Saint Paul wants a ballpark now

We have tried this before, haven't we?

I seem to remember a pitch (forgive the pun) the Twins made a few years ago to build a ballpark in downtown Saint Paul - right across the street from the Xcel Energy Center if memory serves correctly. It didn't go over very well.

According to this morning's Pioneer Press, the Saint Paul Saints will be asking for a mere $25 million in state money to aid the construction of a new ballpark in the Lowertown area of Saint Paul. It seems to be a pretty neat location, as the new Lafayette Bridge will seemingly be visible just beyond the center field wall.

Reasons for needing a new ballpark for the Saints are numerous. Their current home, Midway Stadium is in "bad shape" according to the article - everything from a not-so-well operated concession stand to portable toilets outside the stadium are reasons for the Saints asking for state help.

I've been to a Saints game once. Best seats I've ever had for a baseball game, or any sporting event for that matter. A friend gave me tickets and he was one of the first to buy season tickets all the way back in 1993 when the Saints first started. He gave me four seats, front row, right behind home plate.

I can't say, even all those years ago, that Midway Stadium was impressive. It is a minor-league ballpark, after all. I do remember the long concession lines. Mike Veeck, owner of the Saints said in the article that the main problem at Midway is the concession service. "People get in line, and aren't seen for 3 1/2 innings," he said.

Midway has played host to some concerts, and other than Saints games, amateur baseball games. And, for a small concrete slab with bleachers on Energy Park Drive, isn't incredibly impressive, as I mentioned earlier. As for a possible replacement, Veeck said, "[We're] trying to figure out what would make it fun, sexy and first of it's kind...."

Just what on the blue earth makes a ballpark "sexy"? That's a new one to me. Most teams that build new buildings, whatever level of play, whatever sport, usually use words such as "unique," "first-class" and "modern" to describe their new buildings. "Sexy," not so much.

I saw some renderings of what a new ballpark might look like (I tried to find them online, with no luck). Honestly, they didn't get me excited. It looked a little strange for a ballpark. On the other hand, the Saints and strange antics seem to go hand-in-hand. But, nonetheless, the renderings I saw didn't say to me, "unique" or "first-class" or..."sexy;" whatever that means.