CITIZENS BANK PARK

CITIZENS BANK PARK

Citizens Bank Park - Exterior

TEAM ::: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
LOCATION ::: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
MY FIRST GAME ::: MAY 18, 2004
OPPONENT ::: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Citizens Bank Park - The Phanatic

The Phanatics Birthday Party - Citizens Bank Park

RATINGS

BALLFIELD ::: A
SCOREBOARD ::: A
FACILITIES ::: B
FOOD ::: A
MASCOT ::: A++
MLB STADIUM RANK ::: 10 OUT OF 40

Citizens Bank park - from the Outfield

MY TAKE ON THE PARK

Citizens Bank Park - Behind HP

From behind Home Plate - Citizens Bank Park

CITIZENS BANK PARK HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW SO MOST OF THE BUGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT.

NO LONGER CAN THE NEW PLACE BE
COMPARED TO THE VET, IT HAS TO STAND ON ITS OWN.

THIS PLACE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER.

LOCATED IN THE SPORTS COMPLEX NEXT TO THE ARENAS FOR THE EAGLES AND FLYERS, PARKING IS NOT AN ISSUE HERE. UPON ENTERING THE PARK, ENTER AT THE LEFT FIELD ENTRANCE, A UNIQUE FEATURE AWAITS HERE, THE PHILLIES LINE
UP FOR THE GAME IS POSTED, NOT WRITTEN DOWN BUT WITH GIANT BASEBALL CARDS POSTED WITH POSITIONS BELOW THEM. THE FIRST OF MANY SIGNS THAT THE PHILLIES ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THE GAME.

FROM THE FIELD LEVEL, FANS CAN WALK FROM THE LEFT FIELD CORNER ALL AROUND THE PARK AND NOT MISS A PITCH, EVERY ANGLE OF THE GAME CAN BE ENJOYED ON A STROLL AROUND THE PARK, OR NO PITCH MISSED WHILE PICKING UP A HOAGIE. CONCESSIONS HERE ARE PLENTIFUL AND FOR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL,THE PRICES AREN'T TOO BAD. A PROMOTION THE PHILLIES RUN IS $1 DOG NIGHT. DURING A DOUBLEHEADER, THEY KEPT THE PROMOTION GOING THROUGH BOTH GAMES WITH NO LIMIT ON THE DOGS AND THE BREAD WAS EXCELLENT. IF THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO WIN ME OVER WITH A TASTY HOT DOG, THEY WERE RIGHT.

CITIZENS BANK PARK, from 3rd Base

THE GAME ITSELF IS HANDLED AS WELL AS ANYWHERE IN PHILLY, VERY PITCH IS DISPLAYED ON 2 SIDE BOARDS (MPH AND PITCH TYPE), THE GIANT SCOREBOARD WHICH WATCHES OVER THE FIELD IN LEFT KEEPS THE LINE UPS UP DURING THE GAME AND SCORING DECISIONS AS WELL AS LINE UP CHANGES ARE POSTED PROMPTLY, AND ALONG THE OUTFIELD WALL IN RIGHT FIELD, THE OUT OF TOWN
BOARDS NOT ONLY SHOW PITCHERS AND SCORES, BUT RUNNER LOCATIONS AND OUTS.

THE PHILLIES ALSO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE AAA AND AA TEAM'S SCORES.

GOOD FOOD, GREAT SIGHTLINES, A COMFORTABLE PARK, WHAT ELSE COULD THE PHILLIES DO TO MAKE YOUR STAY MORE ENJOYABLE? WELL, THEY DO HAVE THE BEST MASCOT IN BASEBALL, IT IS NOT EVEN CLOSE! AT MOST PLACES YOU GET TO THE GAME EARLY TO SEE BATTING PRACTICE, IN PHILADELPHIA IT IS TO SEE THE
PHANATIC. WHILE THE PLAYERS ARE ON THE FIELD WARMING UP, YOU WILL HEAR THE MOTOR OF THE PHANATIC'S BIKE, HE WILL STOP AND DO A FEW POSES AND THEN HECKLE THE OPPOSING TEAM. IT SEEMS ROUTINE BUT IT NEVER GETS OLD.

From LF - Citizens Bank Park

AS GREAT AS THE PLACE IS, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DRAWBACKS THAT JUST SEEM VERY SURPRISING THAT THEY WERE OVERLOOKED.

THE OUTFIELD IS OPEN, WHICH IS OK BUT LIKE SHEA STADIUM, IT LOOKS OUT INTO THE PARKING LOT AND OFF IN THE DISTANCE IS THE CITY SKYLINE. THE SKYLINE IS SO FAR OFF IT DOESN'T REALLY FACTOR INTO THE PLACE AND SADLY, THE ONLY BUILDING THAT CAN BE SEEN CLEARLY FROM THE PARK IS AN OLD HOTEL THAT NEEDS TO BE RENOVATED.

THIS PARK COULD HAVE BENEFITTED BY BEING BUILT CLOSER TO THE INTERSTATE AND LIKE KANSAS CITY, PUT THE PARKING LOT BEHIND THE STADIUM AND HAVE THE HIGHWAY AS A BACKDROP WITH THE CITY STILL IN THE DISTANCE BUT NOT WITH A PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF IT.

Citizens Bank Park - from above HP

ASIDE FROM THE UPPER DECK VIEWS, CITIZENS BANK PARK IS REALLY A GREAT PLACE TO SEE A GAME, THE SCOREBOARD IN LEFT HAS A CRYSTAL CLEAR SCREEN, THE FIELD IS A DEEP GREEN AND THE SEATS ARE COMFORTABLE. PLUS, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE PARK, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT THE PHANATIC WILL BE AROUND TO ENTERTAIN AND MAKE THE VISIT ONE YOU WILL WANT TO MAKE AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Citizens Bank Park - From 1st base

Exchanging the Line ups in Philly

LINE UPS

Dodgers Manager :::

12 Jim Tracy

Phillies Manager :::

10 Larry Bowa

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

33 Jason Grabowski lf

3 Cesar Izturis ss

21 Milton Bradley cf

15 Shawn Green rf

29 Adrian Beltre 3b

16 Paul Lo Duca c

23 Robin Ventura 1b

13 Alex Cora 2b

47 Wilson Alvarez p

59 Guillermo Mota LP

Citizens Bank Park - Entertainment

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

29 Marlon Byrd cf

11 Jimmy Rollins ss

53 Bobby Abreu rf

5 Pat Burrell lf

25 Jim Thome 1b

24 Mike Lieberthal c

23 Shawn Wooten 3b

9 Tomas Perez 2b

44 Vicente Padilla p / WP

38 Tim Worrell S

Citizens Bank Park - the Scoreboard

A closer look at Philly's scoreboard

DODGERS 320 100 001 7 10 0
PHILLIES 200 311 01x 8 11 0

TIME ::: 2:56
ATTENDANCE ::: 36,073
WEATHER :: 76 CLOUDY
**GAME HAD A :41 RAIN DELAY**
LF: 329 LC:: 369 CF: 401 RC : 398 RF: 330