Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

SportsLink

Indians notebook: An update on former Spokane groundskeeper David Yearout

It’s business as usual for former Spokane Indians groundskeeper David Yearout in his return to Avista Stadium.

During pre-game warmups of the Indians game with Tri-City on Tuesday, he picked up a rake and started combing the pitcher’s mound alongside current Indians groundskeepers, just like he never left.

Yearout has worked on the Philadelphia Phillies grounds crew for a little over three months now. But as far as Yearout is concerned, not much has changed other than a ring on his finger.

Yearout, a Lewis and Clark graduate, took a break from his day job with the Phillies to get married to his wife, Courtney, on Saturday. He’s in Spokane until Friday, and was at the Indians game on Tuesday as an honorary groundskeeper.

“I told myself I was going to find sometime to come back (to Avista Stadium),” Yearout said.

Yearout met his wife when she was the leader of Section L at Avista Stadium, just right of home plate. Craig Mosher, an Indians season-ticket holder who sat right in front of Courtney in Section L, provided his spacious backyard for their wedding.

It’s only fitting their ceremony would include some Spokane Indians flare to it.

“He’s got this big beautiful backyard,” Yearout said. “He’s the nicest guy in the world so he just let us use it.”

Yearout received his long-sought after big league call up this winter, and aside from the top-of-the-line equipment at Citizen’s Bank Park and larger staff, he said his mindset hasn't changed much since he was in Spokane. That’s because with the Indians, he held the field to a high standard, even if it was only a short-season single-A ball park.

“At the major league level, everything is supposed to be perfect, that’s the idea” Yearout said. “But that hasn’t been much of a change for me, because that’s the way I’ve been taught ever since I started working [for the Indians] and the way I teach the guys that are here now …  Just because we’re at a single-A park, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to make it look like (a major league park).”

Yearout’s main duties with the Phillies are mowing the outfield grass and raking pitcher’s mound.

Working for a big-league team has been a dream for Yearout, ever since he started attending Washington State’s University Turf Management school in 2010. But there’s something special about Avista Stadium, the place he met his wife almost three years ago.

“The people here, the front office, the other grounds crew members and the coaching staff, form an environment that is hard to replicate in other places,” he said. “I’m having a blast in Philly, but I miss the people here a lot.”

League leaders

All-Star Xavier Turner continues to lead the Northwest League with a .337 batting average. … All-star catcher Seth Spivey leads the Northwest League in RBIs with 30. Chad Smith is tied for sixth with 20. … Blaine Prescott leads the league in at-bats with 147. … Prescott’s 11 doubles is good for third in the NWL, one behind league leaders Jacob Bosiokovic of Boise and J.B. Woodman of Vancouver. … Darius Day is fifth in the league with three triples. … Prescott is tied for second with nine other players with four home runs. Boise’s Luis Castro leads the league with five. … Prescott is second in the league with 66 total bases.

Game notes

Last night: With most of it’s regular starters resting, Spokane was lifted by three home runs in a 5-4 win over Tri-City. Read the game story.

Tonight: Spokane takes on Tri-City in game two of a three-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Follow @joshhorton22 for live updates.

 

 

 



Josh Horton
Josh Horton is a summer intern at The Spokesman-Review and is covering the Spokane Indians baseball team.





Looking for a Grip on Sports?

Vince Grippi's daily take on all things regional sports has been moved to our main sports section online. You can find a collection of these columns here.