Fenway Park Sucks

So, I went to two games in a row, Sunday and Monday. The Sox lost Sunday against Toronto, 2-1. Beckett pitched 8 innings and got pretty much no help. I was sitting in the bleachers, which is my favorite place in the ballpark. Mostly cause there are no poles blocking your view, so you can actually see the game...well, for the most part. We couldn't see what was happening in in triangle at all. But, that's not really that big of a deal. True, we were still cramped in seats that are too small for toddlers, but you know, whatever. Originally, they had metal benches out there, way before my time. But they put new seats out there, probably in the 70s or 80s. I think they tried to squeeze too many seats in each row and definitely tried to squeeze too many rows into each section... But whatever, it's the bleachers. At least you can see the game really well.

Monday's game was simultaneously better and worse. First the better: The Red Sox beat Kansas City on a complete game shut out tossed by Kason Gabbard. However, this time our seats were in the Right Field Grandstand. Here, we have Wooden Seats, which probably haven't changed since 1912. And, your cramped much worse than in the bleachers. People must have been about half the size of your average 8 year old back then.

On a positive note, I had a great view of the Royals bullpen...probably the best view of Bannister warming up before the game started. But, if I sat in my seat and looked straight ahead, I had an excellent view of the big metal door in foul territory down the left field line where they keep the batting cages... which I guess is interesting. Also, there are a bunch of poles everywhere, including one that was strategically placed to more or less block out everything all the way down the right field line. I had to more or less put my head on the shoulder of some random guy sitting next to me to see home plate or first base. And, there's also a roof over your head which is so low that it blocks the view of the jumbo tron. But, fear not! This is Friendly Fenway! So the Red Sox Management put up a bunch of 20 inch televisions next to each pole! Including the one strategically placed to block my view of the game! However, aside from being smaller than the one I have at home, this television was messed up. The picture was all wavy something was wrong with the color, so the picture was in black and white. Whatever. Last time I sat in the grandstand, I got stuck between two poles, one strategically placed so that I couldn't see home plate, the other so I couldn't pitchers mound. Plus there were no televisions then...so I guess they're making improvements.

And I guess I'm still dumb enough to go to the games even though I know the ball park is a joke. As is the rest of this region. I swear, if you say this to anyone in Boston, whether or not they can name a single player on the Red Sox, they'll start cursing you out and going on and on about the tradition and about how great it is and how we have the oldest ball park and if I think Wriggly or US Cellular or Edison Field or Petco Park or Qualcomm Stadium are so much better maybe I should just go out there and root for those teams.

I know Fenway's not going anywhere. This team currently has the longest sellout streak in the Major Leagues so people are still coming. Also ownership keeps investing money in the ball park, and I'm sure the Monster seats and the Right Field Roof Seats are great. I've never gotten to sit up there, but I've seen them and they seem roomy and you get your own table and everything. But truth be told, on the Right Field Roof, your what, 600 feet away from the action? And in the Monster seats, your sitting in left field, pretty high up. I don't imagine you have that great of a view of left field itself. Left field is usually one of the cheapest places to sit in ball parks, and way up on the right field roof is too. But here, Left field is $140, and to sit way up on the right field roof, it costs $110.

I know what your thinking. Fenway Park is so great because of all the history and the tradition and the atmosphere and blah blah blah. Fenway Park is no more historic or rich than the Boston Garden was, and they got rid of that. Heck, the Boston Garden brought 16 NBA World Championships and Five Stanley Cups. What's Fenway have compared to that? An 86 year championship draught? With a few bad Boston Patriots football seasons mixed in for good measure?. Sure, everyone was mad at first, when the Boston Garden was torn down for the same reasons they'd be mad if we got rid of Fenway. However, that anger lasted all of a day. No one cares now, cause the Boston Garden was a dump and The Shawmut Center...I mean the Fleet Center...I mean T.D. BankNorth Garden is an awesome facility. Give me something like Petco Park or Edison Field. Gosh. I'd love that. You could put more seats in and it would be cheaper and people could actually go to games without having to buy tickets in February or else pay ten times as much as when they are getting them from scalpers.

Well, I think that just about sums up this rant. I'm in favor of a new ballpark for the Boston Red Sox. I got tickets to Saturdays game randomly from my boss, back in the bleachers, which is good cause I won't have to put up with the poles and broken televisions. I'll let you know how that experience is going.