JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
ALLENTOWN – Greetings from lovely Coca-Cola Park, home of the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. That’s a pic of the place, compliments of my handy-dandy camera phone, below left. Click on it for a larger image.
I’m here to do a piece on former Hempfield High School standout Aaron Herr, who is playing for the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.
Just had a nice chat with Aaron outside the Bats’ clubhouse. He’ll be batting third and playing second base today – a 5:35 p.m. Sunday start.
IronPigs and Bats – cool nicknames or what?
This is not a complete and total reprise of my Day at the Ballpark column I co-penned with my wife, Rebecca, a few years back. But I thought I’d weigh in with some thoughts on Coca-Cola Park:
First and foremost, this is a pretty sweet place. And it’s a piece of cake to find: 222 to 78 to 22 to the Lehigh Valley Airport exit. Bang a right, then another right. Then a left into the stadium – which sits on basically an empty lot, surrounded by rolling fields – oh, and an Arby’s, which is right across the street.
I used the facilities there on the way in – what did you think? I stopped there for a roast beef? Nope. I’m on a diet, silly.
Tons of stuff in the outfield here – billboards in left; a giant screen and replay board in left-center; more billboards high above the wall in right.
Every seat is pretty close; not a bad seat in the joint, actually.
They have a picnic area with a grassy knoll in left-center and there’s a black batting eye in dead center.
Press box area is very nice. But it would have been nice if the air conditioning was working. Ugh. Remember Ricky Bottalico, former Phillies pitcher? He’s a TV guy for IronPigs’ broadcasts, and he’s been bopping around the press box the last hour so. Funny guy.
No Brett Myers here today, by the way. He’s here on a 20-day assignment, but apparently he’s working out in Philly today. He’ll get the start for the IronPigs against Herr and the Bats on Monday.
Plenty of concession areas here. And the prices look reasonable – not that I’ve bought anything, mind you.
Hot dogs and sodas are $2, which is nice. Soft pretzels, which look huge, are $2.75.
Ticket prices are decent, ranging from $6 for the grassy knoll area to $14 for club box seats, right behind home plate. And you can get something called an IronPig ticket for $20. Not sure what that is, but it probably includes some sort of buffet or giveaway item.
Speaking of which, today is IronPiggy Bank Giveaway Day. Looks the kids get a free piggy bank upon entry. Gotta love those minor-league ballpark giveaways. And I know I can hardly wait to see the between-the-innings entertainment.
Cool, cool place. And only about an hour or so from Lancaster.
So check it out.
And be sure to check for my Aaron Herr story in Monday’s New Era.
I also might try and get fancy and post the audio from my interview. Stay tuned for that.
