Every year it happens like clockwork. MLB releases its tentative schedule for the next year in early September, and I cut it up and remix to make something suitable for planning ballpark trips. I call it a Travel Grid. The Travel Grid is table of all games based on each team’s home schedule. One variant places the teams in regional clusters, allowing users to connect the dots to plan trips.
Sample of Travel Grid in PDF format
Want to do a 3-5 days seeing games from Washington to Boston? It’s possible. Want to catch games at both Chicago parks and Milwaukee? If it’s there you’ll see it. I started doing this a few years ago to help me plan my own trips. I hope it’ll help you plan yours.
The schedule starts a week later than what you’d usually expect, on April 6, and ends October 4. Every 5-6 years this reset has to occur, as we “lose” a day every year. The late start may help avoid more rain postponements that have seemed to be more frequent in recent years. The downside of that is the postseason running dangerously close to November. The All Star Break will be July 13-16. Much of the pain for the A’s will be frontloaded, as they’ll experience 2 of their 3 longest road trips (9-10 days) in April and May.
A’s interleague opponents will be the NL West, which will bring about a few changes. Instead of the 2+2 format the A’s and Giants series’ took on the last couple years, the teams will play 6 times, 3 in SF in the summer and 3 in Oakland as the last home series of the season. That sets up the possibility for some cool roadies. In mid-June the A’s will play 3 at the Angels and 2 at the Padres. If you’re looking for lengthy A’s East Coast trips, things don’t look as promising. Other than series at the Indians and Yankees to end the first half, there are few trips where you can stretch out and follow the team for a week unless you’re willing to take on multiple leg flight schedules. The team has a particularly brutal stretch next September when they visit the Rangers, then fly to Chicago to meet the White Sox, then back to Texas for a series against the Astros.
That said, if you’re looking to put together ballpark visits, the schedule’s pretty friendly. East Coast possibilities for 5-7 day trips (the length I like) are available pretty much every month. Similar length Midwest trips are ripe in June (Rust Belt) and July (Chi-StL).
The 2015 Travel Grid is available in two layouts: an alphabetically ordered (left-to-right) table and the aforementioned regional cluster layout. Both are available in Excel, CSV (comma delimited), and PDF (poster view) formats. Feel free to leave feedback in the comments or send me a tweet.
Regional
Alphabetical
Enjoy!
newballpark.org 
Wonder if Nashville can be fit into any of those travel grid spaces for a MiLB trip since it’s looking like it’s all but certain they’re our new AAA affiliate. Guess I’ll be burning all my RiverCats gear.
A teacher’s wish come true – summer starts with a San Diego road trip to see the A’s in 2015. 🙂
Yeah, I’m really excited about the San Diego, Anaheim road trip combination. Hopefully I can catch up with some other A’s fan’s.
If anyone needs Petco Park or Gaslamp suggestions let me know. I spend half my summer there when I’m not earning the money I spend there.
Favorite seat location at Petco, Dan? How about best ticket value (upper reserved, bleachers, etc)?
Favorite seat location is definitely the right field lower grandstand, but that’s if you’re a Padres fan as “The Right Field Mission” stand out there. For away fans I’d definitely look into the left field stand. The top actually afford you some nice views and some sunshine and direct access to the Ballast Point stand behind the bar which is a must. The third base line is also quite popular with away fans as that’s the away dugout side at Petco. It also affords you the most shade in the afternoon. I’d stay away from anything on the right field line unless you’re inside first base as you’ll be in direct sunlight and at some point during any evening game you’ll be staring directly into the sun.
Best value overall though, grab a $10 Park at the Park seat well in advance (don’t wait as dynamic pricing is a bitch and I’m sure the A’s game will be popular which drives it up) and just meander around the park. It’s a great walking park with spacious concourses and drink rails everywhere. If those are gone just grab a 3rd deck seat on the left field side. Petco is heavily cantilevered so you’re not that far from the action like you are at many other parks.
If you’re looking for good food that’s not jacked up in price compared to its non-ballpark version, grab a Hodad’s in the park. This season at least there’s a stand in right field in the park at the park, and a full restaurant on the second deck behind first base (also accessible from the first deck). Other good options are Phils BBQ (similar arrangement to Hodads but left field in the park and right field line they have a stand. Or check at the “Mercado” area and odds are they’ll have something amazing there you’ll want like Anthony’s Seafood or Miguel’s Mexican (try the white sauce for sure).
Oh and if you want beer just stop anywhere on the concourse on the first deck or every 20 yards or so on the 3rd deck. Odds are you’ll see a microbrew within view and they’re all worth it. If you’re not big on SD style beers they have the typical domestic swill and the almost MLB wide available Goose Island from Chicago as well (the latter being the best value “craft” beer in the park).
And if you have time and they’re holding them the day you go, try the ballpark tour. Takes about an hour and it is very informative into the little quirks they designed into Petco and why for those that are ballpark buffs like myself and I suspect many people on here.
Wow thank you Dan! I can tell you’ve spent some serious time there. I’m gonna take you up on those suggestions.