Rays installing new playing surface at The Trop
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Jan 31, 2011 
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Just saw this mentioned on MLB Network and thought I’d bring it up here on the blog, if only because nasty visions of faded green began floating through my head.
The Rays are installing AstroTurf at Tropicana Field. The name alone makes you think of the rough, fast carpet that used to cover baseball fields all around the league, but this isn’t the old school turf made famous in Houston. This AstroTurf is similar to what’s currently used in Toronto.
“This turf is probably a little bit slower; our turf was getting real fast,” Rays infield coach Tom Foley told the St. Pete Times. “It’s a darker green, it looks real good to the eye. The rolls are true, there’s no snaking, and we should get the same hops we’re used to. It just may be slower.”
The Times notes that the new turf is “less bouncy” than the stuff used in Toronto.
It features a horseshoe-shaped polymer fiber that the company says will remain upright longer to create a more “grass-like, uniform, predictable” surface, leave fewer rug burns when fielders slide or dive…”
I’m sure this is a technological advancement, but I’d rather see the game played on natural grass any day.
Astrodirt of all kinds should be outlawed. Why are they putting that stuff down…
repost because I just saw the new thread.
Hey all. Just driving by to say that I may not have computer access for 3-4 days so may not be signing in to give my two cents worth.
My S-I-L is going to let me borrow a laptop while mine i$$$ being fixed but I’m not at all sure how to set that up for wireless so I may be stuck with just using it for Office programs – which I do need. Thankfully I have this backup computer for emergencies but this is not conducive to posting for extended periods of time.
So unless I get the substitute laptop set up for the internet, I will just say YAY!!! ahead of time and that will go for anything that happens for our Yankees for the next several days. I’m grateful by nature so no matter who we sign, I’ll be happy and optimistic about it. And if we don’t sign anyone, I’ll be happy and optimistic about that too. My greatest excitment is in watching things unfold. I’m fine if we go to ST and then some announcement is made about pitching configuration. And I remain hopeful that we will see a new and improved AJ. Why not?
Be well. You are truly some of my favorite peeps.
That stuff in Toronto is UGLY!!!
Doreen, of course, lol. I think they are also having a Teacher’s Championship – I think that’s fantastic. I watch the College Championship, but the Teen Tournament is awful and forget about the Celebrity Tournament.
I hate all forms of artificial turf. If you can’t have grass you shouldn’t have a team.
blake -
Now, that’s a radical position!
Blake-
I agree with you. Astroturf in all it’s many forms sucks.
If God wanted baseball to be played on plastic he would not have
invented grass.
Doreen,
I’m just joking (not really)
MTU,
agreed.
People always talk about Hughes’ run support as the reason for his win counts. Almost 30% of the runs scored by the NYYs in his games were scored AFTER he left the game. That means that he had to pitch pretty well while he was in there to get those wins.
I don’t know — I’ve never smoked Astroturf
MTU January 31st, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Blake-
I agree with you. Astroturf in all it’s many forms sucks.
If God wanted baseball to be played on plastic he would not have
invented grass.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Richie (Di ck) Allen’s thoughts on Astroturf: “If a horse can’t eat it, I ain’t playin’ on it.”
Tom in N.J. January 31st, 2011 at 7:40 pm
I don’t know — I’ve never smoked Astroturf
———————————————————————————————————————-
You ever smoked crawfish?
GB-
I have just developed an even deeper appreciation of Allen.
Thanks for the quote.
Tom in N.J. January 31st, 2011 at 7:40 pm
I don’t know — I’ve never smoked Astroturf
———————————————————————–
When you do don’t do it in a closed room.
The fumes will kill ya.
Tampa Bay should worry more about those catwalks!
Tampa Bay should also get rid of cowbells!
I think Hughes finishes top 10 in the Cy Young voting this year.
Tampa Bay should also trade Johnny Damon to the Yankees!!!
Erica-
Why should Tampa Bay worry about their cathouses ?
Err. catwalks ? Sorry. Slip of the tongue.
Disclaimer-
I am approaching my 12th hour of work today…. the fact that I am sitting here giggling like a crazy should tell you all about my state of mind.
Usually I’m in favor or more cowbell, but not with the Rays. I guess the 14 fans that go to the games need a way to appear loud.
Erica in NY January 31st, 2011 at 7:46 pm
Tampa Bay should worry more about those catwalks!
———————————————————————————————————————-
I’m all for letting ‘em do whatever they want to do in their lives, but, the cops really need to keep the most obvious ones away from the part entrances and certainly not give their own places to stroll.
MTU January 31st, 2011 at 7:49 pm
Erica-
Why should Tampa Bay worry about their cathouses ?
Err. catwalks ? Sorry. Slip of the tongue.
*************
Wasn’t there a play last year or the season before where a fly ball hit a catwalk and changed the course of the ball and no one knew what to do.
