Marlins Park Fun And Mysterious

There is little question that the new Miami ballpark built for the Marlins to play in this season is beautiful, an architectural gem. But no one is quite sure yet how Marlins Park is going to play.

The $515 million structure (only slightly more costly than the Angels paid for Albert Pujols and the Tigers paid for Prince Fielder combined) opened last Wednesday with a game between the Marlins and the defending world champion St. Louis Cardinals. During the course of those nine innings, Miami outfielder Giancarlo Stanton smoked two long fly balls that were outs. Some observers felt that they would have carried into a conflicting orbit with moon rockets if hit at other parks.

The reaction was sort of, Hey, is this going to be a pitcher’s park? The slugger formerly known as Mike wasn’t sure what it all meant other than he had just committed two outs instead of scoring two dingers that would have had him leading the National League in homers.

The new park has a retractable roof. The roof was open for the opening game. Aha, said many. But the ball flies differently when the roof is closed. It jumps off the bat and if the roof had been closed that day both of Stanton’s smacks would have been homers. They wouldn’t have been slowed in the air by atmospheric conditions.

Word is that the roof is going to be closed for all but about 10 games this season because it is either A) Too wet from daily summer thunderstorms in South Florida June through September; or B) Too stinking hot and humid to put up with when you can be playing in climate-controlled splendor.

A day after his two fly balls were knocked down by thick air or a hurricane, Stanton did not seem to be obsessing about the long balls turned into short balls. He believes that over the course of 81 home games circumstances will make up for those shots.

“I’ve seen the ball jump out before,” said Stanton, who gave his first name a makeover during the off-season. “One game we’re going to have five or six homers. Eveyone’s overanalyzing.”

Stanton is probably right about that last part. That intangible that most affects the players is one thing, but Marlins owners want South Florida fans to fall in love with the park itself. Miami is a colorful town and considerable thought was given to making the ballpark colorful as well as functional. So the park was painted red, yellow, green and blue. You can wear your sunglasses whether the roof is open or not.

Over the years, one of the nicknames applied to the Marlins was “The Fish.” Well ownership pretty much made it official by installing a 73-foot-long fish-and-flamingo piece of artwork behind. One can’t help but recall those government programs tied to new civic construction that call for 1 percent for art. Well, at $2.5 million bucks for the cost of this work, the Marlins did their part.

More fascinating yet the builders installed large aquariums in the walls just to the left and right of home plate containing real fish, not humans borrowing the name. One tank holds 600 gallons of water, the other 450 gallons. They are protected by bulletproof glass. One might hope they are foul-ball proof, too.

Back to the art. It is 420 feet to dead center and behind the center field wall is a bright, splashy, 70-foot tall multi-colored piece of art work designed by Red Grooms. Grooms is a guy whose taste runs to using the entire box of crayons and his works are peppy and humorous. The sculpture also bursts into electronic action for 30 seconds when a Marlins player hits a homer. Against a backdrop of laser lights, Marlins (not live ones) jump in the air in celebration. Pink flamingoes and pelicans are also part of the scene. Grooms is both famous and whimsical, but his work is not for the dour or the too traditional. Seems as if kids will love this work.

New Miami manager Ozzie Guillen is not going to be distracted by the bells and whistles, but knows he must cope with the ballpark he is dealt for playing conditions, but didn’t think one game was much of a study sample.

“I hope it’s different,” said Guillen, who said he felt only one of Stanton’s balls might have gone out. “But the roof is mostly going to be closed.”

It’s ironic, but Miami’s best weather is probably in the winter. The sunshine overwhelms threats of rain. The humidity is lower. The temperature is more likely to be 70 than 90. Of course, there are no baseball games being played then.

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