Touch All 30

Tony Gillen

  • Second Home Ballpark

    Second Home Ballpark

    Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Yankees

    With five visits in the last five years to Milwaukee, American Family Field might be my second home ballpark. Lifetime, I have logged seven visits to the Brewers’ home park and the Yankees would be the fifth different opponent I’ve seen.

    • 7th visit to American Family Field
    • 5th different Brewers’ opponent
    • 6th different ballpark watching the Yankees

    A return trip from a work trip in Chicago made possible a great opportunity to meet up with my friend, Tim from Madison, and catch a game.

    I ♥ MKE

    Standing in front of the I Heart MKE sign at American Family Field

    For every visit, I have accepted that I cannot personally see everything a ballpark offers. Likewise, I cannot write about every ballpark feature in a single post. With multiple visits, I hope to eventually cover all of the ballpark features.

    Outside the home plate gate on the north side of the ballpark is the perfect selfie ready spot with the American Family Field signage in the background.

    Walk of Fame

    Paul Molitor Walk of Fame plaque at American Family Field

    One feature I will highlight is the Walk of Fame. In the walkway surrounding American Family Field, home plate plaques adorn the walk that highlight both Milwaukee Brewers AND Milwaukee Braves legends.

    Seat Selection

    American Family Field club level

    Section 328 Row 6 (Club Level)

    Tonight was my first ever visit to the club level at American Family Field. A club level ticket is required to visit the club level concourse. Food lines are much shorter but there are fewer options than on the field level. The seats are padded and provide a bit more comfort than the standard seat.

    Game Highlights

    The game started with the Yankees getting the 2-0 lead early. Paul Goldschmidt would provide the first run with a lead off home run in the 1st inning and later drive in the second run on. a single in the 4th inning.

    Jake Bauers would homer in the 7th inning and William Contreras would single in the next run in the 8th inning to bring the game to a 2-2 tie and force extra innings.

    The Yankees would take the lead in the top of the 10th with a Ryan McMahon RBI single. However, the Brewers would tie in the bottom of the 10th with an RBI single from Jackson Chourio. With bases loaded, William Contreras gets the sacrifice fly to score Luis Rengifo for the game-winning run.

  • Friends and Family Friday

    Friends and Family Friday

    Tampa Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins

    In 2002, I made my very first visit to a Major League ballpark that wasn’t my home park. 24 years later, I returned to Tropicana Field for Day 8 of the Big Florida Trip to watch my hometown Minnesota Twins.

    • 2nd visit to Tropicana Field
    • 7th different ballpark watching the Twins

    This visit was special because it served as a major reunion. I was joined by my brother, Jay, and his two sons, my long-time friend Nim—who I’ve traded cards with since 2005—and my friend Sherry, a fellow “Ballpark STAMPeder” who I met at the Field of Dreams two years ago.

    Insider “Tour”

    Since Sherry has been a season ticket holder since the Rays’ inaugural season, she gave our group a personalized “tour” of the stadium.

    Tropicana Field concourse
    First home run in Rays history hit by Wade Boggs
    History exhibit in Tropicana Field

    We had a lot to see in the 90 minutes before first pitch, including:

    • Twins batting practice
    • Rays team store
    • 10,000 gallon cownose stingray tank
    • Special seats in the outfield commemorating
      • First home run in Rays’ history hit by Wade Boggs
      • Wade Boggs’ 3,000th hit (the only one as a home run)
      • Dan Johnson’s game-tying home run against the Yankees in Game 162 off the 2011 season in which the Rays clinched the American League Wild Card
    • History exhibit on the lower level
    • Season ticket holder lounge

    Seat Selection

    Tropicana Field from behind home

    Section 109 Row M (Behind home plate)

    I managed to secure seats near home plate to get as close to the Twins as possible. The first thing I noticed was how much the environment had changed; the new roof, replaced after damage from Hurricane Helene, makes the entire venue feel significantly brighter than it did during my 2002 visit or on recent television broadcasts.

    Rays tickets are generally more affordable than other MLB ballparks; like loanDepot Park, the stadium avoids feeling empty despite the upper deck being closed for most games.

