2013 Houston Astros Uniforms

[BBTV]

...and that's the best news in this whole thread so far! Way better news than new uniforms. Get rid of the corny-ass gimmicks and make the park look like a major-league park. I don't think I'll ever warm up to the design from an aesthetic standpoint (of course I've only seen it on TV), but at least getting rid of those two stupid things will make it respectable.

[shaydre1019]

I like the train

[Ramrod]

I'm not really a baseball fan, but I have to say the Astros' first season unis (after the Colts) were a thing of beauty. It would be cool to see those brought back for good!

[NYCdog]

Astros to consider removing train from Minute Maid Park

Add the train high above left field to Tal's Hill on the list of Minute Maid Park quirks potentially on the chopping block.

Owner Jim Crane said Wednesday that the club will weigh removing both features before next year when it moves to the American League and rebrands.

"Those are two things people question me about all the time and those are logical," Crane said. "We're going to do our marketing research. We're going to study it."

As part of that rebranding, the Astros have submitted new uniforms to MLB and are awaiting approval. Any changes to uniforms would be revealed after the season.

The train, like several of the pennants, which will be moved and colored in the new scheme, could be a casualty of a new set of signs above the Crawford Boxes and Home Run Alley.

The 12 ads, which will be inserted in the framework by the end of July, are to recognize sponsors of an initiative to revitalize baseball in poorer areas of Houston. Crane announced the program Wednesday with fields to be finished by spring 2013.

"Those folks have invested in renovating the city parks and providing a place for underprivileged kids to play for relatively nothing," Crane said.

When the remaining signs are sold, the project is expected to raise $18 million for fields and the rest of the initiative, which will provide underprivileged children with tickets to Astros games.

Those 12 ads being installed may make you miss that choo-choo train....

[Anubis2051]

Astros to consider removing train from Minute Maid Park

Add the train high above left field to Tal's Hill on the list of Minute Maid Park quirks potentially on the chopping block.

Owner Jim Crane said Wednesday that the club will weigh removing both features before next year when it moves to the American League and rebrands.

"Those are two things people question me about all the time and those are logical," Crane said. "We're going to do our marketing research. We're going to study it."

As part of that rebranding, the Astros have submitted new uniforms to MLB and are awaiting approval. Any changes to uniforms would be revealed after the season.

The train, like several of the pennants, which will be moved and colored in the new scheme, could be a casualty of a new set of signs above the Crawford Boxes and Home Run Alley.

The 12 ads, which will be inserted in the framework by the end of July, are to recognize sponsors of an initiative to revitalize baseball in poorer areas of Houston. Crane announced the program Wednesday with fields to be finished by spring 2013.

"Those folks have invested in renovating the city parks and providing a place for underprivileged kids to play for relatively nothing," Crane said.

When the remaining signs are sold, the project is expected to raise $18 million for fields and the rest of the initiative, which will provide underprivileged children with tickets to Astros games.

Those 12 ads being installed may make you miss that choo-choo train....

If they make it look space age, who cares. I would love to see them repaint the whole stadium to look more like a space port than a train station. That would be really cool. They can start by making the thing the train is on silver.

[Magnum]

I think most people would agree that the team has moved away from their identity. I mean, putting a star on the cap is the only thing that's "Astro"

The space port idea is excellent. Paint the walls blue and add some shooting stars or something ... Just don't make it look like a Texas warehouse anymore.

[oddball]

I understand moving the train out, and going with a more space theme. If you did that, then after a home run, have a rocket ship race across the wall where the train was. I'd love to see them get rid of that stupid hill and flag pole in center field, it's just is completely stupid and dangerous. I have no idea how MLB signed off on that in the first place.

[29texan]

I understand how people feel about the railroad image about a ballpark for a team named for SPACE EXPLORATION..... but part of Minute Maid is built with an old train station and that part of downtown Houston does have an old timey, almost industrial look to it. Kinda hard not to think of trains.

But hey, what ever the owner decides, it's alright with me. Just as long as the look isn't Godawful.

[Anubis2051]

I understand how people feel about the railroad image about a ballpark for a team named for SPACE EXPLORATION..... but part of Minute Maid is built with an old train station and that part of downtown Houston does have an old timey, almost industrial look to it. Kinda hard not to think of trains.

But hey, what ever the owner decides, it's alright with me. Just as long as the look isn't Godawful.

So take the old train station and make it look like a space port as well. Win-win.

By the way, Madison Square Garden is in a train station too, but you wouldn't even know it watching Rangers or Knicks games. Just because you're near something doesn't mean it has to define you. The team is called the Astros, they should be spacey.

[DCDuck]

By the way, Madison Square Garden is in a train station too, but you wouldn't even know it watching Rangers or Knicks games. Just because you're near something doesn't mean it has to define you. The team is called the Astros, they should be spacey.

MSG is built on top of Penn Station, not built into Penn Station. I think it's a poor comparison: a multi-purpose arena needs to look clean as opposed to a venue built entirely for use by one sports team.

