New York Baseball Fans, Give Citi Field and Yankee Stadium a Chance

"Everything old is new again," as the song goes.  For the past couple of years and especially this past winter, Mets and Yankees fans alike have been anticipating their shiny new ballparks.  There were plenty of complaints about the old ones, using colorful adjectives like dark, dingy, dumpy, dreadful.  Funny how they all begin with the letter "D" as in demolish.

So, the calendar turns to April.  Opening Day is getting closer.  Fans are going crazy trying to get tickets from any source possible.  The stadiums are selling out for preseason exhibition games and even a college game.  Everyone can't wait to get inside these pristine stadiums.

But wait—how much do the tickets cost?  A hot dog and beer went up 50 percent?  Parking fees are ridiculous.  And we haven't even seen a game yet.

What about the blind spots and poor sightlines?  At Citi Field, nobody can hit a home run.  A few miles away at Yankee Stadium, balls are flying out, especially to right field. 

Oh wait, my view was obstructed on that last one.

First and foremost, the business of baseball costs a lot to run—especially in New York, where expectations are always high and winning is the only option.  You want a new stadium?  You want that stud pitcher?  These things aren't cheap.  You have to pay for quality.

As for the stadiums themselves, give the teams time to work out the kinks.  Changes will be made that will enhance each ballpark.  But understand that nothing will ever be perfect for the most discerning fans in the sport.  However, a world championship would make people forget a lot of these "imperfections."