2013 Houston Astros Uniforms

[mmejia]

Minute Maid Park seemingly has a reputation for being overly-gimmicky and it's a reasonably deserved reputation considering the carnival barking nature of former owner Drayton McClane. That said, it's a really nice ballpark that aesthetically provides a great gameday experience. I've worked for a regional sports network for over a decade and have been to more than my fair share of games at MMP. In fact, because of work, I missed less than 10 home games per season from 2003-2006, a period that included a World Series run and two NLCS appearances. I've attended and/or worked about 25 games a season since. I've worked several games on the road and have been fortunate enough to visit a ton of other ballparks and my opinion is that MMP provides one of the most comforatble enviroments in all the majors. It's a really nice place to watch a game.

Below are a few photos I took two seasons ago. The large scoreboard in right field has since been upgraded to a massive, and impressive, LED screen. Oh, and yes, I could also do without the goofy "fowl poles":

[Perfect Zero]

If they are indeed getting rid of Tal's hill, they need to at least keep the dimensions of the area. It is close to the right and left field polls, so keeping center field deep is a good idea.

It has a train that is an ode to the location and a hill with a poll (which I too don't care for), but besides that I don't see what's so bad about it, it's really nice IMO.

GRAMMAR NAZI ALERT: Do we really not know the difference between a pole and a poll?

Yes, I know the difference. Apparently you don't know what a simple typo is.

[The_Admiral]

Every picture that isn't of left field looks pretty grim.

[mmejia]

Every picture that isn't of left field looks pretty grim.

The new scoreboard in right field has made quite a difference. There's also a large bar that overlooks centerfield, that's probably not too visible in my photos, that helps provide a pretty fun atmosphere in the outfield.

[CanesCop86]

It feels like the overall idea on this board is to make ballparks an almost sterile environment, devoid of anything that makes the park overally unique. I for one enjoy different dimensions and high walls and love the train in Houston as it ties with the location.

I think to much nowadays some of us on this board forget that baseball is meant to be fun for all ages. The train is fun, the Marlins sculpture is fun, seeing someone knock one over the green monster is fun.

[SCL]

The roof is what kills it, other than that I like the hill and train

[mania]

Every picture that isn't of left field looks pretty grim.

The one thing that any of the Houston people haven't touched on is how terribad the glare is on the first base side during evening games.

I had some friends there recently that basically said the game was unwatchable due to the sun right in their eyes for the first half.

[ShlyKBMT]

First base is bad on sunny days but to say it's unwatchable is a bit much.

This is what the new scoreboard looks like. And you can see the eating area in CF.

[IceCap]

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!!

[Anubis2051]

It feels like the overall idea on this board is to make ballparks an almost sterile environment, devoid of anything that makes the park overally unique. I for one enjoy different dimensions and high walls and love the train in Houston as it ties with the location.

I think to much nowadays some of us on this board forget that baseball is meant to be fun for all ages. The train is fun, the Marlins sculpture is fun, seeing someone knock one over the green monster is fun.

That's not true. At least some of us here are just wishing that the Astros would cater their stadium to something that is closer to their nickname.

EDIT: Double post in the same post - how did that happen?

[FiddySicks]

Every picture that isn't of left field looks pretty grim.

The one thing that any of the Houston people haven't touched on is how terribad the glare is on the first base side during evening games.

I had some friends there recently that basically said the game was unwatchable due to the sun right in their eyes for the first half.

I mentioned that in another thread a few weeks ago. It's not quite unwatchable, but it's definitely annoying.

[Firefly]

Oh, and yes, I could also do without the goofy "fowl poles":

You say that now but how can you pass up the possibility of a free Chik-Fil-A sandwich when someone bangs a ball off a Fowl Pole?

BTW- I was talking to my dad about the train being taken out with little reaction but when I said the hill was going he kinda got pissed. I'm a little neutral on that hill but he's downright for it.

I wanna know if we are getting rid of the train does that mean we are getting rid of that f$%^ing rabbit? Can we get back Orbit?

[STL FANATIC]

I don't want the Astros to cater to a space-theme, I just want them to not do the complete opposite of their name.

