Ballpark Name Trends (1990-2013)

Every couple of years, new parks sprout of the ground. Others fall to the ground. The names of the parks change. There was a day when no park was named after a corporation. But then more and more came out of the ground being named after orange juice and gas companies. Some of the companies went bankrupt and the names were taken off. Others still remain today. But the generation of ballparks with naming rights deals looks to be in the past, as baseball purists support has made it so less parks are named something like... U.S. Cellular Field.

Let's start in the year 1990. This was the last year there was no stadium without a naming rights deal.  There were four stadiums named after their respective teams: Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium I, Tiger Stadium, and the eighth wonder of the world: The Astrodome.
There were 22 teams without either naming rights deals, or named after their team. Here are the stadiums and the reason behind their naming.
Kingdome- named for and operated by King County, Washington.
Candlestick Park- stadium situated at Candlestick Point, San Francisco.
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum- operated by Alameda County.
Anaheim Stadium- Named after city of Anaheim.
Jack Murphy Stadium- Named for sportswriter (Brother of Mets announcer, Bob Murphy) who was an integral part in bringing both the Chargers and Padres to San Diego.
Arlington Stadium- named for city of Arlington.
Kauffman Stadium- named after Royals founding owner Ewing Kauffman.
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome- named in honor of Minnesota politician Hubert H. Humphrey.
Milwaukee County Stadium- owned and funded by Milwaukee County.
Wrigley Field- does not have a naming rights deal with Wrigley Gum Company, but was named after the owner of the company and the Cubs, William Wrigley, Jr. Name has stuck since 1926.
Comiskey Park- named after 30-year owner Charles Comiskey.
Busch Stadium II- named after Busch Family, owners of Cardinals until 1996. They did own the beer company, but this was not an advertisement of it.
Riverfront Stadium- located on Ohio River.
Three Rivers Stadium- in Pittsburgh, home to the three rivers (Allegheny, Monongohela, forms into Ohio)
Cleveland Stadium- for city of Cleveland.
Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium- Operated by City of Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia.
Memorial Stadium- named for lives lost in WWI and WWII.
Veterans Stadium- named in honor of war veterans.
Shea Stadium- Named after William A. Shea who brought National League Baseball back to NY.
Fenway Park- came from its location in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, which was partially created late in the nineteenth century by filling in marshland or "fens", to create the Back Bay Fens urban park.
Olympic Stadium- Hosted 1976 Olympics
Skydome- won in “name the stadium contest.” Reference to skyscraper CN Tower.

As you can see this was before commercialism took over baseball. You wouldn't see the fences and scoreboards littered with advertisements like they used to. Ballpark's names usually had a reason they were named that, and it wasn't neccesarily linked to the team either. But 17 stadiums on this list were also shared with another team at one time, whether it's NFL, CFL (Toronto), or any other reason.

Only a decade later in 2000, drastic changes in the way ballparks were named was in sight. This was where commercialism in baseball was taking over. With the Astros moving out of the Astrodome (which ironically now has a sponsor, Reliant,) and into retractable roofed Enron Field (Now called Minute Maid Park,) there was one less stadium with a park named for it's team. Another subtraction from the list was Tiger Stadium, a historic stadium painfully taken away from the people of Detroit (It wasn't until 7 years after the Tigers left that it was torn down.) But only a year after 1990, the Orioles moved into Oriole Park at Camden Yards (more commonly referred to as Camden Yards) so one team was added to the list.

The Kingdome was replaced by Safeco Field. The Giants moved from Candlestick Park, moving into Pacific Bell Stadium (later bought out by AT&T.) Anaheim Stadium hopped on the bandwagon and got a sponsorship deal with Edison International, as did Jack Murphy Stadium with Qualcomm, and the New Comiskey Park with U.S. Cellular. The Diamondbacks, Rockies, Marlins and Devil Rays came into the league and all got stadiums with naming rights deals (BankOne Ballpark, Coors Field, Pro Player Stadium, and Tropicana Field.) Oakland Coliseum simply changed it's name to Network Associates Coliseum. Yes, Network Associates Coliseum does take an hour to type. The Braves and Indians got new stadiums, but both would stay in the same section, with Turner Field and Jacobs Field.

