Best and Worst Ball Parks

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JohnBM01

JohnBM01

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GTPlanet, the 2007 MLB All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday, June 10th from Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CA. This inspired me to ask you all where are the best places to see a baseball game... and some of the worst. The options for you to talk about are just about ANYWHERE to see a game of baseball. It can range from Little League ballparks all the way up to the MLB and International baseball ball parks. Care to talk about your favorites and least favorites? You are free to talk about the best and worst ball parks in the world. Be sure to talk about what the name of the ball park is and where it's located.

But for now, I'll start with my own favorites.

AT&T Park - San Fransisco, California, USA
Most of you know I love San Francisco. It's a beautiful city. This National League ballpark is pretty famous for kayakers in McCovey Cove trying to get home run balls out of the water. It's known as AT&T Park nowadays, but it's still Candlestick Park for most of us others. You can see the good old San Francisco Giants play ball there. I like when games are played under sunny days or clear nights. Considering how temperatures along coastal California kind of maintain themselves the whole year, it's probably just right to go to a baseball game at AT&T Park. Perhaps some of you been to AT&T Park to see either a baseball game or (I'd hate to talk about another sport in a baseball forum, but...) college football's Emerald Bowl.

Rosenblatt Stadium - Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Omaha (for what I know) doesn't have any major football or basketball venues. They do have the Qwest Center, home to the Blue Jays of non-football school, Creighton University. They do have one heck of a ballpark called Rosenblatt Stadium. This ballpark has been home to the Division 1 College World Series every year since 1950 (thanks: Wikipedia). It's being said that this ballpark may be nearing demolition. A website known as http://www.saverosenblatt.com has been launched to try to save Rosenblatt Stadium from demolition. From what I've seen on TV, people will flock to Omaha to go see some college baseball at Rosenblatt. It is an amazing ballpark. I hope it lasts for a long time.


These are just two ballparks of many others. I actually challenge baseball fans around the world to mention some non-American ballparks. Let's talk about some of the best and worst ballparks in the world. Reply on.
 
Have fun in San Fran with King St. closed! :lol:

I think the worst baseball stadium might be Dolphin Stadium, home of my Marlins. They don't even use a quarter of the entire stadium, even though it's a nice field. When you go to a ball game in New York or something, it's always completely packed. In other words, the fans make up a huge part of what makes baseball stadia great.
 
The only two major league parks I have been to is Coors field in Denver Colorado and The BOB now called Chase Field in Arizona.

Coors Field
Beautiful park, Finished in 96, it fits into the newer category but is designed to that that classic old park feel to it. I can't imagine that there is a bad seat in the house. The food is great and all the amenities are top notch. You can even get some Rocky Mountain Oysters from one little stand waaaaay up on the top level behind home plate. They have a nice play ground for the kids when they have lost interest in the game. There is a section called the Rock Pile that tickets only cost a buck and go on sell the day of the game.

Chase Field
Obviously the first thing to mention is the Pool in the out field. I'm not sure that I would want to swim and watch a game at the same time but a nice novelty at any rate. It's impressive to watch the roof open and close. They also have these side vents that let some of that cool desert air in when you need it. One little cool thing was they went back to the little dirt strip from home plate to the pitchers mound like in the old days. It’s been a while and I really don't remember the food as standing out.

Other parks I would like to see.
Wrigley Field
Fenway Park
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Yankee Stadium
AT&T Park

Parks that should be torn down.
Rogers Centre
Tropicana Field
Metrodome
Kauffman Stadium
 
Having only visited only one Baseball Stadium, I can not tell whether it's good or bad to you US guys' standards, but I absolutely LOVE it. From the mosaics in the floors to the view from 4th row... And an absolutely stunning building as well !.. Wish I could go every week..

The Diamond in the Emerald City
 
My Best Parks would be....


Yankee Stadium
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The reason that its good is the atmosphere, there is no better in baseball. There is history there, even if only for another year. :(

Fenway
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Its clean, cozy, and has very good food.

Not the biggest, but once again atmosphere and history

Camden Yards
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A clean, modern, and large stadium, there's not a bad seat in the house.

(I should know, I was just there last week. ;))

Worst Stadiums
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Rogers Centre
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Booooooring. I don't care if it has a retractable roof, if you can't make the place seem inviting, its bad.

Shea Stadium
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Do I need to say more?

Citibank Park

(Long Island Ducks Minor League)
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So. Boring.

Outside is nice, inside doesn't quite match up.
 
Flerbizky
Having only visited only Baseball Stadium, I can not tell whether it's good or bad to you US guys' standards...
The Diamond in the Emerald City
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Speedy Samurai
Safeco is a sweet ballpark!
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People only missed the Kingdome until they set foot in Safeco Field. Once they did, they demanded that the old concrete urinal cake across the street be destroyed, for it blocked the stunning view of downtown.

Nothing beats a late-July evening game at the Safe. Except maybe going across the street to the Pyramid Alehouse after the game (hopefully following a Mariners win :D).
 
Glad to see my hometown stadium Camden Yards getting some recognition here. I admit that I've never been to another ballpark, but I've always thought the 'Yard was a great looking park with a really great atmosphere and feel. I don't follow the MLB with anything more than a passing interest anymore, but I still love catching a game whenever I get the chance.
 
Kylehnat
People only missed the Kingdome until they set foot in Safeco Field. Once they did, they demanded that the old concrete urinal cake across the street be destroyed, for it blocked the stunning view of downtown.

Nothing beats a late-July evening game at the Safe. Except maybe going across the street to the Pyramid Alehouse after the game (hopefully following a Mariners win :D).
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I'm all out of +reps for you my good man - Says I'm not spreading enough ;-)

Unfortunately, we never got around to the Pyramid Alehouse :-| Priorities was all fux0red methinks....
 
safeco field was built north of the kingdome and south of downtown. therefore the kingdom did not block the view of downtown from safeco.

i know its just a joke.
 
ESPN Sunday Night Baseball this past Sunday had a match from Petco Park as the San Diego Padres hosted the Atlanta Braves. After seeing some of the views of Petco Park as well as the outside of it, Petco Park is awesome. It's very beautiful with all the palm trees and skyscrapers. Inside the ballpark, it seems like you get a great view of some of the downtown buildings and (if you're lucky) some of that SoCal sunshine. A time I remembered there wasn't sunshine was last year or so when my Houston Astros worn their lovely rainbow colors. Those retro Astros uniforms. It was a cloudy day for the game I saw. The Padres play in a wonderful ballpark. I normally know more about San Francisco than San Diego. But I'll admit that Petco Park is an amazing ballpark. Maybe some of you GTPlanet folk in San Diego seen a game or two in Petco Park. What do you think of Petco Park if you've been there?
 
Bones Brigade
safeco field was built north of the kingdome and south of downtown. therefore the kingdom did not block the view of downtown from safeco.
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Safeco Field was built on the Kingdome's south parking lot. Qwest Field stands were the Kingdome once did, between the Safe and downtown. Google Earth will confirm.
JohnBM01
Petco Park is awesome. It's very beautiful with all the palm trees and skyscrapers.
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San Diego in general is awesome. It's far away from the chaos of the Los Angeles and Orange counties, and is close to Tijuana, with its cheap Tequila and genuine Ronex wristwatches.
 
Safeco Field is the only Major League stadium I've been to. It's a beauty. 👍
 
How many people do we HAVE from Seattle?! This is ridiculous! Half - and now more than half - of the posts in this thread refer to Safeco Field!
 
i actually live about 30 miles from seattle. looks like kyle lives in olympia and that other gentleman lives oregon.

so no one is from seattle...lol
 
First off, "Candlestick Park" WAS NOT the host of the this years "All Star Game!"
It's AT&T Park and it's a NEW stadium, built within the last 7 years. (March 2000)

Second; I've been to both parks (Candlestick and AT&T) and can honestly say AT&T park is 'da-bomb'.. :D

As for the topic of 'favorite/worse' ballparks, aside from the home of my beloved Giants (Favorite), I'm going to say (Even though I've never been there) "Skydome"...all though I believe it's now called something else and just for its sheer size and that cool as hell retractable roof! ;-)

As for 'worse' ballparks, I'll go with the old Candlestick Ballpark and whatever the old park was called where the Houston Astro's used to play at!
 
