After the big rainout that I talked about in my last post, we did go back to MerchantsAuto.com Stadium on Monday night.  The Sunday night game that had be suspended due to rain was scheduled to be made up on Monday, as part of a single admission double-header, to begin at 5:35 PM.  I had traded in the tickets for Monday’s game, and we drove up there after my doctor’s appointment.  We knew that by the time we got there, it would be past 3:35 PM, and that the Same Adams Bar & Grill would be open, it opens about an hour before the rest of the Fisher Cats ballpark does.

Also, they were giving out Johnny Pesky bobbleheads, and I wanted.  Another reason to get there as early as possible!

The weather at the time was gorgeous…would we finally get a break from all of the rain?

The Sunday night game was suspended after only one inning was played, so they picked it up in the second.  They managed to get almost the whole game in, before the skies opned up, never to close again.  The thunder and lightening made more noise than a sportscar with souped-up Ferrari parts.   But it was an official game by this time, and the Portland Sea Dogs won it.

So the second game has now been postponed until sometime in August.  I can still exchange my tickets, but I may or may not bother.  The way I see it, we saw almost one whole game, which is what we originally paid for, AND we got the bobbleheads.
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I wanted to spend a little time talking more about the Sam Adams Bar & Grill.  This first opened last year, to great success.  The ala carte menu includes burgers, sandwiches, salads, New England clam chowder, chili, and a few appetizers.

This year, they have introduced something new…an All You Can Eat Buffet (this is a .pdf file).  It’s different for each day of the week,   Neitther of us had tried it until Sunday…Mike took one look at the Carving Station (which they have every Sunday), and he wanted it.

Prices vary depsning on the buffet…the Carving Station is the most expensive one at $16 per person.  I wasn’t hungry enough to justify it, but Mike got it, and had several helpings.  They had roast beef, roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and veggies.  Mike enjoyed it a lot, and says he would get this again.  Since we go to most of our Fisher Cats games on Sundays, it’ll be the Carving Station next time.

The buffet opens two hours before game time and closes half an hours after the game starts.  I mean, they can’t afford to have people grazing at the thing all day!  2 1/2 hours is more than enough time to fill up, and then walk out to your seats to watch the game.

$16 is probably less than what Mike would spend on his usual trips to the food concessions in the ballpark (not including beer).  So this is indeed an excellent value.  He was so full from the buffet that he didn’t get hungry again for many. many hours.

You can either order tickets for the buffet online, at the same time you’re ordering game tickets.  However, if you are undecided, fear not, you can decide when you get there, and they’ll sell you a special bracelet to identify you as someone who paid for the buffet.

Maybe I will give the Carving Station a try at our next game, that’s this coming Sunday.  Let’s just hope the weather will be nice, as advertised!

Sheesh, what month is it?  April?  No, it’s JUNE, almost JULY?  WTF?????

The tarp on the field is NOT something I like to see.  But at Sunday night’s Fisher Cats game, we saw said tarp, as shown above.  They played exactly one inning before the tarp went down, for a rain delay.

I was confused at first, I thought that they were calling the game.  But when I got up to take a leak, I saw that they were still selling food and beer,  I had heard that we could exchange the tickets for a future game.

After I took my leak, which I’d been holding in and was more powerful than the best Delta fauctes, I went to find out what was going on.  I went to the souvenir store, where they also sold tickets, and asked the guy there what was the deal.  He said that they were trying to get the game in, but no matter what happened, fans could exchange their tickets for any future game this season.

So I handed him our tickets and got seats for Monday night’s game.  Which will be a doubleheader starting at 5:30 PM, because the Sunday game never did get played.

I have a doctor’s appointment in Burlington, MA at 1PM.  But after that, we’ll be heading straight to Manchester, to beat the traffic, get a good parking space, and most important of all, score one of the Johnny Pesky bobbleheads that will be given away that night.  That will more than make up for not getting the stadium replica thingy on Friday.

Even if Monday gets rained out, as long as I get my hot little hands on a Johnny Pesky bobblehead, all is well with the world!

Thursday was a sucky day.  I had the panic attack from hell, which was so bad, I really thought it was going to be a massive heart attack, and that I was about to die.  Mike drove me to the ER at the Lahey Clinic, and I swear, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it there alive.  That is how bad these panic attacks can be.

Obviously, I did not croak from a heart attack or anything else, because I am here to tell the tale.  But I was annoyed because I was made to stay in the hospital for almost too long…mostly because this other dickwad hospital I was in refused to fax over my records of previous cardiac tests, which were due to my thinking I was having a heart attack then.  Yah, this has been going on for a while.  I was on meds, but had to stop taking them due to having lousy insurance and all.  Plus, they did go away for a time, anyway.

The AM ER doc said that if only the other place had faxed over my old records, a cardiac stress test would not have been needed.  But they didn’t, so I had to stay overnight and have the thing done the next day.

