March 26, 2016
The Phillies' roster looks a lot different than it did in 2008 when the team won a World Series. This season, however, one thing will be similar to that championship year at Citizens Bank Park.
Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly first reported that the team is switching back to using Kentucky bluegrass on the infield. Bluegrass had been used from the time the park opened in 2004 until 2012, when the infield was re-sodded with Bermuda grass.
The switch was highlighted Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal among several changes to look for at ballparks across the country this year. Here's what the Journal said:
The Phillies won a World Series in 2008 playing on a home turf of Kentucky bluegrass. In 2012, they switched to a hardy breed called Bermuda, in part to handle the foot-traffic of revenue-generating concerts on non-game days. Bermuda is best when cut very short, and ground balls have been zipping toward infielders like Titleists on fast fairways. They’ll resod with Kentucky blue this season. It can be cut a little longer, slowing down grounders. It’s good news for pitchers, if they can keep batted balls on the ground. Last year the “ground out to air out” ratio for Phillies pitchers was fifth worst in the league, according to Baseball-Reference.com. Easier-to-field bouncers might help.
Players and coaches really disliked the Bermuda grass, according to Salisbury. Bench coach Larry Bowa told the reporter it was like Astroturf, with the ball moving so quickly that if it "wasn’t hit right at you, you weren’t getting it.”
This year, the team's young infielders Maikel Franco, Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez should have an easier time scooping up grounders.
