The 2024 Main League Baseball season continues to creep up on us (Opening Day is simply 17 days away). Nonetheless, we aren’t but within the vary the place it is smart to rank the groups, earnestly, each single week. Meaning I am right here basically killing time with some enjoyable variations of energy rankings. This time round, I am going to rank ballparks.
I’ve ranked all 30 ballparks earlier than and we aren’t going to do this once more, a minimum of not with the identical methodology. I will use completely different standards for the sake of selection. This time round, I will drop any judgment that has to do with the realm surrounding the ballpark, together with transportation. What I am on the lookout for right here is just pleasing aesthetics and enjoyable quirks that may be seen through the recreation on TV and even in aerial photographs. Principally, how enjoyable does the ballpark look? How lovely would your sight be in case you entered within the higher deck behind dwelling plate, taking a look at all the things straight forward? That is the primary overriding theme right here.
I selected this as a result of one thing I’ve lengthy felt units baseball aside is the taking part in floor. So many different sports activities (soccer, basketball, hockey, tennis, soccer, and so on.) have set taking part in dimensions. So far as the outfield wall goes, baseball has loads of wiggle room to provide us distinctive options. That is to say, within the least “please like my sport” approach doable, baseball outfields have so many cool options that simply aren’t seen in venues in different sports activities.
It is a main a part of how I am rating the highest 10 ballparks within the current.
Honorable point out: Yankee Stadium (Yankees)
I prefer to say “this one goes to 11” anyway, so this specific entry provides me the excuse. I do not need Yankee Stadium amongst my prime 10 ballparks, however I nonetheless felt prefer it wanted to be talked about. The brief right-field porch and Monument Park over the center-field wall assist set it aside and the “YANKEE STADIUM” marquee out entrance is iconic. Plus, whereas I am conscious that this iteration of Yankee Stadium did not host all these legendary playoff video games, they made the brand new model sufficient of a clone, aesthetically, that it does harken reminiscences of The Home That Ruth Constructed.
10. Coors Subject (Rockies)
It is a beautiful setting. Simply completely breathtaking. The facade exterior the house plate entrance with “Coors” and “Subject” wrapped round a clock makes for such a pleasant entrance and the taking part in floor itself is prime notch. The outfield supplies a excessive wall in proper together with an assortment of timber and water options under the batter’s eye in middle. Total, that is only a fairly underrated gem. If something, I’ve it too low.
9. Minute Maid Park (Astros)
Yeah, it is a polarizing alternative. There are a number of followers who hate it. We get to see a comparatively regular proper discipline earlier than attending to middle. It used to have Tal’s Hill and a flagpole in play deep in middle, however that was reduce out a number of years in the past. The brand new batter’s eye resembles foliage as a substitute of simply being a clean inexperienced house, and it has an Astros brand in the midst of it. That was a pleasant contact. That is all about left discipline, although. There is a big window to see exterior when the roof is closed and up above all the things is a practice on some tracks. It comes out and blows the horn on dwelling runs and I like that half a lot. Let’s watch, pay attention and luxuriate in:
The Crawford Packing containers, a really brief porch in left discipline over a tall wall, is what makes this place polarizing, however I am a fan. It isn’t like there’s an enormous benefit there. Each groups play with the identical dimensions. There’s additionally that massive soar again to the wall the place the bins finish and it makes for a really quirky left-center hole.
8. Petco Park (Padres)
Looking over the open-air outfield is usually a phenomenal sky, on condition that it is San Diego. Left discipline has the Western Steel Provide Co. constructing — they included the unique constructing into the ballpark as suites — subsequent to a low-hanging higher deck that lies beneath an enormous scoreboard and videoboard. There is a “seashore” space in middle discipline subsequent to the bullpen and the right-field nook is difficult with an inward jut.
7. Kauffman Stadium (Royals)
Since I am ignoring the ballpark being not that near downtown and being surrounded by acres of parking zone (and Arrowhead Stadium, although that is form of a plus), Kauffman shoots up the rankings. Over the outfield partitions in Kauffman you will see fountains all over and that is so cool. House runs touchdown within the water is such a enjoyable characteristic. I additionally actually recognize the large videoboard in middle discipline being, basically, a Royals brand with a crown on prime.
