The Astros yesterday "held a ceremonial ground-breaking of their center field renovation project" at Minute Maid Park, which includes the "removal of Tal's Hill," according to Matt Young of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. The new center field area is "scheduled to be ready by next season's Opening Day." The renovation will include "improved seating options, new food and beverage options," the addition of escalators and elevators to "improve fan access and revisions to the playing field." The current centerfield fence of 436 feet "will move to 409 feet, giving Minute Maid Park the sixth-deepest center field in baseball instead of the deepest." The Astros "plan to sell items such as Tal's Hill dirt and outfield wall pads as commemorative collectibles" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/11).
RIGHT ON SCHEDULE: Astros President of Business Operations Reid Ryan yesterday said that construction of the team's new shared Spring Training complex with the Nationals in West Palm Beach "remains on schedule after Hurricane Matthew passed through Florida late last week." He said, "We got really, really lucky." In Houston, Jake Kaplan notes the complex is "still expected to be ready by February, when spring training begins" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/11).
