Better Fields NewsletterBetter Playing Field Sparkles With DirtPolish A Rough Diamond With DirtBetter Fields Newsletter just got better. better fields for better play and the ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide developed and published by Jim Reiner. Baseball field maintenance information and instructions as provided by Jim Reiner will allow you to polish a diamond like new money. Jim's published newsletters are provided here for our Baseballfarming baseball people to use and help yourself.
Jim Reiner has some Better Field Maintenance Tips second to none and his newsletters are special. Throughout the newsletters herein being posted simply copy and paste the URL's provided and you will receive a wealth of knowledge about your ball fields thanks to Jim. Jim Reiner has put together for you the Ultimate Baseball Field Maintenance and Renovation Guide simply put the below copy and paste URL into your browser. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html
BETTER FIELDS FOR BETTER PLAY Taking Your Baseball Field to the Next Level Dear Baseball Insiders, In part 3 of the player and his winning baseball field, we find that you must strive to take your play to the next level to keep playing. And we'll find out about a common mistake even championship teams make. See if you are making this mistake. It could be costing you plenty of time, money, and effort. So let's get going as we follow this young man from childhood to his MLB tryout. We are focusing as much on the player on the field as on the ball field itself. Click here to keep read ... Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™
Dear Baseball Insiders, If you're like me you don't need piles of useless information. I want specific tips and hints and some advice about mistakes to avoid. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Get regular tips and hints from this baseball field maintenance blog. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://tinyurl.com/yhzhxdz Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? The field maintenance updates and tips will help you enjoy a better baseball experience. best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just copy and paste on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://tinyurl.com/modf5q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
Dear Baseball Insiders, If you're like me you don't need piles of useless information. I want specific tips and hints and some advice about mistakes to avoid. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Get regular tips and hints from this baseball field maintenance blog. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-blog.html Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? The field maintenance updates and tips will help you enjoy a better baseball experience. best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved.
Dear Baseball Fan, Many of you have similar concerns with your baseball field. In this issue, Jim helps you get a better baseball dirt mix, get rid of that lip buildup, and level all those lumps and ruts in your dirt and grass. Last, but not least, take a look at the checklist and find out if your baseball or softball field has these common problems.
Dear Baseball Insiders, You might feel that you need to be born with the skills of a groundskeeper to be able to create a great baseball field or softball field. But that’s not entirely true… Don’t let me fool you! Grounds keeping talent helps and naturally it always shines through in the long run. However, there’s a foundation that’s needed for any field to be successful. Once you’re familiar with that foundation, it is skill, talent, and experience that will take you and your team to the next level. You don’t need to become a professional groundskeeper. You do, however, need to be familiar with a few practicalities in sports field maintenance. I’ll show you how to avoid common mistakes and how to apply tips and hints to make a better field for better play. No fancy stuff or hype here. After reading this, you can easily improve your sports field safety and playability and have a field you are proud of. And best of all: get the most out of your players. But, in the end it’s up to you!
Transforming Your Baseball Field or Softball Field into a Winning Field is a set of sports field maintenance practices from the most successful sports field managers. I have used and tested every one of these secrets. If you're a coach, parent, athletic director, or player, this book will change the way you think about how to care for your players and your sports field.
Over the past seven years, thousands of players have benefited from the field maintenance disciplines covered in this book. While some sports fields have turned into safety and playability nightmares, others have turned into a field of dreams. What made the difference?
About seven years ago, we began to study and test precisely what sports field maintenance practices work best—what techniques and practices distinguish the best sports fields from the mediocre and those that are horrible.
Transforming Your Baseball Field or Softball Field into a Winning Field resulted from years of in-depth research and direct experience with dozens of highly successful (and not-so-successful) field maintenance habits. Dozens of coaches, players, and parents— baseball fans like you—studied under professionals and put these ideas into practice while renovating over 25 sports fields. Here's what we found:
• Better fields do indeed result in better play • Field maintenance success is based on best practices • You can model and replicate these techniques on your own sports field and achieve similar results.
Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovaton-guide.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved.
Highly Recommended Popular Articles 21 Dirt Maintenance Blunders to Avoid Conversation with Sports Turf Manager of the Year Make 'em a Field They Can't Refuse How I Cut Field Maintenance Time in Half What Players Never Tell You The Most Important Thing for Your Turf Trials and Triumphs of a Young Pitcher The Coach Thinks in Terms of Results -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Resources Glossary Resource Directory About Jim Reiner -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Free Guides Field Maintenance Secrets Best T-Ball Tips -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archives Article Archive --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Popular Searches Baseball & Softball Field Diagrams Baseball Field Renovation Baseball Dirt Baseball Grant Baseball Field Turf Seed Mix How to Sod a Baseball Field Baseball Field Edging Baseball Field Maintenance Tools
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hot Links Home FREE Newsletter Contact Us Recommended Sites Blog Newsletter Back issues -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inspiration "You will never have significant success with anything until it becomes an obsession with you." -- Coach Gunter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Others are Saying: Jim, Thank you for your reply to my question about our highschool baseball field. I have given your website information and email reply to our coach. He is working on getting the field in shape. He had a "turf" guy from the nearby university come out but he steered clear of the infield dirt and that is where most of the problems are. The turf is in pretty good shape. Your website is very good and filled with easy to understand information. I especially enjoyed reading about the case studies. My husband and I both work in "soil science" and found your discussions about soil type and structure very good. Soils or dirt are more complicated than most people give them credit for and your website certainly helps to explain what some of the issues are. Thanks again, Nancy W. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim, Thanks for providing a great website. I have volunteered to help fix multiple field issues for my local baseball program and felt like I struck gold when I found your site a few days ago. Joseph I. Mass. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey, Jim, My business constructs sports fields. How can I get my website listed in your resources list? Thx. Ted Ted, Send me your link. I'll look it over. If it is consistent with making better fields for better play, I'll be more than happy to add it. Last year I received 334 questions from 75,857 visitors. Some are looking for help building their sports field. Jim -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your One Stop Place to Increase Field Safety and Playability Home | Back issues | Contact Us | Baseball Blog This issue available on the web at: www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-ezine-january-2009.html FEATURES: BASEBALL DIRT ANALYSIS: Getting a better dirt mix!
ADDING FINE OR COURSE SAND: Does it matter?
SOURCE FOR DIRT MIX: How do I find a local supplier? ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Spiral dragging a baseball field... what is this? Need to level your field? Here are five ways to fix it. Reducing bad infield lips and cutting grass back BONUS: Does your sports field have these problems? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Improving My Baseball Field Dirt Mix I'm sending in a picture of my infield dirt in the jar test. Can you help me understand how much is clay and sand? Looks like about 50/50. My field is hard as a rock most of the time. So, I want to add sand. And should I add a field conditioner like Turface to improve the mix and keep the field soft, or should I keep things moist and spike drag it? Thanks for our help. My boys appreciate you coaching the coach on field prep. John in Amity Oregon.
