Power Ranking Thursday - MLB Stadiums

It's Thursday People, which means it's time for me to put way too much time into silly rankings that most of my loyal followers won't agree with. It's the dead of summer, NHL playoffs ended, (S/O Florida P's), NBA Playoffs may end tonight (Haliburton, you have to play man), and we're in the heat of Baseball Season. So it's the perfect time to rank MLB Ballparks for today's edition of Power Ranking Thursday.

Note off the top: obviously I haven't been to all of these stadiums, so it's hard to judge them all accurately. But my main criteria when ranking these baseball stadiums are 1) how nostalgic/historic they are, 2) the behind-the-plate view of the stadium and skyline, 3) Unique stadium features, and 4) how nice I think it would be to watch a game in person there.

Dishonorable Mentions:

Tampa Bay Rays and The Athletics

Both of these teams are currently playing in Minor League Stadiums — the Rays due to hurricane damage to Tropicana, and the A’s due to deciding to move to Vegas without having a stadium there. The A’s organization is a joke, their owner is a piece of shit, and they’ll be playing in a AAA ballpark for 3 more years because they’re money-grubbing assholes.

Honorable Mentions

Daikin Park - Astros

I like the unique look of this park, but they removed the Centerfield hill — which never made sense but was cool — and changed the name from Minute Maid Park, so they drop out for me.

Kauffman Stadium - Royals

I’ve been to this one and don’t think it’s anything special in person. Vanilla-ass ballpark. But I do like the big crown in center.

Dodger Stadium - Who do You Think

Another historic one, but I simply don’t see the hype. Maybe I need to go to a game in person, but all I ever hear is it’s the worst traffic you’ve ever experienced getting to/from, and it’s filled with some of the worst fans in the sport.

T-Mobile Park - Mariners

Looks beautiful in photos and on TV watching the Mariners play — no real knock on it, just doesn’t pop like some of the other stadiums below.

#10 Truist Park - Braves

Kicking things off with the 2nd newest stadium in the Majors, so not exactly in the historic category I mentioned above. But there's a lot to love about newer stadiums even without nostalgia factor The area outside the stadium specifically in Atlanta looks incredible (similar looking to Ballpark Village). And newer stadiums are usually better at ensuring there are no horrible seats to watch the game. The field and layout is nothing too special, but a big-ass new scoreboard and a plethora of things to do in the stadium is enough for spot #10.

#9 Citizens Bank Park - Phillies

I absolutely love The Bank. It's full of Philly trash and scumbags and it's beautiful. This is one of those places where, if you didn't have a dog in the fight, band-wagoning with the home fans for a playoff game would be electric. But on the flip side, would probably be my last pick of road venue if I was going to see a Cubs playoff game. They got a solid skyline, I love the big Liberty Bell signs, and I think it looks super distinct on TV. Also really love the left field scoreboard + high right field wall + trees in center combo.

#8 Petco Park - Padres

It Starts and ends with what is an awesome skyline overlooking the stadium in San Diego. There is so much going on when you look out from behind the plate, and I think it's a super unique layout. My favorite aspect is the "Western Metal Supply, Co." building in left field that basically rubs against the foul pole out there. And there's a huge scoreboard right next to it. San Diego also just seems like the ideal city to watch a baseball game from a relaxing standpoint. Perfect weather, so much to do around the park, and no one living there gives a fuck about sports.

#7 Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Orioles

Camden Yards is an interesting one -- I don't know if it's beloved or an afterthought to the average baseball fan. And researching it, it's not quite as historic as I thought it was (opened in 1992) but it feels very nostalgic. It's constructed in an old-school fashioned, but also a very unique way. The wildly fucking huge warehouse that looks like it's a mile from one end to the other, essentially outlining right field behind the stadium. Not a great skyline, nothing fancy about it, but seems like a great place for a September game if the O's are in the playoff race (won't be this year).

#6 Busch Stadium - Cardinals

I sure do hate the Cardinals, but I can never hate too much on Busch. Have had countless great times at this Ballpark watching the Redbirds. Is it incomprehensibly more fun for me when they lose? Oh yeah. But I've even had great times when they win, because my friends are in good moods and buy more drinks at the bars after. My favorite memory in Busch was a Cubs vs Cardinals game in 2014, one of the first couple series of the season, 3-3 game goes to extras, and Wellington Castillo fucking nuked a go-ahead 3-run homer in the 11th and the Cubs won 6-3. Wellington Castillo, Forever a hero. Ballpark Village is also undeniably awesome around Busch, it's a Top 3-5 Skyline, and a really good atmosphere for a baseball game.

