DODGERS NOTEBOOK: TRACK MIGHT GO BACK TO DIRT FORM.Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer After the Dodgers complained about their stadium's rubberized warning track adversely affecting plays and being a safety hazard, a senior Dodgers official said Friday the club will look into changing the surface to dirt for the 2003 season. Since the warning track was changed from dirt to the rubberized surface during ballpark renovations before the 2000 season, complaints ranged from being unable to slide on the surface for fear of injury to slipperiness when the surface is wet. ``We'll entertain all options pertaining to the surface of the warning track in the offseason,'' Dodgers senior vice president Derrick Hall
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Dodgers left fielder Brian Jordan - Thackeray. See also: Flare in his back this season. That injury forced him to miss three weeks in August. Jordan had a bad knee coming out of spring training, which will require surgery, and aggravated it May 13 when he planted to make a throw to second base while positioned on the warning track in foul territory. He left the game and missed the next week. ``Hitting that rubber early in the year really gave me a jolt I didn't need on that knee,'' Jordan said. ``That really pushed me to play in pain. That's the cause of my setbacks. I played with that knee and it caused other problems with my back and side. They should change it, no doubt.'' There also is a belief the rubberized track changes games. It cost the Dodgers a pair of RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in doubles Thursday against San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. when the ball hit the track and hopped over the fence, keeping a runner on first from scoring. ``Rubber tracks Rubber tracks are Caterpillar tracks which are made of flexible rubber belt instead of rigid units that are joined to each other. The first rubber track was invented and constructed by Adolphe Kégresse and are often called Kégresse track, and was patented in 1913. , they're dangerous,'' Dodgers right fielder right fielder n. Baseball The player who defends right field. Noun 1. right fielder - the person who plays right field outfielder - (baseball) a person who plays in the outfield Shawn Green Shawn David Green (born November 10, 1972, in Des Plaines, Illinois) is a 6' 4" left-handed Major League Baseball player. Green is the starting right fielder for the New York Mets.[1] Green was a 1st round draft pick, and has been a two-time major league All-Star. said. ``What I hate the most about the whole thing is the way the corners are, and how it's rounded, the ball will hit the rubber and pick up speed. Last year it killed me, like three or four times where I'd go and try and cut it off and it would pick up speed and I can't quite get there and the ball bounces for a triple or an error. On dirt, you get your glove down better than the rubber.'' Cost to make the change back to dirt is an issue. The Dodgers spent about $1 million to put in the rubberized track, and it would cost about $1 million to make the move back to dirt. If the Dodgers cannot replace the entire track, they might change the areas behind home and from foul pole to foul pole to dirt. ``Our field is in the best shape it's ever been, and the rubberized surface has helped with the irrigation irrigation, in agriculture, artificial watering of the land. Although used chiefly in regions with annual rainfall of less than 20 in. (51 cm), it is also used in wetter areas to grow certain crops, e.g., rice. problem that we've had,'' Hall said. ``If there is a way to keep some or most of (the rubberized track) and replace another portion of that with dirt without sacrificing the quality of the turf itself, we would definitely be interested in entertaining that.'' --Grud's future: Dodgers second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Mark Grudzielanek is disappointed in his season. He's played a solid second base but is batting .272 and took time adjusting to hitting at the bottom of the lineup after spending his career as a No. 2 hitter. There also has been talk throughout the industry about whether the Dodgers will try to trade Grudzielanek in the offseason. ``It's been below my standards, and below what I think I'm capable of doing,'' said Grudzielanek, who will make $5.5 million next season. ``Defense has been up to par and there were a lot of personal adjustments and things like that. Feeling good about everything and feeling good about yourself was never really an issue this year. I didn't get comfortable. ``I'd love to be here next year, but if a change happens, I'll welcome that with open arms, too. If I don't fit in This season 9 episode of the MTV series True Life features three individuals who do not fit in. Stevie, a 16-year-old high school student from Westminster, Colorado (A middle class suburb of Denver), has a love for the New York Dolls, a glam-rock band. (here), I want to go, period.'' --Odds and ends: Relievers Paul Quantrill and Paul Shuey, like Brian Jordan, were acquired in the middle of multiyear contracts and can request a trade after the season. Both said they will look into their options, but neither considers it a big issue. ... Reliever Jeff Williams snagged Hideo Nomo's homer Thursday and the ball eventually found its way back to Nomo. It was his second career homer. CAPTION(S): box Box: DODGERS vs. SAN DIEGO |
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