John, thanks for the picture. That helps a lot. The top layer is consistent with the way clay looks in this kind of test. I would say you are close to 60% clay and 40% sand right now. (MLB teams are close to that, but they have several people fulltime and a huge budget to care for the field). You need to get to a ratio that is closer to 60-70% sand and 30-40% clay. A typical varsity field has about 12,000 square feet of infield dirt. You need to add two dump trucks of sand. Something on the order of 25-30 yards of sand. Spread and till into the top 4 inches to get a better infield mix. I would still do this and see how it works out before adding topdressing. Although in Oregon you probably get a lot of rain, so it might help with moisture management in the spring. When/If you add the topdressing, spike drag or nail drag it into the top 1-2 inches. After that, it is just a matter of regular dragging and watering during the season. You are on your way to a much better playing field. Have fun with this. And you are right. Many coaches - baseball and softball - have this same problem and benefit from learning how others fix it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Adding Sand to my Baseball Field Dirt Mix: Fine or Course? Does it Matter? One more question: Is Concrete sand okay to add to the infield, or should I get Mason's sand? We had two truckloads of sand mixed in last year, which got us to the 60/40 ratio we have. Concrete sand is a number 4 minus, and half the cost of Mason's sand. Thanks again for your help. John. John, Go with the more course sand. If sand is too fine, it will actually bond with the clay and get hard as a brick. I confirmed this with some golf course folks I know. We usually topdress our infields with G8 grade topdressing sand (golf course quality for sanding your infield turf). However, this is really too fine for the infield skin. Sounds like you should use the concrete sand as long as it is not full of small pebbles. If you have more questions as you go, I am more than happy to get you specific answers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I Need a Local Source for Good Baseball Mix I am in the process of repairing a field that has been neglected for about three years. I need a source near San Antonio, Texas that supplies a brick clay mix . Thanks, Brent. Brent, 1. A good source for baseball mix across the USA would be to start with www.beamclay.com. They provide baseball mix, clay, sand, etc. to many major and minor league fields across the US. 2. Other sources you might have locally: major or minor league teams: find out where they get their mix 3. Rock yards and trucking companies: these usually have access to baseball dirt since they supply this to high schools and little leagues in your area. 4. Local park and rec departments – find out where they get their infield mix – however, realize they usually go for cheap decomposed granite stuff that you definitely don’t want on your field 5. Any local high school that has a decent baseball program – again find out where they get their mix for their baseball field. You will have to let your fingers to the walking a little bit via phone calls to get these leads and find out what they have. P.S. for those of you in the Ohio area who need good baseball mix or even help with the job, contact Troy at Fraziers Field Repair. Highly recommended for baseball field dirt improvements. By the way: I don't benefit if you use them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Best Way to Drag Your Infield is Spiral Dragging What do you mean by Spiral dragging?? Dennis, New York Dennis, Maybe the best way to explain this is to compare what is usually done. Many people drag the infield skin back and forth going from the first base foul line past second base to the third base foul line and then turn around and head back to the first base side. This back and forth dragging tends to create high spots at the foul lines and low spots at second and short stop. And if the drag is always removed at the same spot, behind third base for example, you get a high spot there too. What I call spiral dragging greatly reduces the likelihood of high spots or low spots. However, this is best done by pulling a metal mesh drag behind a small tractor or riding mower. What I described above can be done by hand pulling the drag back and forth. Spiral dragging means dragging in circles, but let the circles slowly move across the field from one foul line to another. Sort of like the old spirograph art set I had as a kid. Start on one side and move across as you make overlapping circles. This is great for leveling out the field. It takes a little more time though than the back and forth dragging. You could probably do the quick back and forth dragging most of the time, but then do the spiral dragging once a week to really get it leveled back out. And lastly, try not to let the drag go over the grass edges. This prevents lip buildup.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Five Ways To Level Your Lumpy, Bumpy Baseball Field We have an existing field that needs to have holes filled and general leveling. If we till or seed or add dirt, how long would it be before we could play on it? (similar question submitted by dozens of people).
All, here are 5 ways to fix problems like this that have worked for me: 1. Big holes or ruts in the outfield: fill them in with reclaimed sand and cover with topsoil. I get tons of free reclaimed sand from a local cement plant. They wash out the cement trucks when they come back and 'reclaim' the small sand and aggregate. This stuff is not fine sand. It has some very small pebbles. They give it away. But, this is perfect for filling in big areas in the outfield or the warning track. 2. Uneven infield turf: best thing to do is several applications of topdressing. Depending on your size of your baseball field - little league or high school size you have more work. I put out five tons of top soil / compost on a high school infield and dragged it with a metal mesh drag to level it out. (Mowed it short first.) I did this in April and again in August. It is perfectly smooth now. 3. Infield turf with major ruts and undulations: on a senior little league baseball field I spread out 10 tons of top soil / compost and dragged it level. This field had big problems so I went with lots of dirt. I do not recommend doing that much at once unless you have a major, major problem to fix. Now the nice thing about this is that you can water it in and play on it in a day. I did this in October. 4. Infield skin (dirt) not level: One of the easiest ways to fix this is to add about 3-5 tons on a little league baseball field or 10-20 tons on a high school baseball field and spread, till with a tractor and rear tiller, then level with a box or leveler device, and drag. Water it in to help settle it. Drag or rake to fine tune the surface. Done. I just did this with 25 tons on a high school field. 5. Major infield turf problems: scrape with a tractor and smooth bucket and start over. This is a lot of work. You need to put down a good topsoil and level it. Sod takes 3-4 weeks to grow in before you can use it. Seed takes 6-8 weeks to grow in enough for competitive play. I did this kind of field renovation for a baseball field at a park and rec department. It was so bad, there was no other real way to fix it. Bonus: Based on what you tell me and the many baseball field problems I've seen, there is one more thing you could do. It works best after it has rained a couple days, but then you have a day or two of sun. Use a 3-5 ton steam roller on the infield turf and the outfield turf. Mark your sprinklers first so you do not hit them. Roll the turf. It will be very flat. You should also mow first. And it would be a good idea to aerate after you roll it. Rolling the turf is often done on multiuse fields where football or soccer tears up the out field and puts in lots of ruts when playing on the wet ground. I have done this on several fields. Works great. Alternative is to use the water filled lawn roller, but this is slower and harder to do. Put those football players to work pushing it around. P.S. in general I find it easier and better to work with what you have - add top dressing and level it - versus doing major tilling and new seed. But it just depends how bad it is and how much time you can afford to not be using the field.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sod Cutter to Reduce Lip and Cut Back the Grass Line
You make mention of a sod cutter that is your favorite, but I can't tell what brand it is? Can you give me some more info? Thanks, Marc Marc,
As far as sod cutters, I am partial to the Turfco Kiss Cutter model because it has four pneumatic tires and is way easier to handle and control than the two wheel and one roller versions. In my neighborhood the best place to rent one is Aba Daba Rents. I was never happy with the two wheel / roller models that are rented almost everywhere else. And the Kiss Cutter has a better depth regulator if you use it to edge or get rid of lips as well as actually cut real deep to remove sod that you might want to lay back down. You might have to call around and ask specifically for the four wheel sod cutter. Also, a similar model is called a Billy Goat sod cutter. Well, have a great spring season. Some of us in warmer areas are well into field prep already and then there are some who still have a frozen baseball field covered with snow. I do not miss the snow of northern Montana!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonus - Does Your Field Have These Problems? And I've found that the a planning checklist is the way to go. It shows me where the priority areas are for the ball park to be safe and playable. Review this checklist. See if you have problems to fix: Save Time with Preseason or Pre-Tournament BallPark Checklists Yours for better play more often, J. Reiner Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide,
BETTER fIELD FOR BETTER PLAY "Would like to edge your baseball field like a pro?" I put together a photo story that shows you how. Now you can have perfectly straight lines just like MLB teams. See the tools needed: I'll show you you now to do this job. And you too can have a professional looking grass edge. So, here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug9KxB6oe9Q&fmt=18 best regards, Jim Reiner Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide p.s. If you don't have high speed internet, use this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug9KxB6oe9Q http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com P.S. The baseball field maintenance handbook "Does your turf area have one nagging low spot you finally want fixed?" I put together a short photo story that shows you how to fix this. Now you can turn the low spot into a perfectly smooth area matching the rest of the turf. See the tools and supplies needed: The low spot in the photo story is near second base. A high school field made a cutout for a youth PONY tournament and just could never get that area level again. So, we fixed it. I'll show you how to do this job. And you too can have professional looking turf. Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATpqHuwTKDw&fmt=18
best regards,
Dear Baseball Insiders, We're finally getting in some games and practices now between the rains. But the high school and little league fields already are showing wear and tear in the batter boxes and the places where the pitcher lands and balances. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Are your pitchers tired of pitching into a hole? Or out of a hole? Well, you can fix it! Reinforce your baseball field mound with unfired clay bricks! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There's a fellow I know named Kevin. He lives across town. His son plays in a 13-14 year old league at a school complex. He was telling me how one of the three fields is decent, but the other two for the younger players are just plain terrible. He asked me to take a look at them. So, I drove across town and checked them out. Typical problems - lips, tired out turf, dirt that is too loose, a mound that is more like a speed bump, and grass and weeds growing all over the infield dirt. I told Kevin this is very fixable with just a few pieces of rental equipment and some supplies. And I offered to do it for free... even take care of the rental equipment and the seed and fertilizer needed. He forwarded the offer to his league president. Did the league president take me up on the offer? No. Not at all. The guy told Kevin that baseball field maintenance is just too difficult to believe I could possibly fix this. Or that I'd be willing to do it for free. Wow. Well, guess what? I think that you can have success with baseball field maintenance. It may have once seemed too difficult... or reserved for the professionals. Many people I talk to are just so tired of the holes in the batter box and mound, but don't know what they can do. Here's a 30 minute project you can do: add unfired clay bricks to your mound or batter box. It's pretty much the same process for either one. Now you too can have a professional quality mound your pitchers can immediately use. Just week Mike wrote in told me he added bricks to his mound. Here's what he had to say, ' We used the techniques you show on the website to build a mound and batters and catchers boxes using unfired clay bricks. It looks great and performs well!' By the way... watch this 82 second video and see how you can reinforce your baseball field mound with unfired clay bricks. It's a step-by-step 30 minute project you can do. And have a professional quality mound your pitchers can immediately use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEQPXDjFYsU&fmt=18 You can also read the description of this little project at these pages on my website: A better mound with clay bricks A better batter box using clay bricks or a rubber mat best regards, Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "Transforming Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com Get subscribed to Better Fields for Better Play. The back issues are at the following URL... http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/Better_Fields_for_Better_Play-backissues.html
