the ballpark press

Florida Marlins ballpark is in midst of construction which started last July, expected to open in 2012. The unnamed ballpark will be built on the former Orange Bowl sight in Miami. The ballpark will be a 37,000 seat capacity with a retractable roof, made for baseball only, real grass, facing downtown Miami. They have played in Sun life stadium since their inaugural season 1993 shared with the Miami Dolphins (NFL). Also in 2012 they will be renamed Miami Marlins.

The Oakland A's and Tampa bay Rays need new homes to survive. The A's have been playing in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum since 1968 shared with the Oakland Raiders (NFL). They want to stay in Oakland but threatened to move else were such as San Jose, CA. The Rays are the only indoor team left in the MLB playing at Tropicana Field since their inaugural season in 1998. Its baseball only but out of date. The team won the AL Pennate in in 2008, lost to Phillies in the world series, but have have been a competitive team since. They want a Bay front retractable roof ballpark in Tampa.

TARGET FIELD (EST 2010)

My oh My, what a ballpark. it feels like your not in Minnesota. the Move from the Dome to Target Field was a big improvement. a futuristic ballpark. the canopy on top, electronics galore. left field score board thats 101 ft X 57ft HD. the out of town score board in right. is very state of the art. the exterior is limestone brick. There is so much to say I'm got let you see it for your self!

Metrodome (1982-2009)

It was fun while it lasted. But a designers nightmare. I grew up going to Twins games there, with Bob Casey's voice echoing in the Dome. It was Dome and that is all, it was no field, ballpark, park, stadium. Just a dome. But it was notorious for the noise, baggy in right that was 23 feet tall, with seats behind center and right, hanging like bats in a cave.

Shea Stadium-New York Mets (1964-2008)

Meh. Defiantly no Yankee Stadium, but it helds it ground. next it Citi Field was under construction. When the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field opened up, it was the first time in history, Two ballparks opened in the same year and the same city, just a week apart. Both new ballparks opened next door to their old homes. Shea Stadium was just another park, with huge scoreboard in center. The stadium looked like a cookie cutter but was not built complete all the way round. not for from the park was LaGuardia international Airport.

Yankee Stadium-New York Yankees (1923-2008)

Its an American Land Mark, the most famous sports facility in American history sitting in America's biggest city, home the damn Yankees, the most successful sports team of them all. I loved the stadium dearly when I went there in 2008. we sat along the 3rd baseline lower deck, towards the out field. Dad went behind homepalte too take a pic, and the guy let us sit there. in folding chairs the remainder of the game. But the Stadium echoed memories of Yankee dynasty. I say the new one under construction that was pretty much complete, that was just like the old one but it was more like a fraternal twin, and was no match for the old one.

Fenway Park-Boston Redsox (EST 1912)

What can't say I say about it?? what a ballpark. the diamond has round corners for starters which is unique. outside is a Redsox very own Mall area. with stores and food galore. but inside echoes baseball history, let alone the big green monster that breaths down the left fielders necks. on top of it sis sitting area that. looking over it is vertigo feel. At the bottom of it, is hand operated score board, for the game and out of town games. the wall in right, is very small, behind it are the bullpens. The right field pole is the Pesky pole, name sake of Red sox great Johnny Pesky, with signatures from all the fans. A birds eye view, or a view from the John handcock building its a very small building. its only about 8 acres big. And of course the highlight of the park is the fans singing along to Neil Diamonds "Sweet Caroline."

Busch Stadium- St. Louis Cardinals (1966-2005)

Of all the cookie cutter ballparks, Busch was by far the best considering it was the first and had the most going on in it. But all in all it was just okay. the exterior was not much too look at. like all Cookie cutter fields it it was a circle park. with no asymmetrical feel. it was the former home of the St. Louis Rams (NFL) before they moved in a dome. Busch opened with grass, then turf when the rams moved in, then back to Grass for the reaming decade it was opened. during the construction of the new one, the new ballpark over lapped just a bit in it the old one. when I was there, the field foul pole for the new Busch sat in old one. the new one ( never been) is much better.

PNC Park-Pittsburgh Pirates (EST. 2001)

The best set up ballpark in the MLB with a view of Three rivers and downtown buildings. PNC Park is the best new ballpark. a small stucco ballpark, with the look and feel of most new ballparks with it being very opened up. Target Field mimics it, somewhat. both have buildings in left field corner for fans. Scoreboard in left Field that sits on top of minnie double deck. In center is a green wall for batters eye with trees in centerfield. But in right is a one level deck that sits above electronic out of town scoreboard. Just before the game starts, on the jumbo tron. cartoon pirate ships from each of the NL central teams: Cubs, Cardinals, Reds, Brewers and Astros, with the team flag on it come after the Pirates ship. the Pirates ship blows them away with a cannon. The Sun cast a beautiful shine on the buildings, at night the buildings are lit up. next Door is Heinz Field, home the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) that mimics PNC. But as for PNC Park a perfect ballpark, with the perfect setting.

