BUFFALO, N.Y. — In less than two weeks the familiar cry of "play ball!" will ring out again at Sahlen Field downtown, as the Buffalo Bisons host their season opener on Tuesday, April 4 at 2:05 p.m.
In the time left before the home season begins, crews are busy preparing the stadium.
"We're excited to get at some things today," said the team's Assistant General Manager for marketing and Public Relations Brad Bisbing. "It's a sprint to opening day to be sure."
On a sun splashed morning members of grounds crew were hustling by stretching netting between outfield poles which will; keep home run balls from hitting cars, while others edged base paths.
Tuesday also brought the opportunity for the grass in the outfield to be cut for the first time in 2023.
"In the fall I let it grow out a little bit just to give it its own blanket," said head groundskeeper Kelly Rensell, whose 16 year career took him to ballparks in five state before coming to Buffalo two years ago.
"Right now there's some desiccation going on, the tops of the blades of grass are kind of brown, so when I mow it the first time every year I just drop 'the mower deck' a little bit just to cut the dead tips off and as you can see it's pretty green underneath.
After the winter which Buffalo experienced, the return of baseball will once again be a welcome sign of Spring in Western New York.
"Saheln Field did a good job weathering the storms," said Bisbing. "And it's going to be ready for opening day as beautiful as she ever was."