2000
Parks named after teams: Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Parks with naming rights deals: 12
Safeco Field, Pacific Bell Park, Network Associates Coliseum, Edison International Field of Anaheim, Qualcomm Stadium, BankOne Ballpark, Coors Field, Enron Field, Comerica Park, Cinergy Field, Tropicana Field, Pro Player Stadium
Parks with other name, reason: 15
The Ballpark In Arlington- Had no sponsor yet and was a plain name.
Kauffman Stadium- named after Royals founding owner Ewing Kauffman.
Milwaukee County Stadium- owned and funded by Milwaukee County.
Wrigley Field- does not have a naming rights deal with Wrigley Gum Company, but was named after the owner of the company and the Cubs, William Wrigley, Jr. Name has stuck since 1926.
Comiskey Park- named after 30-year owner Charles Comiskey.
Jacobs Field- after team owners Richard and David Jacobs
Turner Field- named for owner Ted Turner.
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome- named in honor of Minnesota politician Hubert H. Humphrey.
Three Rivers Stadium- in Pittsburgh, home to the three rivers (Allegheny, Monongohela, forms into Ohio)
SkyDome- won in “name the stadium contest.” Reference to skyscraper CN Tower
Fenway Park- came from its location in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, which was partially created late in the nineteenth century by filling in marshland or "fens", to create the Back Bay Fens urban park.
Olympic Stadium- hosted 1976 Olympics
Shea Stadium- Named after William A. Shea who brought National League Baseball back to NY.
Veterans Stadium- named in honor of war veterans.
Busch Stadium II- named after Busch Family, owners of Cardinals until 1996.

Now, in 2013 the tides have turned. Though there are now more stadiums with sponsorships, there are three more stadiums with parks named after their teams in Nationals Park, Marlins Park, and the Angels dropped their sponsor and have returned the name of their park to Angel Stadium in Anaheim (the "...in Anaheim" is due to a deal with the city that the team must have the word Anaheim in both their team and park name. Halos' owner Arte Moreno would much rather just ignore the city he's in and say they're in Los Angeles.)


The reason the "other" category has dropped so dramatically can be attributed to the fact that less teams play in stadiums that are shared with other teams. This is because, if the stadiums were shared, the NFL Team wouldn't want to play in a stadium named after an MLB Team. But here is your moder-day, Ballpark Name Breakdown:


Parks named after teams: 7
Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium 2, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Angel Stadium of Aneheim, Nationals Park, Marlins ParkParks with naming rights deals: 20
Coors Field, Rogers Centre, Chase Field, Safeco Field, Busch Stadium III, Citizens Bank Park, Progressive Field, Petco Park, Great American Ball Park, Citi Field, AT&T Park, Miller Park, Comerica Park, Minute Maid Park, U.S. Cellular Field, Target Field, PNC Park, Tropicana Field. O.co Coliseum
Parks with other name, reason: 3
Kauffman Stadium- named after Royals founding owner Ewing Kauffman.
Fenway Park- came from its location in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, which was partially created late in the nineteenth century by filling in marshland or "fens", to create the Back Bay Fens urban park. Owner also owned Fenway Realty Company.
Turner Field- After owner Ted Turner (Not after Turner Broadcasting)
A lot shorter, right?

I hope you enjoyed this article, and that you have more insight into why the parks you visit have their name. The next article will breakdown prospective leagues. Comments, Questions, Suggestions for articles will be accepted below! Thank you.

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Wrigley Field Renovations

The hiatus is over. Ballpark Guide is back. Be warned, readers: this is not your usual post, that is informative and unopinionated, and caters to those seeking information about the MLB's top stadiums. This post covers breaking news that, when I heard about it, I almost jumped out of my seat in the need to express my anger. This blog, Ballpark Guide, is where I will express my anger. (There is also a good mix of approval, too.)

And if you haven't heard, the anger I'm expressing is over a park that I've never visited, but is near and dear to many fans across the league. This ballpark is Wrigley Field. Wrigley Field is the jewel ballpark of the Major Leagues, one that each team strives to have. The focus is on baseball, and baseball only. Win or lose, Cubs fans swarm the gates, as tickets at Wrigley are hard to come by. Wrigley's outfield walls are graced with Ivy, the only stadium to have it, and it's been there since 1937 since famous owner Bill Veeck planted it.

