My dislike for the stadium (bias aside) disappeared once I rode the El to a game last year. The big thing with me was using the gas to get there in possibly very bad traffic, THEN paying $25 to park. You rarely ever go wrong using public transportation. It's almost the same route I've taken to Wrigley plenty of times, but just a few stops South instead of North.
35th Street has one of the best skyline views in the city.
Perfect.
It was right when I got off the train that I realized I forgot my camera chip.
I could take a few quality ones that would be stored on my camera, but for nearly the whole day, I had to use the iPhone. Fortunately, they turned out pretty decent.
I was at this game with my younger cousin, Dylan. He's been wanting to go to a game with me this season, mostly because he couldn't believe I caught as many balls as I have. He wanted to get in on the action as well. I was honored he would think so highly of me, so I had a different mindset than other games. I was the master and the teacher. I loved being looked up to.
Additionally, this was my second to last chance to get down to the Southside. August 8th was the other game I had my eye on, but that's close to when I'm leaving for school. I would be very upset if it never happened, so I wanted to get it over with (in a good way).
We walked to the stadium and got our bearings. I wasn't too familiar where things were since I had only been there twice in the recent past.
A few years ago, The Cell underwent a pretty large makeover. They made the outside more modern and overall make it look newer inside with new seats. I was never there in the 90's, but I've come across a few highlights from those years. Everything was plain and boring. It would be one of the ugliest parks today if they didn't update it. I went once during the remodel, where the upper deck had blue seats and most of the lower level was green. Anyway, it's much, much nicer now. I almost enjoy my whole experience, besides the fact it's the home of my archival.
The home plate entrance is kind of lame. Just add a lighted sign and more noticeable name and it would be great. You can barley see the name on the top of that concrete part sticking out!
Here's the starting lineup:
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**Sorry about the font change here. I have no idea what's going on. Upkeep on format is on the offseason to do list** Now, let me say something. Kenny Williams HAS to be doing some shady stuff. He never makes a wrong choice. People criticize him for some decisions he makes, but more often than not, his team ends up getting the good side of the deal better off. Somehow he manages to get all the guys everyone has heard of. Kevin Youkilis was just brought in; one of Boston's best players for several years. Alex Rios had some good years in Toronto, and could easily bust out to have a great season at any time. Everyone knows Adam Dunn is strong as an ox, and somehow he's making a little more contact and hitting bombs left and right this year. I mean, look at this lineup: 
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM is a quality player or a young guy making a decent name for himself. Some, like Beckham, are having an off year. Others, like Peavy, struggle with injuries a lot of the time. They have all the pieces, it's just a matter of when it'll all come together. It's things like this that make me like the Sox...but just a little bit.
That went away when I saw the commemoration to the 2005 World Series Champions.
 As you saw in St.Louis, I jumped on the bandwagon when they won and bought the t-shirt. I was just amazed I saw a World Series win, so try cut me some slack.
We went to the first base/right field gate about 15 minutes before it opened.
I was pleased with what I saw. The day started off pretty good. I was nervous about navigating once we got inside too. There were ramps and stairs and extra gates. I was worried about losing valuable time making a wrong turn.
My main rant fits in around this part.
