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Nicole McFadyen knew she wanted to work outside, far from a desk and the fluorescent lights of an office. So, she studied agriculture at Delaware Technical College and the University of Delaware. I was fascinated by the science of plants and how to care for them, she says. She had no idea it would lead her to a career in baseball.While taking a class in irrigation, she and her classmates visited Camden Yards in Baltimore and spoke with the head groundskeeper. At about the same time, she was working part-time at a golf course, mowing greens, fairways and tee boxes while learning to care for turf. Once she saw a Phillies-Braves game on TV and noticed the grass in Atlanta was cut the same way she was cutting fairways, she dug out the business card the Orioles head groundskeeper had given her, called and asked if he had any internships.He asked me a few questions about where I went to school and whatnot, and then he said, Can you make it here within two weeks? We have a spot actually opening up. That was in 2001. From there she became an assistant groundskeeper for the Orioles. In 2004, she moved to Trenton, New Jersey, to become head groundskeeper of the Trenton Thunder, the New York Yankees Double-A affiliate. In November 2006, the Orioles brought her back as head groundskeeper.Today, McFadyen, 38, a member of the Sports Turf Managers Association, is one of only two women in the majors to be a head groundskeeper. (Heather Nabozny in Detroit is the other.) She and her crew take care of the playing surface at Camden Yards, a year-round job in which the weeks and days can be long during the season. A baseball fan and former softball player, originally from New Castle, Delaware, lives in Eldersburg, Maryland, about 25 miles from work, with her husband and 3-year-old son.A baseball career?I wanted to work in some sort of agricultural field, and I just kind of fell into this. Oh, you can do this and work in baseball? I love baseball, so the two things kind of lined up. But going into school, it was just about agricultural and horticultural studies, things like that.Down to the minorsAfter some time in Baltimore I went to Trenton and people thought I was crazy. Youre already in the major leagues, why would you leave? But it was something I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this kind of job. I wanted to see if I wanted to stay in sports turf or if I wanted to get back into more of the agricultural side of my degree.Taking a chanceI knew that going to work for somebody like the Trenton Thunder, a Yankees affiliate, they would have high standards. ... That was my thought process. Theyre rebuilding their system, they have all these greats on their team, back in 2004, so if anybody needed to rehab, I wanted to make sure our field in Trenton was good enough for those rehabs to come down, like a Derek Jeter, a Mariano Rivera, you name it. Plus the guys that were there when I was there -- Robinson Cano, Philip Hughes -- those guys were their top prospects. I was like, this needs to be maintained like a major league park for them. I didnt go into it with the notion I would ever come back to Camden Yards, though I thought it would be awesome to. I was just thinking if a position opens with the Yankees or Philadelphia or the Orioles, I would have two great ballparks on my resume. I was 23, 24. I was young and taking a chance.High standardsTrenton was a beautiful ballpark, I think a little bit neglected when I arrived. It was a little less attentive to detail than what I came from. At Camden Yards, were hand-picking sunflower seeds or any little itty-bitty trash on the field. So taking that to Trenton was one of the things I had to work on, to change the mindset.Back to BaltimoreI got this call from the Orioles and the assistant that called me said, Weve been following your career and we want you to come back and interview for the head groundskeeper position. Just that alone meant so much to me, just to be considered by this organization. And when I was offered the position I remember driving home from Baltimore and I had to pull over, and I cried. I was excited, ecstatic, never thought it would happen, but you take that little leap of faith and you can get a lot out of following your dreams.Being head groundskeeperThe main job is to provide a safe and playable surface for the athletes. Its very hard to do. You have grass, which takes up 90 percent of the field, and 10 percent of it is dirt and clay. You have to maintain that totally different than the grass. So working on that, plus Mother Nature, can be difficult at times. Were trying to make the field as perfect, as near perfect, as possible. And the aesthetics of everything, making sure our ballpark is represented the way that ownership would want, how it looks on TV, how it looks to fans.The Camden CrewI have two full-time assistants, year-round, and variable employees here from March 1 to Dec. 1 that consists of a crew of five. Then I have a game-day staff, and thats an 18-person tarp crew.Home-field advantageIts a little bit different than what home-field advantage was like in the past, where people would tilt base paths or raise the mound real high or have