Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota FL
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles play their spring training games at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota FL. The stadium was built in 1989 and seats 7,428. It was renovated in 2011. It has been used by several teams as a spring training facility before the Orioles arrived for the second time in 2010. The Orioles were playing the Boston Red Sox and beat them 10-7. The box score was Boston R-7, H-12, E-2 and Baltimore R-10, H-9, E-2. The field lines are RF-339, RC-366, CF-400, LC-374, LF-333. The scoreboard needs a major upgrade. It doesn't show the line-up, though it does show the pitch speed. The bullpens ae down the baselines. There are suites on the 200 level behind seating and behind home plate. There is a picnic area in left field where standing is allowed. The is no grass berm. Atendance was 8,045 a standing room sell-out. Below the Press Box are the retire numbers of Oriole's players. Oriole is the mascot and was available for pictures with fans. He danced with a woman for a mid-inning activity. In the concourse area they had a painted display for each year of spring training starting in 2011. The was an outdated, but neat, map showing how as an Orioles fan you could follow the team to different spring training ballparks. The wind was blowing a brisk 20+ MPH out to left field. There are practice fields beyond center field.