Rays Face Unexpected Challenges at Steinbrenner Field

New DuraEdge clay, all 100 tons of it, will soon fix up Steinbrenner Field's infield. The Tampa Bay Rays ordered this huge clay delivery to fix the uneven playing surface before their next home games.

Unlike the indoor Tropicana Field, this outdoor stadium creates challenges for players. Strong winds blow right to left across the field, messing with fly balls and making routine plays difficult. Sure, the Rays would face some of these challenges in other ball parks on the road, but now they have to adjust for home games as well.

The bright sun and weird shadows cause problems during afternoon games. But it's the rough infield that's been the biggest headache, leading to this big clay replacement. Night games have been easier for players dealing with the weather.

Opening day showed just how crazy the wind can get. Jonathan Aranda hit what seemed like a definite home run, but the wind pushed it down and almost turned his big hit into an easy out.

“Aranda hit that ball, I thought he put it on [Dale Mabry Highway],” Lowe said in a post game interview. “[Third base coach Brady Williams] is yelling at me to tag up, and I was like, ‘I'll tag up, but it's a homer, Brady.' And then all of a sudden, the guy makes a great play on it, and that ball's almost in the bullpen.”

After years playing inside, the team must get used to Florida's unpredictable weather. The calm air they were used to at the Trop has been replaced by gusty winds that change how every hit ball moves. The unpredictable summer showers and thunderstorms will also be a factor later this year. We suspect a lot of rain delays and double headers in the summertime.

This high-quality DuraEdge clay should fix those bad bounces. The grounds crew wants to make a better, more consistent infield where good plays come from skill, not luck.

The crew keeps a close eye on the field and fixes problems quickly. They have one main goal: Keep the field fair and safe while the team plays here.