Baseball stadium news

[dbmill]

At the alumni game Coach Penders said that the renovation of the baseball field will happen in stages over the next several years. The first step will be the installation of artificial turf field that will be installed and ready for the 2017 season.

 

[huskymedic]

Sigh...
Houston Baseball ⚾️‏@UHCougarBB 6h
IT'S OFFICIAL! @UHCougarBB to Build 20,000+ square-foot Player Development Center & Clubhouse at Cougar Field #M64

 

[Drew]

Sigh...
Houston Baseball ⚾️‏@UHCougarBB 6h
IT'S OFFICIAL! @UHCougarBB to Build 20,000+ square-foot Player Development Center & Clubhouse at Cougar Field #M64

We don't even have lights at our field and they're building a baseball practice facility 25-30% of the size of Shenkman. As ahead of the AAC we were in basketball facilities we are the total opposite in baseball facilities. Wow.

 

[NYUConn]

Sigh...
Houston Baseball ⚾️‏@UHCougarBB 6h
IT'S OFFICIAL! @UHCougarBB to Build 20,000+ square-foot Player Development Center & Clubhouse at Cougar Field #M64

Guys, if you think Houston Baseball is getting them out of the AAC you're crazy.

Also, you can't compare Texas college baseball to Northeast college baseball. There are DIII schools in Texas with facilities that would dwarf UConn.

In terms of national relevance, UConn is an outlier in that it is a Northeast school that can compete nationally in baseball. Really only St. John's can come close to being as relevant nationally.

 

[huskymedic]

Guys, if you think Houston Baseball is getting them out of the AAC you're crazy.

Wasn't necessarily drawing that correlation but Houston IS spending money on their athletic facilities like a drunken sailor.

 

[NYUConn]

Wasn't necessarily drawing that correlation but Houston IS spending money on their athletic facilities like a drunken sailor.

I could argue that with a new hockey arena, new soccer stadium, new basketball facilities and a possible new Gampel, that UConn is going all out as well.

 

[FDNY99]

Guys, if you think Houston Baseball is getting them out of the AAC you're crazy.

Also, you can't compare Texas college baseball to Northeast college baseball. There are DIII schools in Texas with facilities that would dwarf UConn.

In terms of national relevance, UConn is an outlier in that it is a Northeast school that can compete nationally in baseball. Really only St. John's can come close to being as relevant nationally.

There is a D-III school in the same town as UCONN that has a baseball facility that blows what is on campus out of the water.

 

[scotty0330]

There is a D-III school in the same town as UCONN that has a baseball facility that blows what is on campus out of the water.

Exactly ECSU's stadium is light years ahead of JO Christian field. Have to believe it will be several years before serious upgrades are made

 

[dbmill]

I neglected to post this earlier, but Coach Penders also said at the Sunday alumni game that the total cost of the renovations to the baseball field would be $12 million by the time the ballpark improvements were completed. Aside from saying that the artificial turf would be installed in time for the 2017 season, he gave no time table for the rest of the improvements.

 

[FDNY99]

I neglected to post this earlier, but Coach Penders also said at the Sunday alumni game that the total cost of the renovations to the baseball field would be $12 million by the time the ballpark improvements were completed. Aside from saying that the artificial turf would be installed in time for the 2017 season, he gave no time table for the rest of the improvements.

Any reason why they are going to field turf over traditional grass field?

 

[huskymedic]

Any reason why they are going to field turf over traditional grass field?

Weather considerations... tired of not being able to practice/play early spring games @ home field.

 

[dbmill]

Any reason why they are going to field turf over traditional grass field?

Weather considerations... tired of not being able to practice/play early spring games @ home field.

A number of northeastern teams have artificial turf fields, including Central Connecticut State and Hartford. If you have a March or early April snowstorm, it is relatively easy to clear an artificial turf field without ruining it. Besides, grass doesn't grow too well in March and early April when they are trying to play games.

 

[scotty0330]

True with so much of their season taking place during what is still really winter up here it makes sense. hate to see artificial surface but stupid to have grass when essentially their season is complete by the time the warm weather and growing season is here.

$12M is a lot of beans to raise. But what a different experience will be when and if it gets built. Every time I drive thru Worchester and see Holy Cross's stadium I get jealous thinking about what could be if UCONN could ever get something that nice.

 

[scotty0330]

True with so much of their season taking place during what is still really winter up here it makes sense. hate to see artificial surface but stupid to have grass when essentially their season is complete by the time the warm weather and growing season is here.

$12M is a lot of beans to raise. But what a different experience will be when and if it gets built. Every time I drive thru Worchester and see Holy Cross's stadium I get jealous thinking about what could be if UCONN could ever get something that nice.

 

[mets1090]

No idea where the donations stand, but $12M for renovations might not seem so daunting once Springer is arbitration eligible, let alone FA eligible. Not saying it's right to expect a donation, but it sure would help.

Turf is an absolute necessity IMO so it's good that they're at least getting that taken care of first.

 

[dbmill]

No idea where the donations stand, but $12M for renovations might not seem so daunting once Springer is arbitration eligible, let alone FA eligible. Not saying it's right to expect a donation, but it sure would help.

Turf is an absolute necessity IMO so it's good that they're at least getting that taken care of first.

After the rough winter, the poor condition of the field at JO Christian was often a topic of discussion during WHUS baseball broadcasts this past spring. Penders also talked about during post game interviews. While Penders much prefers grass fields, he said during those interviews that due to New England weather and the early spring college season, switching to an artificial turf field was pretty much a necessity for UConn baseball. I have to say I feel the same way.

 

[huskymedic]

Sigh...
Houston Baseball ⚾️‏@UHCougarBB 6h
IT'S OFFICIAL! @UHCougarBB to Build 20,000+ square-foot Player Development Center & Clubhouse at Cougar Field #M64

Joseph_Duarte 6:42pm via Twitter for iPhone
Largest video board in college baseball nearing completion @UHCougarBB Cougar Field

 

[dbmill]

Joseph_Duarte 6:42pm via Twitter for iPhone
Largest video board in college baseball nearing completion @UHCougarBB Cougar Field

And to think that at UConn, I'll be real pleased just having lights and real toilets on the premises.

 

[Palatine]

Love to see the Huskies play part of the schedule in Hartford. Not a ton of games, just enough to raise their profile. The place is starting to look like a baseball stadium.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Love to see the Huskies play part of the schedule in Hartford. Not a ton of games, just enough to raise their profile. The place is starting to look like a baseball stadium.

They are scheduled to play UMass at Dunkin Donuts Park on May 10, 2016.

 

[ct06111]

They are scheduled to play UMass at Dunkin Donuts Park on May 10, 2016.

Glad they're going to have 1 game @ the dunk. I don't want it to be another basketball or another hockey (where they have multiple games downtown), but I never seen them play on campus yet or at all for that matter.

So, this is good news to get the casual (non-alumni) folks like myself to catch a game and hopefully follow them to their new stadium on campus.

(Which is what they should be doing for ice hockey).