Monday, October 7, 2013

Nick Cafardo on Tropicana Field

After a few days of the Rays' frustrated Fenway-bashing - and the ensuing fallout - the ALDS comes to Tampa Bay, where the Rays will try to dig out of an 0-2 hole.

The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo describes the transition from Fenway Park to Tropicana Field:
It might be the most nondescript dome in the major leagues. The ball doesn’t necessarily fly out of the park. There’s no secret to the ceiling, as there used to be at the old Kingdome in Seattle, or the Metrodome in Minnesota.

You never hear anyone say, “Oh my God, I have to pitch at Tropicana.” Really, there’s nothing to it. They have fake grass, but it’s not the slick turf that the cookie-cutter stadiums had in the 1970s. So it’s not fast, per se. It just feels different.
Unlike some other writers with a national following, Cafardo has often been very objective in his assessment of the Stadium Saga.  Even when he name-checked the Rays as possible Montreal relocation candidates, he admitted it was a "longshot" at best.

2 comments:

  1. ? I understand your (Noah) from Bahstun, and you must think that comments from Boston people matters as it does to you, but newsflash, no one cares in Tampa Bay about any 5'7'' smart alecs opinions from Bahstun but people from Bahstun...
    Also, "It might be the most nondescript dome in the major leagues", newsflash! It's the only "dome", and the Trop is structured to fit the strengths of our team (or maybe our team is structured to fit the Trop). The temp stays lower to help keep the ball in the yard (heat helps carry the ball) w/ a lot less humidity. Plus the grass plays slower, and the dome's roof helps camouflage the ball, especially during the day among other things...
    Beazy

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