D’oh!

Home-plate entrance to Isotopes Park, Aug-2004.

The seating bowl, as seen from the berm in right field.

A mound in straightaway center field breaks up the fence line.

Chronological Tour: Stop 280

• Location: Avenida Cesar Chavez (I-25 exit 223) at University Avenue, Albuquerque, N.M. (map it using Google Maps)
• Opened: 2003 as Isotopes Park
• Additional names: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park (2020)
• Home team: Albuquerque Isotopes, Pacific Coast League (2003-present)
• Capacity: 12,700

Rating: 4 baseballs

They built a brand-new stadium on the site of the old Albuquerque Sports Stadium, where the Dukes had played for 32 seasons in a park that was showing its age. They kept the playing field in the same place and started over with the facility, which now features a walk-around outfield, with an expansive right-field berm replacing the old “drive-in” area. There is also half an upper deck, on the left-field side helping screen out the setting sun for the players.

To me, though, the park has one fatal flaw. While it is 428 feet to very near center field, the stadium builders put a large semicircular mound in dead center field, shortening the straightaway distance to 400 feet and also creating a hazard for a center fielder attempting to make a play. I’m honestly surprised there haven’t been broken ankles approaching that spot.

Oh, and the big baseball on the corner of University Avenue and Avenida Cesar Chavez has been retained. The park is one of three athletic facilities on the corner, the other two being University Stadium and University Arena (“The Pit”), which host football and basketball for the University of New Mexico.

After 17 seasons bearing only the name of the team, Isotopes Park acquired a naming rights sponsorship with Rio Grande Credit Union effective with the 2020 season.