[pcgd]

The train never bothered me because of this:

http://www.houstonartsalliance.com/images/uploads/documents/houstonseal-colorsmalljpegcorrect_1.jpg

I think its fine to have a nod to your city even if it doesn't fit your team name.

But yeah the hill and pole is dumb as well as the ridiculously short porch in LF to take advantage of their right handed hitters at the time.

Be happy to see those go.

I think the hill and pole were ok'd cause they are so far from home plate that although they are "in play", they aren't "in play". I know numerous people have run up the hill but I don't believe anyone has run into the pole or even come close (I could be wrong however) Doesn't mean I don't think its stupid. Its cool when Detroit had the flag pole or there was a hill in both Boston (waaaaaay back) or Cincinnati (Crosley Field not as long ago) but those were there for a reason. This was contrived and then manicured.

[Bouj]

A few notes from the Astros game last night. Big changes are a comin'..

The Astros have removed the Citgo ad (that cheap BoSox knock-off) from above the left field wall and announced that over the next month (mid to late July completion estimate) they will also remove the penants and (((drum roll)))......... the train and train tracks are under consideration for complete removal. Under new ownership, the Astros are clearly moving in a different direction. Tal's Hill and the in-play flag pole will likely be removed, as well.

It's not all sunny news, they also announced that the Citgo sign will be replaced by several ads that will occupy a massive space (as in 5 times more space than the Citgo sign) above the left field wall. The penants are going to be re-worked (new colors??) and placed somewhere else in the stadium.

They SHOULD keep the team logo that the pennant was won under on each pennant, like it is now. They won 2 divisions with the rainbow, 3 with the 90's star, and then the 3 playoff appearances in the bricks. Don't get me wrong, I thing the pennants whoudl be reworked, but the element of having the old logo on it should stay.

And I am sick of people complaining about the shorter distance to LF. It's app. the same as at Fenway, with the exception being the wall is a dozen ft shorter. It's an acceptable quirk. My team's acceptable quirk is your team's stupid gimmick, and vice versa.

[cshookemHORNS]

I think it would be pretty neat if they removed the train for something like a space rocket in blue and orange.

[Cujo]

I think it would be pretty neat if they removed the train for something like a space rocket in blue and orange.

Oh yeah. Reeeeal neat..... if you're an 8 year old boy.

[cshookemHORNS]

I think it would be pretty neat if they removed the train for something like a space rocket in blue and orange.

Oh yeah. Reeeeal neat..... if you're an an 8 year old boy.

Hey, it was just an idea!

[Cujo]

I think it would be pretty neat if they removed the train for something like a space rocket in blue and orange.

Oh yeah. Reeeeal neat..... if you're an 8 year old boy.

Hey, it was just an idea!

Just tired of gimmicky stuff around all the major league parks -- especially the circus that has been Minute Maid.

Any word yet on if the 'Stros will be keeping their "Wild Card Champions" banner?

[29texan]

I think it would be pretty neat if they removed the train for something like a space rocket in blue and orange.

Oh yeah. Reeeeal neat..... if you're an 8 year old boy.

Hey, it was just an idea!

Just tired of gimmicky stuff around all the major league parks -- especially the circus that has been Minute Maid.

Any word yet on if the 'Stros will be keeping their "Wild Card Champions" banner?

Gimmicky Stuff isn't going away anytime soon.

Besides, the train is also as much a symbol of Houston as space is. It is in the city seal after all.

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

Minute Maid's train is pretty cool in my opinion... what REALLY needs to go are the Chick-fil-a ads on the foul poles. I literally cringe every time I see them during highlights of Astros games.

[STL FANATIC]

And I am sick of people complaining about the shorter distance to LF. It's app. the same as at Fenway, with the exception being the wall is a dozen ft shorter. It's an acceptable quirk. My team's acceptable quirk is your team's stupid gimmick, and vice versa.

First of all, I hate Fenway park on the most basic level. That is to say, I don't know about the "experience" of the park, I'm ignoring the history of the park, and just saying that I think it's a poor venue for a game of baseball. The dimensions. The super high wall in left but the super short wall in right. I don't like it.

BUT, so long as they keep the stadium in good shape (and I don't know if they have or not), I allow it (as if I matter). Fenway wasn't built with the knowledge that baseball would become the multi-million dollar industry that it is today. It was built because they could get the land and they could play ball there. The dimensions of the lot it was built on necessitated the short porch and high wall.

Houston built their park in 2000. Baseball had been a huge industry for some time. Building stadiums was a big deal. There were not constraints (behind a little politicking) on where you could build a field. There was no reason not to chose a spot that had ample room for a full field.

The Astros had their choice, and they chose to make it a little bandbox.

THAT is why a stadium built in 2000 has gimmicks and one built in the early 1900s has unfortunate quirks.

[BrianLion]

I understand how people feel about the railroad image about a ballpark for a team named for SPACE EXPLORATION..... but part of Minute Maid is built with an old train station and that part of downtown Houston does have an old timey, almost industrial look to it. Kinda hard not to think of trains.

But hey, what ever the owner decides, it's alright with me. Just as long as the look isn't Godawful.

they'll compromise and give us a space train!!