Aggressive prep underway to get Target Field ready for opening day

MINNEAPOLIS -- They are the unsung heroes of Target Field: the grounds crew. Especially after this Minnesota winter.

"It's been as bad as any year," said Larry DiVito, head groundskeeper for the Minnesota Twins.

WCCO News first caught up with DiVito on March 15, a little more than three weeks ahead of opening day. It seemed as though crews were constantly clearing and melting snow with nearly 90" of it this season.

The April Fools storm earlier this week wasn't much of a problem.

"We had a great day on Sunday. Between our heating system and the sun being out all day, all the snow melted on the field, and we didn't have to shovel anything off the grass. We just had to clean up the warning track a little bit," said DiVito.

Weather isn't the only thing DiVito and his ten person grounds crew lineup have had to contend with.

The scoreboard 2.0 upgrades meant working around crews installing a new main board, Minnie & Paul celebration sign, and other technical innovations. After the cranes and other large machinery were off the field, the outfield sod was replaced. Recently 5,200 sea green juniper plants were put up for the living wall which is one of the largest in the country.

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Some of the most intricate work the ground crew does is the transitions from the infield grass to the dirt and then from the dirt to the outfield grass.

"It's all handwork, it's all skill work. It's not like some big machine can handle that. You've got to take the rake and get the texture of the work just right. Walk it with a roller and just detail, detail because of the ball roll and the speed these guys play at. It's pretty critical," said DiVito.

That's because playability and safety are paramount.

"The challenge here is trying to get that playability consistent every day when you're dealing with the weather and the tarp. I sit out here, and I watch the game and I'm looking at the ball and I'm looking at their feet more than anything," said DiVito.

Aesthetics follow closely behind.

"As far as getting the grass up to TV conditions and growing, it's really the last seven days before we play. We need the sun to be out," said DiVito

The final days before the opener are filled with artful work. Mowing stripes, rolling, grooming, lining and painting logos onto the field. Around it, fixing nets and installing pads on the wall and around the new pitch clock.

Before he leaves each night, DiVito asks himself a question he believes is key to keeping this beautiful field of dreams ready for games.

"Are you set up to succeed the next morning? That's always the way it is with this job," said DiVito.