Best and Worst Ball Parks

  • Thread starter JohnBM01
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It's official- the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome has to be the most boring Major League ballpark today. Even the Astrodome was a great ballpark even as the Houston Astros and (then) Houston Oilers were playing ball in the two respective sports than the H.H.H. Metrodome. I haven't seen too many ball games in Toronto to complain about the Rodgers Center.
 
Back on Thursday, I got to see my first Minor League baseball game on TV. It was the Round Rock Express (Houston's AAA team) going up against the Fresno Grizzlies.


Dell Diamond - Round Rock, Texas, USA
Dell Diamond is where the Round Rock Express play their games. I heard they won "ball park of the year" about three or four straight years. It's an outstanding facility for this venue not far away from San Antonio.

Whataburger Field - Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
I saw Whataburger Field for the Astros' AA team, the Corpus Christi Hooks, in a commercial. It's next to this one bridge out in right field. It's a lovely ball park for double-A ball.



Anyone else want to talk ball parks? Remember that ANY ball park is fair game.
 
Cleveland"s Progressive Field :

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Living in Houston all my life, I've been to my share of Houston games. I have fond memories of the Astrodome, watching Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell hitting homers. the dome didn't provide any views, but it really helped the Astros with the home crowd noise bouncing off the roof! I see that there's alot of anti dome comments here, but I really did like the Astrodome.
 
I think Target Field has to be one of the best I've seen in awhile. Than again I am biased and we are leaving on of the worst baseball stadiums so anything would look grat compared to the crapperdome.
 
Tell you what... along with TCF Bank Stadium for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, this should be TWO new lovely stadiums for the city of Minneapolis. That's a lovely ballpark when it's done.

I need to learn more about the new stadium the Florida Marlins hopefully complete.
 
Earlier today, I saw George Steinbrenner Field on ESPN. That ballpark in Tampa, Florida is BEAUTIFUL! The weather was beautiful for that game as well.
 
I've been to Camden Yards (home of the Orioles) numerous times. Its an amazing venue with great food and views. Also I feel as if there is not a bad seat in the house. You never feel far away from the field even in the upper deck.

Worst stadium I've ever been to was RFK (former home of the Nationals and Redskins). Not only is it old and falling apart at the time I went, but it also smelled horribly at almost every corner of the stadium. Further it seemed as if the football to baseball conversion was half baked. The sight lines were bad, and it seemed like some fans were alienated from the action.
 
Minnesota's new stadium is very lovely. Isn't baseball outside of the H.H.H. Metrodome grand? I've only seen a little preseason highlights at the Twins' new ballpark, but it looks wonderful.

Another lovely ballpark I'll nominate for this thread is where the University of Nebraska plays their baseball at. The Cornhuskers have a lovely ballpark, as does the Creighton Blue Jays' Rosenblatt Stadium. This season will be the last season of the College World Series. The new stadium, called TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, looks pretty lovely based on what I've seen in conceptual photos.
 
Just to add to your commentary on Oakland-Alameda Coliseum (home of the Raiders and Athletics: The place is a complete eyesore. Oakland really isn't much to look at already, so when you have it surrounded by the rest of the Bay Area, it actually makes it look worse because of the juxtaposition.

Also, I need to show a little love for the home team!

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This is an old picture and they have since cut down on much of the foul areas by the dugouts by adding a premium seating area. The area (I forget what they call it, Baseline Club or something), has larger padded seats with a counter in front of you to place food and drinks.

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I know this goes against popular perception, but after going to both parks, I have to say that Dodger Stadium has the edge against The Big A. The parking lot at Dodger Stadium overlooks the LA Skyline to the south and hills to the north. The Big A, on the other hand, sits right next to the 57 freeway, so close that when you're driving by you can see fans in the higher level seats. Also, ironically, it is the home of the Angels that feels plastic and tacky with the fake rocks and waterfall, mall-style escalators, and closed corridors. It has that feel of Disney commercialism, while Dodger Stadium really feels like a theater of Major League Baseball.

Angel Stadium and the 57 freeway (also the Santa Ana "River"). The white building to the left is the Honda Center (home to the Ducks and maybe the NBA Kings in the future)
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I'm not trying to say that Dodger Stadium is the most beautiful park, but for a facility that is about half a century old, it's hard to complain.
 
