RFK Update

The Times has an update on the goings-on in RFK. It has several interesting nuggets.

Workers tore up the grass soccer field that had been in use through the stadium's last event: D.C. United's Nov. 6 MLS playoff victory over New England. They dug an extra 20 inches into the ground and rebuilt the field's soil base. A new drainage system will be installed in coming weeks, and new sod is due to be installed next month. When finished, the rebuilt field will still sit about 10 inches below its predecessor...

the sports commission is hurriedly conferring with Nationals sales executives to map out exact seat locations for the more than 16,000 season tickets purchased so far, no easy feat considering entire sections are still moving around. But notices recently were sent out to account holders promising precise seat locations by Jan. 21 and asking for payment on season tickets by Feb. 4....

On the field, workers must install a backstop, two foul poles and the 8-foot outfield fence. Two bullpens must be constructed beyond the fence in right-center field. Final dimensions must be measured, though they're not expected to differ much from RFK's original ones (330 feet down the lines, 385 in the power alleys, 410 to center field).

Given the less-than-onerous home run dimensions and RFK's intimate feel, engineers working on the stadium project the refurbished ballpark as a hitter's haven.

I don't care if it feel intimate, those dimensions aren't overly-large, but they're not indicitave of a bandbox either. RFK played as a pitcher's park before, given the number of hitter's parks that have come into the league, it'll probably continue to play like a pitcher's park.