Sports
Tropicana Field’s roof rules put Brewers’ outfielders on alert before Game 3
Milwaukee players practiced tracking fly balls against Tropicana Field’s white roof before facing Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the World Series. The stadium’s roof rings also determine whether a ball stays in play or counts as a home run.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Milwaukee Brewers spent extra time practicing high fly balls before Game 3 of the World Series, preparing for a visibility challenge at Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field: white baseballs can be difficult to follow against the stadium’s white roof.
The roof can affect more than a fielder’s view. Tropicana Field has four rings, labeled A through D, and where a ball strikes determines what happens next.
A ball that hits either the A or B ring remains in play. If a fielder catches it, the batter is out; if it lands, play continues. A ball caught in the roof structure is ruled a ground-rule double. Contact with the C or D rings results in a home run.
The roof has factored into postseason play at both teams’ ballparks this year, adding an unusual variable for players and fans to watch as the series moves to Tampa Bay.