Part of my goal for this summer is to experience as much baseball as possible. As such, I couldn’t pass up the Mexico Series. This year, MLB scheduled three, two-game, weekend series in Monterrey, Mexico. My two days in Mexico was the last of the three. The Angels were playing the Astros, so I got the chance to see Mike Trout a few more times as well.

The morning after my visit to Angels Stadium, I drove back to Los Angeles for the flight to Monterrey. I bought my plane tickets early so I could get the only nonstop flight on Delta. And I only fly Delta because the points get me perks.

I have to say, I learned a few things on the trip. The good people of Mexico people have a sense of humor and are tolerant — I’m very grateful for their help. I had a great time and saw a great example that “baseball is like a liquid.”

Lessons Learned

So what did I learn?

Understand The Language – Even a Little Bit

Silly me, I just got on a plane with a passport, camera, and iPhone and assumed that the Mexican would cater to my inability to speak the language. I jokingly tweeted ¹ about my lack of knowledge in Spanish and said I needed to prep better for the London trip.

It was difficult to order at a restaurant, take an Uber or cab and so many more things. It’s a good experience to have if you want to understand what refugees experience when they come to the U.S.

Research is Good, as Well

It would have been a good idea to research and find restaurants that made traditional Mexican food but accommodated English speakers. I didn’t do that.

Moreover, I didn’t read about the stadium rules and learn that cameras were not allowed. I can get into ballparks with my camera and a short lens (55mm) and a small zoom lens (70mm to 250mm). Occasionally, I bring my long lens that extends to 400mm, and I can see players up close.

So, I showed up with my small sling camera bag and security told me “no cameras!” What to do? I found an English speaking guy who worked with MLB security, and we discussed it. My suave, New York communication style did not change anyone’s opinion. The result was, I couldn’t come in with any cameras, and there was no place to store them. So I quickly jumped into an Uber and made a 45-minute round trip back to the hotel. I had a good Uber driver who waited while I went to my room and dropped off the camera. Luckily, I get to stadiums early, so I had time.

Finally, I had to continue my tradition of buying the home team’s cap at the stadium and taking a selfie in the stadium. To that point, I have a new page, devoted to the subject that is almost ready to launch. It has a selfie at each game with a different cap – kind of cool.

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I needed my Mexico hat! However, I had to wait about 45 minutes when I finally got inside the stadium to get into the merchandise store. I should have known better and realized that everyone would want a Mexico Series cap or two. So I waited, waited, and waited. By the time I got inside the shop, the fitted hat I wanted wasn’t available in my size.

I know better now. For London, I’ll buy online before I leave or at the merchandise store, that was set up in another part of the city.

Baseball in Mexico

Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey

The Baseball Stadium in Monterrey, also known as Sultan Place, opened in 1990, but it seemed older when I visited. It is the home of the Mexican League team, Monterrey Sultanes.

The cement structure, handrails, concession stands, hallways just made it seem older than roughly 30 years old. MLB and other websites ² say that the stadium holds 27,000, but the Monterrey Sultanes web site says 22,061. ³ Either way, the Sultan Palace is a cute if somewhat utilitarian ballpark. The fans seem to have fun.

The city of Monterrey is 1,772 ft. above sea level. The only MLB stadium that is higher is Coors Field in Denver. ⁴ I’m not sure if it was the climate or the altitude but the ball seems to carry well. Frankly, what do I know? I was up in the third level (“tank”) and it was just my impression that batted balls seemed to carry. I later found this quote that confirms my suspicions “it rewards hard contact on the ground or in the air. ⁵

The upper deck in the stadium is very steep. My seat (both days) was in the second to last row of the upper deck, so I had a bit of a climb. My thought was, what will it take for me to go down and up again. I mean how bad will I need to pee to make that dangerous trip.

However, then I turned around and saw the view! The view is beautiful, possibly the prettiest view from a ballpark that I have ever seen. The view of San Francisco Bay from (what they now call) Oracle Park is excellent, but the view in Monterrey is much different and better. Tall mountains surround the ballpark.

