The video above is a time-elapsed montage of the folks at Taylor Made building an 80-foot replica of their new driver on the right field foul pole at Petco Park in San Diego. The finished club will be ready for the first time tonight when the Phillies begin their series with the Padres. And what excellent timing, because now that the Phillies are hitting home runs again, they finally have something cool to aim at. And indeed it’s all right to aim at the club, because part of it is in fair territory:
The club, TaylorMade's R11 driver, was erected over a three-day period, with the final touches added Wednesday before the start of Thursday night's homestand against the Phillies. The club head is illustrated as a decal on the wall, with the 950-pound hollow shaft and grip rising high above the right-field fence, attached to the foul pole. If a ball hits the shaft above the fence, it'll be a home run.
You hear that, boys? It’s okay to aim for the shaft. In fact, go ahead and strike that shaft repeatedly.
It makes sense that Taylor Made would choose San Diego to erect this giant club, since people in San Diego have nothing to do. But I am concerned that this could spark a whole new era of intrusive foul pole advertising. What’s stopping the folks at Charleston Chew from monopolizing left field in Atlanta? What if Donald Trump wants to build an apartment complex with his name on it at Citi Field? And shouldn’t the left field foul pole at CBP be an 80-foot long cheesesteak? Oh, ‘tis a slippery slope you encounter when you let recreational equipment manufacturers take over a part of your hallowed baseball grounds. I can see Cole Hamels pitching off the top of an enlarged Whopper bun any day now.
