My night with the Yard Goats

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

It was disappointing that Ellsbury didnt play but more so that freaking DANTE BICHETTE JR didn't play. That kid must have been born with steroids in his blood

 

[cw00dson24]

Got a call the other night that a buddy had a couple extra tickets to tonight's game so I took him up on it.

• Whoever said the stadium has a major league feel to it? I did not see that one bit. I thought it was textbook typical minor league in every way. Scoreboard is pretty average. Mini scoreboards for pitch speed, balls and strikes are pretty average. The entire experience was New Britain Rock Cats at best.
• Weird sight lines throughout the park. Odd cutouts in RF. Lots of LF space dedicated to Bears and not much else. It also seemed like lots of spots you are staring through a net or screen. Even in RF or LF.
• Very disappointed in the concessions. I had higher hopes for that and they are basically the same as the XL Center for the most part....except for Bears.
• The biggest winner of this whole gig is Bears BBQ. The line was 15 deep all night. These games are going to be a cash cow for him.
• The surrounding area sucks. Like really sucks. Nothing nice to look at and nothing to do as far as the eye can see. City Steam looks like the biggest benefactor as the first stop post game, but they basically plopped this stadium down in the middle of nothing. I really honestly struggle to see what their vision was for putting it there.

I definitely would not rush back. My kid was bored. We left in the 6th. It just seemed like forced fun by all.

I was also at the game last night.

• Ballpark is no where near a mlb park. It reminds me of a updated version of Harbor Yard in Bridgeport. It is all shiny and new now, but once that goes away it is a run of the mill stadium.
• I sat behind home plate so not sure about the sight lines elsewhere, but for $15 behind plate was a great view. About 7-10 Scouts there with radar guns and taking notes on every pitch. The nets in the outfield are because the park was built too small, so if the ball is hit off the net it is in play.
• I agree with the concessions, besides Bears it is nothing more then the typical hot dog, chicken fingers, fries at 95% of the stands. Dunkin Donuts has a BLT with 2 glazed donuts as the buns with maple mayo. There was also a stand with jerk chicken which i was told was very good. Beer Prices average for a stadium $6.50 for aluminum bud bottle, $6 for domestic small pour (16 oz) $7 for anything not considered domestic, There are also 32oz pours for $10/$12.
• Bears line was long all night but moved quick. Had best food and beer selections in the stadium.

Its minor league baseball, game will be sloppy and boring at times but that should be expected going in. If want something more go to Fenway/Yankee Stadium/ Citi Field

 

[FartMan69]

It was disappointing that Ellsbury didnt play but more so that freaking DANTE BICHETTE JR didn't play. That kid must have been born with steroids in his blood

Except he maybe inherited 1/4 of his fathers playing ability

 

[cw00dson24]

I went to the game Tuesday night to watch Sheffield pitch. Parking at Laz was only $5 and across the street. Luckily the stadium is right downtown, so the wife and I walked over to Vaughn's for a quick pint. Very easy walk! Prudential, Travelers, EY, corporate buildings are right next to the stadium too!

When we walked to the stadium, I loved how they have the "look-through" windows so when you're standing outside of the stadium and looking into the stadium, you can watch the game and The Yard Goats bullpen warming up.

Food was great, but the beer might need to step up it's game a little. No local craft beers from Hooker, City Steam, New England Brew. Very happy with the experience and we're going back when the Mets are coming to town-can't wait!

They had Hooker and City Steam Beers in the Bears line, and they also had cans of Hooker in the Budweiser bar on the second level.

 

[ucp990411]

I am in CT from Vermont for the weekend and will be at my first Ysrd Goat game Sat. As a baseball nut I am really looking forward to it. Seats are behind the Yard Goats dugout. I will be the guy wearing a Diamondback hat if anyone wants to say hi.

 

[freescooter]

I went to the game Tuesday night to watch Sheffield pitch. Parking at Laz was only $5 and across the street. Luckily the stadium is right downtown, so the wife and I walked over to Vaughn's for a quick pint. Very easy walk! Prudential, Travelers, EY, corporate buildings are right next to the stadium too!

When we walked to the stadium, I loved how they have the "look-through" windows so when you're standing outside of the stadium and looking into the stadium, you can watch the game and The Yard Goats bullpen warming up.

Food was great, but the beer might need to step up it's game a little. No local craft beers from Hooker, City Steam, New England Brew. Very happy with the experience and we're going back when the Mets are coming to town-can't wait!

I'm pretty sure the Nectar of the Goat I had last night was a hooker product. They also had Nurse on tap at one of the places.

 

[BugsyCT]

I've been there 3 times this year (once for UConn vs ECU) and enjoyed every visit.

