SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The work behind-the-scenes to make sure Four Winds Field is ready for each and every gameday, starts just as soon as the last game ends.
Jairo Rubio, Head Groundskeeper for the South Bend Cubs since 2020, tells ABC57 that even the slightest misstep in caring for the field can affect the flow of a game.
"If you have a field where you're getting bad hops, now your defense has to adjust things. If you have a field where there's an area that's too soft, they have to adjust to that. So, you want to make sure stuff is staying level and at a consistent moisture on the infield." said Rubio.
The day-to-day operations of the groundskeeping crew can vary, based on the needs of the team.
Groundskeepers typically get the team schedule the night before and get to work bright-and-early to make sure everything's good to go for the players when they arrive.
Rubio says he's been on this career path since before he turned 16, working at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona, where the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners hosted their spring training at the time.
He also worked alongside the Cubs organization on their spring training facility in Arizona until he was offered the Head Groundskeeper position in 2020, with 2021 being his first full year in South Bend.
While dealing with Michiana weather is much tougher and more unpredictable than Arizona, Rubio tells us he loves his work, and his crew is always prepared to make sure the game goes on as scheduled.