Hiroshima Dome?

Today's (Dec. 28) Nikkan Sports reports that it is not a domed stadium that Hiroshima's new owner is thinking of opening by 2007.

With the death of 耕平 (pronounced?) Matsuda in July, a fifth place finish, then the loss of Kanemoto to free agency, it hadn't been a good year for new owner Hajime Matsuda. But he appears to want to turn that all around in the future with a dream to build an asymetric, roofless stadium with a wide open right field and natural grass. A place for the family.

Because Matsuda-owner wants to make the park asymetric, it won't be the usual dimentions. The thing is, though, that I had read somewhere that the current "requirements" for ball parks is a minimum 100 meters down the lines and something like 122 meters to center. So all the the teams are essentially building to the minimum specifications. I had also read that Yokohama Stadium was built after said requirements were put into place, but they didn't quite meet them, so maybe they're just "guidelines" rather than "requirements."

It's interesting that two articles be released on the same day with two very different plans. Perhaps these are a couple of ideas being proposed for the yard just East of Hiroshima Station.

What I find interesting is the new owner's sincere interest in investing some money. Hiroshima has traditionally been rather tight with the pocketbook. And, no offense, but Hiroshima Shimin Kyujyo seems to reflect that. Does anyone know if Hajime is the son of the former owner?

> With the death of 耕平 (pronounced?)

That would be Kohei.

What's so great about domes, anyway? A mate of mine likes to talk about how old and decrepit Koshien is, and how it should be turned into a dome. But I gladly put up with a few rained out games each season in exchange for the pleasure of watching baseball at an outdoor ground on a spring day or summer night.