Unknown Modesto
Modesto Nuts’ John Thurman Field continues to fall short of the extended netting standards mandated by MLB and its affiliated parks, which became effective on opening day of the 2025 season. This venue is recognized as a high-risk area for foul ball injuries, underscored by a serious 2023 incident in which a woman sustained a traumatic brain injury while awaiting entry to the park.
Read our emails to the ownership addressing this issue:
August 20, 2025 email:
Subject: News and another chance to set the record straight
Hi,
I’m following up on previous emails with some news to share, as well as a renewed plea that you inform Nuts fans attending the final six-game home stand at John Thurman Field that they continue to face the risk of serious injury or death due to the lack of MLB-mandated, common-sense extended netting beyond the dugouts.
Firstly, the news. I’ve learned since my last email that there was a settlement in the lawsuit filed by the fan who was struck in the head by a ball while waiting in line to enter John Thurman Field in June 2023, causing her a traumatic brain injury. As with nearly all settlements, this likely means records sealed and NDAs signed will muzzle the victim and attorneys, so this incident may never be revealed or understood by the people of Modesto — unless you report it.
Secondly, with the final home stand of six Nuts games coming fast, fans need to know balls will be coming fast at them too, placing them in greater danger. Now is the time for the Bee to demonstrate that the Nuts’ ownership group knew that they failed to act to extend netting to protect fans for their final season in Modesto (even while they seem to have met the MLB mandate for extended netting across the rest of their 40-plus minor league ball clubs by opening day 2025).
This is scandalous and irresponsible. Isn’t it newsworthy? Would you please inform fans of that ongoing threat to their safety?
Regardless of the Nuts leaving town, it’s possible that high-level baseball will continue at John Thurman Field. Future fans deserve to understand the risks there.
Outside the ballpark the threat also remains – leaving it a risky proposition to walk around the parking lot or gate areas. As the fan’s lawsuit demonstrated, along with our Exhibit A-1, the FiveThirtyEight report and other research easily found at FoulBallSafetyNow, it’s plain and simple that balls fly out of the park on a regular basis in batting practice and games. Every day there’s at least a handful of balls that are leaving the field and raining down on parking lots and sidewalks where they could slam into fans’ heads, cars or other property.
I’m standing by to provide further information or answer any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Jordan
July 30, 2025 email:
Subject: Re: Diamond Baseball Holdings (Nuts) failure to protect fans
Hi Quinton, Trevor and Deke,
I am writing on behalf of my organization, Foul Ball Safety Now (FBSN), to encourage you to investigate an urgent public safety issue at the Modesto Nuts’ John Thurman Field, which is in noncompliance with extended netting standards issued by Major League Baseball that took effect on opening day of the 2025 season in all of its affiliated Professional Development League ballparks.
I have verified this month that John Thurman Field continues to allow fans to watch the game from areas of the facility that are not protected by netting. The Bee has reported that the Nuts have announced this will be their final season at this ballpark. But it is unacceptable for the team and its owner, Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), to choose to play Russian roulette with fans’ lives this summer. Especially when all the other PDL teams owned by DBH have extended the netting to the best of my knowledge. (DBH operates over 40 minor league teams!)
Their do-nothing, lame duck strategy in Modesto is no way to approach fan safety. The Nuts knew they were responsible for getting extended netting done by the start of the season, and they failed. So there’s no excuse to let them continue operating an unsafe facility, regardless of whether they’re leaving town after this season ends.
It piles disrespect on top of disappointment for all local baseball fans whose allegiance to the team over the years has been ignored in pursuit of a more profitable enterprise in another city.
The fan base deserves to know they’re in danger if they attend the remaining home games, and that the team’s owners decided not to spend the money to safeguard them for the final season at John Thurman Field.
If interested, I can supply a lot more information about this ongoing threat to fan safety throughout professional baseball. Even in MLB stadiums fans continue to be crushed by foul balls and bats entering the stands. I believe this represents a systemic failure of the baseball industry to protect spectators, especially children, from foreseeable and preventable injuries.
Lastly, you may not be aware that there is a lawsuit currently proceeding against the Modesto Nuts, filed by a fan who suffered a traumatic brain injury from a ball that hit her head while standing in line to enter the ballpark in 2023. I can fill you in further on that as well.
Sincerely,
Jordan Skopp, founder
July 25, 2025 email:
Subject: Diamond Baseball Holdings (Nuts) failure to protect fans
Dear Modesto Bee reporters and editors,
I am writing on behalf of my organization, Foul Ball Safety Now (FBSN), to encourage you to investigate an urgent public safety issue at the Modesto Nuts’ John Thurman Field, which is in noncompliance with extended netting standards issued by Major League Baseball that took effect on opening day of the 2025 season in all of its affiliated Professional Development League ballparks.
I have verified this month that John Thurman Field continues to allow fans to watch the game from areas of the facility that are not protected by netting. The Bee has reported that the Nuts have announced this will be their final season at this ballpark. But it is unacceptable for the team and its owner, Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), to choose to play Russian roulette with fans’ lives this summer. Especially when all the other PDL teams owned by DBH have extended the netting to the best of my knowledge. (DBH operates over 40 minor league teams!)
Their do-nothing, lame duck strategy in Modesto is no way to approach fan safety. The Nuts knew they were responsible for getting extended netting done by the start of the season, and they failed. So there’s no excuse to let them continue operating an unsafe facility, regardless of whether they’re leaving town after this season ends.
It piles disrespect on top of disappointment for all local baseball fans whose allegiance to the team over the years has been ignored in pursuit of a more profitable enterprise in another city.
The fan base deserves to know they’re in danger if they attend the remaining home games, and that the team’s owners decided not to spend the money to safeguard them for the final season at John Thurman Field.
If interested, I can supply a lot more information about this ongoing threat to fan safety throughout professional baseball. Even in MLB stadiums fans continue to be crushed by foul balls and bats entering the stands. I believe this represents a systemic failure of the baseball industry to protect spectators, especially children, from foreseeable and preventable injuries.
Lastly, you may not be aware that there is a lawsuit currently proceeding against the Modesto Nuts, filed by a fan who suffered a traumatic brain injury from a ball that hit her head while standing in line to enter the ballpark in 2023. I can fill you in further on that as well.
Sincerely,
Jordan Skopp, founder