DNF questions & observations

1) Remind me what all we're expecting to have done by next season?

2) Do we know where our "home" games will be played yet?

Observation:

When looking at the renderings, the RF line will add tons of character, but could pose some problems for Right Fielders...That curved wall will cause the foul pole to be in an unusual spot and could lead to some crazy carroms on balls down the line. Also, the visiting bullpen will be in foul ground so those mounds could be tough to work around on a fly ball in foul ground. I personally like the character the curved wall creates, but was wondering about everybody else's thoughts?

https://i.imgflip.com/1rzsf5.jpg

I think it looks cheap and high schoolish. A lot of teams are doing it but I'm not a fan.

When I was in school in the early 2000s, I may or may not have had the phone number to the opposing teams' bullpen. I wonder if the phone is going away since the bullpen will be within shouting distance of the dugout now?

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Originally Posted by Dawgbite

I think it looks cheap and high schoolish. A lot of teams are doing it but I'm not a fan.

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It's called Old School look. Been part of beisball for 100 years

Everything on the lower level is supposed to be completed. The second level premium areas (sky boxes, club level, loge) will be completed by 2019 season. This also includes the press box. A makeshift press box will be used next year.

1. The bullpens needed to be on the field to help with the 360 degree walkway.

2. I'm glad the ball park will have some character. I like the how both lines will look and play different.

I'd guess we won't have any home games till the week of the first sec game. A midweek as the dress rehearsal before the weekend.

I think they're supposed to have the lower deck ready and the outfield/LFL. The second deck is supposed to be done by 2019.

We will play our home games at the current site of Dudy-Noble Field. Last I heard we had 28 games scheduled in Starkville compared to around 35-38 or so normally. Usually we play at least three home series before SEC play. This year as far as I know we're playing USM in Hattiesburg, Texas Tech in Lubbock, and then the tournament in Houston in pre-SEC weekend play. Then I'm sure we will play the Governor's Cup and a game against USM in Jackson. We will also play some games at some minor league parks around the South- I've heard Biloxi, Memphis, and NOLA which will likely be midweek games.

I hope that the midweek games in minor league parks becomes an annual thing for us because I think it's good for our fans and sells the program better than playing Tennessee Tech on a Tuesday in Starkville in front of a few locals.

Definitely keep the two games in Jackson, either play Memphis, Arkansas State, or UT-Martin at Autozone, play a game in Biloxi against a Sun Belt or similar mid major team, a game against either Tulane, Southeast Louisiana, or UNO at Zephyr/Baby Cake Shrine on Airline in NOLA, and a game in Birmingham at Regions Park against preferably Samford since UAB is harboring Ron Polk.

Actually Tulane has a decent park- I'd be just fine playing them there to be honest. You could stay in downtown NOLA and take the street car to Tulane's campus and then walk all the way to the other side of their campus about 3-4 blocks to the park. Their stadium is actually more "tourist friendly" than the AAA park which IMO isn't as nice as Trustmark Park or MGM Park.

Nashville, Little Rock, Jackson, Tn., and Mobile would be some other decent places to play that have minor league stadiums.

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Originally Posted by Steakonastick

Everything on the lower level is supposed to be completed. The second level premium areas (sky boxes, club level, loge) will be completed by 2019 season. This also includes the press box. A makeshift press box will be used next year.

1. The bullpens needed to be on the field to help with the 360 degree walkway.

2. I'm glad the ball park will have some character. I like the how both lines will look and play different.

I'd guess we won't have any home games till the week of the first sec game. A midweek as the dress rehearsal before the weekend.

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Thanks. Where will our early "home" games be played? Or are they all scheduled away?

Edited: Todd addressed. Thanks

And to add even though it hasn't been asked- if we are selected to host a regional or SR it's going to be in Starkville.

The one down side is we are going to have a ton of pissed off fans next year that have "paid for seats" that have no where to sit.

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Originally Posted by Homedawg

The one down side is we are going to have a ton of pissed off fans next year that have "paid for seats" that have no where to sit.

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Good point. Wonder how they'll resolve that?

I've heard it's the home conference games only, 15 total at home next yr.

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Originally Posted by Schultzy

I've heard it's the home conference games only, 15 total at home next yr.

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That's exactly what I'm expecting.

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

Good point. Wonder how they'll resolve that?

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Pretty sure Cohen addressed that in a podcast with Matt Wyatt. Said something along the lines of this season would be seated based on BC points and that they would reseat again in 2019. Also mentioned that folks were notified about the issue with their original seat purchase contract. Now, that small print might have been overlooked by many. Guess we will see opening weekend.

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

Good point. Wonder how they'll resolve that?

