Tickets to individual Phillies games go on sale today. Online buyers can get a head start, buying them as early as 7:30 a.m. through the Phillies website. A web page about the sale presents a diagram of the park and the prices for various sections.
Two-tiered pricing. Notice that games before May 20 and after Sept. 7 are a bit more expensive than those in midseason. The biggest gap is $5 for seats closest to the infield. Most other seats are $1 to $3 more midseason.
Todd Zolecki, who covers the Phils for the Inquirer (read his latest story, on shortstop Jimmy Rollin's declaration that Phils are the team to beat), offered his suggestions for fans:
"Games I'd buy tickets for ... if I had cash to blow: Obviously, any series against the Mets and Braves will be big. So I'm not going to include them. Barry Bonds plays in Philly June 1-4. That should be fun. Jim Thome returns to Philly June 11-13 with the White Sox. Aaron Rowand and Freddy Garcia are former Sox. Detroit rolls into town June 15-17. They're the defending AL champions, and many fans wanted the Phillies to hire Jim Leyland over Charlie Manuel. St. Louis is in town after the all-star break in July. Mike Lieberthal and Randy Wolf return to town Aug. 21-23."
Lieberthal and Wolf are with the L.A. Dodgers this season.
The Phils, as always, have a lot of giveaways and special promotions this season. Check out the list. Among the highlights:
Ryan Howard MVP baseball (pictured) for kids 14 and under, April 14.
Jackie Robinson salute, April 15.
Phanatic's Birthday Party, with Phanatic Bobblehead, April 29.
Ryan Howard bobble figurine for all fans, May 16.
Shane Victorino hula figurine for kids, June 3
Fireworks nights, June 28 and 29.
Coles Hamel bobble figurine for all fans, July 25
Also popular: The seven College Nights and seven Dollar Dog Dates.
Fans have to wait till 9 a.m. to buy tickets by phone (215-463-1000 ) or at Citizen Bank Park (go to the west ticket windows, next to the clubhouse store).
But at 7:30, fans can start buying online. Go the regular season schedule, find the game you want, and click the T in the little green box. Click the asterisk below for more info about promotions.
Not a great turnout ... just a couple dozen people in the gift shop or waiting in their cars ... Not because of a lack of excitement about the season, though ... it's probably those earlier sales, at 7:30 a.m., online.
Click on comments below to tell if you already got your tickets.
"This will be my 37th year doing Phillies games." Started first year of Veterans Stadium, 1971. ... "The expectations are higher this year than I can recall them since the late 70s," when Rose was added to a lineup with Schmidt, Luzinski and Carlton. It's for real, he says. Because of an excellent starting rotation, and Utley and Howard, there's a chance to get to the World Series. Bob Harley of Delran, NJ, gets Harry's autograph (in picture). Harry adds that a big key will be the bullpen, especially whether "Flash" Gordon can stay healthy and effective. "You can never discount those Bravos," he says with a laugh to a fan, referring to Atlanta. NFL games for Westwood One radio ... and he does the HBO show Inside the NFL. Says he has no timetable for retiring. "I still enjoy it," he says with a smile and a laugh. New to the broadcast team is Gary "Sarge" Matthews. No decision yet on who'll be paired with whom on the TV and radio broadcasts. "I'm fine. It's their call. I can work with anybody. Unless you can bring Whitey back." Thinks about Richie Ashburn "every day, every day I think about my late great partner who was such a joy to be around."
First guy in line got here at 3:50 this morning, and drove about three hours to get here. Jeff Gramley, 32, a services aide in a state hospital, from Beavertown Pa, drove all the way, left at midnight. "Wanted to be one of the diehards down here." ... starting piticher is better, the nucleus is definitely there ... Rollins and Utley and Howard ... Pat Burrell definitely needs to pick it up ... opening Day is not sold out yet, he's going to run through the banner to start the sale.
Above, he's ready ... below, he's through ... and the fans are off to the ticket windows.
Tom Dudzic, 21, Cinnaminson: Hoping to get Opening Day. Word is the staff has reserved seats for the folks in line. Four seats. "Two buddies and my Dad." 94 wins, he predicts. "They're going to the World Series."
