Hill in centerfield????
 

I caught a highlight of Berkman catching a flyball in centerfield of (I think) Pirate park at the beginning of the weekend and he had to go uphill as he approached the wall.....what's the deal with this? My apologies if I got the park wrong but like I said...I just caught the tail end of the highlight. Anyone know what the deal with this is? Or was I just imagining things???

There is a hill in Astros Field. It doesn't serve any purpose that I know of. Just decoration, I guess.

I clicked on the post thinking, that's intriguing, the Cubbies are going to try Bobby Hill in CF to occasionally spell C-Pat, but he'll probably still be most valuable at middle-infield . . . Actually, an even funnier image is Glenallen Hill trying to play CF -- he was awful enough in left.

I also thought the Cubbies had tried Bobby Hill in CF, then I realized that the DH doesn't start for another 90 mins.

That 'Hill' is part of centerfield at Astros Field. It was installed to give the feel of an old(er) ballpark, as some older parks had a hill in center.

I love it. I think it adds defensive challenge to the field - not that Astros Field needs to give anything else to hitters...

Yup. And near the crest of the hill, they've got a flag pole that is also in the field of play. Combine that with the train on the short left-field wall, and you've got a "retro" pinball machine. I think if you hit the flag pole you should get 3 bonus runs and a fourth out in the half-inning.

It in Astro's Field
 

"Tal's Hill, a 5-foot high, 90-foot wide grassy knoll in center named affectionately (that's what they say, anyway) for Astros President Tal Smith, who wanted the hill as a tribute to the terrace in Cincinnati's old Crosley Field. "

as quoted from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/13/2000

There *is* a hill in PNC Park in center field, but it is over the wall where the HR's land.

I also thought Bobby Hill would be playing CF when I saw the thread :)

sorry for the misleading title guys.....unintentional but quite humorous now that I look back at it....I would have thought the same thing.....helped increase the number of looks it got though.....thanks for all the replies. Very interesting and news to me.....would love to see it in person.

If they ever dig up the hill, I think they will find the missing Enron audit papers from Arthur Anderson (RIP) - either that or Hoffa. Come on, what other possible reason could there be to put it there. Maybe they could add some sand traps in the infield, or some alternating patches of short and very long grass around the OF - some things to liven up the game a bit.

chalk me up as another person who thought bobby hill was playing in center....

i have nothing else to add

See ralph's message.