A Sea Of Red

Just wondering, does anyone dislike the new infield surface? Looking at through the process on line I didn't know it would be synthetic. I hope visit by the end of the season. But how does it play?
It probably looks good form the CheapSeats....

Looks great...ball plays a bit slower from what I hear so small ball may be a good strategy

How is the seating arrangement? It looks like there is still work going on around the stadium? Are they charging more for tickets? What does a CheapSeat cost?

CheapSeats wrote:How is the seating arrangement? It looks like there is still work going on around the stadium? Are they charging more for tickets? What does a CheapSeat cost?

There ya go!

Ph. I will enter the stadium with you... Even Bob Uecker would get out of CheapSeats hanging with you.....

I can't wait to get out there to the stadium this spring....

I would love to find a way to get on the infield and field a couple grounders.

I would be out of the CheapSeats and hit you the ball, if you figure out how to get access.

Not a huge fan of the way it looks. Especially behind home plate. Does anybody know if that's the final product? Sharp perfect angles coming together behind the plate. No logo. Nothing. I'm sure it's high quality turf but it just looks too plain and too perfect. Needs a giant logo button or something.

Makes sense that the extra work putting in a logo may have gotten pushed back in order the just get the field playable for opening weekend. I'm sure we'll see something.

Sorry to keep asking questions about the field, but some things are not easily seen from way up here in the CheapSeats, do the players wear some sort of soft cleats or molded cleats? I am sure they can't use Metal (but I would assume they need both types because they play on a variety of surfaces)

Based on what Ive read after seeing your post, my guess is they probably use a turf shoe of some sort for the new field here (or anywhere else they have synthetic grass), and then have cleats with interchangeable metal spikes for grass surfaces

BJWilliams wrote:Based on what Ive read after seeing your post, my guess is they probably use a turf shoe of some sort for the new field here (or anywhere else they have synthetic grass), and then have cleats with interchangeable metal spikes for grass surfaces

That makes sense, thanks

CheapSeats wrote:Sorry to keep asking questions about the field, but some things are not easily seen from way up here in the CheapSeats, do the players wear some sort of soft cleats or molded cleats? I am sure they can't use Metal (but I would assume they need both types because they play on a variety of surfaces)

You need a pair of binoculars.

you got it BJ. They got 2 pairs this year, the position players also have a pair of "molded" plastic spikes, and then metals for road games. No interchangeables - those things were cheap and always end up falling out...

Finally got to go to my first game at the new park today. I really hope the infield speeds up with use. It's going to be hard to put up runs between the new bats, the slow infield and the wall of death when hitting the ball to left field. I didn't see one bad hop but man it is abnormally slow. Should be able to recruit some great pitchers, right handed power hitters numbers are really going to drop unless the ball carries better when it warms up. The actual facility is going to be amazing though. It really will be a top 50 facility, maybe even higher than that when completed.

I think it was the Vandy interview I posted earlier this season, but someone was talking about how they had to roll the crap outta the base layer to get it firm enough.

I have NO inside knowledge but would have to think it very possible that with us scrambling to get the facility ready in such a short time- we just didn't have the amount of prep into it to get it where we wanted it.

that or it's something you do incrementally until you have it where you want it. Probably easier than playing on concrete then hoping it softens up

definitely a work in progress. Figure they still have to finish the collar area- I'm sure there are graphics going in there somewhere. Maybe even more around the on deck circles, foul areas, etc

either way I'm betting they will tweak it this summer to get it perfect.

Went to the games today and it was a little faster than yesterday. Talked to a few different people who explained the process and said that it does indeed get faster as it packs down more ( i didn't understand but there are some other things that can be done to speed it up). You can't argue with the fact that it gives incredibly true hops though. You would have to have Mark Mcgwire in his roiding days to hit a ball out to left field right now though. Alex absolutely murdered two balls today that were still 30 feet short of the fence. Aanderaud did the same yesterday. It carries better to the right center power alley but let's hope for some warm weather.

kinda nice to have the ball staying in the yard until pitching gets into mid-season form! little home park advantage

This certainly isnt a home run hitters park at this point. In the first 7 games played (8 if you count the Siena-Army game), there has only been one home run hit (Nick Paxton) and that was to right field. By contrast, there have been 17 doubles and 5 triples.

Personally I prefer a slow infield to a fast one. I would not like to see routine ground balls become base hits. As for home runs, I think the cold weather is holding up the ball. Once warmer weather arrives, I think ball will fly better and longer.