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Dear Baseball Insiders, What is the first thing visitors to your ball park see? But it can go unnoticed unless it is looking bad... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One of my favorite turf upgrade projects was very close to home. Now my mom's lawn is just as great looking as the best infield I ever upgraded. Level and healthy. See how. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I couldn't believe it. Two years ago my mom's lawn maintenance guy was going to charge over $400 to renovate her front lawn. I was shocked. At that time I had been part of upgrading hundreds of baseball fields. So I figured, how about using the baseball field turf program on her lawn? Why not? So, I did it. Here is a quick photo story I put together showing you what I did. You could do this for your own lawn or for someone special you know. Watch this 86 second video and see how you can do this. And have a professional quality turf at home. Once difficult, but now made easy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYjl_wx4i74&fmt=18 You can also read about other baseball and softball field projects at this page on my website: http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-projects.html best regards, Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "Transforming Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
Dear Baseball Insiders, If you're like me, you don't want a player getting hurt because your ball field is the pits. You want to prevent the bad hop to the face and the twisted ankle injury. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 resources to prevent injury & keep your grass edge level and playable - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I couldn't believe it. My son came back from his high school game limping. He twisted his right ankle so bad he could hardly walk. Here's what happened. He plays third base. His team traveled to another school to play. Their infield had a 4 inch lip at the grass edge and the infield dirt. He charged a grounder down the line and hit the edge with his foot. His ankle rolled. Instant pain. Now he has to wear an ankle brace to play. Here are three resources for you. Either as a reminder or for those who desperately need this information now. 1. Fixing lip buildup. Dirt gets on the grass edge from dragging or from play. A ridge or lip builds up and causes bad bounces. You need to fix this. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/fix-lip-buildup.html 2. Edging your field like a pro. A photo story shows how you can have perfectly straight lines just like MLB teams. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug9KxB6oe9Q&fmt=18 3. Using a sod cutter A versitile tool to cut lines, remove sod and lip build up. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/edger.html best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "Transforming Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
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Dear Baseball Insiders, Many of us are getting preparing for Memorial Day tournaments, playoffs, and end of the year events. This is a great time to make field improvement plans for the next 3 weeks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 resources to figure out how much dirt, seed, and fertilizer you need - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'm planning some field improvement projects. I can hardly wait to start. But, wait! I need to know two things: 1. How do I use the right amount of seed, fertilizer, and baseball dirt? 2. How do I figure square footage of a baseball field or softball field for turf and infield skin? Here are two resources for you: Using the right amount of seed, fertilizer, and baseball dirt Square footage on baseball and softball fields for turf and infield skin The second link has three pictures - that may be all you need. And for those who like math, it also includes an explanation to figure out footage on any field size. best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner
Dear Baseball Insiders, May 8, 2009 I love doing this. Making something great out of something small! Player and coach satisfaction is not enough. I want them to love it too. So, I personally pour myself into this work. I believe that to be satisfied you need to do great work. And to do great work you need to love what you do. Because I love what I do, I get results. And love generates energy. Players and coaches are energized when they take the field. Ask yourself, ‘What is really exciting about the work I do?’ I know this much. You need be part of something great! A quality baseball experience is possible. I believe in giving back to make a difference for others. Creating great ball fields is just one way I can make a difference for our youth and help create lifelong habits for success. You can change your world too! Change the world your players, coaches, and parents experience. Change it for the better! Do want you a better baseball or softball experience? Then prove it! Use this field maintenance handbook to transform your field into a truly memorable and winning experience.
Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovaton-guide.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved.
Dear Baseball Insiders, May 13, 2009 Panic set in yesterday. My son's coach just found out the season ends two weeks early. Instead they'll be playing in a tournament next week that he thought would start in June. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tournaments, playoffs, and end of the year programs. Are the ballfields ready? Have I missed anything? Use these checklists to know for sure. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So, we have to get the four little league fields set to go earlier than we thought. And you only get one chance to get it right. No time for 'do overs.' That's where a good checklist helps so you don't miss something. - ball park audit - daily field maintenance - annual review - and more
http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-checklist.html best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "Transforming Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
Dear Baseball Insiders, June 18, 2009 Whether you are preparing for all-stars, tourneys, or fall ball, you want your mound and batter boxes to stand up to intense competitive play. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 mound and batter box tips for maximum player performance. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There are at least five things (and probably more) that your players need in a batter box and a mound for maximum performance. Whether you are preparing for summer tourney games or looking for improvements for the fall or next spring, do these things: 1. Build a solid base, 2. Align the mound properly, 3. Use topdressing, 4. Use your most important maintenance tool - water, and 5. Ensure you have a table top for your mound. A little more about the mound table top: A mound is not supposed to look like a bump or a hill on the field. It needs a large flat area at the top and then gradual sloping to the grass. Otherwise the thing is actually dangerous for a pitcher. For example, a high school size mound should have a top that is 3 feet by 5 feet and level. A little league field should have a table top that is 2 feet by 4 feet wide. Two quick stories about the impact of bad mounds (and the impact of a good one): First story. My high school son pitches. He takes a step back and then explodes forward to deliver the ball. Some call this a momentum delivery. He doesn't step sideways like a lot of players these days. Why step sideways when you want to deliver the ball straight ahead? He started using this delivery last year and increased his speed 5 mph and increased his strike ratio to 69 percent. By the way his high school team won the CA state Div 7 section title May 25. Yay! Another pitcher on his team also winds up this way - step back and then explode forward. Their high school mound has a proper level table top to do this. But when they travel to opposing high school fields at least half of them have nothing behind the pitching rubber. It just falls down fast. So their delivery was impacted. They had to go slower to stay balanced and everyone could tell they weren't pitching right. But it was only a few, me included, that could tell why. It was obvious. The mound was not to spec. The guys from the other team step sideways and have a very slow, almost come to a complete stop, kind of windup. The good news is that my son is on his way to a college team and the other excellent junior pitcher on his team probably will be a hot college prospect or get drafted next year. Their field has the proper mound that helped maximized their performance. Second story. My 10 year old was in a tournament of champions tourney last week. His home little league field, of course, had the proper table top on the mound. I made sure of that. He also is an example of a pitcher who switched from the 'step sideways' delivery to a step back and explode forward delivery. A momentum delivery. But this only works effectively with a mound built to spec. Sidebar: just look at pitchers who step back vs sideways and see the overall difference in velocity and strike ratio. It's amazing more pitchers aren't taught to pitch like this. Oh well... Anyway my 10 yr old played three games at a ballpark across town. At the end of the first game he came in to close and had a hard time getting his rhythm. So did the boy who pitched before him. Turns out the mound had nothing behind or to the sides of the rubber. The only way to pitch of that hill was to use the stretch. So, I fixed it. Early the next day after the sprinklers had gone on at night, I raked some of the baseball dirt from the front and front sides of the mound to the back and built a proper table top area. The dirt was moist and easy to shape and pack. The hot sun baked it hard. By game time it was perfect. My son stepped on it to practice and threw and pitch. Then he looked at me and said hey this is the way it's supposed to be. He pitched 6 innings in the next two games and did a great job. Third story. A bonus. My son in college switched to the momentum delivery in 2008. As the closer on his college team he hit 89 mph. He set a school record for saves in a season. He worked hard to get to this point. But, you know, a proper mound makes it possible. And who maintained his college mound to spec? He did it himself. He knew it was a factor in his success. Proper mound and batter boxes provide players with the chance to maximize their performance. How could you expect less? As you probably know, a mound and batter box can be strengthened with similar techniques with a few differences. Resources for you: (Note: some email systems out there split these links and/or add a blank space near the end. If this happens to you, then you will need to copy the whole link into your browser for these to work for you. I don't know why this happens. Sorry.) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/s8-make-your-mound-safe-05.html http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/mound.html http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/batter-box.html http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-mound-clay-bricks.html http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-mound-best-way-to-tamp.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEQPXDjFYsU
Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
Dear Baseball Insiders, July 2009 I've been getting a lot of questions the last couple weeks about problems with the dirt area of the infield; especially how to undo problems others created by accident. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21 dirt maintenance blunders to avoid. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'll admit it. I wouldn't have been able to create this list unless I had first-hand experience with dirt maintenance blunders and goofs myself. I try to avoid these now. So should you. Ready for the list of blunders? Here's three for starters: - Raking across the basepath causes a low spot to develop in the middle of the basepath. - Always entering and exiting the field at the same place with the drag. It's not unusual for a field to have a lump or high place at 3B or 1B where the drag always stops leaving a build up of dirt. - Just fill in the pitcher's landing holes with dry dirt. That doesn't help. No pitcher wants to have that. It provides no good footing at all. The complete list of 21 dirt maintenance blunders to avoid is here: http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/s5-21-dirt-maintenance-blunders-to-avoid-17.html (Note: some email systems out there split this link and/or add a blank space near the end. If this happens to you, then you will need to copy the whole link into your browser for these to work for you. I don't know why this happens. Sorry. I'm trying to figure this out. Obviously I'm better with my fingers in the dirt or on a baseball than on the computer.)
Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards, Jim p.s. Next, I'll be sending out information about building and using both a nail drag and a mound template. The plate ump always appreciates these. I hope his own high school players do too! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
Dear Baseball Insiders, July 12,2009 This time of year some turf areas are showing damage from over use, under watering, or soccer games in the rain. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What is the best, quickest and maybe cheapest way to get grass to grow again in a damaged area of a baseball field? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Some of my subscribers are high school and college players themselves. One recently sent me this plea for help: "My school's baseball field was severely damaged by a game of soccer in the rain. There is an entire patch on the left field where the game was held that has absolutely no grass and the earth is uneven thanks to the holes made by soccer players. I need the field to be in great conditions for an upcoming softball tournament in 4 weeks which is going to be a big fundraiser for my class. What do I do to get grass to grow again?" Unfortunately, this is an all too common problem on fields shared by baseball, soccer, and football. The other sports don't seem to mind playing in the mud or wet ground. But this is bad for baseball when it's your turn to use the field. Here's what to do to get grass to grow and flatten out the ground: http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/get-grass-to-grow.html (Note: some email systems out there split this link and/or add a blank space near the end. If this happens to you, then you will need to copy the whole link into your browser for these to work for you. I don't know why this happens. Sorry. I'm trying to figure this out. Obviously I'm better with my fingers in the dirt or on a baseball than on the computer.)
Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards, Jim p.s. In the queue: a quick, easy, and cheap way to stripe your baseball field turf courtesy of a high school in Colorado. Look for this in the coming weeks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide Dear Baseball Insiders,July 16, 2009 Most baseball fields eventually get a BIG lip build up if preventative measures aren't taken. This little league field got a huge lip buildup for a couple reasons. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 resources to fix lip buildup and overgrown grass edges - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I couldn't believe it. My 10 year old came off the field limping. He twisted his right ankle so bad he could hardly walk. Here's what happened. He plays shortstop. His team traveled to another field to play. Their field had a lip so big it's like a speed bump at the edge of the infield dirt. He went back on a popup and stumbled and fell at this huge bump. Now is the time to fix problems like this. Many fields have some downtime in the summer. This is perfect for fixing lips, cutouts, and mounds. Here are four resources for you. Either as a reminder or for those who desperately need this information now. 1. Turf maintenance and lip removal project. Too much loose dirt added and dragging too fast over the grass edge. Result? Your very own speed bump right in the middle of your field. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/project-little-league-turf.html 2. Fixing lip buildup. Dirt gets on the grass edge from dragging or from play. A ridge or lip builds up and causes bad bounces. You need to fix this. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/fix-lip-buildup.html 3. Edging your field like a pro. A photo story shows how you can have perfectly straight lines just like MLB teams. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug9KxB6oe9Q&fmt=18 4. Using a sod cutter A versitile tool to cut lines, remove sod and lip build up. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/edger.html Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards, Jim p.s. In the queue: painting field logos - designs, stencils, paint selection, application, and ongoing care. Look for this in the coming weeks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
January, 19, 2012 You are subscribed to Better Fields for Better Play. The back issues are at the following URL... http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/Better_Fields_for_Better_Play-backissues.html
July 7, 2011 The Coach Who Thinks in Terms of Results Dear Baseball Insiders, Sometimes we need a little motivation... Hidden In the middle of California, there is a high school coach who has won 13 league championships in a row. In ten years he sent 14 players off to college on scholarships. Two went pro. He is known for injecting discipline and character into his players. When it's time for practice to start, his players are in the dugout, cleats on, and ready to go. He works them hard. Sets up multiple stations for hitters, fielders, and runners... works them for two and half hours. But, you know what? He doesn't do anything to prep the field before practice starts. Why? Because he ends practice with prep work so thorough and disciplined that he can start the next practice without being concerned about playing field conditions. Read about the coach who thinks in terms of results.
June 29, 2011
$29 Independence Special
Dear Baseball Insiders, Celebrate our Independence Day with this special offer. Now is a great time to get ready for another season of baseball. Take Full Advantage of the 60 Day Guarantee & Turn Your Purchase Into a Risk-Free Trial. Order the Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook for $29. Offer good through July 8. Click here for details: http://tinyurl.com/modf5q Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2011, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
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April 12, 2011
Dear Baseball Insiders, Several people asked similar questions in the past few weeks. I picked a few to pass this along since it might help you too.
1. Re: Aerating and overseeding Tim wrote in, "I want to aerate the baseball infield grass and put down sand. Would it be best to do this in the fall when I can overseed the grass. Or is this a good time?" Tim, This should still be a good time to aerate. As long as day time temperatures are less than 85 degrees you shouldn't have to worry. It is best to water after wards or you can time the job so you do it just before it rains. As far as sand as a topdressing, I would go light to start with. Spreading 3-5 yards would suffice. And yes, fall is the best time to aerate, overseed, and fertilize. But this time of year before the heat kicks in is good too. In fact, this morning I am aerating 2 little league fields and one high school field. I'm spot seeding some thin areas with a perennial rye / bluegrass mix and following it up with fertilizer.
2. Re: Dragging mistakes that are expensive to fix Mike writes in, "I have always stressed to our volunteers that the single most important requirement when working on the fields is to keep the infield mix from the skinned areas off the grass, this includes pushing water off the skinned areas and onto the grass(we just spent $10k on lip removal. regrading, and resoding). I was just wondering your thoughts on this." Mike, You are absolutely right about keeping the turf/dirt edges clean and level. It is a must for a safe and playable field. The most common mistakes are dragging across the corners building up a hump, raking base paths sideways causing lip build up, and pushing puddle water and mud onto the grass causing lip and hump build up. And often dragging across the corners or onto the edges will cause these turf areas to die out. The bad thing about these is that you can do these horrible things a few times and it seems like nothing bad happens. Repeat and it builds up fast. Then the hard part. Fixing it. It is not easy and can be expensive as you already know. So, yes, keep the infield dirt away from building up at the turf edges.
