Minute Made Park - a review

[TheWestie]

Baseball is a sport played indoors at 65 degrees in a stadium with seats that match your uniform.

It is enjoyed with a delicious Dome Dog or 7th inning stretch italian ice from the upper deck and a trip to the 9th circle of hell, also known as the Astrodome trough urinals.

Sincerely, a forever devoted Astros fan who's pissed about Bud Selig extorting Jim Crane so that the Brewers wouldn't have to go back where they came from, but also still trying to erase the awful, awful, awful memories of Jose Lima and his Casa Ole commercials...

[golfingomez]

Baseball is a sport played indoors at 65 degrees in a stadium with seats that match your uniform.

It is enjoyed with a delicious Dome Dog or 7th inning stretch italian ice from the upper deck and a trip to the 9th circle of hell, also known as the Astrodome trough urinals.

Sincerely, a forever devoted Astros fan who's pissed about Bud Selig extorting Jim Crane so that the Brewers wouldn't have to go back where they came from, but also still trying to erase the awful, awful, awful memories of Jose Lima and his Casa Ole commercials...

so much truth in here

as another die hard Astros fan, I will easily admit to liking the Ballpark far more than Minute Maid...

but nothing beats the old Astrodome... as a kid, that place was magical... I'll never forget seeing Sammy Sosa fall short of the home run race in the last game of 1998... or attending the last game ever there...

[Eastwood Eagle]

Overall, it just made me very thankful for The Ballpark, which spanks the hell out of the sterile Minute Made environment.

The team is 8-22 what do you expect.

That stadium gets LOUD. I have been to a ton of games there and when that place is packed and the Astros are doing good it gets way louder than the Ballpark for obvious reasons.

I'm a Rangers fan but I actually like Minute Maid better. I like that it is in downtown where there is stuff to do before and after games compared to being in Arlington. Also, when it is a 100 degrees at the Ballpark you kind of wish you were inside the Juice Box.

Both are some of MLB's best stadiums.

FWIW

1) Ballpark (nostalgia purposes)

1a) MMP

infinite) Astrodome- I hated that thing and they need to tear it down.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Eastwood Eagle

[meangreener]

The team is 8-22 what do you expect.

That stadium gets LOUD. I have been to a ton of games there and when that place is packed and the Astros are doing good it gets way louder than the Ballpark for obvious reasons.

I'm a Rangers fan but I actually like Minute Maid better. I like that it is in downtown where there is stuff to do before and after games compared to being in Arlington. Also, when it is a 100 degrees at the Ballpark you kind of wish you were inside the Juice Box.

Both are some of MLB's best stadiums.

FWIW

1) Ballpark (nostalgia purposes)

1a) MMP

infinite) Astrodome- I hated that thing and they need to tear it down.

Man, I went to a NCLS game...they pumped in the bee noise and everyone was screaming, it was outrageous.

But, how do you not love the Dome? Sure, it's an eyesore now, but that place was just magical to me as a kid. I would stare in wonder at the roof and the enormity of it. The seats. The outdated entry signs. Just everything about the Dome was perfect.

Glad to see some Astros fans here! The AL move is unbelievable.

[greenminer]

Anybody not from Houston want to chime in on how awesome indoor baseball is?

[oldguystudent]

UNT90, on 03 May 2013 - 16:24, said:

The Ballpark, Old Arlington stadium (a dump I will always love from my childhood)

I have similar affections for night games at Candlestick. Candlestick was consistently, and deservedly, rated the worst stadium in all of baseball. It was awful. It was cold, rundown, windy, and at capacity of 62,000, obscene. But it was the stadium of my childhood, and I will always remember it fondly.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Anybody not from Houston want to chime in on how awesome indoor baseball is?

The thought of indoor baseball on a hot July Sunday at 1:00pm is very refreshing.

[UNTLifer]

Anybody that rates the Astrodome ahead of The Ballpark loses credibility right there.

Baseball is to be played out doors, as is football, etc...

Stadium rankings (Top 5):

1. Fenway

2. Wrigley

3. Ballpark

4. PNC Park

5. MMP

I haven't been to Camden Yards, but hope to make it there soon.

I grew up in the Denton and have also lived in Houston. Dallas really could care less about what goes on in Houston. Their sports teams are an afterthought mainly because the Oilers/Texans are in the AFC, the Astros, until this year (travesty) were in the National League where they belong (FIRE SELIG), and the Rockets and Mavs have never been good at the same time.

