When we reviewed Boston's Fenway Park, I talked about the tragedy that is visiting a big league city when its team is either out of season or out of town. Sadly, such is also the case when it comes to Denver and Coors Field. I have been to the wonder that is the city's LoDo District and I've even peered through the gates of the ballpark itself. But never when the Men of Purple are in town taking on the Dodgers or the D'backs. (Cue the Enya now, please.)

Man, I've always thought, does that look like a helluva park. What I wouldn't give to see a 16-13 scrape between the Broncos and Chargers Rockies and Padres inside that fence. Some day my Denver dream will come true. Yes, some day, it will.

When I do finally make it to Coors Field, I shall use the following tips 'n tricks to make my experience the best it can be. I strongly encourage that you do the same.  

For an insider's look at visiting Coors Field, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com.

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You might think Kauffman Stadium is a curious park to help resurrect our Big Ballpark Review series and I'll admit that your suspicions are not unfounded. When The K opens up in 2009, it'll be showing off $250 million in renovations and the changes are expected to take the home of the Royals to a new level. There'll be new restaurants, a revamped loge level, a carousel. seating near the famed fountains and more. Team officials are hoping that fans will be receiving an all-new experience and that ther revenues will take a nice hike. 

Truthfully, though, I feel confident rolling out some recommendations for Kauffman because I know the core experience will stay the same. The K was my home ballpark for three seasons and you always knew what you were getting when you went there. It's a stadium that was built in the '70s, but always felt — cramped concourses aside — much newer than that. The sightlines were always great, even if the baseball wasn't and the fanbase was always focused and knowledgeable. Kauffman is the great hidden gem in America's collection of ballparks and I expect that it's going to remain that way. 

For an insider's look at visiting Kauffman Stadium, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com.

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Apologies for the delay in the Big Ballpark Review series, but it's been a busy month. We continue our trip around America with a trip down to SoCal, where Dodger Stadium continues to look much younger than its almost 50 years. For our intro, let's check in with one of my college friends and perhaps the biggest Dodger fan I know: Mr. Micah Bycel.

“It's a stadium designed for the fan," writes Micah. "It was designed to not have a single unobstructed seat in the whole place.  Generally, it’s easy to get in and out of the aisles, and easy to get around. The Dodgers still have an organist — Nancy Bea Hefley — and they do two rounds of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'.  If you give yourself enough time to get there, it is one of the most relaxing sporting events. Just drive up, get out of your car and take in one of the most spectacular baseball settings in the country."

And now it also has Manny.

For an insider's look at visiting Dodger Stadium, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com.

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Finally, after a two-week hiatus for the All-Star break, we're back. And since there are incredibly only 28 games left to be played at The House That Ruth Built, I thought we'd better get to The Bronx rather quickly — even though I just left.

But since I've only been to the Stadium a grand total of three (3) times, I'm going to let a passage from Bronx Banter's Alex Belth serve as the lead-in. It's from the great piece he wrote for SI.com last Tuesday, and the article about conflicted feelings and loving something in spite of its faults are probably one of the best baseball writings I'll read all year:

The list of complaints is sizable: the ridiculous ticket prices, the lousy concessions (how can pretzels not be warmed-up by the third inning?), the appalling conditions of the bathrooms, the cramped alleyways and the obnoxious, well-heeled, suburban kids yelling "Farm-ing-Dale" into their cell phones. It brings to mind the joke about the two old ladies at a Catskills Resort that Woody Allen told in Annie Hall:

"Boy, the food at this place is really terrible," says one.

"Yeah, I know, and such small portions."

That's also how I feel about Yankee Stadium, a tourist attraction that is a throwback to the rough old days of New York, when the city didn't care about you.

See it before it's gone, folks!

For an insider's look at visiting Yankee Stadium, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com. Up next: Dodger Stadium

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Back in the early '70s, when my dad was a college student, Milwaukee was a mecca. The drinking age was still only 18, County Stadium served their beer by the bucket and the ushers would let him in for free if he presented the ticket stub from that afternoon's Cubs game.

Almost 40 years later, he still talks fondly about cruising up I-94 for a Brewers' night game.

Thing is, apart from the beer being a lot more expensive and actually needing a ticket to gain entry, not much has changed with a few decades and the Brewers' move to Miller Park. The tailgating is still great, the people are just as friendly and Milwaukee is again home to a competitive baseball team.

On my list of favorite things to do, a summer road trip to Miller Park ranks right near the top. I'm going to drop some video showing just how fun a trip to The Good Land can be a little later. But until then, check out how to experience Miller Park like a local ... 

For an insider's look at visiting Miller Park, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com. Upcoming parks on the schedule include Dodger Stadium, Petco Park and Yankee Stadium.

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The Orioles may not be what they once were and the place may occasionally get overrun by Red Sox and Yankees fans, but there is one thing you can never take away from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Almost 20 years after it started the retro-park craze in baseball, not one stadium has come close to matching what the Orioles started in Baltimore.

Repeat: Not one.

And in the latest installment of the Big Ballpark Review, you'll see how much Baltimoreans still love the jewel that is their local ballyard. From Boog's BBQ in right field to the trains that roll right up to the stadium, OPACY is still the standard that all stadiums have strived to meet, but have never been quite able to match. 

For an insider's look at visiting Oriole Park at Camden Yards, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com. Upcoming parks on the schedule include Miller Park, Dodger Stadium and Petco Park.