If I were to chose a worst ballpark, I'd go with the Metrodome. I've never been there, but every time I see it on TV, I want to cry. The Seattle Times wrote a Sunday feature six or seven years ago rating every ballpark on a scale of 1-10. The Metrodome came in last with a score of 0/10 (the only park to win such an accolade). The Final Comment? "Garbage. Blow it up." If it was that awful then (the Astrodome and Three Rivers Stadium were still in service at that time, mind you), it has to be even worse now. Why baseball is still being played there, and why the Twins still live there is beyond me.
 
The Metrodome is also home to the Minnesota Vikings and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. Can they build a different stadiums for them as well as a quality ballpark for the Twins?
 
Bones Brigade
safeco field was built north of the kingdome and south of downtown. therefore the kingdom did not block the view of downtown from safeco.
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Right...

Seattle.jpg


'tis no joke I tell you....
 
Did anyone see ESPN Sunday Night Baseball last night from the new ball park for the Washington Nationals? It was an absolutely beautiful ball park. From higher seating areas, you could actually see the U.S. Capitol building and stuff. It was a beautiful ball park. I'd love to see this ball park when the Houston Astros play there (since I'm impartial to the National League since Houston is an NL team).

Baseball season is back. Care to talk about more loved and hated ball parks?
 
The one comment about Kaufman stadium made me :lol:.

I like Kaufman, but it is falling into disrepair. Royals fans will soon be on the endangered species list.
 
PNC Park here in Pittsburgh is an amazing park with a great view and some spectacular food. Shame about the 15 straight losing seasons, though.
 
I agree. PNC Park is amazing. I love watching on TV when a home run ball is hit out of PNC Park... just to get a lovely view of Pittsburgh. It's such a wonderful view of the Steel City.
 
I have some collegiate ball parks to talk about- both at the University of Houston. Cougar Field is where the University of Houston Cougars play their baseball. It's a nice ballpark with a view of downtown Houston in the distance. Cougar Softball Stadium provides a little more view of downtown Houston. I always like urban and tropical landscapes. These two are no different with a great city like Houston (no matter what haters always have to say).

Remember, this is not about Major League Baseball parks. I'm talking about any recognizable ball park in the Major Leage, Minor League, College, and more. I'm still interested to see who'll play in the College World Series at the lovely Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.
 
I have some California love for you all for this installment- college style. Both are non-football schools. Both of them are West Coast Conference schools. Both of them are religious schools.

Eddy D. Field Stadium at Pepperdine University is a very nice ballpark with the Pacific Ocean in the background as well as many palm trees. The school is in Malibu, California; so it isn't too far away from most celebrities who live in Malibu.

I did a search on Benedetti Diamond. Benedetti Diamond is the ballpark for the University of San Francisco. The Dons call this ballpark their home. It's a very down-home ballpark with the lovely backdrop of San Francisco. I love San Francisco, so I'm almost a sucker for any structure in San Francisco. Well... except maybe Monster Park (San Francisco 49'ers current stadium until they play their games in Santa Clara in 2012).
 
I have to agree with a lot of you about where the Oakland Athletics play about it being one of the worst ball parks. It's usually the Black Hole for when the NFL's Oakland Raiders play there. It's just not a very lovely ball park. I think of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's ball park as the better ball park as far as California AL ball parks go. If you want a better ball park in the Bay Area, you can't go wrong with AT&T Park in lovely San Francisco. Football stadiums made for baseball usually work poorly (unless you're talking about the Astrodome). Conversely, ballparks made for football works quite well except for when part of the baseball diamond comes intact. Cases in point:

* Dolphin Stadium or the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome converted for baseball = poor.
* Chase Field (Insight Bowl) or AT&T Park converted for football (Emerald Bowl) = lovely, but seems rather small. I love AT&T Park, but actually like AT&T Park for a football game since Monster Park is aging and old with the 49ers playing their home games in Santa Clara in 2012. Then too, you get a much more beautiful view of San Francisco with AT&T Park than the confined Monster Park. I'd still love for the University of San Francisco or San Francisco State University to reinstate football to give the Bay Area some college football rather than going to [the University of] California or Stanford)

I really love Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Something I've never really noticed was the view of the Gateway Arch while at the park. I was watching ESPN Sunday Night Baseball to see the Cardinals take on the Chicago Cubs. It is an outstanding stadium. I've watched when my Houston Astros went into St. Louis to take on the Cardinals in a three-game series last month.

Keeping with the Midwest, I think that's a lovely tiger at Comerica Park in Detroit. The ballpark itself is sensational for baseball in MoTown. I've seen the Houston Astros go to Comerica Park to take on the Detroit Tigers in interleague play watching on TV.



--- My Criteria for Beautiful Ball Parks in General ---
What do I consider to be truly beautiful for a ballpark? I always say that tropical and/or urban settings. A downtown skyline or areas with water appeal to me greatly. Kansas City's stadium, while boring, has some nice waterfalls. Waterfalls and fountains are beautiful to me. They are very serene and are usually in very pleasant settings. I think what makes a ballpark lovely is some kind of view of the city or the surroundings intact. A ballpark that has either a wall of fans in the stands or something to take away from any view of the city doesn't really attract me. That's why I haven't been attracted much to places like Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox) and Miami Stadium (Florida Marlins). I didn't like RFK Stadium too much, but love the new ballpark of the Washington Nationals.

College ballparks don't usually offer anything near the level of pro sports arenas. Some can still be wonderful places with wonderful surroundings intact. My college baseball and softball knowledge is very poor, but for the ones I have seen, Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha is an amazing place. I mentioned the University of Houston's baseball and softball fields. The softball field has a nice view of downtown Houston. Downtown Houston is about a mile or two south of greater downtown Houston. A game I seen on CBS College Sports between Houston and East Carolina offered up some views of the Houston skyline in the very backdrop. Really, the University of Houston and Rice University have lovely baseball stadiums. But while college ballparks may not offer a whole lot of beautiful views and outstanding settings, some may still offer a great down-home style of view for the college or university.

Minute Maid Park here in Houston offers up not too much with the roof closed, but provides some lovely views with the roof open. This is not a knock against my hometown, but the open roof view isn't really too interesting compared to places like San Francisco or St. Louis. While the view of downtown can be limited and while the view may not be lovely, it's still a fun place to go to. You can enjoy baseball here whether dry or wet. The retractable roof allows for baseball fun all year round. No worries of intense rain or snow (which is rare in Houston). It does get pretty warm here in Houston with the humidity in the late Spring and Summer, so you'll see the roof closed a lot. In true anti-Houston fashion, a very old poll of best and worst ballparks posted on ESPN had (then) Enron Field as the 8th worst ballpark. Minute Maid Park is very fun to be at. I've never been to a baseball game in my life. People say that Minute Maid Park has the best sporting experience among pro teams in the city of Houston. That even includes the Toyota Center (NBA's Houston Rockets) down the street and Reliant Stadium (NFL's Houston Texans). I've been to both Reliant Stadium and the Toyota Center, and both of those are wonderful sporting arenas.



So anyone else want to chat about ballparks around the world? Keep in mind that this isn't about American ball parks. Maybe some of you in Canada, Great Britain, Venezuela, and even Japan may have great ball parks. So why not chat about some of those to add some extra spice? I know someone mentioned the Rogers Center in Toronto, but I'm interested in any other international locales as well.
 
The baseball stadium at Tulane University was opened for the first time not too long ago since the hurricanes. I must say that this is a beautiful ball park the Green Wave play at. I almost wonder if it is a minor league baseball park that Tulane plays at since it's so lovely. I saw it on CBS College Sports in the rivalry series between the University of New Orleans and Tulane. My college baseball experience is slowly growing.
 

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