[Gino29]

Anyway, it's clear the fake turf looks a lot better than the old astrotruf and it seems to be better for playing on. That said, we're still one of only 2 stadiums that use it (and The Trop is an all-time dumpster fire of a facility) and clearly players prefer grass so as better as it is, it's not grass.

That's no longer true. There are now five MLB stadiums with artificial turf. Three added in the last couple of years and the Jays fully upgraded thier turf last year.

17% of MLB now has artificial turf.

• Texas Rangers
• Miami Marlins
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Toronto Blue Jays
• Tampa Bay Rays

 

[EddyMCD]

I'm sure it will look better in game because they will partition off different areas of the screen to displayer different graphics, information etc. So it won't end up being 1 image stretched over that very awkward shape.

But even still, it's clear they bastardized the screen, probably due to a pre-existing contract with Mariott. It might have looked better if they just didn't extend the horizontal wing pieces.

The middle portion is still bigger, they extended it down ~10'-15' to cover the old corporate boxes that existed below the screen.

 

[jayme2016]

That's no longer true. There are now five MLB stadiums with artificial turf. Three added in the last couple of years and the Jays fully upgraded thier turf last year.

17% of MLB now has artificial turf.

• Texas Rangers
• Miami Marlins
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Toronto Blue Jays
• Tampa Bay Rays

It would not shock me if more team do away with grass and go with turf.

 

[asdda]

That's no longer true. There are now five MLB stadiums with artificial turf. Three added in the last couple of years and the Jays fully upgraded thier turf last year.

17% of MLB now has artificial turf.

• Texas Rangers
• Miami Marlins
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Toronto Blue Jays
• Tampa Bay Rays

Between the 3 newest ones the Rangers are the only ones who planned to have artificial turf.

Miami's stadium is just a disaster and they had to give up on grass. Barely 10 years old and already considered one of the worst in the majors.

Diamondbacks are trying to scam their way to a new Stadium and Chase field is basically getting the near minimum of upkeep.

It would not shock me if more team do away with grass and go with turf.

It definitely is hard to have a retractable roof and grass. I do think Milwaukee and Seattle will do everything possible to keep a grass field. Houston on the other hand might just give up like Arizona and Texas.

 

[T.E.C.II]

It would not shock me if more team do away with grass and go with turf.

But what's the main advantage? All of the teams that use turf only do so because they either can't grow grass, or because it's too expensive to.

 

[CityRider]

Maybe they can show raptor and lead highlights during the intermissions while they are in the playoffs. I have no idea why they refuse to acknowledge the other sports teams when you’re at a game. It’s craziness especially since they’re in the playoffs.

They probably can't show highlights due to broadcast rights. They do however regularly give score updates on other Toronto teams' playoff games when they're happening between innings.

But what's the main advantage? All of the teams that use turf only do so because they either can't grow grass, or because it's too expensive to.

This has been discussed earlier in the thread, but grass is enormously resource-intensive and sucks up vast quantities of water. Turf is much easier to maintain and there's no real risk of damaging something for concerts when you can just roll it up and put it aside.

 

[Translude15]

It would not shock me if more team do away with grass and go with turf.

Likewise. Many NFL and college football teams use turf because it's more cost effective and the technology has vastly improved over the last 15-20 years. MLB is certainly going to follow football's lead.

On that note, banishing the Argos from RC certainly helped keep the baseball turf in better condition versus before when the constant removal wore it out faster and made it less seamless.

 

[jayme2016]

Likewise. Many NFL and college football teams use turf because it's more cost effective and the technology has vastly improved over the last 15-20 years. MLB is certainly going to follow football's lead.

On that note, banishing the Argos from RC certainly helped keep the baseball turf in better condition versus before when the constant removal wore it out faster and made it less seamless.

Some groups want less chemicals used which might make it harder to keep fields in great shape.

 

[animatronic]

Some groups want less chemicals used which might make it harder to keep fields in great shape.

Outdoor turf fields need lots of chemicals to keep them from getting moldy and weedy.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

It sounds like.... There are pros and cons to both grass and artificial turf?

I think we all understand why grass is traditional and preferred by players and fans and also why turf is often used and occasionally even necessary. The grass, as they say, is always greener...

 

[Translude15]

It sounds like.... There are pros and cons to both grass and artificial turf?

I think we all understand why grass is traditional and preferred by players and fans and also why turf is often used and occasionally even necessary. The grass, as they say, is always greener...

Ultimately, most MLB franchises prefer grass over turf. The aforementioned examples, Jays included, utilize turf more out of necessity as opposed to preference, given the inhospitable growing conditions for grass in certain domed facilities.

I've read that long term, depending on how things play out, a more expansive Rogers Centre reno will seek to shift the facility from an indoor one that opens up, to an outdoor ballpark with a roof. That would be akin to how T-Mobile Park (formerly Safeco Field) in Seattle functions. Temperatures vary based on the forecast but the roof prevents any inclement weather from delaying or rescheduling games.

 

[UrbanOzz]

You would hear that from time to time, especially when the turf was really bad. But I really think it's been more of an aesthetic complaint overall. At least that's my impression.

Troy Glaus asked to be traded from the Blue Jays due to the Turf as he had bone spurs or some other ailment that the turf was aggravating. that's just one example but it's mostly about players health and not aesthetics. New Turf seems to be better though. I suppose it'll always get better as more R&D goes into it.

 

[Amare]

Troy Glaus asked to be traded from the Blue Jays due to the Turf as he had bone spurs or some other ailment that the turf was aggravating. that's just one example but it's mostly about players health and not aesthetics. New Turf seems to be better though. I suppose it'll always get better as more R&D goes into it.

Scott Rolen is another notable player who requested for a trade because of the turf as well. At the time it was a big loss, but we ended up with a toss in player at the time Edwin Encarnacion, so it worked out pretty well.

Im sure there's a whole list of players we arent aware of who requested for trades because of the turf after playing on it for a while.

 

[T.E.C.II]

Lots of photos of the new renovations over at BlogTO

Here's what the new upgrades to Toronto's Rogers Centre look like

The Toronto Blue Jays are back in the city and gearing up for their home opener on Friday for the first full season of Major League baseball played n…

www.blogto.com

 

[T.E.C.II]

I can't tell if this is just a trick of the lighting, but see that big blue strip in the roof? Is that just the reflection of the lights? It almost looks like the roof has been painted (although it doesn't help that these photos are so oversaturated.)