On the Road 2018: Looking for Designated Eaters

Published in

Ben’s Biz Blog

3 min readApr 6, 2018

I have five road trips planned this season, visiting over two dozen ballparks in all. And when I’m the road, I am often in need of a Designated Eater.

What is a Designated Eater? Simply put, it is the individual tasked with eating the ballpark cuisine that my gluten-free diet prohibits. I began recruiting Designated Eaters in 2013; last season, 16 joined the ranks.

Are you interested in joining this hardy legion of souls? Then, please, read on past this picture of a proud Designated Eater enjoying a mac and cheese-topped burger.

My Designated Eater recruitment policy will be similar to 2017’s:

Peruse the list of dates and teams in this post. See one that you’re interested in? Email me — benjamin.hill@mlb.com — with the subject line stating “Designated Eater” as well as the team you are interested in.
In this email, please explain (in 50 to 500,000 words) why you would make a good Designated Eater. I’m looking for those with a sense of humor and a passion for Minor League Baseball. A willingness to embarrass one’s self is a prerequisite. Another prerequisite is a willingness to eat anything that may be on that team’s concession menu.
Send this email by Friday, April 20. This year’s slate of Designated Eaters will be announced the following Friday, April 27.

AVAILABLE DATES

5/4: Delmarva Shorebirds

5/5: Bowie Baysox

—

5/10: Harrisburg Senators

5/11: Lakewood BlueClaws

5/12: Lehigh Valley IronPigs (must love pork)

—

5/18: Trenton Thunder (must love pork roll)

—

6/14: Lake County Captains

6/16: Toledo Mud Hens

6/17: Fort Wayne TinCaps

Note: I am currently not including the 6/15 Mahoning Valley Scrappers Opening Night game and 6/19 Midwest League All-Star Game in Lansing. These are both special events, so I may not operate according to road trip routine. This, like everything else, is subject to change.

—

7/13: Florida Fire Frogs

7/14: Daytona Tortugas

7/15: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp

7/16: Augusta GreenJackets

7/20: Johnson City Cardinals

Note: I am currently not including the 7/18 Charlotte Knights game and 7/19 Asheville Tourists game, as these are both locations in which I have already employed a Designated Eater. This, like everything else, is subject to change.

—

8/20: State College Spikes

Notes:

I will recruit the 8/8 Brooklyn Cyclones and 8/10 Staten Island Yankees Designated Eaters from my extensive network of New York City contacts.
I will not employ a Designated Eater at the Little League Classic in Williamsport on August 19th.
I will serve as my own Designated Eater for 8/24’s game, when the Aberdeen IronBirds play as the “Steamed Crabs.”

—

9/2: Colorado Springs Sky Sox

9/4: Grand Junction Rockies