San Antonio Missions 0 at Corpus Christi Hooks 2 (Texas League) - May 7, 2016

The final game of my Texas League trip took place in Corpus Christi, a resort town right on the Gulf of Mexico two hours southeast of San Antonio and three hours southwest of Houston. With weekend hotel prices surprisingly steep due to the beach crowd, I stayed an hour away, which allowed me to take a leisurely route from Round Rock, using TX-123 rather than I-35. These side roads are so much more appealing, as speed limits are still 70 or 75 MPH but there is almost no traffic, so you can actually drive at those speeds. Interstates might be more direct, but they are also more stressful with their left-lane lollygaggers, road work every few miles, and the same fast food restaurants at every exit. On your next road trip, consider avoiding the Interstates if possible and see more of the country, and enjoy some small town diners instead of another stop at McDonald's.



Anyway, Corpus Christi is home to the Hooks, Houston's AA affiliate who moved from Round Rock in 2005. The Hooks play out of Whataburger Field, with naming rights belonging to the Texas burger chain that used to be based in Corpus Christi before it moved to San Antonio. You can't miss the 18-foot tall statue in front of the main gate, known as "For the Love of the Game" and considered to be the largest bronze statue of a baseball player in the world. It was Jose Altuve bobblehead night, which meant a large crowd, so I decided to arrive early so I could find some free parking. There are parking lots right across the street that cost $5, but a bunch of uncontrolled free parking can be found just on the other side of those lots, underneath the Harbor Bridge as it descends. There was a festival going on just on the other side of the bridge which added to the traffic but parking was not a problem.



There were already big lines at both gates as many fans wanted to guarantee their bobblehead. I went to the box office and overheard a lady at the window asking "What do I do with my extras - just give them away?" Yes, that is exactly what you do. When she had completed the transaction, I played dumb and asked her if she had any extras and she handed me a GA seat ($8 value). She had four others and she asked me if I wanted to try and get rid of them. I agreed, and so I stood in front of the box office trying to give away these tickets. Nobody wanted general admission though, so I was about to give up when another guy came up holding a bunch of tickets. I asked if he needed any more, and he said he was trying to give his tickets away. These were season stubs and so I took one of those instead and it turned out to be directly behind the plate (view below). You can see the Harbor Bridge below, which is the iconic feature of this ballpark backdrop.



I entered on that ticket and noticed that there were people entering to get a bobblehead, then immediately exiting only to re-enter on a different ticket for another bobblehead. I gave one of these guys my five GA tickets which he was happy to receive. I guess that there is a thriving market in giveaway memorabilia but I can't see how you could make a living at it.



Inside the ballpark, there is quite a bit to see. Note the Citgo sign above, reminiscent of the one behind the Green Monster at Fenway.



The design is similar to most ballparks of this size with a single seating bowl and suites above the spacious concourse. Food choices are very good; of course there is a Whataburger stand with hamburgers for $4.75 and onion rings for $2.50, and the Nolan Ryan Grill (Ryan is one of the owners) but I opted for a beef fajita wrap for $6. It was quite good, with generous helpings of beef, but the wrap concept eluded the server, who just folded it in half so that all the fillings fell out when you picked it up.



The Astros have had a great farm system over the past few years and current major leaguers are recognized on banners around the ballpark.



You can walk around the entire venue, and there is quite a bit to see in the outfield area.



There is a children's diamond, again with the bridge in the background. Other areas include a trampoline and a rock climbing tower.



Corpus Christi is a thriving port town as well, and the ballpark is right next to the basin and you can see ships passing beyond the outfield. As well, the ballpark makes use of abandoned buildings such as below. I'm not sure if those broken windows are the result of home run balls or not.



The stadium is also next to a waterpark, so you can spend the whole day there with the family as the  waterpark closes at 6, just in time for the evening game.



One nice touch is a statue honouring a fan who had passed away in 2009. Every ballpark has its regular attendees and it is really thoughtful that the Hooks recognized their #1 fan.



Overall, I was very impressed with Whataburger Field. Gates opened 90 minutes before first pitch, which really gave me time to explore. They've thought of a lot of unique additions here, with the bridge behind the outfield fence the obvious highlight. Corpus Christi is not as remote as it might at first appear, so if you are in the Houston or San Antonio area in the summer, check out the Hooks schedule and make the short drive to enjoy an afternoon at the beach and an evening with the Hooks.



