Hard Hat Required

Rangers Ballpark is under going some major improvements. It’s fun to look out the window at work and see the progress. It makes me wish Opening Day was tomorrow. The warmth of the sun kissing your skin as you soak in the sounds of spring baseball in Texas.

The crack of the bat, the sound the ball makes as it smacks the glove of the first baseman, and the loud “out” called by the over-excited umpire… then the boys of summer run off the field to step up to the plate.

Oh to see Josh Hamilton at the plate and watch with wide eyes as the ball seems to float out of the yard, then to watch the kids chase after it on the batters eye grass.

Secretly, I’m one of those kids. A few weeks back, on a beautiful, warm Friday afternoon in January, Hamilton was taking BP (batting practice for those non-baseball people). He was crushing them out of the park. With no one in the stands, I only had to compete with my co-workers to snag a home run ball hit by this power hitter. After a few runs for a ball, I finally got one. I was like a kid in a candy store; all excited, slightly hot from the run, and with a smile from ear to ear on my face.

I love baseball, more importantly, Rangers baseball.

Only 46 days until Opening Day.

Pictures of Hard Hat Areas (thank goodness I don't have to wear a hard hat at work.)

(following 4 pictures from Monday - February 16)

Manual Out-of-Town Scoreboard is getting a face lift. Here you can see where the outer wall has been removed. A video board will be installed soon. If you look above the Armitron sign - the black and yellow lettering- you can see that the dot matrix board that was there last season has been removed. (The wall is a lighter color where it used to be).

Here you can see the addition of a brick wall which will allow for more seats (third base side). Rangers Ballpark Trivia - the brick you see is the original brick from the building. It was saved after the ballpark was completed.

More brick additions on this side of the field (first base side).

The brick addition behind home plate. You can also see the scaffolding just below the lower suite level. This part of the ballpark fascia will hold the LED ribbon board that's being installed.

(following picture from Thursday - February 19)

Update on the former out-of-town scoreboard: the metal columns have been removed in preparation for the new video board to be installed. In this picture, you can see where the dot matrix board has been replaced by a new LED board. (What was a light strip on the wall is now dark black).

Check back for more updates.