A new ballpark for the Florida Marlins is under construction and scheduled to open for the 2012 season. The park will have a retractable roof and be built on the Orange Bowl site. There is hope for increased attendance due to the new park, but if Pittsburgh is any indication, I'm not going to hold my breath. The Marlins have fans that show up just about World Series time. Will a new stadium work? Is Miami a baseball town?
Nevertheless, it will be good to see the team play in some venue other than a football stadium. At only 37,000 seats, the small crowds won't look as small. It will be yet another park to add to my "need to see" list, which right now consists of all parks I've yet to see along with parks I desire to see again.
Why they never made Camerica Park with a retractable roof I will never know. It is still cold in April even in Southern Michigan, even colder in late October early November.
ReplyDeleteYou're comparing the Marlins to the Pirates? Since the Pirates last had a .500 season (1992), the Marlins have WON TWO WORLD SERIES (1997, 2003).
ReplyDeleteSince 1997, the Pirates have managed to finish in 5th or 6th place 10 times!
Jim,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. Yes, I'm comparing them to the Pirates, in hope. I hope their new park makes them losers, never again to appear in the Fall Classic.
This Giants fan is painfully aware of both of those wild-card/expansion team WS victories, as both of those roads were paved by Giants blundering in the NLDS. I'm also aware that the Bonds contract has amounted to the Buccos' curse. If I remember correctly, the deal was, "If you build us a new park, they'll show up and we'll get rich and buy greatness, just like all those other teams."
On the other hand, since the Giants last won a Series, the Buccos have won three, and Bonds played in three times as many NLCS with them as with the G-men. I truly want the Fish to go away forever.