As most of you know, Arkansas is playing at the AAA park in downtown Charlotte tomorrow night. I had a chance to spend some time in there in December 2016 when Arkansas played in the Belk Bowl. The media interviews leading up to the game were conducted in the press box there and there was a pregame concert there, too. It is practically next door to the Panthers’ stadium.
It is as nice of a minor league facility as you will find. It’s seating capacity is just more than 10,000 and has suites extending down both lines, curving into the outfield in right. The best part might be the view of the Charlotte skyline. Here are a few photos of it and Hayes Stadium, the 49ers’ on-campus stadium where the teams will play Wednesday.
Nice stadium looking into that skyline. What is the orientation, is it likely the wind will be blowing out or in given the chances of rain chances? We could use a few more dingers to take the collegiate lead in HR’s.
I think a south wind would be at the back of the batters; the park is on the south/southwest side of downtown Charlotte. The wind is supposed to be out of the north tomorrow ahead of that cold front.
From the satellite pic at Google Maps, BB&T Ballpark is laid out with home plate at the west end, center field at the east end (the same alignment that led to lefthanders being called “southpaws”). Don’t know what the prevailing winds are, but the Tuesday 7 p.m. forecast is for winds at 11 mph out of the northeast, meaning it would be a hurting crosswind pushing balls toward the right field line. Keep in mind, also, that Triple A ballparks, which BB&T is, tend to be a little bigger than college parks. BB&T is 330 to left, 400 to center and 315 down the right field line.
The Wednesday 4 p.m. forecast is for WNW winds at 18 mph. Hayes Stadium is laid out northwest to southeast, so a WNW wind would be blowing out to left field. Dimensions are 335 to left, 370 to left center, 390 to dead center, 370 to right center and 335 to right.
Wow, Swine, you make me feel lazy for not looking this up myself. But, on Tuesday, if the ball is being pushed to right field, Shaddy and our lefties should be in good shape, I wouldn’t mind Jared Gates getting some swings in.
If this forecast holds, I’d think we’d have a hard time hitting the ball out anywhere in Tuesday’s game. Wind would hurt a lot on drives to left, hurt a little on drives to right. But if it holds for Wednesday’s game, there might be a few shots going out to left with an 18-mph wind pushing them.
And, in case you’re wondering, Florida’s field is also laid out northwest to southeast (as is Baum). Friday’s forecast is for winds out of the west (which would be blowing out to left) and Saturday for southwest to south-southwest (also helping balls hit to left).
A lot of minor league parks have similarities to Baum. I’ve been told that several minor league clubs have toured Baum when gathering design ideas for their facilities.
Still a few hours to game time, but current weather in Charlotte is 59 degrees, cloudy, no rain, wind out of the north at 9. North-northeast would be slightly better than northeast, but it’s not going to help anything get out of the park.
However, now saying 70% chance of rain with possible thunderstorms tonight. Wednesday’s outlook is better; any rain would end before 3 p.m. according to NWS.
