Daikin Park is still one of the few modern stadiums that feels like Houston. The Crawford Boxes are a dare. The roof changes the whole atmosphere depending on the night. And for 17 seasons, Tal’s Hill sat out there in dead center like the ballpark was winking at you.
Brian McTaggart’s retrospective is basically a reminder that baseball is slowly sanding down its own personality. Tal’s Hill didn’t “stand the test of time,” as he put it — it created more conversation than it created nightly defensive chaos. But it absolutely messed with hitters, who’d do the mental math, watch a ball carry 435 feet to straightaway center… and still not get paid off with a homer.