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Fifth Third Field makeover almost complete

A project that started in early October and continued through many rainy days is about finished.

Photos: New Fifth Third Field

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By Sean McClelland, Staff Writer Updated 8:48 AM Tuesday, December 13, 2011

DAYTON — Having handpicked this Kentucky Bluegrass on a trip to New Jersey in June, Fifth Third Field head groundskeeper Dan Jennings has a vested interest in seeing it flourish.

“The main issue I was looking for was the age of the turf,” Jennings explained recently while overseeing work at the downtown ballpark in a steady rain. “It’s a year and a half old, which is ideal.

“And then the thatch layer. You want to minimize the thatch layer as much as possible.”

With the last of about 96,000 square feet of sod rolled out last Wednesday, the lion’s share of the Dayton Dragons’ field-replacement project is complete, much to the relief of Jennings.

Begun in early October, the project took weeks longer than expected due to the weather, but Jennings promises an aesthetically pleasing, quick-draining playing surface when the Dragons open their 13th season April 5 against West Michigan.

Remaining touches include rebuilding the pitcher’s mound with six tons of clay, configuring the baselines and smoothing the infield “dirt,” which is actually a mix of clay and sand.

“Everything’s down,” said Andrew Ottmar, the Dragons’ director of operations. “But now we’re dealing with frost and freeze, so it’s best to come back (and finish) in the spring.”

On Nov. 18, workers laid 40,000 square feet of sod in 10 hours. Four days later, another 24,000 square feet went down. That took care of most of the outfield. Workers knitted the infield grass together last week.

Jennings is rooting for a seasonable winter because, he said, “the snow acts almost like a growth blanket,” allowing the grass to take root in its sandy base.

Below the sand (which has become the “soil” of choice for natural-grass athletic fields), the project involved overhauling the drainage system. Drains were added along the warning track and in short right field, where the water from the tarp is dumped.

“Last year you could see the puddles,” Dragons General Manager Gary Mayse said. “There are always going to be puddles, but they should dissipate more quickly.”

Tuckahoe Turf, whose sod can be found at such notable venues as Fenway Park in Boston and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, promises as much on its website. “Superior drainage. No pooling,” it boasts.

Mayse would not comment on cost, saying only that it would not be passed on to fans in the form of higher ticket prices. Surface field replacements are known to run upwards of $500,000, but it’s thought the Dragons spent more due to the drainage aspect.

Grass athletic fields are designed to last about a decade. The Dragons squeezed 12 years out of their original surface, but this summer it became overrun by a creeping, lighter-colored, weed-like grass called poa annua. Often used for greens on golf courses, it gave the field a two-tone look.

“Our field wasn’t inhibiting us from having games,” as Mayse put it, “but it was definitely time for a facelift.”

Enter Jennings, a Grand Rapids, Mich., native who spent last season with the Texas Rangers and before that was named Midwest League Turf Manager of the Year with the Great Lakes Loons. He lives downtown, which came in handy during so many 12-hour days.

“God has a plan,” Jennings said on one particularly moist afternoon. “This is where he led me. I’m sitting here watching it rain and putting grass together.

“It’s nice to see green grass again. It seems like forever.”

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2408 or smcclelland @DaytonDailyNews.com.