    Revisit from 2002

    Photo from 2002 in Tropicana Field
    Photo in 2026 from Tropicana Field in the same locations as 2002 photo

    Stepping back into the Trop felt like opening a time capsule. In 2002, this was the very first ‘away’ ballpark I ever visited, sparking a curiosity that eventually grew into a mission to see all thirty. Holding up my grainy photo from 24 years ago against the now-vibrant field felt like a full-circle moment; while the stadium has evolved—most notably with a much brighter roof following Hurricane Helene—the core excitement of being a traveling fan remains exactly the same.

    Ballpark Food of Choice

    For dinner, I went with a classic Nathan’s Hot Dog and a drink. Thanks to Sherry’s season ticket holder status, I was able to use the shorter lines and discounts in the lounge. Plus, since all Rays tickets for April included $10 of “Rays cash,” the meal was a great value.

    Game Highlights: A Power Display at the Trop

    The Rays definitely had the Twins’ number in this matchup, fueled by a relentless power display that accounted for all their runs in a 6-2 victory. Junior Caminero was the undisputed star of the night, finishing 2-for-4 with two massive home runs and three RBIs. These weren’t just wall-scrapers; Caminero’s “ferocious” swings sent the ball flying 450 and 435 feet, respectively.

    Joining the hit parade was Jonathan Aranda, who celebrated his first career multi-homer game by launching two solo shots of his own. Between Caminero and Aranda, the Rays’ young stars provided all the offense Tampa Bay needed to secure the win.

    For my hometown Twins, the offense was limited to solo efforts. Royce Lewis notched his third home run of the season, and Brooks Lee—who had a standout night going 3-for-4—added his fourth. While Minnesota actually out-hit the Rays 9 to 7, they struggled to capitalize on opportunities, leaving nine runners on base compared to only four for the Rays.

    On the mound, it was a tough homecoming for Taj Bradley, who surrendered all four of the Rays’ home runs in the loss. Meanwhile, Drew Rasmussen earned his second win of the season, and Bryan Baker came on to record his fifth save. Though it wasn’t the result I wanted for the Twins, seeing six total home runs from my seat behind home plate made for an unforgettable night at the newly brightened Tropicana Field.

  • Ballpark #29

    Ballpark #29

    Miami Marlins vs. St. Louis Cardinals

    The Marlins home park marks the final Major League ballpark before I visit Ballpark #30 in Atlanta. It is the park of which I decided that Atlanta would be my 30th only because I didn’t want it to be Miami. And still, Ballpark #29 still warrants some celebration, even it is not as big of a celebration as #30 will be.

    • 1st visit to loanDepot Park
    • 2nd different ballpark watching the Marlins
    • 4th different ballpark watching the Cardinals

    Miami is also one of the two key pillars that makes the Big Florida Trip worth planning. This Monday night game highlights Day 4 of the Big Florida Trip. I was hoping we would get to see an opened roof, but Day 4 is the only day of the trip to get rain (and a downpour of it) so, in that sense, it’s a blessing that loanDepot has a roof.

    Pregame Tour

    One of the minor ways I celebrated Ballpark #29 was to take the pregame tour. As far as ballpark tours go, I really enjoyed all the guides were able to share with our group include the naunces of loanDepot Park and the history of the Marlins franchise.

    Seat Selection

    loanDepot Park from behind home plate

    Section 12 Row 12 (Behind home plate)

    Overall, it’s rare to get a ticket for seat behind home plate for $30. At the Marlins’ home park, it probably happens often.

    Although loanDepot Park has a capacity of over 37,000, this Monday night matchup only had just over 8,000 fans. For most Marlins home page, the upper deck remains closed. Still, the ballpark does not give a sense of emptiness. (It definitely does not make you feel it is full.)

    Considering the price I paid with the location of my seat, I definitely felt the value of my baseball experience at my 29th Major League ballpark.

    My friend, Rachel, a Miami local and Ballpark Pass-Port STAMPeder, would join me for the game. Although I am traveling the Big Florida trip solo, I look forward to meeting up with people along the way because of the journey to thirty.

    Ballpark Food of Choice

    The Machete

    The Machete

    For this first visit at loanDepot Park, I had to try the ballpark’s signature food item.

