"Just over a month before the first exhibition games are played, Marlins Park is taking the pivotal step from building to ball field.

Amid the pungent aroma of fertilizer, local politicians and Marlins officials laid the first few pieces of sod along the third-base line Thursday to begin installation of 110,000 square feet of Bermuda sod, which will take three days to complete.

The Marlins envision a lush lawn that they can turn into a true home-field advantage. The plan is to keep the grass relatively long, about ¾-inch, to create a slower field than they had a Sun Life Stadium to exploit team speed and benefit their pitchers and fielders."