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Notes: Renovations begin at Wrigley
The temperature topped out at about 60 degrees at Wrigley Field on Friday -- a beautiful day for some yard work.
Two crews this week began tearing up the playing surface at the 93-year-old home of the Cubs for a total renovation of the drainage system and turf. The project, which the club hopes to complete before the end of November, is being overseen by White Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard, who proudly wears the nickname, "The Sodfather." When it's done, the field will be turned back over to longtime Cubs groundskeeper Roger Baird.
"I'm so happy for Roger. He's got the last old car in the Major Leagues," Bossard said.
In fact, Wrigley was the only Major League ballpark that still employed a "crown" to drain rainwater off the field. Cubs players and coaches sitting on the dugout bench would have to strain to see the first baseman across the field.
That will no longer be the case after Bossard is finished. Crews are removing 7,500 tons of dirt and will lower the playing surface about 14 inches over the coming weeks. Kansas City clay will be laid down and leveled before Bossard installs his trademark system of drains, to be made up of 6,000 feet of piping that can hold 60,000 gallons of water, easing the flow of water into the old neighborhood sewer system.
The sod will come from Colorado or New Jersey, depending on the weather in each spot when Bossard's crews are ready, and will be transported to Chicago in refrigerated trucks. Over the cold and snowy winter months, the grass will remain covered by a specialized geo-textile material that will keep the turf 7-9 degrees warmer than the surrounding air.
Timing is critical. Bossard is hoping to finish the project before the end of November, but even a few days of bad weather could set things back.
"It's a six- to seven-week job and I'm trying to get it done in four weeks," he said.
Bossard is a veteran of 10 field renovations, including the 2004 re-do of Boston's venerable Fenway Park and the 2001 installation of the new Miller Park in Milwaukee. It's been pointed out that four of the last six World Series champs have played on one of his fields.
"Maybe it will be the Cubs' turn next year," he said.
In the Fuld: Sam Fuld hasn't missed a beat in the Arizona Fall League.
The outfielder, who began the season at the Cubs' Double-A Tennessee team and ended with the big league club -- making a good impression with a couple sensational catches, hit an RBI triple and an RBI double on Wednesday for the Mesa Solar Sox in a 9-8, come-from-behind win over Scottsdale.
In 15 games with the Solar Sox, Fuld is batting .364 with five doubles, two triples, two homers, 11 RBIs, and he has scored 14 runs. He's had seven multi-hit games, including a 3-for-5 day Oct. 22. The left-handed-hitting Fuld is batting .467 (7-for-15) against left-handed pitching. He's played center and right, and is leading off for Mesa.
Right-hander Sean Gallagher also was pitching for the Solar Sox, and had yet to give up a run in six innings of relief. He's given up three hits, struck out five and has yet to walk a batter.
Pitcher Matt Avery, who began the season at Class A Daytona and was promoted to Tennessee, also has not given up a run in 5 1/3 innings of relief over four games, serving up four hits, walking four and striking out five.
At Tennessee, Avery posted a 4.22 ERA in 31 games, including one start, and struck out 36 over 49 innings.
Other Cubs prospects on the Solar Sox include third baseman Josh Lansford, who was batting .280 (7-for-25) in nine games, and infielder Joe Simokaitis, who was hitting .192 (5-for-26) in 10 games. Other pitchers include Justin Berg, who was 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in five games, all relief appearances, and Rocky Roquet, who had not given up a run in 4 2/3 innings over five games, striking out seven.
Injury update: Daryle Ward did not require surgery on his left wrist this offseason and will rehab it instead. Ward batted .327 in 79 games in his first season with the Cubs.
Minor matters: Outfielder Tyler Colvin, the Cubs' No. 1 pick in 2006 First-Year Player Draft, and Team USA will begin exhibition play this week against AFL teams. ... Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija announced on his website that he is donating Under Armour football uniforms to Valparaiso (Ind.) High School, starting in 2008. He also said in a blog entry that he "learned a ton about the game, and more importantly, how to really 'pitch' from the great pitching coaches I had." ... Cubs Minor Leaguers Dylan Johnston, Yusef Carter, and James Adduci will go to the team's facility in the Dominican Republic in a few days to spend 3 1/2 weeks working on their skills. ... Hall of Famer Monte Irvin will sign autographs at the 2008 Iowa Cubs Fan Fest on Jan. 12, 2008. Irvin was selected to Cooperstown by the Special Committees on Negro Leagues, and was only the fourth player to be so honored. He won two batting titles with the Newark Eagles in the Negro Leagues before joining the New York Giants. He played his last full season with the Cubs in 1956.
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