6. Dodger Stadium (Dodgers)
Aerial photographs the place you’ll be able to see downtown L.A. a bit again from behind dwelling plate are fairly lovely. No ballpark in baseball, nonetheless, can match strolling in from behind the house plate aspect and standing atop the ballpark, wanting over middle discipline to see a mountainous background. The video boards and zig-zaggy steel roofs over either side of the bleachers within the outfield are a pleasant, distinctive characteristic.
what else is a pleasant contact? The colours of the seats on completely different ranges are carried out to imitate being on the seashore with darker blue on the prime, lighter blue subsequent stage down after which finally yellow for the sand on a seashore.
5. Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Orioles)
There’s an argument to be made that that is crucial ballpark in baseball. It was the one which lastly freed us from the shackles of the cookie cutter yards from the ’70s, pushing us ahead to the period of retro-style ballparks that we nonetheless see popping up. Although I used to be skeptical after they introduced the plans for it, I’ve come to benefit from the now-deep left discipline dimension earlier than it juts approach ahead in left-center. Then there are the bullpens over the left-center and center-field partitions. In proper discipline, there’s the tall wall with out of city scores earlier than we glance excessive of it and repair our eyes upon the warehouse.
Hey, keep in mind when Ken Griffey Jr. hit the warehouse within the House Run Derby?
Every part is simply a lot enjoyable and straightforward on the eyes.
4. Oracle Park (Giants)
Man, this feels low. I am such an enormous fan of this ballpark. The retro-style facades exterior work properly, however the outfield skyline is what makes it. For those who’re down the first-base line, wanting over left discipline, you will see the large scoreboard and in addition get a pleasant view of the Bay Bridge. Proper discipline has the tall brick wall simply in entrance of The Bay. The “Splash Hit” dwelling run is among the finest baseball highlights we are able to probably see on any given day. This is Barry Bonds hitting one into McCovey Cove (naming it after an all-time nice Large is a pleasant contact):
Seeing water seemingly surrounding your complete outfield from inside a ballpark is nearly as good because it will get. And I have never even talked about the enormous glove or Coke bottle (which accommodates slides for teenagers inside).
It isn’t fairly as widespread, on condition that it takes a way more prodigious shot, however gamers can attain the water right here, too. This is able to be the Allegheny River over proper discipline in PNC.
Simply over a taller right-field wall (it is 21 ft tall in honor of No. 21 Roberto Clemente), there is a view of the river but additionally a shiny yellow bridge — that is extra middle discipline — that simply so occurs to be the Roberto Clemente Bridge. Talking of middle, the batter’s eye was an ideal contact, too. Just under the clean inexperienced display screen in middle, there is a plot of grass with “PIRATES” protruding of it. There are quirks all through the outfield, too, together with a giant reduce ahead as we transfer towards the left-field line.
The entrance entrance exterior has a Honus Wagner statue in entrance of a phenomenal PNC Park facade.
Every part about this park is a house run and it is No. 1 among the many ballparks which are even remotely “trendy.”
2. Fenway Park (Pink Sox)
Few issues in baseball are extra iconic than the Inexperienced Monster in left discipline. The suitable discipline line is definitely nearer, although, with Pesky’s Pole sitting simply 302 ft away from dwelling plate. Shifting towards middle, we’ll see a really brief wall in entrance of the bullpens after which a triangular space in middle discipline that will get 420 ft away from dwelling. Additionally, there is a bar in middle discipline!
All of the quirks right here simply make it so cool to observe on TV, and strolling up the ramp from anyplace within the ballpark for the primary time is one thing each baseball fan ought to expertise.
1. Wrigley Subject (Cubs)
Talking of which, strolling up the ramp on the north aspect of Chicago to see the ivy all alongside the outfield wall is the factor to see in all of baseball. The famed marquee out entrance after which the previous operated-by-hand scoreboard in middle discipline full the trifecta of old-school, must-see options of Wrigley. In recent times, they’ve blended trendy touches like a videoboard in left discipline and a lineup board in proper. The flags that show the present standings above the center-field scoreboard are one other nice contact and that is the place the “W” or “L” flag is flown after every recreation.
Sure, there’s an “L” flag that Wrigley Subject flies after the Cubs lose. The W and L flags took place way back to let practice riders know if the Cubs gained or misplaced their video games.
Regardless, Wrigley’s views are lovely and worthy of the highest spot in my rankings.
For those who disagree, that is cool. These are mine. Be happy to make your personal.
