Every day last week, about 20 Texas Rangers employees fanned out to different parts of their glistening new ballpark, Globe Life Field, armed with what they hope will be vital in preempting the potential spread of the coronavirus at Major League Baseball’s first game with fans in 2020: zip ties.
From a hidden baseball dugout to garbled scoreboard, old memories abound in the former San Diego, Jack Murphy, Qualcomm, SDCCU Stadium
On a late July evening at Dodger Stadium last season, baseball’s best player stood near the visitors’ on-deck circle, preparing to face one of baseball’s best teams. After Mike Trout watched a Los Angeles Angels teammate take a strike to open the game, far above the field, the press box loudspeaker announced, “7:11 start; 83 degrees at game time.”
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The Texas Rangers will be playing their first games this season, and maybe more, without fans at Globe Life Field.
The retro era may be over. The architects of the Texas Rangers’ new home say its structure is a step forward in ballpark design. Globe Life Field, they say, is something new.
If Angels owner Arte Moreno’s long-term plans are realized, baseball fans will someday be able to grab a meal, browse some shops or relax in a 5-acre park just steps from the stadium, or even stay in a hotel overlooking the iconic ballpark.
The green, green grass of home awaits the Rockies at Coors Field. Mark Razum and his crew made sure of that. A sixth-month rebuild of the playing surface at Coors was finished in March in preparation for the scheduled home opener last Friday.
To some, the best sound of Opening Days past at Fenway Park was always the rumbling good vibrations of the metal gates being hoisted up, revealing so many joyous faces on kids who were playing hooky, decked out in their best Red Sox gear, including their baseball gloves.
Rob Matwick woke up Sunday morning and checked the Arlington weather forecasts. The Rangers’ executive vice president for business operations saw rain coming on Monday, but Tuesday is supposed to be 67 degrees and partly cloudy. Matwick knew it would be great weather for opening up a new ballpark.
One of the concerns for Dodgers fans, other than the obvious, has been stadium renovations for 2020. Major League Baseball has of course suspended operations, but that has not stopped construction workers from working tirelessly around the clock.