I've never been to Oakland-Alameda but whenever the White Sox play there, I always think to myself "this has to be the worst stadium in the entire AL". I can't think of a worse stadium right now.

Stadiums I've been to:

- Old Comiskey Park - Don't remember much about this stadium. First park I've ever been to.

- New Comiskey Park/US Cellular Field - This park was a piece of crap for it's first decade of existence. When Kenny Williams was hired and the White Sox hosted the AS Game in 2001, a lot of renovations were done and the park is much more pleasing to the eye now. Just got to do something about the surrounding neighborhood now...

- Wrigley Field - This stadium is a Mecca of sorts to some but if you were to step back and take a pragmatic view of the park, it's actually a dump. Lots of horrible site lines, obstructed view seats (particularly the entire lower concourse can't see fly balls), poor bathroom locations, no parking in the neighboorhood, lack of modern amenities. Some people like the old scoreboard but I like a modern day jumbotron. Give me my stats and replays! Plus, the stadium has had times when it's literally falling apart. The best thing Wrigley can offer is a "pure" baseball atmosphere and that's about it. Based on my experience with Wrigley, you'll never get me in Fenway. They just didn't know how to build stadiums 100 years ago.

- Chase Field - Very nice stadium. I've only been there once so I didn't get to check it out too much but I was impressed in my visit. They used to have the largest HD jumbotron in MLB but I think KC does now. Chase Field is well deserving of this year's AS Game.
 
Worst ballparks are whatever one the San Diego Padres play in and the Rogers Center in Toronto. By far the best are Baltimore's (Camden Yards?) and St. Louis Cardinals stadium.
 
Didn't see this thread last summer, but I must say that Target Field is indeed a magnificent field. The game we were at ended just in the nick of time, because there was a huge thunderstorm that started pouring rain right after we left. Some pics though (not mine).
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The Rogers Centre is a total eyesore, but I've been to a few games there and it's not a bad field to catch a game in. However, the turf and roof just can't compare to an open stadium with natural grass.
 
Noob616
The Rogers Centre is a total eyesore, but I've been to a few games there and it's not a bad field to catch a game in. However, the turf and roof just can't compare to an open stadium with natural grass.
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Off-Topic:
Like the user title
On-Topic:
Fair Enough.
The lush outdoor ballparks cannot simply be compared to the concrete jungle that is the Rogers Center.
 
buickgnx88
Didn't see this thread last summer, but I must say that Target Field is indeed a magnificent field. The game we were at ended just in the nick of time, because there was a huge thunderstorm that started pouring rain right after we left. Some pics though (not mine).
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Target Field is the next stadium on my list of stadiums to see.
 
I've been to Petco and its actually an amazing park. I love it as much as I hate the Padres. And it was pretty easy to get in and out of.
 
The Ballpark in Arlington. An absolutely stunning work of art from the outside and even more awesome once you get inside. I love that park. It's the best in the MLB. Now I'm not saying it's the greatest, cause it doesn't have history, nostalgia and epic incidents like other ones do, i.e. Camden Yards, Fenway, Wrigley. But it's still the coolest one out there!
 
The only ballparks I've been to are AT&T Park and Wrigley Field, which are both beautiful. As for the worst, I'd have to say Oakland Coliseum.
 
Villain
New plans for Dodger Stadium!

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/next50/walkthepark.jsp
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Thats not gonna happen. How can they have a plan for 50 yrs from now but they cant even meet payroll 30 days from now. They have an "all you can eat" section in the outfield pavillion which costs $35 a seat. I USE to enjoy taking my family(4 kids and wife) to that section because of the value. A Dodger Dog is normally $5.50 in other parts of the park. So I would go get 10 at a time. On my last outing to the stadium they said I was only allowed 2 per person per trip to the window. Its a 30 min wait in line which means each member of my family would have to wait in that line to eat. This stadium experience has gone to crap. Next time you see a game on tv, take a look at that right field pavillion and see how many people agree with me. My love for the Dodgers prevents me from taking a drive up the same fwy 40 mins away to Anaheim Stadium to have an enjoyable family baseball experience.
 

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