SimmonsField.com

Monday, January 30, 2012

Top 9 Suggestions for Taylor Stadium Upgrade

Missouri associate athletic director Tim Hickman has been talking to just about everyone about Mizzou's plans to pursue some major facilities upgrades over the next few years. On KFRU's "The Closers" the other day, he specified that the short-term focus would be on football, baseball, softball, tennis and golf.

He didn't go into detail about the plans for Taylor Stadium. I'm guessing we'll probably learn more about those plans at the First Pitch Celebration on February 4th.

Here at SimmonsField.com, we have a few ideas. If we're going to dream, lets dream big: Top 9 Suggestions for Taylor Stadium Upgrade

Summit Ski Lift The little golf carts are OK - when they're running - but most folks end up walking up the hill from Reactor Field to the ballpark. That's a great workout for the ballplayers, but its a lot to ask of a chubby fan. An escalator would be cook, but impractical in inclement weather. And the MU Physics department hasn't invented the Star Trek transporter yet. So a ski lift seems the best option for getting up that hill to the ballpark on those wintry days in March.
Retractable Dome Die-hard fans like me take a perverse pleasure in gutting out those frigid double headers in March. But I could also enjoy NOT freezing at the cold ball game.
Devine Pavilion Roof Bleachers Sell some cheap seat tickets for the roof top view. Seat belts would be installed to keep the wind from picking up fans and blowing them all the way to the Jesse Hall dome.
The Superfan Stand Let's put a crow's nest a few yards above the 3rd base camera deck so everyone's favorite cheerleader/heckler, Larry Wyatt, can be seen and heard by everyone.
Squeeze Play Back in the 90's there was a handful of musicians from Marching Mizzou who sat in the upper deck and played songs between innings. Let's build a special section for a resurrected (and compensated) spirit band to entertain the crowds.

Norm's Let's get the folks at the MU Hotel and Restaurant Management department to put their creativity at work and run a great ballpark eating establishment, maybe on a raised deck just past the left-center wall. Name it after the first Tiger to pitch a no-hitter, and serve the kind of food that makes people want to come out the ballpark just so they can eat at Norm's.
Bright Lights Coaches and players from places like Texas Tech and Texas have complained over the years about the poor lighting at Taylor Stadium. We like to laugh at them when they blame their losses on the lights. But seriously, the lights could be better. Sometimes the night field looks like it's being lit by a bunch of cheap energy efficient compact ice cream cone-style fluorescent light bulbs.
Build MU Softball a New Stadium Tim Hickman has mentioned that one option for a softball upgrade is to build a new stadium somewhere else. I say let's go ahead and find a new footprint for #TremendousStubble Stadium (Ehren Earlywine is partial to Reactor Field) and put a parking garage where University Field sits now. It could provide hundreds of parking spots for baseball fans. Of course, if they were to put it on one of the highest points in CoMo and build it as tall as that new monstrosity downtown, it would might be visible from several of our new SEC rivals' home ballparks. .
New Backstop Netting It's past time to get rid of the current netting, which looks like a geriatric hooker's fishnet stockings.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Tribune practice report

♦ MU pitchers impress teammates as practice starts (Columbia Tribune)

“We can’t really say enough about our staff,” Mach said after Missouri’s first full practice yesterday on Simmons Field. “That’s what everyone’s kind of talking about in the locker room, all the position guys. We don’t tell the pitchers, but we’re like, ‘That dude looks good.’ It’s not just one or two guys, either. It’s the majority of the staff.”
. . .

Friday, January 27, 2012

2013 Mizzou Recruit: RHP Devin Williams

♦ Devin Williams, RHP/OF
6'3", 165 lb, R/R
Hazelwood West HS

@stlpirates (Brian Delunas) on twitter: Devin Williams (2013 RHP), No. 2 player in MO and No. 273 overall by @PerfectGameUSA has verbally committed to the University of Missouri. (1/27/2012)

♦ PerfectGame profile: Best Fastball: 88 MPH

No additional info available at this time

USA Today/ ESPN Pre-Season Top 25 Coaches Poll

Mizzou is not ranked in the USA Today/ ESPN Pre-Season Top 25 Coaches Poll.

On first glance, I thought I saw Missouri listed in the "also receiving votes" list,but it turned out to be Missouri State. My brain hasn't been functioning well this week.

Four of MU's 2012 opponents made the cut for the top 25:

#5 Texas
#6 Texas A&M
#8 Arkansas
#15 Oklahoma

Simmons Field Photo: 3 Weeks to Opening Day

Robbyball_Z

FAQ: What to do, where to eat in Columbia

Where is a Good Place to Eat in Columbia?

A typical college town, Columbia has no shortage of places to eat. I've tried to provide a list of those places that are unique to Columbia. I've also marked (**) those places that I recommend for the ultimate Tiger-town experience.

I have purposely left out the dozens of franchise restaurants and fast-food places, as well as the places I've never been to because they cost more than I want to spend on a plate of food.

