A Road Trip to Citi-Field

Road Trip to CitiField

It’s no secret I’m a complete baseball dork.  I played it a majority of my life and hell; I even attempt to make a living writing about it.  I regularly attend games here in Philadelphia and have made it a mission of mine to hit up all 30 major league stadiums (I’ve been to about 15 thus far).  So when the better half pitched the idea of catching the Phillies in New York at CitiField I was all about it.

Phillytailgate.com is a website that organizes tailgate parties for Philadelphia sporting events as well as plans trips to different cities, so the world’s greatest fans can root on their favorite teams in different cities, showing opposing fans what it really means to be a sports fan.  This past Saturday’s game was on the schedule, so we made our reservations, and were ready for action.  I can say for the most part it was nothing short of amazing.

Check-In

We promptly arrived at the Holiday Inn next to Citizens Bank Park at 8:30, and picked up our package.  In the package was information on which bus we were on (we were on Bus 7), which tailgate ferry we were on (Ferry 2), and our game tickets.

After check-in we strolled over to the hotel bar for a little breakfast.  By breakfast I mean bloody marys.  Once we finished our bloodies I needed a fix so we headed outside so I can continue to let nicotine make me its bitch.

While smoking we walked around chatting with fellow Phillies fans who were also stoked to take on Flushing.  It was mostly people in their Phillies gear having some fine morning beer.  Don’t judge, unless you live in Philadelphia, you wouldn’t understand the need for tailgating.  In fact, we tailgate so much we tailgate before we tailgate.  It’s just how it works here, and we revere it.

The Bus

Around 9:15 a fleet of buses pulled up.  Considering there was upwards of 500 Phillies fans bound for Flushing, the buses were lined up.  We walked to our bus, and grabbed a seat.

Within minutes the bus filled up.  To the point where I’m guessing it was overbooked because they had to condense the beer and water coolers so additional seating could be accommodated.  Personally I didn’t care.  I had a cold beer and a seat.  It’s not my problem people aren’t punctual.

The bus ride was a complete blast.  Aside from the fact we probably consumed at least 12 beers on our 90 mile trek into New York City all we did was laugh our ass off.  I talked with a couple behind us who live a block from my new apartment and they were giving me the ins and outs of the neighborhood, as well as what great bars to go too.  The people in front of us were playing some drinking game, which neither of us understood, but we pretended we did.  Not to humor them, because I honestly thought the parties involved were too old to play said game, it was stupid, and I honestly didn’t understand the rules.  But they were the ones passing the beer back to us and they were pretty rad people.

The best guy on the bus might have been some Spanish kid.  I don’t remember his name (and I wouldn’t use it anyway, but I could make up a super-stereotypical one), but it was his 21^st birthday.  He was wearing a Mets jersey.  Normally that would be a complete no-no on a trip of this sort, but it was the best Mets Jersey I’d ever seen.  It was a gray road jersey with a giant Phillies “P” airbrushed over the “New York”.  To take it a step further it was a David Wright jersey, and the back had an “X” through “Wright” with “Wrong” airbrushed under it.  He was definitely the hit of the bus.

The Ferry

Before I new it (the laugher, well mainly the beer really made time fly), we arrived in on the East Side of Manhattan.  Waiting for us was two “yachts” (that’s what they called them; personally I thought they were just upscale ferries).  The line to board was long, but someone asked if I would help carry beer onto the “yacht”, so we were able to cut the line (as did the South Philly couple who was sitting behind us).

Upon boarding the boat we realized that this is what heaven is like.  Three floors of fully stocked beer and catered food, and not just regular hot dogs and hamburgers bullshit, I’m talking Virgil’s BBQ (for those who are in New York you know Virgil’s is the tits).

The better half and I grabbed a couple beers (more like 10 or so, as well as mass quantities of Virgil’s, I made myself 3 pulled pork sandwiches), found some chairs and enjoyed a bit of New York Sunshine.

Being a native New Yorker I always get a bit nonstrategic when heading home.  Whoever we spoke to I pointed out random buildings and that type shit.  I guess it’s something I took advantage of when I lived up there, but I realized a lot of people didn’t know New York.  In fact (she will remain nameless), someone tried to correct me and tell me the Chrysler Building was the Empire State Building. But I do know my New York (good or bad, it’s just how it is).  I’m not saying tears were shed (which they weren’t, real men don’t cry), but it was really rad seeing New York from a boat.  It’s something I never really saw when I lived there.  Funny enough more people I spoke to wanted me to point out Rikers Island (I never knew that county jail was a tourist spot).

The one thing I did forget about New York (maybe I just wanted to block it out) is how much the East River smells.  It reeks of rotten eggs.

