BUSCH STADIUM - St Louis, MO

dodgers vs cardinals - july 13, 2006 - on arrival to the new ballpark ridiculously dubbed "baseball heaven," one gets the feeling that it was kind of thrown together. sort of "rushed" to completion. well, any misgivings of the fake-looking bricks on the exterior quickly dissappear once inside. the view of the skyline, the close-set seating and the ample vantage points make this brand new park a true rival of any in baseball. the cards are beloved and the fans deserve this lovely stadium. and if they can just work on venting some of the overwhelming smoke from the countless grills in the concourses away from the spectators, they may have something really special. it's not quite heaven, but it's still pretty darn good.

atmosphere: 8

viewability: 9

architecture: 7

peanuts: 6