Don't we already know this?

I wonder if they plan on fresh or salt water?

I assume they know what they're doing, but given how water conducts sound and how disturbed fish get by someone knocking on the glass I hope they're somewhat protected from foul balls/wild pitches/errant throws banging on the glass.

It's a cool idea.

May 12, 2012: Josh Thole becomes the first major-league player to be pecked to death by seagulls during a game.

@ 2 -- presumably, if the description "installed inside the wall behind the home-plate wall" is accurate and not just clunky writing, there's a gap between the actual wall and the tank itself. Or the glass is extremely thick.

Either way, my assumption is that the fish et al will be visible from the field-- couldn't that be distracting to the fielders? I mean, I know they're professionals, but if I was on the mound waiting for the catcher's signal and I saw a, I don't know, reef shark attack a trout, I'd stare.

“The reason this has never been done before, is not that it can’t be done,” Marlins president David Samson said. “It’s because no one thought to do it.”

Can't argue with that...

This is going to be the LAMEST stadium of all time - I can't wait!

What if they miscalculated, and a Bryce Harper foul ball shatters one of the tanks - with fish and water gushing on to the field. Do they have to call the game?

What if they miscalculated, and a Bryce Harper foul ball shatters one of the tanks - with fish and water gushing on to the field. Do they have to call the game?

"And now Harper is trying to save the fish... But he's being attacked by a reef shark! This is a dark day for baseball."

The original plans for Petco called for a tank full of priests behind home plate.

The home run feature has a water laced with acid theme.

The San Francisco park at China Basin was going to have a "giants" theme -- Goliath, Wilt Chamberlain and the like -- but it all fell apart when officials couldn't decide whether to honor Allison Hayes or Daryl Hannah as the 50-foot woman.

Either way, my assumption is that the fish et al will be visible from the field-- couldn't that be distracting to the fielders?

That was my question - wouldn't fish swimming around behind the batter potentially create a distraction for the ball coming off the bat?

They should fill the tank with white fish when they're at bat, and dark-colored fish when they're in the field.

They should fill the tank with...dark-colored fish when they're in the field.

Or they could fill it with squids and octopodes and agitate them at appropriate times.

The fish will be protected by shatter-proof glass, and the team has been ensured the fish will be safe.

Is this really a sentence from a professionally written piece?

"ensured"? Really?

"And now Harper is trying to save the fish... But he's being attacked by a reef shark! This is a dark day for baseball."

"And heeeeeeere cooooooome the brine shrimp!"

The more they talk, the more Ace Ventura this whole stadium gets. I freaking love it.

The aquarium is ####### awesome.

I doubt they will have anything resembling carnivorous fish. From mock-ups it doesn't really look like they will be at all distracting to the fielders, though could be wrong.

Hopefully they realize the fish need to be fed...and the tank cleaned once in awhile.

Pushawww.... The Wilpons have had the Mets underwater for some time now.

This is so pointless. Is anyone going to be more inclined to go to a game because of this? No, I didn't think so.

This is so pointless. Is anyone going to be more inclined to go to a game because of this? No, I didn't think so.

I kinda wanna go. I'm 5,000KM away, but still...

Enjoy your team, taxpayers of Miami!

I doubt they will have anything resembling carnivorous fish.

There are very few truly vegetarian fish. Generally speaking if it's big enough to fit in a fish's mouth then in it will go if the fish can catch it. Ask anyone who's had live bearers in their tank.

A 450 gallon tank isn't that big, it's about 60 cubic feet. So maybe 10 ft long, 2 ft wide and 3 ft tall. I doubt any but the most eagle-eyed infielder would be able to discern what any fish was doing from their position in the field unless they put a couple of humungous fish like Jack Dempseys or Oscars in there.

Edit: And yeah, I hope they contract out the fish-keeping.

Is anyone going to be more inclined to go to a game because of this?

Troy McClure.

If you had told me that a MLB team was about to do something supremely dumb in their stadium, I would have snap guessed "Marlins!".

I kinda wanna go. I'm 5,000KM away, but still...

Why? You'd have to be sitting right next to the aquarium for it to have any value to you. Just go to an aquarium, where you'll have a better (and cheaper) fish viewing experience.

Troy McClure.

Winner.

Is this really a sentence from a professionally written piece?

My personal favorite was:

With the stadium sitting in the shadows of the Atlantic Ocean, the organization feels it is only natural to display a couple of aquariums.