3. Re: Multi-age use fields and varying mound distances - how? Doug writes in, "We have fields with multiple pitching rubbers on them and we are concerned with the pitchers landing on the rubber in front of the one they are using,ie: 46' pitcher landing on the 43' or 40' rubber,this could cause an injury, so if you have any suggestions it would be much appreciated" Hi Doug, This is a tough one. On one hand a multi-use field lets you put a larger age range on the field. You can have variable distance base paths and mounds for each age bracket. However, there is a trade off with the mound. With three distances you will in fact impact the pitchers. They will either land on the rubber in front and perhaps slip or they will change their pitching delivery to avoid landing wrong and maybe goof up their arm. I've seen this happen multiple times on an all dirt field that has PONY age 12 - 18 play on it. The mound is huge once you put together the three distance and try to make each longer one a little higher than the one in front. It almost looks like the mound the farthest away is two feet high. It should be 10 inches. The best solution to the slipping problem is to use removable pitching rubbers. You put out the one you need and nail it down. When done, you remove it. The next age group nails theirs down at the distance they need. This is a little bit of work, but there is then fewer of the above problems. So, that's what I suggest.
And two more just for fun.... Richards asks, "How do you get the stripes and designs in the grass..example: checkerboard pattern?" Richard, The striping is most often done by using mowers with rollers on the back end. The rollers bend the grass blades down as the mower rolls over. This gives either a light or dark look depending on the angle of light reflections. By alternating direction of mowing you get what looks like light and dark stripes. Checkerboards are made by first mowing across one direction and then mowing across the direction. Reel mowers work best at this. Most rotary mowers like home lawn mowers or riding mowers do not stripe well... Unless you attach some sort of roller on the back for the striping. Golf courses also use reel mowers to get the stripes you see on them. Yes, stripes look nice. But be aware that reel mowers are much higher maintenance than rotary mowers. You need to adjust and sharpen the blades a lot more to keep it working as designed.
Dave asks, "How often can I fertilize the infield grass?" Hi Dave, A normal spring time turf fertilizer is usually good for about 6 weeks if you put it out at 5 pounds per thousand square feet. It will boost turf growth and then slow down near the end of 6 weeks. I use a walk behind Scotts cyclone spreader. For this rate I use setting 7 or 8. But what I do is put the fertilizer out every 4 weeks and back off the rate to about 3 pounds per thousand square feet. That way the turf growth and greeness is consistent all the time - looks better and is easier to mow for consistent play. I put my spreader on setting 5 to do this. Then there is summer fertilizer that is designed to last 12 weeks. It is slow release. The idea with this fertilizer is to save some money. This is more expensive stuff, but you go longer between. However, my experience is that going early June to mid-August between fertilizing was too long. The turf was never as green and looked tired and worn out even though it was still growing. Just my opinion.
Well, I hope this Q&A helps you with some additional info for your ball field for this time of year. And here is the most used source for tips and hints with baseball dirt maintenance: http://tinyurl.com/y8n5nqx
Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™
August 19, 2009
Dear Baseball Insiders, Even after a long, hot summer I still love doing this. Making something great out of something small! Player and coach satisfaction is not enough. I want them to love it too. So, I personally pour myself into this work. I believe that to be satisfied you need to do great work. And to do great work you need to love what you do. Because I love what I do, I get results. And love generates energy. Players and coaches are energized when they take the field. Ask yourself, ‘What is really exciting about the work I do?’ I know this much. You need be part of something great! A quality baseball experience is possible. I believe in giving back to make a difference for others. Creating great ball fields is just one way I can make a difference for our youth and help create lifelong habits for success. You can change your world too! Change the world your players, coaches, and parents experience. Change it for the better! Do want you a better baseball or softball experience? The prove it! Use this field maintenance handbook to transform your field into a truly memorable and winning experience. And for a limited time I'm including a free bonus with the field maintenance handbook: How to Fund Your Baseball Field Improvements.
Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovaton-guide.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://tinyurl.com/modf5q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved.
August 25, 2009 "Wow! What a great looking field! And, look at those edges. How did you do it?" That's what I want you to hear. And then take pride in knowing how to do it. Yes, we all want straight edges on your turf in the right places. Do you need answers to these common questions: where do I draw the lines for the cutouts what tools are needed how do I draw the lines for the edge what if I make a mistake? I'll show you you now to do this job, describe mistakes to avoid, and give you some tips and hints for a professional looking job.
So, here you go: How to mark perfect grass cutouts and edge http://tinyurl.com/mde6l7 best regards, Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://tinyurl.com/modf5q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking,
October 2, 2009
Dear Baseball Insiders, Do you want a great looking and playing field in the spring? Nice, thick, green, and full? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Now is the best time to create great turf for the spring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you want strong and healthy turf in the spring, you need to strengthen the roots and thicken it up now. Before it gets too cold. I'll show you how to do this job. And you too can have a professional looking field. Your turf took a pounding all summer and it is time to start the recovery. Fall is the best time to strengthen your turf. You can fix the trouble spots, the bare spots, and the thin spots. Combine core aerating with overseeding, some topdressing, and fertilizing and you are on your way to a fantastic spring... a field that not only looks great, but is safer and more playable. And you'll get some great compliments for your work. Don't wait any longer. You are running out of time. Once days are lower than 50 degrees it is hard for new grass seeds to sprout. So, here you go: Complete 10-step baseball turf maintenance program here: http://tinyurl.com/ndkacv Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards,
Jim
October 16, 2009
Dear Baseball Insiders, A picture is worth a thousand words. So a video must be worth a thousand pictures. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Announcing: Baseball field maintenance video gallery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I put together over a dozen photo stories. These show you the basics and some tips pros use. So, here you go: The baseball field maintenance video gallery: http://tinyurl.com/yzmfejf Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://tinyurl.com/modf5q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com November 10, 2009 Dear Baseball Insiders, A picture is worth a thousand words. So how about a visual how-to guide of projects & proposals you can learn from? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Announcing: Baseball field maintenance project gallery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I put together seven different project photo stories. These show you the basics and some tips pros use. I especially like the spring maintenance projects you should be planning for now. So, here you go: The baseball field maintenance project gallery: http://tinyurl.com/yj25z43
Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://tinyurl.com/modf5q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2009, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. November 13, 2009 Dear Baseball Insiders, I recently received a scathing email from Adrian. His company supplies infield mix to MLB teams. He claimed my advice to you made him cringe and is misinforming. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There are 285,000 baseball fields in N America. 1000 are professionally maintained. What about the other 284,000? Is success possible for the rest of us? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is so important that I want to share what he had to say and my answer that follows. Find out why it is so important to know your audience and their situation. Here's what Adrian had to say: "Sorry to say, your guide to buying infield mix (which I cringed and was barely able to read through it) is so misinforming. You mention a good PONY League mix as consisting of 50% Crushed Brick, 20% Clay and 30% Soil. Soil has Sand, Silt and Clay...so do you really have the same percentages even though no two "soils" are the same in a given region? You also go onto a description of a Professional Infield Mix as having 60% Clay...our bagged clay which we supplied the 2008 Beijing Olympics with does not even have that much Clay! We have ran soils analysis on every professional supplier to MLB for Mound Clay and no one of them has a Clay percentage of over 60%. We are talking about the mound and homeplate clay not the infield mix. There is not one professional Major League Baseball Field that uses crushed Brick! If the pros don't use it, why would you recommend it to anyone? You ought to educate yourself before you go around recommending people on a "safe and consistent" playing surface. If you want to learn a few things, you should check out our website. For a fact, I supply the Los Angeles Dodger and the San Diego Padres with there Infield Mix and Mound & Homeplate Clay...believe me when I say that I know what I am doing. My soils degree backs that up!" Whew! That packed a punch. It made me think for a bit. So, what's going on here? My answer to Adrian: "Hi Adrian, I believe in everything you tell me in your email. I appreciate you taking the time to jot me a note. I’m sorry my field mix suggestions made you cringe. I looked at your website. It is impressive. I especially liked your emphasis on moisture management. No matter the field mix, I agree that proper watering is the key to a good playing surface. And congratulations on supplying the Olympics in Beijing. I will look at the wording on my website and adjust it to account for some of your points. I’m always interested in making it clearer to readers. You are right about the US regional differences in soils. Example: west coast generally is high in sand, east cost in generally higher in clay content. Illinois and north through Canada use crushed limestone for their fields. Alaska often has to put up with fields made of gravel. So do many countries in Europe. As far as clay content, I know that the head groundskeeper of the Mariners has a field that is 75% clay, 5% silt, and 20% sand. And most college softball fields, at least the ones in northern CA, are upwards of 80% clay. MLB estimates there are about 285,000 baseball and softball fields in North America. About 1000 of them are ‘professional’ quality either in MLB, colleges, or some high schools. Most of these have significant budgets, equipment, and staff for ongoing field maintenance. Several of these are your current and past customers. Good for you. But what about the other 280,000+ baseball and softball fields used by youth in little league, PONY, high school, and some colleges? They don’t have quite the money or staffing. And many are multi-use fields and have constant volunteer staff turnover. And yet they also want a sports field that is safe and playable. Is there a way to attain this using suppliers and rental equipment available from local companies? And with a limited budget and with a volunteer workforce? That’s what I’m trying to do with my website. Show them solutions that will work for them. And answer their questions. I answer on average 20 questions a month from people all over the world. Been doing this since 2003. People have field maintenance problems they don’t even understand and are searching for answers. I do tell them that the best option is a mix the pros use such as yours, but I also know that I have to tell them what will work for their budget, time, and