"In any other park, it's gone"

[pravata]

(Boston Globe)"...where Rodriguez's crushed ball was headed in the eighth, for the 30-degree hill in the park's hinterlands, halfway between the 404-foot sign in left-center and the 436-foot sign in dead center. Taveras scaled that incline, reeling in the ball against the wall. In any other park, it's gone."

''Everywhere," Rodriguez said.

The Link

[Golden Sombrero]

Gotta give Rodriguez credit.  He came into a bad situation for him and had a great AB.  He was *this* close to being a hero.  Fortunately Willy T made a spectacular grab.  I was in the Crawfords and could not see it--only the jubilant/relieved crowd reaction and the sight of Burke pumping his fist in exultation.

[JackAstro]

Quote:
(Boston Globe)"...where Rodriguez's crushed ball was headed in the eighth, for the 30-degree hill in the park's hinterlands, halfway between the 404-foot sign in left-center and the 436-foot sign in dead center. Taveras scaled that incline, reeling in the ball against the wall. In any other park, it's gone."

''Everywhere," Rodriguez said.

The Link

I thought we played in a miniature amusement park in which every shallow pop-up becomes a souvenir for the elated home fans. I'm feeling confused and mislead. Please explain.

[JimR]

he had a fantastic AB.

[Limey]

Quote:
I thought we played in a miniature amusement park in which every shallow pop-up becomes a souvenir for the elated home fans. I'm feeling confused and mislead. Please explain.

The park is a joke because the left field foul pole is only 315' feet from home plate.  It is made more ludicrous because of the 21' foot wall.  Fenway is shorter and taller while Yankee stadium (to RF) is shorter and shorter.  The park designers got it completely wrong.

As regards CF, a park with such tiny dimensions as MMPUS has no right in having such large dimensions.

Got it?  Good.

[lc_db]

It?s the perfect compliment to ?In other ballpark that?s a caught fly ball?.

[Bench]

Quote:
he had a fantastic AB.

It truly was. I couldn't imagine entering that situation: full count, two outs, tying runner on, eighth inning, you're replacing one of your team's best hitters who just got himself tossed, you get one pitch.

He did a great job fighting off some pitches to get his timing down and get the one he wanted. It was amazing. He's probably going to be a thorn in the side of the Astros for a long time.

[JJxvi]

The ballpark giveth to the Astros, taketh away from the Jakes.

[Trey]

Quote:
The ballpark giveth to the Astros, taketh away from the Jakes.

That's what your ballpark should do.  And not because it is some kind of magical entity whose dimensions change at the half inning.

It drove me NUTS that forever we could not find a CF that would/could learn to play that hill in CF.  Then somebody for the Dodgers (cannot remember who) runs up the hill and saves a game winning HR.  His comment was "yeah, I practiced running up it during BP"  BRILLIANT!  Why the LIDGE can't Berkman/Cedeno/Biggio do that?  Finally Beltran figured it out, and it's REALLY nice to see Willy T getting the hang of it.

That's what homefield advantage is about.  Knowing how to play your park better than your opponent.  Well, that and getting to bat last.  Otherwise, it's one of those OTHER sports.