Imo, there's no way that a historically iconic ball club like the Yankess should every play in anything other than a traditional open air stadium. They're the most beautiful sports venues in the world.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Luke Gregerson will open the season as the Astros primary closer, A.J. Hinch said. Hinch did not rule out chance Giles gets some save oops.</p>— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) <a href="https://twitter.com/jakemkaplan/status/716983696948076545">April 4, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
You can build retractable roof stadiums now a days that are still primarily outdoor looking stadiums. Hell, the one in Seattle is a perfect example (roof is just used as a cover for rain. No air conditioning piped in or anything to make it fully enclosed). Rain delays and postponements would never be missed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yankees-Astros opener will be played tomorrow at 1:05 PM.</p>— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackCurryYES/status/716972840470384642">April 4, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dallas Keuchel will still pitch tomorrow in opener vs. Yankees. Hinch says Gregerson will be primary closer. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> <a href="https://t.co/tNohCbWruE">pic.twitter.com/tNohCbWruE</a></p>— Simone Eli (@SimoneEli_KPRC) <a href="https://twitter.com/SimoneEli_KPRC/status/716982799308292096">April 4, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Retractable roofed stadiums still feel indoors, IMO Roofs need walls. Minute Maid and Reliant both feel indoors, especially Reliant. MM only has one side (out of 4) that's truly open.
That is true of the current Yankee stadium. Only CF really has a view. Every other direction is bleachers.
I think most stadiums are like that. The other directions are much more open than a retractable roofed stadium, though. The roof forces the sides to be too tall, giving the stadium an airplane hanger feel. You think MM and Reliant feel open?
Safeco doesn't work that way. The downside is that, if the wind blows, rain can blow in from the sides in certain sections. But at least it's a bit more open and isn't entirely walled
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Meanwhile in Houston... <a href="https://t.co/o42DrpV9U6">pic.twitter.com/o42DrpV9U6</a></p>— Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/717036820505169920">April 4, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I've never been to Reliant. MMP felt that way, but I was also sitting in the Crawford boxes last time I was there and the roof was closed. I've only been one other time, and that was 2000 or 2001, which is difficult to recall.
When MMP is open... it feels open. In fact, it has better overall openess/views than Yankee Stadium does.
Reliant was a domed stadium built to open. Same with Skydome. The new era of retractable roof baseball parks are open air stadiums built to be able to close if needed. MMP had to take it one step further, since most of the season ends up closed, thus the window-wall... but it has a totally different feel when its open.
