MLB1h ago
Domed Venues Bring Roofball Twist to World Series
Tampa Bay and Milwaukee share a unique stadium feature that produced unusual outs in the playoffs.
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Comparing the Two Roofs
American Family Field features a retractable roof that spans 600 feet and covers 10.5 acres. It rises 330 feet above the field at its highest point and weighs 12,000 tons. Tropicana Field has a fixed roof that peaks at 225 feet above the infield. Its structure includes 24 panels, each weighing 5,000 pounds. These designs create different possibilities for batted balls to interact with overhead elements during games.
Rules for Roof Contact
At Tropicana Field, four catwalks hang above the field at varying heights. Balls striking the lower two catwalks in fair territory count as home runs. Contact with the upper two keeps the ball in play, while a ball that stays on an upper catwalk results in a ground-rule double. At American Family Field, any batted ball that hits the roof, truss or cable over fair territory stays in play, and fielders can catch it for an out. Contact over foul territory creates a dead ball.
Rare but Notable Roof Plays
Roof strikes remain uncommon. Tropicana Field experiences them more often due to its catwalks, which range from 59 feet to 194 feet above the field. Two recent playoff examples produced outs after launch angles of 49 degrees and 44 degrees with exit velocities of 105.3 miles per hour and 106.4 miles per hour. Professional fielders are trained to track and communicate on these unusual trajectories.
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