The Mountains of Monterrey

When I looked to my left from my seat a little past third base, I saw the Cerro de la Silla over the left field fence. It’s tallest point, Pico Norte (North Peak) is 5,740 ft. tall. ⁶

As I panned to my right, I saw the Cerro de Chipinque in center and right field, over the scoreboard. Its elevation is 7,313 ft. tall. ⁷

Finally, way to the right and almost behind home plate is the Cerro de las Mitras standing 6,752 ft. tall. ⁸

Not something you see every day at the old local ballyard.

Festive Atmosphere

Surprisingly, the games weren’t sold out. Approximately 18,000 attended each day. Moreover, it’s not clear how many local fans attended as opposed to American tourists. It seemed like many people from Houston made the less than 500-mile drive to Monterrey and cheer for their team. On Saturday, the people sitting next to me were from Houston and bilingual – which for me was very helpful.

Whatever their origin, the atmosphere was electric and festive. People were celebratory. It didn’t hurt that the Astros beat the Angels 14 – 2 on Saturday and 10 – 4 on Sunday.

The fans were very enthusiastic between innings with the normal scoreboard activities “kiss cam” etc. However, they did one I had never seen before and love. It’s called “Simba Cam.” They play the music from the Lion King while fans hold up their children above and in front of them. Just like the movie. Of course, the camera pans and captures the action on the scoreboard. It looked like fun, and here I was not speaking the language with no toddler to display. I almost thought about renting one. However, that may not have gone over well.

Stadium Food

I didn’t eat much but was fascinated by the differences between the concession practices in American ballparks and Mexico. Vendors tend to sell packaged, finished products in the U.S. Not so in Monterrey, where they assemble the food in front of the fans.

For example, I saw a food vendor carrying a tray with six containers filled with various nuts. I guess that the fan requests their preferred assortment, and the vendor puts it together. He likely adds a nice shot of chili powder that is prevalent in Monterrey.

Speaking of chili powder, the seasoning (possibly mixed with a few others) is dispensed from a squeeze bottle commonly used for syrup. Yes, they have syrup bottles filled with chili powder that they use as needed.

The chili powder is used everywhere, including on corn chips. So the vendor walks around with a tray filled with bags of Fritos and other types of chips. When a fan orders one, he opens the bag and “whoosh” he dispenses another big puff of chili powder.

They serve beer in big plastic cups that hold two bottles worth. The vendor holds two bottles, uses a bottle opener two open both at once and then pours them into the cup. They do this in the stands. Moreover, the bottles are carried around in giant metal tubs and were placed at the bottom of the stairs and halfway up the stands. The vendors would run up and down the stairs, get the beers, deliver to the patron and get paid. Much different than a vendor carrying a plastic tub of beer cans.

Mangos, Chamoy, Chili Powder and Lime

My favorite food was a revelation. The vendor walks through the park with 10-ounce plastic cups filled with various fruits, mangos, pineapple, and possibly strawberries. The fan has a choice of three toppings: chili powder, chamoy, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Chamoy is a sauce made of pickled fruit that “will make your summer sweet, tangy, and a little spicy.” ⁹ I didn’t understand the experience, but “Alex” the very accommodating, bilingual, Astro fan sitting to my left explained it to me. When it was my turn to order, a woman in his group said I should get all three toppings. Who was I to argue?

The vendor grabbed a cup of mangos cut into cubes and squeezed some Chamoy from a plastic syrup bottle. Then he grabbed the ubiquitous chili powder squeeze bottle and added a nice shot of spice. Finally, he took out a lime squeezer and squeezed fresh lime juice over the entire concoction.

I dutifully mixed it all around a took a taste. There was the fruity mango taste, mixed with sweet and sour, spicy with a hint of lime. Fantastic on a hot day with a cold beer.

It’s something I’m going to try at home. I’ve already ordered my Chamoy.

The Sultanes Monster Dog

An excellent dog and possibly a famous one as it was part of the 2019 MLB Food Fest in Los Angeles. ¹⁰ With that said, I’m not exactly sure what I ate, and internet research only goes so far.

The dog was long and thick – clearly a “jumbo” dog – served on a hearty roll. It was topped with a creamy, spicy sauce and some crunchy things – bacon bits? The pictures on the internet tend to show a dog smothered in cheese sauce. These were available but not what I got.

