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By Robbie Levin
rlevin@MiamiHerald.com
Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff
Players warm up before a game at at Marlins Park on Tuesday, March 6, 2012.
It did not take long for fans and players to experience the duality of Marlins Park during Miami’s first game in Little Havana.
With the roof open and the left-field panels closed during batting practice Tuesday, the Marlins took advantage of a “jet stream” in the stadium, repeatedly blasting the left-center field sculpture with well-carrying home run balls. When the roof was closed because of oncoming storms, the balls lost some of their zip.
Thus is the nature of Marlins Park, which might at times seem like two parks in one.
“When the roof is going to be open and the fence thing that they have back there is open, it’s going to definitely be blowing in,” Gaby Sanchez said. “It’s definitely going to be a pitcher’s park, I feel like. When everything is closed up, it’s going to be a fair park.”
Not only does the closed roof create a fairer park, but it also provides pitchers a sense of stability.
“[The roof] is going to be huge for us,” Brett Hayes said, “because our pitching staff knows when it’s going to start and when it’s going to end.”
Although the roof might not be open more than 10 or 15 games during the Miami summer, when it is open, it could drastically change the dynamics of the park.
Additionally, the wind blowing through the left-field panels will keep more balls in the park, and it will affect the distance the ball travels.
“Whenever [the breezeway in left field] is open, it will change the way the ball flies,” catcher John Buck said. “I think it will be two different parks when it’s open and when it’s not.”
Marlins Park is the sixth MLB stadium to feature a retractable roof, joining ballparks in Milwaukee, Toronto, Arizona, Houston and Seattle. The league has strict guidelines regarding the status of the roof and retractable panels — the home team decides whether they will be open or closed to start the game, and if that team decides to open the roof and the panels, they can only be closed in the event of inclement weather.
If the home team chooses to begin the game with the roof closed, MLB ground rules state that it may be opened if “the climatic environment has reached a level where fan comfort and enjoyment will be best served by opening the roof to the natural atmospheric conditions.” The visiting team can challenge the home team’s decision if it believes that opening the stadium provides a competitive imbalance. The final decision lies with the umpires.
In the playoffs, the league determines whether the stadium will be open.
The fact that Marlins Park has air conditioning — a feature that the retractable-roof stadiums in Milwaukee and Seattle do not offer — could affect the team’s decision on the status of the roof. Temperatures varied at Sun Life Stadium, but the average was 85 degrees. At Marlins Park, the team plans to keep the stadium closer to 75 degrees.
Although the air conditioning will create a more comfortable experience for the fans, Hayes said he is still unsure what impact it will have behind home plate.
“Humidity is humidity,” Hayes said. “There might be AC, but it’s still humid. At the same time, it’s better than 100 degrees.”
rlevin@MiamiHerald.com
Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff
Players warm up before a game at at Marlins Park on Tuesday, March 6, 2012.
It did not take long for fans and players to experience the duality of Marlins Park during Miami’s first game in Little Havana.
With the roof open and the left-field panels closed during batting practice Tuesday, the Marlins took advantage of a “jet stream” in the stadium, repeatedly blasting the left-center field sculpture with well-carrying home run balls. When the roof was closed because of oncoming storms, the balls lost some of their zip.
Thus is the nature of Marlins Park, which might at times seem like two parks in one.
“When the roof is going to be open and the fence thing that they have back there is open, it’s going to definitely be blowing in,” Gaby Sanchez said. “It’s definitely going to be a pitcher’s park, I feel like. When everything is closed up, it’s going to be a fair park.”
Not only does the closed roof create a fairer park, but it also provides pitchers a sense of stability.
“[The roof] is going to be huge for us,” Brett Hayes said, “because our pitching staff knows when it’s going to start and when it’s going to end.”
Although the roof might not be open more than 10 or 15 games during the Miami summer, when it is open, it could drastically change the dynamics of the park.
Additionally, the wind blowing through the left-field panels will keep more balls in the park, and it will affect the distance the ball travels.
“Whenever [the breezeway in left field] is open, it will change the way the ball flies,” catcher John Buck said. “I think it will be two different parks when it’s open and when it’s not.”
Marlins Park is the sixth MLB stadium to feature a retractable roof, joining ballparks in Milwaukee, Toronto, Arizona, Houston and Seattle. The league has strict guidelines regarding the status of the roof and retractable panels — the home team decides whether they will be open or closed to start the game, and if that team decides to open the roof and the panels, they can only be closed in the event of inclement weather.
If the home team chooses to begin the game with the roof closed, MLB ground rules state that it may be opened if “the climatic environment has reached a level where fan comfort and enjoyment will be best served by opening the roof to the natural atmospheric conditions.” The visiting team can challenge the home team’s decision if it believes that opening the stadium provides a competitive imbalance. The final decision lies with the umpires.
In the playoffs, the league determines whether the stadium will be open.
The fact that Marlins Park has air conditioning — a feature that the retractable-roof stadiums in Milwaukee and Seattle do not offer — could affect the team’s decision on the status of the roof. Temperatures varied at Sun Life Stadium, but the average was 85 degrees. At Marlins Park, the team plans to keep the stadium closer to 75 degrees.
Although the air conditioning will create a more comfortable experience for the fans, Hayes said he is still unsure what impact it will have behind home plate.
“Humidity is humidity,” Hayes said. “There might be AC, but it’s still humid. At the same time, it’s better than 100 degrees.”
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