MLB stadiums

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The one that I really don't get is it seems that Tampa Bay is building a new stadium that looks sail boat. I don't understand the point of it considering the new isn't that old.

Rays Ballpark actually looks kind of neat. Linky At least it's not quite as dull as Tropicana, nor does it have those damn catwalks.

And I'm also happy to report that the College World Series is staying in Omaha where it bloody well *belongs*, and we've also signed a 25-year agreement to keep it here (which the NCAA normally does not do). All because we're getting a new ballpark! Bye bye Rosenblatt, you ugly piece of crap, you're going AWAY!

 

[RevDMV]

Nice digs...

 

[Swarles Barkley]

AFAIK, the Red Sox (not just the owners, but the team itself) wanted a new Fenway, but there was an outcry and it was defeated. Fair enough. Like I keep saying, they don't have another team just a few miles away to compete with.

Boston resident here. The decision to renovate Fenway, rather than build a new ballpark had virtually nothing to do with the "Save Fenway" fanatics. It had far more to do with the exorbitant costs of building a new ballpark in Boston due to land costs, along with the very hostile political climate in Boston (hostile to anything new, and pretty much hostile to doing anything about anything). It's the same reason that the Patriots ended up building their new facility in Foxboro, which is in the middle of nowhere (actually closer to Providence than it is to Boston). Originally there was a plan to build a new football stadium, along with a new baseball stadium, on the South Boston waterfront next to the new convention center. All that would have been displaced were blocks of vacant, decaying warehouses. It would all have been right next to the newly refurbished interstate. In short, it made perfect sense. So naturally, it didn't happen. The good people of Southie were all up in arms about losing the lucrative crack dens that were occupying the space. So the Pats stayed in Foxboro, and the Sox stayed at Fenway.

To be fair, the Kraft family was a little heavy-handed and presumptuous about dealing with the locals when they were attempting to sell their plan for the new football stadium. But in a more rational locale, those differences and hurt feelings could have been smoothed over. Not in Boston.

So when the new Sox ownership came in, there was still some early talk about building a new ballpark, but they decided that given the level of debt service they were already dealing with in purchasing the team, building a new facility anywhere near Boston "proper" would be cost-prohibitive. So they put on a happy face and declared that their intention was to stay in Fenway all along. In actuality they've done quite a good job in maximizing the potential of the old "bandbox". I like a lot of what they have done. I've sat in some of the new seating areas like the right field picnic area, and it's pretty nice up there. Going to sit in "Monstah Seats" for the first time next week too. But there is a price to having the smallest seating capacity in MLB, combined with being probably the most popular team in the league (sorry Yankee fans), and that is ridiculous ticket costs, combined with incredible scarcity. I like Fenway well enough, unless I get saddled with those right field grandstand seats that face out towards the bullpen instead of towards home plate. But I'm not fanatical about the place. In the long run, eventually the Sox will need a new ballpark. But the current ownership has done a good enough job to ensure that they'll be sticking around Fenway for probably another 10 years at least.

Oh and TerriO, it sounds like you're running out of patience with the Evil Empire! There's still time to join us in the light! Let go of the Dark Side! Go Sox!!

 

[Allyn Gibson]

I had forgotten that Yankee Stadium is also a cookie cutter. That alone is a mighty impetus to replace it. God, if I ever invent time travel, I will find whoever invented the concept of a 'multi-purpose' stadium, and beat them senseless with a trout.

I sense great hostility toward "cookie cutters."

Was Yankee Stadium really built as a multi-purpose stadium? Football has been played there -- the Giants used to play at Yankee Stadium, and college bowl games have been held there -- but I don't recall that it was built as a multi-sport venue. I think it's more a case that the football field fit inside Yankee Stadium, rather than any conscious design to make it multi-sport. Hell, professional football barely existed when Yankee Stadium was built.

Likewise, the Bears called Wrigley Field home for a long time, but don't call Wrigley a multi-sport venue. The football field barely fit inside Wrigley; one of the end zone corners fell off into the dugouts.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I had forgotten that Yankee Stadium is also a cookie cutter. That alone is a mighty impetus to replace it. God, if I ever invent time travel, I will find whoever invented the concept of a 'multi-purpose' stadium, and beat them senseless with a trout.

