[HuskyHawk]

First of all, there's nothing as pretty as a baseball field, even a bad one. (Some golf courses come close.)

In a game of inches, Polar comes up an inch short. It's not a bad place but it is less than it could be. I get the sense that it was built on the cheap.

The field lighting is supplied by standard Musco modular light poles. My kid's high school has that. It's good, it's cheap, it functions, but there was an opportunity to do something a little nicer. I like the way Dunkin integrates their lighting into the roof system.

Polar has an extraordinary amount of exposed concrete. It works, it functions, and its cheap...but very ugly (think PAWS-ARF...blech). Polar decided to paint every square inch of concrete with a monotone blue paint. Yuck.

The materials used seem to be industrial grade but not the cool industrial grade of a hipster coffee shop, the cheap industrial, functional grade of an outdoor facility that will receive very little maintenance once its installed. Built to last.

And can anyone explain to me what this narrow stairway is doing in right filed at Polar? Not quite wide enough for 2-way traffic it provides access to this ugly terrace but makes access to/from right field and the 1st base grandstand awkward.

View attachment 89739

I get a kick out of the peculiarities of a baseball stadium. I like the fact that the opposing teams meet at home plate before the game to go over the ground rules. "If the ball hits to the left of the yellow line it's in play, to the right it's a home run!" I might be the only one who liked Tal's Hill. The net in right field of Dunkin is one of those things without being a Metrodome Baggie.

Overall, I got the feeling that Polar was built quickly on the cheap. I was expecting better. Still love a baseball field, any baseball field.

Well it doesn’t look like that now. The lower terrace is “Craft Corner” craft beers and many tables with umbrellas. To the right of those stairs that terrace too is filled with tables with umbrellas. There’s A BT‘s Smokehouse there and a harpoon beer location. Went up and down those stairs a couple of times. They are fine and two way traffic fits.

Out beyond those upper outfield seats the park is open to the street, with multiple additional vendors/locations.

My complaint if any, is that there are lot of twists and turns and ups and downs, but I suspect that follows the land.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Well it doesn’t look like that now. The lower terrace is “Craft Corner” craft beers and many tables with umbrellas. To the right of those stairs that terrace too is filled with tables with umbrellas. There’s A BT‘s Smokehouse there and a harpoon beer location. Went up and down those stairs a couple of times. They are fine and two way traffic fits.

Out beyond those upper outfield seats the park is open to the street, with multiple additional vendors/locations.

My complaint if any, is that there are lot of twists and turns and ups and downs, but I suspect that follows the land.

Anything worthy of your elevated palate at Craft Corner? I saw they have Wormtown, Wachusett and Greater Good. Was hoping for something a little more exciting.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Anything worthy of your elevated palate at Craft Corner? I saw they have Wormtown, Wachusett and Greater Good. Was hoping for something a little more exciting.

No, but it’s ballpark beer on a hot day. I tired Crush Groove by Soul Purpose. 4.3% IPA that was just about what I’d want on hot day. Sister brewery to Greater Good. Wormtown would be fine but the lineup of beers was weak.