the yard

Tonight I'm on the back porch with a cold beer and a good cigar enjoying what has to be one of the last warm nights of 2013. There is a crescent moon over my left shoulder accompanied by a few bold stars. The cricket are out in force; it feels very much like I'm listening to their swan song for the summer. All in all its a fine evening.

On a night like tonight it might be appropriate to turn the page from baseball for a few months so I thought I might share a few of the parks I have visited this year. I have come to appreciate the intimacy of the minor league ballparks that are scattered about throughout our southern cities. Each is different and affords, father and sons, young couples, friends, I place to sit and enjoy a game and each other company.  

The home of the Charlotte Knights is an old ball park that is probably
being torn down already. They are moving the Knights to down town next year.
I'm eager to see their new stadium

Turner Field
Its still to painful to talk about.

This is the coolest yard I saw this year. It is built from a civil war train depot/ prison in downtown Montgomery Alabama. Its the home of Tampa Bay double A affiliate, the Biscuits.  

Above and below are Atlanta's double A and Single A Clubs. I got to watch
Alex Wood pitch his last game for Double A Mississippi before being called up to the big club.

This is the home of the Birmingham Barons. This was the parks first year in operation and its
 absolutely spectacular with the city right behind left field.