What is worse ?
Cowbells, Thunder sticks, or those infernal toilet towels.
They all suck.
Erica-
Yes. My comment was a poor attempt at humor. Sorry.
I was actually hoping to get a hiss. Didn’t work.
Sorry MTU.. I didn’t get it
MTU-
MaineYankee is really good at getting me to hiss at him. Ask him for guidance
Erica-
No need to apologize. After 12 hours of work you are allowed to miss one.
Go home.
Erica-
Yes. Maine is very good at irritating people. I will consult him.
MTU-
With the projected weather craziness the next two days, I am trying to put in as many hours as I can tonight cause I have no clue what is in store.
Although, freaking out every time it snows does expend a tremendous amount of energy when it snows every damn day.
MTU-
Did we scare away the other people?
Seriously, the A’s and Rays need new places to play. For Tampa, even Al Lang Field would be a step up.
Parks with roofs have always been an issue. When the Astrodome first opened, the sun shined through the glassso bad that they had to paint the glass black. One problem with that is that it killed the grass. They “invented” Astroturf.
In Minnesota at the HHH Homerdome, Dave Kingman hit one into one of the holes in the inner roof and it stuck there.
The next day, it rolled out and the guy caught it..it was in practice before the next game.
I was afraid of being hissed at.
MaineYankee January 31st, 2011 at 8:02 pm
I was afraid of being hissed at.
*****************
As well you should be!
Erica-
Sorry for the delay. Had to step out for a moment.
Looks like you got your answer though.
Stay safe.
Maine-
Erica said I should ask you for advice on how you induce a hiss ?
Can you please show me how it’s done ?
Erica’ always having a hissin; fit.
(Now, if you don’t think that took a lot of guts for me to type that without a typo….)
Bagel, I love your name
Bagel-
I ate you this morning
GreenBeret7 January 31st, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Erica’ always having a hissin; fit.
(Now, if you don’t think that took a lot of guts for me to type that without a typo….)
******************
Blog Poll:
Does incorrect and random punctuation count as a typo????????????????
Did you ever eat a “Lender’s ” bagel ?
They’re horrible.
Frankly, I prefer Flagels or Bialy’s, but Bagel is a much better name; now we need a poster named Cream Cheese
I mean bialys not bialy’s
Not sure that I agree with this.
” Ledger_Yankees Star Ledger
Can’t imagine the Yankees giving a major league deal at this point to any free agent pitcher not named Andy Pettitte.”
MTU January 31st, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Maine-
Erica said I should ask you for advice on how you induce a hiss ?
Can you please show me how it’s done ?
—————————————————————————-
I don’t share things that took a long time to master.
I’ll give you a clue.
J.D. is a bum.
MaineYankee January 31st, 2011 at 8:20 pm
I don’t share things that took a long time to master.
I’ll give you a clue.
J.D. is a bum.
*********************
HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
(But you were clearly trying too hard!)
Erica in NY January 31st, 2011 at 8:03 pm
MaineYankee January 31st, 2011 at 8:02 pm
I was afraid of being hissed at.
*****************
As well you should be!
——————————————————————
You look pretty scary too.
Does incorrect and random punctuation count as a typo????????????????
———————————————————————————————————————-
CXonsider yourself fortunate that I was able to type your name correctly.
This is why I stopped going to the Robin Hood blogs. I couldn’t take the chance when the talk was about Robin’s portly friar.
Erica
That was an easy one.
Thanks Maine.
You’re a real pro.
It’s a pleasure to learn from you.
MaineYankee January 31st, 2011 at 8:22 pm
You look pretty scary too.
******************
I look as cute and loveable as always.
I am just tired!!!!!!!!
MTU
You just need to realize if you get on the Hissssssss list you can’t get a reprieve.
Time to call it night folks.
Catch you all at first light.
Maine-
That’s good to know.
Thanks again for showin’ me the ropes.
Erica,
It is over 2 1/2 months til April 18th, why are you working so late already.
Yanks are looking for an intern:
Intern, Baseball Operations – New York Yankees (Bronx, NY)
Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, statistical research projects, charting baseball games off videos, other video projects, assisting with preparation of advance scouting material, running database queries, data collection and entry, and administrative tasks.
Qualifications:
• Strong baseball knowledge-current players, baseball terminology, current baseball research
• Proficient in Microsoft Office
• Available to work nights and weekends as needed
Strong candidates may have experience in one or more of the areas listed below:
• SQL
• The ability to identify pitch types off video
• Statistics or mathematics background
• Computer programming experience
• Video editing
• Baseball playing or scouting
Please submit a cover letter and resume. In addition, feel free to submit any relevant baseball related work or research you have done in the past.
