RATINGS

My first trip to Lackawanna County Stadium in Moosic, Pa was in 1993. In that time I have watched Red Barons games in a large concrete structure with the exact dimensions of Veteran’s Stadium in Philadelphia. Dimensions and turf, artificial turf that sometimes looked as bad as the turf at the Vet. Aside from all of the other changes that have gone on around this once sleepy little ski town area the Scranton franchise affiliated with the Yankees, got a Corporate sponsor, and put down GRASS!!

After seeing PNC Field I have to wonder what Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati would have looked like had grass been down. The place is completely different, hence a new web page. All of the first time markers are the same, and I still have a link to my

up but I thought all new photos needed to be added.

 Aside from the baseball park, this area around Montage Mountain has expanded and really become a shopping destination. First was the movie theater above the Right Field Mountain. Then to the area came a few restaurants, a new exit ramp, and finally a strip mall.

All of this sounds kind of cool but rest assured, there is still only one way in and out of the park. I must say local police have it figured out and traffic does move.

One of the other things that happened is the team is now affiliated with the NY Yankees, and Yankee fans’ have a tendency to travel making PNC Field a little tougher ticket than the Red Barons.  What hasn’t changed is the friendliness of the staff here. The whole S/W-B Yankee staff is very accommodating and very friendly, from the ticket window to the ticket taker to the usher in the park. Fans are greeted with a hearty welcome, it really goes a long way.

Inside the seating area, just looking at a grass field makes everything look better, but the Yankees did something else, they removed the top six rows in the upper deck. This was always one of the steeper upper decks in the Minors but taking out the top six rows somehow makes the place look smaller. Giant ads have been added across the top so the outfield wall can remain uncluttered.

 The game is still treated pretty well here with line ups staying up each half inning and Ball Strike counts going up quickly. Parking is also still free and they now give you a program when you enter the park.

All in all, a trip to see the Scranton / Wilkes – Barre Yankees is a good time out. A beautiful new field as well as energy in the park I’ve really never felt.

Also, if you attend an afternoon game here, there are three Minor League clubs within a two hour drive. The 3 are Lehigh Valley, Binghamton, and Reading. Binghamton is the only one of the three that is not an almost guaranteed sell out on any given night but please, call any of the three before you go.