TD Ballpark: Toronto Blue Jays

March 21, 2021

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““No matter how long you travel in the wrong direction, you always have the choice to turn around.”
― Unknown

What a difference a week makes. Just seven days ago we were freezing our asses off in the cold, rainy and unoccupied minor league home of the Seattle Mariners complaining about frozen pretzel icing while wiping little icicles off the brim of my BallNine cap.

Now we’re back in warm, sunny Florida slathering on the sunscreen while we take in a ball game with weather much more fitting of SPRING training. Sure, after a year away from actually being inside the friendly confines of these concrete cathedrals I should be happy that we’re allowed in at all, right?

TD Ballpark in Dunedin, FL

Tweets by Michael Torres

Right.

Wrong. My spoiled, semi-entitled self needs to be a little more pampered while attending games this season. Especially when ticket prices are on the same level as ALDS games, and they don’t even count.

They might go five innings; they might go seven. We might see all nine if both managers agree to actually play the entire game, but I know for a fact we won’t see ten. The umpire crews have made that clear this spring. Extra baseball will not be played under the requests of the managers – the umpires union isn’t having it and they aren’t afraid to let you know.

This is baseball in a semi-Covid world with a commissioner who thinks BIG bases are going to grow the game and draw more fans while the rest of us just want to see more offense, more bat flips and cleats with a little bit of artwork. Is that too much to ask?

The Grouper Tacos at TD Ballpark

Nope.

Right. Wait. You’re way too agreeable this week. Where’s your normally obnoxious self?

On vacation.

Inner voices take ….oh never mind. At this point I’m literally just talking to myself and although I hear it’s healthy I doubt you’re enjoying it as much as we are.

This week we did it different. There are a couple of our kiddos making cameos. There are two great dudes who have been super supportive us at “Behind the Dish” and there’s Sarah, #thefoodwife, all jammed into to one action packed episode. Add some unique food, ballpark staples, great weather and a solid nine innings of spring baseball and you have one complete episode of BTD. What more can you ask for, right?

How about some insight on the food?

Nope. Not this week. Not next week. Not ever. I may be #thefoodguy but the real star of the show is what’s going into my gut every week, so – click, watch and enjoy. Until next week.

Stay tuned and Stay Hungry. #thefoodguy

TD Ballpark: 373 Douglas Ave. Dunedin, FL 34698

Rating: “Take me Out” Aside from the grouper tacos it was pretty standard fare.

Major League Teams: The Tampa Bay Rays

Minor League Teams: Bradenton Marauders (Pittsburgh Pirates) Dunedin Blue Jays (Blue Jays) and Tampa Tarpons (NY Yankees)

Other Baseball: Spring Training for the Philadelphia Phillies is a few blocks up the street.

The “Stadium Food Scale” for ballparks in 2021 (from worst to first):

Dumpster Fire – On the menu or in the bowl- this shit stinks.
School Fair – Everything is greasy, everything is fried — Limited options.
The “Take me Out” – Traditional food, but nothing special.
Fancy Pants – Sushi, Steaks and monocle wearing worthy menu options. Fancy.
The Babe Buffet — Everything you need and a bunch of things you didn’t. This is the end all be all of stadium food. Limitless options and so much food, even George Herman Ruth would tap out.