BBWAA Complaints About St. Louis Press Box

Not sure who designed Cleveland.

But Comerica Park was designed by the same person that designed the new Busch.

 

My first reaction on my first visit to PNC was that indeed, the press box was up in the nosebleeds. You sort of get a hockey feeling when you're looking way, way down there.

But then I thought about it a bit. And I realized that most of the game is spent with my head down to my laptop screen anyway. Even the best press boxes are fairly far from the action, and typically we depend on the television replays and closeups to do our jobs, anyway. The direct elevator access down to the clubhouses (if I remember correctly) was more than convenient. And that's really all you need.

It's ironic, though, isn't it, that the new Busch press box is worse than the old one. The old one was pretty bad, not nearly enough phone lines and also pretty wet in the first row. But it did have heaters (which came in handy during the WS of 2004).


I remember back when either the Reds or the Astros were building their new place (I think it was the Reds, but I can't remember any more), their PR guy e-mailed pretty much all the media who went through there on a regular basis (not just local guys). He wanted people's input on exactly what they thought was needed as they built the new press box.

As long as it wasn't permanently shut off behind glass like Riverfront was, when you felt like you were in some glass bubble and really needed to work hard to remember there was actually a ball game going on in front of you, everything else was golden. I used to watch games from the radio booth when I went to Cincy, just to hear the sound of ball and bat.

 

The difference in Cincinnati, I believe, is they have a professional PR director, Rob Butcher, who does a superb job, knows what the media needs and cares about us. And, by the way, he earned his stripes in the Yankees organization.

If you've ever dealt with him, I'm sure you'll agree that he and his staff is among the best in major-league baseball.

 

Agreed Casty -- Rob is one of the best around. Wonder if he'd ever be willing to go back to the Yankees now that Cerrone is gone.

Back to topic...I'm in St. Louis and the main pres box situation truly sucks. No sight lines from the back row and plastic sheeting where there should be windows. The auxillary set-ups aren't so bad, though. They're using upper lucury boxes, so guys can go inside and get warm or use the overhang seats.

 

I'm thankful I was denied All-Star credentials this year after reading some of this stuff about PNC.

 

The box at Minute Maid seems like a pretty good set-up other than the fact that fans can walk right up and carry on a face-to-face conversation with the guys in the front row.

 

Any sports organization that charges for media access should get no coverage. With one exception. If it's the local Div 1 program, it should continue to get full-scale investigative coverage.
Tell the readers you're nobody's patsy. People don't like associating with a milquetoast, something papers never seem to learn.

 

It's like that in San Francisco, too. It's kind of cool, in a way, because the fans really get a kick out of it. Except they could probably reach up and grab your laptop the minute you turn your back.

 

Dead on.
I remember talking to him about making a move once, when it seemed he was a little fed up with the ownership. I suggested he would be about a 1,000,000% upgrade on the idiot that pretended to do that job for the team I covered, and I would be happy to make a hearty recommendation, for however little weight my words carried.

He said it wasn't as easy as all that, now that he has a family. Everyone is settled. But I bet he would, if the conditions were right.

 

i seems like most in cin-city are pretty happy with new ownership. just sayin'

and i'm not sure butcher's fundamental problems with working with the yankees have been removed

 

This is a legitimate complaint.

Sat in the main press box for a game in July, and sat in the second row. And no, you cannot see anything above the outfield wall.

The auxiliary boxes for the postseason are the outdoor seats outside of the luxury suites down the first-base line. They do have tables, and you can work inside.

For the NLCS, I was in an auxiliary box down the first-base line. It was a little chilly, but covered. My only complaints were a.) my seat was right next to the tunnel where fans came in to their seats, so I was a little concerned about ever leaving my computer there when I went into the enclosed box for information and b.) there was no security screening people entering into the box. A couple of fans came in during Game 4 and just sat in a couple of the empty seats. The guy running the Coke machine came out and told them they had to move.

For the Series, my seats are down the RF line. Again, outside but covered. Security is a lot tighter, and there are no fans around.

I was a little worried about my PowerBook freezing Tuesday night, but you can go inside to write your stories.