half the infield cut at a different length than the other half. We cant really do those things anymore, mandated by Major League Baseball as a whole. But as far as playability of the field, if (shortstop) J.J. Hardy likes his position soaked, then were going to soak it for him. If Ubaldo Jimenez likes the mound dry when he pitches, were not going to wet it.At the end of the day, you want to know you provided your team a really special place. ... I mean, the Orioles have one of the best home records in baseball. So yeah, youre not out there turning those double plays and making amazing catches in the outfield, but I know myself and my crew put a lot of hours on that field to be able to make that happen for the team.Pinching herself dailyBefore a game, Im out there, working on the field, and theres like 48,000 empty seats and youre alone on this two-acre turf, and its pretty incredible. Im very fortunate to have this position, no doubt. I dont even know how to put it into words that yeah, I still get that butterflied feeling in my stomach when I walk out there. Its my favorite part of the job, before the game, before the guys come out and take batting practice. Just prepping the field as perfect as you can. Its never perfect, so youre striving every day.Its all about the grassAll the grass here is 100 percent Kentucky bluegrass. Its ridiculously difficult, with the weather scenarios were faced with on a daily basis. ... We were just off a stint where for a whole month it was upper 90s and bluegrass likes 85 degrees or under. So the field stresses. Youre doing everything you can to cool that plant off by watering or getting some air circulation (with big fans).But you have baseball for eight months, so in March sometimes its a high of 55. So youre going to get different patterns of weather. If youre going to use a Bermuda or warm-season turf, youre really only getting the benefit of that turf from June through August. It would be dormant, or brown, in cool weather. ... It just benefits to manage the bluegrass for three months of heat.During the gameIm very fortunate to have an office that has a view of the field. Im in right field, right next to our giant roll-up door that goes into our shop. Theres a little window so I can watch the game. It was built that way so the groundskeeper could have a good sight on the infield and how thats playing as well as the rain situation. My main job is to watch the game and the playability of the game, but also to watch the radar for weather.Here comes my sonOn days I can bring him to the ballpark, I take advantage of that, because with my hours ... Ive cut back and done more delegating, but Im always here. On my days off, I really take time off and trust that my crew can handle anything. But yeah, when he can come to the ballpark, its a blast. He loves sliding on the warning track and he gets his little bat out with the balls and he runs around and likes to throw and catch. I take him for tractor rides and he likes sitting on the equipment. I cant wait until hes a little bit older.PrivilegedI remember when my dad first took me to the Vet (Philadelphias Veterans Stadium) and I walked through (the tunnel) and I was like, Wow, this is so awesome. The greatest athletes play here. I still feel like that to this day, when I look around as Im cutting the grass or working on the infield clay. Only now its at this beautiful ballpark, Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I am so privileged. Fake Flames Jerseys . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. Calgary Flames Shirts . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. https://www.cheapflames.com/ . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Calgary Flames Gear .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Cheap Flames Jerseys . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. NEW YORK -- A lawyer for Alex Rodriguez declined Major League Baseballs challenge to make public the drug evidence that led to the 211-game suspension of the New York Yankees star. MLB executive vice-president Rob Manfred wrote to lawyer Joseph Tacopina on Monday, urging him to waive his clients confidentiality under baseballs Joint Drug Agreement so the documents could be released. Tacopina had said he wanted to discuss evidence publicly but was constrained by the provision. "We will agree to waive those provisions as they apply to both Rodriguez and the office of commissioner of baseball with respect to Rodriguezs entire history under the program, including, but not limited to, his testing history, test results, violations of the program, and all information and evidence relating to Rodriguezs treatment by Anthony Bosch, Anthony Galea and Victor Conte," Manfred wrote in the letter, which was released by MLB. Bosch was head of the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs. Galea pleaded guilty two years ago to a federal charge of bringing unapproved drugs into the United States from Canada. Conte was head of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, the target of a federal investigation that led to criminal charges against Barry Bonds, Marion Jones and others. Manfred proposed that both sides disclose information and documents relating to: --All drug tests that were conducted on Rodriguez under the program and their results; -- All prior violations of the program committed by Rodriguez, and; -- All documents relating to the issue of whether Rodriguez obstructed the office of the commissioners investigation. Tacopina, a lawyer with one of the four firms representing Rodriguez, said the players association would have to agree to waive confidentiality. "The letter was nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt," Tacopina said in a statement. "The letter that was addressed to my law office with the words Via Hand Delivery on top was in fact never delivered to my office but was instead given to the Today show, which in and of itself is yet another violation of the confidentiality clause of the JDA. They know full well that they have to address the letter to the MLBPA and such a waiver would require the MLBAPA to be party of the agreement and signatures. Its nothing but a theatrical trap hoping I would sign knowing that I couldnt and in fact would have me breaching the JDA agreement if I did." The union didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. A three-time AL MVP, Rodriguez is playing pending his appeal, which is not expected to be decided by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz until at least November. In addition to his own lawyers, Rodriguez paid Florida-based attorney Susy Ribero-Ayala in February to represent Bosch. "A retainer of $25,000 was paid (via wire transfer) by a representative of Alex Rodriguez. Ms. Ribero-Ayala accepted this payment on behalf of Anthony Bosch as payment for his legal representation," Ribero-Ayala spokeswoman Joyce Fitzpatrick said in a statement Monday. "In April 2013, Ms. Ribero-Ayala received an unsolicited and unwarranted wire transfer of $50,000 from A-Rod Corp. The funds were immediately returned. Mr. Rodriguez does not have any involvement in Mr. Boschs legal representation." In June, Boschh agreed to co-operate with MLBs investigation.dddddddddddd The payments were first reported Sunday by ESPN. Rodriguez declined comment, citing the JDAs confidentiality provision. "At some point, I think everybody will talk," he said early Monday. "I think everybody has to have a little patience." Rodriguez is among 14 players disciplined by MLB this summer following its Biogenesis investigation. Former NL MVP Ryan Braun accepted a 65-game suspension and 12 players agreed to 50-game penalties. The 38-year-old Rodriguez made his big league season debut Aug. 5, the same day his suspension was announced. He had been sidelined since left hip surgery in January and his return was delayed by a leg injury in July. Rodriguez batted .120 (3 for 25) with no RBIs in last years playoffs, and Tacopina claims an Oct. 11 MRI at New York-Presbyterian Hospital revealed the left hip injury. The Yankees maintain Rodriguez complained then only of a problem with his right hip, which was operated on in March 2009. "They put him out there in that condition when he shouldnt have even been walking, much less playing baseball," Tacopina said Monday during an interview with The Associated Press. Rodriguez said Sunday he asked the union to file a grievance over his medical treatment. That likely will not be part of the drug appeal. "Im sure it will be separate, but Ill leave that to those expects in labour law and the CBA process," he said. Tacopina also claims Yankees President Randy Levine told Dr. Bryan Kelly of the Hospital for Special Surgery, who operated on Rodriguezs left hip in January, that he didnt want to see Rodriguez play for the team again. Levine has denied the allegation. "This is part of the mindset of what theyre doing to this guy and working in conjunction with MLB to try to keep him off the field," Tacopina said. Tracy Hickenbottom, a HSS spokeswoman, said Kelly had no comment. The Yankees said in a statement "we relied upon Dr. Christopher Ahmad and the New York-Presbyterian Hospital for medical diagnosis, opinions and treatment. The Yankees neither had any complaints from Alex Rodriguez pertaining to his left hip during the 2012 regular season and the Yankees post-season, nor did the Yankees receive any diagnosis pertaining to his left hip during that same period of time." Bryan Dotson, a spokesman for New York-Presbyterian, said the hospital had no comment on Rodriguezs treatment, Also Monday, a woman indicted last year on charges of stalking Yankees general manager Brian Cashman filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court asking for an order to block Tacopina from representing Rodriguez. Louise Motherwell claimed Stephen Turano of Tacopinas firm has represented her in a New Jersey case. One of Motherwells lawyers said last year she had a consensual relationship with Cashman, and the filing said she shared information with Turano claiming Cashman "intentionally misled federal investigators during the Roger Clemens investigation," "knew of Yankee clubhouse steroid use by various Yankee players by name" and "was ambivalent to the use of performance-enhancement drugs so long as nothing came back to the Yankees organization." Tacopina said Motherwell never retained his firm, and that Turano has his own firm in New Jersey. ' ' '