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College World Series Notebook: Cleats causing turf to be 2 different colors
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Published: June 17, 2009
Updated: 06/17/2009 12:25 am
■ Thousands of College World Series fans at Rosenblatt Stadium and many more watching on television can't help but notice two contrasting shades of green in the outfield grass.
According to veteran groundskeeper Jesse Cuevas, it's a North vs. South issue.
Blame the players' cleats. Yes, cleats.
"What we are getting is the northern turf mixing with the southern turf," said Cuevas. Over the years, apparently splotches of lighter, almost yellow-green Southern grass have invaded the outfield.
Cuevas said it's caused by Southern grass seedlings falling from cleats and even clothing.
"It's happening every year," he said, "and it's happening all over the country."
There is nothing Cuevas and his crew can do to fix the problem other than re-sod the entire field, which experts recommend be done about every seven years at a cost of about $250,000.
Cuevas said it's been about seven years since Rosenblatt was re-sodded. He said he doesn't know if the turf will be replaced because only one more CWS will played at Rosenblatt before the event moves to a new downtown stadium.
■ Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said he's not concerned about his pitching staff's ability to withstand the rigors of the losers bracket. The Cavaliers, who will play Arkansas today, would have to win three more games to make it to next week's best-of-3 finals.
"We've had seven different pitchers start games for us," O'Connor said.
Actually, nine pitchers have started for the Cavaliers, who entered the CWS with a 3.14 ERA, which ranks behind Arizona State and Texas.
"One of the really bright spots on our team this year is our pitching depth," O'Connor said.
■ Southern Miss hoped to avoid a continuation of its pitching woes when it squared off against North Carolina yesterday, but Golden Eagles starter JR Ballinger opened the game by walking Dan Bunting.
Ballinger walked three more batters while giving up six runs on nine hits before leaving with two outs in the third.
In Sunday's 7-6 loss to Texas, six Southern Miss pitchers combined for a season-high nine walks, including one with bases loaded that forced in the winning run in the ninth.
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