View from above: Exploring the fifth deck at Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre is one of the rare big league ballparks with five decks. Here's a look at the sky high view.

TORONTO -- Rogers Centre in Toronto will host Game 5 of the ALCS on Wednesday afternoon, a game the home Blue Jays must win to extend the series. The Royals lead the best-of-7 series 3-1 following Tuesday's Game 4 blowout win (KC 14, TOR 2).

Rogers Centre, which opened in 1989 and is already the seventh-oldest park in MLB, is also one of the most unique ballparks in baseball. It was the first North American stadium with a fully retractable roof, and there is a hotel in center field. Fans can check in and watch the game from their rooms.

Furthermore, Rogers Centre is the rare ballpark that features five seating decks. Most parks have two or three decks. Rogers Centre has five. And yes, there have been some fifth-deck home runs over the years. Edwin Encarnacion hit one earlier this season:

As you might imagine, the view from the fifth deck is ... distant. It really feels like you're a mile away from the action. Here's a view from the last row of section 542 in left-center field, as far back from home plate as you can get. (All photos taken by Eye on Baseball)

That's not the highest seat in the ballpark, however. Near the right field foul pole, in Section 509, you can climb up to row 29 for a wonderfully obstructed view of the field. You have the light standard hanging overhead as well as the crane holding up the foul pole right in front of your face. On the bright side, you have an up-close view of the retractable roof structure.

I'm a bit of a tall building nerd -- the architecture and structural design fascinate me -- and it's incredible to see the massive roof structure up close and realize the thing moves. It's an impressive piece of engineering. Anyway, slide over a section or two and your view is really obstructed by the light standard.

Section 509 is still not the highest seat in the house though. No, you have to climb up to row 37 (!) in section 515 along the first base side to get as high as possible. The view is not as obstructed here, though you are subject to the constant hum of what I assume is the park's air conditioning system running behind you. Again, you have a nice view of the roof.

These photos don't really do the fifth level at Rogers Centre justice. You can obviously see the field and the action, but I don't think I've ever sat that high up or that far away at the upper deck in any other ballpark. It's intimidatingly high.

That's not a bad thing though. The nosebleeds -- these are the nosebleediest nosebleeds I've ever seen -- are charming in their own way. There aren't many parks with five seating decks, and when you add in the roof, the sound echos throughout the place. Rogers Centre is definitely one of the loudest buildings I've ever experienced.