[oldguystudent]

UNTLifer, on 06 May 2013 - 08:57, said:

(FIRE SELIG)

Bud Selig has time and time again, systematically reduced my caring about MLB to the point that I now have no idea what the standings even are. I don't watch MLB on television. Go to maybe one game every two years when somebody has free tickets. Don't even watch the world series.

Let's see:

1994 players strike and cancellation of the World Series

Mid-90s blind eye to steroid use, resulting in towering home runs, bouncy balls in Sosa's bat, acne for Mark McGwire, and the death of Ken Caminiti.

Interleague play, then lots and lots of interleague play. I know some people like it, but the Rangers shouldn't be playing at Wrigely in April. It just ain't right. What's next, the DH for all NL games?

Letting the all-star game end in a tie.

Turning the all-star game into a circus.

Continually expanding the playoffs to eke out a few more bucks. I'm a purist. I believe the body of work over 162 game season should actually mean something.

Milwaukee to the NL, Houston to the AL. Why?

The Florida teams.

So for pure talent, MLB does have the best in the business, but the Selig product has become unwatchable for me. Bring on the aluminum bats to Denton (And yes, I would love to see college ball go back to wood).

[Eagle1855]

I grew up in the Denton and have also lived in Houston. Dallas really could care less about what goes on in Houston. Their sports teams are an afterthought mainly because the Oilers/Texans are in the AFC, the Astros, until this year (travesty) were in the National League where they belong (FIRE SELIG), and the Rockets and Mavs have never been good at the same time.

This, except in reverse. No reason for Houston to be overly concerned with Dallas sports, nor vice-versa. Still pissed about the forced move to the AL. It's whatever. Can't bail on a team after 30+ years. Just sucks, woe is me.

I don't care for baseball indoors, either, though there's a tradition of it in Houston. When the roof is open, it's a really great view of downtown, has a nice feel to it. But I'd never say I prefer MMP over any of the great historic parks.

And nobody in Houston nor Dallas has any business bagging on anyone about "sterile environments" while a team is "down."There are only a couple parks in the nation that will draw consistently and maintain a great game atmosphere despite a poor product on the field- and none of them are in Texas.

We're a football state. Even at their worst, Texans and Cowboys still sell out every single game. Which I think is a great source of pride.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Eagle1855

[MeanGreenTexan]

...

We're a football state. Even at their worst, Texans and Cowboys still sell out every single game. Which I think is a great source of pride.

Don't tell that to every Rangers bandwagon jumper in DFW. They'll make sure you know that this is a baseball town for sure. Nevermind the fact that they were nowhere to be found in Arlington as recently as 2009.

[meangreener]

Don't tell that to every Rangers bandwagon jumper in DFW. They'll make sure you know that this is a baseball town for sure. Nevermind the fact that they were nowhere to be found in Arlington as recently as 2009.

Oh, yeah, this place is totally a "baseball town".

And the Dome in its current state isn't top 5...more like bottom 5...ever. It filled you with wonder like no other place even as late as the early 2000s when I used to go to the Rodeo there, however. That ceiling. It is just a beautiful park, unlike any other...so, yes, sorry, I'd have to put the Ballpark underneath the Dome. Because in its heyday, the Dome was the 8th Wonder of the World.

For a good three months, The Ballpark in Arlington is unbearable. It was idiotic to put the park in the middle of a concrete jungle area with no shade whatsoever.

Edited May 6, 2013 by meangreener

[foutsrouts]

The thought of indoor baseball on a hot July Sunday at 1:00pm is very refreshing.

Yeah, it can be pretty ridiculous. I agree that baseball should be outside, but The Ballpark is Hell after this time of year even at night. If it had been domed I would probably have season tickets. I guess I've just gotten too spoiled by A/C to sweat through 50/60 sweltering nights/days. Still a great stadium regardless, but it would be much better suited if it were a couple of hundred miles north away from the Gulf humidity and typical North Texas heat.

[JesseMartin]

I, for one, just appreciate that you guys threw out all of this information about different ballparks. See, once my dad realized I was more into reading and drawing than sports, he just gave up. So when I got interested in sports later than other kids, he still didn't want to do anything. So I went to a few Phillies games that were fairly cool, but it bugged me that he wouldn't go with me, and also saw the Rangers after moving to Texas and it just brought back bad memories.

So thanks to all of you for the insight. I'll be taking three sons to games of all sorts, hopefully all over the country, in the coming years and hope to replace the bad feelings with great experiences with my own boys. It's great to have input from guys who had better experiences so that I can try to have those cool experiences with my own kids. You all rock.