#5 Coors Field - Rockies

There's not a lot to be excited about right now in Colorado, so a top-5 in the Bean's Blog Power Rankings Thursday might be the highlight of their season. I should tag their official Instagram when I post this, they may want to repost it so their fans an enjoy something. At least with this blurb edited out.

Coors Field has the most immaculate vibes of any stadium I've ever been to. Seeing the Mountains surrounding in the distance, everyone having a blast in the bleachers and nosebleeds, good food and fun areas are all over. This is a weekend spot, especially nowadays when the team is arse. It's also the perfect place to plan a trip around your team playing a series there: tickets aren't too expensive, Denver is sick, and your team is probably going to hit a lot of homers and win.

#4 Fenway Park - Red Sox

The oldest, most historic ballpark still standing, Fenway is an obligatory Top 5 spot. 110 years of being the most unique stadium in the sport. You have to start with the Green Monster -- the 37-foot bright green wall looming over Left Field. Move over and you got the Deep-Center Triangle that's 420+ feet. All the way in Right you have the shortest fence in the MLB -- 302 to the foul pole and a 4-foot high wall. It's so fucking weird. But that's what makes it incredible. Everything about this place from the concourse, the field itself, the surrounding areas feel so nostalgic. Plus it was a hell of a setting for the final act of two equally great Boston movies: The Town and Ted.

#3 Wrigley Field - Cubs

The Haters are sick to their stomachs. They wanted me to put Wrigley #1. They wanted to call me biased. And while the Haters are right about that -- and credit to them -- I'll give someone else the shine today. Wrigley is the stadium I've been to the most besides Busch. The Friendly Confines are a magical place. It's where I heard my first "motherfucker" as a child walking past the bleachers. It's where I first began to love and appreciate the game in my early years. Watching Derrek Lee + Aramis Ramirez hit nukes, Carlos Zambrano throw a shutout and go 2-3 w/ 2 RBI at the plate, Alfonso Soriano hammer lead-off homers -- doing it all in front of the Ivy wall. They've also made improvements over the years like the big scoreboards in right and left (Schwarber's ball he nuked off the Birds in 2015's still up there) and Wrigleyville is awesome before, during, and after every game. Historic, Nostalgic, Elite.

#2 PNC Park - Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates don't deserve to play at PNC. Gifted Superstar talents over the years like Paul Skenes Gerrit Cole, Andrew McCutchen -- and doing nothing with it. But damnit is their ballpark sweet. My #1 Skyline in baseball by a mile. The Bridge + River + City-Scape combo is ELITE -- anytime a home run has the potential to land in a body of water, I'm on board. Seeing someone in a kayak going after the ball rocks. I'm also a fan of the bushes that spell out "Pirates" in Dead Center. No notes, nearly perfect. The only thing worth complaining about with PNC Park is the team that plays there -- the Ballpark itself isn't the problem. One of my favorite baseball memories is the 2015 Wild Card Game where Jake Arrieta absolutely shoved the Pirates out of the playoff with a CG/SO (9 IP, 11 K's, 0 BB's) in PNC Park. Good times.

#1 Oracle Park - Giants

The Top 6 of this list are all the cream of the crop in my opinion, and it was very difficult to choose a #1. It really came down to PNC or Oracle, and I think they are both incredible looking stadiums that have great views, aesthetics, unique features, etc. The separator for me was the nostalgia/historical factor -- and while they opened in just a year apart in 2000 and 2001, the easy choice for me was Oracle Park. Watched a lot of World Series games during formative Sports-watching Years played at Oracle. Superstars like Tim Lincecum and Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner. And that's not even mentioning Barry fucking Bonds.

Also let's face it -- the stadium is unlike any other in the league. A lovely view of the McCovey Cove -- aka another body of water home runs can land in bumping it up another notch. I love the big Glove/Coke bottle in left-center, the dead-center Scoreboard, "Triple's Alley" in deep right-center. But the #1 factor: everything about Right Field. The 25-foot wall made of brick with people walking through it is terrific, and I think it's so cool that the water comes so close to the wall. Such a uniquely designed stadium that's easily #1 on my list of MLB stadiums to visit some day.