So we finally got our first (complete) game in… and it turned out to be an amazing success! Cleveland turned out to be an amazing city and Progressive Field is a very nice and energetic place to see a baseball game. More details after the jump:
One thing that I really noticed about Progressive Field is the new-ness and cleanliness of the stadium. This is a 17-year old stadium that looks, at most, 2 years old. The Indians do a great job of maintaining and improving their stadium, and you really come to appreciate that when you go exploring around the stadium.
In terms of the actual game, we saw quite a good one. The Cleveland Indians had a 2-0 lead against the Seattle Mariners before Carlos Peguero and Justin Smoak (a very impressive looking player, I might add) struck for a couple of HR’s, and after a Jack Cust double and Brendan Ryan single, the Mariners had a 4-2 lead. That would not hold, however, after Brandon League blew his 3rd straight save opportunity after giving up two doubles (to Michael Brantley & Asdrubal Cabrera) and a walk-off HR to Travis Hafner.
All that being mentioned, lets grade this stadium and really figure out where it stacks up:
Atmosphere: I really enjoyed the fans throughout the game. Granted, we saw a walk-off HR, but they didn’t leave at all during the game and were very vocal throughout the game. The stadium was also quite full, though that is pretty expected considering that it was a Friday and the Tribe are 15-4 at home. Still though, the atmosphere definitely added to the enjoyment of the game. Here are the views from my seats:
Beer & Food: My Dad had quite a few beers (enough to where I had to drive afterwards), but I had a Strohs, which was pretty solid. It also was only 4.50, so bonus points for the prices They also get more bonus points for having Dollar Dog night, which my Dad & I took advantage of several times.
Stadium Design: As I alluded to earlier, Progressive Field is very, very nice. I took my obligatory photo in front of the Bob Feller statue, but the sight lines were nice and stadium was very unique and interesting. All in all, a very enjoyable place to see a ballgame. Here’s the photo, by the way:
Around the stadium: This is the part where Cleveland struggles a little bit. The area around the stadium is OK, but there are quite a few shuttered buildings and mediocre bars. This is where you really notice the struggles that Cleveland has had as a city, there are definitely some not-so-nice places near Progressive Field. It actually feels quite strange, as if Progressive Field is an oasis of upper-middle class life, whereas the rest of Cleveland is clearly in decline and turmoil.
Intangibles: The Bob Feller statue is a must see, and a lap around the stadium is also very cool. They also have quite a few promotions, and the ushers/attendants are pretty reasonable and accessible.
Overall: I really enjoyed Progressive Field. The fans and the stadium are very nice and energetic, the food was very cheap, and we saw a great game. The grade here is a 91.
[NOTE: I have a lot of photos from the game on my normal camera, but I lost the cord, so all I can post are my Iphone photos for now]