Today at CubsFest, owner Tom Ricketts revealed his plan to renovate Wrigley Field. The renovation will cost $300 million dollars, and will take 5 offseasons to finish. Above shows the trademark entrance to Wrigley. Nothing special, except the famous red sign that's been there since the start reading "Wrigley Field Home of the Chicago Cubs". This rendering below shows Rickett's plan on the Cubs front entrance.

I have only small issues with this. The integrity of the entrance has remained the same, which I commend Ricketts for, but the proposed restaurant lining the top entrance is unique, but a little odd. It could work very well, but whenever you add restaurants to a place like Wrigley in interferes with the integrity of it, because Wrigley's focus has always been watching baseball, and that's why it's so well attended. Whenever I'm at a game, I would never miss part of it to eat at a restaurant. Maybe it's just me, but I think Cubs fans won't bite either. I don't believe the restaurant faces the game, but I could be wrong. And if it does, than I give in A+ to Ricketts in this category, because eating in the comfort of a restaurant while watching a game detracts nothing from the experience.. An interesting feature is completely opening up the concourse to the front entrance, and the skyline of downtown Chicago, which could definitely work, but I never realized Wrigley was that small. Maybe it can be a before/after game hangout like McFadden's at Citi Field.

BEFORE

Another feature the Cubs are improving is the concourses, which have been known to be cramped and dingy. The Cubs are classy-ing up the look by painting the exposed pillars and bleacher supports an Ivy-Green, and inlaying brick to the concourses, surrounded by stripes of cement, which looks great in the rendering. The rendering also shows small LED's along the pillars, which remind me of pixels lit up on a scoreboard. They also add TV's which detracts nothing from the game as it lets people watch while in the councourse, walking to the restroom or concession stands. Ricketts once again gets an A+ in his improvement of the team's concourses.

AFTER

The next rendering is what gets me most angry, and covers a lot of ground in the Wrigley Field renovations. Wrigley Field already has some very bad seats, with pole supports lining the lower bowl and extending into the upper deck. My main point of focus is how they have somehow managed to make the seats even worse. They did nothing about the pole obstructions and committed a crime that has been done in baseball stadiums of recent all across America: sacrificing the middle-class fans’ view of the game for expanded high-rollers’ suites. Usually this is done by adding a club level with suites and in therefore, pushes back the seats for fans sitting in the upper deck . But because pushing back the upper deck is constructually unfeasible, they added/expanded suites under the upper deck. And from what I can tell, doing this would definitely create the worst seats in baseball, out of what could have already been the worst seats in baseball. They offer no sight above the head, as ticketholders would literally be looking at the back of high rollers suites, and even better, there are windows in the hallway leasing to the suites, so you can see who is ruining your view. They are already in the back of the section, offering the worst view on the level, and to top it all off, the poles that have obstructed Cubs fans view of the game for nearly a century, , still remain. The only good things that this rendering shows are the improved concourses and team stores for fans, along with an expanded dugout and new batting tunnels for the players. The biggest improvement for players is the new home clubhouse under the stands, improving from what was previously the smallest clubhouse in the league. And players never like to be bumper-to-bumper to eachother while changing, and the gymnophobics have stated their displeasure for the cramped quarters before. Ricketts gets a D- in this area, because he made some good improvements. That's the only thing that saved him from failing, because he broke the golden rule: he put the players and rich suite-owners before the average fan. This will ruin his grade point average.

Besides this, the interior of the park has improvements. When I first heard they were adding more LED scoreboards I was less than estatic. Ricketts has asked for easing of some landmark restrictions from famous Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel which require Wrigley Field, which is designated on the National Register of Historic Places, to stay as it is. And at first I thought Emmanuel shouldn't agree to anything. My thoughts were "Wrigley shouldn't have a Jumbotron, It's Wrigley! How are the rooftops going to be able to see, and how are the fans going to see the backdrop of Chicago skyscrapers?" But after seeing the renderings I have changed my mind. The LED scoreboards are small and streamlined, fitting under the bleachers and above the Ivy. It even took me a little bit long to find them. Another great thing shown in this picture is standing room, which will help with overflow crowds once Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo lead their team to the playoffs, maybe. A closer look at the LF standing room can be seen in the rendering below. He has also requested that he is able to put more ads in the outfield, which I still disagree with. Wrigley Field needs to stay a baseball museum, not an older version of Citi Field. Ricketts gets an B+ because he added standing room and scoreboards without affecting Wrigley Field's great history. But there is no way he's going to get away with putting those ads up in the outfield. Not If Rahm Emmanuel wants to get reelected. I alreasy believe the Toyota sign is enough visual polllution, though signs like those are the best kind of advertisements, because It's not just put on the outfield fence. It's a structural part of the park.