    The Machete is a two-foot long quesadilla with beef barria, mozzarella and Oxaca cheese, pepper sauce, salsa verde, and cilantro. Thankfully, they cut it up in threes because I could only finish two of those pieces. (I left the third piece for Rachel.)

    Game Highlights

    This matchup between the Marlins and Cardinals would stay close for most of the game.

    Pitcher, Max Meyer, would throw 8 strikeouts in 5.1 innings.

    In the bottom of the sixth inning, in the Marlins would score two runs to take the lead 4-2.

    Designated hitter, Liam Hicks, would go 2-for-4 with two singles and two RBI.

    The Marlins would beat the Cardinals 5-3 to take the first game of the series.

  • Jupiter/Palm Beach – Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium

    Jupiter/Palm Beach – Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium

    Palm Beach Cardinals (Cardinals Single-A) vs. Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins Single-A)

    Day 3 of the Big Florida 8-day 8-game brings us to “America’s Busiest Ballpark” which hosts the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins for Spring Training and serves as home for their respective Single-A affiliates.

    Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is the only minor league ballpark home to two teams and both teams played each other this week.

    Field view of Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium
  • Daytona – Jackie Robinson Ballpark

    Daytona – Jackie Robinson Ballpark

    Daytona Tortugas (Reds Single-A) vs. St. Lucie Mets (Mets Single-A)

    Day 2 of the Big Florida 8-day 8-game would bring us to Daytona Beach and Jackie Robinson Ballpark, the oldest active Minor League ballpark.

    The game also marks the first of five Florida State League (FSL) games on the trip. By the end of the trip, I will see all ten FSL teams across five different Single-A ballparks.

    Unlike all of the other Single-A ballparks, Jackie Robinson Ballpark is the only ballpark in the FSL that does not also serve as a Spring Training ballpark.

    Scoreboard at Jackie Robinson Ballpark

    Part of the charm of this classic ballpark is the use of a manual scoreboard.

    Seat Selection

    Bleacher view at Jackie Robinson Ballpark

    Saturday night was a sold out night. I chose general admission tickets in the bleacher area along the third base line.

    Ballpark Food of Choice

    Cinnamon Pretzel

    Daytona concessions consist of a number of freestanding booths along the first base side of the ballpark. At the recommendation of the team store staff, I went with the warm pretzel.

  • Jacksonville – VyStar Ballpark

    Jacksonville – VyStar Ballpark

    Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins Triple-A) vs. Charlotte Knights (White Sox Triple-A)

    Day 1 of the Big Florida 8-day 8-game road trip began with a flight from Minneapolis to Jacksonville. VyStar Ballpark would be the only Triple-A ballpark on this trip.

    VyStar Ballpark is nestled in downtown Jacksonville next door to the EverBank Stadium, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL club.

    Parking is very convenient with parking lots on the east side of the ballpark and a parking garage on the west side.

    Seat Selection

    Right field corner view at VyStar Ballpark in Jacksonville

    My ticket for the game placed me in the right field corner just off the foul line. For this Friday night game in Jacksonville, we had a full crowd but still plenty of room to move around along the 3rd base side.

    Ballpark Food of Choice

    Jumbo Shrimp Combo at VyStar Ballpark in Jacksonville

    Jumbo Shrimp Combo

    A combination package of fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, hush puppies, and fries, it only makes sense to get have jumbo shrimp at a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp game.

  • Big Florida Baseball Road Trip

    Big Florida Baseball Road Trip

    The state of Florida is home to LoanDepot Park in Miami, Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay, one Triple-A ballpark in Jacksonville, one Double-A ballpark in Pensacola, and nine Single-A ballparks hosting the ten Florida League teams.

    Many of the Single-A ballparks also serve as spring training homes for Major League clubs.

    There are many opportunities to visit LoanDepot Park and Tropicana Field on consecutive days in a single trip. However, with the 11 Minor League ballparks in the state with close distances from each other, there are plenty of options to build out a multi-game, multi-day road trips for as short or as long as you would like.

    Trip Details

    For the 2026 season, my road trip will take place in April. I’m hoping an extra season run through the Sunshine State will provide for me comfortable weather for the trip. In addition to both MLB clubs and Florida’s only Triple-A club, the trip will see action from all ten Florida League Single-A clubs across five Single-A ballparks.