We did meet a rad guy who we’ll call “Red Man”.  He had a red suit on under his clothing (SIDEBAR:  “Red Man” is a blatant rip-off of “Green Man”.  If you don’t know who Green Man is you should watch the FX hit, “Always Sunny in Philadelphia”.).  He was ready to tear up Shea, I mean CitiField up and he had my full support.

The Game

Upon arriving at CitiField I was stoked for the game.  We left our “yachts” chanting “Let’s Go Phillies” and promptly entered the stadium.

Our seats were in the lower level, but in the outfield, 22 rows from center field.  Since an old f*ck like me didn’t bring his glasses, I couldn’t see dick, so I just enjoyed my beer and cheered on Cole Hamels.

Unfortunately there wasn’t much to cheer about because a Mets lineup without Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran completely battered Hamels around.  In four innings pitched, Hamels allowed seven runs on eight hits, including a solo home run by Daniel Murphy. 

His relief, the ever so unreliable Danys Baez (who has no business being on any Major League roster), didn’t fare much better; he allowed four runs on four hits in one inning, capped by as three-run home run from seldom used Scott Hairston.  Hairston finished the game three for five with five RBI’s.

This was my 13^th game of the season and only the second time I saw the Phillies lose.  The first time was on April 5^th when the Mets pounded Hamels again losing 7-1.  Hamels is 3-10 in his career against the Mets (the only team which he has a career losing record to in the National League).

The Stadium

Aside from the fact they house a sub-par baseball team that I despise, I was pretty impressed with CitiField as a whole.  The outside facade had a nice throwback look to it and the inside of the stadium was very open and airy.

On the negative side the field is gigantic, which doesn’t bode well for hitters, at least power hitters.  Also the advertisements are a bit excessive.  I understand the Mets are in financial trouble, but it looked more like a minor league stadium with ads plastered on every possible space.  I was actually hoping the back of the Mets jerseys said Chico’s Bail Bonds (the jerseys were the only available space).  It also wouldn’t hurt them to change the CitiField logo.  It looks like a Domino’s Pizza box.

Overall I liked it better than “New” Yankee Stadium, but it still didn’t compare to Citizens Bank Park or Oriole Park at Camden Yards (my personal favorite stadium).

Food

Being that I gorged myself on Virgil’s on the ferry I didn’t really eat much at the game.  We did get a hot dog and it was pretty standard.  The one thing I was impressed with was the condiment bar outside of the concession stands.  It reminded me of the Fixin’s Bar at Roy Rogers (are there any Roy Rogers around still?).

I was also real surprised at the prices of the food and beer (especially after being raped at “New” Yankee Stadium).  They had a lot of different options that you normally don’t see at a game (a good amount of seafood, hopefully not from the East River), and the hot dogs and beer were actually cheaper then they are here in Philly.

The only knock I really had on the food was “Bayside Fries”.  They were a blatant rip-off of Crab Fries that they sell at Citizens Bank Park and weren’t remotely as good.

Crowd

When I first entered the stadium I was impressed how many people were wearing Phillies gear.  It looked like a sea of red and I actually referred to it as Citizens Bank North.  Once more people arrived, the Mets fans filed in.  I’d say it was pretty much 50/50 between the Mets and Phillies, with the couple standard assholes wearing Yankees, Red Sox, and Giants gear (funny how there are so many Giants fans on the east coast since they won the World Series).

Midway through the game we ran into “Red Man”.  He informed us he was thrown out of the stadium in the first inning.  Instead of waiting by the bus, he took off his Red Man costume, bought a standing room only ticket, and returned to his seat.

I didn’t notice many assholes or too much shit talking from the Mets fans.  It’s understandable, since they suck, but there were a few here and there.  Some people were heckling Hamels (I guess Mets fans are still pissed about his “choke artist” comment a few years ago).  As the game progressed and got out of hand some did get a little lippy.  Instead of engaging in the nonsense the Mets fans were trying to start, I’d make a comment like “No team has ever gone 162-0”, or “Enjoy it now, I’ll be enjoying it in October.” There wasn’t really a comeback to that, considering it’s the truth.

The Ride Home

Once the game ended, I chain smoked two cigarettes and we walked to the bus.  Between chugging beers for 12 hours and sitting in the sun we were beat.  We returned to our original seats, I chugged one last beer and crashed.  I’m pretty sure we were both sleeping before we left CitiField’s parking lot.  The next thing I know, I woke up in my home city of Philadelphia.

And In Closing…

It was definitely worth it.  Although it wasn’t the outcome I hoped for, I hung out with some really cool people, ate a ton of amazing BBQ, and drank mass quantities of beer. 

If you ever get a chance to take a bus trip like this, of catch a game at CitiField, I highly recommend it.

I think we might have to look into a bus trip to Washington next so I can cross Nationals Field off my list.