JAYS AIM AT FIRST STEP TOWARD GRASS FIELD

TORONTO — The Blue Jays hope to install a dirt infield at the Rogers Centre for next season while they work toward a natural grass playing surface for the 2018 season.

Neither option is an absolute certainty at the moment, but both are part of the club’s five-year, $250-million capital budget for stadium upgrades, said Stephen Brooks, the Jays’ senior vice-president of business operations.

The dirt infield would be installed in the existing AstroTurf, using the model of Tropicana Field, where the Tampa Bay Rays play on artificial turf under a dome.

The Rogers Centre playing surface has no drainage system.

The infield and “real-grass” projects loom as priorities for incoming Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro. As Cleveland Indians president, Shapiro oversaw recent upgrades at Progressive Field, but those pale in comparison to the scope and cost of plans to renovate the Rogers Centre. Other plans include replacing the PVC membrane over the stadium roof, replacing all stadium seats, suite upgrades and new kitchens in concession areas.

The club is also awaiting word from Major League Baseball about possibly adding more netting down the first- and third-base lines to protect fans.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has said the league is looking at the designs of all 30 ballparks and studying data on foul balls and broken bats to make a determination. Changes could be coming as soon as April.

Jays relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins wants change as soon as possible.

“You want people to come to the game and have a good time, not have to worry about being injured by a broken bat.” Postmedia News