Spring Training and Big Glass

Sorry if this has come up before, so please direct me to a thread if it already has.

I'm planning on going down to Florida in a couple weeks to catch 4 or 5 spring training games. My father is a die-hard Orioles fan (although we both live in the middle of Red Sox Nation), so I'll be mostly attending games at the O's stadium in Sarasota with him. He's a spring training season pass holder, so my seats will be right next to the first base dugout (in line with first base and second base) in the first or second row (pretty much right next to the photographer shooting area).

Has anyone had any luck in bringing BIG glass into any spring training parks? The O's stadium doesn't list any restrictions on camera gear, although it can't 'interfere with other fan's enjoyment'. I just picked up a 400 2.8 IS, and I'd love to give it a spring training workout before baseball season kicks up. If not, has anyone had any luck with a 300 2.8 in parks?

I'm sure my best bet is to check with someone from the stadium, but I just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with trying to get in a lens that big before. I would even settle for shooting batting practice and such and putting it away for the game if they'd let me.

http://baltimore.oriol​es.mlb.com …ing/ballpark.js​p?c_id=bal
"No bags or items exceeding the maximum size of 16" x 16" x 8" are allowed into the ballpark."


http://mlb.mlb.com …ring_training/a​zguide.jsp
Camera/Video Equipment Guests are welcome to bring cameras and video recorders into the ballpark for personal use. However, any photographic equipment cannot be used to reproduce the game and must not interfere with other fans' enjoyment of the game.

http://www.usa.canon.c​om …_8l_is_usm#Spec​ifications
400/2.8L is only 13.7" long

My 600/4L is 17.6"
My 300-800mm is 21.3"
Darn, those might be too big.

Ya, I don't see anything that strictly says that a lens that big wouldn't be allowed at the O's park. I was more interested in seeing if the stadium usher's would throw up a fit when they saw it. I've never seen anyone with anything larger than a 70-200 or 100-400 shooting from the stands (unless they were an official photographer).

I tried to get the local paper I shoot for to try to get me a media pass since one of the Orioles infielders (Ryan Flaherty) grew up in my town, but that was a lost cause. Ha! I figure I might as well try to bring it, and if they don't let it in, no real loss besides the pain of bringing it on the plane.