Safeco Field - Seattle Mariners (EST 1999)

Even bigger then Miller Park. its a wonderful Ballpark in Emerald city. A big change from the King Dome. the retractable roof is one big piece of metal that sits behind the ballpark in the out field. Its also a busy ballpark that has a a lot going on. just behind left Field, you can see Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawaks (NFL) that mimics Safeco. Outside is traditional looking brick, inside its has a modern looking feel and very spacious, a defiant change from crouched King Dome.

Miller Park-Milwuakee Brewers (EST.2001)

Next to Target Field its the closest MLB ballpark for Twins fans. During the Dome years when the Twins were hot and Brewers not. Twins fans filled up Miller Park. I remember a fan, saying when we were there in 2002, "I'm jealous of your park not your team." Pohlad wanted something like that in our city when the ballpark bill was in the midst of debate. its huge ballpark and we saw it under construction when we were at there old home, just across street behind the out field. it the retractable roof it unique. when open the two panels of the roof sit on the first and third baseline. If you look at it from a birds eye view, it makes a "V". the exterior of the ballpark is brick, traditional looking, the seats Fenway green, like the ones at Target Field. The opening of it was delayed by a year, because a construction worker was killed. When we went we sat lower deck behind home plate, and we bought the tickets at the park on game day. the Ballpark has a lively feel, and had perfect baseball feel, a traditional style ballpark.

Kauffman Stadium Kansas City Royals (EST 1973)

it opened at a time of cookie cutter ballparks and multi purpose stadiums. but Royals dared to be different. They opened there own place the suburb of Independence, next to Arrowhead stadium home of the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) the stadiums mimicked each other. But the ballpark became majestic, adding grass in 1995. in 2009 it got a face lift adding more beauty. I have been there 3 times, not enough. in 2009 a jumbo tron was added that stood tall and in HD, in shape of a banner. along with a Royals hall of fame. the ballpark is amazing looking place! with a water fall in center field, open view with no home run upper decks. there is hotel conveniently located across the street from the park.

Milwaukee county satdium- Milwaukee Brewers (1953-2000)

meh, a so so ballpark that was nothing to see but it worked. It came off like a little Metropolitan stadium. nuff said... Miller park is in the back ground.

Wrigley Feild -Chicago Cubs (EST 1914)

the most classic ballpark of them all!! no jumbo tron, simple looking park with a triangle out field section, a wall with brick and covered by green ivy. The feel in it is so cozy, its as if it never changed since it opened in 1914. built in the Friendly confines in a cozy neighborhood on the north side. apartment across the street as bleachers above it. I sat along the left field line by the Expos bullpen. Some fans say Target Field resembles it. Target Field ranks second only to Wrigley to the amount of small acres it takes up.

Tiger Stadium- Detriot Tigers (1912-1999)

Opened the same year as Fenway but no clame to fame like Fenway, it holds its own ground. formally know as Briggs Stadium, it sat on the corner of & Michigan and trumbull. it was boxed in with no view of Detroit. But it was still a wonderful ballpark. two decks held up by metal post, a canopy sat above the stadium that gave great shade. if you walk in the top deck the little walk way was fenced so you could look down at the fans. the wall along the baseline was leveled with the field. the out Field wall was a tad higher. the exterior was white stucco. The foul area was very wide like the one in Oakland. Twins won the ALCS there in 1987 game 5, 9-5 marking their place the ballpark history. Tiger was a majestic old fashion ballpark, to bad its gone.

U.S. Celluar Field- Chicago White Sox (EST 1991)

formally known as Comiskey Park, A simple looking ballpark built in the shape like the way a ballpark would be. No home run upper deck. the out Field wall is not symmetrical. the seating diagram is in a diamond shape. the main concourse wraps around the park. with food stands in the out field concourse and a shower to cool off. A eating area deck was added in dead center. The upper deck capacity was cut down making it less steep. pin wheels sit on the scoreboard that light up when a Sox hitter his a homer along with fireworks. there is also a picnic area in right center thats leveled with the field behind the wall.

pastures for our past times

I grew up watching the Twins under a Teflon roof, recycled air, speakers and lights hanging under the roof. The players ran on a carpet. From the outside it was a pie in downtown, mmmm... pie. in 1999 my dad took me to my first MLB outdoor ball yard, Comiskey Park ( now known as U.S. Cellular Field) home of the Black... excuse me WHITE Sox. open air! green grass! blue sky! baseball only! I'd walk down open view concourse. on the same trip we hit the late Tiger Stadium! since 1999 I have hit 16 MLB parks including Dome and Target Field. you will see each Park my dad and I have been too.
enjoy!