After returning late last night from a weekend at Camelback Ranch and having a chance to reflect on the Dodgers new Spring Training home, I wanted to share a quick list of the “best of the best” of the new stadium, as well as a few tips to keep in mind before you go:

- There’s no bad seat in the house!  While Camelback Ranch is the largest stadium in Arizona with 10,000 fixed seats and 3,00 seats on the grass berm, it’s very easy to navigate and you can easily see the action on the field no matter where you are (although it seemed to us that the only way 3,000 people would fit on the grass was if they were standing up – something that just doesn’t happen as families are spread out on blankets and chasing after kids while watching the game).

view from section 118 at Camelback Ranch

- If you want to work on your tan, make sure you sit on the third base side of the stadium.  We sat on the third base side on Friday and were in the sun the entire day, and in Arizona you better be packing that SPF 50 sunscreen.  I found the first base side to be the perfect mix of early sun, followed by shade for the last five innings.

- There’s ample parking at the Ranch, and freeway access was a breeze.  We drove by Peoria, Ariz. on the way to Glendale, and the line for the Mariners stadium was really, really long.  I felt like I was looking at rush hour traffic in downtown LA!  We were naturally apprehensive about the traffic experience at Camelback Ranch, but we sailed right in with limited delays.  The parking staff was fantastic as well and parking was $5 (note: we also went to a game at the Giants spring training complex and found that parking next to the stadium was $10, so the Dodgers and White Sox are keeping the cost reasonable).

- One parking tip: make sure you get there slightly early and park at the lot near the main entrance.  The first lot you come to off the freeway is a dirt lot, and it’s a bit of a walk especially if you’re pushing a stroller or have older people with you.  There are plenty of peddle cabs on hand though.  In the future, this walk is going to be really something, as the Dodgers will be adding a local Walk of Fame along the banks of a meandering river (of sorts).  I’m guessing this will be done by the beginning of next season.

- On to the important stuff: the food!  On our first day, both Alex and I stumbled upon the Polish sausage with sauerkraut and never looked back.  Sure, it’s no Dodger Dog (and I’m sure you know, Dodger Dogs are NOT sold at the Ranch), but it was damn good. It’s worth noting that the Dodgers and White Sox don’t control the concessions stands.  Plus, would you really want Dodger Dogs being sold at White Sox home games?  No way!  The Dodger Dog is ours, and those Chicago fans will have to go to Chavez Ravine of they want one.  Oh, I also heard the Vienna hot dog was also really good as well, so there’s something for you hot dog traditionalists out there.

- Camelback Ranch also boasts an impressive array of beers, with about 15-18 different varieties available on draft or in the bottle.  As with the food, everything was reasonably priced at about $6.50 for a beer and they were damn cold (a concessions worker told me that the kegs are cooled to 35 degrees and I believe it).

- The campus itself: while I never had the opportunity to go to Vero Beach, Josh Rawitch told us that many of the little things that made Vero special have made their way to Camelback Ranch.  For example, you know that the old street signs made their way to Arizona, as did the yellow ropes guiding fans from practice field to practice field.  There’s a respect given to the fans that is understated, yet appreciated.  Interestingly, there seemed to be a lot more fences on the White Sox side of the complex, while the Dodgers had a more laid-back, relaxed atmosphere.  The famous golf carts also made the trip west, but the staff and players tend to walk, making them a bit obsolete.

Camelback Ranch Campus

- Tip for navigating Camelback Ranch: ask for directions frequently.  The complex is brand new and while the general layout outside the stadium is fairly intuitive, there needs to be more signs alerting you where to go (we walked around the entire stadium just trying to enter the Dodgers offices which were not marked).  Fortunately, the security staff is everywhere and very helpful (although they do take their job VERY seriously).  Josh tells us that this is on the list to be remedied for year two.

- Finally, let’s talk about the fans:  They’re fantastic.  Everyone we ran into was so psyched to be out there and the stadium received nothing but rave reviews from everyone we talked to.  Saturday’s game was billed as a “road game” against the White Sox, but Dodger fans clearly outnumbered the White Sox fans by about three to one.  My flight home was packed with Dodger fans sporting shirts, hats and jerseys, all telling tales of their weekend at Camelback Ranch.

Overall, the Dodgers and White Sox have done a tremendous job in getting Camelback Ranch open for business.  Keep in mind that construction only began on April 1, 2008 and the fact that they were able to pull off their inaugural season is a testament to the vision of Frank McCourt and the Dodgers.  This is a Dodgers facility through and through, and the White Sox are just along for the ride.

In the coming days, we’ll share our thoughts on some of the coolest behind the scenes elements of Camelback Ranch, but we wanted to start things off with taking a good look at the fan experience at the Dodgers new spring home.  Congratulations Dodgers, you’ve hit a home run – hard to believe that construction only began on April 1, 2008.  To complete as much as they’ve done in under a year is truly a hurculean task and Frank McCourt and the organization deserve a lot of credit for taking Frank’s vision and turning it into reality for Dodger fans.

Tunnel to Dugout at Camelback Ranch

Some of the most impressive things about the facility include how they’ve managed to keep many of the quirky traditions from Vero Beach, while also giving the coaches, players, staff and fans everything they’ve dreamed of, from state-of-the art video facilities, to a professional locker r00m to having 18 different beers available for fans to choose from. 

“It’s [Camelback Ranch] more about what the Dodgers should be,” said Vice President of Public Relations Josh Rawitch (and fellow blogger from Inside the Dodgers). 

Again, there’s way too much to cover off on now, but safe to say, this is truly a jewel in the desert and the McCourts deserve a lot of credit for pulling this off so quickly.

