Haymarket Park for Baseball
NOTE: This is a "Memorial Guide" for the Lincoln Saltdogs Northern League years (2001-2005).
Haymarket Park (July 2001)
Field Details
| Left | Left Center |
Center | Right Center |
Right |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 335 | 403 | 395 | 400 | 325 |
View down the first base line
Dugouts & Bullpens
- Saltdogs are on the third base side,
opponents on first base - Dugouts are recessed concrete "bunkers" mostly below ground level and well back from the field
- Permanent camera wells are on the outfield side of both dugouts
- Both bullpens are out of play with chain link fences along edge of playing field
- Saltdogs bullpen is left of the third base line
- Visitors bullpen is beyond right field fence
Fences & Field
- Fences are 8' tall
- Upper part of fences are chain link fence with padded rail
- Upper rail is the top of the fence but colored green, not yellow
- Seven scrolling advertising billboard extended into the field of play
- Each billboard has chain link fencing over the front opening and padding on top
- Both sides of park have wide foul territory areas
- Ballpark tarp is stored in its own wall recess on the first base side
Webmaster's game assessment
Close up view of outfield advertising on left field fence
Haymarket Park is great for fans but has some characteristics that make it awkward or unique in the Northern League. Several favor pitchers some don't.
Haymarket Park has what appear to be the widest foul territories in the league (approx. 40 feet wide?). This places fans further away from the action, but also give fielders more chances with pop flies. Unlike Midway Stadium (where they run parallel to the lines) they eventually meet the outfield near the foul poles reducing the multi-base errors found there.
The octagonal shape of the outfield means the power allies are further from home plate than center field(403 and 405 as opposed to 395 to "dead center"). This also favors the pitcher.
Field orientation has the pitcher facing west-northwest. This creates two more unusual issues for the team in the field during evening games. As in Winnipeg, the usual (east-southeast) orientation tends to have sunsets crossing the field shading left and right field but not center. Unlike Can West though,this is due to the shape of the skybox rooves and not the city skyline.
Sample of the "second sunset" at Haymarket Park
The "Second Sunset"
More obnoxious is the "second sunset" during evening games. Normally this isn't a problem at a ballpark, but Haymarket Park's design causes the sun to set again through the concourse. As shown in the picture, the lack of banners, panels or other shade devices has the pitcher and some fielders staring into a setting sun near dusk. Eventually this will likely be addressed so this obvious mistake will be gone in the future.
The outfield billboards also represent an interesting problem for fielders. These boxes are likely (though infrequently) to lead to odd caroms in the field or even causing the ball to stick in them. The oblique angle of left and right field fences should keep this to a minimum, but the numerous corners and edges on these will likely lead to some surprises for outfielders.
The boxes and padded lower wall also likely allow fields considerable "extra reach." Unless ground rules prohibit it, fielders can easily stand on top of the billboards. They can also use the lower wall for footing and cling to top of the upper (chain link) fence. In both cases, the outfield fence is potentially a major platform from which to steal home runs for clever fielders.