Trevor Megill is furious with Tropicana Field’s roof, the same rule that saved his team in the NLDS. In baseball, the roof over a ballpark can sometimes become as big a talking point as the action unfolding beneath it. Criticism surrounding Tropicana Field’s roof is nothing new. But hearing it from a player whose own home ballpark was at the center of a controversial home run call during the NLDS adds an unexpected twist.
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The Brewers’ American Family Field was the very place where San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France was denied a potential game-winning home run, making Megill’s remarks all the more ironic.
“Whoever decided to make the roof the same g*ddamn color as the baseball is a f**king idiot,” Talkin’ Baseball quoted Megill.
The Brewers’ home park also has a retractable roof, but Tropicana Field’s design is unique.
The first two World Series games were played under a closed roof. However, what makes Tropicana Field’s roof controversial is its color. The roof’s off-white, slanted fiberglass color makes tracking fly balls notoriously difficult.
It is much more difficult for the fielders to track the fly balls. MLB’s amended rule around fly balls hitting the roof made things more complicated.
Per MLB, if a batted ball strikes the roof or a support cable over fair territory, it remains completely live and in play. If a fielder catches the deflection before it touches the ground, the batter is out. If it drops to the turf, it is played as a live hit.
The Brewers were seen practising fly balls and ricochets ahead of Game 3. But their $4.7 million star was left frustrated with the same color roof of Tropicana Field.
Ironically, it’s the Brewers’ own home park that helped them win the NLDS Game 1 against the Padres.
In the top of the ninth inning, with the Padres trailing 3-2 and a runner on first base, first baseman Ty France launched a towering, 105.3 mph fly ball off Megill. The ball struck a support cable dangling from the retractable roof structure over fair territory.
Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio tracked the sudden shift in trajectory. He made the catch on the warning track for a live-ball out.
The Brewers eventually won the game.
Yet, per Megill, Tropicana Field’s roof color will make it difficult to catch a fly ball even if it is not touching the roof.
The Brewers face the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday in Game 3 with a 2-0 lead. Beyond the traditional faceoff between the ball and wood, Tropicana Field’s roof could also play a role in altering the game outcome.