Note: When you apply for this job online, you will be required to answer the following questions:
1. From when to when are you available for the internship?
2. Yes/No: Do you have experience using SQL?
3. Yes/No: Can you accurately identify pitch types off video?
4. Describe any previous baseball experience.
http://baseballjobs.teamworkon.....kees#33390
Tom
That sounds like the perfect job for randy or GB7.
SAS January 31st, 2011 at 8:28 pm
Erica,
It is over 2 1/2 months til April 18th, why are you working so late already.
***************
Taxes are actually the least of what I do this time of year.
I have audits of companies that need to be completed by March and April. And there is usually work I have to do on my clients before we can get anywhere near the financial statements and tax returns.
I am also thrilled cause a financial statement that was making me miserable for two months got final approval for release today.
Tom in NJ-
That sound you heard was Jerkface rushing to do his resume!
# Laura – I Bleed Blue January 31st, 2011 at 7:11 pm
“King Felix is quoted as saying, though, that his goal is to lead the Mariners into the playoffs.”
That’s like me saying that my goal is to win Mega Millions tomorrow night. It could happen, but it’s highly unlikely.
Freddy Garcia’s quote from the Venezuelan “Liderendeportes” derives from his commenting on how he’s not returning to the White Sox: “a club [like] the Yankees would be ideal for my career status …” [Emphasis added].
Like just about everybody else but Lee and Wood.
Maybe jerkface and randy could do it together.
“That sounds like the perfect job for randy or GB7″
They should apply. This is Randy’s chance to make the Yanks more like the Twins!
Tom
Good one.
The Yankees Baseball Ops internship is one of the most applied for internship in the country every year.
Stiff competition. Randy is going to have to polish up his ramblings for his CL.
I’d love to work for the Yankees and I can differentiatate pitch types but I don’t know if I can SQL?
Leaving work. Good night Yankee people
Morning people, I will see you in the morning
That sounds like the perfect job for randy or GB7
pat January 31st, 2011 at 8:43 pm
I’d love to work for the Yankees and I can differentiatate pitch types but I don’t know if I can SQL?
**************
I was able to SQL for exactly one project in a computer class in college. And let me tell you, it was a wing and a prayer.
Okay.. good night for real!
SQL-ing involves a computer? Nevermind. I’ll have to keep my day job.
They forgot to mention that the most important skill is the ability to get coffee and bagel orders correct.
That sounds like the perfect job for randy or GB7
———————————————————————————————————————-
2 problems. They check for spelling, and I did the wrong kind of scouting.
Randy, probably, since they can’t discriminate because of his age. Can’t see Jerkjaw getting the job. No way do they need somebody telling them how much smarter he is than they are. He’d last about 2 minutes into the interview.
pat
Just get a pig.
They know how to SQueaL
What a fun job!!!
Can’t see Jerkjaw getting the job. No way do they need somebody telling them how much smarter he is than they are. He’d last about 2 minutes into the interview
*****
Face wouldn’t get a chance to interview. They would close up shop when you go in there ranting about burning down labs with people in white coats and tinfoil hats that carry sabers around.
hey all
does anyone know when single game tickets go on sale?
thanks!
GB7
You could build the bridge to the future for them.
Ken_Rosenthal Source: Freddy Garcia to #Yankees – minor-league deal. #MLB
___
Hey he took a minor league deal. Good enough.
MaineYankee January 31st, 2011 at 9:03 pm
GB7
You could build the bridge to the future for them.
———————————————————————————————————————-
Building a bridge? I’m having enough trouble remodeling my house.
Seriously, though. It sounds like a fun and great job, but, I’m not computer savvy for that. If they’d let me go watch minor league games for free and pay expenses, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
Yankees snatch up Freddy Garcia for a minor league deal according to the internet, good move.
So much for the Yankees not having any interest in him.
Just because Brian Cashman doesn’t make daily announcements of his plans, folks shouldn’t take it as “not doing anything”.
Ok, now that’s a move that has no downside
Getting Garcia on a free ticket minor league deal is great. They have two insurance policies for Pettitte and the young pitchers.
Maybe if I were in college or just exiting it I could afford to piss around in an internship, but I need my job that pays me a livable wage.
there was no downside to picking up Colon, either. 10-12 wins from the back end is all the Yankees are lookung for. They should get the same from the #4 slot, too.
Swisher interview with Michael Kay.
Interesting how he answers the question about AJ at 6:35 in to the recording.
http://espn.go.com/espnradio/p.....=ESPNRADIO
Garcia had 19 games where he went atleast 6 innings and gave up less than 4 runs last year.
On a minor league deal I like it….
The rotation still isn’t in great shape, but that’s a nice pick up. Throwing junk at the wall and seeing what sticks seems like the best possible solution at this point, as a back up to Pettitte.
Regardless of Andy’s situation, if you look at the team in less hysterical fashion, they shored up some real weak spots.
Catcher: Martin is a huge defensive upgrade. Catching defense and throwing was a real weakness last year. Martin is a big defensive upgrade.
