No, I am not talking about juice products. They’re just fine. It’s that idiotic amusement park that is pawned off as a baseball stadium in Houston.
Minute Maid Park may have been the difference Monday night as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals fell 3-2 to the Astros. After Houston went up in the fourth on a three-run home run by Carlos Lee that traveled over the silly Crawford Boxes, the Cards lost a golden opportunity against Brian Moehler in the fifth, victimized by the park.
With two on and two out, Ryan Ludwick blasted a baseball well over 400 feet onto that sideshow curiosity called “Tal’s Hill” in center field. Speedy Astros centerfielder Michael Bourn put on his hiking boots long enough to run down the ball, or should I say up the hill, ending St. Louis’ threat.
The new Busch Stadium gets positive marks around the league because “it plays fair”. One key aspect is no architectural tweaks that cheapen the game.
No one can say that about Minute Maid. Here are the top five things I dislike about that park.
1) Tal’s Hill, a 90-foot-wide grassy incline rises at a 30-degree slope from the outfield warning track to the wall in center field, 436-feet away from home plate. A flag pole adorns the hill – in fair territory. The cheesy gimmick was devised by former team president Tal Smith in homage to Cincinnati’s old Crosley Field.
All I know is that Cincinnati has built two new ballparks since Crosley and they didn’t see any reason to keep that hill. It isn’t a cool landmark like Boston’s Green Monster. It is just stupid, contrived and potentially dangerous. Some intelligent Houston fans hated Tal’s Hill badly enough they initiated a failed petition drive to try to get it removed.
2) The Crawford Boxes in left field provide one of the shortest porches in the game and therefore allow some of the cheapest home runs anywhere in baseball. They are only 315 feet away from home plate down the line to hit a home run, with a 19 foot tall wall. As a result, the bullpens are indoors – even when the roof is open! Go figure.
3) The Home Run Porch is located on a concourse in left-center field above Tal’s Hill that actually sits over the playing field in fair territory. Why should the outfielders have to play under the stands?
4) The roof. Building a retractable roof in humid Houston made a lot of sense, but my gripe is with the process of deciding whether to open or close it for any given game. The umpires, who should make the call, are not involved. Instead local management keeps the roof closed even on beautiful days when they want to try to intimidate their opponent by the piped-in noise.
5) The choo-choo train sits across the top of the left and left-center field wall. Why a train would be way up there, let alone one that is filled with fake oranges instead of coal is totally beyond me. Oh yeah, the train moves when the homeys hit a homer. Hard to believe, but this is even lamer than Bernie Brewer’s slide.
Call it sour grapes if you want since the park played into Monday’s result, but I was critical of this joke of a ballpark from the day it was initially christened Enron Field.
‘Nuff said about that.
People will try to argue that both teams play under the same conditions and I say that’s total B.S.
The Astros get to take batting practice in that place every day and i guarantee you their left-handed hitters have a better idea of how to poke a low and away pitch into those Crawford Boxes tha a visiting player who is going to take that pitch for a ball.
I wonder how many home runs Lance Berkman has sliced into the Crawford Boxes from the left side. Mike Lamb used to drive me nuts with his knack of doing that.
I nearly went apoplectic during the 2005 playoffs.
Enron Field flaws should be ignored. Every time you notice one, Tal Smith wins.
The Cards should focus on taking care of business. This means sending C. Duncan to AA. Mo is asleep at the wheel. Its disgraceful.
Enron Field does not bug me. Trading for khalil Greene does not bug me, because its hard to foresee a guy with his issues. We gave up too much for DeRosa, but this does not bother me, because if you deal with Mike Shapiro, you will overpay. I was ok that we did not trade for anyone last summer and loved the job free agent pickup Felipe Lopez did.
About the only thing that steams me is retaining Chris Duncan. This is unacceptable, because within Mo’s control, so it reflects poorly on him. They sent Chris down last May. He has to be playing worse now.
The team would be better off with doubles machine Joel Pineiro playing LF on his days off from pitching. Chris used to hit well enough to make up for poor fielding. Those days are past.
At least at Johnson City, Joe Matt Rigoli is only let into a game when we are safely up by 10 runs. They have a strong group of hitters there: Buttafucco or Racobaldo, Big Matt Adams, Stock, Lara, little Mateo, little Audris Perez and Teddy Obregon Jr now finding the range.
Off to a slow start at Johnson City, Roger Smith’s son Ross. However, at least Ross is an athlete. He could warm up with the bat. Good luck to him.
Ross played at Auburn U where he had a great freshman season, was injured as a sophmore, and for his 3rd college spring season transferred to Middle Georgia juco.
