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)
Total number of runs: 282
Number of times teams sent at least 9 men to the plate in 1 inning:Â 10.
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 this season, 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).
I met several Ballpark Chasers [1].
I 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).
I got to sit in a suite for my 1st time ever (4/25 in CLE).
I 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).
The 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 BP in San Diego (running my streak to 3 consecutive games I have got a BP ball in SD, all 3 I have ever been to there) & 1 BP in San Francisco (given to me by Luis Gonzalez) & 2 MiLB – 1 foul in Albuquerque (PCL) & 1 BP 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 @ Chase Field, Vin Scully bobblehead @ 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 “Moneyballâ€: 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 (official 30 games only):
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