I've said it before, but their ballpark is semi-permanent and fairly retro. They have no choice to embrace it. But they can embrace both. Go Jetson's on that . Give me a neo-retro space-age theme. That's the ticket.

That's why something based on the shooting star jerseys would be good, but by no means should they cop out and just use the shooting stars jersey.

As for the stadium, even if I allow the short left porch (I don't--they still could have made it a little longer by not putting rows of seats there), they still need to dump the hill, dump the flag pole, and dump the "fowl" ads.

[Perfect Zero]

I don't want the Astros to cater to a space-theme, I just want them to not do the complete opposite of their name.

I've said it before, but their ballpark is semi-permanent and fairly retro. They have no choice to embrace it. But they can embrace both. Go Jetson's on that . Give me a neo-retro space-age theme. That's the ticket.

That's why something based on the shooting star jerseys would be good, but by no means should they cop out and just use the shooting stars jersey.

As for the stadium, even if I allow the short left porch (I don't--they still could have made it a little longer by not putting rows of seats there), they still need to dump the hill, dump the flag pole, and dump the "fowl" ads.

Wait until they move into the American League next year. The Rangers are going to make the Crawford Boxes their personal playground.

[The_Admiral]

It feels like the overall idea on this board is to make ballparks an almost sterile environment, devoid of anything that makes the park overally unique. I for one enjoy different dimensions and high walls and love the train in Houston as it ties with the location.

Nobody said that. Nobody's saying to tear down the warehouse or the ivy or the Green Monster. I love that parks are unique, but not all uniqueness is beneficial or well-executed. If everyone here wanted sterile ballparks, that "rank the parks" thread would have the Trop as a consensus #1, and it's not, so.

Also, not all parks need "uniqueness" in the form of wonky dimensions or strange architecture. I like that Busch Stadium is architecturally straightforward and has nearly symmetrical and neutral field dimensions. It can't all be gimmickry.

[CanesCop86]

It feels like the overall idea on this board is to make ballparks an almost sterile environment, devoid of anything that makes the park overally unique. I for one enjoy different dimensions and high walls and love the train in Houston as it ties with the location.

Nobody said that. Nobody's saying to tear down the warehouse or the ivy or the Green Monster. I love that parks are unique, but not all uniqueness is beneficial or well-executed. If everyone here wanted sterile ballparks, that "rank the parks" thread would have the Trop as a consensus #1, and it's not, so.

Also, not all parks need "uniqueness" in the form of wonky dimensions or strange architecture. I like that Busch Stadium is architecturally straightforward and has nearly symmetrical and neutral field dimensions. It can't all be gimmickry.

But there's not alot that are gimmicky as is. I can think of Houston, Miami and Citi and maybe the Reds ballpark for the steamboat off the top if my head that have gimmicks other than wierd dimensions.

Take away the views and any signs of the home team and some parks would be hard to tell apart from each other. Comerica, Progressive, Busch are more traditional straightforward parks. I can appreciate that just As much as I can ones with gimmicks. I like that the majority of the parks can be easily distinguished from each other.

I just think that sometimes us sports asthetics fans take the game to seriously when it comes to uniforms and ballparks, like trying something different or out of the box is looked down upon.

[shaydre1019]

Oh, and yes, I could also do without the goofy "fowl poles":

You say that now but how can you pass up the possibility of a free Chik-Fil-A sandwich when someone bangs a ball off a Fowl Pole?

BTW- I was talking to my dad about the train being taken out with little reaction but when I said the hill was going he kinda got pissed. I'm a little neutral on that hill but he's downright for it.

I wanna know if we are getting rid of the train does that mean we are getting rid of that f$%^ing rabbit? Can we get back Orbit?

I was thinking the exact same thing about the fowl poles. It seems some on here haven't had chickfila yet.

Interesting that he feels that way about the hill.

[Anubis2051]

It feels like the overall idea on this board is to make ballparks an almost sterile environment, devoid of anything that makes the park overally unique. I for one enjoy different dimensions and high walls and love the train in Houston as it ties with the location.