I sense great hostility toward "cookie cutters."

Was Yankee Stadium really built as a multi-purpose stadium? Football has been played there -- the Giants used to play at Yankee Stadium, and college bowl games have been held there -- but I don't recall that it was built as a multi-sport venue. I think it's more a case that the football field fit inside Yankee Stadium, rather than any conscious design to make it multi-sport. Hell, professional football barely existed when Yankee Stadium was built.

Likewise, the Bears called Wrigley Field home for a long time, but don't call Wrigley a multi-sport venue. The football field barely fit inside Wrigley; one of the end zone corners fell off into the dugouts.

I guess you're right. There is a difference between stadiums that are *built* expressly for both sports (like Shea), and ones where football can incidentally be played.

Although, can't Yankee Stadium be reconfigured for football - by moving around some of the stands, like they would do at cookie cutters - rather than just slapping a football field in it? (I assume that's how they did it at places like Wrigley.)

You are right, though, I am extremely hostile towards cookie cutters. Who wouldn't be? They're ugly pieces of shit. Even the players hated them. If you can look at photos of the Vet, RFK, Three Rivers, etc. and not laugh, I salute you.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Although, can't Yankee Stadium be reconfigured for football - by moving around some of the stands, like they would do at cookie cutters - rather than just slapping a football field in it?

No, they put in extra bleachers along the lines in what would be the baseball playing field, but they didn't reconfigure existing seats the way it's done at places like Minneapolis. Here's an overhead shot, probably from the late 1920s. (The rightfield grandstand was extended further and around in the 1930s.) There's additional seating on the rightfield playing surface. But then there's a bunch of awkward, unfilled space in what would be foul territory behind home plate. Essentially, they "[slapped] a football field" in Yankee Stadium down along the third base line, and then filled the outfield with extra seating. The existing baseball seating wasn't moved.

As for cookie-cutters, I don't find them as ugly, or as agregious, as you do. A lot of baseball history happened in cookie-cutters. There's an episode of Homicide where Munch waxes philosophic on the impending demise of Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. A lot of baseball history happened in cookie-cutter stadiums. And some were better for baseball than others. RFK was a good baseball field. The Metrodome is not.

At the same time, the new trend in baseball stadia toward quirkiness and charm can be overrated. Look at Houston's park. Sports Illustrated correctly called in "a field of screams."

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Another question:

Will the Yankees and Mets websites have pictures of the old stadiums as they are dismantled? (I'm guessing that they won't be demolished/imploded because of the mess and the noise.) I am very interested in getting pics of Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium in various stages of being taken down.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Sorry for the bump, but...

Apparently, the Rays' plan to build a new park has fallen through. DAMMIT.

Not necessarily that I liked the new design so much, it's just that TROPICANA FIELD SUCKS and I hate the thought of it being around longer.

On the lighter side, the last legal challenges to the Florida Marlins' new stadium have apparently gone away, so they can go ahead and build it.

Does anyone know what the latest is on Cisco Field? Are the A's still working on getting it built?

 

[Starbreaker]

2012 is the goal.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The information on Cisco Field (on the A's website) doesn't seem to have been updated in awhile. The latest info it has was from November 2007, when the team submitted the formal proposal. They haven't said what, if anything, has happened since then...

I mean, these parks take years to build, so if they want to be open by 2012, they're going to have to get crackin' here.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Okay, yet another bump , but I'm watching the '08 Series again - thanks to the iTunes Store - and I had a thought about Tropicana Field:

I realize that it's not possible, at the moment, for the Rays to get a new ballpark, but in the meantime, could they simply renovate the Trop - by removing the roof?

It seems that a lot of the reasons why the Trop sucks are due to the roof, or the catwalks, or both. (At the very least, I think we can all agree that baseball is simply not meant to be played indoors on a permanent basis...) I know that the original reason the Trop was built *with* a roof is because of the weather down there, but the plans for the new Rays ballpark had an optional covering anyway, which would be relatively easy to build onto a roofless Trop. And just might be a lot less expensive than building a whole new park.

Also, I'm still jumping up and down at the news that the Marlins are finally getting their new ballpark. Unfortunately, because of that jackass Norman Braman and his lawsuits, the new park won't open until 2012. I hope that sonofabitch is happy.

