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Was on vacation down in New Smyrna Beach last week and figured I'd make the 30 minute drive up to Daytona and check out the Cubs high-A team. If any one's interested thought I'd write it up a little bit.
Stadium: They play in Jackie Robinson Stadium which they claim held the first racially integrated baseball game in history. Not sure if I believe that, but whatever. Stadium wasn't particularly nice. The first base line seating, which extended maybe 1/2 way to the outfield, and behind home plate were seats with backs with a roof. The 3rd base line had bleacher seating, but did have 2 rows of seats up against the field. No suites anywhere in the park. They have your basic minor league party deck off the foul pole in right which stays open after the games. The Sodfather needed to get down there, as there were many dirt spots on the field. Stadium was miles below the quality of the local minor league teams here like Schaumburg and Kane County. Two retired numbers flew from the outfield. Jackie Robinson of course, and Richie Zisk, who is the hitting coach.
Prices: GA seating was 7 bucks and 12 for the VIP seats which are the ones with backs on the 1st base line and the 2 rows on the 3rd base side. No idea what season tickets cost, but I thought that it was interesting that if you bought season tickets you get in free at any away Cubs game in the Florida State League. It was Thirsty Thursday so all 16 ounce soda and beers were a buck.
Entertainment: Not as busy as the local teams here thankfully. Cubbie the mascot roamed around the whole game. Celine Celine the Raffle Queen was hawking raffle tickets the whole game. Other activities between innings included a burrito eating contest, kids run around the outfield, mascot racing a kid, kids tricycle race, the duck dance on the dugout top, and one extremely creepy contest. That event was 2 sets of 2 kids that one set of kids with oversized pants trying to catch stuffed animal crabs thrown by their partners in their pants. There was also the after-game buy some tennis balls and throw them in the hoops on the field for prizes. I won a coupon for a free Croissan'wich when a random Cub got an RBI.
Actual Baseball quality: These two teams were pretty bad. They were playing the Cards A team. One of the guys on the Cards was part of the Holliday trade the next day, but I didn't pay attention. The Cards had about 4 errors in the first 2 innings and every play was an adventure. The Cubs won 7-0, but it wasn't that impressive. The Cubs 2 big prospects down there are Josh Vitters and Starlin Castro, both played in the futures game during the All-Star break. I'm no scout, but Vitters was the only guy that really hit the ball and got a major league crack of the bat out of it. Neither team got it within 10 feet of the warning track. Only one pitcher got it above 90 on the radar gun. Both teams uniforms were pretty much exact replicas of the MLB team's, aside from the hats. All players wore the high socks, Cubs with solid blue and Cards with the red/white/black stripes you sometimes see on Cards players in the majors.
Overall experience: It was a decent night's entertainment for 7 bucks, cheaper than a movie. The pulled pork nachos were good. Parking was a block away at the county courthouse and spent a whopping 2 minutes in traffic getting out after the game. The atmosphere was fine. The PA announcer before the game mentioned as fans you got one warning for swearing and the 2nd time you're ejected. Seemed like maybe 20% of the crowd was actual Daytona Cubs fans who all knew each other. The biggest fan in "Front Row" Joe, who has seen every Daytona Cubs home game since '93. Another 20% were your basic families going out for a night. The rest seemed to be, like me, tourists looking for something to do. In the end it's more entertaining watching them up here, but at least in Florida you might see a future star. Then again, famous ex-Daytona players include Ohman, Murton, Wuertz, Hill, and Pie. Couple of good ones though, Wood, Marmol, Soto, and Marshall.
Make that Daytona and not Dayton, duh.
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