    From starting in Jacksonville, driving down the Space Coast, and traveling up along the Gulf Coast, about 13 hours and 700 miles of driving can make for a fun trip throughout Florida.

    Friday, April 17 – Jacksonville

    The trip starts with a flight into JAX and a visit to VyStar Ballpark for the Triple-A matchup between the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and Charlotte Knights. This Friday night matchup will close with a fireworks show.

    Saturday, April 18 – Daytona

    Jackie Robinson Ballpark is the oldest active ballpark in the Minor Leagues. Named in honor of Jackie Robinson, who spent some of his Minor League time in Daytona Beach, the ballpark hosts the Daytona Tortugas who will play the St. Lucie Mets.

    USA Today has recognized Jackie Robinson Balllpark as The Best Single-A Ballpark in America.

    Sunday, April 19 – West Palm Beach

    Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is the only Minor League ballpark that serves as the home park for two clubs, and both clubs will play each other on this game. The West Palm Beach Cardinals and Jupiter Hammerheads play a Sunday afternoon game

    Monday, April 20 – Miami

    LoanDepot Park will mark ballpark #29 on my journey. I have not yet decided home much of my day will be in Miami and whether I will take the ballpark tour.

    Tuesday, April 21 – Fort Myers

    Hammond Stadium, home to the Fort Myers Might Mussels who play the Dunedin Blue Jays, is also the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins.

    Wednesday, April 22 – Lakeland

    Publix Field at Joker Merchant Stadium is the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers and home to the Lakeland Flying Tigers who will take on the Tampa Tarpons.

    Thursday, April 23 – Clearwater

    BayCare Ballpark is the spring training home of the Philadelphia Phillies and home to the Clearwater Threshers who will take on the Bradenton Marauders.

    Friday, April 24 – Tampa Bay

    Tropicana Field, after a year off because of damage from Hurricane Milton, will once again host Major League baseball. My last visit to Tropicana was in 2002 so I am looking forward to a return after 24 years for Tampa Bay Rays baseball. The bonus is that I will cheering on my Minnesota Twins.

  • College Baseball Tripleheader at U.S. Bank Stadium

    College Baseball Tripleheader at U.S. Bank Stadium

    The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers play their early season home games indoors at U.S. Bank Stadium. (The Gophers play on campus at Siebert Field starting the last week of March.)

    About each year, the University of Minnesota hosts the Cambria College Classic, a round-robin invitational that sees the Gophers and five other college baseball teams play three games over the weekend at U.S. Bank Stadium.

    For the price of one ticket, you can watch only one of the three games or watch all three and come and go between games to try out a local restaurant.

    This particular day in the 2026 version of the tournament saw the University of Nevada – Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebels vs. the Southern Illinois University (SIU) Salukis in Game 1, the Northwestern University Wildcats vs. the University of Nebraska – Omaha Mavericks in Game 2, and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Jackrabbits in Game 3.

    In Minnesota, where below freezing temps and frequently snowfalls can extend into early spring, indoor games at U.S. Bank Stadium provide a good option for early season baseball.

  • 2025 Year in Review

    2025 Year in Review

    It’s long past but it’s time for a review of my personal ballpark travels for the past year. 2025 included visits to:

    • 11 Major League ballparks
    • 5 Minor League ballparks
    • 1 Collegiate Summer League ballpark
    • 1 NASCAR race track

    Opening Day in Detroit

    This early season trip to Detroit actually happened because my son wanted to watch a live football game in the spring and the Michigan Panthers of the UFL were scheduled to play on the same day as the Tigers’ home opener.

    Seattle Day Trip

    This trip to the Pacific Northwest happened before I wanted to see if I could pull off flying from Minneapolis to Seattle for Mariners vs. Blue Jays and back in the same day.

    Milwaukee Card Show and Game

    I drove to meet up with my friend, Tim from Madison (who previously lived in Baltimore), to go to the Wisconsin Sports Card Show in downtown Milwaukee and then to watch my hometown Minnesota Twins play at American Family Field.