It’s a grilled dog, so it was crunchy with some char, and it had a spicy taste. Further research indicates that it may be Chorizo sausage or have Chorizo mixed in. I think it was the latter.

It’s served with some potato chips, and cut in half, so it’s easier to manipulate. There are additional condiments, but no brown mustard, and I didn’t feel the need to have much more.

I couldn’t finish it, but it scores very high on my lihttps://4bases4kids.com/ballparks-hot-dogs-and-other-lists/#Hot_Dogsst.

The Games

There is no need to repeat what good baseball writers have done. Here are links to a recap for each game if you want to read about them. May 4th/Game 1, May 5th/ Game 2. Here are a few things that struck me as impressive:

Albert Pujols

I was surprised to see Pujols playing first base in the first game. I thought he only DH’d and no longer played the field. In that game, he hit a home run for his 1,999 RBI. Only four other hitters in history have 2,000 RBI – Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Cap Anson, and Alex Rodriguez. Although, I would have stayed anyway, the chance to see him get his 2,000th was another incentive.

Matt Harvey

Harvey is an ex-Met, so his performance interested me. As many know, he suffered a series of debilitating injuries. He missed the entire 2014 after Tommy John surgery. In 2016, he suffered from thoracic outlet syndrome, which required surgery to remove his first rib. In 2017 he didn’t pitch well and missed time due to a stress fracture in his scapula. ¹¹

Last year, his pitching never improved, and he landed in Cincinnati after he and the Mets disagreed on an improvement plan. After showing some promise with the Reds in 2018, he signed a free agent deal with the Angels.

In the fifth inning on Sunday, he hit Robinson Chirinos with one out. After Adremys Diaz flew out for the second out, George Springer singled, and then Harvey walked Jose Altuve. At that point, Manager Brad Asmus replaced him, with Cam Bedrosian. Removing Harvey surprised me since he was pitching well, throwing strikes, and hadn’t thrown a lot of pitches. Bedrosian’s first two pitches to Alex Bregman were balls. Possibly feeling the pressure to get a strike, Bedrosian grooved the next pitch. Bregman hit it over the centerfield wall, and that was pretty much the ballgame.

Hansel Robles

Another ex-Met, Hansel Robles, is now the Angels closer. Robles was ineffective with the Mets and released. I was surprised to find he had resurfaced in Los Angeles.

More surprising is Robles’ absurd entrance routine. They play the “undertaker theme” over an ominous video, with a white horse and flower petals. Yeah, I don’t get it either. Moreover, they play the gong from the song each time Robles records a strikeout.

This type of grand entrance may be appropriate for some. For example, Mariano Rivera the greatest of all time deserved the “Enter Sandman” entrance “off to never-never land.” But in the Angels’ case, we’re talking Hansel “f’ng” Robles who doesn’t have the record to justify this treatment.

Any pitcher has to live up to the entrance or will look foolish. On Sunday, the Astros blistered Robles, and he looked foolish as did the Angels.

Mike Trout

Please read my post about “The Angels of Anaheim” where I discuss Trout’s impressive play.

Justin Verlander

Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander was not at his best. He seemed to struggle at times. Additionally, he was surprised by the way the ball carried. David Fletcher greeted him on his first pitch with a bomb to left field. From my perch, it seemed like Verlander might be thinking, “WTF that should be a fly out!”. The critical point is that Verlander is a master, and there was no question that he was in control. He would find a way to win. All in all, he pitched seven innings, gave up three home runs, but won the game.

Every team needs a stud pitcher. A leader that the team has total confidence in and knows he will do battle as needed. They will follow him into the breach and do battle as well.

Verlander is one of those guys.

The Astros

As far as I can tell, the Astros are the best team in baseball. They dismantled a pretty good Angels team.

The Astros are a result of a lot of high draft choices from their “tanking” days. They simply decided for four years that they would not make an effort to win in the major leagues. They would save their money, lose games, and earn the draft choices needed to rebuild their team. It’s a sad way to manage a ball club, but it works. Just ask the Braves, Phillies, and Cubs who did the same to a certain degree.

With that said, the Astros are also one of the best analytic teams and know how to pick and develop players. That’s why their draft picks are still with the club and are playing well. It’s also why they have a second baseman who stands 5′ 6″ and is on his way to the Hall of Fame. Most teams wouldn’t add a young, unproven Jose Altuve to their organization. The Astros and are reaping the benefits.