[TheFranchise]

Don't tell that to every Rangers bandwagon jumper in DFW. They'll make sure you know that this is a baseball town for sure. Nevermind the fact that they were nowhere to be found in Arlington as recently as 2009.

There are more "true" Rangers fans than some may think. A lot of us stayed away during the 2000's because of bad ownership that refused to do anything worth a crap with the team. Tom Hicks was nearly the death of this team and the day he left with "empty pockets" never came soon enough. The guy was a horrible owner and then had the sac to tell the media that the team's routine sub-.500 seasons were the fans fault and would have been remedied if "the fans had shown up."

Sorry, but the dude basically said back in 2004 that he will continue to put crap on the field until the fans start showing up to watch said crap. Then, he would think about investing more into the team. (My paraphrasing but it's the same basic message)

When Nolan/Greenberg took the team over, and they *gasp* actually lowered ticket prices from what Hicks had done, fans started showing up again. Yes, there was a winning product being put out at that time, too but there was also a fresh wind that started blowing into town at that time. The guy focusing on "making money" instead of "winning games" had finally left town and the focus was on a title. Dang, we came close . . . twice.

Also, an entertaining read (which even I question but find interesting given it's a pretty big publication like Forbes): http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/07/baseball-fans-loyal-forbeslife-cx_mw_0807sport.html

-- The Franchise

[TheWestie]

There was nothing going into a night game at the Astrodome in July and seeing people carrying in blankets.



Now if we really want to talk about some Houston Vs DFW sports rivalry, let's talk about how many speed and ET records have been made at Houston Raceway Park compared to Texas Motorplex.....

[MeanGreenTexan]

There are more "true" Rangers fans than some may think. A lot of us stayed away during the 2000's because of bad ownership that refused to do anything worth a crap with the team. Tom Hicks was nearly the death of this team and the day he left with "empty pockets" never came soon enough. The guy was a horrible owner and then had the sac to tell the media that the team's routine sub-.500 seasons were the fans fault and would have been remedied if "the fans had shown up."

Sorry, but the dude basically said back in 2004 that he will continue to put crap on the field until the fans start showing up to watch said crap. Then, he would think about investing more into the team. (My paraphrasing but it's the same basic message)

When Nolan/Greenberg took the team over, and they *gasp* actually lowered ticket prices from what Hicks had done, fans started showing up again. Yes, there was a winning product being put out at that time, too but there was also a fresh wind that started blowing into town at that time. The guy focusing on "making money" instead of "winning games" had finally left town and the focus was on a title. Dang, we came close . . . twice.

Also, an entertaining read (which even I question but find interesting given it's a pretty big publication like Forbes): http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/07/baseball-fans-loyal-forbeslife-cx_mw_0807sport.html

-- The Franchise

I don't think so.

Tom Hicks demonstrated financial commitment with the A-Rod signing and kept shelling out for other players until he went broke. Often times, it was incredibly stupid, but his commitment was always there. He was the guy who made the idiotic move (at the time) of hiring 28-year-old Jon Daniels as his GM. He let this GM hire Ron Washington. Then he hired Nolan Ryan to run the franchise. Tom Hicks was not the problem. If you want to say John Hart was the problem, I'll give you that.

By the time he sold the team in 2010, all of the pieces were in place (thanks to Jon Daniels' prowess) to make the runs to the W.S.

The problem was a losing team.

I remember being able to walk up to the gate and get great seats 30 minutes before first pitch in my favorite section (216). If I tried to do that today, I'd probably be sitting by the foul pole (205). Today, the team is winning. And, in true Dallas fan form, the stadium is full.

The only exception? Cowboy games will sell out for a 5-11 team. Every time.

Make no mistake, this is Jerry's town... and it's not even for DFW-only. 1855 is right. Football is king in Texas as a whole.

[meangreener]

I don't think so.

Tom Hicks demonstrated financial commitment with the A-Rod signing and kept shelling out for other players until he went broke. Often times, it was incredibly stupid, but his commitment was always there. He was the guy who made the idiotic move (at the time) of hiring 28-year-old Jon Daniels as his GM. He let this GM hire Ron Washington. Then he hired Nolan Ryan to run the franchise. Tom Hicks was not the problem. If you want to say John Hart was the problem, I'll give you that.

By the time he sold the team in 2010, all of the pieces were in place (thanks to Jon Daniels' prowess) to make the runs to the W.S.

The problem was a losing team.

I remember being able to walk up to the gate and get great seats 30 minutes before first pitch in my favorite section (216). If I tried to do that today, I'd probably be sitting by the foul pole (205). Today, the team is winning. And, in true Dallas fan form, the stadium is full.

