OT: Reno Aces Play First Ever Home Game in New Stadium

by nvsfg on Apr 18, 2009 9:03 PM PDT Comment 12 comments

Last night the Reno Aces ( Diamondbacks AAA) played the first home game in the long awaited return of professional baseball in Reno, NV. The starting pitcher was none other than former short term Giant Travis Blackley.

Season Tickets cost me about the same as my three annual pilgrimages to the mother ship, and I figured what the hell, it's professional baseball, sort of. As a Giant fan, I could not sit on the home side, so I selected the best seats I could find, first base side, first row, and the other season ticket holders are great. All Giants fans, and one A's fan next to us. About halfway through the game, Mrs. nvsfg said "Hey these guys are pretty good. Too bad I can't cheer for them". Myself and our seat mates agreed that we would cheer for and support the local boy's except when they were playing "Our Guy's"

The park dimensions are huge, Left-field line, 339 ft., left-field alley, 370; center field, 410; right-center field, 423 right-field alley, 386; right-field line, 340, and contain elements of many major league parks Left Field and Left Center is about a ~~75 ft green monster type High Wall~~ Edit: The "Wall" seems to be closer to 45 or 50 ft , and Right Center is deeper than AT&T. The dimensions and wall scared the hell out me until I thought about the 5000 foot altitude.

All in all a good night. Blackley went five and The Aces won 11-1, with no HR's hit in the new park. I have three favorites already of the local guys. Josh Whitsell (1B), Josh Wilson (SS), and Trent Oltjen (RF).

The Grizzlies are in town from May 8-11, and I will post pics of the bastard sons of the San Francisco Giants when they hit town. Below are few select pictures from "Opening Day".

About 45 minutes prior to game time.

View From My Seats. Can talk to the players during warm ups. The Bee's guys were pretty cool, but still a little subdued about Adenhart. Most of these guys knew him pretty well.

Let's get this thing rolling. First Game ever, Home Opener and of course the Mayor(s), City Council, Owners, and MLB had things to say. Mostly Thank You, Thank You, please come and spend money.

First Pitch !! Strike One.

First Base Coach would not stay in the box. Kept moving around and blocking people’s views. Everyone in our section endlessly heckled him.

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thanks for sharing

You’d think the ball would fly up there… it’s not Denver, but it is higher and drier, certainly than SF. Is there any important weather pattern downtown that will affect the yard? I always thought Reno was basically windy everywhere, when it was windy.

I don’t see how the heck could you buy season tickets and not root for them? Unless you lived in Fresno all your life, you should root, root, root for your home team. Besides, Fresno is basically a holding tank for Giants AAAA players anyway who you won’t see in an SF uniform for more than a cup of coffee.

Smart to sit on the visitors’ side so you can see the various squads from other systems. I’m sure you could always lurk on the other side during the game occasionally (after the shiny wears off) to see Aces notables if desired.

Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti. "I treat Timmy differently from most pitchers: I leave him alone."

by natteringnabob on Apr 18, 2009 9:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

There was no wind on Friday night. I do think it will be a factor in the future though. That and the altitude explains the size of the park.

I do root for the home team, just not when they are playing my guys :-)

"One percent of ballplayers are leaders of men. The other ninety-nine percent are followers of women."-John McGraw, NY Giants Baseball Club

My adopted son Matt Downs . Ranked as the 24th best prospect in the Giants farm system by Baseball America !!

by nvsfg on Apr 18, 2009 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks!

My wife and I used to live near Reno, and I had been to some Silver Sox games back a couple years ago. Last summer we moved up north near her family, and heard shortly after about the decision regarding the Reno Aces. I was steamed.

Its nice to see a couple pictures of the ballpark, though. Where in Reno is the stadium located? At some point I’m taking the family back down that side of the Sierras, and I’m going to make sure to catch a game when I’m there.

I'm as tall as Mel - why can't I hit 500 home runs?

by Ott on Apr 18, 2009 11:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The stadium is located downtown, basically behind the Bowling Stadium and Harrah’s, and backs up to the river. They demolished a signifcant portion of older buildings on fourth and lake streets. So far the only issue seems to be parking. I think that problem will be solved as the “entertainment district” slated to finish next year will help with that.

"One percent of ballplayers are leaders of men. The other ninety-nine percent are followers of women."-John McGraw, NY Giants Baseball Club

My adopted son Matt Downs . Ranked as the 24th best prospect in the Giants farm system by Baseball America !!

by nvsfg on Apr 18, 2009 11:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Which way does the park face?

More importantly, are there seats where the ballgame is in the foreground and the Sierras form the backdrop?

I'm as tall as Mel - why can't I hit 500 home runs?

by Ott on Apr 19, 2009 9:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Standing at Home Plate you would be looking east. So…The grass pavillion seating area looking in toward home has the Sierra Mountains as a backdrop (west) , as does the SRO walkway above the mini monster (southwest).

"One percent of ballplayers are leaders of men. The other ninety-nine percent are followers of women."-John McGraw, NY Giants Baseball Club

My adopted son Matt Downs . Ranked as the 24th best prospect in the Giants farm system by Baseball America !!

by nvsfg on Apr 19, 2009 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am very much looking forward to seeing that park in real life.

SFDugout.com is BACK! See the Top 50 Giants Prospects!

by BruteSentiment on Apr 19, 2009 1:06 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

BLANK TH'...oh. Sorry.

“And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new identity
Closer to the heart.”

NL West TempestTeapot
Nothing matters , and what if it did?

by victor frankenstein on Apr 19, 2009 7:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I also live in Reno and am looking forward to going to some games. Unfortunately, the Grizz come to town right in the middle of my finals at Nevada-Reno, so I don’t know how i’m going to make it to one of those, but I will try. If i do, pictures will follow. : )

Brand new adoptive daddy for the Big Unit. This is one of the only ways a 5' 10" father can have a 6' 10" son.

by Speedforthewin on Apr 19, 2009 10:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I have season tickets for the Aces. The first two games have had an absolutely electric atmosphere. I’m getting my sunscreen on for the first day game this afternoon!

This bread's got nuts in it!

by NuschlerFace on Apr 19, 2009 10:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs