My #SeeAll30 Summer trip to all 30 MLB Ballparks...

Here are a few stats about my trip from this season:

30 games in 30 parks, 366 singles by 202 different players (most: 8 by Pedroia of BOS), 103 doubles by 88 different players (most: 3 by Saunders of SEA), 12 triples by 12 different players, 63 HR's by 50 different players (most: 5 by Saltalamacchia of BOS) all producing a total of 288 runs. I saw 2 Grand Slams: 1 by Youkilis (BOS), ironically against the team he would later be traded to (CHW) & 1 by Reddick (Oak - his 1st career GS), ironically against his former team (BOS). Longest HR was 448ft by Stanton (MIA) @ Coors Field (I called this HR just seconds before he hit it). 1 Triple Play, my 1st ever (by TOR in KC). I saw 8 different players play for 2 different teams: Inge (DET/OAK), Pence (PHI/SF), Scutaro (COL/SF), Victorino (PHI/LAD), Lee (HOU/MIA), Ramirez (MIA/LAD), Gonzalez (BOS/LAD) & Maholm (CHC/ATL). I also saw a player start a AAA game 1 night and play in the majors the next night: Blackmon (Colo Springs/COL). I got 3 extra inning games: CHC/CIN (10), MIA/HOU (12) & MIA/AZ (10). I had 2 doubleheaders: Wrigley Field/Miller Park & PNC Park/Progressive Field (I did see the 1st ever doubleheader at Chase Field, but neither of those games counted towards my 30). Team I saw the most: the Red Sox, whom I saw 6 times @ 6 different parks going 3-3: Target Field (W), US Cellular Field (W), Fenway Park (W), Tropicana Field (L), Angel Stadium (L) & O.Co Coliseum (L). I also saw them at Safeco Field, but not part of the 30 & for a total of 10 games. I saw 54 different starting pitchers: most starts by 1 pitchers was 3 by Buchholz (BOS) who I saw go 1-1. I saw the 1st ever (and so far only) time opposing pitchers have faced each other on their birthdays: 5/3 @ Great American Ball Park: Dempster (CHC) vs Bailey (CIN). People I met who work in baseball: Mark Shapiro (President of the Indians), Larry Lucchino (Owner/CEO/President of the Red Sox), Art Howe (former Manager), Heidi Watney (sports reporter, formerly with NESN), Kirk Gibson (Manager of the Diamondbacks), Willie Bloomquist (Diamondbacks), Bruce Bochy (Manager of the Giants) & Luis Gonzalez (former Diamondback, now in front office for AZ). I got to walk on 2 different fields: Chase Field & AT&T Park. I signed several copies of the book I co-wrote ("The Fastest 30 Ballgames..."), with the coolest signing being at Fenway Park (got a cool pic of the book with the Green Monster behind it), met several Ballpark Chasers, was there the night the Guinness World Record of getting to all 30 MLB Ballparks the fastest was broken by Chuck Booth (4/28 in BAL), got to sit in a suite for my 1st time ever (4/25 in CLE), got my 1st ever tattoo (before a game in MIN, it's a Boston "B", saw the Sox win that night). The total time for all 30 game: 90 hours & 3 minutes (just a tad over 3 hour average), total attendance: 894,627 for an average of 29,821/game with the highest being 8/30/12 @ Dodger Stadium 54,621 (Vin Scully Bobblehead night), the lowest being 4/25/12 @ Progressive Field (Cleveland) 10,552.

States: 34 (plus 1 District & 1 Province) – WA, MN, KS, MO, IL, WI, IN, OH, MI, WV, PA, KY, MD, NY, NJ, DE, CT, MA, TN, VA, GA, AL, MS, LA, TX, FL, OR, ID, UT, WY, CO, NM, AZ, CA, – DC & ON
Games: All 30 MLB Ballparks but a total of 44 games (40 MLB & 4 MiLB)
Miles Driven: 1st part: 13,104 & 2nd part: 4,846. Total: 17,950 miles driven.
Miles by Air: 3575 (3 flights – SEA-MPLS, MPLS – KC & CHI – SEA)
Tolls: TOO DAMN MUCH! Didn’t keep track, would estimate about $355+ (only $5 on 2nd trip)
Fastest Game: 2:16 – Citi Field – Diamondbacks vs Mets
Longest Game: 4:19 Minute Maid Park – Marlins vs Astros (12 innings)
Best Park Experience: AT&T Park, Fenway Park & Citi Field
Worst Park Experience: Turner Field
Best Nachos: Minute Maid Park in Houston (Buffalo Chicken Nachos)
Worst Nachos: Marlins Park in Miami or Angel Stadium in Anaheim

These include all games I went to, not just official 30:
Tickets: $673.50 for 32 games (got 8 comp'd tickets) for an average of $21.05/ticket. MiLB – $47 for an average of $11.75.
Parking: $598 33 games (parked for free for 7 games on West Coast run) for an average of $18.12/game. MiLB – $5 (for 1 game, with 3 games parking for free) for an average of $5.
Fouls/BP/HR balls: 4 – 2 MLB – 1 in San Diego & 1in San Francisco (given to me by Luis Gonzalez) & 2 MiLB – 1 in Albuquerque (PCL) & 1 in Tucson (PCL)
Inside The Park HR: 1 – Justin Upton at Chase Field on August 25, 2012 – My 1st ever Inside The Park HR.
After Game Concerts: 2 – both at Chase Field – MercyMe & Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers
Stadium Giveaways: 5 – 1 in Phoenix an “I saw all 18 innings” pin for those who went to both games of 1st ever doubleheader at Chase Field, Vin Scully bobblehead at Dodger Stadium, Twins Umbrella @ Target Field, Frank Robinson mini statue @ Camden Yards & MLB Network drawstring bag @ Citi Field.
Balks: 3 (all on Buchholz on 5/16 in TB)
Mascots I Met: Sluggerrr (KC), Raymond (TB) but also Teddy (DC) & Lincoln (DC), The Legends at Chase Field (Gonzalez, Grace, Johnson, Williams) & Baxter (AZ).
People who had a character portrayed of them in “Moneyball”: 2 – Mark Shapiro (in Cleveland) & Art Howe (in Houston)
Games where it rained (w/ or w/o a roof): 8 – SEA, BAL, DC, HOU, MIA, MIA, TB & ATL