Nobody said that. Nobody's saying to tear down the warehouse or the ivy or the Green Monster. I love that parks are unique, but not all uniqueness is beneficial or well-executed. If everyone here wanted sterile ballparks, that "rank the parks" thread would have the Trop as a consensus #1, and it's not, so.

Also, not all parks need "uniqueness" in the form of wonky dimensions or strange architecture. I like that Busch Stadium is architecturally straightforward and has nearly symmetrical and neutral field dimensions. It can't all be gimmickry.

But there's not alot that are gimmicky as is. I can think of Houston, Miami and Citi and maybe the Reds ballpark for the steamboat off the top if my head that have gimmicks other than wierd dimensions.

Take away the views and any signs of the home team and some parks would be hard to tell apart from each other. Comerica, Progressive, Busch are more traditional straightforward parks. I can appreciate that just As much as I can ones with gimmicks. I like that the majority of the parks can be easily distinguished from each other.

I just think that sometimes us sports asthetics fans take the game to seriously when it comes to uniforms and ballparks, like trying something different or out of the box is looked down upon.

No Gimmicks at Comerica?

[GFB]

It feels like the overall idea on this board is to make ballparks an almost sterile environment, devoid of anything that makes the park overally unique. I for one enjoy different dimensions and high walls and love the train in Houston as it ties with the location.

Nobody said that. Nobody's saying to tear down the warehouse or the ivy or the Green Monster. I love that parks are unique, but not all uniqueness is beneficial or well-executed. If everyone here wanted sterile ballparks, that "rank the parks" thread would have the Trop as a consensus #1, and it's not, so.

Also, not all parks need "uniqueness" in the form of wonky dimensions or strange architecture. I like that Busch Stadium is architecturally straightforward and has nearly symmetrical and neutral field dimensions. It can't all be gimmickry.

But there's not alot that are gimmicky as is. I can think of Houston, Miami and Citi and maybe the Reds ballpark for the steamboat off the top if my head that have gimmicks other than wierd dimensions.

Take away the views and any signs of the home team and some parks would be hard to tell apart from each other. Comerica, Progressive, Busch are more traditional straightforward parks. I can appreciate that just As much as I can ones with gimmicks. I like that the majority of the parks can be easily distinguished from each other.

I just think that sometimes us sports asthetics fans take the game to seriously when it comes to uniforms and ballparks, like trying something different or out of the box is looked down upon.

No Gimmicks at Comerica?

I think there's a difference between a family attraction located within the concourse and something that can be seen from the field of play or even affects the game itself. I'll take a carousel in the concourse over a swimming pool in the outfield any day.

[vmd9]

It feels like the overall idea on this board is to make ballparks an almost sterile environment, devoid of anything that makes the park overally unique. I for one enjoy different dimensions and high walls and love the train in Houston as it ties with the location.

Nobody said that. Nobody's saying to tear down the warehouse or the ivy or the Green Monster. I love that parks are unique, but not all uniqueness is beneficial or well-executed. If everyone here wanted sterile ballparks, that "rank the parks" thread would have the Trop as a consensus #1, and it's not, so.

Also, not all parks need "uniqueness" in the form of wonky dimensions or strange architecture. I like that Busch Stadium is architecturally straightforward and has nearly symmetrical and neutral field dimensions. It can't all be gimmickry.

But there's not alot that are gimmicky as is. I can think of Houston, Miami and Citi and maybe the Reds ballpark for the steamboat off the top if my head that have gimmicks other than wierd dimensions.

Take away the views and any signs of the home team and some parks would be hard to tell apart from each other. Comerica, Progressive, Busch are more traditional straightforward parks. I can appreciate that just As much as I can ones with gimmicks. I like that the majority of the parks can be easily distinguished from each other.

I just think that sometimes us sports asthetics fans take the game to seriously when it comes to uniforms and ballparks, like trying something different or out of the box is looked down upon.

No Gimmicks at Comerica?

Not to mention the fountain in center field, with all the cars parked on it haha...and the goofy tigers they have on top of the scoreboard in left.