To see all posts from my August 2, 2015 visit to the Mississippi Braves (this is Part Two) click HERE. To see all of the posts from my July/August 2015 trip through the Deep South, click HERE. To see ALL of my “On the Road” posts (going back to 2010), click HERE.

2015 “On the Road” landing page HERE!

Okay, so where was I? Oh, right. I was where I often am: wandering around at the start of a Minor League ballgame. This particular ballgame was taking place at TrustMark Park in Pearl, Mississippi, home of the Mississippi Braves. It was a Sunday afternoon, and the game-time temperature was a little over 100 degrees. Nothing new to me — I bring the heat everywhere I go.

The M-Braves, like a lot of teams in the South, don’t draw particularly well on Sundays. Church may be air-conditioned, but the ballpark definitely isn’t. TrustMark Park has 5400 fixed seats and a max capacity of 8000, but on this particular afternoon there was plenty of room in which to move.

While wandering the concourse I discovered this iSnap photo booth. Fans can have their picture taken, for free, and then immediately have it emailed to them and/or posted on the social media platform of their choice.

I decided to give it a try, though I clearly wasn’t ready when the picture was taken. That tomahawk in the background was driven straight through my skull.

greetings from TrustMark Park #MBravesiSnaphttp://t.co/1378FEyhztpic.twitter.com/lsxVbNPoGQ

— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) August 2, 2015

Moving on to the picnic area, I was reminded that, despite the heat, it was a beautiful day.

Now here’s something I’d never seen before. The M-Braves took what had been a secondary team store and converted it into the Season Ticket Holders Concierge.

Season ticket holders can come here to get that day’s free gift, obtain a snack or a drink, or simply luxuriate in the air conditioning.

The Farm Bureau Grill, located in right field, is open for lunch on game days as well as during the game itself.

Above the entrance to the Grill, one can find a collection of Southern League team caps. Note that the Pensacola Blue Wahoos cap was placed directly atop the team they replaced in the league, the Carolina Mudcats.

Upstairs, in this double suite, some longtime season-ticket holders were enjoying their comfortable surroundings. I felt like I was peeking into somebody’s living room.

My visit to the suite was followed by a brief visit to the press box.

The view from above is similar to the view below. Why wouldn’t it be?

I was told that the sun sets behind third base at all Atlanta-owned Minor League franchises (Danville, Rome, Mississippi, Gwinnett). This mirrors the conditions at Turner Field.

The above photo was taken later in the ballgame, after I had spent a few innings with that afternoon’s designated eater (to be detailed in the next post). Tyler Jones was warming up for the M-Braves in the bullpen, as Louisiana native Bryton Bertrand Trepagnier looked on.

Nothing gets fans excited for late-inning Minor League Baseball quite like a strong dose of Lil Jon over the PA system.

Warm up for what?! https://t.co/1XPC1a2iKY

— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) August 3, 2015

Neither Jones nor Trepagnier got into the game, which the M-Braves won by a score of 4-3 over the Tennessee Smokies.

The game was played in a comparatively crisp two hours and 35 minutes, leaving me with barely enough time to compose, record and disseminate my groundbreaking and subversive ballpark joke of the day.

Your groundbreaking and subversive ballpark joke of the day, M-Braves. https://t.co/o3bVYqddX4

— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) August 3, 2015

With the ballgame complete, kids ran the bases as water shot across the grass in programmed arcs. The sun had set on yet another day at the ballpark.

—

benjamin.hill@mlb.com

twitter.com/bensbiz

instagram.com/thebensbiz

To see all posts from my August 2, 2015 visit to the Mississippi Braves (this is Part One) click HERE. To see all of the posts from my July/August 2015 trip through the Deep South, click HERE. To see ALL of my “On the Road” posts (going back to 2010), click HERE.

2015 “On the Road” landing page HERE!

As I approached TrustMark Park, home of the Mississippi Braves, the sounds of Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City” could be heard wafting from within. The ballpark sure looked like paradise at that moment, or at least as close to paradise as a shopping center in suburban Mississippi is ever gonna get.

The Mississippi Braves play in the paradise that is Pearl. This central Mississippi metropolis has a population of approximately 25,000, but the M-Braves also draw on communities such as Jackson, the neighboring state capitol. Trustmark Park was built in 2005, in conjunction with a mammoth Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store. Only a vast expanse of asphalt separates the two.

Bass Pro Shop, towering in the distance

Upon entering the stadium, this was the view to my left.

And this, the view to my right. From the M-Braves’ inaugural 2005 season through 2014 they were the only Minor League team in Mississippi. That changed this season with the arrival of the Biloxi Shuckers. The Shuckers are abundant in oyster imagery, yet the M-Braves are the ones in Pearl.

Since that debut season 2005, many M-Braves have gone on to play in the Majors. At the time I visited, this number stood at 99. Most of these M-Braves, of course, have gone on to the A-Braves.

Many of these M-Braves also spent time with the D-Braves (Rookie-level Danville), R-Braves (Class A Rome and, also, now-defunct Triple-A Richmond) and the G-Braves (Triple-A Gwinnett). The Braves are, by far, the most boring organization in baseball. They own all (but one) of their Minor League affiliates, and when they own a team they name it the Braves while also injecting it with a strong dose of inherent conservatism. May their model never catch on.

Shortly after arriving at the stadium, I made my way to the vertically-inclined abode of M-Braves broadcaster Kyle Tait.

In the above picture, you may be able to see that the grass on the field is not quite up to “Paradise City” standards. Kyle explained that the team had received no rain whatsoever in July, and hadn’t experienced a rainout since June. Persistent dryness is not good for grass. There’s research out there that backs this up.

After saying a tearful goodbye to Kyle I met M-Braves media relations manager Miranda Black, who showed me around the stadium. This cozy area, also known as the home clubhouse, is one such area that I was shown.

It’s been a season of transition for the Atlanta Braves organization, and as a result of various wheelings and dealings the M-Braves experienced a tremendous amount of roster turnover. Roster turnover necessitates a great deal of logistical maneuvering on the part of the front office staff, such as scheduling photo sessions for the new arrivals.

I spotted this sign hanging in the weight room, hoping against hope that I would be able to find any sort of spelling or grammatical error. You win this round, Braves.

As the result of a partnership with the Mississippi lottery, that day’s winning numbers are posted in the clubhouse hallways. I can’t think of what else this would be.

Meanwhile, out on the field, a ballgame had begun. The M-Braves were hosting the Montgomery Biscuits, whom I had seen play in Montgomery the night before. The game time temperature was a sultry 102 degrees, decidedly not paradise-like conditions.

And thus concludes part one of this M-Braves blogging saga. Part two will be similar to part one, but the subtle differences between them will delight, confound and educate the discerning reader in equal measure.

—

benjamin.hill@mlb.com

twitter.com/bensbiz

instagram.com/thebensbiz