New on the site

We're delighted that Kurt Smith, creator of the wonderful Ballpark E-Guide series, has again graced our pages with a thought-provoking essay. His newest article describes his thought process when deciding on his favorite park ... More folks visited our site last month than in any January since we started Baseballparks.com in 1997. Thank you so much for continuing to make our site so popular!

Can El Paso make a comeback?

The El Paso Diablos moved to Springfield, MO following the 2004 season, ending a 44-year run that El Paso was in the Texas League. Since then, only indy-league teams have played there. Now there is a movement afoot to build a new downtown ballpark (to replace Cohen Stadium, left) that could become the home of the current Tucson Padres of the PCL.

Joe on
the go

My schedule for the first part of the 2012 season is coming together. I had a great time covering the first game at the newly rebuilt park at Texas A&M on Feb. 17 (be watching for a photo essay on it), Then it's off to spring training in AZ on March 3-5 (including a presentation in Surprise on the 5th) and in FL on March 28 - April 2 (including the new Red Sox spring-training complex and the opening of the new Marlins Stadium). I'll visit the new park in Pensacola on May 12.

New ballpark key to Rays' future

The Rays once thought they were close to building the most innovative new stadium in the sport (right). The idea came crashing down, though, when the City of St. Pete barely shrugged and environmentalists howled at the thought of building on the waterfront. MLB.com Columnist Richard Justice examines how the Rays' future is tied directly to getting a new park. Image courtesy of Populous

Big League ballpark notes

The Rangers are selling bleachers that were once installed at old Arlington Stadium and more recently in Rangers Ballpark ... While it was rumored that Comerica Park might be in the running to host the NHL's 2013 Winter Classic, it will instead go to Michigan Stadium. However, Comerica will still see outdoor-hockey action (alumni game, college) around the same time next winter ... Could construction costs for the new Miami Marlins' stadium (left) come in under budget? Finance officials at Miami-Dade County are hoping to come to that conclusion, because any leftover money from the team's share of construction costs accrues to the County for a capital reserve fund ... Maybe they should use that fund for more parking. Marlins Maniac weighs in on the extreme lack of parking spaces at the new stadium ... Rogers Centre, the home stadium of the Blue Jays, is looking for a "supergrass" that could replace its artificial turf.