RENO — When fans from all over arrive to Aces Ballpark in Reno, they get to see Triple A baseball on one of the best groomed fields in the minor leagues.
The man behind the scenes in Reno is Eric Blanton, the head grounds manager for the Aces. Blanton has been with the team since its inception in 2009 and has quickly made a name for himself, turning Aces Ballpark into one of the best in the nation.
Since 2009, Blanton has been named the Pacific Coast League’s Sports Turf Manager of the Year three times. He earned the award in 2009, 2011 and 2013. He was second in 2010 and 2012.
“It makes you feel good to be recognized like that,” Blanton said. “It’s not just me. We have a good crew that takes pride in what they do. I can’t do it without them.”
Blanton received a degree in turf grass management at Walla Walla Community College and did an internship with the Tacoma Rainers while in college. Following graduation from college he had the opportunity to work for the grounds crew with the Los Angeles Dodgers for three years.
Keeping Aces Ballpark in top shape is time consuming and is done with a small crew. Along with Blanton he has one full-time assistant in Tyler Ramsey, who went to Ohio State. During the summer a student intern also joins the crew. On game days, the seasonal crew of four is evident with field prep.
“For six months straight, there is someone on this field everyday,” Blanton said. “On game days, we are here early morning to late at night. It can be 12-14 hour days. We are lean and mean with our crew, but it lets me get more hands on to do what is needed.”
With the varying climates in northern Nevada, Blanton and his crew are faced with challenges all year long. At the end of the season, the crew must get the field ready for fall and winter as the grass goes dormant.
The proper fertilization and care must be done. There is no protection in the winter and the field is left as is.
In mid-February, a blanket is put in the outfield to help start growth and get the grass to come out of its dormant stage. That is why Aces Ballpark is green in the spring, while your yard is still brown.
“We let it be in the winter,” Blanton said. “It is good for it to go dormant. The blanket is just to kick-start growth. The last couple of winters have been tough, since it has been so dry.”
The dry and hot summers also present a challenge to the crew with the region in a severe drought. Reno will be at home for 20 games in July, the height of summer in Nevada.
“The challenge is just keeping it up every day,” Blanton said. “It is hard to conserve water in the summer, so we do our best in the spring. When we have a long homestand, we want the field to look the same from game one to game eight. It’s the same for the first day of the season to the last day of the season. It is a grind. We probably have an hour and a half of work after a game.”
The field, which was grown in California in 2009, is made up of a bluegrass and ryegrass mix on a sand base. The mixture of grass is a perfect fit for the hot summers in Nevada.
The crew sets up for batting practice up to three hours before game time, cutting into what they can do on the field.
“On game days, we have to do all our work before batting practice, which starts at 4 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game,” Blanton said.
The field is mowed every day to a 3/4-inch level and the infield is hand mowed. At some parks you will see fancy designs in the field, but Blanton likes to keep it simple. He added at that length is where the most consistent play and bounces occur.
“We have done some different things on special occasions,” he said. “I like to keep it nice and clean with stripes. It is time consuming to put designs on the field. When we did it for the All-Star Game, it took nearly nine hours to mow. We can use that time to be working on other things for the field.”
Throughout six months, the field does go through wear and tear and the crew can work on the field when the Aces are on road trips. Certain spots on the field need to have sod replaced.
“We have been pretty lucky so far this season,” Blanton said. “Around the pitching mound gets beat up pretty good and we have to watch the high-traffic areas. We do our part when the team is out of town to get those spots to come back.”
Blanton noted that it usually takes up to two hours to get the infield dirt ready, along with the edges to prevent any bad hops that could happen.
“You want the transitions to be good for the players,” he added. “When a bad hop happens my heart races a little bit. I don’t want a player to get hit on a bad hop because of me. If a bad hop happens because of the spin of the ball I feel better. I like feedback from players, even if it is bad. They have their way of liking the field. The infielders might like the infield to be a bit more wet. We might put a little more water down at home plate. Baseball players are some of the most superstitious out there. We wouldn’t have a job without the baseball players.”
For Blanton to go back to Major League Baseball, it would have to take the perfect scenario for that to happen.
“If the right job is there, I would consider it,” he said. “There have been some opportunities that have arose. I like where I am at. Ownership is great here. I just don’t want to go to go. I like Reno and there is no hurry for me to leave.”
