Prior to the gates opening, find a spot outside Centennial Field that will allow you to see if the teams are taking batting practice. If they are, walk to the area beyond the outfield fence, stand back and watch for balls to exit the ballpark. Of course, unless you get to Centennial Field before BP begins, there should be a few balls scattered around the grass in this area. If you don’t see any, look in less-noticeable areas such as against the soccer stadium’s grandstands, in tall grass and even as far away as the tall grass that runs along the fence near the cemetery.
If no batting practice is taking place, which is common before day games and doubleheaders, looking for balls beyond the fence isn’t necessarily futile. If the team played the night before, you may find a home run ball or even balls from that day’s batting practice. Be patient as you look; patience and a keen eye usually pay off.
Once the ballpark’s gates open, walk (or run, depending on your level of enthusiasm) through the stands to look for errant balls from batting practice. It’s rare to find a ball in this manner, as ushers typically collect balls prior to the gates opening, but it’s occasionally possible.
When the game begins, your best bet is to find a seating section that’s relatively empty. When you have few competitors, you can easily chase down a foul ball without much competition. The Cage is also ideal for balls, especially if it’s relatively empty. Occasionally, long foul balls will enter this area on the fly or the right fielder might flip a rolling foul ball to you.