Anyway, here is the official website, just now opened, for the new Marlins ballpark! Linky

 

[Scout101]

why spend all that money to rennovate (plus, it wouldn't be done in time, it would have to wait until next offseason, at least) when they plan to build a new park in the near future instead? Lot of wasted money for little gain...

 

[bigdaddy]

How hard is it to knock down a roof?

 

[Finn]

How hard is it to knock down a roof?

That one at Tropicana? VERY COMPLICATED, I would imagine with the cost, the danger to workers, and trying to avoid debris falling down and damaging the field and the seats, etc down below. Also one has to consider how the roof is attached to the stadium. It's probably not like a lid one just can take off. There are probably beams and other parts that are built well into the upper walls that would look unsightly after removal.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

why spend all that money to rennovate (plus, it wouldn't be done in time, it would have to wait until next offseason, at least) when they plan to build a new park in the near future instead?

The Rays had been *trying* to build a new ballpark, but they're running into opposition from city officials and NIMBYs. I wonder if removing the Trop's roof might be an acceptable alternative.

The only problem would be, where would the Rays play until the work was finished?

 

[SmoothieX]

Their proposed stadium concept looked cool and unique. I hope it gets pushed through. I think with their sudden popularity and relevance, they are more likely to get something done.

As for the roof, how integral a part of the overall facility is it? I imagine it'd be like taking the roof off your house. Yeah you could probably do it, but you'd screw the house up in the process.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The real shame with Dodger Stadium is the thug mentality that is allowed in the "less expensive" seats means that you can't take your family there

Really? Care to elaborate?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Bump again. Unfortunately, Cisco Field looks like it has fallen through. As Jack Bauer would say: "DAMMIT!" The A's really need to get the hell out of the Coliseum, and fast. It wouldn't be so bad if this was before the days of Mount Davis, but that bit really destroyed what little charm the place had left. Now it's basically a football stadium.

Fortunately, though, the Marlins AND Twins are getting new parks! The Twins get Target Field, which opens next year (bye bye ass-ugly Metrodome!) and the Marlins get a new 'park in 2012! W00t!

The real shame with Dodger Stadium is the thug mentality that is allowed in the "less expensive" seats means that you can't take your family there

You're talking about the bleachers, aren't you? No, there's no "thug mentality" there. Not even close.

I just spent two weeks in New York, and sitting with the Bleacher Creatures in Yankee Stadium was one of the greatest experiences of my life. From now on I will only buy bleacher tickets when I go there. They are awesome just to be around. They are not thugs, or bullies, or anything like that. The only people who would ever say otherwise are those who are so thin skinned that they can't take a little good natured ribbing. And for frack's sake, if you wear a Red Sox, or Mets, or [whatever team the Yankees are playing that day] jersey into those seats, frankly you deserve everything you get.

I mean, I myself would fully expect to get yelled at if I wore Yankee gear into Fenway! Would you call Sox fans thugs just because they yell "Yankees Suck!" all the time? No? I would hope not. Because this is not about being a thug, or even being mean at all. It's the nature of competition. Nobody gets hurt, or even touched in any way (I've never seen that happen, personally). It's just fans doing what they do.

And even then, it's only some quasi-friendly insults, like the well known "ASShole...ASShole...ASShole..." (which actually happens at a lot of places), or more often just "[name of team] Sucks!" which is pretty tame, really.

As for families? I've seen toddler age kids in those bleachers. Even they love it. They may not fully understand what's going on but I would definitely bring my kids (if I had any) there.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Bump (apologies if I seem to have taken over this thread with non stop bumping, but hey, this is about an MLB stadium ya know! Plus it doesn't apply to only 2009, so that leaves out the 'Major League Baseball 2009' thread):

Twins fans rejoice - Target Field is one step closer to completion. The field is complete!

Target Field - photo gallery

This is going to be so cool. Much better than that shithole, the Metrodome (which I call the Metrodump, my dad calls it Humpty Dumpty ). Target Field proves two things: 1) the Twins deserve, and will get, a decent park, and 2) Indoor baseball sucks.

(as for the well known Minnesota weather: Target Field will have a heated field and concourses, plus I hear the seats might be heated as well!)

 

[SmoothieX]

Now that they've laid down the sod, it really looks like a ballpark.