Rob Neyer's NL Central comments

[mikechamp]

From an ESPN chat.

I had to leave 15 minutes early, but I got it started.

Mandatory Linkage: http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=15597
=============

What ballparks do you like most without thinking about the history of a Wrigley or Fenway?

ROB NEYER
I like those two best, even absent the history.
------------------------------

I've been looking in the sky, but no Rocket sightings. Where will he land, or is he not even taking off?

ROB NEYER
I think if he pitches, he'll pitch for the Yankees, as it seems the Yankees are the only team (among his prospective suitors) that really could use him. But of course that presumes the Yankees still have some realistic shot a month from now.
------------------------------

why no shot for the yankees. they are 9-14, but they have a + run differential. Same thing for the Cubs. 10-14 but a +21 run differential!!

ROB NEYER
Sure. Both teams are better than their records. Which fits nicely with the preseason projections, actually.
------------------------------

Adam LaRoche will come around, right? He started slow last year too if I remember correctly, so we shouldn't worry yet, correct?

ROB NEYER
Last year he was just decent in the first half of the season, then tore things up in the second half. I don't think that's predictive, but I do think he'll wind up with a solid 2007 season.
------------------------------

[AJ]

What ballparks do you like most without thinking about the history of a Wrigley or Fenway?

ROB NEYER
I like those two best, even absent the history.
-

HUH??? Wrigley is a toilet even with the history, I know they have fixed up Fenway some.... but Wrigley is a dump.

[jim]

Ballparks are a personal matter. My one-two are easily Fenway followed by Wrigley. All others aren't even in the same universe (edit - to me).

[Radbird]

Ballparks are a personal matter. My one-two are easily Fenway followed by Wrigley. All others aren't even in the same universe (edit - to me).

I'm all for nostalgia too. Haven't been to Wrigley for awhile, but I loved everything about it. The park. The neighborhood. The atmosphere.

I've only driven around Fenway (was there in the offseason), but would love to catch a game there someday. I made it to Yankee Stadium back in 2003, and while I enjoyed it, I couldn't help but wonder what it was like before the mid-70s remodeling.

Of course, if it were up to me, the Cards would still be playing at Sportman's Park.

[jim]

Fenway had clean, modern bathrooms with privacy walls between the urinals which surprised me. I completely understand anyone complaining about that at Wrigley, but I don't drink alot of beer at games and generally only make a pregame trip before they get too gross.

[AJ]

I agree that the atmosphere/neighborhood make going to a Cubs game a unique and fun experience, probably one of the best in MLB, but I would rate the facility dead last in MLB for the following reasons:

1. So many seats behind foul poles
2. Home and Visitor Clubhouses are microscopic
3. From the outside, you need a tetanus shot just to look at the place
4. As mentioned before, the bathrooms.

Maybe we need a couple of the old ballparks to stick around for the sake of nostalgia.

[Cronos]

I agree that the atmosphere/neighborhood make going to a Cubs game a unique and fun experience, probably one of the best in MLB, but I would rate the facility dead last in MLB for the following reasons:

1. So many seats behind foul poles
2. Home and Visitor Clubhouses are microscopic
3. From the outside, you need a tetanus shot just to look at the place
4. As mentioned before, the bathrooms.

Maybe we need a couple of the old ballparks to stick around for the sake of nostalgia.

I can understand that people would enjoy the older ballparks for the sense of history and for the nostalgia, but I tend to agree with Card_fan_in_chi on this. I've only seen Wrigley field once, never been in it, and I've only had a chance to walk around it once, and it was in February, but I wasn't impressed in the least.

I think I draw the line when pieces of the structure of the stadium are literally beginning to come apart and could potentially harm fans. Fenway's holding up better than Wrigley, though, right?

[jim]

You are so much closer to the field. The beams can be a problem if you are right behind one, but in general just seeing the game is so much better because you aren't 200 feet in the air.

I just like my ballparks a little funky, I mean some of them you feel like you are in a musuem.

[G. Keenan]

I have zero affection for the Cubs. I have no nostalgia for Wrigley; it holds no romance for me because of its age. It doesn't look like anything special from the outside. I live a ten minute walk from it and don't go to many games.

And I still think it is an amazing place to watch baseball. It might be old and decrepid in places, but it's still a better place to watch a game than most new parks, Busch III included. It is a consumate baseball stadium. You are so close to the action even in the upper deck. It is woven into the fabric of the neighborhood and the city like no other park I've been to. The scene around it is second to none.

[jim]

I have zero affection for the Cubs. I have no nostalgia for Wrigley; it holds no romance for me because of its age. It doesn't look like anything special from the outside. I live a ten minute walk from it and don't go to many games.

And I still think it is an amazing place to watch baseball. It might be old and decrepid in places, but it's still a better place to watch a game than most new parks, Busch III included. It is a consumate baseball stadium. You are so close to the action even in the upper deck. It is woven into the fabric of the neighborhood and the city like no other park I've been to. The scene around it is second to none.

Those things are very important to me, and I agree 100%.