The White Sox have the most bogus and un-fan friendly policy I had ever heard of. Unless you have a ticket for the lower level, you can't go down there. Not at all, at ANY time. If you're there extra early, doesn't matter. You have to go sit in your seats all the way at the top. From my Ballhawking standpoint, this plain pisses me off. They've lost a decent amount of money from me the past two years. I would have found four or five days to go, and not been restricted to going on half price Mondays (I got today's tickets on eBay for $33 a piece. That's better, but if I'm a real Sox fan, I can't afford that 10 times a year). Any other day of the week, it's about $45...JUST TO GET IN THE BLEACHERS FOR BP. If they changed the policy, I would happily sit in my nosebleed seat for the game. I would be that thankful. Hell, I've said it twice on here, I even like the upper deck MORE! It's unfair for regular fans too. They only did this so people wouldn't buy the cheap seats and move down. Just because your second rate team can't draw more than 22,000 on a regular basis doesn't mean you should penalize your OWN FANS. If a family can't drop $180 on tickets, that doesn't mean they're trash who will jump on the field to beat up the first base coach of the visiting team. How do you expect kids to look up to these guys if they're never less than 300 feet from them in person? I would understand checking tickets an hour after the gates opened. Give everyone a chance to get close for a little while. To see the dirt, to smell the grass, to peek into the dugout. Then have them be on their way. Nope, can't even do that. I've been to five other MLB parks, and there's not even a rule close to this. That's not a big sample size, but it's enough to show the White Sox are doing it wrong. Regardless, Dylan and I were set for today with some lower level seats. We navigated the ramps, and finally found a tunnel that would lead us down to the field. Want to guess what we saw?  Absolutely nothing, that's what. I explained to Dylan this would be a lot harder now, and he understood. He just thought it was really cool to be close to the field and the players.  This was an odd game for many reasons, but I felt something inside of me that made it even more strange. I genuinely wanted Dylan to get a ball more than I wanted one myself. Partly because I dragged him all the way down here this early, but also because it would bring him a lot more joy than it would to me. We got so close, I was scared of walking away with a broken, bloody nose if I one got away from the Twins.  Right after I took this, they all headed inside. I was flustered that this would be another hot, difficult, exhausting day with few rewards. Next, we moved rather quickly to left center field so I could check for glove trick chances. Last year, another guy had a ball retrieval device, so I figured it was possible more than just me had one today. I shouldn't have been so hopeful if there was no BP. It was once again dry as a bone, all the way around to the foul pole.  I did two things before I left this area. First, I found a good spot to go if I have an SRO ticket for some reason.  Yea, maybe a tad uncomfortable, but it's a seat. Sox fans, feel free to use it when I'm not there. Second, look how close you are to the wall in this spot: 
Not even an inch to spare! It was right at the level of the guard rail too. My glove was resting on the padding. It was a quirky thing, and I love finding seemingly insignificant yet odd things like this at a ballpark.
We continued towards left field and stopped at our assigned seats in section 159, Row 3:
 We ended up all the way at the Sox bullpen, which was just as empty as anything else.  I thought about trying this:  But decided not to for these reasons: 1. That wall would not have been easy to lean over. 2. The wall, along with other fans, would have blown my cover of trying to hide it. 3. I didn't want to get kicked out and waste $40, and ruin Dylan's day. 4. That's downright stealing. I mean, they're basically in that bag. It's not like it was hit or thrown and fell somewhere. So I didn't. I knew this next thing was here, and I always like to visit it when I pass by it at the stadium.  If you don't know, this is the seat Paul Konerko hit his 7th inning grand slam to in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series. It just gives me such a vivid visualization of what was happening that night. And it gave me goosebumps to look at the plate and know this was the chosen seat, the very one I was standing next to. Well, we got the full tour. We made it all the way around, and still had no balls. When I asked Dylan what he wanted to do, he immediately took me here:  What else did you expect a 13 year old to want to do besides play Xbox? I'm an MLB: The Show guy all the way. The gameplay is terrible on 2K, and I have nightmares about the terrible and inaccurate graphics.  We played for about 20 minutes, in which I kicked his ass. I may not like the game, but I'm still the best. By now it was lunchtime. We grabbed some assorted sausages and took a seat here while we ate:  Right afterwards, we started going back to the Sox bullpen. All hopes for balls were virtually gone, but Dylan really likes Jake Peavy and wanted to get close. But first, I showed him the second blue seat at the Cell; one that I think was more significant.  