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Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny stopped by to perform at Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park on September 1 and 2. The concert was a resounding success, thanks to a sold-out crowd on both nights.
But when the Houston Astros hosted the Texas Rangers two days later, the lush-green field was found in an extremely sad state. There were patches all over and markings of the stage area were still visible. It appeared pathetic; not what you would expect from a major league playing field.
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"The outfield conditions at Minute Maid Park are not great after a Bad Bunny concert was held there" - Talkin' Baseball
Concerts are a great way for ballparks to generate additional revenue. Sometimes, they could end up being more financially rewarding than an MLB game.
Business isn’t the concern here. Stadiums hosting concerts are a popular practice in most sports across the world, not just in baseball.
However, doing so mid-season can rightly be construed as unprofessional.
Not ensuring that the post-concert field conditions get corrected before a game is unacceptable by major league standards.
There’s a way of doing things. Concerts aren’t the problem, but lack of proper planning certainly is.
Is anything going to change in that regard though? Not in the slightest, and not anytime soon. Lady Gaga is scheduled to perform at Minute Maid Park on September 13, followed by Billy Joel on September 23.
Houston Astros hold on for narrow win amid controversy and poor field conditions
Despite the poor field conditions, Martín Maldonado’s second-inning RBI single ensured a narrow 1-0 win for the Houston Astros. The game wasn't without its fair share of controversy.
The Astros had a chance to add to their lead in the eighth. They had runners on first and third with zero outs. Yordan Alvarez hit a pop fly in foul territory that Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe caught. Jose Altuve, who was on third, dashed towards home.
Lowe got the ball to catcher Jonah Heim, who applied the tag before a sliding Altuve tapped the plate. The Astros challenged the decision, but it was upheld.
Was it the right call? Not at all. Replays suggested that Altuve had made it in time.
Four weeks remain until the postseason gets underway. With a 11-game cushion between themselves and the second-placed Mariners in the AL West, the Astros have plenty of breathing space.
