Fenway Park, tax-free shopping in Delaware, and the legend of Milton Bradley in central Pennsylvania... GABA 2010 is officially in full-swing! Here's the Week 5 schedule:
Monday, May 3rd:
Boston, MA (108 miles from Portland)
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels
Here’s something strange: this is the only time we’ll see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Southern California of the Known Baseball Universe (our Angel Stadium trip in July is for the MLB All-Star Game). Sox are starting an 11-game homestand after spending a week on the road. To get tickets for this game, I plan to take a time machine back to 2001 and steal them from a season-ticket holder. Pole-obstructed seats, here we come!
Tuesday, May 4th:
Lakewood Township, NJ (283 miles from Boston)
Lakewood BlueClaws (A Phillies) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (A Yankees)
The GABA is done with New England, so it’s time to head south. So far south that we’re hitting the South Atlantic League… in New Jersey?! Can’t imagine BlueClaws fans have much in common with, say, Kannapolis Intimidators fans. Seniors eat free every Tuesday night at FirstEnergy Park. Time to don the Wilford Brimley mask!
Wednesday, May 5th:
Salisbury, MD (194 miles from Lakewood Township)
Delmarva Shorebirds (A Orioles) vs. Savannah Sand Gnats (A Mets)
A little geography lesson here: Delmarva isn’t a failed ’80s big hair band, it’s the East Coast peninsula shared by Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. So why isn’t it called the Delmarvir? Shorebirds and Sand Gnats… sounds a lot like a vacation in the Louisiana swamp.
Thursday, May 6th:
Wilmington, DE (105 miles from Salisbury)
Wilmington Blue Rocks (A Royals) vs. Salem Red Sox (A Red Sox)
Our first look at the Carolina League, in the home of tax-free shopping, Delaware! Wilmington’s basically suburban Philly, and I-95 almost runs down the left field line, so it’s a surprise the Blue Rocks aren’t a Phillies affiliate. Just think, when the Royals trade away their best players for minor leaguers you’ve never heard of, this is where those minor leaguers come to play!
Friday, May 7th:
Allentown, PA (81 miles from Wilmington)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA Phillies) vs. Columbus Clippers (AAA Nationals)
Well, we’re waiting here in Allentown… for the Philly cheese steak we never found… The IronPigs used to play in Ottawa, but the Phillies moved them south in ’07, meaning the “International League” has nothing but U.S. teams in it. Brilliant! Coca-Cola Field has a socializing/sud-guzzling place in right field called the Bud Light Trough. I’m not kidding. So if I scream “bacon!”, will it send IronPigs fans scurrying down the aisles?
Saturday, May 8th:
Harrisburg, PA (87 miles from Allentown)
Harrisburg Senators (AA Nationals) vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA Giants)
Milton Bradley once hit a championship-winning, walk-off grand slam as a Harrisburg Senator. No word on whether he then fought with, threw objects at, or spat in the face of any fans, umpires, or innocent bystanders. The Senators’ home is literally in an island on the Susquehanna River – scenic, plus for 10 bucks we can get front row seats and listen to the Harrisburg players pray to get traded out of the Nationals organization.
Sunday, May 9th:
Frederick, MD (72 miles from Harrisburg)
Frederick Keys (A Orioles) vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks (A Royals)
Frederick Keys may sound like some Luther Vandross R&B clone, but it’s really a Carolina League team that’s a stone’s throw from its parent club in Maryland. Harry Grove Stadium is renovated and ready for 2010; in fact, you can go to the team’s website and see proudly displayed pictures of the newly-remodeled restrooms! If the Keys ever leave Frederick, they could move to Florida… and have a perfectly fitting name.
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