Only they were going to let me rot there in that little cube in the ER until at least 3:45PM!  We had tickets to the Fisher Cats game that night (Friday), and I was determined to be there.  The previous ER  doctor had told me that the stress test wasn’t needed, that everything else looked fine, and I’d be getting out in the AM.

In the AM, a nurse came in and told me about the 3:45 PM stress test.  I was royally pissed, because I needed to get out sooner than that for the game, and that I felt that I was lied to by that doctor.  And why make me sit in that crummy cube in the ER all night and day, when it was needed for other patients?  Why not give me the test ASAP, and as long as they found nothing wrong, get me out of the place ASAP?

I swear, office furniture is more comfy than hospital beds.  My back hurts now due to that horrible bed, and this is still going on after sleeping in my own bed last night.

Anyway, I begged the nurse to PLEASE, if at all possible, schedule the stress test for sooner, so we could still go to the game.  I told her how much this meant to me, that the docs already said that my problem was panic  attacks and not cardiac related, that they wanted to do the stress test to just be sure.  I said that going to baseball games was good for my health, that I never have panic attacks at the games, so could she please help me if at all possible.

They came through, but only because there was a cancellation.  Turned out I passed the test with flying colors…good to know.  Nothing wrong with the old ticker.  But it was still a scary feeling when The Panic Attack From Hell was happening.  The whole thing actually subsided shortly after we got to the hospital.

Even so, by the time someone came around with my discharge papers, it was past 4PM.  Still better than a test that would start at 3:45 PM!

Mike was there, and as soon as I signed the papers, we were out of there.  I was in serious need of a shower (I was too sick on Thursday to take one).  Also, I needed to change my clothes into proper Fisher Cats gear.  When we got home, I was showered, changed, hair done and made up in 35 minutes…a record for me.  We were out the door by 5:35PM.

I knew that by this point, we had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting the stadium replica thingies they were giving away.  The traffic on I-93 North was hellish.  And when we did get there, parking was difficult to find.  We finally did find a spot, which was a bit of a hike from the ballpark, but it was worth it.

But dammit, I made it to the game, just hours after being released from the hospital!  If this isn’t true fan-dom, what is?

This post is for Sea Dogs fans who are coming down from Portland, to see their team play the New Hampshire Fisher Cats this weekend (and next, BTW).  Some of you probably have been to Manchester before, but for others, this may be your first visit.  So, to make things as easy as possible for you, here is a basic guide to what you need to know to have a great weekend in Manchester.

Directions – Rather than type them all out, I refer you to this page from the Fisher Cats’ website.

Parking – Once again, this page has most of the info that you need to know.  When they say GET HERE EARLY, they are not kidding, especially for weeknight games, or when there’s something going on at the Verizon Wireless Arena.  It would be a very good idea to click on that link BEFORE you leave home, so you can see if there is anything going on there, so you can plan accordingly.

The best and least expensive parking option is to park on North Commercial Street, away from the ballpark.  This is good for weekend games only, more on this in a bit.  The spaces on South Commercial street that are closer to the ballpark fill up early, mostly with the cars of ballpark staff.  It may seem a bit of a hike, but the good news is that the Fisher Cats, along with Auto City, offer a free shuttle bus from the parking out on North Commercial Street.

Granite Street (where the traffic lights are) is the dividing line between North and South Commercial Streets.

Another important thing you need to know, if you opt to park on the street, is that the City of Manchester is now charging for event parking, even on weekends, when parking on the street used to be free.

Here is some information about municipal (including street parking) for events such as Fisher Cats games.  As you can see, street parking is metered hourly until 8PM, which could be a problem for going to a Friday night game.  For weeknight games, I suggest seeking alternate parking in a lot or a garage, even if it costs more.  Remember, being towed is ALWAYS much more expensive!  For weeknight games, we just go for one of the several $10 lots on South Commercial Street, that are an easy walk to the ballpark.  But space is limited, so remember…GET THERE EARLY!

Metered parking on weekends is different.  This used to be free, but now the City of Manchester is charging $1.00 to park on North Commercial Street and surrounding side streets during Fisher Cats games and events at the Verizon Wireless Arena.  Not bad, but you should know ahead of time that these meters take only coins, or credit/debit cards.  No dollar bills.  I think it’s stupid to put a buck on a credit/debit card, so I make sure to always carry some quarters when I’m planning to park in that area.

For this weekend event parking, you put your money in the meter and it spits out a receipt.  You place the receipt under your front windshield, where it can easily be seen by passing cop cars.  Failure to do this will result in your being towed.

At the Ballpark – Now that we have parking out of the way…MerchantsAuto.com Stadium opens their seating area one hour before game time.  HOWEVER, if you took the advice and GOT THERE EARLY, you can get into the Sam Adams Bar & Grill up to two hours before game time.  This is a great place to have a beer and watch some batting practice, as it offers a great view of the field.  If your are hungry, you can take advantage of their All-You-Can-Eat buffets, there’s a different one each day of the week.  Tickets to the buffet can be purchased in advance, or you can buy a bracelet that entitles you to pig out right there at the restaurant.