Who I Saw:

Boston Red Sox 3-3
Miami Marlins 3-2
Arizona Diamondbacks 1-3
Chicago Cubs 2-1
Colorado Rockies 1-2
Oakland Athletics 1-2
Baltimore Orioles 2-0
Toronto Blue Jays 2-0
Kansas City Royals 1-1
Cincinnati Red 1-1
Pittsburgh Pirates 1-1
Texas Rangers 1-1
Los Angels Angels 1-1
Atlanta Braves 1-1
Cleveland Indians 1-1
Seattle Mariners 1-1
Milwaukee Brewers 1-1
Philadelphia Phillies 0-2
San Francisco Giants 1-0
St. Louis Cardinals 1-0
San Diego Padres 1-0
Tampa Bay Rays 1-0
Washington Nationals 1-0
New York Mets 1-0
Houston Astros 0-1
New York Yankees 0-1
Los Angeles Dodgers 0-1
Minnesota Twins 0-1
Detroit Tigers 0-1
Chicago White Sox 0-1

Above all I met A LOT of great people and had A LOT of fun along the way!

... and to think, I didn't think I would be catching even 1 single game outside of Seattle this season! WOW! :)

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Comment by Craig (17) on September 26, 2012 at 9:25pm: Haha...glad you corrected yourself! :)

Comment by Ken Lee (30/43) on September 26, 2012 at 11:18am: I missed saying I hit Left Hand Brewing in Longmont, CO (sorry Craig lol) :)

Comment by Ken Lee (30/43) on September 23, 2012 at 10:12am: Good question Meg... how many bars/breweries? I didn't hit many on the East Coast/Mid West run on the trip because my schedule was so tight I didn't have much time between cities/games. I did hit a couple on the Miami area, both in Hollywood, Fl, "Le Tub" where I met a bartender who is a diehard Indians fan and I went to the Hollywood Ale House, where the best IPA they had on tap is made about 40 minutes from where I live (Red Hook). I hit up "Cigar City Brewing" in Tampa, which has several great beers, I especially liked the Jai Alai IPA (sooo good) and the Tocobago Red Ale. I then hit up a bar close to Tropicana Field called "Fergs" that is a happening place before games and since it was a Red Sox/Rays game I was going to, it was FULL and lots of fun with the locals, even as I was wearing my Red Sox jersey. In Dallas (Lewisville actually) I hit up a place, a sports bar, but I cant recall its name. I did get to try a beer from Rahr & Sons while I was there, I had the "Texas Red". Hit up a place with my FIL in Harrodsburg, KY after my Cincy game called "The Owls Nest" that has Kentucky Ale and Kentucky Bourbon Ale on tap! Ohhhh soooo good! I hit 3 places with you, right? Sand Lot at Coors Field (a guy working at Alaskan Brewing Company told me on Monday they are no long part of the Miller/Coors family, I dont think I knew that), Falling Rock (awesome tap list!) and Rockyard Brewing. I went to Kelly's Brewing in Albuquerque, my 2nd time there. I hit up Dragoon Brewing in Tucson, where one of the owners, Eric, knew who I was (former Mr. Beer brewmaster), and even greeted me by saying, "You're Ken, the guy that travels to all the ballparks and is Manfish Brewing". Yeah buddy! :) I went to Alice Cooperstown in Phoenix (a restaurant/bar) and it is here I had the San Tan Brewing IPA, which is AWESOME! So good, I went back for more a couple days later. Sliders, right across from Chase Field, they had Old Style there, that was wicked cool! I went by Sun Up Brewing in Scottsdale, wasn't impressed at all with this place. My fav place in the valley of the sun though, is in Scottsdale, called Papago Brewing. Last year I went here several times, this run through, I went several times. They have a great tap list that rotates often and a huge fridge selection as well. In San Diego I hit up Ballast Point Brewings taster room, which is actually inside of a home brew brew store. Hit up Stone Brewing Co again for the tour, always a great time and lots of free beer. In Anaheim I hit up Noble Ale Works, been trying for a couple years to get to this place, it did not disappoint. I also hit up Clancy's Clubhouse, though their tap list sucks, you can get $2.50 Bud Lights during happy hour. In the Bay Area I hit up Drakes Brewing in San Leandro. I was there last year, liked it, so I went back and my "See All 30" jersey was like magic there as people were buying me beer and the owner of the food truck out front brought me lunch, a great black bean burger, for free. Was pretty cool. After I left there I went to a place called "The Englander" where I met up with Tike Narry for a few pints of Pliny the Elder on tap. Hit this place up a couple times while I was in town. My last 2 stops were in San Francisco, the Merchant House right there at AT&T Park and then 21st Amendment Brewing, just a couple blocks up the street from the ballpark. I think that is all of them.... :)

Comment by meg minard (30/44/205) on September 18, 2012 at 8:01pm: Nice recap, Ken. Blackmon is still up with the Rockies.

Was curious.... to how many different bars/breweries did you make a visit during this quest?