Soriano is an upgrade over Wood. Big upgrade, IMO.
Adding a second lefty whose death on lefties in Feliciano.
Jones is an upgrade over Thames.
Nunez is an upgrade over Pena.
Montero will be up at some point in the year. That’s going to be exciting.
A bunch of young arms knocking on the door.
Better health for Arod, CC, Tex and Swisher. That can only be good news.
The icing on the cake is Andy coming back. They get him back, this team is as good as anybody in baseball.
SJ,
I’m going to bet Pettitte announces his return in the next few days and the Yankees end up signing Felipe Lopez to compete with Nunez and Pena for the backup infielder role.
# Erica in NY January 31st, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Tampa Bay should also get rid of cowbells!
—–
I just got home from school and had to comment on this
Erica: I wholeheartedly agree on this. I hate those things. I think id rather deal with thunder sticks. The thing with the cowbells which makes them the most annoying is when people have a cowbell that is missing the piece inside that makes the bell sound but have replaced it with a paper clip. THAT is when it is most obnoxious. it goes from a bell sound to a clanging sound. big annoying difference.
SJ,
totally agree. Real nice job by Cashman to get Garcia to accept a minor league deal. The Yankees are very good defensively overall, have a very good lineup and very good bullpen….Pettite coming back would really round out a very strong overall team with few weaknesses.
Swisher needs to cheer up. Too much doom and gloom.
Yankees Reach Agreement With Freddy Garcia
By Mark Polishuk [January 31 at 8:10pm CST]
The Yankees have agreed to sign Freddy Garcia to a minor league contract, reports ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link). The deal will pay Garcia $1.5MM in guaranteed money, and Garcia can earn up to $3.6MM if he reaches certain incentive plateaus based on his number of starts, up to 30. Garcia is represented by Peter Greenberg.
Garcia, 35, expressed his preference to pitch for the Yankees earlier this week, saying it would be “an inspiration” to pitch in the pressurized environments of both New York and the AL East. The Mets, Orioles and White Sox all showed some degree of interest in Garcia this winter, though Garcia ruled out a return to Chicago earlier today.
The veteran right-hander posted a 4.64 ERA, 1.98 K/BB ratio and a 40.7% ground ball rate in 28 starts with the White Sox last season. Garcia threw 157 Major League innings in 2010 — he pitched in just 129 innings combined over the prior three seasons due to nagging shoulder injuries.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
I’m sure that somebody must have offered Garcia an MLB contract for a mil or two. He must have been serious about his desire to pitch for the Yankees. It’ll be interesting to see if he works with Montero during ST.
Well I always like a player who wants to play in the cauldron of the AL East, so good luck to Freddy
As long as he doesn’t block a kid who is pitching at a similar level.
Ok. This will probably get lost in the shuffle but I ordered a copy of Baseball Prospectus 2010 the other day off amazon for 3 dollars. I figured for that price I couldnt go wrong. I did not realize I was ordering a comic book. Some of the numbers they projected were hilarious. Some were so awful they were kinda depressing. Like, they projected Andy to go 10-11 with a 4.70 ERA and AJ Burnett to go 11-11 with a 4.57 ERA. Thats like an insult to Andy right there. They also projected Mo to go 4-3 with a whopping 3.53 ERA.
The funniest is the minor league evaluation on Corban Joseph who they said “…if you cant field at second and you cant hit like a third basemen, youve got nowhere to go but home, which in Josephs case is Franklin Tennessee, sign of a famous but utterly useless civil war battle….” and Andrew Brackman who they said was “healthy enough to completely destroy an remaining illusions about being a prospect at all…”
now I know that you cant predict baseball which is exactly what they try to do with this book. But it kinda puts into perspective the stats that they come up with and how they decide if someone is worthy or not.
If you dont care for baseball prospectus then ill jump on the bandwagon with you.
garcia and Colon are just insyrance and it buys a few extra months for the younger pitchers on the farm. If they contribute, great, if not, next to nothing lost.
Garcia and Colon are just ***insurance***
I guess it’s not out of the question (at least it shouldn’t be) that Garcia/Colon also provide cover in case Burnett pitches as poorly as he did last season.
Rich, I think they are insurance policies for a lot of things…………..
Well, we got a couple of bodies, maybe they will turn out to have a bit left. If not, the damage will be minimal.
Bronx Jeers already sniped the ‘Garcia —-> King Felix’ joke, so….. eh, no point in going on.
I’m guessing one of Garcia/Colon won’t make it past ST. Can’t see them both making the club…
pat,
Thanks for the link. I think Swish was very pumped up about the season. He hesitated but tough to tell the reasoning. I look at it as to temper cynic minds while being well aware of them.
Good move on Garcia. That is likely it until spring other than waiting on Andy.
The Trop is still a dump!