It’s not just baseball. It’s a loop. Practice. Games. Food. Sleep. Travel. Repeat.
For the Durham Bulls, managing this cycle means more than just fielding a winning team. It’s about logistics. GM Chris Birling and his staff have arranged for most players and their families to live in the same apartment complex during the season. Why? To share rides. To build a support system when the players are on the road and the wives are alone.
Most spouses don’t hold down regular jobs during the season. The schedules are erratic. They’re only in town for the summer, heading back to their home states until spring training rolls around again. It’s a transient life, one that requires sacrifice from everyone involved.
The Logistics of Travel and Family
Baseball teams travel together. Buses or planes. Every organization handles the family aspect differently. Some encourage wives to hit the road with the club. Others see family as a distraction. Those teams prefer spouses stay home or, if they do show up for away games, stay in a different hotel.
Durham takes a different approach. CEO and President Jim Goodmon extends the ballpark’s family-friendly vibe to the locker room and beyond. It’s not just about playing ball. It’s about community.
The Bulls organize team gatherings. Socials. They also have main office staff ready to answer questions from new arrivals about the local community. It’s a resource network for guys who might be new to North Carolina and trying to navigate life outside the diamond.
One event stands out. Last season, players’ wives donned their husbands’ uniforms and ran a silent auction of baseball memorabilia on the concourse. It was a hit. They’re doing it again this year.
The proceeds go to the Durham Bulls Youth Athletic League, a partnership between the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the team. The program brings together children from disadvantaged backgrounds for soccer and baseball. These kids get recognized on a special night each season, hanging out with players and staff. It’s tangible support. Real connection.
The Hidden Hours of Ballpark Staff
People assume the job at the ballpark is glamorous. Marketing director Crichton hears it all the time. He represents dozens of local young people who work as many hours as the players once the season starts.
“I do love it,” Crichton said. “But they’re not thinking about the fact that, on game days, we may be here 20 hours before we can go home. Then we get up and do it again the next day.”
It’s hard on relationships. Hard on other interests. They do it because they love the game. They want to do a good job. But the cost is real.
Then there’s Kevin Robinson. Head groundskeeper. A fixture at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP).
Robinson studied agronomy with a specialization in turfgrass management at North Carolina State University. Fans might not know his name, but the players sure do. His work speaks for itself.
“The condition of the field greatly affects the game,” Robinson said. “The main goal of my job is to create a safe field, where injuries are not caused by the playing surface, and a good playing field. Communication with the players is very important. They let me know how they like the field and I do my best to accommodate them.”
He works on the field year-round. Things intensify in spring. On game days, he’s at the park by 6 a.m. Maintenance. Last-minute improvements after practice. Adjustments right before game time. On a good day, he wraps up around midnight.
DBAP ranks in Baseball America’s top five minor league ballparks in the country. What makes it top-tier? “Play-ability,” Robinson said.
It’s complex. Time-consuming. It means ensuring a ball that hits the infield gets a “good roll.” No “bad hops.” Aesthetics matter too. But safety and consistency? Those are the foundation. Without them, the game changes. And nobody wants a bad hop when the bases are loaded.
The Grass is Greener (and More Complicated) Than It Looks
You see the stripes on the field and think it’s just aesthetics. It’s not. It’s physics.
Robinson explains that the alternating light and dark bands are an optical illusion created by a reel mower equipped with rollers. The crew lays the grass blades in opposite directions. Sunlight hits the surface of the leaf in the light stripes. It hits only the tips in the dark ones. Different reflection. Same grass.
But the real story is what’s beneath your feet. The Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT) system is a custom-engineered drainage solution. Every park gets a tailored mix based on its specific soil and layout. The subsoil is 100 percent sand.
Why sand? Because it drains. Fast.
This minimizes rain-outs. It saves games that might otherwise be canceled. But there’s a catch. Sand doesn’t hold nutrients or water well. Everything leaches through the profile. The system is delicate. Harder to maintain. More prone to stress.
Is it worth the extra labor? Robinson says yes. If it keeps the game on the schedule, the hassle is justified.
Managing the Elements
The biggest enemy of a baseball field is standing water. When the forecast turns ugly, Robinson and his crew don’t wait. They grab the tarp.
It’s a 170-foot by 170-foot vinyl sheet. Heavy. Unwieldy.
Unrolling it smoothly requires skill. You don’t want to get caught under it. You don’t want to get buried by fellow crew members rolling the thing. It’s a spectacle. A coordinated dance of muscle and vinyl.
From Minor Leagues to the Show
The Durham Bulls have a reputation for developing talent. Several standouts have made it to the majors:
- Paul Assenmacher (Pitcher, Atlanta Braves)
- Steve Avery (Pitcher, Atlanta Braves)
- Ron Gant (2nd Base, Philadelphia Phillies)
- Tony Graffanino (2nd Base, Tampa Bay Devil Rays)
- Andruw Jones (Outfielder, Atlanta Braves)
- Chipper Jones (Infielder, Atlanta Braves)
- David Justice (Outfielder, Cleveland Indians)
The grass might change color with the seasons, but the pipeline from the minors to the majors remains steady. Go watch them play. See how the game is actually maintained. The details matter. The stripes matter. The sand matters.
