The new Miami Marlins ballpark
Workers install the new mechanized sculpture in center field that will activate when the Marlins hits a home run. This "piece of art," budgeted at $2.5 million, is the work of renowned multimedia pop artist Red Grooms. (Jan. 2, 2012) Credit: AP
Should a Yankee pitcher vying for a spot in the rotation or bullpen serve up a home run or two this Sunday and Monday, so be it. Let's see that crazy home run machine at the new Marlins Park get some action!
The Marlins, with their new uniforms, new name ("Miami Marlins" now instead of "Florida Marlins") and new shortstop (sorry, Mets fans), will open their new stadium this season. And the Yankees will wind down spring training in Marlins Park, with Sunday's game airing on YES at 1 p.m. Both games will also be broadcast on MLB Network (Monday's game is at 7 p.m.)
The new ballpark is equal parts fascinating, quirky and oddball. The in-wall aquariums behind the plate encapsulate those three adjectives, don't you think?
But it's this Red Grooms-designed home run, um, thing, in the outfield that should truly fascinate us. A few talking points:
- It's 74 feet high.
- A sculpted marlin is surrounded by seagulls.
- Said marlin soars up an art-deco arch then plummets to the water.
Home run!
The guess is that most folks will look down on this "unique" thing early on, but in time, it will become the snowbird's version of the apple at Citi Field. Of course, it won't hurt if the Marlins start winning again.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel has a pretty solid video tour of the new ballpark, but it's not embeddable, so here's the link. There's also a rendering video embedded below.
