Rangers manager Chris Woodward was asked by MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan how the New Ballpark plays.
Here was his response:
“The angles of the fence are something I don’t think we were anticipating when we first saw the designs of the stadium. There are a lot of little ones you can’t see with the naked eye that, when it hits off, it shoots in a completely different direction. And it comes off the padding a lot harder than in other stadiums, so there is going to be some potential for easy triples or inside-the-park home runs.”
It’s always interesting to discover the idiosyncracies of a new ballpark, seeing the home players figure it out, hearing visiting players coping with it for the first time. It sounds like this one will have a lot of adventures.
Sullivan also points out that outfielders are in for a challenge in the New Ballpark. Apparently, there are going to be issues with tracking the ball.
Woodword adds,”It’s not just the roof, but the side wall—it goes light, dark, light, dark, back and forth. It’s really tough on our outfielders.”
The exterior of the New Ballpark is taking a public relations beating. Let’s hope the same doesn’t happen from players who are actually inside the thing, playing.
Otherwise, they are going to have to it tear down and build a new one. Maybe in downtown Dallas.