Mother Nature threw a curve ball Wednesday night to Progressive Field head groundskeeper Brandon Koehnke and his staff.
        The curve ball came in the form of an early spring snow shower that left about four inches of wet, white stuff on the playing surfaces at Progressive Field with Friday's home opener against the Chicago White Sox in the offing.
       That would be a problem anytime, but in the circumstances under which Koehnke and crew are operating this spring, it qualifies as a major annoyance bordering on crisis.
      Over the last three weeks, Koehnke has overseen the replacement of sod over the entire outfield and the rebuilding of the dirt part of the infield. The major reconstruction was necessitated by damage done by the huge sets built for "Snow Days,'' the winter sledding-and-skating attraction that was up set up on the field from late November to early January.
       Check out the story about the rebuilding project in The News-Herald.

   

- David S. Glasier