Petco Park is large scale in a number of ways. Padres sluggers are not especially enamored with the ballpark’s dimensions, especially when they glance at the extreme power allies. While straightaway center is a reachable 396 feet, the power allies extend to 402 in left and a whopping 411 in right. These are especially challenging […]
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Minute Maid Park / Houston Astros
The folks in Houston aren’t afraid to think big. The original home of the Houston Astros, the Astrodome, was hailed a modern wonder of the world. Curiously, Minute Maid Park doesn’t seem to be quite as impressive an undertaking as the Astrodome, at least when you approach it from downtown Houston. True, the plan is […]
Holman Stadium / Dodgertown
A look back at Holman Stadium and Dodgertown when they served as the spring-training home of the Brooklyn Dodgers/Los Angeles Dodgers. Year Opened: 1953 Capacity: 6,474 Architect: Designed by Norman Bel Geddes (famous theatrical designer and architect of the Futurama building at the 1964 New York World’s Fair); engineered by Captain Emil Praeger Dimensions: 340L, […]
U.S. Cellular Field / Chicago White Sox
Commonly referred to as Chicago’s other baseball team, the American League White Sox reside at 35th Street and Shields and play at U.S. Cellular Field (Comiskey Park until 2003). While “The Cell” does not have nearly the romantic history of its rival in Wrigleyville or the “Old” Comiskey Park, it’s a vastly underrated ballpark. FACT […]
Goodyear Ballpark / Cleveland Indians
Goodyear, located on the far western edge of the greater Phoenix area, isn’t the first place to come to mind when brainstorming for the ideal spring-training locale. But the new spring home of the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds combines state-of-the-art training complexes with one of the more pleasant ballparks in the Cactus League, in […]
Fenway Park / Boston Red Sox
It’s not every day when an icon manages to meet your expectations, never mind exceed them. But Fenway Park, the Mecca for everyone interested in balkparks on any level, not only meets expectations but shatters them. It is true that at Fenway the grass is greener, the hot dogs are tastier, and the fans more […]
Tropicana Field / Tampa Bay Rays
Let’s get this right out of the way: Tropicana Field is not the worst facility in the major leagues. The Metrodome clearly is. By far. Now, having said that, it’s also clear that Tropicana Field is the second-worst facility in the majors. In many ways it’s directly comparable to the Metrodome, as both hated domes […]
Ed Smith Stadium / Baltimore Orioles
Ed Smith Stadium has seen a lot of change in recent years. First, the Cincinnati Reds and Sarasota Reds bailed at the end of the 2009 season. Then the Baltimore Orioles shifted spring-training operations to Sarasota for 2010, signing a 30-year contract to play at a renovated facility. This offseason more extensive changes will take […]
Dunedin Stadium / Dunedin Blue Jays / Toronto Blue Jays
Tucked away in the corner of a Tampa/St. Pete suburb, Dunedin Stadium (formerly known as Knology Park) is a facility designed for spring-training needs, not to serve the audience of a Class A Florida State League team. As a result, there’s not a lot of excitement surrounding a Dunedin Blue Jays game: the team is […]
SunLife Stadium / Florida Marlins
SunLife Stadium is a great place to catch a football game, but so far unsuccessful in sustaining any kind of fan base for baseball. This will be the final season there for the Florida Marlins. FAST FACTS Year Opened: 1987 Capacity: 47,622 Architect: Populous Dimensions: 330L, 385LC, 434LC, 404C, 385RC, 345R Playing Surface: Grass Website: […]
Champion Stadium / Atlanta Braves
The spring-training home of the Atlanta Braves, Champion Stadium (formerly known as Disney Field, Disney’s Wide World of Sports, Cracker Jack Stadium and The Ballpark at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex) is architecturally one of the flashier venues for spring training.It’s also one of the largest: with 9,500 seats (80 percent between the first […]
Busch Stadium / St. Louis Cardinals
We really wanted to like Busch Stadium. It is, without a doubt, an improvement over the previous Busch Stadium. But despite a solid location and some nice amenities, too much value engineering and too little charm make it a nice, but not great, ballpark. FACT FACTS Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 46,861 (includes suites and standing […]
Bright House Field / Philadelphia Phillies / Clearwater Threshers
When you replace a classic Florida State League ballpark, your new home had better be damned impressive. Ballparks fans shed a tear when the Phillies decided to replace Jack Russell Stadium with a new ballpark, but the replacement — Bright House Networks Field — is such a great facility, you’ll find yourself rarely yearning for […]