That the Dodgers left Turner Field complaining about the condition of the stadium’s infield isn’t notable when viewed in the context of finicky major league players. They tend to grumble about such things, especially when they make fielding errors like the Dodgers did during the series that concluded Thursday.
But what bothered Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez about the ESPN story on the topic was that it quoted an anonymous Braves source suggesting that players planned to contact their union to pressure the club to improve the surface. Gonzalez said field director Ed Mangan has always been receptive to whatever adjustments the Braves want made to the infield, and noted that Mangan’s office is adjacent to the team’s dugout.
“To throw someone under the bus and make excuses about the field for making errors, that would be a hard pill to swallow,” Gonzalez said.
Braves infielders were charged with eight errors in the eight home games played before Friday’s series opener against the Mets, but five of those errors were throwing miscues. Two of the non-throwing errors were committed by inexperienced third baseman Adonis Garcia, and veteran shortstop Erick Aybar made the other.
The Dodgers complained after they committed four errors in the first two games of the two-game series at Turner Field earlier this week, all on the left side of the infield. The ESPN article quoted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and two players complaining about the field, with veteran NL second baseman Chase Utley saying the field had “changed a little bit over the years.”
ESPN reported that the Brave source cited “uneven grass and the unpredictable are where the turf meets the infield grass” as problems. Braves catcher Tyler Flowers, the team’s players’ union representative, said he wasn’t aware of any major complaints among teammates.
“I think there are normal complaints, whether serious or joking in batting practice, probably at every stadium.” Flowers said. “You have to blame it on someone because it ain’t your fault. That’s just how we are. But really, beyond that, I haven’t heard much of anything else. We have had some errors and teams have had some errors against us, but I haven’t seen anybody kick the dirt or rip up some grass because of it.”
Braves veteran Kelly Johnson in his third stint with the team since making his big-league debut in 2005. He said most infield surfaces have issues early in the season.
“Every field I have been on there are going to be things to be tinkered with, whether it’s wanting the field to be saturated or watered down more, wanting the grass to be a little taller,” he said. “Grounds crews will try to help you out as much as they can if there is something that needs to be fixed. Hopefully that will be the case.”
Gonzalez said Mangan made changes to the Turner Field dirt surface when Braves coaches made suggestions during the offseason. He said the hybrid grass won’t grow higher until there is consistently warm weather at night.
Gonzalez said when he met with Mangan on Friday, and the field director was “hurt and disappointed” by the ESPN article. The manager said if his players have complaints they should take them directly to Mangan.
“He is there (in his office) every single day,” Gonzalez said Friday. “He will do whatever we ask him to do.”