skills. Unfortunately many existing youth fields are an accumulation of decomposed granite and crushed brick. The new field maintenance guy inherits a mess of lip build up, patchy grass, bad bounces, mound holes and has to fix it. What’s he going to do? I help him make a difference... be a hero to his local community... provide a better baseball experience for players, coaches, parents, and umpires. This is the one problem I have with the MLB field maintenance guide if you’ve looked at it. It only shows examples of maintaining high class fields with top of the line equipment and staff. Nice if you can do that. Yet most of the parents, coaches, and players who want to improve their field will never be able to do that. And the MLB guide tells you what to do, but not how. It’s a good start, but not enough. My website and I are here to help the rest of us transform our fields into a winning sports field for the youth in our communities. My field maintenance handbook shows you how to be successful with field maintenance – something that seems like it would be difficult, but I make it easy for you. And I continue to volunteer my time to maintain three little league fields, one PONY field, and a high school field. Just this past weekend I used a sod cutter to remove lip build up on two of the fields and I aerated and re-seeded another one. I have what I call 'in the trenches' on-going, hands-on experience doing exactly what others need to do. And I have four sons playing in little league, high school, and college. I see it all from their perspective. They each dream of someday playing for a professional team on a professional field... maybe one of yours! So, I close with again thanking you for your comments. I learn from them. And please let me know if I can use your company as a contact for folks looking for quality infield mix in southern California. I’d appreciate it. Best regards, Jim Reiner" - - - - - - - - - I believe in giving back to make a difference for others. Creating great ball fields is just one way I can make a difference for our youth and help create lifelong habits for success. You can change your world too! Change the world your players, coaches, and parents experience. Change it for the better! Do want you a better baseball or softball experience? Use this field maintenance handbook to transform your field into a truly memorable and winning experience.
Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovaton-guide.com
November 24, 2009 Dear Baseball Insiders, You might feel that you need to be born with the skills of a groundskeeper to be able to create a great baseball field or softball field. But that’s not entirely true. Don’t let me fool you! Grounds keeping talent helps and naturally it always shines through in the long run. However, there’s a foundation that’s needed for any field to be successful. Once you’re familiar with that foundation, it is skill, talent, and experience that will take you and your team to the next level. You don’t need to become a professional groundskeeper. You do, however, need to be familiar with a few practicalities in sports field maintenance. I’ll show you how to avoid common mistakes and how to apply tips and hints to make a better field for better play. No fancy stuff or hype here. After reading this, you can easily improve your sports field safety and playability and have a field you are proud of. And best of all: get the most out of your players. But, in the end it’s up to you!
Transforming Your Baseball Field or Softball Field into a Winning Field is a set of sports field maintenance practices from the most successful sports field managers. I have used and tested every one of these secrets. If you're a coach, parent, athletic director, or player, this book will change the way you think about how to care for your players and your sports field.
Over the past seven years, thousands of players have benefited from the field maintenance disciplines covered in this book. While some sports fields have turned into safety and playability nightmares, others have turned into a field of dreams. What made the difference?
About seven years ago, we began to study and test precisely what sports field maintenance practices work best—what techniques and practices distinguish the best sports fields from the mediocre and those that are horrible.
Transforming Your Baseball Field or Softball Field into a Winning Field resulted from years of in-depth research and direct experience with dozens of highly successful (and not-so-successful) field maintenance habits. Dozens of coaches, players, and parents— baseball fans like you—studied under professionals and put these ideas into practice while renovating over 25 sports fields. Here's what we found:
• Better fields do indeed result in better play • Field maintenance success is based on best practices • You can model and replicate these techniques on your own sports field and achieve similar results.
Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovaton-guide.com
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December 28, 2009
Dear Baseball Insiders, Quite a few of you are asking what to do so your ball field is ready for play in March. These 2 resources should give you a head start. Once you know what you need to do it is then a matter of planning a schedule and a budget to get it done. More on that next time. Review these and take notes as you begin to plan your spring field preparations. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1. Baseball field maintenance project gallery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A picture is worth a thousand words. So how about a visual how-to guide of projects & proposals you can learn from? Here are seven different project photo stories. These show you the basics and some tips pros use. You should be able to find a project similar to what you need to do. I especially like the spring maintenance projects you should be planning for now. The baseball field maintenance project gallery: http://tinyurl.com/yj25z43
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2. Baseball field maintenance video gallery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video must be worth a thousand pictures. There are over a dozen photo stories here. These show you the basics and some tips pros use. And they expand on the project stories above and show you even more ideas. The baseball field maintenance video gallery: http://tinyurl.com/yzmfejf Start your spring renovation and maintenance planning now. I'm doing this with a local little league and a high school. Even though it's basketball season, start now. Next, I'll look at some tips for budgeting and scheduling your work.
Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? best regards,
Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee.
Dear Baseball Fan, Many of you are getting started on your softball and baseball field for the spring season. In this issue, Jim helps you get a better baseball dirt mix, set up a budget, and level all those lumps and ruts in your dirt and grass. Last, but not least, we take a look at how to best get your turf going again.
Issue 14 January 2010 Highly Recommended
Popular Articles 21 Dirt Maintenance Blunders to Avoid Conversation with Sports Turf Manager of the Year Make 'em a Field They Can't Refuse How I Cut Field Maintenance Time in Half What Players Never Tell You The Most Important Thing for Your Turf Trials and Triumphs of a Young Pitcher The Coach Thinks in Terms of Results
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Inspiration "You will never have significant success with anything until it becomes an obsession with you." -- Coach Gunter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Others are Saying: Jim, Thank you for your reply to my question about our highschool baseball field. I have given your website information and email reply to our coach. He is working on getting the field in shape. He had a "turf" guy from the nearby university come out but he steered clear of the infield dirt and that is where most of the problems are. The turf is in pretty good shape. Your website is very good and filled with easy to understand information. I especially enjoyed reading about the case studies. My husband and I both work in "soil science" and found your discussions about soil type and structure very good. Soils or dirt are more complicated than most people give them credit for and your website certainly helps to explain what some of the issues are. Thanks again, Nancy W.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim, Thanks for providing a great website. I have volunteered to help fix multiple field issues for my local baseball program and felt like I struck gold when I found your site a few days ago. Joseph I. Mass.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Answers for readers: I am looking to purchase a mower. Do you have any pictures of fields where rotary mowers are used to maintain vs. reel mowers. Is there a huge difference in the level of quality of the mowed surface for a reel mower? Thanks. Jeff Hi Jeff, All the pictures of baseball fields on my website are done by rotary mowers. Some are the 21 inch walk behind rotary mowers. Some are 42 inch rotary blade riding mowers and some are large mowers with three sets of 42 inch rotary blades. Rotary mowers work great for blue grass, rye, and fescue. You can get it down to one and a fourth inches which is pretty good. These grasses are in the north USA to mid section. Usually not in the hot dry or tropic south. Reel mowers work great for Bermuda which you probably have in southern Texas. Now a rotary mower will work also. It's just that a reel mower can go shorter. Maybe down to 3/4 inch. Most MLB fields have 3/4 inch infield and 7/8 outfield. Reel mowers are the choice. And they stripe nice. We have some bermuda infields that we overseed with rye in the winter. About May/June the bermuda takes over. I continue using a rotary on it and it looks fine. Just keep the blade sharp. Rotary mowers can stripe the grass, but not as well as the reel mowers unless you get an attachment just for striping. Is there really a huge difference in quality between reel and rotary? For rye, bluegrass, and fescue I think not. That's why I use the rotary. For Bermuda or golf course type grasses, yes, reel can do a better job. But you need to mow at least 3 times a week in the growing season. Some other considerations: Rotary is cheaper, has a greater selection, and easy to get parts for. Reel is more expensive, requires constant adjustments of the cutting blades including sharpening more often, and is not as plentiful in supply as the rotary. For high end fields, it is worth it though. Either way, I'd opt for the self-propelled type and the wider the better. Hope that helps. Also, I'm sure you know you need a good, secure place to store your mower. I was shocked the other day to find out that one of the walk behind mowers I use was stolen from the locked bin at a local little league field. So, I've been mowing with the larger 42 inch riding mower. The cut is not nearly as nice though. I guess I'm old school on this. I like the walk behind because the cut is more even and I can 'feel' the lumps and bumps I need to fix when I am walking behind the mower as opposed to riding on one. best regards, Jim
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I liked your section on the steam roller. About 8 weeks ago I laid grass and have some high and low spots in addition to some gaps. Would you suggest filling in the gaps and then rolling or rolling first and then filling in those spots? Thank you again for your feedback. I would recommend filling in the gaps before rolling. I've done it both ways and found better success that way. You get the best result if you fill in low spots or gaps first. You don't have to get it perfect. The roller takes care of that. Then aerate afterwards and drag the cores around to break them up and spread them to put a nice finishing touch on it. best regards, Jim
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Where should I put my stake at to make the radius for both the softball and baseball field. I understand using a sod cutter and painting the line but where to place a stake to make the radius of the infield/outfield edge is confusing me. Thanks, Carlos Hi Carlos, The stake would go centered right at the back of the picture rubber. Then you measure from there to the outfield grass and mark the arc to cut. best regards, Jim
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the bookstore
Transforming Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field A 132 page "How-To" Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook to Give Your Players the Opportunity to Play Their Best and Make Your Own Field of Dreams. Includes 45 page BONUS publication: How to Fund Your Baseball Field Improvements.