Additional highlights of the trip included meeting Hall of Famers Don Newcome and broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, chatting with Charley Steiner and sitting down for a good hour and fifteen minutes with general managers Ned Colletti.  We learned a tremendous amount about the thought that goes into every baseball decision the club makes, and we look forward to sharing these insights with you throughout the season.

Again, more to come, but we wanted to say thanks to Josh for organizing such a fantastic experience!

Josh Rawitch notes that Casey Blake isn’t in the lineup today as he and his wife are expecting their third child.  If it’s a boy, maybe he’ll name the kid after his pal Manny.  OK, on to the game today: Kuroda’s on the mound getting some confidence-building work in against the Royals as he works on a few last things before Opening Day arrives.

Over the course of the next few days, Alex and I will bring you our first-person accounts of the Camelback Ranch experience and facilities, as we post live from games throughout the weekend.  And if you have questions for the Dodgers or questions about anything at all about the Spring Training experience, just let us know and we’ll find out the answers.  Can’t wait to catch some Dodgers baseball tomorrow!

Thought it was interesting to see the South Koreans overpower Venezuela last night in the World Baseball Classic semifinals, especially given their lack of major-league experience (one major leaguer vs. 22 major leaguers and 8 MLB All-Stars).  But what they lack in MLB games, they certainly make up for with teamwork and a near flawless approach to the execution of the game. 

Kevin Baxter has as a great story in today’s LA Times about the South Koreans, but my favorite line was this:

Classic.  Here’s hoping that scenario doesn’t repeat itself (to a lesser degree) with tonight’s second semifinal game of Japan vs. the USA.  Dodgerfan.net will be at the WBC finals tomorrow night and we’re looking forward to rooting on the U.S., so let’s go Oswalt!

In the meantime, the Dpdgers have announced that Manny and Casey Blake will be the first two bobbleheads of the season.  According to the official press release, “a third bobblehead will depict a player to be named later.”  Joe Beimel anyone?  Yeah, he’s not on the team right now, but the way the Dodgers’ situational lefties are pitching, Ned may have to bite the bulletand go get Joe.  The guy was money for the Blue last year, with a 5-1 record, a 2.02 ERA, 32 Ks and 21 walks over 49 innings.  You can afford Beimel, Ned.  Plus you KNOW the fans would rejoice with voting Joe back in as the fan-favorite for the third bobblehead.

Let’s join Joe’s #1 fan, Troy from West Virginia in saying BRING BACK BEIMEL!

So since Spring Training is all about getting the guys mentally as well as physically prepared for the upcoming season, right?  Well, if I was Joe Torre, I’d tap Tiger Woods, one of the most famous Dodger fans out there, to come on over to Glendale, tour Camelback Ranch and fire up the troops!

Come on, the guy came back early from a devastating knee injury and just competed in the WGC Accenture Match Play Championships in nearby Marana, AZ (well, it’s about 100 miles away).  Since Tiger was eliminated yesterday, he clearly has some unexpected free time on his hands and I’m sure he would love a trip to sunny Glendale to see the new digs (Josh Rawitch, just think about the positive PR this would generate for the team!).

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m really getting tired of the Manny Ramirez tug of war going on and I’ll take whatever sort of distraction I can get these days!

In particular, Billy DeLury admitted to the Los Angeles Times that he missed the team’s old Florida home. “You’ve got to,” he said. “I spent 45 years in Vero Beach but it’s over with now. You have to turn the page.”

Torre was more forward-focused as he cited the short distance betweeen the facilities in the Cactus League and the opportunity to spend less time travelling and more time on the field.

Cheers to The Canadian Press for doing a story on the forgotten Dodgertown – a piece that was really sobering particularly given the tough economic climate in this country.

Not only did 100 people lose their jobs when the Dodgers switched locations, but a small town that had relied on baseball tourism as a revenue source is feeling the pinch. There’s no revenue coming in from baseball-related activities and the county estimates it is paying $102,000 per month to keep up the facility. “Keeping up” is a relative term, however, as the description by the Canadian Press so vividly shows:

The heart-shaped lake, which late owner Walter O’Malley had constructed so he could “see his heart” when he flew over, is filled with algae. The Dodgertown golf course, originally constructed in part for black players who were barred from playing in town, has been closed for years. Its grass is brown and patchy. The 11 mph speed limit now means nothing, because no cars drive through the padlocked fences.

The town is so intertwined with Dodger baseball that the local elementary school is named Dodgertown. Johnathan Broxton was on the cover of the phone book in Vero Beach last year. More startling, the county and city are saddled with paying off the majority of a $17 million bond that was approved in 2001 to upgrade facilities and ensure the Dodgers stayed in Vero Beach. In a cruel twist of fate, roughly 1/2 of the bond is designed to be paid off with tourist and sales taxes – two sources that have dried up considerably once the Dodgers left town.

I’m all for supporting Camelback Ranch and the future of the Dodgers (I live in Scottsdale and will get to see lots of spring training games now) but turning a blind eye to the history (and questions about the future) of Dodgertown just doesn’t feel right to me. Here’s hoping Vero Beach and Dodgertown get a new life and a new name soon.

There are just two stops on the itinerary – a 76 station for gas and a Carl’s Jr. for lunch. Product placement and sponsors are cheering the event (obviously).

What is unknown is how the Dodgers front office will keep Lasorda away from such cardiac nightmares as the Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger that reside on the Carls Jr. menu. Also unknown is whether Mrs. Lasorda has been invited with promises of a “steak dinner” (hope Tommy has seen how that story turns out in the recent ads).