If you want a more complete list of places to eat, check out the VisitColumbiaMo.com Restaurant Guide

If you want a more entertaining list of places to eat and drink, check out the RockMNation Guide to Columbia.

On Campus/Downtown

Stadium Grill

A couple of dozen of different kinds of burgers. Very close to the stadiums/arenas

1219 Fellows Place

(573)777-9294

Bambino's Italian Cafe
$$
Good pasta, plus music on some evenings
Bambinos has MOVED to 929 E. Broadway (corner of 10th and Broadway).
(573)443-4473

Booche's
$
Booches is a Columbia tradition going back to the early 20th century; basically a pool hall, but they serve the best cheeseburgers anywhere (listed among the best burgers in America by USA Today). After your lunch, explore the rest of what 9th Street has to offer, including three bookstores, two Mizzou clothing & accessories shops, a baseball card shop, Lakota Coffee, and more.
110 S. 9th

Boone Tavern
$$$
Where the movers and shakers meet to eat and eat to meet
811 E. Walnut

Harpo's
$$
Columbia's most well-known sports bar
29 S. 10th

Broadway Diner
$
Not on Broadway anymore, but still close. An old fashioned greasy spoon -- stop by for "breakfast" any time and order "The Stretch"
22 S. 4th
573-875-1173

Shakespeare's Pizza
$$
If you visit no other Columbia eatery when in town, visit Shakespeare's for their famous pizza pie.
225 S. 9th
Also now at Shakespeare's West, 3304 Broadway Business Park Court

Pasta Factory
$$$
Another great local pasta place. It has moved from its downtown location to 3103 W. Broadway, near the Wal-mart and HyVee in west CoMo
573-449-3948

The Heidelberg
$$
A popular gathering place for MU students and alumni since the early 60's. The 'Berg burned down in August of 2003, but it has been rebuilt and remodeled and is back in business.
410 S. 9th St.
(573)449-6927

Flat Branch Pub & Brewery
$$
Local micro-brewery and pub
115 S. 5th St.
499-0400

Addison's
$$$
Upscale "urban Americana" restaurant.
709 Cherry St.
256-1995

CC's City Broiler
$$$
Reportedly the best steak in town. i wouldn't know, since it's out of my price range.
131 S. 10th St.
875-2282

Ernie's Steak House
$
Long-standing downtown eatery; many locals stop here for breakfast
1005 Walnut St.
874-7804

Lakota Coffee House
$
Great local coffee house with a wide ranging selection
24 S. 9th St.
874-2852

Bangkok Gardens
$$
Thai food, unique restaurant
811 Cherry St (recently moved to this location)
874-3284

Columbia Mall area

G&D Pizza & Steak House
$$
One of several Greek steak & pizza places in Columbia. Best waitresses in Columbia.
Crossroads West Shopping Center
Broadway & Stadium Blvd.

Southern Columbia

Chris McD's
$$$
American cuisine with French and Asian influences
1400 Forum Blvd (Forum Shopping Center)
446-6237

Murry's
$$$
Jazz nightclub
3107 Green Meadows Way
573-442-4969

Sophia's
$$$
Fine Southern European cuisine
3915 S. Providence
874-8009

D. Rowe's
$$
Restaurant and bar owned and operated by a former MU football player. Best waffle fries in town. and I hear they have a great Reuben sandwich as well.
1005 Club Village
Near Forum & Nifong, behind Walgreen's

Cooper's Landing
$$
WAY south of Simmons Field, down on the Missouri River, but worth the trip. check out the website for all the details.
11505 S. Easley River Rd.
657-2544

Rocheport(approx. 10 miles west of Columbia)

Les Bourgeois Vineyard & Bistro
$$$
Bluff-top dining
Rocheport, MO
573-698-2300

More ideas for eating and meeting:

The Skinny on CoMo's Barbecue
Great article on the many great BBQ places in Columbia
Vox Magazine, 10/2/2008

Tailgate food

Friday and Saturday games often draw tailgaters to the parking lots around Simmons Field.

Hoss' Market
1010A Club Village Drive
(Corner of Nifong and Forum Blvd. - west of Walgreen's)
573-815-9711
Hoss's has become the place to go for gourmet carry-out and tail-gate food.

Entertainment
Some downtown venues unique to Columbia

The Blue Note
The best place to find good music.
17 N. 9th St.
874-1944

MoJo's
Another great music venue - blues, jazz, rock, etc.
1013 Park Avenue
875-0588

Rag-Tag Cinemacafe
Order a beer and watch the best of independent film-making and the occasional big hit that the major theaters haven't discovered yet.

Working it off

After you've enjoyed the great dining in Columbia, head down to the MKT Trail and run off those extra pounds.

What's going on?