Whoever said the stadium has a major league feel? That would be nobody, I think. Stadium has a distinct minor league feel, but that's what makes it a fun, inexpensive hangout for an evening to just kick back, have some brews and enjoy baseball.

I know it's in some people's DNA to put down everything about Hartford and CT but they did a good job with that stadium.

 

[Waquoit]

• I agree with the concessions, besides Bears it is nothing more then the typical hot dog, chicken fingers, fries at 95% of the stands.

This is just plain not true.

 

[Deepster]

This is just plain not true.

I found it to be true. I walked a lap around the stadium. Bear's. Reggae in Right? that had jerk chicken and Jamaican patties, a steak and cheese stand. The rest were pizza, hot dogs, sausage and peppers type fare. I didn't even eat there.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I found it to be true. I walked a lap around the stadium. Bear's. Reggae in Right? that had jerk chicken and Jamaican patties, a steak and cheese stand. The rest were pizza, hot dogs, sausage and peppers type fare. I didn't even eat there.

Sorry the minor league baseball stadium served minor league baseball stadium food plus a few better options. Everything should cater to you and not the actual demographic of the game.

 

[Deepster]

The big winners are the Hartford cops getting huge pension spiking OT to pretend to direct traffic and deal with all the danger of bad minor league baseball

I'm not going to complain about the police presence around the stadium, like I said, I came in from the Windsor side. The more cops around the game, the better.

 

[Deepster]

Sorry the minor league baseball stadium served minor league baseball stadium food plus a few better options. Everything should cater to you and not the actual demographic of the game.

I don't mind that it is just that....but lots of posters have painted it to be otherwise and that's just not true.

 

[The Viking]

Deep probably sat the whole time in his seat with a notebook ticking boxes and making observations like an OSHA inspector. Finished in the 6th and goes, "OK kid, time to go".

Brilliant.
He went into the stadium with an agenda.
His review is worthless quite frankly.

 

[Waquoit]

I found it to be true. I walked a lap around the stadium. Bear's. Reggae in Right? that had jerk chicken and Jamaican patties, a steak and cheese stand. The rest were pizza, hot dogs, sausage and peppers type fare. I didn't even eat there.

95%?

 

[Kenny11]

Its a nice stadium and the atmosphere at the games are fun.

The main problem with with snobby Connecticut people is that they are scared of their own shadow. Nobody is going "to get shot" driving through the North End unless they are engaging in dangerous activities themselves.

 

[Danzz]

Didn't really keep track but it seemed the Yard Goats had a lot of .220ish hitters.

 

[Deepster]

Brilliant.
He went into the stadium with an agenda.
His review is worthless quite frankly.

I disagree with that. If that were the case, why take the time out of my night to go back into the city after work and even go at all?

I was curious if my salty anti-Hartford attitude was unjustified....and honestly? It was just meh. The food looked just ordinary to the point where I just ate when I got home. My daughter was bored. She asked in the 4th how much longer we had to stay. The kids with the group I was with didn't seem bowled over either. The area surrounding the stadium astounds me on why they chose that location. It's parking lots and highways.

The attendance numbers have been great so far. I'm not sure if those are sold tickets or fannies in the seats because it didn't look like almost 5,000 there last night, but whatever. The tickets are selling and that's all that counts. I just wasn't all that impressed.

 

[Waquoit]

Didn't really keep track but it seemed the Yard Goats had a lot of .220ish hitters.

They can't hit for merde. I blame Malloy

 

[8893]

I found it to be true. I walked a lap around the stadium. Bear's. Reggae in Right? that had jerk chicken and Jamaican patties, a steak and cheese stand. The rest were pizza, hot dogs, sausage and peppers type fare. I didn't even eat there.

You missed the Kombucha stand?

 

[Deepster]

You missed the Kombucha stand?

I would have loved one. I'm out of my homebrew and let my SCOBY die.

 

[Bezzz]

My daughter was bored. She asked in the 4th how much longer we had to stay. The kids with the group I was with didn't seem bowled over either.

I took my two daughters to Yankee Stadium when they were young and they were bored to tears. (Good thing it was American Girl Doll day, you know what I'm talking about.) Tried explaining baseball to them and it was impossibly complicated, while I was taking in the majesty of it all.. So, yeah, you gotta love baseball to enjoy a minor league game at least a little bit.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The grand slam up 5-0 in the ninth for the eventual 5-4 win was actually pretty amusing

 

[Deepster]

I took my two daughters to Yankee Stadium when they were young and they were bored to tears. (Good thing it was American Girl Doll day, you know what I'm talking about.) Tried explaining baseball to them and it was impossibly complicated, while I was taking in the majesty of it all.. So, yeah, you gotta love baseball to enjoy a minor league game at least a little bit.

Best post in the thread. And I still have mental scar tissue from my trip to the NYC American Girl doll store.