The Frisco RoughRiders are getting ready to play ball at home this week.
With the team on the road, the grounds crew has been preparing for Thursday's home opener.
"We've been on the field since the middle of February trying to get ready for Opening Day," said Michael Turk, assistant groundskeeper at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
Team president Scott Sonju said the Texas Rangers' recent postseason runs have spiked an interest in baseball locally.
The RoughRiders are the Class AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers.
"We're very fortunate," Sonju said. "Of the 30 AA ball clubs in the country, we're been No. 1 in attendance for the past seven seasons."
Sonju said the field at Dr Pepper Ballpark is "the prettiest minor league ballpark in the entire country."
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The venue has received national accolades.
"I take a lot of pride in this being my field, in a sense," Turk said. "This year, the team and city celebrate 10 years of working together.
With the city's help, the RoughRiders' success has paved the way for other venues to find their way north and capitalize on the explosion of growth in the Collin County market, Sonju said.
"Though we're only 10 years old, that's a pretty established business here," he said. "We were one of the first sports and entertainment opportunities north of downtown."
First pitch at the RoughRiders' home opener against Springfield is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday.
