Minute Maid Park

I was able to get to my first two games at Minute Maid Park or what was originally built as Enron Park. It’s a bit of an imposing building near downtown – but not by the massive cluster of hospitals. I was at a hotel near the park so I was able to walk to/from the games. Fortunately it was April so the weather was pretty nice. Sadly, the exterior of the park is pretty boring. I walked the perimeter hoping for some grand entry way. When I talked to the guys at the home plate entrance, they informed me this was the grand entrance. I was underwhelmed. 

Once inside, the iconic wall behind left field was present, but not particularly interesting. During the games the train moved back & forth a few times at seemingly random intervals. The retractable roof was open for both games. The roof, when retracted, is basically over a small parking lot behind right field. I suppose this is considered behind the ballpark and is utilitarian rather than aesthetic. I was there for opening week of baseball but not opening day. The Astros were expected to do poorly this year [as we approach the All-Star break, they’re living up to that expectation] which probably accounted for the poor showing in the stands. Add into that some fan anger that Hunter Pence was gone. They were playing the Braves who were coming off the amazing end-of-season run that put them in the playoffs last year, but expectations for the Braves season were not too high. Despite being opening week this was going to be the only time the Braves were in Houston this year and was the first stop on the Chipper Jones farewell tour. Craig Biggio made a pre-game appearance and gave Chipper a cowboy hat. [*yawn*] Neither team had much in the way of star power this season.

For the first game, JA Happ got the win for the Astros. Not because he pitched particularly well, but his offense scored 8 runs. For the second game, Tommy Hanson picked up the win for the braves in a decent outing. Of note for the second game, Chipper Jones hit a home run and Jordan Schafer stole 3 bases.

I sat on the 3^rd base side for both games. Once in the club level and once lower level towards home plate. The fans were fairly apathetic but at least cheered at the right times. During the second game I was talking with one of the locals who looked to be in his early 30’s. He was trying to convince me [or perhaps trying to convince himself] that the Astrodome was a better ballpark. This goes against everything I’ve heard from other Houston baseball fans. He said, “This is like watching baseball in a Kleenex box.” Which I found strange because despite the park being drab, at least it wasn’t indoors on fake grass.

Overall I think this is a decent park but not great by any measure.