“Behind the Scenes: How a Hidden Backup Grass Plan Could Change the Game for Oakland’s Baseball Teams!”

As the blossoms of spring start to perk up in San Francisco, the anticipation builds around Sutter Health Park, a unique venue that will soon witness an unprecedented dual presence in the world of baseball. This spring, both the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate and the Oakland Athletics will take to the field, sharing this turf in a way rarely seen in the Major League Baseball landscape. With this shared space comes the inevitable challenge of maintaining a pristine playing surface—a task that is no small feat.

Murray Cook, the authoritative field consultant for Major League Baseball and the head of BrightView Sports Turf, has been at the forefront of the preparations. His team has rolled up their sleeves and drafted a strategic plan to keep the grass in tip-top shape, anticipating wear and tear from the hefty schedule of both teams. This commitment to maintaining high standards has led to an augmentation of the on-site grounds crew, which has quadrupled in size to tackle the needs of a shared field—something of a frontier in terms of field management.

The A’s are set to embark on a three-year journey in Sacramento, igniting enthusiasm among local fans beginning with an exciting matchup against the Chicago Cubs. This development comes after the decision to opt for natural grass over synthetic turf, swayed by players’ preferences and considerations regarding California’s heat.

Cook’s assurance that players typically favor natural grass resonates with many in the baseball community, and the decision reflects a deep commitment to player comfort. Yet, as he rightly points out, high-traffic zones are likely to necessitate quick interventions to keep the field playable. Innovations like drones and moisture sensors will play a crucial role in day-to-day maintenance, ensuring that the field can withstand the rigors of multiple games each week.

The way Sutter Health Park has been equipped—with the latest technology and strategic planning—demonstrates a proactive approach to ensuring that this unique arrangement not only meets but exceeds player and fan expectations. I’m eager to see how this unfolds and what it means for the love of the game right here in Sacramento.

For more insights into this dynamic partnership and the future of baseball in Sacramento, you can LEARN MORE.

SAN FRANCISCO — Replacement grass will be nearby and at the ready when the Sutter Health Park sod begins to deteriorate this spring with regular play from both the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A team and the newcomer Athletics.

Given the unique circumstances of a major league club sharing its ballpark with a minor league affiliate from another franchise — the Sacramento River Cats — contingency plans are in place to maintain the grass quality.

Murray Cook, Major League Baseball’s field consultant and President of BrightView Sports Turf, said both longtime head groundskeepers from the Giants and A’s have been part of efforts to keep the playing surface in top form. In addition, the on-site grounds crew staff has been quadrupled in size, he said.

“We looked at the process of what it was going to take to manage two teams, it is a little bit uncharted to have a major league team, a minor league team share a field for an entire season,” Cook said in a video call.

The A’s will begin what is expected to be a three-year stint in Sacramento when they host the Chicago Cubs for a three-game series. The club hopes to move into a new ballpark in Las Vegas for the 2028 season.

Last fall it was announced the ballpark would feature natural grass instead of artificial turf as initially planned, given the extreme heat in California’s capital.

“It’s not a secret that players prefer playing on natural grass, across the board. Right, everybody knows that, players know that,” Cook said. “I think that’s what kind of pushed this thing toward natural grass. We never said it wasn’t doable, we never said it was going to be ideal versus same thing with synthetic grass. I think at the end of the day we could do both, make them both work.”

Still, high-traffic areas — such as in front of the mound, around home plate, shortstop-second base area — Cook expects will likely need some work for wear and tear by May or early June, pulling from nearby backup fields. Drones will help monitor the field conditions daily along with on-field sensors to determine areas needing to be re-sodded. A watering system has been installed under the infield clay as well to complement the daily watering.

The Giants played the River Cats at Sutter Health Park and reports were positive, “and it sounded like everyone had a great time,” according to Cook.

The existing system features a series of drain lines underneath the playing surface that have the ability to pump cool air into the field to move air through the soil base and provide a cooling system — which also can help promote root growth.

“In addition, it also has the ability to, if there’s a heavy rainstorm, you can flip the switch and you can pull the water off the field,” Cook said. “Or it can put water under the field from underneath to help the root structure to become healthier as well. So it’s got multiple options to help the grass stay healthier throughout the year.”