This is where speedy Scott Podsednik hit the walk-off homer to WIN Game 2 in 2005. It's in the front row, which makes it all the much more obvious Pods hit it. For both of these, it's an amazing way to honor one of the most special nights in team history. The Sox went to Houston to sweep the Astros, so Game 2 was the last one in Chicago. And it ended in this seat. On to the 'Pen. Here's Peavy and opposition Nick Blackburn (way back there in front of Jackie Robinson):  While that was going on, relievers were starting to come into the bullpen to hang out. One fan called to a random player and asked for an autograph. Of course, the reliever complied, and came down right in front of us. There was a small crowd forming above him, and Dylan wanted to get in on the action and get his glove signed:  (That's him in the white). This was the result, thanks to someone else's Sharpie:  I had no idea who it was, but a knowledgeable Sox fan was able to tell us number 65 was Nate Jones. I was glad he got it, because he was really excited. At least he got something extra, even if it wasn't a ball. Also, I know the Sox relievers are sometimes lights out. They are dominating as a whole, and I appreciated it as a baseball fan that a guy that was part of a great staff signed it for him. This picture was from later, but after the autographs, this guy was walking around in the pen. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm going to say it was bullpen coach Juan Nieves.  I was holding up my glove to anyone that looked in our general direction. He saw the Red Sox jersey I was wearing, and felt it was necessary to comment. "Boston?!" "Hey man, it's still the Sox, I'm trying a little bit at least!" (Something I can't remember, but he was still arguing with me). "Hey, I a Cub fan, so don't be so tough on me..." OH NO. "WHAT? You ain't getting nothing now, man!" I'm a dumbass! A coach picked me out of the crowd, and I screwed it up! This was even more rare because he started it and did most of the talking! Even Dylan called me an idiot. By the time that was over, Peavy was throwing from the mound (and Nieves was watching from his spot he was at in the picture).  Nearly every single pitcher I've seen warm up throws a ball in the dirt. Out of preference and habit, the pitcher gets a new ball from his pitching coach standing right next to him. This was the case once again. Nieves got the ball from the catcher, and looked in our direction immediately. I didn't even try to make it happen for me, so I waved my arms and pointed at Dylan. He still shook his head with a smile, and my heart sank a little bit. "Come on man, don't punish the kid because of me!" And what do you know, he lofted it towards him. My goal was complete, I got him the chance. I said out loud "Come on buddy, DON'T DROP IT!". He didn't and he had his first ball ever. I was so excited for him. He was happy to have it, and even if I WORSENED our chances at a ball, he still got one under my watch. There was no reason for him to believe I wasn't the master. I was prepared to yell my head off when Peavy was done and most everyone cleared the bullpen as a last ditch effort. When he was done, there was really nobody calling for the ball until he took 7 or 8 steps towards the plate and looked up. I was still farther down, so I reached my arm out as far as I could to try to get him to see it. He took one more step, and underhand flipped it. I didn't do a full extension, but my arm was pretty far out there. POP! (Here's my thought process): "I am the man. Just another day at the ballpark. Hell yea". (With an 'I'm a badass' face on as I high fived Dylan). "Eek, could I have stolen this from someone? I mean, I WAS out farther than what would be classified as my space". "You know, even if you did, that thing was flying. That was no normal, friendly flip. It really had some force on it". "Screw it. It's mine. I got it. I don't care if I'm an asshole today. God forbid a Sox fan thinks I'm a jerk..." Then I heard a female voice from 4 seats over. "You know that was for me, right?" Oh boy. Before I could turn to face her, some guy, who I'm pretty sure was with this girl, patted me on the back and complimented my snag with a smile on his face. She had some hipster sundress on with flip flops. No, you didn't deserve this. Quick, think of something that will just make her mad. "Well, where's your glove?". Owned. For as much as I love to cause and win little conflicts, that was the end of it.  Jake Peavy goes on that special list of the best players I've ever gotten a ball from. It's one of my favorites in the whole collection now because of that. That was literally the last chance to get a ball, so we moved out of the first row after that. We found some seats with some shade right as the Sox took the field.  Just as a note; yes, I did sit in better seats. Don't call me out on what I said earlier. If they continue to screw me, I continue to steal seats. The first pitch to Denard Span:  I used to like the Twins quite a bit a few years ago. They had a lot of players I was familiar with and liked how they played. They're pretty terrible right now, but they made the playoffs a few years in a row, and had the new stadium towards the end of their winning years. The game was kind of a blur after that. We watched a few innings, then moved here:  Oh yea, that's great. These were the type of seats I was originally going to buy through the Sox. They were $26 for the obstructed view. I waited too long, and paid the price when the tickets went back up to normal prices. As more people left, we moved to a better view.  As all this was happening, the Sox were on their way to an 8-2 win. They plated 2 runs in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Dayan Viciedo had a good game with a homer and four RBI's. Since Dylan was anxious, we left in the middle of the 8th inning. I didn't care, I got what I needed. I took one last look at the field, and said goodbye for the season.  This stadium went as quickly as it came. We heard the celebratory fireworks from the El platform before a long ride home. We didn't want to get in people's way before the game was over, so we posed for a picture at home.   I honestly hope I get back to the Cell a few times next year. It's a great place to grab some balls when the Brewers aren't at home. STATS
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