    Big Texas Trip

    For the fourth year, I’d taken the annual week-long trip to visit consecutive ballparks. In 2025, I flew into New Mexico to meet with my friend, Ernie from Albuquerque (previously from Minneapolis), to begin the road trip through New Mexico and Texas.

    To keep the consecutive game streak essence of the annual trips, I include a mix of minor league ballparks along with the Major League parks.

    The Big Texas trip went: Tuesday for the Midland Rockhounds, Wednesday for the Round Rock Express, Thursday for the Astros, Friday for the Rangers, Saturday for the Amarillo SodPoodles, and closed on Sunday for the Albuquerque Isotopes.

    Twins/Saints Doubleheader

    Each year, there are a few opportunities to watch both the Twins at Target Field and the St. Paul Saints at CHS Field on the same day.

    I did this for the first time for Twins vs. Cubs for the afternoon game and then the Saints vs. Iowa Cubs for the night game.

    Bristol Trip

    The trip to Bristol actually started the Tuesday night before.

    The plan was always to arrive in Tennessee on Thursday but the chance to watch Shohei Ohtani pitch on Wednesday led to a convenient detour to Cincinnati.

    During the same week, the Appalachian League (previously a rookie-class minor league and now a collegiate wood bat league) closed out their season with the Appalachian League Championship Game in Johnson City.

    Closing out the weekend was the MLB Speedway Classic for the Reds vs. Braves, the first MLB game played at the Bristol Motor Speedway and first ever MLB game in Tennessee. Due to heavy rains on Saturday, the game would stretch into Sunday.

    Upper Midwest Trip

    Ian from Canada, who I met during my 2024 East Coast trip, returned to the U.S. for his own ballpark road trip. I took the Amtrak train to meet up with Ian in Chicago to kick off a four-day stretch.

    End of Season in the Bay Area

    A work trip to the Bay Area brought me the opportunity to revisit one ballpark and add on a new ballpark. Friday night, I flew in late to the San Francisco airport and stayed in Millbrae. Saturday, I took the CalTrain to San Francisco for a day game at Oracle Park. Sunday, I took the two-hour Amtrak ride to Sacramento to watch the A’s in their temporary home at Sutter Health Park.

  • Closing the Season in West Sacramento

    Closing the Season in West Sacramento

    Athletics vs. Kansas City Royals

    Its the second consecutive game to close out the regular season and now a slightly longer trip to watch the A’s than it was the last time I was in San Francisco and saw the club in Oakland.

    Since I had already visited Oakland Coliseum, I had no previous intention of watching the A’s in West Sacramento for my journey for thirty. However, the work trip to the Bay Area and a short Amtrak ride made the visit to Sutter Health Park a possibility.

    Amtrak

    When the Athletics played in Oakland, it was only a BART train to get there from San Francisco. Now, it’s only an Amtrak ride. San Francisco will still be the most convenient airport in which to fly, then a BART train to Oakland, and then a two-hour ride to Sacramento. It’s pretty convenient if you do not have a car or do not plan to drive.

    Seat Selection

    Sacramento field view

    Section 113 Row 14 (Behind home plate)

    When you go to ballpark with a capacity of just over 14,000, seating become scarce. At the same time, the A’s aren’t exactly in demand. Hence, lower level seats behind home plate feel like a huge value.

    As far as watching the game, the smaller size of a minor league ballpark offers a more intimate feel and a more engaging fan experience.

    Ballpark Food of Choice

    Footlong Hot Dog

    I had to go with the tradition choice and it definitely did not disappoint. This particular one was from the Golden Spike Chophouse stand: mustard, sauerkraut, pepper, and (yes I add) ketchup.

    To be honest, I put this as one of the better ballpark hot dogs. Definitely, it is far superior to hot dog I had in Oakland two years before.

    Game Highlights

    The coolest thing about the final game of the regular season is that all 15 games start at the same time regardless of time zone (3:05 PM Eastern Time/12:05 PM Pacific Time).

    Prior to the game, the Athletics announced that next season the team will begin wearing ‘Sacramento’ alternate jerseys.

    The Royals beat the A’s in the final game 9-2 but I did get to watch phenom Nick Kurtz hit his 36th home run of his rookie season.