Yes, the Atlantic Ocean looms over the stadium. I hope the Army Corps of Engineers built those dams strong.

Just go to an aquarium, where you'll have a better (and cheaper) fish viewing experience.

Aquaria are expensive. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has a ticket price of $34.95.

...“In other ballparks, behind home plate, there was a lot of brick and limestone, or just green padding,” Samson said. “We just sat down and said, ‘What can we do with this part of the ballpark that’s never been done?’ And we just came up with the idea, ‘How about an aquarium, is that even possible?’”

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Haven't been to an aquarium recently, have you? The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has a ticket price of $34.95.

Yes, I have been to an aquarium recently. $35 is significantly cheaper than the seats right by the aquarium will go for (not to mention you get actual variety of exhibits at an aquarium and $35 is not a lot more than the cheapest ticket at the stadium will be), and if you don't have those seats then the aquarium is pretty much useless. It provides no value if you are sitting in the outfield, upper deck or down the baselines. So again I ask, is anyone going to be more inclined to go to a baseball game because of this? It's two fairly small aquariums in the most expensive part of the ball park. After a few rows you likely won't even be able to see it so long as there are people in the seats. You won't be able to see the fish on TV either. They're just there to be there and to sound cool in press releases.

This is how you waste 2.4 billion dollars.

Aquaria are expensive. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has a ticket price of $34.95.

It is, but it's a pretty great place. The Amazon Rising and the Living Reef exhibits alone justify that expense. I've been a member for 8 years and it's worth every single penny. But pretty much all the museums and the Brookfield Zoo are fairly pricey to non-members. The Lincoln Park zoo is free, of course.

The Chicago library has free passes, you can reserve them in advance. I think, they used to anyway.

The San Francisco park at China Basin was going to have a "giants" theme -- Goliath, Wilt Chamberlain and the like -- but it all fell apart when officials couldn't decide whether to honor Allison Hayes or Daryl Hannah as the 50-foot woman.

Fortunately, Daryl Hannah will probably find a home in one of the fish tanks. Tom Hanks will of course buy season tickets.

This is great. I hope it works. Even if it fails, it'll be glorious.

I'm just glad the Marlins didn't go with an overdone retro ballpark scheme. Those are played out and make even less sense in a place like Miami where there was never an "original" retro ballpark to begin with.

The fish will be protected by shatter-proof glass, and the team has been ensured the fish will be safe.

Unless that crazy Riggs comes to a game with his partner Murtaugh.

#33

I've been to both the Brookfield Zoo and the Lincoln Park Zoo on separate trips to Chicago, and I actually liked the Lincoln Park Zoo better. Is this normal? Reasonable?

I've been to both the Brookfield Zoo and the Lincoln Park Zoo on separate trips to Chicago, and I actually liked the Lincoln Park Zoo better. Is this normal? Reasonable?

I'm not one to say what's normal or reasonable. LPZ is more compact, and it's free. Parking's a #####, but that's the neighborhood. You can easily sally forth from there to eat, at Brookfield you're pretty much stuck with their overpriced eats unless you bring your own. Brookfield has beer, however.

Brookfield's got more exhibits and a lot more ground to cover. If you're a member the costs go down really quickly, especially since membership confers free parking.

Rating them on exhibits, I'd say they rank about the same on primates. Both have quality great ape exhibits, although the LPZ one is more intimate. This may translate to more stress for the apes, but I haven't asked them. LPZ lost its lemur exhibit along with other lesser primates a few years ago, maybe about the time that Jim and Dan set up the fora. Coincidence? Anyway, demerits to LPZ. Having the very human-interested white cheeked gibbon on prominent display is a plus for LPZ.

Both zoos have had trouble with elephants. Brookfield's got an edge with other charismatic megafauna, and their dolphin show is pretty great. I think Brookfield stresses evolutionary niche and conservation more than LPZ.

I'm happy at either, and a member at Brookfield. Such is life with a 9 year old. I'd say we're at the aquarium and the zoo once a month on average. It's nice to live in a city with this kind of stuff so readily available.

With this, baseball moves ever closer to the "Naked Gun" Diamondvision blooper reel. How can this be a bad thing?

I have never been to Miami but this makes me want to take a trip.

Both have quality great ape exhibits, although the LPZ one is more intimate.

And by "intimate," he means "feces-flinging."

I never thought a new stadium would so perfectly encapsulate living in Florida.