Braves Resolve Lighting Problem

The Atlanta Braves have seen the light.

Players have complained about the lighting in the outfield of the Braves’ new ballpark, Turner Field, since the home opener April 4.

Last weekend, while the team was in Chicago for a series with the Cubs, the lights above the dugouts were angled away from the field to reduce the glare.

“It’s a lot better now,” left fielder Ryan Klesko said. “They took that second string of lights that were real bright and turned them away. The ball is still going to be in the lights, but now you won’t be blind.”

The field crew redirected the lights behind third base into left field and the lights behind first base into right. Before, they were aimed straight into the opposite field.

“Now they’re using more of the outfield standards to light the outfield,” said Dean Taylor, the Braves’ assistant general manager.

So far, the players like it, he said. “We’ll take a look at it the next couple [of] nights and see. We won’t really know until we play a couple [of] games.”

*

Houston Astro pitcher Sid Fernandez underwent a series of tests to determine the cause of the biceps tendinitis in his left (throwing) arm that caused him to miss his last start. The initial tests were negative but the Astros want to see the result today of one final MRI exam.

*

Philadelphia Phillie pitcher Mark Portugal, on the disabled list because of tendinitis in his right elbow, is expected to make his first start Saturday against Montreal.