Miami Marlins Turn Ballpark into a Racetrack
By David Hill
Every team looks for a way to utilize their ballpark during the MLB offseason. The Miami Marlins have done just that in a truly novel way, as they turned Marlins Park into a racetrack.
Fans of the Miami Marlins are certainly used to seeing speed at the ol’ home field. Dee Gordon stole 30 bases in just 79 games last year. Ichiro Suzuki still had enough left to reach the double digit mark in steals. And J.T. Realmuto showed uncommon speed for a catcher, swiping 12 bags last year.
However, a new level of speed will be coming to Marlins Park soon. Tomorrow, the Race of Champions will be coming to Miami, where they will race on a newly constructed track within the stadium. Stars from Formula One, NASCAR, Indy Car Racing, and other circuits, will be competing to be crowned the Champion of Champions.
That will not be the end of the racing in Marlins Park. On Sunday, teams from the US will face off against other international teams to be crowned the Fastest Nation in the World. Then, the temporary racetrack will need to be removed, and the field fixed, in time for Opening Day.
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It is certainly a novel concept. We see teams put on the Winter Classic in their ballparks, or have college football games. Why not bring auto racing into the parks and try that as an additional source of revenue? It certainly isn’t the worst idea out there.
Of course, not everyone is a fan of the idea. As Gordon pointed out, the track is over his position on the diamond. He also noted that Giancarlo Stanton‘s place in the outfield is untouched. That makes sense, as the Marlins are far more likely to protect their biggest investment on the field, and let others deal with the potential variances in regards to the field conditions. Why make Stanton suffer when he doesn’t need to?
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The Miami Marlins are going to have more speed on the field this year. Only, it will be in the manner of auto racing, instead of in their lineup.