The Joys of Travel

Typically, the travel in this league is not that bad because the hotels are used to the team arriving at odd hours.  Unfortunately, this trip has not been one of those easy trips.

Let me start by saying that it really hasn't been that bad, but I'm just trying to give you insight into the life of a Minor Leaguer. 

First of all, I noted that the Rodeway Inn in Beloit was fairly miserable.  Don't believe, check out the picture below and draw your own conclusions (not shown is the rest of the store front that the hotel is attached to with the big PUB letters shining brightly).

Earlier this week, our trainer called the hotel in Appleton to confirm our reservations for Friday - Sunday night.  As it turns out, the hotel messed up our reservation and gave away our rooms for Friday (this is more common than you think, since we were technically arriving at 2 AM on Saturday morning, but we actually needed the rooms for "Friday night"). 

The good news is that we found this out a few days in advance, and were able to set up reservations at another hotel in Appleton.  So we arrived at the Best Western at about 2 AM Saturday morning, stayed there 12 noon, and then we got on the bus and drove a mile down the road to the Microtel Inn and Suites (and the term suite is used loosely).  Unfortunately, despite the fact that they knew we were coming at noon, all the rooms weren't ready yet.  Thankfully, we only had to hang out in the lobby for 10 minutes or so before they let us all go to our rooms -- despite the fact that some of them were missing sheets, etc.

Fun times on the road, huh?

Photos from Appleton - Part Five

My mom would not be a fan of the Timber Rattlers (she hates snakes). Quite honestly, I don't really like them either (snakes, that is. I don't have a big problem with Wisconsin).


Here's Wisconsin broadcaster Chris Mehring hard at work. He has no idea I took this picture. As you can see, I can look from my booth and into his. Or at least, I could...


...until Chris decided he was tired of looking at my ugly mug, and blocked my view with rosters, stats, and any other pieces of paper he could find.

Photos from Appleton - Part Four

A view from behind the plate in the bullpen. Notice how the bullpens are carved into the seating area and recessed from the playing field. A very unique feature to this stadium.


Another look at the bullpen and how it's carved into the seating area.


The view from the Silver Hawks dugout to the field. Notice that there is no rail and that it's also very close to home plate. Gotta be alert at all times.


The Silver Hawks dugout from the outside. This was before all the players emerged from the locker room with all their equipment.


The outfield wall and scorebaord in left center.

Photos from Appleton - Part Three

A table area on the first base side. Unlike most of these areas around the league, this one is actually about even with the first base bag. Most of the time, areas like this are a lot farther down the lines, closer to the outfield wall.


The lawn area is steep!


There's a lion out by the kids area deep in right field. I have no idea why.


The press box.


The field from the right field picnic area.

Photos from Appleton - Part Two

A picnic area beyond the right field fence.


This is a gigantic chair that sits above the lawn section down the right field line. And when I say giant, if I were to sit in it and stretch out my legs, they wouldn't extend past the end of the seat.


Kids bugging you? Send them here. This small playground is located about as deep into the right field corner as you can get and still be in the stadium.


I thought we were at a baseball stadium? If you come to a baseball game and elect to shoot hoops instead, you should be banned from all future baseball related events.


A covered picnic/group outing area down the right field line. Ideal for birthday parties.

Photos from Appleton - Part One

Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium. Long name, nice park though.


A bar located down the first base concourse. If I've learned anything in my five days in Wisconsin, it's that the people here really like their beer.


Nice wide concourses at the stadium -- always a nice feature. I also thought the roof design was unique.


This wall of fame honors the big donors in the middle, and the former players and coaches on the outsides of it. I took a photo of one of the players, but it won't upload for some reason.


My view from the press box. Once again, the stadium doesn't slant to the right, I was probably just holding the camera crooked.

It's 2:44 AM Eastern Time...

...although only 1:44 here in the Central Time Zone. We just arrived at the hotel. I have a huge bed that is looking rather inviting.

The only thing not inviting are the two giant mirrors on the wall behind the bed, and the one over the desk in front of the bed. As I'm sitting here typing this, if I look over my computer screen then I'm staring at myself (which is not a pretty site). Also, if I hold my head at the proper angle, I can look at the back of my head in the mirror behind me, and then continue looking at alternating reflections of my face and the back of my head from now through eternity in the endless cycle of mirrors.

I chose radio for a reason people...I don't need to be seeing this much of myself.

Alright, clearly I'm tired. I'm going to bed. More posts in the morning (or I guess later in the morning since it's already morning).