Dodger fans who attended this year’s FanFest event undoubtedly noticed something rather disturbing about their beloved Blue Heaven on Earth – the grass on the field looked… well… awful. There were large patches of dead grass everywhere. But it was only January 31 and as Dodger fans know very well, re-sodding Dodger Stadium can be done in a matter of days – evident by the incredible re-sodding that took place several years ago after major Monster Truck and Motocross events at Dodger Stadium during which the entire playing surface was buried under mountains of dirt and mud.

On January 22, 2011, Dodger Stadium was transformed into a full-blown Motocross course, after which the field was re-sodded and in perfect condition for Opening Day on March 31. (Photo courtesy of Talke Photography)

Armed with this knowledge, there was little concern that the field at Dodger Stadium would look as good as new for Opening Day on Monday, April 6. But after shooting a quick email to longtime Dodgers PR man Steve Brener to inquire as to when the re-sodding would take place, I was shocked when Brener replied that there would be no re-sodding this year.

“I spoke with Eric Hanson, our [head] groundskeeper. He said he is not re-sodding except in places,” Brener replied in his email. “They were putting fertilizer and seeds down [instead]. 

What? No re-sodding? Are you kidding me? Did you see the outfield grass at FanFest? It was absolutely atrocious! There is no way that merely putting down fertilizer and seeds will work in time for Opening Day. It needs to be re-sodded for sure.

If you would have said that the horrible looking outfield grass at Dodger Stadium at Fan Fest would be ready by Opening Day without re-sodding, I would have said you were nuts. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Low and behold, while the Dodgers were 365 miles away for spring training at beautiful Camelback Ranch, Hansen and his crew were hard at work “putting fertilizer and seeds down,” and the results are remarkable. Even on a drizzly Southern California morning on March 11, exactly 26 days before Clayton Kershaw will make the first pitch of the 2015 season, the grass at Dodger Stadium already looks great – and they’re not even finished with it yet.

This photo taken on March 11 – four weeks before Opening Day – clearly shows that the playing surface at Dodger Stadium is almost ready. (Photo credit – Armando Carrasco)

Although the unsightly splotches of dead grass are now completely gone, Hansen will be the first to tell you that he and his crew still have a lot of work to do between now and April 6. But with Opening Day still two weeks away, there is no longer even the slightest doubt that Dodger Stadium will once again become Blue Heaven on Earth when Kershaw takes the mound.

Eric Hansen puts the final touch to Dodger Stadium on Opening Day 2014.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)