This past week we walked through both CitiField and Yankee Stadium.  There was a WOW factor during both reviews.  Photos tell the story in this blog.  Both ballparks are remarkable and unique.  Citifield is located a little closer to the airport than the old ballpark allowing you to wave to the passengers as they land on R-16. The locker rooms are over the top and the field is truly like a pool table. 

Yankee Stadium has built a lot of history into there new yard.  Photos of greats line the walls and the video board system is extreme. Mike Bonner is going to have a blast with this video system during the season.  The field is also very nice with very traditional layouts.  Even the bleacher creatures have a great section for seating.

Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico is going Green.  Maybe not the eco-way.... just green.  The venue is undergoing some major cosmetic upgrades.  Over the years I have witnessed the vibrant colors of ballparks throughout the Caribbean but I would have to say this might be the first Fluorescent Lime Green Press Box in all of baseball .  It will definitely be the first green  press box many sports writers will have ever covered a game.  It's really pretty cool! 

The rest of the stadium is also obtaining a fresh coat of paint along with clubhouse upgrades, new batters eye, warning track, new mounds and home plates.  After working this venue for 9 years it still cleans up pretty nicely.  While the teams play in Hiram Bithorn stadium , we will be using the Roberto Clemente Stadium in Carolina, PR. as a practice venue.  This is a relatively new ballpark that is probably one of the  best stadiums in the Caribbean.  It is in need of a new field (which is in the works)  as the current one is the OLD astro turf product. Mexico City's  FORO SOL stadium is upgrading the field, lights, locker rooms and overall venue as well. 

Even though this is a baseball blog, I can asure you that this entry will circle back around to our sport.  If you were watching the Super bowl in Tampa a couple  weeks you probably saw the Frosted Flakes commercial during the 3^rd quarter. If you didn't,  you missed a cool one.  Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Kicked off their "Plant a Seed" field makeover program last week.  As part of the festivities, we were brought on board to perform the Extreme Field Makeover on a local High School field in Tampa a few days before the NFL Superbowl. The catch was to turn it around in 3 days.   With the help of the city and local vendors it was a great success.  Chad Olsen, Brickman Sportsturf Manager was responsible for coordinating the entire renovation and arranging the quick turnover for Frosted Flakes.  Along with some help from Brandon, Kevin, Jeff, Budge, Joe and Josh.  Over the course of the next year we will be renovating quite a few sports fields across the country for the "Plant a Seed" program which you can take a look at on www.frostedflakes.com.  

I can't say enough about how wonderful this program is for the communities that are short on funds to renovate fields for their local youth.  Heaven knows we have all seen enough bad fields around and when you put a little time and effort into making something better, people take ownership and relations improve through community sports.  Frosted Flakes is really exemplifying a leadership role in corporate America by implementing this unique concept.  (The photo below is what the field looked like before the 3-day renovation)

Kudos to Tony T....and the marketing folks for bringing this to fruition!  It's been fun being a part of the programs development and seeing people get so excited about their field's improvements!  Please go to the web site and nominate a field and keep going back and encouraging your friends to visit the web site as well.

Needless to say its been a very busy month.  We are currently working on preparations for the Field Operations in 2 of the 4 WBC First Round Cities.  San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium and Mexico's Foro Sol stadium. (Photo to the left) Hiram Bithorn has been used by MLB in the past for many games.  The stadium is synthetic turf with cutouts for the bases.  The  Turf is about 5 years old. At Foro Sol stadium the field is also synthetic except the entire infield clay area is clay type product.  Even the warning track is a finely graded clay soil.  Come to think of it all 4 first round WBC fields are synthetic.  Toronto and and the Tokyo Dome are also...Field Turf Products.  

At Foro Sol we have played a few exhibition games in the past. It is a very unique looking ballpark as its real purpose is hosting the annual Grand Prix.  The track for the gran prix actually cuts directly through the center of the outfield starting at 3rd base.  Each year they have to remove the field in this area and expose the track.  Its quiet a task that takes a few weeks but they do a great job.  Only 5 days before the teams arrive in Mexico's Foro Sol there will be an Iron Maiden Concert.  Should be exciting getting the field turned around.