Play Ball… Baseball!

Had a fantastic time seeing the local professional minor league baseball team at Albert Park in San Rafael, CA. Saw a great game and had wonderful grilled hotdogs along with beer.

2012 is the Inaugural Season for the San Rafael Pacifics, an independent minor league team playing in the North American Baseball League (NABL). The team will play home games at the historic Albert Park in downtown San Rafael. The Pacifics are an expansion team in the NABL.

Albert Park

Independent baseball isn’t part of the Major League Baseball system with its minor leagues, although the NABL skill level’s are comparable to AA or AAA teams.

As is usual for independent baseball, Pacifics players aren’t getting the big bucks. Some live with local families, who get free tickets in exchange for hosting the ballplayers. It's an old-time baseball experience compared to the major leagues. Much of the seating is on wooden benches or plastic chairs, and portable toilets take the place of built-in plumbing and it’s very fun!

Unfortunately the Pacifics lost to the Sonoma Grapes but it was still very fun, there were no sour grapes. The Pacific’s next series is against the Maui Na Koa Ikaika in Maui Hawaii.

In early July the Hawaiian team will make its first visit to San Rafael. It’ll be the Bay Area’s first look at Maui pitcher Eri Yoshida, a female player nicknamed the “knuckleball princess” whose debut drew international attention.

San Rafael Pacifics

The baseball game was fun, the stadium very intimate and the hot dogs as good as they get. 

Highly recommended!

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