Pictures from today's Indians/Tigers game from Comerica

[Caseyfan21]

As I mentioned in another thread, a friend and I made the drive from Columbus up to Detroit this morning for the Indians and Tigers game. While I have become more of an Indians fan this year (both of my roommates are from Cleveland) this trip was still more about getting to see Comerica Park. As it turned out, Fausto Carmona made his major league debut. He is the first player from the Lake Country Captains (Indians single-A team) to make it to the majors. That team is relatively new and located in a Cleveland suburb a lot like the Dragons situation (a little closer though). What does this have to do with anything? My roommate lives about 10 minutes from Lake County's stadium so he is a huge Carmona fan and was very excited to see his debut until his car broke down Thursday night but another friend and myself still made the trip up to see the debut.

The day was great for baseball and as we got into Detroit we first saw old Tiger Stadium, still standing and abandoned:
http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2235937120089055895&security=renytc

Rather sad but that is an entirely different subject.

As we got to the stadium it became apparent how right Detroit got it. What a perfect setup with the football and baseball stadiums across the street from each other with a few bars and restaurants nearby. It seems likely that this area will continue to grow and revitalize around these stadiums. For how messed up other parts of the city are, this is one area that could become a real gem for the city to show (as they have with the All Star game and Superbowl).

I think the highlights of the day for me were seeing former Reds. Here's a picture I took of Todd Jones and Danny Graves:
http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2808707950089055895&security=zVttiL

Here's a picture of another former Red Eduardo Perez talking with fans and signing autographs:
http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2289263000089055895&security=KfOGvT

Here's Ben Broussard and Jhonny Peraltra during infield warmups:
http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2851225180089055895&security=SIthIW

After infield warmups, we decided to explore the stadium. The highlight of my day had to be finding a Montgomery Inn Restaurant out in centerfield. I could not believe it and I had not heard that there were any restaurants outside of the Cincy area. It was more of a ballpark type setup with just a few dishes that could be ordered as meals such as ribs and a pulled pork sandwich but the meals came with Saratoga chips. Getting to eat some Montgomery Inn was by far the highlight of the day.

Here are a few other stadium pictures that show some of the cool sideshows. We came to the conclusion that there is so many other entertainment options because the product on the field hasn't been so good. :laugh:

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2743761240089055895&security=PEKGVb

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2503581510089055895&security=RHiUtf

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2663577020089055895&security=rBdLAh

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2756463570089055895&security=ImuCIV

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2938642590089055895&security=LXBfjc

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2150370110089055895&security=noPoqJ

(I'm on the right proudly wearing my Buckeye colors. I did get quite a few comments from jealous M*ch*gan fans though. ;) )

Here's a couple other Carmona pictures that I thought were cool (and I'm proud of my developing camera skills).

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2940433980089055895&security=SCtlWZ

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=showPhoto&albumID=549528288&photoID=2722164430089055895&security=VXqsBL


If anyone is interested, I put a few other pictures up on this website:
http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=549528288&ran=12974

Not a ton of others. I have about 80 that I kept on my computer but I just put the best ones up on that site.

Overall, if you haven't made it out to a game at Comerica, I would strongly recommend it. I would rate it about the same or slightly better to Pittsburgh (Montgomery Inn pushes it over the top). Detroit definately "did it right" and it is a great park to take in a game. It's definately a family friendly environment with all of the side shows and other things to do. There is also enough food to satisfy anyone from basic ballpark staples to several restaurants (a Frische's as well) and other ethnic type foods.

[MWM]

I agre with you on Comerica. It's a fantastic stadium in a great setting. I've been to several of the newer stadiums and I think Comerica is the best of them all, and by a large margin.

[indyred]

Sweet pics....hope to get there someday......

[toledodan]

I agre with you on Comerica. It's a fantastic stadium in a great setting. I've been to several of the newer stadiums and I think Comerica is the best of them all, and by a large margin.



i agree its a great ballpark. any reds fan that likes taking road trips should do their best to make it to the tiger / reds series in may. get off at exit 50 and park at the fox theater garage for $15. it sits next to hockey town cafe. its a short walk to comerica and very easy to get into. i would get there early though to get a parking spot and also if you want to eat at hockey town.

[KronoRed]

Great pictures thanks for sharing :)

It is a pretty stadium, shame the Mayor said the other day they are going to tear tiger stadium down.

[toledodan]

Great pictures thanks for sharing :)

It is a pretty stadium, shame the Mayor said the other day they are going to tear tiger stadium down.


do you have a link for that? i'm not doubting that just would like to read the story. they could have done something more with that stadium besides letting it decay over the last few years.

[KronoRed]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060413/NEWS01/604130403

[Caseyfan21]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060413/NEWS01/604130403

That's a shame. I know it's decaying on the inside but on the outside it looks like it could have hosted the game today. If they had done something with it several years ago it could probably have been great for a local college, high school, or other amateur games. If not that then see if someone wanted to do something that at least kept the stadium somewhat intact.

I guess that's wishful thinking for a bankrupt city, but if they would have just torn it down when Comerica was built they wouldn't have this whole mess and people protesting one way or the other.

[toledodan]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060413/NEWS01/604130403




thanks for posting that. the problem with that area is there is nothing but drug infested housing and closed buildings around the park. i couldn't imagine any company the truely would want to start there and also face backlash from people wanting to save the stadium. casey made a good point about using it for other baseball and football games in the city. i know toledo uses the old lucas county fairgrounds stadium(old mun hens stadium) for some high school games. i don't know how much it would cost the city to maintain the park but its probally to much.:thumbdown