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Everyone has their little embarrassing holes and shortcomings in their baseball knowledge and experiences. Here's mine: I've never seen a game at Fenway Park.

Oh, I've been to Boston before. Yet it seems like every time I'm in town, the Red Sox are either out of season or out of town. That leaves me pacing the perimeter of the oldest park in the majors, picturing in my head what it's like on game day, when almost 40,000 fans pack the place to see their Sox.

I'm hoping the Fenway gap on my ballpark checklist gets filled in later in the pennant race, or maybe even during the postseason. Until then, I'll take the great advice contained in this latest installment of Big League Stew's Big Ballpark Review and try to think of what I'll do once I finally get there.

For an insider's look at visiting Fenway, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com. This week's schedule finishes with Camden Yards and Miller Park.

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A few weeks ago, I attended a party at the apartment of a friend of a friend. Upon walking in, I was instantly stricken with apartment envy. From the high ceilings to the wood floors to the bookshelved lined study, I was consumed by the fact I hadn't gotten to it and rented it first. By the end of the night, not only was I looking around and imagining what it might be like to live there, I was asking my friend's friend to call me if and when he ever decided to move.

I assume most of you know what I'm talking about and, truth be told, it's the feeling anytime I'm ever out in San Francisco and attending a Giants game. From walking down the Embarcadero to munching on garlic fries to drinking way too much Anchor Steam, I start daydreaming about what it might be like to have AT&T Park as my regular place to watch baseball. The stunning views? McCovey Cove? The beautiful San Fran women, just off from their jobs as designers for The Gap? Better believe I daydream of being able to watch more than just an occasional game by the Bay. 

Of course, just like any visitor's envy, I don't fully see the negatives. The sudden drops in temperature. Having to wear a sweater to a game in July. The pitching of Barry Zito.

But I'm pretty sure that everything else at AT&T Park makes up for that short list of shortcomings. And it's why even though there are ballparks I haven't been, I keep scheduling trips to go back. If the Giants ever decided to move out, I'm sure there'd be a lot of teams willing to move in. 

For an insider's look at visiting AT&T, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com. Next week's schedule includes Fenway Park, Camden Yards and Miller Park.

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Back in 2005, on my first visit to Comerica Park, I saw only one piece of graffiti on the bathroom wall.

This is what it said:

"Tyrus Raymond Cobb. 1909 AL Triple Crown. 1911 AL MVP .420, 1936 HOF"

I figured right there that Detroit — or at least the city's vandals — enjoyed their baseball.

Comerica Park doesn't get brought up in a lot of great ballpark discussions and I think there's an argument to be made that it's the most underrated stadium out there. The seats are good, the prices are affordable and, unlike when it first opened, there's a generally competitive product out on the field. (Yeah, this year has been a bit of a downer, but it's nothing like 2003 and there's still plenty of season left, OK?)

The main thing that Comerica has working against it is Detroit's tarnished reputation, which you soon find is pretty much a non-factor. While many might still live in the comfort and safety of the city's suburbs and there may be an overabundance of homeless people in the area,  there's a good time to be had among the many shops, bars and restaurants that have sprung up around Comerica and Ford Field. Get past the stereotypes and you'll find a great place to watch good baseball with some good fans.

(Non-sequitir of the series: As for the homeless people, a lot are just good guys down on their luck. A few years back, before a Bears-Lions game in December, we had a few guys shovel a place for us to party, run to the store to get us a few supplies and take our coals to the dumpster while we went into the game. In return we gave them a few bucks, a few beers and shared our pregame spread. Not a bad way to make a few friends.)

For an insider's look at visiting Comerica, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com. This week's schedule concludes with AT&T Park on Friday.

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Since we ran Wrigley Field on Friday, it was only natural to follow it up with a look at the newish stadium down in the 'Loo. And since I haven't gotten a chance to visit yet — following in the footsteps of my Roto pal I'm hoping to later this summer — I thought it might be better to have a Cards fan write the intro. Here, then, is Aaron Hooks of the always funny Cardinals Diaspora and his take on the Cards' new home. (Remember folks, he's a Cards fan.)

"Busch Stadium, in its third incarnation is kind of like a huge port-a-potty. It's not pretty to look at, ideal to use and sometimes stinks horribly... but it does the job it was built for. Some stadiums you come to say you went. This stadium you watch baseball in.

"Look, if you're expecting more of the usual features in the new retro wave of parks, prepare to be woefully disappointed. But, in a strange way, Busch Stadium III is even more 'retro' in that respect. Sure, there are plenty of cushy club seats to kiss corporate butt in. There's a Build-a-Bear store for a personalized Fredbird. Plus, there are several other amenities old schoolers loathe.

"But in comparison to any other new stadium, where the building is the main draw, 46,000+ faithful members of Cardinal Nation will always do two things in Busch Stadium, the parking lot, a corn field or wherever the team decides to play; Watch baseball and drink beer. Come to a game and I'm pretty sure you'll be talking about the 86-year-old nun keeping score on a card she patented in 1965, not the black and white scoreboard they put up in 2006. Yes. Black and white scoreboards were still made in 2006 — I was surprised too."

For an insider's look at visiting the New Busch Stadium, follow the jump. To submit tips on your home ballpark, e-mail 'Duk at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com. This week's schedule, Wednesday: Comerica Park, Friday: AT&T Park.

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