Safeco Field

[stlfan]

Astros, when you post your photos, make them smaller. Whenever we want to read what you say we have to scroll back and forth since the photo stretches wider than the screen.

[PeteU]

It's definetly the best of the retractable roofs.

I still think asthetically it would be a better ballpark without a roof, but in Seattle that would be pretty impractical, so I understand the logic for the roof.

Sadly, having a retractable roof will detract from the appeal of any ballpark--that's just a sad fact of life. It makes me sad that the new Marlins park is going to have to be retractable, because that means it pretty much means off the bat that it won't be the best and most attractive ballpark in the major leagues.

That being said, Safeco proves you can still have a retractable roof and have a good, if not great, ballpark.

[Gooseamania]

i have never seen a game at safeco, but i was at wrestlemania XIX and being a huge baseball fan i though safeco was amazing, i can't pinpoint the one thing that i loved about most, it was just awesome, definatly worth the trip across the united states! just wish i could've seen the playing surface (it was obviously covered for the wrestlemania floor seats)

[Brad MCdonald]

Its that feeling when you take the exit off I-5 when you see the ballpark.You park your car, walk with dozens of other strangers and chat about Ichiro.Or when you enter through the rotunda (and for one brief second) think you've gone through a time warp and are entering Ebbets Field. Its that sound of the
train whistle in the distance as you walk around the concourse with the scent of the salt water of Puget Sound, mixed with hot dogs and Ivars Clam Chowder.Its the grounds crew dropping their rakes and doing YMCA (despite the fact you tell yourself and your sons/ and or buddies your not doing motions..but because everyone else does it, you do anyway!) . Watching the sun set at Safeco is special...but there is something about sitting with your own family(regardless of the park and the team your cheering for) and watching a ball game .I've been doing it since 1989 when I took my oldest (then 4 months old) to see the Mariners play the ChiSox at the Kingdome.Cant wait for the season to start!!

[fredsox49]

My wife and I saw our White Sox play at Safeco last August, our first game there. Great ballpark in every way. Nice fans (nobody hassled us); in fact, the mayor of Seattle introduced himself to us at Pike Place Market earlier that day because I was wearing a Sox jersey and he's originally from Chicago.

[Edgartohof]

The garlic fries were the worst thing I've ever eaten at a major league ballpark. Truly awful.

I have to say, you are the only person I have ever heard make this statment.

Maybe you just don't like Garlic, or maybe you just don't like fries...but if you didn't, you shouldn't have had them in the first place.

In anycase, that's fine with me - one less person in a line of 100+ to get to the garlic fries!

[Doug Miller]

It was a weird Opening Day in the weather dept. I still can't believe that Minnesota isn't floating for a roof.

As you can see from the 2 pics, the day started out nice and sunny. By gametime they announced that "Baseball should be played outside, under the clouds, let's open the roof!" The roof opened and it started to rain. They closed it immediately (but didn't say anything about it being OK to play under a roof too).

We were bantering about the differences between the roofs in Houston vs. Seattle. While Houston shuts the field off from the outside completely, Seattle is still open air behind LF. The entire left upper deck and left lower sections still catch the wind, and on that night, caught the rain/hail/snow. It was hilarious sitting in it, and f#$&@g freezing! Coldest Opening Day I've been too.

Had fun though. Not a surprise.





Doug

[jimmyjimjimz]

It was a weird Opening Day in the weather dept. I still can't believe that Minnesota isn't floating for a roof.

As you can see from the 2 pics, the day started out nice and sunny. By gametime they announced that "Baseball should be played outside, under the clouds, let's open the roof!" The roof opened and it started to rain. They closed it immediately (but didn't say anything about it being OK to play under a roof too).

We were bantering about the differences between the roofs in Houston vs. Seattle. While Houston shuts the field off from the outside completely, Seattle is still open air behind LF. The entire left upper deck and left lower sections still catch the wind, and on that night, caught the rain/hail/snow. It was hilarious sitting in it, and f#$&@g freezing! Coldest Opening Day I've been too.

Had fun though. Not a surprise.





Doug

what's the second picture supposed to be?

[Lafferty Daniel]

It was a weird Opening Day in the weather dept. I still can't believe that Minnesota isn't floating for a roof.

http://www.twinsballpark2010.com/ModelOld.html

[Doug Miller]

what's the second picture supposed to be?

Showing that it's raining inside with the roof closed. (The rain is blowing in from behind us, unlike Milwaukee where it leaked during the HR Derby in 2003.)

