WHY I HATE THE TROP

Last night, the Red Sox took the critical game six, forcing a seventh and deciding game in the ALCS. Games six and seven are taking place at Tropicana Field, the home of the Rays since their inaugural season in 1998. It is, without a doubt, the worst stadium in all of Major League Baseball, and really all of professional sports.

For one thing, the damned catwalks get in the way of pop flies. There are four catwalks at the Trop, A and B, which are in play, and C and D, which are out of play. If a ball hits either of the first two, it remains in play. So it is possible to bank a pop up off a catwalk for a hit. Should that really be a possibility in the playoffs? If a ball hits the C or D catwalks, it is a home run (as long as it's fair, of course). Another problem with the catwalks is that sometimes balls don't come down. You can hit a fly ball that just never lands. This has happened numerous times during Rays games, but until now it never really mattered.

Another problem I have with Tropicana Field is the bullpens. They are not fenced off in any way, like they are at most ballparks (Wrigley is like this too). Not only that, but they are far too close to fair territory. Coaches have to stand behind bullpen catchers so that they don't get drilled by foul line drives. If a pitcher is warming up and throws one by the catcher, it flies onto the field of play. In a September game, a Red Sox pitcher had a strike taken away after reliever Hideki Okajima, who was warming in the bullpen, missed his target and the ball rolled onto the field.

Fortunately, there haven't been any problems in the playoffs thus far. BJ Upton's first inning homer last night did hit a catwalk, but it was clearly gone. Jason Varitek also hit a foul pop that never came down, but it would have been out of play none the less. I guess we'll just have to hope that this inane ballpark design doesn't effect any games. At least until the Rays move into their new sailboat.