Rodents in the Outfield
Arte Moreno has done a fantastic job of creating a family-friendly atmosphere at Angel Stadium, but we're guessing that he didn't have this in mind. On Sunday, the Orange County Register reported that the ballpark has been cited 118 times for vermin violations since 2005, which included 33 "major" citations.
The problem stems partially from the Angels' practice of leaving trash in the stands until cleaning crews arrive early in the morning after games. The article also reports that the cooking staff leaves dirty pots and dishes in the stadium kitchens, waiting to be cleaned the next day. Such violations are rather surprising. It's industry standard to remove trash from the stands immediately after games. You may have people in the ballpark at 3 AM, but at least the stadium is clean and there are no rodents running around. The Register reports that the Dodgers, Padres, and Ducks do just that, and have dramatically fewer vermin violations.