In it's statement, Wrigley Field stated that they would be adding more restrooms. The restrooms at Wrigley are famous for long lines and there trough-syle urinals, which give some people bad views in their peripheral vision, but keep the lines ever-so-slightly shorter. Luckily, Wrigley added more non-trough urinals last offseason, and since they're adding more restrooms, the new ones probably won't have the bad views. Here are the pictures of the old one's, and last season's renovations.

My final thoughts are, and I want to make this clear, is don't buy into the fact that the Cubs are calling this a restoration. This is not a restoration by any means. An example of a restoration is when they take an old historic house, and return it to it's original form. I'm pretty sure in 1916 Wrigley Field didn't have LED scoreboards, Suites, restaurants, or even standing room. It's a renovation, not a restoration.

Citizens Bank Park

Ticket to Citizens Bank Park in front of entrance.

Philadelphia Skyline from Citizens Bank Park's parking lot.

Citizens Bank Park, In Philadelphia, PA opened in 2004 to replace the dated, multi-purpose Veterans Stadium, shared with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Phillies wanted an all-baseball stadium, and they definitely did not fall short of it. It was built on the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, along with Lincoln Financial Field, Wells Fargo Center, and Xfinity Live! When the Phillies, Eagles, 76ers or Flyers play a game at the same time, the already packed parking lot becomes a trip in itself to get out of. But the crowded parking lots are a testament to how many loyal Phillies fans flock to games, as they have sold out every game since July 7, 2009.

As you enter the stadium you are greeted by the amazing Philadelphia Skyline, along with beautiful sculptures of athletes by native Joe Brown. Though the entrance of the stadium is very forgettable, unlike the arches at Citi Field or PNC Park , it is easily made up for by the Inside of the Stadium. There is not one bad seat in the house, and every seat is close to the field. Even the seats in Ashburn Alley (bleacher section in Center Field) are great. They separate the upper decks, so there are no obstructed

The famous "stacked-bullpen" in right-center field.

views from the corners.

Don't make the mistake of showing up decked out in Mets gear. I learned the hard way. And so have away teams bullpens since  2004. The bullpens are stacked atop eachother, so the away teams bullpen is below the concourse, and the home teams is a step away from the field. Away teams have been heckled, taunted, and had food thrown at them by the Phillies fans that are well-known for their class, or lack thereof. 


If you get hungry during the games, you won't have to travel far, as there are great concession stands all around the stadium. These include Hoagies, Philly Cheesesteaks, Pretzels, Burgers, Pulled-Pork Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, Fries, and more!

Citizens Bank Park at dusk from upper deck. 

"Full Swing," and "The Punter" by

Joe Brown greet fans in the parking

lots of Citizens Bank Park as well as

Lincoln Financial Field, home of

the Philadelphia Eagles.

Other great aspects of Citizens Bank Park, are that they have a $10 Million Dollar HD Scoreboard in Left Field. In right-center, after every homerun a 52-foot-tall by 35-foot-wide mechanical, lighted replica of the Liberty Bell rings and lights up after every Phillies home run and victory. Not to Mention the furry, green, fat, and funny Philly Phanatic. It is known for shooting hot dogs into the stands, getting on the visitors dugout to rally fans, and taunting opposing players, the last of which may be copied off Phillies fans themselves.

Although the focus is mainly on baseball, there is a play ground for unentertained children to climb, play, and have fun. Along with great food, great amenities, and "entertaining" fans, Citizens Bank Park is truly a great all-around experience for all ages, but one that is definitely centered around the great game of baseball.

Panoramic view of Citizens Bank Park

Next Weeks Edition of Ballpark Guide: Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, OH

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Oriole Park at Camden Yards (shortened to "Camden Yards" by fans) opened its gates in 1992, and continues to be the most influential ballpark in the modern era. Camden Yards is credited with bringing tradition back into baseball, and being the jump start of "retro" ballparks. Camden Yards was the first ballpark that had a historic feel, but all the modern amenities to make for a great viewing experience for any fan.

