Your Ideal MLB Ballpark Outfield

[C-Squared]

As a casual non-baseball fan, it bothers me that a home run at one field can be an easy out at another... that takes the charm of park quirks a bit too far, IMO.

[Ben in LA]

San Diego's left field, Pittsburgh's center field, Baltimore's right field.  I just have a thing for buildings near (or in the case of SD, IN) a stadium.

 

Bonus: Boston's foul ground.

[Ben in LA]

On 6/19/2017 at 10:35 PM, dsaline97 said:

I went a little overboard and made a compilation of my perfect outfield....

 

 

1. Western Metal Supply Co. (Petco)
2. Green Monster (Fenway)
3. Rockies Scoreboard (Coors)
4. Left-Center Gap (Coors)
5. Tal's Hill (Minute Maid)
6. City of Pittsburgh (PNC)
7. Triples Alley (AT&T)
8. Out of Town Scoreboard (Coors)
9. Pesky Pole (Fenway)
10. Tapered Upper Decks (Kauffman)

 

.....complete with the St. Louis Arch mowed into the grass.

Looks interesting but I'd bet that would be hell on an outfielder.  Add Tal's Hill in front of Pittsburgh for me as well.

[dsaline97]

3 hours ago, Ben in LA said:

Looks interesting but I'd bet that would be hell on an outfielder.  Add Tal's Hill in front of Pittsburgh for me as well.

 

To be fair this isn't really dependent on dimensions, with exception to the gaps. I was just trying to stitch everything together.

[dont care]

I don't know why so many people like Tal's Hill, it's so contrived and unnecessary

[kroywen]

Surprised at all the love that Tal's Hill and the overhang/stacked decks in Arlington are getting. Tal's Hill seemed to be the butt of jokes across baseball ever since that ballpark opened, and it seemed that the overwhelming majority of fans were happy to see it go. (I know I was.) It was both contrived and a danger to outfielders.

 

As for Arlington, I actually like how the stacked decks look myself, but I never thought that was a 'beloved,' or even well-liked feature. I certainly know that Arlington is definitively not one of the more well-liked parks in the majors, both because of its overreliance on retro ballpark tropes (it's like a grab bag of 90's ballpark design quirks), and because of its lack of a roof. Maybe that one aspect of it is more broadly liked, though. Frankly, I like the stacked decks in isolation, but they never seemed to go with the rest of the park, given its sterile nature and lack of any overhangs.

 

I will say that all of these 'ideal' MLB outfields suffer from the same problem that Arlington has - they're grab bags of disparate quirks and features that would not go together at all. For instance, in the picture that @dsaline97 posted, the sleek modernist look of taper upper decks would clash terribly with the old-fashioned brick Western Metal Supply Co. building, or with the jagged outfield angles of 'Triples Alley.' Having two high walls (the Green Monster and the Coors out-of-town scoreboard) would clash, as would the existence of a high wall right next to Pesky's Pole. I'm glad baseball features all of these unique elements, but they're not meant to be clumped together into one single ballpark design.

 

My 'ideal' outfield? Perhaps it exists already:

 

 

Asymmetry, a delightful out of town scoreboard and high fence, an attractive but not distracting batters' eye design, and an incredible backdrop? And they all mesh together perfectly? What more could you want?

[CLEstones]

On 6/18/2017 at 4:26 PM, ChicagoOakland said:

Left field: the previously mentioned Western Metal Supply Building at Petco.

 

Center: The Roberto Clemente Bridge at PNC Park.

 

Right: No question. McCovey Cove at Pac Bell Park. (Let's just pretend the Clemente Bridge can stretch all the way to Oakland or Alameda...)

 

 

This would be just about my idea scenario as well.  Love, love, LOVED San Diego's left field since I was 18.  I would use a historic building that cascades into the downtown skyline.  I would insert the new InnerBelt Bridge of Cleveland instead of Roberto Clemente Bridge in the background of center field.  The foreground of center field would have a Hall of Fame, similar to Progressive Field, with a wide open center field entrance.  Then I would have some sort of waterfront in right field... nearly identical to what you have and could be achieved with the Cuyahoga River.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

On 6/20/2017 at 3:49 PM, dont care said:

While it's quirky it's not exactly more aesthetically than other right fields. Mount Davis is an eye sore though and I'm not surprised it's not on his list

 

I'm fairly certain he was being sarcastic.

[radchad]

Left:  Western Metal Supply Co. Building (Petco)

Center:  Roberto Clemente Bridge (PNC)

Right:  McCovey Cove (AT&T)

And then throw the Big A scoreboard in left center

[imawalkingcorpse]

Left Field Old Fulton County Stadium

Centerfield The K (new one)

Rightfield Old Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.

[JosiahWVU]

For me I go with:

Left: Western Metal Supply Building at Petco in San Diego

Left Center: The Green Moster at Fenway

Center Field: PNC Park with the Clemente Bridge

Right Field: Wrigley...just for the ivy.

[infrared41]

On 6/20/2017 at 7:09 PM, BrandMooreArt said:

 

cherry on top . . .

 

 

I'm guessing I'm in the minority, but I love that contraption. It's awesome. 

[BShaw20]

13 hours ago, imawalkingcorpse said:

Left Field Old Fulton County Stadium

Centerfield The K (new one)

Rightfield Old Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.

I prefer the right field at Fulton County Stadium with the Hooters sign.

 

[BBTV]

12 hours ago, infrared41 said:

 

I'm guessing I'm in the minority, but I love that contraption. It's awesome. 

 

Maybe the minority, but I'm in that club too. I love obnoxious :censored: like that... sometimes. 

[AgentColon2]

On 6/20/2017 at 9:32 PM, C-Squared said:

As a casual non-baseball fan, it bothers me that a home run at one field can be an easy out at another... that takes the charm of park quirks a bit too far, IMO.

 

I must say that I feel the complete opposite. I love that players are forced to adjust their game and style with every new road series. Makes a manager rethink his gameplan as well. It also adds a little spice to a sometimes mundane sport.

[alecgoff]

These elements define a ballpark. That is why these are so special and iconic, which is also why a ballpark cannot work and would not look good if each part of the outfield has another defining feature. The park will look too crowded and "hodge-podge"

[mcrosby]

Putting some pieces together. 

[Korkie]

On 6/20/2017 at 7:14 PM, Around the Horn said:

For me:

Left field: an inverted Warehouse at Camden Yards (minus the scoreboard) 

Centerfield: the stacked bullpens and Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park

Rightfield: stacked decks in The Ballpark in Arlington

Given the location of your CF would the light up liberty bell be part of the deal? If so, sign me up. 

[neo_prankster]

Left field: Western Metal Supply building.

Left center: "The Pen" at Safeco Field

Center field: Roberto Clemente Bridge.

Right center: The waterfalls at Kauffman Stadium

Right field: McCovey Cove.

[verno]

On 6/21/2017 at 12:26 PM, dont care said:

I don't know why so many people like Tal's Hill, it's so contrived and unnecessary

And hard on a center fielder's knees.