Don’t want the buffet?  There are also ala carte menu items at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill, such as burgers, hot dogs, New England clam chowder, and more.

Click the Sam Adams Bar & Grill link for more info about the buffet and other menu items.  NOTE:  You must have a game ticket to be admitted into the restaurant.  All tickets are welcome, even the cheap seats!

Lodgings in Manchester – If you are coming for this whole upcoming weekend series, you probably have a hotel or motel room by now.  The only place in town where I have ever stayed is the Hilton Garden Inn that is right next to the ballpark, but I’d bet the rent that it is fully booked by this time.  You might luck out of someone cancels at the last minute, though.  I can recommend this place not only because it is close to the ballpark, but it’s also a very nice hotel for a reasonble price.

If you’re late to the game and are still looking for lodgings, your best bet is to check out TripAdvisor.com.  You can see what hotels are available, check for any special deals, and book right from there.  Most importantly, you can also read reviews from real people about these places, so you can avoid the ones that suck.

Dining – You will no doubt do most of your eating at the ballpark, be it in your seats of at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill.  But I can suggest a few places in town to go, perhaps for a pre or post-game meal.  NOTE:  This list is limited to places in which I have personally eaten.

• The Wild Rover Pub – A traditional Irish pub type place, and the menu reflects that.  Pub grub includes fish & chips and bangers & mash.  That’s what we had the last time we were in there…I had fish & chips, Mike had the bangers & mash.  Both are excellent, as are the other menu items we’ve tried.  Also, lotsa great beers on tap!  We absolutely love this place.  All ages welcome, but if you are bringing the kiddies, sit on the dining room side.  There has been known to be much swearing and cussing over on the bar side (where we like to hang out).  Visit the Wild Rover Pub’s website for location and more info.  On the weekends, you can park free in the big garage across the street from the place.
• JD’s Tavern -  This is in the Radisson Hotel.  Good food, large portions, although sometimes the service is a bit slow.  Check out the Manchester Radisson’s web page for location and more info.  Easy walk if you are parked on North Commercial Street and got back to your car on the shuttle.  If you are in any of the lots, sorry, you have to move.  But you can then park on the street nearby and walk, once the game is over.
• The Patio – This is the restaurant in the aforementioned Hilton Garden Inn, that faces the ballpark.  You do not have to be a hotel guest to eat there.  They feature an outdoor bar with several good beers on tap.  The food is pretty good, too.  Visit their website for more info.
• Margarita’s – Mexican restaurant on Elm Street, not too far from the ballpark.  It’s good and it’s cheap.  Parking is on-street only, but on weekends you can park in the garage across the street from the Wild Rover, and walk from there.  Visit their website and click on LOCATIONS tofind the address, and for more info.

Other stuff to do while you’re here for the weekend – You mean there is life in Manchester beyond the Fisher Cats?  LOL!  Anyhoo, if you are looking for stuff to do in town when baseball is not being played, the City of Manchester is happy to help.

I hope you enjoy your visit to *ManchVegas*, and have fun at the Fisher Cats’ beautiful ballpark!  If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I will answer it here.

BTW, the Fisher Cats will be visiting Portland in a few weeks to play the Sea Dogs at their ballpark, Hadlock Field.  So check back then for a similar guide to Portland!

Are you in the Manchester, NH area?  Would you like to take your family or friends out to see the future Red Sox play?  And are you looking for a way to save a few bucks?

Well, do I have a deal for you!  The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (class AA Toronto Blue Jays) will be hosting the Portland Sea Dogs (class AA Boston Red Sox) for a four-game series this weekend.  We’ll be there on Friday and Sunday nights.

This special limited time offer is available for the game on Monday, June 29.  From noon tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23, until noon on Wednesday, June 24, you can purchase three tickets to this game, and get a fourth one free.

From the Fisher Cats’ website:

Don’t miss out on this 24-hour ticket special that runs from noon on Tuesday, June 23, until noon on Wednesday, June 24. Click HERE and enter the promo code “buy3get1″.

Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia all played in Manchester on their way to Fenway. Catch the Red Sox of tomorrow in New Hampshire today with this special Buy 3, Get 1 Free 24-hour Ticket Special for the 7:05pm game on Monday, June 29th.

The first 2,000 fans through the gates that night will get a Johnny Pesky Bobblehead, courtesy of Northeast Delta Dental, and it’s the Fisher Cats Kickoff to Summer Luau.

Remember, there’s only 24 hours to take advantage of this special offer. Click HERE anytime beginning noon on Tuesday, June 23, through noon on Wednesday, June 24, and enter the promo code “buy3get1″.

I SO want one of those Johnny Pesky bobbleheads, but Mike might be returning to work that day, and therefore we wouldn’t be able to go.

If you have never been to a New Hampshire Fisher Cats game, you are in for a treat.  They hgave a great ballpark, and everyone always has fun there.  So, if you are so inclined, take advantage of this offer while you can!