Ultimate Baseball Road Trip (70 page)

The three-story Club level bumps the upper deck that much higher than it should be. Worse still, the Club houses almost entirely luxury boxes behind its triangular windows that run down the third-base line into the left-field corner. But there is one stretch of Club seats on the first base side. These hover nicely over the real fans sitting down below.

Located in straightaway right field, these second deck home run territory seats are much better than the 400 and 500 Level seats above them. And some sections are not too bad compared with the bleacher seats down below. As was the case for the seats below, the low outfield fence blocks only the tiniest bit of the field. Section 303 in deep right is pretty far away and should be avoided, while Sections 316 and 317 are in foul territory but are angled toward the infield.

We’re not quite sure what the Indians are thinking with the pricing structure of these. They’re decent enough 400 Level seats, but for just a few dollars more you can buy yourself a Lower Box seat at one of the corners instead. These seats ring the top deck around the infield. You might consider avoiding Sections 436 and 437, though, because of underhang issues that hide from view the right-field corner.

These seats are high above the field for “boxes.” The best of them are in Sections 537–567. In these sections you’ll be sitting behind the folks in the View Boxes but your view will be better than the folks holding lower row tickets farther down the line in the right-field corner. In general, shoot for the lower rows. Once you get above Row S, you start to feel a long way away from the action, even when seated high above home plate.

When you sit in Section 477, the corner near the left-field foul pole is lost from view. Sections 420–429 all have some portion of the field blocked by the right-field foul pole. Section 567 is obstructed by the scoreboard, which shaves from view the foul line.

We recommend the first-base side of the Upper Reserve over the third-base side, as opposed to the lower level where the left-field side is preferable. The seats in Sections 528–525 angle more toward the plate, and the whole right-field side offers a sweet view of downtown. But once you get to the outfield—forget about it. The Upper Reserve seats in deep right field are pretty terrible. Better to sit closer to the infield and higher up than way out there in the Upper Reserve.

Like most upper decks, the sections have spots of blockage—with the railings, the extended corners of the tunnels, the glass safety structures above the tunnels, and other stadium infrastructure components coming into play. There are also underhang issues, as the deck below blocks the left-field corner in Sections 564–572, although the view improves farther from the plate in Sections 575–577.

In Section 533, the right-field corner disappears almost totally from view because of the underhang. The foul pole is nearly completely blocked, and all of right-field foul territory and most of the right-field corner are blocked.

Josh:
I didn’t want to see that part of the field anyway.

Kevin:
Sure you did. Shin-Soo Choo is on your fantasy team.

Josh:
No, I just traded him.

Kevin:
It was so much easier to keep up before you got a smartphone.

Scalpers lurk on the streets surrounding the park. It’s not like they’re selling Taylor Swift or Beyonce tickets. They’re hawking seats to a half-empty baseball park. So be smart.

Progressive Field is the cornerstone of the “Gateway District,” and is part of the downtown sports complex that also includes Quicken Loans Arena, where the NBA’s Cavaliers and AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters play. We don’t traditionally like sports complexes, but the Prog is also nestled in a historic downtown neighborhood full of restaurants, giving it the feel of an urban ballpark. Strange as it is to say, it’s a mixture of both ideas. Keeping the ballpark close to city streets has allowed the surrounding bars and restaurants to flourish, while building it into a quasi-sports complex has made for easy access and ample parking. It’s the best of both worlds. As distinctive as the exterior facade of the Prog is, it fits well into its surroundings. Eschewing the red-brick of many retro parks, the park showcases huge white trusses connected by Atlantic
green granite, Kasota limestone—like the kind used in the construction of the parks in Minneapolis and Pittsburgh, and a nearly-white brick. It’s distinctive, and looks like Cleveland.

Most folks drive to the Prog, as it sits in the confluence of Interstates 90, 77, and 71. Finding the ballpark from whichever direction on these three Interstates is fairly hassle free, as Progressive Field has its own exits and signs guide cars into the parking lots. If you’re not taking the freeway, head for the area between East 9th Street, Carnegie Avenue, Ontario Street, and Eagle Avenue. Most of the parking lots around the Prog charge about $10, but keep looking. You’ll find discount lots on Ontario and Huron. We were happy to find that the Cleveland Tower City Center parking garage on Huron—a five minute walk away—still charged only $6. Take the elevator up to the Tower Center Mall and it will put you on Prospect Street. When coming in off of Huron, aim for the large guitar of the Hard Rock Hotel and you’ll run into the parking lot. If you’re like us, and you want to find any way possible to get to the park without driving, try taking the Rapid Transit Authority or the bus from your hotel.

RTA info and maps:
www.riderta.com

Located just outside Gate C is a plaza named after the greatest Indian pitcher of them all (no offense intended, John Farrell and Greg Swindell). A statue of “Rapid Robert” stands here, honoring a man who pitched three no-hitters for the Indians, including one on Opening Day of the 1940 season, and led the team to two World Series, one of which they won. Feller, who broke in with the Indians when he was just seventeen years old in 1936, went on to make eight All-Star teams and win twenty games in a season six times. Many folks—mostly Indians fans—consider him the best pitcher in history. We think that is overstating things. But there’s no denying that the man who finished with 266 career wins and a 3.25 ERA was one of the best of his era.