Perhaps the most recognizable thing about Camden Yards is not within the actual stadium. The B&O Warehouse dominates the view in right field, and is the longest brick building on the east coast. Originally built by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1899, the Orioles decided against demolishing the beautiful structure. Instead, they incorporated it into the design. The warehouse now serves as offices, team space, and a private club for the Baltimore Orioles.

The B&O Warehouse is not the only historic thing about Camden Yards. "The Great Bambino" Babe Ruth, was born a short distance away in downtown Baltimore. Some say that his father owned a pub in what is now center field. His included, there are bronze statues of Orioles legends in left-center field.

Not all history is a hundred years old though. From the parks opening, Orioles fans were witnessed history in the making. Over a three year-span, Cal Ripken, Jr. had set the most consecutive games record, once held by   the Iron Horse himself, Lou Gehrig. There are also two orange seats that stick out from the other green seats. One of the seats represents the landing of Cal Ripkens record-breaking 278th home run as a shortstop. The other represents Eddie Murray's 500th homerun.

Camden Yards was the catalyst in an era in ballparks that spanned from 1994-2009. The architecture firm that designed Camden Yards, HOK Sport, had also made the AAA team Buffalo Bisons stadium, "Coca-Cola Field." When the Orioles became aware, they hired HOK Sport to design what would become the start of a revolution in baseball stadiums. "The House That Cal Built" was the first park to have a two-tiered bullpen for the home and away teams. From the start, Camden Yards was known as one of the most spectator-friendly stadiums around. The steep incline in the upper decks made sure that all fans could see any part of the playing field without an obstructed view. This carried on throughout stadiums thereafter.


Just past the warehouse in center field, fans have a spectacular view of Downtown Baltimore. Another trend Baltimore started was having two major sports venues next to each other. Fans can enjoy Baltimore's famous barbecue and ribs during games.  Situated a few blocks from the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. In the fall, fans go to both teams games in the same afternoon. But not a lot of people have gone to fall games since the Cal Ripken, Jr. era, since September games are usually meaningless to the Orioles. This is because they are a sub-par team in a near perfect division, as they are accompanied by the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Rays in the AL East. They haven't clinched the playoffs since 1997.

Winning or not, Camden Yards is a great experience for not just Orioles fans, and all baseball fans. All baseball junkies should come on down to Baltimore, because visiting Camden Yards truly is an unmissable ballpark.

Next Weeks Edition of Ballpark Guide: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA 

Miller Park

Miller Park has been one of the coolest ballparks in baseball since its inception in 2001. It has a traditional ballpark look, but was centered around many modern amenities, including a $50 million dollar retractable roof to cover and heat the ballpark in both early and late season games in Wisconsin's unpredictable weather. The opening of the stadium has not gone without controversy though. The stadium's funding was 75% taxpayer funded, which Wisconsinites were not pleased with. In fact, the state senator who cast the deciding vote to publicly fund the stadium was recalled by his constituents. But wait! The controversy is still not over. The stadium was originally supposed to be opened in 2000, but the opening date was set back a year when three construction workers were killed in a crane accident. In 2001, the park was finally opened by President George W. Bush and Milwaukee native, and MLB commissioner Bud Selig, who threw out the first pitch. The taxes used to build the stadium were quickly forgotten by fans, as packed crowds gathered in Milwaukee throughout the playoff run.


When the roof is closed, there has been known to be some obstructed views behind home plate where the only poles in the ballpark help support the roof. Fans seem to love these seats though, because they are only able for purchase on game day and sell out quickly for one reason, they are for one dollar. Not a bad price for a less than perfect view of the game. These seats are nicknamed "The Uecker Seats" for the Milwaukee Brewers famed play-by-play broadcast announcer, Mr. Baseball himself, Bob Uecker. The seats are named after Uecker because he was on a popular television commercial for the Miller Brewing Company in the '80s, when he sat down to watch a Brewers game, he was informed by the usher he was in wrong seat. He then said "I must be in the front row!" Then Uecker could be seen screaming from the nosebleeds section, "He missed the tag!" There are many scoreboards throughout the ballpark, so even if you are in the Uecker seats, you won't be missing the game.