The Game

San Antonio (San Diego) started Bryan Rodriguez while Corpus Christi countered with Keegan Yuhl (35th round, 2014). Both pitchers were very sharp, with Yuhl throwing 5 scoreless innings, while Rodriguez made one mistake in the 4th inning. Unfortunately, it was to MLB vet Evan Gattis, who was down on rehab. Gattis launched a home run over the left field fence that scored Alex Bregman (2nd overall pick in 2015, and the Astros top prospect) who had walked. Joe Musgrove (drafted 46th overall by Toronto in 2011, traded to Houston in that 10-player deal in 2012, now Houston's #8 prospect) pitched 3 scoreless frames for the Hooks and Brendan McCurry (who melted down the previous Saturday in Frisco) struck out the side for the save as Corpus Christi won 2-0 in a game that took just 2:01.



A great game to end the trip. It was fun to sit directly behind the plate for a change and see the pitch movement and the umpire's consistency.

Notes

Whataburger Field was my 8th and final active Texas League ballpark. Overall, I have seen 116 of the 160 active parks.

With such a quick game to end this portion of the trip, I skipped the Texas State ballgame on Sunday morning. The 11 am start time was not conducive to me getting some much needed rest, but I guessed that a Sunday game between two non-power teams would be a snooze. As it turned out, it was as visiting Georgia State won 10-9 in a game that took 4:22 despite lasting only 9 innings. I can't believe that anyone enjoyed watching that. I am attending 1 or 2 College World Series games in Omaha next month, but after that I am going to cut back on college baseball as too many games are just not that interesting.

Next Up

I'm on my way to San Francisco for the Blue Jays series against the Giants. I'm then returning to Dallas for the three games between the Jays and Rangers. I'll be hanging out with friends, so I won't be updating here until I'm back in New York next week. Until then, Let's Go Jays! And Raptors!

Best,

Sean

Corpus Christi Hooks 3 at Frisco RoughRiders 4 (Texas League) - April 30, 2016

After a week in Ecuador and a brief overnight stop in Mexico City, I returned to the United States, arriving at DFW on Saturday morning. The airport has one of the best arrangements I have seen for customs and immigration, with a special lane for those without checked baggage. The entire immigration hall was empty, and as I was the first passenger from my plane that had only a carry-on, I completed the process in a couple of minutes. This brought me to the rental car facility well ahead of my reservation time, something you need to be wary about because you will get charged for the extra hours, assuming you reserve in 24-hour blocks. I was automatically assigned a Hyundai Accent, the same type of vehicle that I had on the recent Albuquerque trip and not particularly well-suited for these longer drives through rural Texas. So I went back to the counter and asked if there was something a bit nicer, and received a brand new Mazda 3 that had just 62 miles on it, plus all the bells and whistles. Sometimes it pays to ask.



I then drove on to Frisco, a suburb about 25 miles northeast of the airport, and home to the RoughRiders of the AA Texas League. This was my second time in Frisco, the first coming nearly five years ago for the D-League's Texas Legends, a visit I barely remember due to jet lag. With the game at night and my hotel just across the street, I had time to rest up before walking over to Dr Pepper Ballpark to start a week of watching minor league baseball.



I arrived just before gates opened and was amazed to see a lineup extending well out into the parking lot. It was Bark in the Park night, which meant that there were dozens of dogs in the queue, but the main reason for the large crowd was Josh Hamilton, who was beginning his rehab on this evening. I had a quick look at ticket prices and found that all infield seats were $19, a bit much for AA. With so many fans, I hoped that someone would have an extra and after a few minutes of waiting saw a guy waving one around. I approached him and he just handed me the ticket, which turned out to be right behind the plate (view above).



Before entering, you will notice how different Dr Pepper Ballpark is from the typical minor league venue, with grey pavilions welcoming you at the main home plate gate. There are nine of these that contain suites, offices, and restrooms, while a concourse separates these buildings from the seating bowl.



This arrangement helps to circulate the air, always a consideration in Texas, and also opens up a lot of space behind the pavilions. Along the third base side there is the Grab 'n' Go tent, with unlimited hot dogs, bratwurst, chips, and soda for those with special tickets (which cost $25). Further along is the State Fair, a collection of food trucks and alternative concessions for which fans are given a one-dollar discount coupon upon entering. You will also notice that the bullpens are built into the stands on the first and third base sides.



