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TEAM ::: LOWELL SPINNERS
LOCATION ::: LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS
MY
FIRST VISIT ::: JUNE 23, 2005
OPPONENT ::: VERMONT EXPOS
LEVEL ::: NEW YORK - PENN LEAGUE (SHORT SEASON A)
RATINGS
BALLFIELD ::: D
SCOREBOARD ::: B
FOOD ::: B
FACILITIES ::: B
MASCOT ::: B
MY TAKE ON THE PARK
MY TAKE ON THE PARK
BACK IN 1996 THE NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE ADDED ANOTHER INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISE IN LOWELL, MASS.
THE SPINNERS, JUST LIKE THE TEAMS THAT WERE ADDED IN HUDSON VALLEY, BROOKLYN, AND ABERDEEN SELL OUT EVERY
NIGHT. PROBLEM IS, UNLIKE THOSE OTHER PLACES, LOWELL HAS A GREAT LOOKING STADIUM THAT JUST DOESN'T MATCH THE OTHERS.
FROM THE OUTSIDE, THIS PARK LOOKS GREAT, SITUATED ACROSS FROM UMASS LOWELL, LeLACHEUR PARK SITS ALONG THE RIVERBANK
FACED IN BRICK GIVING A VERY OLD TIME / NEW ENGLAND FEEL TO THE PARK. ONCE THE STAIRS HAVE BEEN CLIMBED AND YOU ENTER THE
CONCOURSE, THINGS KIND OF CHANGE.
THE CONCOURSE RUNS BEHIND THE SEATING BOWL, OFFERING CONCESSIONS AND A WIDE ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE CROWDS TO PASS.
PROBLEM IS ONCE YOU LOOK AT THE FIELD. THE FIELD HERE MAY BE ONE OF THE WORST IN PROFESSIONAL BALL, I UNDERSTAND I VISITED
THE SECOND GAME OF THE SEASON FOR THE SPINNERS, BUT IT WAS IN LATE JUNE AND PLENTY OF TIME FOR THE SPRING THAW. THE PARKS
IN PORTLAND, MAINE AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE DIDN'T REFLECT ANY ILL EFFECTS OF WINTER.
THE SEATING AREA SURROUNDING THIS FIELD DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. DOWN THE FIRST BASE LINE, THE STANDS EXTEND
TO THE BULLPEN, WHERE THE STANDS TURN AND STOP. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO KEEP THE PARK ALONG THE STREET NEXT TO THE
STADIUM BECAUSE THEY COULD SURE USE THE EXTRA SEATS HERE. BUT IN A WAY THIS IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON THERE
IS JUST WAY TOO MUCH FOUL TERRITORY HERE AND IF THOSE SEATS CONTINUED TO ANGLE, YOU WOULD BE A MILE AWAY FROM THE FIELD.
DOWN THE THIRD BASE SIDE IS A MORE 'NORMAL' MINOR LEAGUE SEATING AREA. CHAIRS BEYOND THIRD BASE, 2 SECTIONS
OF METAL BLEACHERS GIVING WAY TO A PLAYGROUND.
THE CONCESSIONS HERE ARE PRETTY GOOD. THE SMELLS THAT CREPT DOWN TO THE SEATING AREA REMINDED ME OF BINGHAMTON,
THIS PLACE SMELLS GOOD.
HOWEVER, FOR A GOOD SHOW TO GO ALONG WITH YOUR HOT DOG, GET A DOG FROM 'THE
DOG MAN' VENDOR. NO MATTER HOW YOU LIKE OUR DOG, HE'LL COFIRM YOUR
ORDER WITH A DOG RELATED NAME. (EX: 1 DOG WITH KETCHUP
= 1 BLOODHOUND)
A TRIP TO LOWELL WILL ALSO KEEP YOU UPDATED ON YOUR MOVIE TRIVIA. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO
A PARK THAT USED AS MANY MOVIE QUOTES, NON BASEBALL ONES
INCLUDED, AS THEY USED HERE. THEY JUST
SEEMED TO USE A DIFFERENT ONE AFTER EVERY OUT.
TO GET HERE, PARKING IS $5 BUT IS LIMITED NEXT TO THE STADIUM. CHANCES ARE YOU WILL HAVE A SHORT WALK ONCE YOU
LEAVE THE CAR. SINCE YOU SHOULD
GET HERE EARLY, TAKE A STROLL ON THE WALKWAY BEHIND THE OUFIELD WALL, YOU WON'T BE ABLE
TO SEE INTO THE STADIUM, BUT YOU'LL GET A GOOD VIEW OF
THE RIVER AND WILL COME OUT AT THE BRIDGE WHICH CAN
BE SEEN FROM THE INSIDE OF THE PARK.
AS A REMINDER, THIS ISN'T A PLACE TO DROP IN ON, MOST LIKELY 5,000 PEOPLE WILL BE AT THE GAME SO CALL AHEAD.
CHECK OUT THE SCHEDULES FOR THE BOSTON RED SOX, NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS, OR PORTLAND SEA DOGS FOR
A POSSIBLE EXTENDED TRIP TO SEE THE
SPINNERS.
THE LINE UPS
VERMONT EXPOS MANAGER :::
8 BOBBY WILLIAMS
LOWELL SPINNERS MANAGER
:::
12 LUIS ALICEA
VERMONT EXPOS
15
Francisco Plasencia cf
2 Jose Contreras ss
23 Dee Brown lf
24 Carlos Torres 1b
37 Lorvin Louisa dh
30 Mike
Daniel rf
27 Melvin Mancebo c
3 Brandon Conway 3b
5 Andy Lane 2b
20 Oscar Lira p / LP
LOWELL SPINNERS
6 Dominic Ramos ss
20 Yahmed Yema dh
25 Willie Mota cf
24 Tim Burgess 1b
37 Luis
Soto rf
7 Jay Johnson lf
3 Dustin Kelly 2b
5 Matt Mercurio 3b
39 Mike Leonard c
21 Adam Blackley p / WP
44
Blake Maxwell S
EXPOS 100
001 000 2 7 1
SPINNERS 300 002 00x
5 8 1
TIME ::: 2:31
ATTENDANCE ::: 5,000
WEATHER ::: 78 PARTLY CLOUDY
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