The stadium is nice and all, but it is what is inside the stadium that keeps the fans coming back, (over 3 million times in '08) like the Klement's Sausage Race that happens in the middle of the sixth inning. The Bratwurst, Chorizo, Polish, and Italian sausages all race (the sausages represent the many ethnicities in the Milwaukee area.)  Though, these sausages are far less iconic than Bernie Brewer, the clubs mascot. After every home run, Bernie slides down a yellow slide into the "Kalahari Splash Zone" where water is splashed into the air and   covers the spectators in the lower deck. This is a reminder of all of those aquaphobes who plan on going to the park. Fireworks are shot out of the center field scoreboard, while the words "Get Up, Get Up, Get Outta Here, Gone!" are lit up on the scoreboard to symbolize what the commentator Bob Uecker says after every homerun.
Though the playing field itself isn't that small, it has seemed small due to sluggers Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.  Maybe the field will seem a little bigger now that Prince Fielder is gone. Though the stadium is often closed, large panes of glass below the retractable roof allow the sun to shine through so natural grass can grow. Due to its tilted dimension in the center field fence, balls often take unexpected ricochets and caroms away from the outfielders. This often results in triples, or even inside the park home runs. This keeps the loyal Brewers fans excited for every play.

Due to its local connections and sponsors, Miller Park's concessions Stands consist of a lot of sausage and beer. (Don't worry there's still Peanut's, Cracker Jacks, Hot Dogs, and Soda.) The stadiums retractable roof can open and close within 10 minutes, and is called "fan shaped" because there are two roofs that when opened cover  the first and third base lines. When closed, these roofs overlap each other. The stadium has been compared to an airplane hangar, which makes it sound cold. Apparently not though, since the stadium is always 10 degrees higher than outside. Baseball truly is a game of shadows, as shadows cast on the field can make it tough for outfielders to catch fly balls.

Some think that since it is in Wisconsin, Miller Park is out of the way from all outside life, and you will pass miles of farms and grasslands to get to Milwaukee. Not really though, as Milwaukee is an hours-drive from the urban Chicago (which makes for a great Brewers-Cubs rivalry,) and drive an hour further you will land in Indianapolis. So make no mistake, Miller Park is a great ballpark to visit, and it is definitely worth the drive "through all those farms and grasslands."

Next Weeks Edition of Ballpark Guide: Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD

Comerica Park

Comerica Park has served as the home of the Detroit Tigers since the year 2000, and hasn't disappointed. The new ballpark replaced Tiger Stadium, which housed Tigers baseball for 87 years, and was loved by fans for its historicalness. But because the stadium was on its last legs, the Tigers jumped on the chance to build a new stadium when the City of Detroit revealed their plan to revitalize. Comerica Park was built along side the Detroit Lions' stadium Ford Field.

The contrast in ballparks was criticized among fans. Tiger Stadium was known for being hitter-friendly, while Comerica Park large outfield dimensions made the park too large for hitters, even Juan Gonzalez, who averaged 37 homeruns between 1991-'99. The Tigers had just acquired Gonzalez in a trade before the 2000 season. Gonzalez has his worst offensive performance that year, and told the Tigers that if they wanted to resign him, they would have to bring the fences in. They figured trading him would cost less money, so they tried to deal him to the Yankees. Gonzalez, however, refused to play in New York so the deal fell through. Gonzalez turned back to normal form the next season when he signed with the Cleveland Indians.


Interestingly enough, they moved the fences in anyway before the 2003 season in order to boost their teams offensive production.  They filled in the right field bullpen with seats, and moved both bullpens to left field, making a wall-before-the-wall, which would decrease the distance from left field from 395 to 370. This does make the field look a little bit "makeshift" in a way.

A great thing about Comerica Park is that once you enter, you'll know what ballpark you're in. The scoreboard has the word "TIGERS" labeled across the top, and the stadium is scattered with statues of Tigers all over the ballpark. A great part about the ballpark is its scenery, as you can see straight into the Financial District of Downtown Detroit. Another feature of Comerica park is the strip of dirt that runs from the pitchers mound to home plate. This used to be very common, but now only Chase Field in Phoenix is the only other ballpark with the feature. The field also has a batters eye so the hitters cannot get distracted while receiving the pitch. The dirt area around home plate, actually is shaped like home plate, a contrast from every other ballpark that has a circle of dirt around home plate.

Comerica Park also seats over 41,000 fans to accommodate large crowds coming in order to see their star pitcher Justin Verlander, along with sluggers Miguel Cabrera, and the newly signed Prince Fielder. Comerica Park will surely seem small now thanks to this trio.

When opened in 2012, Comerica will reveal the renovations one in the offseason. These will include the renovation of the left field scoreboard. Comerica Park will also host fireworks on Fridays and Saturdays, the cherry on top for baseball fans. After every homerun a tiger roar will be heard to enhance the excitement of the fans.

Especially in 2012, Comerica Park will be a great place to visit for both watching games and walking about the stadium. It is certainly not the best ballpark, because it is not very well-known, but Comerica Park is certainly a place worth visiting for any fan.

Next Weeks Edition of Ballpark Guide: Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

Minute Maid Park

Minute Maid Park has served as the home to the Houston Astros since 2000, in order to replace the out-of -date and multipurpose Astrodome. The Houston Astros needed a stadium that was solely meant for playing baseball. From the inception of it's planning, the number one priority was to make the new playing surface natural grass. This would be a drastic change from their previous home, as the Astrodome was known for its "AstroTurf" made out of synthetic rubber that would make the ball bounce higher than on regular grass. But in order for the new playing field to be grass,  the new field would have to include a retractable roof so there could be sunlight, but the fans could enjoy their game comfortably in the blazing Texas summers.

Located in the heart of the Downtown Houston, this ballpark has all the bells-and-whistles that separate it from all the others, and is recognizable to any fan. The distance to left field is only 310 feet, so the wall is 19 feet high and equipped with a full manual scoreboard. The wall also has a short porch that hangs over the playing field and makes would-be fly balls into homeruns. On the "Conoco Home Run Porch" their is a gas pump that shows the number of home runs hit since the ballparks opening, because oil rich Houston is often called "The Oil Capital of the World" due to it's energy industry which is host to more than 5,000 oil companies. Atop the wall lays, possibly, the most coveted seats in the majors. The Crawford Boxes. They are the greatest spot in the league for fans who want to catch home runs. These exclusive seats are called the Crawford Boxes because they were built parallel to Crawford Street, which stands behind the left field entrance to the stadium. The field was built beside the grounds of Union Station, a historic railway stop that goes through Downtown Houston. The Astros wanted the ballpark to pay homage to the famous location, so their is a train located atop the left field wall that passes by everytime an Astros player hits a home run. The train carries oranges, to honor the corporate sponsor of the stadium, Minute Maid, whose most popular product is orange juice.

Though Houston is home to NASA, Minute Maid Park is not a launching pad. The ballpark's short dimensions to left field is made up for by Tal's Hill. Standing in center field, the hill is the only inclined surface in the major leagues. The stadium is also 436 feet to center field, the longest distance in the major leagues. The incline is named after Houston Astros president Tal Smith, who requested it. Tal's Hill has been home to some of the most difficult catches, and fielders also have to avoid a flagpole that is, get this, on the playing field. The flagpole is the only one in a major league stasium that is on the playing field. Some people think the hill could cause injuries to players, but this feature makes it Minute Maid Park exceptional. The team has also added a new video board, nicknamed "El Grande," as it is the second largest in the MLB.

To all the fans who have only seen this astounding ballpark on TV, buy your tickets immediately. This ballpark is too good to miss and ranks among the leagues most amazing venues. Everything is bigger in Texas, and so are the crowds. So book ahead to get the best seats avialable. Although a lot of the Astros stars have retired or been traded away, the team has potential, as the 2012 season will play host to a new owner, with new ideas. While the Astros have had many disappointing seasons as of late, the ballpark keeps the fans coming. Going to Minute Maid Park is one of baseball's finest experiences, and will continue to be for the remainder of it's existence.

Minute Maid is home to many varieties of delicious food, that caters to the diverse people of Texas. Whether the retractable roof is opened, or closed, fans still have a great view of  the buildings in downtown Houston through large paned glass windows. The roof atop Minute Maid Park is different from most retractable roofs, as it doesn't change the quality of the game. When the roof is closed, the atmosphere still remains exceptional.

Next Weeks Edition of Ballpark Guide: Comerica Park in Detroit, MI