Artificial turf was once a common occurrence at the Major League level, with places like Three Rivers Stadium utilizing non-natural playing surfaces. Most ballparks now have natural grass, with Tampa Bay and Toronto being the only cities without it. Is there a reason why artificial turf has almost disappeared from the big league ballparks? If there is, minor league teams think otherwise because there have been a handful installing artificial playing surfaces in their stadiums.
The Daytona Tortugas are the most recent team to tear up their grass and dig out their sand. The Cincinnati Reds’ affiliate began construction at the end of last season and will have it ready for Opening Day in 2019. It was a common problem at Jackie Robinson Ballpark for rainouts to happen due to poor drainage on the field. Rather than re-sod the field and make improvements to the dirt and grass already in place, the team decided to rip it all up and replace it with an artificial surface.
Why would the one of the oldest and most historic ballparks in the minor leagues opt for such a change? The drainage issues and maintenance costs have taken a toll on the team. Players have complained about the playing surface. Turf is the simple, yet expensive, answer to solve the problems.
There is a main reason why artificial turf is becoming less taboo in professional baseball: it is easy to maintain. The ‘grass’ is always cut, the ‘chalk’ is always fresh, and the ‘dirt’ is always raked. What used to take upwards of an hour to get an infield ready after batting practice now takes minutes. The majority of work depends on how much dirt needs to be taken care of; it could be the pitcher’s mound, home plate, and even around the bases or actual base paths.
Home plate and mounds can be raked and tamped. Practice bases can be replaced with freshly painted game bases. And that is it. There is no need to drag the infield, water the grass or dirt, or chalk the batter’s box and foul lines. Everything just stays as it is from the first pitch to the last out. Everything stays the same until the next game, the next practice, and the next season. For teams in the south, rain will not pile up behind bases and flood the field. For northern teams, snow can still cover the field, but it is easier to move without worrying about everything being too wet underneath. Artificial turf helps to reduce field maintenance time and costs.
All of the pros seem too good to be true. Why doesn’t every minor league team have artificial turf if it is so beneficial? The answer is because most Major League teams play on real dirt and grass, and parent clubs want their players to be prepared for the Majors. This means that artificial turf may or may not be enticing for MLB teams when picking affiliates. Daytona’s parent club, Cincinnati, does not play on turf. The Johnson City Cardinals, a St. Louis affiliate, also have artificial turf, although the parent club does not.
Having a team play on artificial turf may not be the deciding factor in how prepared a prospect is for the Majors, and not every minor league team is in a position to install artificial turf. It requires a large initial investment to replace current fields, and cities might not be comfortable spending money on such a thing, despite the savings later on. Teams also say that having artificial turf allows them to host other events without fear of the playing surface being worn out. Because minor league stadiums are independently owned, they still try to make money outside of the MiLB games they host.
Artificial turf consideration
Any coach will tell his players that they can’t let external factors affect their playing performance. This includes weather, fans, and the playing surface. For those who end up playing at Rogers Centre or Tropicana Field, teams can give their players reps in batting practice to get used to the surface if it is an issue. If a player has reached the Major League level, artificial playing surface is just another thing.
Installing artificial turf will ultimately come down to the individual teams that consider it. Unless there is a stipulation from the parent club, there shouldn’t be any reason a minor league stadium can’t switch from a natural to artificial playing surface. It has not been as much of a fad as organizations getting new mascots and team names, and making a turf switch is a long-term investment – maintenance savings offset the upfront costs.
Many colleges and independent league teams also have artificial turf installed at their stadiums. This makes sense as they are focused primarily on the costs rather than having to adhere to the preferences of a Major League Baseball team. It can also create a slight home field advantage over visiting teams that are not used to the playing surface.
The playing surface is not likely to change to artificial turf at any Major League stadiums. In fact, it is a common notion that the remaining fields with artificial turf are outcast and in need of a change to real grass. That is unlikely to happen at least in Tampa, where the turf was recently upgraded in 2017 and again in 2018. Despite the difference in playing conditions on artificial turf, it is still a cheaper maintenance option for a low-budget team like the Rays until they are able to find a new ballpark location.
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