TAMPA, Fla. -- At least after one workout session, the new artificial playing surface at Tropicana Field has earned favorable reviews from Rays players.
Prior to their Grapefruit League game against the Yankees on Sunday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Rays stopped 20 miles away at their home ballpark in St. Petersburg to test out the Shaw Sports Turf for the first time since it was installed over the past few weeks.
Veteran third baseman Evan Longoria said it looks noticeably different than the AstroTurf that was used beginning in 2011, with its darker-green shade and a lack of black rubber fill-in pellets that gave the old surface more of a washed-out appearance.