Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

The photo of the week shows us just how close the new season is -- sure, they're already playing ball all over the place, but here in Toronto we have a couple more days until we can see the game up close and personal.

Click on the image to see a larger version.

Yep, that's the new Field Turf at Rogers Centre, as seen yesterday afternoon. That little truck was zipping all over the place, dumping what appeared to be sand onto the field, which looked about 90% ready. I wanted to have a gander at the out of town scoreboards, but the outfield wall was totally missing, so no sneak peek for me on that one. Also, I remembered hearing Paul Godfrey say that the ribbon boards would run all the way around the 300 level, but they either will not go all the way around or they're not fully installed yet -- the boards end around the dugouts on either side, with the space behind home plate empty.

They were testing them out, and the brightness that they can kick out is really astonishing. I bet they'll look superb even in direct sunlight.

I can't wait to see them in action on Opening Day. Sadly, my seats are in 543, which has no view of the JumboTron or the outfield walls, so I guess I'll have to just watch the ballgame.

Posted by Named For Hank on Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 12:00 PM EDT.

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Kieran - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 12:05 PM EDT (#109248) #

Great photo NFH. Is the warning track actually made of sand/dirt instead of death-rubber, as in the past?

Does anyone know if the new turf is permanent (ie cover it up for monster truck rallies) or does it get taken up each time another event comes in? If they roll it up, do the pellets need to be vacuumed up?

kpataky - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 12:19 PM EDT (#109255) #

This stuff cannot be "rolled up". It's permanent.

Jonny German - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 12:30 PM EDT (#109257) #

Actually Kevin, they were talking on the radio broadcast yesterday about how this field can be removed, as opposed to the one in the Trop, which is permanent. It's a matter of stacking up sections, which is how the Argos have done it, as opposed to rolling.

Great photo Aaron. Looks like a real baseball field, especially the warning track.

daryn - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 12:32 PM EDT (#109258) #

Apparently the Argos are going to continue to use their own turf... at least that is what Pinball said a couple months ago.

kpataky - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 12:37 PM EDT (#109259) #

I would think it would be very difficult and time consuming to get the seams all covered and filled back in if it were "taken up". The faux dirt they use us actually ground up used tires and has to be maticulously raked back into place (into the seams). It took a month and a half of grooming to get it right at Gill Stadium last year (New Hampshire Fisher Cats's Double-A affiliate for Toronto).

Field Turf

Named For Hank - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 12:56 PM EDT (#109262) #

Great photo NFH. Is the warning track actually made of sand/dirt instead of death-rubber, as in the past?

I didn't get to walk on it (maybe this weekend I'll get a chance), but it looks like dirt or faux-dirt instead of the Rubbermaid stuff that was there before.

Maybe the Argos will lay down their portafield on top of the Jays' turf, without removing the one underneath?

Flex - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 01:01 PM EDT (#109263) #

In the pictures I've seen the warning track looks more like clay-coloured grass fibres than pebbles or dirt. Or is that just a trick of the eye?

I'd have thought they'd want a different texture to signal the approach of the wall for fielders who are looking over their shoulder while running back.

sweat - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 01:03 PM EDT (#109264) #

FYI, the little truck dumping sand, is called a Sandboni.

the shadow - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 01:09 PM EDT (#109266) #

Any thoughts on how this field turf will affect the Jay's play defensively over the old carpet

kpataky - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 01:11 PM EDT (#109267) #

Actually, it is written that the Field Turf at SkyDome will be removable.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS SELECT FIELDTURF FOR SKYDOME

whaler35 - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 01:34 PM EDT (#109272) #

Tampa has dirt basepaths/infield cutout which makes it look more like a grass park. The earlier photos of the new turf at the Dome look like they still have the dirt base Pods with turf in between. Can you confirm this NFH?

Christopher - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 01:48 PM EDT (#109273) #

whaler35, I'm pretty sure Godfrey mentioned dirt cutouts when the renovations were first announced.

Ryan C - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 01:53 PM EDT (#109275) #

Actually I think I remember Godfrey saying that "pods" was the way they were going. Something to do with them not liking the seam between the infield and outfield along the basepaths and the ball taking weird bounces when it ran into it.

Named For Hank - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 02:00 PM EDT (#109277) #

Click on the image for a larger version.

That answer your question? ;)

kpataky - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 02:01 PM EDT (#109278) #

This article details the install at Rogers Centre a little bit better.

Pistol - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#109281) #

"Any thoughts on how this field turf will affect the Jay's play defensively over the old carpet"

It'll be interesting to see if it changes the Jays park factor. I imagine that it's possible it'll go down as there'll be less ground balls going further than they would on grass (so less singles through the infields and liners that roll to the wall for doubles).

R Billie - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 02:53 PM EDT (#109285) #

Yep. Though it probably shouldn't affect homeruns or the way balls hit on a line carry. Unless the sight of the turf has an effect on batter psyche. Seems doubtful as the Jays hit three out yesterday on the Tropicana turf.

But I'm thinking that the new turf will take a lot of pressure off the infield having to play deep. It might also result in more plays that have to be charged hard to make in time so I don't know if that evens things out.

binnister - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 02:57 PM EDT (#109286) #

I imagine that it's possible it'll go down as there'll be less ground balls going further than they would on grass (so less singles through the infields and liners that roll to the wall for doubles).

hmmm...a little worrisome for a team that lost a lot of power over the off-season (one assumes that the turf won't effect the HR rate :) ). Oh well, what's done is done. My gut still tells me that the turf change is a net positive for the team.

Christopher - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 02:59 PM EDT (#109287) #

Thanks for the link Kevin.

I think I'm even excited for the red clay warning track. Friday should be a lot of fun.

3RunHomer - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 04:32 PM EDT (#109302) #

Speaking of photos ... wanna see something COOL? Go to maps.google.com and type in 1 blue jay way, toronto, ontario. You'll get a map, but the COOL thing is to click on the "satellite" link in the upper right-hand corner. Satellite image of the stadium! COOOOOOOOOOOL.

sweat - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 05:39 PM EDT (#109319) #

I'm hoping this hurts the teams that are slower than us a lot more than it hurts us.

Original Ryan - Tuesday, April 05 2005 @ 05:50 PM EDT (#109323) #

You'll get a map, but the COOL thing is to click on the "satellite" link in the upper right-hand corner. Satellite image of the stadium! COOOOOOOOOOOL.

That is cool. I didn't know Google had satellite images. I spent a half hour looking at/spying on various places.

For a more conventional view of downtown Toronto, Airliners.net has a real nice overhead view in their archives.

groove - Wednesday, April 06 2005 @ 09:01 AM EDT (#109558) #

Unfortunately, I believe that the satellite images are anywhere from 2-18 months old- so you won't be able to see the dome open or anything. In totally unrelated news, you can actually tell if the dome is open or closed on a clear day all the way from the Niagra peninsula.

winterball - Wednesday, April 06 2005 @ 11:27 AM EDT (#109578) #

Good shot Aaron. That with the istD.
I hope this new turf turns out to be a winner.

Dave

Mike Green - Wednesday, April 06 2005 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#109586) #

Skydome with the prior turf was conducive to doubles, due to the speed of the surface, and homers due to the dimensions and carry. You would expect that the number of doubles would decrease. In theory, this should make the park a more inviting place for a pitcher with a high G/F ratio. We'll see how it actually works once the turf is installed.

Stellers Jay - Wednesday, April 06 2005 @ 01:07 PM EDT (#109591) #

I want to nominate Billy Koch for next week's photo of the week. Him decked out in TBay hat, foam finger, cheap Huff T-shirt, and the whole time carrying a purse is one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time.

Flex - Wednesday, April 06 2005 @ 01:40 PM EDT (#109599) #

Two questions for those in the know:

I checked out the Google maps satellite image of the Toronto downtown. Is it just me, or is the CN Tower missing? I can see the shadow of the tower, but not the tower itself, and I am freaked out.

These shots of the new turf are great. Is there any chance of getting a few pictures of the turf up close? I'm really curious about the seams. I checked out the Field Turf site, which is filled with testimonials and verbiage from prospective customers, and one of them cited the number of seams in the Toronto installation as being something of a concern. I'm wondering how they've solved the issue.

Named For Hank - Wednesday, April 06 2005 @ 02:05 PM EDT (#109602) #

Yep, Dave, that was the istD with the SMC-M 50mm f1.4.

Flex, I didn't get down to field level, so I don't have any close-up pictures of it. Maybe next week...?

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