Wild Things adjust to new playing surface
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When the Washington Wild Things run out of the dugout for their home opener May 24, they will take to a new two-part artificial turf field.
The Wild Things, a member of the independent Frontier League, enter their 10th season with new uniforms and an upgraded Consol Energy Park in addition to the new playing surface, part of a $1 million renovation to the facility. The field, Wild Things managing director Todd Marlin said, represented a significant portion of that amount.
"I think we have the best field in the league now," outfielder Chris Sidick said.
Director of stadium operations Steve Zavacky traveled the country to see other artificial fields, Marlin said, before the team decided on ProGrass, a Pittsburgh-based company that manufactures an artificial turf with a base mixture of sand and rubber.
"It's so nice not to have to worry about rain this year," second-year manager Darin Everson said.
The infield and warning track are also artificial, but contain more sand than rubber to help outfielders feel the difference beneath their feet when approaching the wall.
The artificial surface changed the way the ball bounces, something the Wild Things worked on in spring training.
"The first hop generally bounces true," Everson said.
"The second bounce is generally going to be short. That second bounce is slower, and it gets that friction on the surface, it doesn't bounce like it would on dirt. That's one thing that, at least on our field, we're going to take advantage of."
Everson stressed that the team would run aggressively this season, creating the need to study the correct sliding technique for the faster infield surface.
"We've been counting steps, timing everybody, trying to figure out what it's going to take step-wise to get to second base and be safe and stay on the base," he said.
Said Sidick, "You got to slide a good 10, 15 feet early to catch it."
The Wild Things finished 38-57 in 2010, fifth out of six teams in the East Division. In addition to Sidick, pitcher Justin Edwards, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum in the offseason, will return.
Edwards finished 5-2 with a 3.79 ERA last season. He has progressed to long-tossing from 150 feet, Everson said, and throwing off a mound in the bullpen, but will start the season on the disabled list.
"He will be a nice shot in the arm in a couple weeks when he gets totally healthy," Everson said.
Thirty-five players joined the team for spring training, which began with intrasquad games last week and continues with exhibition games today and Friday. The team, which has a $75,000 salary cap, must cut the roster to 24 players by the opener May 19 on the road at Joliet, Ill.
Sidick hit .300 last season, and returnee Wilson Matos hit .292. Returning outfielder Luis Rivera hit .260 with six home runs.
The team's pitchers have started well, Everson said, and the hitters are beginning to match their performance.
"All our pitchers pound the strike zone," Sidick said. "We play intrasquad games of five to nine innings and we get through them in two hours."
First Published May 12, 2011 12:00 am