A closer look at the marble benches scattered about Feller Plaza reveals that when taken together they form letters to spell out “Who’s on First.” For this, fans can thank local artist Nancy Dwyer, who stamped the unique nod to baseball pop on the landscape as part of a public arts project.

Kevin:
So Abbott and Costello walk into a bar. Abbott says …

Josh:
Do you ever shut up?

Between Gates A and B on Eagle Avenue is a tall iron gate from behind which passersby can actually look down into the ballpark and see the field. It’s a great place to catch a glimpse, or watch for a while longer if no one hassles you.

1100 Rock and Roll Blvd.

http://rockhall.com/

If you have time to kill before a night game, the R&R HOF isn’t a bad way to blow some time in Cleveland. Kevin thinks it pales in comparison to the Experience Music Project in Seattle, but you’re in Cleveland with time to kill. What else are you going to do? Kevin’s favorite exhibit during our visit was Johnny Cash’s old tour bus, though he kept singing “I’ve Been Everywhere” until the attendant urged us along. Josh thoroughly enjoyed the 3-D U2 concert film. It made
him feel, he said, as if Bono was right there singing a private show for him (and Kevin).

Kevin:
Why didn’t they put the R&R Hall of Fame in Detroit?

Josh:
Why Detroit?

Kevin:
I can name fifty bands from Detroit. The Stooges, all the Motown acts, Ted Nugent and Alice Cooper, The MC5, The White Stripes, Madonna.

Josh:
Stop. Stop.

Kevin:
Well, who can you name from Cleveland?

Josh:
Dean Martin.

Kevin:
My point exactly.

The Gateway neighborhood offers everything from dance and blues clubs, to country-and-western joints, to fine dining and comfortable pubs. With the nearby arena hosting NBA hoops, minor league hockey, and arena football, these places see steady business during not only the baseball months but all year round.

840 Huron Rd.

www.paninisgrill.com/

Panini’s is our favorite place in Cleveland for great food and cheap beer. It features a variety of delicious sandwiches, loaded with meat, cheese, tomato, and with the french fries and coleslaw piled right in there, similar to Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh. While there are twenty locations in Greater Cleveland, the Gateway franchise offers outdoor seating, as well as two large bars.

811 Huron Rd.

http://winkinglizard.com/

The Winking Lizard advertises “Great American Food” and we agree: It is a great place for cheap food and drinks. The joint doesn’t overextend itself with too many offerings: just sandwiches, burgers, salads, wings, steaks and barbecue. Nearly every menu item is under $10. Be sure to arrive early, because the Lizard is usually packed before games.

Josh:
Did I ever tell you about the time a lizard tried to wink at me?

Kevin:
Please, no more fish stories.

834 Huron Rd.

www.clevelanderbar.com/

A favorite of our friend Dave Hayden, this place is much like the man himself: no frills and a tad hokey. The name may sound upscale, but there is always country music on the jukebox, and happy hour runs from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The menu is inexpensive, and the back alley leads right to the Prog. This joint was only starting to rock as we headed out to catch first pitch. We didn’t take it personally.

Bolivar Avenue/812 Huron Rd.

http://hrcleveland.com/tparrot.php

Tucked behind two parking lots in a back alley close to the park, the Thirsty Parrot features loud music, outdoor seating, and a Caribbean vibe. This is definitely the place where Jimmy Buffett and his parrot-headed friends go when they congregate in Cleveland. It’s a place to drink fruity drinks and cruise for women wearing leis and grass skirts. But those are just the waitresses. The cantina seats many and does a good job of blasting its tunes toward the Prog. If you’re looking for an outdoor deck on a sunny day, this is your best bet in the Gateway District.

2120 E. 4th St.

www.ferrissteakhouse.com/

Since 1940 this Cleveland chophouse has been the place red-meat-loving locals go when they’re hankering for a steakering … and someone else is footing the bill. In other words: They serve really good meat but at high prices. Now mind you, this is Cleveland “high,” not New York City high, which means you can still order a quality entrée in the $40 range. The restaurant has roll-up windows that gives it an open-air feel on warm days, plus a few TVs behind the bar showing the game.

21 Prospect St.

www.fatfishblue.com/about.html

Now, here’s a place where you’ll fit in just fine in blue jeans and a T-shirt. And you won’t have to shell out $40 to fill your gullet. Like the establishment’s name suggests, the Fat Fish is a great place to get a hunk of Creole-cooked fish, or to groove to some Cajun tunes. Burgers and sandwiches also abound. But we recommend getting some jambalaya and making like you’re in the French Quarter.

614 Franklin Ave.

If you’re looking for a less crowded place that’s still only a short walk from the park, the Little Bar and Grill may be your best bet. The atmosphere is a tad darker and less exciting than the trendier places but the beer is cold and they serve
a very respectable hamburger. This is the kind of neighborhood joint Kevin loves.

After downing a few pints, you’ll find plenty of vendors hawking their wares outside the Prog, from guys selling peanuts to gals selling sports apparel. A funny thing we noticed: The plethora of orange and brown banners and T-shirts that read “Pittsburgh Sucks.” Now since the color scheme was way off for the Indians and since the two teams don’t play in the same league, we knew these were playing off the Browns-Steelers rivalry.