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Could always seat 'em in the new berm. **

A few observations from looking at the rendering Cadaver provided and the live construction cam from the outfield (http://oxblue.com/archive/47097d2667.../current.jpg):

1) Right field will be VERY interesting with that concourse curve. That entire curve is going to be in fair territory and will create some odd bounces. Hopefully it'll be an advantage for us having practiced with it and knowing how to react to it.

2) Right field will have a bit of "short-porch" because of the concourse curve. It looks like the foul pole will be about 20 feet closer to home plate than the actual outfield wall in that area. Looks like balls hit onto the concourse curve will be HR's.

3) Visiting bullpen is going to be ridiculously close to home plate. Opposing players warming up better have some spotters to help protect them from line drive foul balls.

All in all, I like the added character that these features will provide. It'll definitely be interesting to see how they play in a game-time scenario.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I think they're supposed to have the lower deck ready and the outfield/LFL. The second deck is supposed to be done by 2019.

We will play our home games at the current site of Dudy-Noble Field. Last I heard we had 28 games scheduled in Starkville compared to around 35-38 or so normally. Usually we play at least three home series before SEC play. This year as far as I know we're playing USM in Hattiesburg, Texas Tech in Lubbock, and then the tournament in Houston in pre-SEC weekend play. Then I'm sure we will play the Governor's Cup and a game against USM in Jackson. We will also play some games at some minor league parks around the South- I've heard Biloxi, Memphis, and NOLA which will likely be midweek games.

I hope that the midweek games in minor league parks becomes an annual thing for us because I think it's good for our fans and sells the program better than playing Tennessee Tech on a Tuesday in Starkville in front of a few locals.

Definitely keep the two games in Jackson, either play Memphis, Arkansas State, or UT-Martin at Autozone, play a game in Biloxi against a Sun Belt or similar mid major team, a game against either Tulane, Southeast Louisiana, or UNO at Zephyr/Baby Cake Shrine on Airline in NOLA, and a game in Birmingham at Regions Park against preferably Samford since UAB is harboring Ron Polk.

Actually Tulane has a decent park- I'd be just fine playing them there to be honest. You could stay in downtown NOLA and take the street car to Tulane's campus and then walk all the way to the other side of their campus about 3-4 blocks to the park. Their stadium is actually more "tourist friendly" than the AAA park which IMO isn't as nice as Trustmark Park or MGM Park.

Nashville, Little Rock, Jackson, Tn., and Mobile would be some other decent places to play that have minor league stadiums.

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Montgomery, Alabama and Birmingham, AL also have top notch first class minor league parks. There is also a good one in Huntsville where a lot of our alumni end up.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

Last I heard we had 28 games scheduled in Starkville compared to around 35-38 or so normally. Usually we play at least three home series before SEC play. This year as far as I know we're playing USM in Hattiesburg, Texas Tech in Lubbock, and then the tournament in Houston in pre-SEC weekend play. Then I'm sure we will play the Governor's Cup and a game against USM in Jackson. We will also play some games at some minor league parks around the South- I've heard Biloxi, Memphis, and NOLA which will likely be midweek games.

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Per the Dispatch, Cannizaro said the first home weekend will be March 9th. Here is schedule so far according to the article:
- 2/17-2/19 @ Southern Miss
- 2/23-2/25 @ Kleberg Bank Tournament (Corpus Christi, TX)
This tournament always includes Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Looks like it usually includes at least one Big Ten team.
Here are other recent participants: Mizzou, Illinois, Houston, Michigan State, UCF, Texas State, Purdue, Sam Houston State
- 2/26 (Monday) @ UT-Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg, TX)
- 2/28 (Wednesday) @ McNeese State
- 3/2-3/4 @ Shriners Houston College Classic: MSU vs. Houston, Sam Houston State and UL-Lafayette
While these are typically pretty good teams, I wish there were a bigger name Texas school in the mix
- 3/9 home vs. Utah Valley State
Sounds like this is a 3-game series. This has been planned as a home weekend since at least January, per the Open Dates listings at College Baseball Insider

If you look at the rendering, the curve in the corner of the outfield is not nearly as pronounced as it is in the live feed. In the rendering the berm slants out and straightens out the curve somewhat. In looking at the live feed I'm not sure how they can do that because the current foul line doesn't look like it allows the berm to curve out to help in straightening out the curve. Unless they move home plate up some, I don't know. But that would require them to move the fences out more.

Bottom line, I can't imagine them leaving that much of a curve in the corner. That could definitely change the outcome of a game and why would you want to do that?

Didn't A&M rebuild Kyle Field during the off season a year or two ago? Why does it take so long to rebuild DNF?

For one thing, TAMU imploded Kyle Field whereas we are taking DNF down with track hoes.

Secondly, I'm sure TAMU's budget for KF was a lot more than what we have allotted for DNF. That'll buy a lot of OT and an accelerated construction schedule.