Doug

[Seattle1]

It was a weird Opening Day in the weather dept. I still can't believe that Minnesota isn't floating for a roof.

As you can see from the 2 pics, the day started out nice and sunny. By gametime they announced that "Baseball should be played outside, under the clouds, let's open the roof!" The roof opened and it started to rain. They closed it immediately (but didn't say anything about it being OK to play under a roof too).

We were bantering about the differences between the roofs in Houston vs. Seattle. While Houston shuts the field off from the outside completely, Seattle is still open air behind LF. The entire left upper deck and left lower sections still catch the wind, and on that night, caught the rain/hail/snow. It was hilarious sitting in it, and f#$&@g freezing! Coldest Opening Day I've been too.

Had fun though. Not a surprise.





Doug

Thanks for the recap!

[curb my enthusiasm]

Does anybody have some pictures of Safeco under construction?

[Seattle1]

Does anybody have some pictures of Safeco under construction?

The Photo Gallery

There are five photos in the "Building the basics" folder, and nine in the "Construction" folder.

Here's a sample:

[No Pink Tea]

Well, what better place to put my first post than in the Safeco Field Appreciation thread!
One thing I love about Safeco, that I hear other parks have but they mostly don't, is a truly open concourse. You can walk all the way around the bottom level of the park and see the game from anywhere except behind the batter's eye. A lot of the new parks have open concourses, yeah, but you can't just glance at the field like you can in Safeco. I plan on posting some pics in the concourse thread in the next couple of days.

[Doug Miller]

Well, what better place to put my first post than in the Safeco Field Appreciation thread!
One thing I love about Safeco, that I hear other parks have but they mostly don't, is a truly open concourse. You can walk all the way around the bottom level of the park and see the game from anywhere except behind the batter's eye. A lot of the new parks have open concourses, yeah, but you can't just glance at the field like you can in Safeco. I plan on posting some pics in the concourse thread in the next couple of days.

Totally agree about the open concourse. Only place that I've been that does it better is Philly. The area above CF in Philly is awesome and the freestanding bar-height stands around the field are really similar.

Doug

[thepope3]

one thing i really like about Safeco is the Hit it Here Cafe

Really good food a great view if your in the first row

[Doug Miller]

Hit It Hear is a true mixed bag. For the first few years of the park it was an open restaurant -- They didn't have assigned seating, you just waited in line for your turn at a seat. If you got there when they opened the gate you could grab a window or outside seat and enjoy some OK food. But now it's an actual "seat". I know they sell tickets for it, and that just seems weird. Hey, let's watch a game from a restaurant. Wow, I'm full.... Um... let's walk down to CF and watch the game.

I ate there a few times before they changed it over and the food was fine. It was a cool idea. It's too bad it's not positioned better like AZ or Toronto. Their restaurants have been open in the offseason too.

Doug

[thepope3]

Hit It Hear is a true mixed bag. For the first few years of the park it was an open restaurant -- They didn't have assigned seating, you just waited in line for your turn at a seat. If you got there when they opened the gate you could grab a window or outside seat and enjoy some OK food. But now it's an actual "seat". I know they sell tickets for it, and that just seems weird. Hey, let's watch a game from a restaurant. Wow, I'm full.... Um... let's walk down to CF and watch the game.

I ate there a few times before they changed it over and the food was fine. It was a cool idea. It's too bad it's not positioned better like AZ or Toronto. Their restaurants have been open in the offseason too.

Doug

there are definitely some pros and cons
if you do not sit in the first row inside or out
you cannot see the right field wall

[Nat Bailey]

Safeco is a gem, I hope lots of you from out of area make it up to Seattle to take in the experience!! I am posting a few pics from a trip in '05...

[Seattle1]

Safeco is a gem, I hope lots of you from out of area make it up to Seattle to take in the experience!! I am posting a few pics from a trip in '05...

Sweet photos, thanks!

[Yoda]

I heard that they have a food stand there called "Intentional Wok."

Now that's awesome

[xtimx]

I heard that they have a food stand there called "Intentional Wok."

Now that's awesome

and a sushi stand that sells "ichi-rolls"

[CitiFieldIsNoShea]

From afar Safeco seems as though it plays as a pitcher's park...am I correct in assuming that? How does the park play with the roof open/closed?

Thanks.

[mrakbaseball]

Junior taking BP July 1998

[mrakbaseball]

compass rose