I could spend time tonight writing about Sandy Alderson‘s latest foray into comedy, but that would just end up with me being annoyed.
Instead, I’m going to focus on a piece of baseball news that makes me happy. After three more seasons, the Mets will never have to go back to Turner Field.
Sure, the Cobb County taxpayers are probably getting a bad deal for the benefit of the Liberty Media Group, and the Braves will be an Atlanta team in name only. (City residents can at least take solace that their local politicians did not put corporate welfare ahead of taxpayers.)
But let’s focus on the positive: Turner Field’s days are numbered. That ballpark has been a house of horrors for the Mets almost since it opened. The two teams split the first season series in 1997, but it was downhill from there.
The Mets lost every game at Turner Field in 1998. In 1999, the Mets claimed victory in the first game they played at Turner Field, but lost the next five regular season games and all three NLCS series games played there. It wasn’t until 2006 – the tenth year the ballpark was open – that the Mets finally won a season series at Turner Field.
Overall, the Mets are 50-94 in regular season games at the ballpark, and 0-3 in playoff games. I know that the Mets’ lack of success has more to do with the relative strengths of the two teams than anything about Turner Field, but I’ll still be happy to see the ballpark follow Fulton County Stadium into the history books.
PaulHadsall.com 
For the time being, and for my own mental sanity, I’m taking the following interpretation of Alderson’s comments: The Mets have a long history of “Sell Low/Buy High” that we are going to break, and rather than potentially handcuffing the team with yet another big name failure, we are going to look at filling our many, many needs with less “sexy” but more cost-effective options.
…and I’m fine with that, as long as that is truly what he means, and not just “I ain’t got no money”.
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I’m ready to be patient with Sandy Alderson’s off-season strategy – to a point. (If he takes the “let’s wait until next year” approach again, I’m going to find something else to do with my summer.)
But I have no more patience for Sandy the stand-up comic, who was never very funny to begin with.
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I’ve see 5 regular season games at Turner Field when the Braves played the Phillies. The Phillies won one of them.
Ticket prices were reasonable compared to anything in the northeast. There is also a museum in the ballpark which has a lot of cool stuff. The old Atlanta Fulton County Stadium is a parking lot. There is a monument at the spot where Aaron hit #715 off Al Downing.
I just can’t fathom a ballpark closing after only 20 season. Even the cookie cutters if lasted longer than that.
If I lived in Cobb County I’d vote out of office anyone who votes to use public money with for the new ballpark. There is nothing wrong with Turner Field. They’re replacing the Georgia Dome as well. Talk about not doing stuff right the first time!
I’m glad I’m not a Georgia taxpayer. Ask anyone in Miami what they think of publicly funded venues.
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I have not been to Turner Field. I guess I do have three more years, but I don’t have a strong urge to visit Atlanta.
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Here is a trivia question- which team won the last five World Series games played in Atlanta?
A.
NY Yankees
1996- games 3,4, and 5. Game 4 turned Mark Woehlers into a modern day Ralph Branca. (Last season @ Atlanta Fulton County Stadium)
1999 games 1 and 2 @ Turner Field. NY swept the series and it was the last time the Yankees clinched the World Series @ old Yankee Stadium.
I remember when the Braves were up 2-0 in the 1996 world series. Turner owned both the Braves and WCW back then. Eric BIschoff, who ran WCW @ the time, acted as if the Braves won it all on WCW Monday Nitro. One week later- not a peep out of him about baseball. Good thing he and Vince Russo never ran a baseball team. We all know who owns WCW now
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Assuming the Braves do get their ballpark in Cobb County, I see two things happening;
1. Higher ticket prices
2. Another corporate naming rights deal. God forbid they should name the park after the legit home run champ Henry Aaron.
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I’m pretty sure they already said the naming rights would be offered for sale.
Higher ticket prices are always pretty much a given.
I actually can’t figure out why we don’t all just stay home and watch on tv.
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I was shocked when I heard about this. While not a great ballpark, it was still a fun venue to watch games at.
It seems like the main reason gave for getting a new park was because of traffic. I went to a dozen games there over a three year stretch in the mid 2000s. The only time I had problems with traffic was when I forgot my wallet and had to stop in Macon to get money wired to me.
I personally will miss The Ted and I think it is sad that a modern ballpark will only be used for twenty years.
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