What a treat. We scheduled this Boy Scout trip to Houston a long time ago. It turned out to be Scout night so we got cheap tickets and the pitching match ups changed and Clemens was pitching.

 

Nice to see Scott Schoenweis drop in to offer up a couple base runners and lose the game. I felt so bad for Roger. Gives up 1 run, leaves with a 3-1 lead and "Lights Out" wasn't. The "stros won in the bottom of the 9th with a 3 run walk off HR.

 

I have to ask. I just did not like the stadium. All the services, the concession areas, etc. were very nice. But the weird slope in center field including a flag pole that is in play, the giant glass wall, etc. just seem so weird and unnatural to me. It is probably the worse layout of any stadium I've been to.

 

Everything else, from the parking to the concessions were great, but the inside design and layout drove me crazy.

What a treat. We scheduled this Boy Scout trip to Houston a long time ago. It turned out to be Scout night so we got cheap tickets and the pitching match ups changed and Clemens was pitching.

 

Nice to see Scott Schoenweis drop in to offer up a couple base runners and lose the game. I felt so bad for Roger. Gives up 1 run, leaves with a 3-1 lead and "Lights Out" wasn't. The "stros won in the bottom of the 9th with a 3 run walk off HR.

 

I have to ask. I just did not like the stadium. All the services, the concession areas, etc. were very nice. But the weird slope in center field including a flag pole that is in play, the giant glass wall, etc. just seem so weird and unnatural to me. It is probably the worse layout of any stadium I've been to.

 

Everything else, from the parking to the concessions were great, but the inside design and layout drove me crazy.

Minute Maid Park is a pretty strange ballpark. The massive hill in deep center is weird. Something that I don't like is how shallow the left field wall is. It's only 315ft. Other than that tho, it's a beautiful ballpark.

I loved Minute Maid when I was down there, especially when compared to Astrodome.

I loved Minute Maid when I was down there, especially when compared to Astrodome.

It looks very nice on TV. But the hill and that flagpole are very distracting. The dimensions in that park just seem weird to me.

It looks very nice on TV. But the hill and that flagpole are very distracting. The dimensions in that park just seem weird to me.

 

 

 

It is weird.. but compared to the dome, it's a palace. I liked it, but thought it looked "squished".

I went there for a Cubs-'Stros game (a friend of mine is a huuuuge Cub fan). We went for batting practice, when the roof is closed. Great place to watch BP. Then, right before game time, they open the roof...and THAT'S when I fell in love with the place. Sure, the short porch and the hill are strange, but that's what people like in stadiums...quirks and differentiators.

 

Look at all the parks people talk about:

 

Fenway has the Green Monster, the strange angles and the short porch in right.

Yankee Stadium has the monuments.

Wrigley has the ivy, baskets and the ability to hit it onto the street.

Camden has the B&O Warehouse.

Royals Stadium has the fountains.

SBC has McCovey Cove.

And many more.

 

Granted, some of this is the surrounding area, but the Astros are on that list with Tal's Hill...still a better park than the Astrodome and Ameriquest in Arlington.

Anyone else think it's only a matter of time before someone ends up ending their career on that hill by tearing up a leg?

Yeah, I'm surprised no one has been seriously injured on that hill yet.

wasnt there a hill in some old ballpark, and that is a nod to that hill. Same with the falg pole on top of the hill is a nod to old Tiger Stadium

 

 

I just wish i could watch a pro game outside instead of a dome

wasnt there a hill in some old ballpark, and that is a nod to that hill. Same with the falg pole on top of the hill is a nod to old Tiger Stadium

I just wish i could watch a pro game outside instead of a dome

 

You can...at Comiskey!!!

I think part of my issue was we were seated in the center field mezz area. It created a boxy, rectangular, feel. The giant glass wall and train was also a bit unnerving as well. I love a more classic diamond like Cominsky Park. I was shocked when they announced tha attendance at 34,925. The place didn't look that crowded.

 

I also could have used an armrest and a knowledgeable usher.

I went there for a Cubs-'Stros game (a friend of mine is a huuuuge Cub fan).  We went for batting practice, when the roof is closed.  Great place to watch BP.  Then, right before game time, they open the roof...and THAT'S when I fell in love with the place.  Sure, the short porch and the hill are strange, but that's what people like in stadiums...quirks and differentiators. 

 

Look at all the parks people talk about:

 

Fenway has the Green Monster, the strange angles and the short porch in right.

Yankee Stadium has the monuments.

Wrigley has the ivy, baskets and the ability to hit it onto the street.

Camden has the B&O Warehouse.

Royals Stadium has the fountains.

SBC has McCovey Cove.

And many more.

 

Granted, some of this is the surrounding area, but the Astros are on that list with Tal's Hill...still a better park than the Astrodome and Ameriquest in Arlington.

 

I was mildly impressed with Ameriquest.  It's a decent ballpark.  The only thing I question is they completely enclosed the stadium.  I'd hate to sit in the place on one of Texas July scorchers.  No breeze can get into that place.

 

The new Arlington Stadium is brutal during the summer. We went on a 4th of July a couple of years ago, and no wind was moving at all.

The new Arlington Stadium is brutal during the summer.  We went on a 4th of July a couple of years ago, and no wind was moving at all.

 

 

Brutal isn't the word. I swear I was melting there.

Brutal isn't the word. I swear I was melting there.

 

It seemed to me that it would be brutal. Fortunately, the few times I've attended games there, there weather was cooperative.

It seemed to me that it would be brutal.  Fortunately, the few times I've attended games there, there weather was cooperative.

 

I was there in April and it was fine. But I could definitely see how it would be brutal in the summer. But you can always walk over to Wet & Wild after the game.

I thought the Juice Box was alright, but isn't the hill an homage to Crosley Field?

 

The train bothered me, there's too much eye candy at the park to distract you from the game - that's my main complaint.

Minute Maid was great, because I saw the sox play there a couple years ago. It was an exhibition game so the place was half filled. We ended up walking around sitting in all sorts of seats. I loved when they opened up the roof. Overall, it was my favorite park to be at. Dodger Stadium was second because we had great seats and the view at night is great. The Vet was the worst because it was the Vet. Arlington was lame because I met southsider there.