Dos for Tres

So Miami wasn’t all I thought it would be. Granted, I was basing my assumptions on the popular video game “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City”, but I still was unimpressed. I checked out the beach in the morning as I “continued to A1A”


But, contrary to popular belief, NOT “beachfront avenue.” It’s actually Collins Avenue in Miami.


After that amazing discovery I was done with Miami. I drove west across the state and was actually getting quite concerned with my gasoline consumption when that glorious orange triangle showed its pretty face. Thank god for Citgo and Carol’s gift card. After that it was smooth sailing up to St. Petersburg to stay with Nana and Papa.

After two sublime days of Nana’s home cooking, visiting with my cousin Jimmy, running and bike riding by Tampa Bay it was finally time to see another baseball game. I again walked right up to the Rays ticket window on game day at Tropicana Field and bought an $11.00 ticket to the “Rays Party Deck” (more details below).

Game Notes:


I showed up at 5 for a 7:10 start. The most important player in Friday’s lineup was right there on the bottom line:


There were some college kids at the game who looked like they hadn’t eaten in weeks. They were coming back to their seats with STACKS of dogs literally 10-12 high. It was disgusting, but I was jealous as all hell. I had my 4 and called it a night.

Rays stadium is definitely more “fan oriented” than Dolphin’s Stadium but it also caters towards families a bit too much for this guy’s liking. The walls are covered with cartoon characters and there are games galore for little kids, very similar to a carnival. I do have to say the staff was not creepy and they were very helpful.

First stop was the Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame. This was pretty cool because I had heard so much about it but never made my way over to check it out. Also, admission was free (with your game ticket) and it wasn’t very crowded. There was a lot of info on Ted Williams’ personal life as well as his careers as a baseball player and service veteran.

Next stop was the Rays Touch Tank:


That was cool and since I was so early I didn’t have to wait. The tank is located in straightaway center field but don’t worry PETA, there is a net above the tank to protect our slimy little friends from any incoming home run balls.

Speaking of which...since I was early I decided to park in left field to watch some BP. About 5 minutes later a ball that was just foul found its way to the section over from me where nobody was sitting. I scampered over (just in front of the two anxious 10 year olds) and pocketed the ball (I’m a jerk)!!!


I have one other official ball I got when I was about 8 years old hanging out by the Sox bullpen after a game at Fenway. I haven’t got one since. Well, needless to say I was excited so I sat down to email Riley about my new find. Don’t you know if I hadn’t been such a giddy little school girl I would have ended up with a second ball! About 15 seconds after I sat down a homerun landed in the seat next to mine, one row back. I stood up and saw it coming but I had my cell phone in my hand and didn’t react quick enough to catch it. Somebody scooped it up before I really knew what had happened. Oh well, I still got one!

And now, just because…Topicana Field:


High Points:

-$1.00 hot dog night. I really don’t know if another stadium can top this kind of promotion.

-24oz. beers for $8. Other prices in general were what you’d expect from a smaller market team. They didn’t try to rip you off like those jerks in Miami.

-During warm-ups a really nice old man kept yelling to Jim Thome to autograph a picture he had taken of Thome’s 500th home run. Jim came over and did it!

-National Anthem was sung by someone in high school or maybe early college. She knocked it out of the park, even though we were in a dome…wrap your mind around that one!

-When I left a concessionaire a $2.00 tip for 2 dogs and a beer she squealed with delight, said “wooooooo, tippperrrrrrrrrrr!!” and then all of the rest of her colleagues joined in. Actually, I don’t know if that was a high point or a low point…it was pretty weird though.

-In between innings there was a Nintendo Wii homerun derby challenge. The contestants were an 8yr old and a college kid with a broken arm. The 8yr old had his turn and then the college kid was up, on the big screen, in front of 5,000 fans. Well, he won handily (frankly, I’m pretty sure he does nothing else with his time). The prize was a few Nintendo Wii games. He ran off screen, wooping, yelling, celebrating with his buddies and all that was left was an awkward scene involving the host/announcer and the INCREDIBLY DEVASTATED 8yr old. I mean, I really don’t know the last time I’ve seen someone look so sad. I know it’s really mean to say but it was really really funny.

Low Points:

-I sat in the “Party Deck” because, why not? I get up there before the game and I see this promotion for Dos Equis Beer:


“Wow! A bottle of beer for 3 bucks!! Plus dollar hot dogs?! This place is incredible.” So I realized I needed an ATM because all of my money was spent but I couldn’t get back down! All of the escalators on the top level led up and I was told they wouldn’t switch until the 7th inning. I asked a service gentleman if there was an ATM on the third floor and he said no. He did, however, take me into this sketchy hallway where we found a freight elevator that took us down a few levels so I could get some green. Seems like a pretty big design flaw though, no?

-Wait Matt, that last point doesn’t seem like a “low point”…WELL, I got my green (and a few dogs) and headed back upstairs only to find out that despite what the picture implies, the “Dos for Tres” deal is not a bottle of “Dos” but a shitty little 6-8oz. cup for 3 bucks! I was having none of that. Can we get someone to look into the false advertising implications here? Thanks.

-The Party Deck had loud rap music spun by a live DJ all night. Not exactly your grandfather’s “take me out to the ball game”, eh?

-The name of the stadium was changed from the timeless “Thunder Dome” to “Tropicana Field”. Definitely a low point.

Overall Grade: B

Game stats:

Teams: Rays vs. White Sox
Final Score: 9-2 White Sox
WP: Javier Vazquez
LP: Jeff Niemann
Time: 3:02
Announced Attendance: 12,379
Ticket Price: $11.00
Parking Price: $10.00

Trip Stats:

Home team record: 1-1
Miles Driven: 951
States Visited: 2
Beds slept in: 4
Next Stop: Atlanta Braves
Favorite Park: Tropicana Field