Our last young man from Middle Georgia was 2006 flash RF Terry Evans, who was a 30/30 man that year at Palm Beach and AA, and traded for Goldilocks Weaver after Sir Sidney Ponson refused to run his appointed laps. Baseball America put Evans in their Top 20 for the Texas League and called him a poor man’s Dale Murphy. In 2007, Evans was a AAA rookie. Last year, 2008, Evans must have been hurt. Its nice to see him back to his former self in 2009, one of the leading HR hitters in the minors, getting his legs back and stealing 20 bases again. Unfortunately for him, he is trapped at AAA, in a team like the Angels, that spends so much on veteran OFs like Hunter and Matthews Jr. Evans would now look vastly better than Chris Duncan in LF for the Cards.
Jumbo, tell us how you really feel about Chris Duncan…
For perspective, last year Chris had an OPS of 711. For this, he got sent to the minors and he needed a very serious neck operation.
So how is he doing this year? Worse.
His season OPS is 687. Yet he played well in April, so his OPS during the past 2.5 months has to be in the vicinity of 600.
Its unfair to Albert, Yadier, Pineiro, Franklin, Lohse, Wainwright, Carpenter and other guys who seem to want to win games to have a corner OF who contributes zilch.
Mo should WAKE UP and remember he is responsible. Stop chatting up the Blue Jays about Halladay, because time is awasting. We do not have time to wait for Glaus to work his way into shape. The crisis is now, today, this very minute.
Any GM who cannot find a better LF option today than Chris Duncan should just resign and let someone else try. Get Terry Evans back from the Angels; he would be cheap to re-acquire. Elevate Tyler Henley. Try anything. Stop the madness, now.
Normally, within the Cardinals, TLR is a relentless, aggressive agitator for what the team needs. The normal GM role is to try to find players who can fit these needs.
Chris presents problems. He is the son of Dave. And Chris made Tony proud by playing through neck pain last year. Accordingly, the dynamic inside the Cardinals is not normal as regards Chris. There must be no aggressive advocacy for him to be replaced.
Unfortunately, Chris is not able to contribute at a ML level right now. Up and down the ladder of the levels within the game, tough decisions to demote or release have to take place. Its unfortunate, but par for the course in this tough business. You have to sign players, which is nice, but you also have to fire players, otherwise your team will lose.
We cannot do anything about Tal’s Hill or a silly orange choo choo or Crawford boxes. But if the normal dynamic for making decisions is different in the case of CDuncan, then Mo has to step up. Its not a nice happy situation, but a competitive team has to do this.
The good news is the Cards have been able to give Chris a fair opportunity to bounce back to 2006/07 performance. He has had a half season opportunity in the majors this season. That is more opportunity than a lot of other men get, but its fair because Duncan hit well in the majors until he suffered serious injuries. He did not get asked to re-establish himself at AAA, but got given 250+ ML at bats.
This is a fair and sufficient basis for coming to the conclusion that things are not working out and the team has to turn the page and give someone else a chance. If Duncan is capable of contributing at a ML level in future, then he needs to demonstrate this at AAA and earn another opportunity. Others have taken this road and fought their way back to the Majors. It can be done.
Its tough to win in MLB with a corner OF who cannot out-hit Cesar Izturis. At least Mitey Cesar could play D at a vital position. Chris can’t play reliable D at any position.
It would be easy to bring up Allen Craig as a stop gap measure until such time as Troy Glaus is ready to start underhanded heaves from LF.
Quick fix. Hoffpauir at second, Schu in left. Problem solved. When and if Glauss and Green can contribute all the better. Enron doesnt bother me any more than Ivy at Wrigley or snow at Lambeau or that stupid wooden wall at Busch II.
Jumbo, Jumbo, Jumbo. Batting Stavinoa, screwing with Ryan’s stance, even DeRosa backed of the plate a bit, just to take advantage of the Crawford boxes, and then to have Pudge shove it down your throat, thats embarrassing. The final two double plays were beautifully engineered by him.
Jumbo, the Chris Duncan issue is all about theater at this point. Study how its dealt with and you will learn something of the true aim of Mo in relationship to Tony and Dave’s future. T/D haven’t asked for him to be sent down for a reason. Guess it and you get………..well……the pleasure of knowing I guess.
One of Albert’s few statements about the possibility of re-signing with St Louis has to do with commitment to winning.
If DeWitt really wants to re-sign Albert, then he needs to end the charade with Duncan, now.
In future, it is possible Duncan may build and recover more strength. He may improve. But he should establish this in the minor leagues. Currently, he is not a ML ballplayer.
So continuing to employ him in the majors sends a strong signal that the team is not doing its utmost to win. Right now, the roster is being managed for indulging the hopes of Chris. Fantasy baseball.
This reminds me of when Mark Mulder got given a ML start or two during August 2006, after he had already demonstrated in the minor leagues that he could not pitch effectively. The Cards only slipped into the playoffs on the final day of the season, having sacrificed games with Mulder for no sensible reason.
Chris Duncan has abundantly demonstrated that he cannot hit effectively, right now, at a ML level. His continued presence on the team is bad for the morale of fans and his team-mates.
