CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Opening Day at Whataburger Field is finally here, and Hooks Baseball is back. Just a few months ago, the MLB changed some rules on the field. While they might not be the biggest changes, the Corpus Christi Hooks grounds crew made sure those were taken care of before the big day.
"We're using 18-inch bases compared to 15-inch bases, so we had to install a dual anchor system that MLB supplied us at 1st and 3rd," said Taylor Balhoff, the Head grounds crew keeper of the Corpus Christi Hooks.
One of the bigger changes was making more room on the warning track.
"The warning track has to be 15ft all the way around and so that required quite a bit of extensive work. Where we're standing right now was grass prior to the start of last season," Balhoff added.
The ones in charge of making these changes is the grounds keeping crew.
"During a game, we try to have five or so in here plus myself and the assistant," said Balhoff.
Maintaining the field is a year-round job even though the Hooks' season is just a few months.
"We get in around nine in the morning," said Balhoff. "We mow every single day. We make sure the lines are clearly visible and not faint".
The work never stops.
"We just top-dressed recently which is to drop sand to recreate a levelness. We lasergrade annually. Watching irrigation heads and the performance of the water pressure to make sure we have even coverage and don't have hotspots," said Brady Ballard, the General Manager of the Corpus Christi Hooks.
On game-day, the grounds crew are usually the first ones to make it to the field and last to leave.
"We're roughly an hour after the game. Long after the fans are gone, we're typically the last ones to get out of here. Obviously packing the mound, bullpen, plate. Anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and we start it all over the next day," Balhoff added.
He said right before the first pitch is when things slow down a bit, and that's when he takes in the moment.
"When you have the lines down, everything's watered, boxes are down and you see it all come together, it makes it all worth it," said Balhoff.
Hooks opening night is on April 6th and there will also be some opening night fireworks.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com:
- Carrington gets over 11 years in federal prison for robbing bank at gunpoint during crime spree
- Five projects approved for Downtown Corpus Christi including luxury bar, hotel
- Stash house bust uncovers almost $1M worth of illegal drugs, weapons, armor-piercing bullets in Portland
- Corpus Christi man indicted for selling fentanyl-laced pills that killed someone, federal officials say
- Critically missing 5-year-old found in Corpus Christi crawl space after being taken by parents
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for your daily news and exclusive extended interviews.
Do you have a news tip? Tell 3!
Email tell3@kiiitv.com so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous.