Astros considering removing hill from center field at Minute Maid Park

The Houston Astros are considering removing Tal's Hill from center field at Minute Maid Park for the 2016 season. Astros president of baseball operations Reid Ryan explained that they are going to explore all renovation options to the hill, including what it would look like if the hill was gone altogether.

The Houston Astros are considering removing Tal's Hill from center field at Minute Maid Park for the 2016 season, the Houston Chronicle's Evan Drellich reports. 

Astros president of baseball operations Reid Ryan explained that they are going to explore all renovation options to the hill, including what it would look like if the hill was gone altogether. 

“It won’t be this year. It would be after next year,” Ryan said of the potential facelift. “People talk about Tal’s Hill. ‘Is Tal’s Hill going away?’ We’re going to look at designs of, ‘What would that look like if we took it away?’”

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Ryan said the Hill is not the only change being considered to the stadium. Other options being explored include moving the bullpens, adding an Astros Hall of Fame and creating a non-ticketed space, such as a roof deck or restaurant, Drellich reports.

“We’re going to keep evolving,” Ryan said. “That’s one of the things (owner Jim Crane) started with us from day one is: we’re moving forward. … We’re going to do something in the outfield. I don’t know what exactly that means yet: could be Tal’s Hill. It could be bullpens. It could be adding cabooses to the train. It could be adding something in center field of meaning. It could be putting in a Hall of Fame.

Minute Maid Park in Houston opened in March of 2000 and became the new home of the Astros after years in the Astrodome. 

The Astros finished 70-92 this season and fired manager Bo Porter in September. They hired former Diamondback manager A.J. Hinch to replace him.

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