#22-Ed Smith Stadium,  Cincinnati Reds, Grapefruit League

- The good news is this one is going away for next season.  There is small rumblings that the Orioles might move here, which would then allow their minor leaguers to have better facilities then they currently have.  The sad part is even with a stadium this low on the list, that’s an upgrade for the Orioles.  Ed Smith really isn’t terrible unto itself.  Its just been outshone by many of the newer parks.  The Reds even did an admirable job in the last few years of bringing in some Cincinnati vendors and setting up extra stands to give the fans something special.  Its really just a stadium with little shade thats hard to move around in, and its time its replaced.

#23-Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Oakland Athletics, Cactus League

-This would be called a one of the “new stadiums” if it wasn’t the oldest one in the cactus league.  Its the ‘no frills’ version of the modern minor league park, and there are quite a few on this list just a few spots higher that are almost the same stadium. The difference is that Phoenix Muni has little parking, has had little maintanence over the years, and has little shade.  It really is the ‘no frills’ park.  It is kind of fitting that the gritty A’s play there though.

#24-Hi-Corbett, Colorado Rockies, Cactus League

Like Ed Smith above, I’m sure there are a few fans that will want to argue from an emotional standpoint that Hi-Corbett is ‘not that bad.’  After all the ushers are quite friendly, and the atmosphere is kind of fun. But the seats are hard to get to and the bleachers are a quite steep.  There really is no parking here.  The best you can hope for unless you come super early is to park at the mall and take the shuttle to bring you to the park. Really not a bad setting for a game, but once you visit some of the better parks, you will wonder why anyone would ever visit Hi-Corbett, even if they love the Rockies.

#25-Knology Park, Toronto Blue Jays, Grapefruit League

-I’m really not sure if Knology should get the nod to be higher than Ft. Lauderdale stadium.  This is without a doubt as ‘no frills’ as one can get, since they don’t even have the sound equipment in place to mic whoever is singing the National Anthem.  When there are announcemnets, you can’t understand them at all.  The scoreboard is minimal.  The food options are minimal.  Parking is limited to the neighboring businesses and people lawns. Aren’t going to make more Blue Jays fans this way.

26-Ft. Lauderdale Stadium, Baltimore Orioles, Grapefruit League

-Well, there is parking.  Its far away from the park, and impossible to get out of, but there is plenty of parking.  There is also a fair amount of shaded seats in the infield too.  If you buy an outfield seat, you will stay in the outfield, bleachers as they have separated not only the seating bowl but also the amenities here.  Concessions and restrooms are difficult to get to, being outside the seating bowl, down long ramps in a sort of courtyard.  That courtyard has been so crammed with vendors that moving around is extrememly difficult. The minor league facilities are located across the state in Sarasota, so there is no atmosphere to soak in prior to the game either.  Really, hard to navigate to, really hard to navigate away from.  If only the Orioles gave you a reason to go.