To find out what bands are in town, and what special events may be taking place, check out VOX
Weekly entertainment magazine of the Columbia Missourian

FAQ: Seating Chart

Seat Identification:

Each Reserved Seat is identified by the Section, Row, and Seat Number. (General admission areas are not assigned section, row, or seat numbers)

- Sections: A through G

- Rows are numbered beginning with Row 1 closest to the field. Sections B through F have 6 rows. Sections A and G have 4 rows (numbered 3 through 6). Row 6 in each section is above the main Reserved Seating area, at the front of the walkway.

- Seats are numbered beginning with Seat #1 in each section, on the first base end of each section.

The floor plans used for the creation of the Seating Chart were provided by the MU Space Planning and Management office, with special assistance by Mark C. Meade, C.A.,
Engineering Records Coordinator .

FAQ: Going to the Game

How do I get to Simmons Field?

Three ways to go:

1) Take the Stadium Blvd. Exit off I-70, head south on Stadium Blvd. for about 4 miles to Providence Road. Turn right (south) on Providence. Less than 1 block later, turn right on Carrie Francke Drive (directly across from the football stadium). Simmons Field/Taylor Stadium is at the top of the hill

2) Take the Providence Road Exit off I-70, head south on Providence Road about 3 miles. Less than 1 block past the Stadium Blvd intersection, turn right on Carrie Francke Drive (directly across from the football stadium). Simmons Field/Taylor Stadium is at the top of the hill.

3) Take the Highway 63 Exit off I-70, follow Hwy 63 South (see Hwy 63 directions, next); Take the Stadium Blvd Exit, head west on Stadium Blvd about 2.5 miles. Turn left (south) at Providence Road. Less than 1 block later, turn right on Research Park Drive (directly across from the football stadium). Simmons Field/Taylor Stadium is at the top of the hill.

Where can I park at Simmons Field?

The parking lot closest to the ballpark, at the top of the hill, is NOT OPEN to athletic event parking between 8 AM and 5 PM. Your car will very likely be towed if you do not follow this restriction. After 5:00, fans may use that lot.

The paved lot just to the south of that lot (still at the top of the hill) IS OPEN to athletic event parking at ALL HOURS. However, for many baseball games, that lot is reserved for staff and others with special passes.

A gravel lot running along the south of the Walton Soccer/Track Stadium is also open to baseball parking.

Parking will probably not be allowed on the side of the road leading down the hill.

There are parking lots at the bottom of the hill, south of the ballpark, that are also available for athletic event parking. Occasionally a golf cart, driven by a crazed Event Staff employee, will be available to give weary fans a lift up the Summit.

Also, there is a walkway over Providence Road, connecting the Faurot Field football parking area with Simmons Field. When other events do not conflict, parking may be available there.

Where SHOULD I park?

As any college baseball fan knows, foul balls are drawn by a mysterious scientific force to the windows of cars parked in stadium parking lots. Therefore, if you park in one of the lots at the top of the hill, the safest spot is farthest away from the ballpark, or behind some Jayhawk's van.

Where should I sit at Simmons Field?

Anywhere you want. Seriously, people move all over the place. Even the people with reserved seats sit wherever they feel like. The only exception is on those occasions when there is a packed house, when you might not be able to sit in someone's reserved seat.

The fans of the visiting team generally sit along the 1st base line, above the visitors' dugout. But they are generally free to sit wherever they want. They usually don't stay sitting in front of me for very long, though, unless they wear ear plugs (or ear muffs, given the weather at Simmons Field).

It doesn't take long upon your first to Simmons Field to figure out where the bad sight lines are. Some people choose to sit in the bleachers higher up in the stands, to put some distance between their eyes and the black netting of the backstop. Personally, the netting doesn't bother me. I sit in the fourth row up from the backstop and enjoy the view just find.

There is also a covered pavilion along the third base line, where some people enjoying watching the game from a different perspective. There are only a few benches and picnic tables there, but some people bring in their own seating.

There is no outfield seating at Simmons Field.

Simmons Field Weather

That nice spring-like weather you felt when you walked out of lunch does not mean you should show up in shorts and a T-shirt.

The general wisdom among regular fans of MU Baseball is that it is always 10 degrees colder at Simmons Field than anywhere else in Columbia.

Some days you can literally feel the drop in the temperature as you climb the stairs from the ballpark entrance to the stands.

It's a good idea, therefore, to dress warmer than you think you logically ought to. Think layers. After all, you're going to spend most of the time sitting in one spot, not moving around generating body heat.

What can I take into the ballpark?

I regularly walk into Taylor Stadium with a medium-sized duffel bag or backpack. The Event Staff has gotten more diligent in the past couple of years about searching for food and drink. But there are ways.

If you try to walk into the ballpark with visible food, the Event Staff will almost certainly not let you take it in.

Alcoholic beverages are NOT allowed into Simmons Field.

Is there food available at the ballpark?

Of course there is. The concession stand is operated by campus concessionaires, the same people who manage food sales for all MU athletic events.

The menu is pretty tame, nothing to knock your socks off, but it is typical ballpark food.