All true Jumbo. Wait till Glaus and Greene get here. They can’t demote Chris till after the 31st I would think. If he can’t be traded Mo will send him down. Tony and Dave hope someone picks him up.
Mo can demote Chris any time; Brian reported he has an option remaining.
Presumably they are waiting for Glaus or K Greene to get ready. I would do something stop gap right now, because every game counts.
Chris would have no trade value at the present time. He could develop trade value if he is able to develop more strength in the areas effected.
I doubt D and T are hoping someone else picks Chris up. They are probably hoping Chris rebuilds strength where he is still effected. He can work on building himself back within the minors of the Cards just as well as somewhere else. I have no problem with him staying, its just he is not right for ML ball at the present time.
face the music jumbo. tony and dave know their future. watch what they do. these are all just pons in the Albert saga.
Jumbo, Tony thinks that you are being unfair: http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/commishs-hot-stove/commishs-hot-stove/cardinal-beat-updates/2009/07/la-russa-tired-if-unfair-treatment-toward-chris-duncan/
There is nothing unfair about knowledgeable fans expecting a quality product on the field. And unless Tony thought Chris had healed up in the last 24 hours, the chance of him getting a hit was about 1 out of 31.
Tony prefers to be unfair to Cards fans. However, its not his fault.
Tony is not the boss. This is 100 percent Mo’s fault. Chris Duncan has no business in a ML uniform.
Jumbo, you have no idea what percentage of responsibility should be assessed to whom. No one does unless they are riding around in the manager’s and GM’s pockets. As far as we know, Mo could have wanted to demote Duncan and TLR argued against it. Could be just the opposite.
Especially in an environment like the Cardinals where the manager is a future Hall of Famer, these roster decisions are generally made collaboratively, not by hierarchical edict.
After about a dozen posts blasting Duncan’s presence on the roster, I think we all understand your frustration and position on the matter. Perhaps when Glaus and/or K Greene are ready, something will happen.
Glaus? KG? ready? Izzy was the Hemlock, and now its Chris. Truth be known, they have nothing to replace him with. Anymore appearances by the AAA boys and the “Fertile Farm system myth will explode before Albert’s even gone.
The grand slam Lee hit last night was sure a cheapo. It appeared he went down and one-handed it just far enough to get into the Crawford Boxes. I flipped channels before seeing any replays so I might have been wrong.
Anyway, I hate that joke of a park as much as anybody can, although I have enjoyed a few games there.
I think you are correct, DD. As I recall, Lee’s grand slam may have reached the third or fourth row. Another reason why…
When the astrodome got rid of the dead grass and put in newfangled astro-turf there were complaints about the astos having the advantage of being used to it. New park, same dirty tricks, the bums.
They get away with it because MLB does nothing to stop it. Do you suppose the NFL would allow a 95-yard field or a hill in one corner of an end zone with a flagpole on the field of play? MLB embraces tradition when it helps them make more money.
Even before that, somebody said jokingly that the astros had the advantage of being used to playing on dead grass. I remember the radio guys joking about it during a broadcast.
Acting on his responsibilities, Mo did what had to be done. Walters and Chris were demoted to Memphis, and later Chris made a lateral move to the AAA subsidiary of the Red Sox. The two teams found a way to swap guys with modest trade value.
Lugo was overpaid, so the Sox must have sent the Cards millions to pay him through the end of 2010. This must remove a constant source of annoyance for Boston fans, while the Cards add infield depth. The Cards have made out well with some previous Boston castoffs (Pineiro, Womack). The Cards have a lot of LFers (Jay, Jones, Henley, Craig, Stavinoha, Hill), so can afford to give up Duncan.
Its an ok deal for Boston too. The Sox can station Duncan at AAA and if he regains strength, they could gain a fine ML hitter. Its not the greatest of deals for Duncan, because there should be a lot of competition in Boston.
Drew, the former Cardinal, is 0 for his last 22 and 1 for 35 or so. Drew has been slumping on a Duncan like basis. Because Drew gets a massive salary and can play defense, he will not be demoted to Pawtucket anytime soon.
The Cards were swept in Houston and are visiting the Phillies, with the second best record in the NL. The line between success and failure is narrow in the majors. Winning teams have to get everyday production throughout the lineup. If a guy has hit well in the past or is of good character, like Chris, neither factor matters. Nice guys can finish last. The fans are not unfair, TLR, rather baseball is a tough business. The Cards have to make roster changes to try to stay competitive.
It is claimed by one newsreport that Chris’ trade was a surprise to TLR. If so, fine. The Cards are a business larger than any manager. Brendan Ryan plays hard and has sometimes suffered injuries; the team can use middle infield depth, provided by Lugo. If TLR thinks its “unfair” Cards fans were unhappy with Chris’ performance, then TLR has a blind spot, so its good for Chris to be moved out of the organization, so players are viewed with unemotional objectivity.