This form of turf management is very different from golf course management. Luke told us that he spends 90% of his time on the infield soil. The ground needs to be a specific firmness for foot traffic so ruts are not created during base running. Bad hops in the infield is the quickest way to get complaints from players and managers, so the majority of time is spent making it perfect.

Another area that receives major attention is the dirt in front of the plate that can be manipulated to be softer or firmer depending on the tendencies of the home or opposing pitcher. I bet you didn't think it was nearly so complex. The line where the dirt meets the turf is an additional issue and must remain smooth and even so a ground ball does not spike in the air when rolling toward the outfield.

The final tidbit of info from Luke that made my mind boggle is what he described as a ball 'snaking' in the outfield. If the staff does not alternate mowing directions on a frequent basis, a heavy grain will develop in the turf and a ground ball can shift left and right when skimming across the turf. As you can imagine, this would make an outfielder look foolish.

I came to Petco Park with a lot of respect for sports field managers and I'm leaving with even more. A ton of work goes into these fields and I haven't even mentioned all the other events that often get booked at these venues which makes renovation a common event.

Of all the beautiful sites I saw down in Petco Park and San Diego, none surpassed that of my lovely wife Carrie. She is quite the photographer and helped out taking pictures while I sucked up all the agronomy info. It is not easy being a Superintendent's wife with the stress and long hours that comes with the job, but at least she got to walk on a Major League ball field even if she's stuck with a minor league husband.