The Astros Are Removing Their Centerfield Hill For The 2016 Season

When Minute Maid Park in Houston opened at the start of the 2000 baseball season, a lot of its customized features were praised by fans, such as the train that runs beyond the left field wall, as well as its retractable roof. But one feature that always seemed more polarizing was the small hill that was built in center field.

It would come to be known Tal’s Hill, named for former Astros President Tal Smith, and it’s a slight 10-degree slope that sits within the playing boundaries in the deepest part of center field. For 16 seasons, major league outfielders have had to do their best to maneuver around it (or over it, in some cases) to make a play on a ball that’s been hit in that area.

To date, the hill has caused no injuries, but Astros management apparently felt a change was needed because plans are now in place to remove it for the 2016 season.

“As you know, Tal’s Hill, some people love it, some people hate it,” Astros owner Jim Crane said. “We just thought it would be a better ballpark by moving that in. It will still be a very deep center field. There’s always been concern with the flag poles in play and danger in that and also the injuries going up the Hill, so we think this would be better for the players, utilize the space better and be a very pretty ballpark.”

Here’s an artist’s rendering of how the new center field area will look without the hill, courtesy of Astros beat reporter Brian McTaggart.