Blue Jays making long overdue switch to dirt infield this season
It’s finally happening. The Toronto Blue Jays will have a regulation dirt infield at Rogers Centre for the first time since the facility opened in 1989, and the change will be in place in time for their 2016 home opener on April 8.
The Blue Jays made the announcement via their official Twitter account on Wednesday. The statement noted that the installation process will begin next Monday, Feb. 8, which will give them
70 days to complete the project.
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This will be a standard dirt infield. The field will have dirt extending all around the basepaths, with the interior remaining turf as is until they make the switch to grass.
It will look a little something like this.
Former team president Paul Beeston had been hopeful to have a grass surface in place before the 2018 season. However, new president Mark Shapiro says it’s not a high priority right now. If and when that does happen, it will mark the fifth different playing surface at the former SkyDome since its opening.
Focusing on the infield though, it’s obvious the Blue Jays realize the importance of keeping superstar infielders Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzk healthy and on the field. Both will benefit greatly from playing on a dirt surface as opposed to standing and running around on concrete turf. Both will also figure greatly into the Blue Jays short-term and long-term success, making this a worthwhile project.
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Of course, it will probably leave past Blue Jays wondering why the change didn’t come sooner. It’s not a new issue by any means. The field conditions at Rogers Centre have been a topic of conversation for a long time because of the unforgiving material and because of its unpredictability. In fact, MLB took a close look at the surface last season due to concerns about irregular bounces and rubber pellets that were bouncing up and hitting fielders in the face.
Fixing the infield won’t solve all of those issues, but it’s a good start anyway. Here’s hoping they come through with the additional changes needed and it leads to happier and healthier Blue Jays players in the future.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
