Losing Steam? Astros Consider Removing Train, Tal's Hill From Minute Maid Park

Astros Owner Jim Crane yesterday said that the team will "weigh removing" the train above the left field wall and Tal's Hill in center field at Minute Maid Park "before next year when it moves to the American League and rebrands," according to Zachary Levine of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Crane: "Those are two things people question me about all the time and those are logical. We’re going to do our marketing research. We’re going to study it.” The train, "like several of the pennants, which will be moved and colored in the new scheme, could be a casualty" of the team's new signature sponsor initiative known as the Community Leaders Program (CHRON.com, 6/27). MLB.com's Brian McTaggart noted due to the large structure the team is building on the left field light tower at the park to honor the Community Leaders Program sponsors, the pennants currently located on the left field wall "will be moved to another location inside the ballpark" (MLB.com, 6/27).