I can’t wait to see them again in Houston on May 20th.

After Mexico, I traveled back to Southern California to visit Petco Park and Dodgers Stadium before I headed home.

Over six days, I saw five games in four ballparks on a trip through Southern California and Monterrey, Mexico. My first stop was Angels Stadium in Anaheim. As interested as I was in the Angels of Anaheim, I was most interested in finally seeing Mike Trout. Trout is considered the best player on the planet and I have barely seen him play.

Marketing Mike Trout

How could a devoted baseball fan, not see the game’s greatest player? Baseball has a series of problems marketing stars like Trout:

Timing

He plays on the west coast, so many on the east coast are asleep when he is playing.

Availability

MLB relies on local television to broadcast each team’s games. Fans can subscribe to see any game, and there is also the MLB Network. However, there still is the timing issue. Moreover, the casual fan is not a subscriber, so they will not be exposed to his greatness. Of course, post season play would increase the player’s exposure. Unfortunately, the Angels have not been in the playoffs in a while.

Opportunity

It’s not a sure thing that a specific player will have the chance to do something memorable. Other sports benefit because their stars have constant chances to display their skills. In comparison, a baseball player comes to the plate only four or five times per game and at specified intervals. Exhibiting his defensive prowess is limited because it requires a ball hit in his vicinity.

Baseball is Difficult

You expect failure in baseball. Consider that a measure of excellence is to bat 300. The “300 batting average” sounds much better than “30% hitter,” however, the terms are synonymous. The sad fact is that fans can turn in to watch a celebrated player and he will fail. In Trout’s case, if you watched all his 4,822 plate appearances ¹²; you would have seen him make 2,761 outs¹³ That is not what the uninitiated would consider exciting.

With that said, Trout does so many things well. If you keep your eyes on him, you will be amazed by the way he attacks the game. He brings everything to his hitting, running and fielding. If you focus on Trout, you’ll see something you’ll remember for years to come.

Needless to say, one of my goals on this journey is to see as much of Mr. Trout as possible.

Mike Trout – a Primer

The 25th Pick

My take on Mike Trout is that he snuck up on the casual fan. He was the 25th draft pick in 2009. Not first, not second – 25th! Why so low? One theory is that he’s from New Jersey and as such considered a risky choice. Northern players don’t play as much winter ball, and thus they are lesser known¹⁴

Many teams missed him. A quick review of the list of players drafted before Trout shows a few all-stars. Stephen Strasburg was 1st, Aaron Crow 12th, A.J. Pollock 17th, and Shelby Miller was 19th. Strasburg has been better than many think, Pollack is a solid star, but neither has reached Trout’s heights. No one has. Then there are the others on the list: Donovan Tate, Dustin Ackley, Jacob Turner, etc. Their only baseball achievement to tell their grandkids may be that they were drafted ahead of Mike Trout.

His progress was quick. Before 2010, baseball ranked him the 3rd best prospect in the Angels system and 85th in baseball. By July they increased his ranking to number two. At the end of the year, he was the youngest ever to win the Topps Minor League Player of The Year. Before the following season, ESPN’s Keith Law and MLB’s Jonathan Mayo ranked him the number one prospect in baseball.

Trout’s Major League Career

Trout’s first seven years in the major leagues could be the best in history. A summary:

• 2012: In his first year, he posted one of the “best statistical seasons ever. His 10.9 “Wins Above Replacement (WAR)” ¹⁵ that year is tied with Ted Williams for 21st all-time in a single season. The only other outfielders who have posted a better WAR in at least one season are Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Carl Yastrzemski, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, and Willie Mays. Not surprisingly, he was the youngest and 18th unanimous Rookie of the Year Award winner. Trout finished second in the MVP balloting. Miguel Cabrera, the first player to win the triple crown award in 45 years, won the award.
• 2014: He was the second youngest and 17th unanimous winner of the MVP award.
• 2015: Became the youngest to reach 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases. He is also the second to win four Silver Slugger Awards ¹⁶ in the first four years of his career. For the third time in four years, he finished second in the MVP balloting. He was the first player since Barry Bonds to finish in the top three places for four consecutive years.
• 2016: He won his second MVP Award.
• 2017: Trout became the seventh player to hit his 200th career home run before the end of his age 25 season. He also recorded his 1,000th career hit.
• 2018: He finished fourth in batting average (.312), first in on base percentage (.460) and third in slugging (.628) ¹⁷.

