In just over 10-months your Portland Pickles will be playing on a major league quality field at Walker Stadium.  The irrigation is being readied on the entire field.  All of the trenches are complete on the infield.  The dirt for the pitchers mound has arrived, as has the dirt for the home plate area and the pristine dirt for the skinned portion of the infield is ready to be applied.  The material for the warning track, straight from the lava fields near Bend, has also arrived.

The crew is terrific.  You can tell this is a labor of love for them.  They can't wait for Opening Night next June and for Pickles fans to get a look at their great playing surface.  The crew is planning on which day they'll begin building the pitchers mound.  They're talking about putting the dirt in around home plate sometime very soon.  By the way, home plate has been moved out from its previous position, allowing for the addition of 250 major league-style chair back seats.  

The more than 1,000 permanent seats will be amazingly close to the action.  Quaint and intimate comes to mind in describing the new Walker Stadium.  If it's about atmosphere, you'll find plenty when you attend a Pickles game.  The outfield dimensions, especially to center field, will be on the very cozy side.  But a 16-foot wall will handle any potential cheap home runs.  More on all the stadium details later.  Let's just say it's exciting to see the ball park making this major transition to a yard everybody will love.

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