Your One Stop Place to Increase Field Safety and Playability Home | Back issues | Contact Us | Baseball Blog This issue available on the web at: www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-ezine-january-2010.html FEATURES: BALLFIELD DIRT ANALYSIS: Getting a better dirt mix!
BUILDING A BASEBALL FIELD: Cost estimate?
SOURCE FOR DIRT MIX: How do I find a local supplier? ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: The best way to drag a baseball field... what is it?
Need to level your field? Here are five ways to fix it.
Setting up renovation and maintenance budget and calendar BONUS: How to start early season fertilizing
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Improving My Ball Field Dirt Mix I'm at Fort Buchanan in Puerto Rico where it rains alot. The softball field dirt mix looks like it is 60 percent sand and 20 percent clay, 20 percent silt. What can I do to firm it up? What are the plus and minus with this? Thanks. Wilson, USARMY. Hi Wilson, Softball fields generally are best if the infield dirt mix is hard and level. Harder than a baseball hardball field. That way you get true bounces and firm footing as a softball fielder. The mix you describe would appear to be a bit loose. However, there are pros and cons to this. Regardless of the dirt mix the real issue is the moisture management. At the MLB level there are fields that vary from 20 percent clay to 60 percent clay. Depends on climate - tropics to tundra - and whether it is outdoor or enclosed. Proper moisture management can give these all the same playing feel. Moisture management means keeping the dirt mix moist and firm, but not dry or muddy. You have a lot of rain. This is similar to fields along the coast of Oregon and northern CA. These are usually higher in sand so the water can drain. If you need the drainage then you need the high amount of sand. Other consideration about dirt mix: Higher sand mix is easier to quickly level with a mesh drag. Harder surface needs more dragging with a nail drag to do the job. More sand leaves heal marks, causes fielders to slip, and balls to die and not bounce as much as you think it should. Harder surfaces, if too hard, are rough on players sliding and bounces can go higher than expected. That's why hard clay surfaces are nail dragged to groom the surface. If you are new to working with this field, try regular dragging or raking if you can to see if it makes for a good playing surface. If it does not, then either roll it occaisionally with a steam roller if you have one or a water filled lawn roller. That helps pack it down for you. And lastly, if it looks like you need to add firmness to the playing mix, then add in more clay/silt to the top inches. Mix with a tiller you have one. Then water and firm with a roller. This process takes more work and is a good solution if the other suggestions above aren't getting you the playing surface you want. So, that's my thoughts. Hope this helps. Any more questions, let me know. And thank you for serving in our armed forces. It is most appreciated by my family and friends here!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Building a Baseball Field I need a baseball field quotation, to build one any cost estimate. We own a piece of land and we are going to construct a baseball facility, turf in the infield, grass in the outfield, 2 dugouts, 1 backstop and lights. Of course fenced. Thank you for the help. Chairon in Florida Hi Chairon, Check this link on my website. Look at number 2. Open the pdf for a grant application. Page 11-14 will give you an overview of what it takes to build a field and sigificantly upgrade an existing one. Lighting not included. Best rough guess on lighting is it costs about $200,000. The major obstacle for most people is not only the money, but also getting your Florida neighbors nearby to OK lighting at night. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-grant.html Let me know if you have any other questions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I Need a Local Source for Good Baseball Mix I am in the process of repairing a field that has been neglected for about three years. I need a source that supplies a brick clay mix . Thanks. Brent, San Antonio Brent, 1. A good source for baseball mix across the USA would be to start with www.beamclay.com. They provide baseball mix, clay, sand, etc. to many major and minor league fields across the US. 2. Other sources you might have locally: major or minor league teams: find out where they get their mix 3. Rock yards and trucking companies: these usually have access to baseball dirt since they supply this to high schools and little leagues in your area. 4. Local park and rec departments – find out where they get their infield mix – however, realize they usually go for cheap decomposed granite stuff that you definitely don’t want on your field 5. Any local high school that has a decent baseball program – again find out where they get their mix for their baseball field. You will have to let your fingers to the walking a little bit via phone calls to get these leads and find out what they have.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Best Way to Drag Your Infield is Spiral Dragging You tell us that the best to vary the way we drag and include spiral dragging. What do you mean by spiral dragging?? Dennis, New York Dennis, Maybe the best way to explain this is to compare what is usually done. Many people drag the infield skin back and forth going from the first base foul line past second base to the third base foul line and then turn around and head back to the first base side. This back and forth dragging tends to create high spots at the foul lines and low spots at second and short stop. And if the drag is always removed at the same spot, behind third base for example, you get a high spot there too. What I call spiral dragging greatly reduces the likelihood of high spots or low spots. However, this is best done by pulling a metal mesh drag behind a small tractor or riding mower. What I described above can be done by hand pulling the drag back and forth. Spiral dragging means dragging in circles, but let the circles slowly move across the field from one foul line to another. Sort of like the old spirograph art set I had as a kid. Start on one side and move across as you make overlapping circles. This is great for leveling out the field. It takes a little more time though than the back and forth dragging. You could probably do the quick back and forth dragging most of the time, but then do the spiral dragging once a week to really get it leveled back out.
And lastly, try not to let the drag go over the grass edges. This prevents lip buildup.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Five Ways To Level Your Lumpy, Bumpy Baseball Field (Reprint from 2009: this is one of the most popular questions we get) We have an existing field that needs to have holes filled and general leveling. If we till or seed or add dirt, how long would it be before we could play on it? (similar question submitted by dozens of people).
