Tag: Comerica Park

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Heading to Comerica Park for a Detroit Tigers home game, here are the guidelines

553 days. To put it another way, more than 18 months have past since any fans had tickets scanned and entered Comerica Park for a Detroit Tigers home game due to COVID-19. Now to start the 2021 MLB season exactly 8,200 fans will be allowed to attend. Some things will remain while other things will not be allowed, not yet anyway. Let’s take a closer look.

Opening day in Detroit is special. As a child I would routinely come up with a mystery headache or upset stomach on opening day so that my Mom would either call me in to school or pull me out of school. After all everyone knows baseball, opening day baseball in Detroit is better medicine than anything over the counter.

DETROIT, MI – APRIL 17: A detailed view of the Comerica Park Ferris Wheel during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park on April 17, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the White Sox 2-1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

As Detroit Tigers will have fans in the stands this season, the 8,200 is expected to rise as the season moves along. Some things that fans are accustom to will remain, some will not at this time.

What’s new at Comerica Park? For starters wearing masks, sitting space apart, social distancing throughout the ballpark, cashless payments and filling out gameday wellness surveys. This is where we are at this time. For good reason.

Yet, some “normalcy” is also going to be in effect. Fans can still enjoy getting a hot dog, sausage, peanuts, nachos and, Little Caesars pizza. Detroit Tigers mascot “Paws” will still be around the ball park and up to his usual antics. Word is the Easter Bunny will make an appearance this weekend as well. Oh, and Friday night fireworks after the game? They are still going to take place.

DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 17: A merry-go-round in the stadium prior to Game Five of the American League Championship Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park on October 17, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Unfortunately, kid favorites the carousel, Ferris wheel and face painting will not be open. It is all to ensure families and fans are safe. As noted, MLB expects more fans will be able to attend games as the season moves along.

I plan to attend Detroit Tigers games this season to take in the final stages of the long rebuild. But, mostly because I could not last season. Even though the Tigers will not be very good this season, they will be again very soon.

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Detroit Tigers home opener at glorious Comerica Park

Embed from Getty Images Comerica Park opened 20 years ago. It has not aged a day. A ballpark in the middle of downtown Detroit. Comerica Park is one of the few honest to goodness downtown ballparks in MLB. Today the Detroit Tigers will celebrate Opening Day in Motown.

The home of the Detroit Tigers boasts  open vistas in the outfield that shows off the Detroit skyline. It also has a fantastic open-air concourse unlike the tunnel of the old Tiger Stadium. Not to mention giant statues of Tiger legends  Al Kaline, Hal Newhouser, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, Willie Horton and Ty Cobb.

With no  apologies to the baseball purists, Comerica Park is more family friendly than the rest of the MLB parks. There is a  carousel and  Ferris wheel For children to enjoy which adds more entertainment value to attending a Tigers.

20 years in, and Comerica is still a great place to watch a ball game. Gone from the early days are the crazy expansive dimensions the Tigers  took about about 25 feet off the distance to left field and also moved the bullpens from right field in order to add  1,000 better seats. A great upgrade.

Comerica Park is the only professional Detroit sports venue that isn’t enclosed.  The most underrated aspects of Comerica Park is the food. The  Little Caesars Coney Deep Dish Pizza is a must! Comerica park is one of the few parks that allow fans to bring their own food in. Good for people who have food restrictions.

I believe Comerica Park is the best  ballpark experience in baseball. Detroit Tigers fans take baseball seriously. Even in the midst of a rebuild, the fans are ready to roll into the season as they await top prospects. They will flock to the park once again this summer.

It helps greatly that there is a great place to watch a game. As anticipation grows waiting for the Tigers to return to postseason baseball.

 

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Detroit Tigers: minor league player of the year

Embed from Getty Images I feel like a broken record in talking about Detroit Tigers minor league phenom Isaac Paredes. Yet, here we go again. This time I have backing. Parades is the Detroit Tigers minor league player of the year by a landslide.

 

The single greatest thing that Isaac Paredes has going for him is his age. 19 years old. The other great thing is Paredes’s raw talent.

 

In the pitching dominate Florida State League. Isaac belted 12 home runs. That has not happened in a long time. The Florida league is all about pitching.

 

As the season moved along Isaac Paredes was moved to Double A. The Erie Seawolves. Isaac, posted even better numbers. he boasted a .319 batting average in 36 games. He also has a .404 on-base percentage and an .858 OBS.

 

While the Detroit Tigers are still trying to figure out where he will play in the field. The organization is toying with a corner outfield spot next season. With his bat Paredes could very well see time at Comerica Park late next season. He is that good.

 

The Detroit Tigers, got a heck of a baseball prospect when they acquired Paredes last season from the Chicago Cubs. He is my favorite prospect in the farm systems and has future all-star written all over him.

 

Isaac Paredes, will be a catalyst for the next wave of competitive baseball in Motown. Fans should go ahead and get familiar with Isaac now. Because when he arrives in the Motor City they will stand and cheer. A lot.

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Detroit Tigers spring training complete, long season ahead

Embed from Getty Images Commence project rebuild. That should be the 2018 Detroit Tigers theme this season. For good reason 100+ losses are going to be the flavor.

Comerica Park is nowhere near a sell out for what is usually a big day in Detroit. Opening day. I’m not entirely sure why? Yes the Tigers starting pitching is thin. Perhaps razor thin. But, I’m actually interested to see the bullpen.
The batting lineup has some good hitter littered in it. After all Miguel Cabrera, Nicholas Castellanos are still dangerous. Even thought to be washed up Victor Martinez has knocked the ball all over in spring training.
Yes, they are going to be bad. There is no way to sugar coat it. But, they need to make it through this season and then next spring training start inserting the kids (top prospects) into the starting pitching rotation and batting lineup.
Next years team will look much different than the one they are breaking camp with. Christian Stewart, Isaac Paredes, Beau Burrows and others will be placed in the Motor City.
My feeling on all of this is lose. Lose big, lose small, lose a lot. Win soon. I’m focused on the fact the Detroit Tigers are setting themselves up to win for a while with home grown talent.
That is a much more sustainable approach rather than going and spending on high priced free agents. Even the New York Yankees who are notorious big spenders have switched to winning with your own.
I’m very interested and very excited to see where this goes. Forgoing the pain that is sure to come this season. With  brighter ahead.