Safeco is an amazing ball park. It’s cozy and it’s got more amenities than even I can shake a stick at. It’s got Dixie’s BBQ (and yes, The Man is there as well) and a whole lotta microbrews, not to mention lots of coffee. The Roof was out tonight, but you still got an occasional misting every now and again, if you were sitting in the outfield.
We moved our seats a few times so we got a few different looks at the field… Actually, we had to because some Yankees chick behind us had this ear splitting whistle and seemed to ignore the fact that we were wincing the first three innings (honest, I still have an ear ache) – I finally I plugged my ear, turned around and gave her the same death stare that once stopped a child from crying in a mall. She stopped doing it for a couple of innings after that *smirk* I even came close to getting a batting practice ball, but I think my NY jersey worked against me this go around.
The best feature? The fact that the bullpens sit between the playing field and a spectator walkway. I was 5 feet away from Mariano Rivera. I mean he was like right there. *shrug* For all my times to Yankee Stadium, the closest I got to a Yankees player was getting Willie Randolph to wave to me during a game and I talked to an umpire once. I did meet Randy Johnson during one game – ironically when the Mariner’s were in the Bronx – but that was because my cousin was young and had a hat for him to sign… I think the players forget that grown ups turn into little league kids when they are that good.
And it’s such a contrast to Yankee Stadium. It’s new and modern in every sense – even that they have the Roof is still a wow factor for me… Spend one April game in the snow in the Bronx and you’ll be all ooOooOOOo when you see a cover and not the sky when you look up. I still love that House in the Bronx – that you can point to center field and know that players like Joe D and Mantle once played there still gives me goose bumps – but I’m also very, very smitten by Safeco.
Of course, the fact that it takes 20 minutes to get home and that the Yankees won tonight didn’t hurt any either!
Have you been to the Bullpen Pub next to the visitors’ bullpen? There are viewing holes in the wall so you could have Mariano Rivera throwing right at you. And you can sit on barstools that look right out onto the field below the “old-style” scoreboard and look out at right field from eye level. Very cool.
Ah, I think they mighta moved the pens around… I was standing, pre game, next to the media stand and there as a little private buffet thing going on… I was leaning against the fence there listening to the POP of the glove watching Sele warm up… of course, once I realized that if Olivo missed a rising fastball and it hit be, even thru the fence, I’d be… well. Damaged. I decided to take a step or two back. :)
Kick ass ideas tho, inspite of giving fans the ability to taunt the boys in the ‘pen.
Actually the pub is a little bit beyond the bullpen. It’s farther west ( the open landing is east of the bullpen) on the hallway and down a few steps. A hidden treasure.
I also love that when the roof rolls, they play the Ride of the Valkieries or the chopper theme from Apocalypse Now. The first time I went to Safeco the roof was closed before the game and then they started to open it about an hour before the kickoff so we went down into the right field seats to get a better view as it opened. We happened to be in the exact spot where the first ray of sun came thru as the played “Here Comes the Sun” It was like a zap of warmth.
It’s also a very cool place to take the bus and be back at the Park and Ride while people are still walking to their cars. As a person who grew up going to Dodger Stadium I love that it’s not surrounded by a sea of asphalt.
And then there are the trains! I love the train whistles.