Ranking My Favorite MLB Ballparks

Truth be told, I definitely have not been to enough stadiums to justify writing this article... but I am anyways! Technically I've been to eight MLB stadiums, but one of them I was an infant at old Yankee Stadium, and the other I only toured (new Yankee Stadium). With that being noted, here are my rankings of the six stadiums I've watched games at, as well as the top ten stadiums I want to visit.

6. Angel Stadium (Anaheim, California)

Opened: 1966

Capacity: 45,517

Yes, it is hard to rank the house that internet sensation David Fletcher built in last, but Angel Stadium is rather bad. The view at Angel Stadium is pretty beautiful. The rocks and video boards paired with incredible California weather (and sunsets) give the crowd and watchers from home a nice visual. Past that, it's essentially a dump. The food is mediocre, there's not much to do around the park, and the atmosphere is disappointing. I doubt Angel Stadium will be last once I go to all thirty stadiums, but other than to watch David Fletcher... err I mean Mike Trout, Anaheim is not a must visit.

5. Chase Field (Phoenix, Arizona)

Opened: 1998

Capacity: 48,686

To me, Chase Field is just a bleh stadium. Contrary to Angel Stadium, it's not very good looking at all. The entire stadium just feels kind of run down and dumpy, which is why it makes sense that tickets are so cheap. I like the pool in right-center field and the atmosphere has been alright, but in total I am not a fan of Chase Field.

4. Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles, California)

Opened: 1962

Capacity: 56,000

I'll say it to begin, I hate the Dodgers, but I genuinely find Dodger Stadium to be incredibly overrated and not in the upper echelon of MLB stadiums. The view at night is incredible, truly beautiful, but it's not as pleasing during the day. The food is totally mediocre, Dodger Dog's are not close to as iconic as they are made out to be. The park itself is very old and beat up (shocker for a stadium built over half a century ago) and doesn't have much going on around the stadium or concourse. What really makes Dodger Stadium solid is the atmosphere. I have never a stadium go as wild as Dodger Stadium did when Kenley Jansen came in during an NLCS game against the Cubs, Granted, I have limited game experience, but the point stands. The caveat to the thrill of the crowd is the toxicity of the people you're around. I'm not gonna say all Dodger fans are toxic to be at a game with because that's false and an ignorant stereotype of an entire group of people, but there are some pretty awful Los Angeles fans and you'll be sure to hear or see them at Chavez Ravine. To be clear, I don't think Dodger Stadium is bad, it's just not an elite stadium.

3. Comerica Park (Detroit, Michigan)

Opened: 2000

Capacity: 41,083

It's not a stadium that is often talked about, but I've enjoyed my times at Comerica Park. I enjoy the backdrop of downtown Detroit, it's not a mesmerizing view, but it's solid. There's an old school vibe to the stadium which is made apparent by the many ways they pay homage to their past players and teams throughout the stadium, but there's also plenty more to do around the stadium. There is the Ferris wheel and carousel amongst a whole area of a kid friendly area of the stadium. The food is nothing special, I mean of course you have a Detroit classic like Little Caesar's, but we can all agree that that is unspectacular. The Tigers haven't been good recently so the atmosphere I've experienced hasn't been great, but that's expected. Comerica is a very overlooked ballpark that I would definitely recommend checking out, but ideally when the Tigers return to relevance or when a team like the Yankees are in town.

1b. Petco Park (San Diego, California)

Opened: 2004

Capacity: 40,209

Yes, I am a San Diegan, but ask anyone you know who's been to Petco and they can tell you how incredible it is. The view into downtown and that perfect San Diego weather is absolutely amazing. There is so much to do around the stadium, most famously the Park-In-A-Park in the outfield which includes a mini field to play on, the Tony Gwynn statue, a massive stage, and a large grass area for fans to sit on and enjoy the inward view of the game. The food is off the charts, it's a struggle for me to decide where to eat each time I go because Petco has the traditional ballpark food such as hot dog's, popcorn, etc., but also delicious classics from throughout all of San Diego. I went to a game with a guy from Arizona and he was in shock of how gourmet the food was when we went to grab a bite from Seaside Market. The atmosphere on a Tuesday night against the Rockies is pretty bad, but despite being awful for a while, Petco will get loud on Friday's and Saturday's when rivals like the Dodgers come to town. My home stadium could easily be flip flopped to become 1a, but the next stadium just barely takes the cake.

1a. Oracle Park (San Francisco, California)

Opened: 2000

Capacity: 41,915

I have only been to Oracle once, but it absolutely blew me away. The view is unmatched, the video board is nice, the coke bottle and glove in left field are sick, and nothing beats the ocean background. There are things to do throughout the stadium, but I wouldn't leave my seat unless I was using the bathroom or getting food. Speaking of food, Oracle has it all. I enjoyed a trio of brisket and corned beef sliders from The Carvery, and had that not been so delicious and filling, I would've hit up more mouth watering spots. I went to see the Giants play the Dodgers this past fall during Bruce Bochy's final home series. Even in the midst of a lost season, the San Francisco fans showed up in support of their beloved Bruce Bochy in his final stretch as their manager. It was hard to decide, but Oracle Park has a slight leg up on Petco Park.

Now that I've gone over the stadiums I've been to, let me quickly rank the top ten stadiums I'd like to visit soon.

10. Camden Yards (Baltimore, Maryland)

Not so great team, but seemingly nice stadium. Eutaw Street is calling my name!

9. Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)

Similar to the Orioles, the Royals aren't very good, but hey! Kauffman looks pretty!

8. Rogers Centre (Toronto, Canada)

Many people aren't fans of Rogers Centre, but man I want to watch a Jays game from my hotel.

7. Truist Park (Atlanta, Georgia)

A very new stadium, I'd love to watch Ronald Acuña and co. send nukes over the fence.

6. T-Mobile Park (Seattle, Washington)

I've heard nothing but great things about the T-Mobile food and have never been to the Pacific Northwest.

5. Coors Field (Denver, Colorado)

I mean, who doesn't wanna watch a good slugfest?

4. Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)

I was able to take a tour, now I want to see some game action in the Bronx!

3. Wrigley Field (Chicago, Illinois)

A classic like Wrigley seems like a must visit for lovers of the sport.

2. Fenway Park (Boston, Massachusetts)

I'm not a fan of the area, but watching the Sox and Yankees play in person sounds like an absolute dream.

1. PNC Park (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

Maybe a surprise at #1, but PNC has gotten magnificent food reviews and I wanna deep dive into the Allegheny River to scoop up some of Josh Bell's HRs.

These were my rankings of MLB stadiums! Do you agree or disagree with my rankings? Is Dodger Stadium overrated? What's your favorite stadium? Let me know down in the comments below!