At the far end is the Bull Moose Saloon, a full service bar that remains open after the game.



Of course, there are the usual BBQ and picnic areas for groups, and the berms in the outfield, but the big item is the Lazy River behind the right field, which is still under construction and only visible from outside the ballpark. Once it is open, it will be a prime attraction.



Because of the construction, you cannot complete a circuit of the concourse, but you can get to center field and grab a shot of the entire stadium, which shows the pavilion set up.



Other features include a detailed Road to the Show display...



...and posters honouring past stars and accomplishments.



After completing the tour, I made good use of the State Fair coupon and bought a sandwich from Gandolfo's food truck, which models itself as a New York deli (not a sub shop!), with all the sandwiches named after NYC attractions. I had the Brooklyn Bridge (turkey with bacon and provolone) which was the best sandwich I have ever had at a ballgame, as it was freshly made and a bargain at $6.50.



This area is hidden from most fans, which is why the coupon is given out, but definitely offers better options than the typical concession stands. Having finished, I returned to my seat, only to be told by the gentleman who had given me the ticket that I was eligible to dine at the Grab 'n' Go. I had not looked at the ticket when it was given to me, but upon re-inspection, I noticed the words "Grab 'n' Go" printed in really big letters. So during an inning break, I headed over and grabbed one of each item, which was more than enough for the rest of the game, and the quality wash' bad either. The only problem is that everyone around me also had these tickets, and they kept coming and going throughout the game without regard to the action on the field.



Despite that minor annoyance, I was very impressed with everything on offer here. There is a reason they draw big crowds (10,004 on this night) to this suburban ballpark and that is because there is something for everyone. Yes, tickets are expensive but there are specials that can reduce the cost, or you can just stand out front asking for a freebie. Regardless, once you are inside, you will definitely enjoy the experience and once the Lazy River opens, this will be one of the premier minor league destinations in the country.

The Game

Corpus Christi (Houston) was visiting the RoughRiders, who are obviously Texas' affiliate. Frisco scored an unearned run in the second, while Hamilton went 0-2 before being replaced by Zach Cone in the 5th. Frisco starter Frank Lopez had given up just 2 hits into the 6th, but walks were his undoing. His fifth free pass of the night to Derek Fisher (37th overall pick in 2014, Astros #9 prospect) was followed by a monster home run from Chase McDonald (12th round, 2013, my Player to Watch due to his name) that made it 2-1 for the visitors. The RoughRiders managed to get men on base, but had inning-ending double plays three times and added a K-CS-DP for good measure in the 7th. Adam Parks came on to pitch the 9th for Frisco and gave up a walk, the 9th of the evening for the RoughRiders, that eventually scored on an error.



Brendan McCurry (22nd round in 2014 by Oakland, traded to Houston for Jed Lowrie this past offseason and now the Astros #23 prospect) came on to close things out. McCurry was lights out last season, saving 27 of 28 opportunities, but he gave up a couple of Texas Leaguers to get things started. After a strikeout, Luis Mendez came to the plate. He was overmatched, but worked the count full. McCurry threw what looked to be strike 3, but it was called a ball and the bases were loaded. Both McCurry and his catcher Alfredo Gonzalez were upset with the umpire, but they recovered to record another strikeout. The next batter was hit by the first pitch to score a run, and McCurry was clearly rattled, walking the next batter on four straight pitches to tie the game. This brought Cone (above, signing postgame) to the plate, and he looped one over third base that fell just inside the line for the game winning hit. As the RoughRiders celebrated, Gonzalez screamed at the umpire, who had a tight zone all night long (15 total walks). The home fans didn't care, they were happy with the win no matter how it came about. A fun game that once again proves that you should never leave early.



Note the Teddy Roosevelt logo on the left; the team is named for his unit that saw action in the Spanish-American War and not the Saskatchewan entry in the CFL.

Notes

After the game, I went to the Bull Moose Saloon, which was offering half-price beers and a show by Justin Pecina, an up-and-coming recording artist. This is part of a Saturday evening promotion and was relatively well attended.

The next day, Yu Darvish pitched 2 innings for Frisco as he continues his rehab. I wish I could have stayed, but as it turns out, I should see him in Round Rock this Friday.

Best,

Sean