Last night was an eerie sight as extra innings came around in Houston. The sights are scary, and the sounds were really what made you realize just how empty the 40,950 person capacity Minute Maid Park was.
Classic commentary by Twins play-by-play man Dick Bremer really brought the stench of death around the stadium into your living room:
“Have you EVER in your life heard it so quiet in a Major League ballpark?”
“I feel like I have to whisper so the players don’t hear me.”
And my personal favorite (which was in the 10th inning, still plenty of time for supporters to file out): “There might be 500 people left here.”
Classic Bremer. Louder than his commentating was the deafening silence around the ballpark, aside from a single fan trying to start a “let’s go Astros chant” with the other 54 Houston fans there after nearly every pitch.
What you’re about to see is the sad reality that is the Houston Astros and their cheapest-in-the-majors-by-far $21.1 million payroll. When you don’t have a single fan for an entire section behind the plate, you may be in trouble.
Down by the foul poll?
You could have a conversation with someone in right field from home plate.
Even the field has a way of looking empty when the stadium is.
In all seriousness, 75 people?
You could probably count the number of fans in the right half of the stadium, more people show up for junior varsity high school games.
Didn’t think it got worse? Look at the other half, there MIGHT BE 15 seats filled, and most of them are probably Twins fans!
It should probably remind you of the scenic Metrodome from 1994-2000ish.
OK, that last one isn’t Minute Maid, but you get the idea.
