Yesterday, AstroTurf and the Rays announced that Tropicana Field would be outfitted with AstroTurf for the 2011 season. Of course, we knew this last April when AstroTurf became the official turf of Major League Baseball. And it was confirmed by Marc Topkin (link?) earlier this off-season.
The picture at right is of Tropicana Field yesterday morning and you can see that the renovations are already underway.
The new turf shouldn’t get that shiny, “dead” look that FieldTurf would have. However, if this turf is similar to the AstroTurf installed at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, it will be very bouncy.
THE JUNKYARD DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Here are the start times for the Rays Saturday games this season. [Rays Report]
- According to Buster Olney, some “rival evaluators” are beginning to wonder if Desmond Jennings will ever reach the potential he showed a couple of years ago. [ESPN]
- Joe Sheehan of SI.com says the Rays can still compete in the AL East. [SI.com]
- Well it looks like any money the Rays could have picked out of the pockets from Hillborough County will go to the Lightning for renovations to the Forum. [Shadow of the Stadium]
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link to Topkin's article on switching back to Astro Turf: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/content/rays-switching-astroturf-trop
Cork, I don't think the Jennings link is going to where it's intended to go.
Astroturf, have they refined it or is it the same hard, injury producing field we all know and luv?
Not trying to spam you Cork, but here's the earlier articles about the switch:
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/content/rays-looking-switch-astroturf
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/tampa-bay-rays-taking-a-closer-look-at-new-astroturf-in-toronto/1099075
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/big-contracts-affect-tampa-bay-rays-bullpen-overhaul/1140909
Thanks!
I think the "rival evaluators" part speaks for itself. Jennings is a prospect; no prospect is a sure thing. Their speculation sounds more like a jealousy. Some struggle and become monsters, and some look like monsters and become duds.
Hopefully the new turf looks better on television, but I don't remember being blown away with how good the Blue Jays field looked. I trust the Rays are still keeping the all dirt infield, which is the key to making a turf field look like a real baseball field.
Des Jennings: Consider yourself challenged. In 12 months you've gone from the the next Crawford to the next Gathright. (I've got your back my friend)
I had to laugh about this time last year when media/fans were saying it didn't matter if we lost CC...because we have a player in the minors that can take his place ........this kid can't shine Crawfords shoes.....and if he EVER can... it will be years!...as reported by yours truely many months ago...
I don't agree with you often Don, but if Jennings is ever to hit his way out of a paper bag I'd be extremely surprised. I don't think a soft-hitting, slapster in left field is what we need and I'm not sure he has the makeup to be a successful, everyday major leaguer
I would like to have Jennings hit well in AAA this year and hopefully have the ability to trade him at the deadline w/ another prospect or two for some established player(s), assuming that we're still in the race.
Just a little concerned that if we wait to long to move him he'll end up with no value to us or anyone else.
GO RAYS!!