Editor’s Note: Mark Cryan, former MiLB general manager and Ballpark Digest contributing editor, is embarking on an epic ballpark tour this summer, and he’ll be filing regular dispatches from the road. Today’s stop: St. Louis’s Busch Stadium. (more…)
Archive | Visits
Hammond Stadium / Minnesota Twins / Fort Myers Miracle
Hammond Stadium and CenturyLink Sports Complex serve three masters: the regular-season needs of the Fort Myers Miracle (High A; Florida State League), the spring-training needs of the Minnesota Twins, and the development needs of the entire Twins farm system. After renovations, the ballpark and complex serve all of those needs — with flying colors. (more…)
Florida Auto Exchange Stadium: Outdated Yet Charming
With its unwieldy name adorning the façade of a stark exterior, Dunedin’s Florida Auto Exchange Stadium does not make an aesthetically pleasing first impression, and it lacks many of the amenities that fans and players have come to expect. Despite those disadvantages, the ballpark offers an intimate charm in a city that is full of […]
Maryvale Baseball Park: Same as it ever was
At a time when Cactus League ballparks have been modernized and upgraded in recent years, Maryvale Baseball Park pretty much remains the same – which is a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your point of view. (more…)
Surprise Stadium: Worth the drive
It is a little off the beaten path, even for the compact Cactus League. But the immaculately maintained Surprise Stadium is a good bet for spring training, as the home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers is worth the trek. (more…)
Better than ever: Peoria Sports Complex
After two renovation phases, Peoria Sports Complex is looking better than ever, with an expanded footprint, lots of socializing areas and upgraded fan facilities. (more…)
Behind the scenes: Lew Wolff Training Complex
At a time when training means more than a six-week camp in the springtime, facilities are increasingly important – which is why the new Lew Wolff Training Complex may be as important for the Oakland Athletics as the springtime move to Hohokam Stadium. (more…)
Baseball’s ultimate party deck, at Coors Field
It wasn’t that long ago when the Colorado Rockies shut down the right-field upper deck at Coors Field because of a lack of fan interest. Now, it’s the hottest place in the ballpark — and a model for other teams seeking to generate some buzz. This season saw the addition of the Rooftop to Coors […]
Turner Field / Atlanta Braves
It’s not considered a prime example of the retro ballpark at work, but the Atlanta Braves have worked hard over the last 15 years to transform Turner Field from a bland, corporate ballpark to a place where team and regional baseball history are celebrated, and where fans can have a good time watching a game. […]
JetBlue Park at Fenway South / Boston Red Sox
The ballpark has been open for less than a week, but JetBlue Park, the new spring home of the Boston Red Sox, is drawing praise for easy accessibility and a Florida-themed design. FAST FACTS Year Opened: 2012Capacity: 11,000Budget: $77.8 million (includes $20 million for land and $7.2 million for design)Architect: PopulousConstruction: Manhattan Kraft ConstructionConcessions: AramarkDimensions: […]
AT&T Park / San Francisco Giants
The concourses are surprisingly narrow, the traffic outside the ballpark stifling and you’re likely spend part of a game peering at the action through a light mist. Having said that, one thing is clear: watching a San Francisco Giants game at AT&T Park is one of the greatest experiences in Major League Baseball, one that […]
Digital Domain Park / New York Mets / St. Lucie Mets
The trend in spring-training facilities is to locate new ballparks in the midst of megadevelopments that could be located anywhere. While these new ballparks have the amenities fans expect, they’re generic in nature. Maybe we’re a little too nostalgic, but we want the spring-training experience when we head to Florida: we want the palm trees, […]
Surprise Stadium / Kansas City Royals / Texas Rangers
It’s a little off the beaten track, but Billy Parker Field at Surprise Stadium, the spring home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals, is a top-notch place to see a spring-training ballgame: The sightlines are gorgeous, the concourses are wide, and the ballpark design is striking. FAST FACTS Capacity: 10,714Architect: PopulousYear Opened: 2003Dimensions: […]