"They're going to win the Super Bowl!" says Ryan Wujcik, 20, also of Cinnaminson. "Give me the playoffs and a slice of hope, to quote Joey Coyle," from the movie Money for Nothing about the Philly guy who found the money that fell of a truck.
Tom Dudzic, 21, Cinnaminson: Hoping to get Opening Day. Word is the staff has reserved seats for the folks in line. Four seats. "Two buddies and my Dad." 94 wins, he predicts. "They're going to the World Series."
"They're going to win the Super Bowl!" says Ryan Wujcik, 20, also of Cinnaminson. "Give me the playoffs and a slice of hope, to quote Joey Coyle," from the movie Money for Nothing about the Philly guy who found the money that fell of a truck.
Tim Naylor, 45, from Northeast Philly" "I know I'm getting an Atlanta Braves game and the Cincinnati Reds on June 27." Father in law picked the Reds game. Can't go to opening day because his son will be in high school. Doesn't he just cut? "You're right! I'm not raising him right." He's getting opening day ... "You want my whole list?" getting about six games. Fireworks night is also important, though those two dates in late June because the team's on the road for July 4, and the last two home games before that are weekend afternoons. His kids get upset if he doesn't get fireworks night.
Ken Pero, 68, from Seaville, N.J., near Ocean City: Chicago Cubs, May 11 ... Detroit June 15 ... Mets June 29 ... JUly 13 the Cardinals ... "I want to see good teams and I'm spacing the games out a little bit. ... They look like all Friday nights."
Richie Feder, 48, of Mount Airey: "I'm here every year this day. This is my favorite day except for opening day. But this year October's going to be fun, right?"
Tony Coleman, 27, of Wilmington, wants 18 tickets for opening day, mostly for coworkers and friends. So far, they've only been able to get 12 online, he says, working the phone to try to get the other six. "All circuits are busy, every time I've tried."
Mary Anne Sharkey, 40, of Havertown, is here with her 15-month-old Phillies fan, John. "He was even here last year." My others are in school, my husband is at work. "I came right from work. I work at a hospital. Grabbed the baby and came down." Opening Day ... Fan Appreciation ... fireworks ... and the White Sox .."My son loves Thome," the former Phils first basemen ... The Thome fan is Jimmy, who's 10. ... Last year, John was 3 months and it was much much colder.
OK, my hands are freezing, so I stopped inside the store to talk with Maria Schaeffer, division manager for retail. What's new and exciting this year? "A lot of Ryan Howard product" ... pennant, T-shirt, pin, all exclusive to the ballpark ... not sure about the bobblehead or the baseball with Howard's picture being given away at the park on special dates... Funniest thing? Most unusual? "Assuming we get MLB approval, we have a Phanatic bank. You put your money and you that crack of the bat sound." There will be a Phanatic bobble-belly doll, too. Yes, bobble belly. Biggest sellers? "Anything Ryan Howard." Most expensive: Poker set, with chips and cards, are $199. Should be in stock within a couple of weeks. About $750,000 of product coming in in the next five weeks. Oh, even more pricey: replica jerseys from Mitchell & Ness, about $325. New this year: A pin trading center. You can swap one of yours for another one. It's going to be in the Majestic Clubhouse Store. Sure have a lot of colors of hats these days:
A family comes in, asking about the tours. Tours? Yes, Stephanie Nieland. Fans can see the suite, Ashburn Alley, the Diamond Club Hall of Fame .. uh-oh, my battery's getting low ... the media room, the dugouts, the clubhouse ("not much to see, a bunch of empty lockers"), the press box, the broadcast booths. Lasts about 90 minutes. 3 says a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. $8 adults, $5 for kids 3-14 and seniors 65 and older. Six days a week during the season, Monday-Saturday.
uh-oh my laptop battery's dying ... so that's all for now ... no longer "Live From ... Citizens Bank Park" ...
Back again, from the office: Right after my laptop died, I snapped this shot of Joe Blair, 48, of Northeast Philly, holding his four tix for opening day. Expects to go with his nephew, brother-in-law, and son, if his son can get off work. Also got some tickets for that Ryan Howard bobblehead night.
Did you get tickets? Share your story by clicking "comments" below.
This page contains an archive of all entries posted to Live From ... in the Baseball category. They are listed from oldest to newest.
Football is the next category.
Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.