2008 Woodie Awards
Best fields in the conference? Not now
The fields we were promised aren't ready - and someone needs to be held responsible
Frankie Guros
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: Opinion
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Now that I've walked out on those fields, I seriously doubt those claims.
Just to be clear, I am so thankful that the old Bond field, with its head-size potholes, is being replaced. The new field is being heralded as, "The best outdoor facility in Washington County," by Ken Schumann, director of athletics, in a letter to the editor of the News Times in Forest Grove.
But something has gone seriously wrong, because there are eight-inch sink holes on our brand new outfield. Eight inches may not sound like a lot, but try running full speed and unexpectedly sinking over half a foot mid-stride. That's guaranteed to tear some ligament in your legs.
That's just one of the problems that are not characteristic of a top-notch facility.
I walked over to second base on Tuesday (which was sunny and beautiful, more on that later) and picked up a fist-sized solid rock from near second base. There were sticks and other pieces of debris that obviously did not belong.
Who dumped all that dirt on to the field without noticing these problems?
The main problem we're facing here is a basic contradiction. How can they say these will be the top fields in the conference when we are contracting the lowest bidder?
Yes, that's right. The contractors who are building our multi-million dollar complex don't have experience in a project of this magnitude. It's a growing trend that companies score big jobs like this by offering to do it for the lowest amount of money.
So are we getting the best facility around or is the administration passing off fool's gold for the real thing?
The entire LPAC project was approved one year ago today. Baseball and softball were supposed to be able to begin practicing on Feb. 1.
Neither team has touched the field. They're not allowed out there until the construction crews and equipment have vacated the premises.
Prioritize the fields
M any of the players on the teams were told at one point that the crews needed five straight days of good weather to finish the fields, because the delays in construction were of course blamed on the weather.
However, when I went for a stroll through the park on that cloudless afternoon, there was no one working on either fields.
For the several hours I was out there, the fields were vacant. Well, there were a few guys out there.
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