WAR

The best way to codify a baseball player’s comprehensive skill set and compare him to others is to examine his “WAR.” “WAR” (“Wins Above Replacement”) scores players based on their calculated value compared to a minimally viable player ¹⁵. What’s nice is that the score can be used to rank current players and historical ones.

As I mentioned above, Trout’s first-year WAR was one of the best in history. He’s continued to post high scores since then.

Trout’s career WAR shows him on a trajectory to be an inner circle Hall of Fame inductee. In 2016, Trout achieved the highest career WAR in an age 24 season since 1913. The next four highest at that age are Mickey Mantle, Mel Ott, Jimmie Foxx, and Ted Williams. Good company.

His 67.3 career WAR ranks 126th on the all-time list. His only behind four active players. All of them – Zach Greinke, Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera, and Albert Pujols – have played at least eight years longer than Trout. In only his seventh season he already has had a better career than almost every other current player¹⁸.

Watching Mike Trout Play

Trout is on a historic run, one that fans need to experience. If the Angels are on television, watch it. If they’re not, stream the game. Most of all, if you are in a city where the Angels are playing, go. Don’t ask questions, go. If you live in L.A., go a lot!

It’s best to see him live. The problem with television is that the director decides where the viewer should focus their attention. Just focusing a camera on a single player is not an option. And you can’t just watch a game that Trout plays in as if it was a typical game. In those games, you focus on the interplay with the pitcher, catcher, and hitter. You then turn your attention to the lead runner or where the ball is hit. However, when the Angels play, you must keep your eyes on Trout.

Trout is a guy who is focused and always in the game. He hustles. Watching him ground out is a revelation. He sprints down the line as fast as possible, no matter how sure an out the ground ball is. In comparison, most players including the $300 million men, Bryce Harper, and Manny Machado trot. If there is an error, they will be safe at first. If the ball goes past the first baseman, they will make it to second. Not Trout, he sprints and makes the easy play close.

Making Things Happen

I saw him sprint through two ground outs when I saw him for the first time on Thursday. Later, he doubled and hit a home run and had a pretty good day. However, it was Sunday in Mexico, where he really impressed. In the third inning, the leadoff hitter, David Fletcher singled. Trout walked, creating a situation where men were on first and second with no one out. The next hitter, Brian Goodwin, flew out to center. That’s when the fun started.

As expected, Fletcher advanced to third. The centerfielder – George Springer’s – play was to throw to second. The theory is that a good throw will keep the runner on first in so doing, avoiding a second player in scoring position. Most runners understand the theory and assume that they won’t get to second safely. Instead, they proceed halfway and then go back to the safety of first when the throw is made. Not Trout. He sprinted and slid headfirst into second, beating the throw.

Did it mean anything? Not really. The Astros retired the next couple of hitters, no runs scored, and they came from behind to win 10 to 4. But it happened, and it’s why we watch. It’s why everyone should watch.

There are the players we wish we saw or at least wish we remembered seeing. I barely remember Clemente, Mays or Mantle, even though I saw them and I never saw Joe DiMaggio or Jackie Robinson. I am just a little too young to have experienced their greatness and I regret it. In the future, people will wish they saw Mike Trout. You don’t want to be one of them.

Along Came Andrelton Simmons

On Thursday, it was Andrelton Simmons’ play that I will always remember. Simmons also seems to fly under the radar. Only devoted fans know of his prowess. I assume that he might be more popular if he still played in Atlanta. The issues with his popularity are the same as Trout’s.

However, Simmons is one of the best shortstops in the game. MLB The Show ranks him the 4th best shortstop in baseball ¹⁹. He’s astute and very talented. He displayed both facets in one play on Thursday night.

In the top of the sixth, the Angels were ahead by a seemingly comfortable margin of four runs, 5 -1. However, Eric Sogard led off the inning with a walk and scored when Randall Grichuk doubled. Then Justin Smoak walked.

So, there was one out, and Brandon Drury representing the tying run was at bat. Moreover, pitcher Tyler Skaggs was faltering and the team needs someone to “step up.” Drury lofted a short fly toward second base. It wasn’t high enough to be considered an out under the infield fly rule. The expectation was that Simmons would catch the ball and record the second out with no runners advancing.

Instead, Simmons let the ball hit the ground and then pop into his glove. He quickly stepped on second to force the runner on first out. He then chased the man on second into a rundown for a fantastic double play.

Some shortstops would have thought to let the ball drop, but don’t have the skill to turn that double play. Others have the talent but wouldn’t have thought to do it. Simmons is unique, he did both.

However, I don’t think anyone noticed.

Angels Fans

The reported 40,064 that supposedly attended the game were preoccupied. I’m going to guess that most didn’t realize that Simmons instigated the rundown.

No offense intended. Angels fans don’t seem much different than other fans. They don’t seem to pay attention to the finer points of the game. On Thursday, they drank some beer, ate some food and seemed to have a good time. When the scoreboard said “make noise” they made noise. They did the wave, played with their phones and waved them late in the game to light up the stands. Although they seemed to follow the game and cheered appropriately, I doubt that many realized Simmons’ direct influence on the play.

Angels Stadium

The stadium itself is the fourth oldest in the major leagues, and it feels like it needs a remodel. The ballpark has gone through many renovations. In the late 1970s, the ballpark was enclosed to add 20,000 seats to entice the Los Angeles Rams to play their home games there. At the same time, they moved the iconic Big A from the scoreboard area to the parking lot. After the Rams left in 1994, the stadium was reconfigured to support only baseball, and seating reduced to 45,000.

While it’s a fine place to see a game, the renovations may have cost it its character. The stadium doesn’t have a unifying theme and is missing some of the amenities of newer stadiums.

For example, there are a few flourishes of Disney’s influence in Anaheim. There are a few statues but not enough to make a difference. I realize that Disney no longer owns the team, but either you need more Disney influence or remove it all. After all, if you think Anaheim, you think Disney. Moreover, I didn’t see play areas as I saw at Citizens Bank, Petco or Marlins Park. Put that concept with Disney, and you have something.

I passed some excellent beer stands that offered a series of craft beers. I liked the Bud Patio, Coors Light Cold Zone and the Picnic Area. If I were in Anaheim, I’d spend too much time out there before a game.

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Time For A New Stadium?

However, walking through the stadium made me feel like management keeps trying to add new things where they can to try and stay relevant. It’s like they keep trying to retrofit the stadium to fit a new sensibility. So the food areas are scattered through the stadium with little rhyme or reason. The experience is like walking through an old mall that is trying to stay relevant and compete with the new one up the street.

There is a much different feel at San Diego’s much newer Petco Park. It’s like the new mall.

The team is considering moving to a new stadium, and that seems to be a good idea.

Bad Night for Hot Dogs

I blundered in my quest for the best MLB ballpark hot dog! I went against my stated criteria and should not be surprised that I was disappointed.

At the start of the journey I said, “at some point, you’re eating something someone did to the dog and not just a dog.” My goal was to stay away from hot dogs that had excessive toppings that overwhelmed the basic hot dog. So why did I choose a jumbo dog with bacon, caramelized onions and apple cider sauerkraut from Crafty Dawgs?

Somehow, I understood that the place to go was the Legend Dog stand near the Bud Patio for an excellent grilled Jumbo Dog. It was only open on weekends so I couldn’t get one and a guard suggested Crafty Dawg.

Shame on me, the Angel Dog from one of the other stands was probably the way to go and what I will do next time. Most of all, I’ll do more research.

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For the record, the Crafty Dawg had some of the criteria I was looking for:

• tasty
• not sausage
• crunchy, with some char
• possibly a sturdy bun – it couldn’t handle the weight of all my toppings, but what could?
• unique toppings

The problem is that I should have bucked the trend and just ordered the dog with the apple cider sauerkraut and some honey mustard. In total, to my taste, it was a below-average dog, but I should have known better. Moreover, others seemed to enjoy the experience.

Next stop is Monterrey for the Mexico Series!