Nats play on field of not-so-many dreams

WASHINGTON -- As the Washington Nationals' housewarming party continues, a few piles of rich, soft dirt might make a nice gift.

Players on both sides are complaining about the field condition at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, with problems ranging from the mound to the mounds in the bullpens to the dirt on the infield and outfield warning tracks.

Diamondbacks officials listed some of the problems for Major League Baseball representatives Thursday. Before that night's game, Arizona infielders stopped taking ground balls until the grounds crew dragged the infield to smooth things out following the Nationals' batting practice.

"I think they have work to do on the infield, and the batter's box wasn't great," Arizona second baseman Craig Counsell said. "I think everybody understands that it was the first game. You give them the benefit of the doubt. You just want to make sure they're aware of it."

Livan Hernandez was quick to point out problems with the pitcher's mound at RFK Stadium. (AP)

One of the problems is that the dirt on the basepaths and around home plate is rock solid, and RFK grounds crew covered it with Diamond Dry -- a kitty litter-like gravel substance. But the Diamond Dry stayed loose on top of the dirt, rather than blending in, creating a sandy-top effect.

"The Diamond Dry piles up, it clumps up," Arizona shortstop Royce Clayton said.

The Diamondbacks made it clear that they weren't looking to throw cold water on the Nationals' opening -- "It was an honor to be the first team in here, and (the field condition) is just part of the deal," Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said -- noting instead that they simply are voicing their concerns to expedite the field's improvement to major-league quality.

"I'm sure the Nationals don't want a bad field any more than us," Garagiola said. "I'm sure not even (Washington GM) Jim Bowden would put together a team of bad-hop specialists.

"I give him a lot of credit, but I don't think even he would go that far."

Umpires called the grounds crew out to the mound before the start of the third inning of Thursday's opener to work on the surface after fielding complaints from Washington pitcher Livan Hernandez.

Nationals manager Frank Robinson said that the mound was a problem during the exhibition game the Nationals played against the New York Mets on April 3. The clay the grounds crew packed toward the front of the mound, where a pitcher's foot lands, kept giving way.

"There was a big hole," Robinson said. "(Livan) didn't have to complain. I could see it."

The mound at RFK Stadium rests on a hydraulic lift so that it can be dropped down when the stadium's other tenant, the D.C. United soccer team, plays. Typically, portable mounds are difficult to maintain.

"The mounds need more than a little bit of fine-tuning," Robinson said before the Nationals hosted Arizona in their second home game Saturday. "The mounds on the field and in the bullpens.

"They don't need re-doing, but they need re-worked."

Players also said the field was lumpy in spots, probably as a result of the soccer.

"Anytime you get on a field where baseball has not been played for some time, and soccer has been played here, you're going to have some issues," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "But both teams have to play on it; it's the same playing field for everybody that's out there.

"We don't want to delve too far into that because, no matter how good or bad a playing field it is, it's an even playing field."