SEATTLE — Mariners' head groundskeeper Bob Christofferson had an uphill battle getting the field at T-Mobile Park ready for the 2019 season. Christofferson, who's been the head groundskeeper for 20 years, said this year's field preparations were much different than normal.
In December, the holiday light spectacle known as Enchant attracted 300,000 people to the park for Christmas fun. But all the foot traffic destroyed the field, leaving Christofferson and his team a muddy mess and no grass.
“There was an ice-skating rink on the field. I knew the grass was going to die, but I didn't know it was going to die that quickly. It was a long December,” Christofferson said.
The Mariners rebuilt the field for the first time ahead of the 2018 season, but 2019 also required a full re-sod with all the trimmings.
"The most important thing is the first impression with the players," Christofferson explained.
The field crew got to work in January, putting in long hours and often working on the weekends to ensure the field was trimmed and leveled.
In early February, ground crews laid fresh Kentucky Blue Grass sod and re-positioned it like a puzzle. February was the snowiest in Seattle’s history, and Kentucky Blue Grass requires adequate sun, rain, and warmth to thrive.
"Usually you get at least a week where it feels like Spring," Christofferson told KING 5 in late February. “We didn’t get that this year.”
Work continued on the field despite the cold and snowy weather. Like previous seasons, Christofferson used special grow lights hovered above the sod to provide warmth and adequate light. The Mariners are the second Major League Baseball club to use the special lights.
T-Mobile Park also hosted a college baseball tournament that was tough on the grass.
But Christofferson and his crew were able to get the job done for the home opener.
"You have to be patient. It's like watching grass grow,” Christofferson said. “Luckily, I like watching grass grow."
