It is an Opening Day Extravaganza and I couldn’t be more excited. Every year this weekend makes me remember everything that I love about baseball, but lately there has been a lot of things going on that have changed the way in which the tradition of the game is upheld. One of the biggest things any of my friends who aren’t big baseball fans have against the game is its pace, that it is too slow to watch on TV. This only got me defensive and the wheels turning on Ball Park Atmosphere and everything that goes with it. I have visited a lot of Ball Parks and I’ll try to quickly rundown the categories I put them in when visiting or in the case that I haven’t the image that they portray. Also since it is so difficult to keep up with name changes I added those in as well.
(In No Particular Order Within Tiers)
Tier 1: Historical, Iconic, Deep Rooted in Tradition a.k.a Renovation and Preservation over New Construction
Chicago Cubs: Weeghman Park (1914-1920) Wrigley Field (1920-Soon To Be Renamed)
Boston Red Sox: Fenway Park (1912- Present)
New York Yankees: Yankee Stadium (1923- 2008)
Tier 2: Modern Stadiums with Vintage Feel a.k.a They gave Young Fans the Atmosphere for building Tradition
Baltimore Orioles: Oriole Park at “Camden Yards” (92- Present)Cleveland Indians: Jacobs Field (94-2008) Now Progressive Field
San Francisco Giants: Pac Bell Park (2000-03) SBC Park (04-05) :AT & T Park: 05- Present
San Diego Padres: PetCo Park (2004-Present)
Philadelphia Phillies: Citizens Bank Ballpark (04- Present)
Tier 3: Modern Era Stadiums a.k.a Nice Cause It is New
Milwaukee Brewers: Miller Park (01- Present)Detroit Tigers: Comerica Park (2000-Present) Note: Did not Make Tier 2 because of Tiger Stadiums History.
Arizona Diamond Backs: Bank One Ball Park (98-05): Chase Field (05-Present)
Chicago White Sox: Comiskey Park II (91-03): U.S Cellular Field ( 03-Present)
Cincinnati Reds: Great American Ball Park (03-Present)
Houston Astros: Enron Field (2000-2002): Astros Field (February 2002- July 2002): Minute Maid Field (02-Present)
Washington Nationals: Nationals Park (08- Present)
Seattle Mariners: SafeCo Field (99-Present)
Tier 4: A Good Place to Watch A Game a.k.a Used to Be State of the Art a.k.a Mid 90’s Cookie Cutter Stadium
Colorado Rockies: Coors Field (95- Present)Toronto Blue Jays: The Sky Dome (89-05) : Rogers Centre (05-Present)
Atlanta Braves: Centennial Olympic Park (96): Turner Field (97-Present)
Kansas City Royals: Royals Stadium (73-93): Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium (93-Present)
Texas Rangers: Rangers Ball Park in Arlington (94-Present)
Tier 5: I’ve Been There So I Can Mark it Off The List a.ka. I was In The Neighborhood 
Tampa Bay Devil Ray (Now Tampa Bay Rays) : Florida Suncoast Dome (90-93): Thunderdome: (93-96) : Tropicana Field When Rays Entered the League (1998-Present)Oakland Athletics:
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (68-98): Network Associates Coliseum (98-04): McAfee Coliseum (04-Present)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Anaheim Stadium (1966-1997):
Edison International Field of Anaheim (1998-2003): Angel Stadium of Anaheim (03-Present)
Los Angels Dodgers: Dodgers Stadium (62- Present)
Tier 6: Knock This Down It’s Embarrassing Everyone a.k.a I think the City Forgot About You a.k.a Baseball? I thought this was a Football Stadium
Minnesota Twins: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (82- Present)
Florida Marlins: Dolphin Stadium (1987): Joe Robbie Stadium (1987-1996): Pro Player Park (1996) : Pro Player Stadium (1996-2005) :Dolphins Stadium (2005-Present)
Candlestick Park (3Com Park at Candlestick Point/ San Francisco Stadium at Candle Stick Point/ Monster Park): Ok so maybe they haven’t knocked it down, but their baseball team got knocked up to Tier Two.
Qualcomm Stadium ( San Diego Stadium/ Jack Murphy Stadium) : Same Situation As Giants
Tier 7: You’re Closing Your Stadium : 2009 Will See You in Tier 2 or 3
New York Mets: Shea Stadium (64-68)
I know that the Yankees are building a new stadum as well and they will also drop to Tier 2 or 3, but Yankee Stadium held a much higher prestige than Shea Stadium ever did.
You have input? Don’t Think Your Team Deserved their Tier? Let Me Know….
4Real Out….
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2 comments:
4real
I think you should move Tropica field to Tier 6. While I am not near the baseball fan you are nor have I been to as many Ball Parks as you, this place is a dump. I have been to minor league games with better fields.
mike d
You consider Coors Field to be a "cookie cutter" stadium??? That is ridiculous. Coors set the trend for the new era of stadiums in MLB. New state of the art construction and an old vintage look and feel, it is an awesome stadium that deserves to be at the top of your Tier 2 ranking.
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