Yanks’ field of dreams now a surface of postponements

MOOSIC – Randy Mobley wasn’t thrilled with members of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and Pawtucket Red Sox sitting around on a beautiful Fourth of July weekend.

And not an inning of baseball was played.

That’s why the International League president and SWB Yankees president Kristen Rose are working hand-in-hand to make sure it doesn’t happen in the future.

Ongoing drainage problems in the outfield at PNC Field forced the postponement of games Saturday and Sunday nights. That was the 10th and 11th time games have been either postponed or canceled this season, including three times in the past two weeks because of poor field conditions.

“We’re putting some communication mechanisms in place to avoid situations when you have two teams sitting around all weekend not playing baseball,” said Mobley. “The events of (last) weekend led to some lengthy discussions between Kristen Rose and myself. No one is happy with the situation.”

Rose says the organization is doing everything it can to solve the drainage problem. The Yankees have aerated the field, drilled holes, added drain tile and replaced approximately 14,000 square feet of sod, said Rose. The organization even used a helicopter Saturday afternoon to hover over a bad spot in right field in hopes the blast of air from the rotor would improve the wet and muddy conditions.

“First and foremost, it’s very disappointing,” said Rose. “We want to provide a great fan experience, and our players want to be on the field playing. We’re doing everything we can to make the field playable. We’re more disappointed than anyone that we had to postpone the games.”

The postponements, especially on days when weather isn’t an issue, can have a negative impact in several areas, said Mobley.

“For the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, it’s a player development issue,” he said. “You don’t want to see your players sitting around and not playing. From the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees’ side of things, this isn’t the way you want to conduct business. It’s not putting the best face on the product. It does nothing in dealing with the fans.”

New York Yankees head groundskeeper Dan Cunningham and members of his staff are expected to visit PNC Field today to get a firsthand look at the situation.

“We’re anxiously awaiting their recommendations, especially for the short term,” said Mobley, who has been the IL president for 19 years. “Our office is requiring (SWB) to report on what’s being done to get through the season. We’re also putting in requirements for them to communicate permanent changes, as well.”

Beginning this week, the SWB Yankees must contact the International League office 36 hours in advance of each home game to discuss field conditions and the weather forecast. If the Yankees can’t ensure the next game will be played, the league will take a look at alternatives, said Mobley.

That could mean the Yankees playing “home” games at other IL venues, such as Lehigh Valley or Syracuse.

“I wouldn’t rule anything out,” said Mobley. “We would most likely use other International League sites, but we wouldn’t rule anything out.”

The Yankees playing their home games at other stadiums is something Rose hopes she never sees.

“It’s absolutely a last resort,” she said. “Our goal is to play all of our remaining home games at PNC Field.”

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News

11 games ppd. or canceled over drainage issue. SWB playing home games on road mulled.

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