The only exception? Cowboy games will sell out for a 5-11 team. Every time.

Make no mistake, this is Jerry's town... and it's not even for DFW-only. 1855 is right. Football is king in Texas as a whole.

Exactly. As much as Houston and Dallas love their baseball/basketball teams, both cities are incredibly devoted to their football teams. The only time people stopped showing up to Oiler games is once Bud announced he was moving the team. Houston has sold out every game since 2001 and is incredibly dedicated to the Texans. DFW and the Cowboys? Well, it's the Cowboys. They'd sell out for fifty years straight even if they had fifty years of 0-16 football.

UTSA's attendance is proof that football is king. San Antonio is so desperate for football that they'll support a third rate community college.

Edited May 7, 2013 by meangreener

[TheFranchise]

I don't think so.

Tom Hicks demonstrated financial commitment with the A-Rod signing and kept shelling out for other players until he went broke. Often times, it was incredibly stupid, but his commitment was always there. He was the guy who made the idiotic move (at the time) of hiring 28-year-old Jon Daniels as his GM. He let this GM hire Ron Washington. Then he hired Nolan Ryan to run the franchise. Tom Hicks was not the problem. If you want to say John Hart was the problem, I'll give you that.

By the time he sold the team in 2010, all of the pieces were in place (thanks to Jon Daniels' prowess) to make the runs to the W.S.

The problem was a losing team.

I remember being able to walk up to the gate and get great seats 30 minutes before first pitch in my favorite section (216). If I tried to do that today, I'd probably be sitting by the foul pole (205). Today, the team is winning. And, in true Dallas fan form, the stadium is full.

The only exception? Cowboy games will sell out for a 5-11 team. Every time.

Make no mistake, this is Jerry's town... and it's not even for DFW-only. 1855 is right. Football is king in Texas as a whole.

I know I'm not alone here. You may not remember it but I do. There was a story that broke somewhere around 2004 (will try to find a link for you, but it's going to be in an archive somewhere) where Hicks blamed his lack of spending on the fans. It got a lot of play on the radio and he got a lot of flack for it, as he should have. It was a big story at the time.

If anyone thinks Hicks' priority was winning, they're out of their mind. That dude had one goal as a sports owner -- making an ess-load of money. And when he didn't, he blamed the fans.

In fact, look at what he did to F. C. Liverpool. It was like rinse, wash and repeat with that situation.

Wait never mind . . . some of you guys hate soccer here . . .

-- The Franchise

Edited May 7, 2013 by TheFranchise

[Stix]

Baseball is a sport played indoors at 65 degrees in a stadium with seats that match your uniform.

+1

...but also still trying to erase the awful, awful, awful memories of Jose Lima and his Casa Ole commercials...

Sorry, -1. For those who aren't familiar with the great Jose Lima, RIP:

Who can't love that? It ranks right up there with Tom "one-take" Carvel's commercials (if you're familiar with Carvel Ice Cream shops in NY).

As for those who say they've been to "Old" Yankee Stadium - unless you went prior to the renovation in the '70s, and sat in the upper deck under the roof (great when it rained!), you never went to old Yankee Stadium!

[TheWestie]

+1

Sorry, -1. For those who aren't familiar with the great Jose Lima, RIP:

Who can't love that? It ranks right up there with Tom "one-take" Carvel's commercials (if you're familiar with Carvel Ice Cream shops in NY).

As for those who say they've been to "Old" Yankee Stadium - unless you went prior to the renovation in the '70s, and sat in the upper deck under the roof (great when it rained!), you never went to old Yankee Stadium!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[NT03]

Not many. Kinda new at it. The Ballpark, Old Arlington stadium (a dump I will always love from my childhood), Minute Made, the old Astrodome (minute maid is much better, but I was at the astrodome years ago), New Busch (nice), and Safeco (very nice). I will hit Petco field later this summer. That should rate pretty high just on a geographical bases.

Like I said, indoor baseball is just... Unnatural to me, so maybe the review was influenced by that.

Did u try a snow cone there ?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-GGJ2OMwBag

[UNT90]

Did u try a snow cone there ?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-GGJ2OMwBag

I think everyone agreed the concessions were crap.

Little did we know...

I look forward to returning next year, now that Reid Ryan, who ran the CC Hooks, is now running the big club. I would bet that there are some changes coming. Hope to go when the roof is open.

[UNTexas]

Worst snow cones:

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1649462-vendor-at-astros-game-fired-after-bringing-sno-cones-into-bathroom-stall

At least we know how Cougar King lost his job.