All, here are 5 ways to fix problems like this that have worked for me: 1. Big holes or ruts in the outfield: fill them in with reclaimed sand and cover with topsoil. I get tons of free reclaimed sand from a local cement plant. They wash out the cement trucks when they come back and 'reclaim' the small sand and aggregate. This stuff is not fine sand. It has some very small pebbles. They give it away. But, this is perfect for filling in big areas in the outfield or the warning track. 2. Uneven infield turf: best thing to do is several applications of topdressing. Depending on your size of your baseball field - little league or high school size you have more work. I put out five tons of top soil / compost on a high school infield and dragged it with a metal mesh drag to level it out. (Mowed it short first.) I did this in April and again in August. It is perfectly smooth now. 3. Infield turf with major ruts and undulations: on a senior little league baseball field I spread out 10 tons of top soil / compost and dragged it level. This field had big problems so I went with lots of dirt. I do not recommend doing that much at once unless you have a major, major problem to fix. Now the nice thing about this is that you can water it in and play on it in a day. I did this in October. 4. Infield skin (dirt) not level: One of the easiest ways to fix this is to add about 3-5 tons on a little league baseball field or 10-20 tons on a high school baseball field and spread, till with a tractor and rear tiller, then level with a box or leveler device, and drag. Water it in to help settle it. Drag or rake to fine tune the surface. Done. I just did this with 25 tons on a high school field. 5. Major infield turf problems: scrape with a tractor and smooth bucket and start over. This is a lot of work. You need to put down a good topsoil and level it. Sod takes 3-4 weeks to grow in before you can use it. Seed takes 6-8 weeks to grow in enough for competitive play. I did this kind of field renovation for a baseball field at a park and rec department. It was so bad, there was no other real way to fix it. Bonus: Based on what you tell me and the many baseball field problems I've seen, there is one more thing you could do. It works best after it has rained a couple days, but then you have a day or two of sun. Use a 3-5 ton steam roller on the infield turf and the outfield turf. Mark your sprinklers first so you do not hit them. Roll the turf. It will be very flat. You should also mow first. And it would be a good idea to aerate after you roll it. Rolling the turf is often done on multiuse fields where football or soccer tears up the out field and puts in lots of ruts when playing on the wet ground. I have done this on several fields. Works great. Alternative is to use the water filled lawn roller, but this is slower and harder to do. Put those football players to work pushing it around. P.S. in general I find it easier and better to work with what you have - add top dressing and level it - versus doing major tilling and new seed. But it just depends how bad it is and how much time you can afford to not be using the field.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Private donor willing to fund renovation and maintenance: Need ballpark estimates
I would be interested to learn what it would cost [materials & labor] to rejuvenate three fields (80' Pony league, 50' Teeny league, 60' Softball; no sprinkler systems) for use by March 2010, utilizing your turf and dirt maintenance plans and what the approximate cost to mow 2x weekly for the infield/outfield grass (warm season) would be February to October. A private donor wants to sponsor the rejuvenation and maintenance costs for this year and I would like to give him some "ball-park" figures. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Raymond.
Hi Raymond, I can give you some 'ball-park' ideas and costs. You'll probably have some more questions. Don't hesitate to ask. So, here goes. I'm assuming you'll be following the turf checklist here: http://tinyurl.com/yd2zez8 You should be able to do all three fields either on the same day or over a weekend. This also assumes some prior planning and marking for equipment use. Rent a sod cutter for a day - $78. Use it to make the cut outs to spec and remove any lip build up. Rent a lawn aerator for a day - $89. Use it to aerate the infields. Each will take about 30 minutes. Outfields take longer. As much as 3 hours for a full size field. Buy a 50 pound bag of grass seed for the two grass infields - $80. Buy a 50 pound bag of starter fertilizer (6-20-20) for the infields - $25. If you overseed and fertilize the outfield turf, then you'll need quite a few more bags of each. For a full size outfield, plan to use at least 4 of each. You say you have no sprinklers. So you need to time this work between rains or just before a series of rains to get the seed to germinate and grow. You'll need day temperatures to exceed 50 degrees F for it to grow. Are your fields relatively smooth or do you have lumps, bumps, holes, etc.? If so then you should get 3-5 yards of topdressing for spread on each and level it out. Topdressing should be a combination of topsoil, sand, and a bit of compost. This costs about $25 per yard where I am. Same for the outfield. If you have holes, fill them in. Get as much as you need to spread and level it. I can tell you that outfields usually don't get quite the pampering as the infields. But it is always good to at least aerate, seed, and fertilize them. Mounds and batter boxes: Rebuild to spec as needed. Get some unfired clay bricks or some mound clay. Bricks are 50 cents each. You'll need about 40 to reinforce the holes players make. Infield dirt areas: Most fields always need and benefit from additional dirt. If it has been a while since this has beend one, I'd go for 10 yards on the smaller field and between 20 and 30 on the larger one. Infield mix can go for about $30 a yard. You'll need to spread and level this. Best if you can use a tractor with a smooth bucket in the front and a rear tiller to spread and mix it in. Then you need a leveling spike drag or a heavy metal framed leveling rack to get it as close to level as possible. Renting a tractor tiller - $300 a day. Alternative to leveling it like I suggested above is to use a laser guided system. This is usually done by a pro and can cost $8 per square foot. It can get expensive. The softball field: Depending on its condition, you may need to add dirt, run over it with a spike drag to level and get rid of weeds, or make sure your pitcher plate, home plate, and batter boxes are to spec. You really just want to make sure the surface is level and firm. Check the outfield grass edge to see if there is a lip buildup there. If so, run the sod cutter along to remove it. So, Bottom Line for initial renovation: You can do all this on the same day or a weekend. It helps greatly if you have the seed and fertilizer on hand before as well as a cyclone spreader. Arrange the dirt deliveries for either early the morning you start work or the day before. Get the equipment as soon as the rental outfits open up. This could be done by a team of 3 people. A few more helps. Too many more and it gets complicated or messy. Next: on going maintenance. You should budget about $800 for the year to cover the following: - overseed and fertilize every 6-8 weeks - use a sod cutter or an edger a couple times a year to keep the cutouts to spec - gas to run your equipment - hopefully you have a riding mower or a small ATV you can use to drag and mow - consider a self-propelled walk behind mower for the infields - assorted tools - rakes, shovels, wheelbarrow, drags, etc. - tarps for mounds and homeplate as needed to minimize rainouts I didn't cover at all the condition of your basepegs, bases, backstops, fencing, etc. If you have any problem areas here, then add that on to the list of items to fix. This checklist here is helpful to get the big picture idea of what to look for: http://tinyurl.com/nv6sgl Lastly I suppose you may have seen these, but these project case studies give you a pretty good idea what to do and how to do it: http://tinyurl.com/yj25z43 Hope that is helpful. Again, if you have any questions, let me know.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonus - How to start early season fertilizing
When should I put down some more fertilizer? We start playing the first week of Feburary so I'm hoping to keep it as green and ready as possible. MIchael, Arkansas When it comes to getting ready for early season play I recommend putting out fertilizer 3 weeks ahead of playing time. But since it is cold, I also recommend going slow with it. I'd use a cool season fertilizer (half slow release and half quick release nitrogen) and put it out at about half the usual rate. Then put the rest out a week before play. This approach takes a little more of your time, but helps get the turf going slow, but stay healthy. If it grows too fast when it is cold, it can come down with many turf problems. And if your ground is not too wet and mushy you could also core aerate and overseed a bit three weeks before play. This also helps strengthen your turf. Hard to believe the season starts in less than 6 weeks. Wow! Wish you and your team the best!
Yours for better play more often, J. Reiner
January 14, 2010 Dear Baseball Insiders, Putting together your spring field prep work plans? Here's a question a reader had about how to edge, sand, roll, and aerate. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Why you should roll turf before aerating, not after - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Texas Charlie writes: Thanks for the monthly newsletter email Jim. I did an awesome job on my field last year. I used your info to support all of the things I did on the field. The rest of the league was very impressed and I have been given free reins to do anything I want this year and they trust me. Here is my idea for the maintenace I would like to perform on Feruary 7th. Please advise me if I should change the order. By the way I am in Texas 50 miles from the gulf working on Bermuda grass. 1. Sunday mow all 6 fields with the McClane 7 blade reel mower. 2. Wait five days till Friday night and rent bluebird push aireator and aireate all six fields. 3. Saturday morning have 22 Teeball teams pick up plugs and use for fill dirt else where at park. 4. Fertilize fields after aireating so feritlizer may drop inot holes. 5. Same day topdress fields wih sand. 6. Roll fields with 3.5 double roller to work out bumps and push lips down. I read that you said roll before aireating, why? Don't you want the roller the last thing on the fields to really have the smoothness. Will the roller push the lips out or do I have to use the sod cutter. My lips are not bad this year. I cut them out last year. Do you shave the lips with the sod cutter? My sod cutter really sucks and is hard to control. Thanks for the help - - - - - - - - - - - - Hello Texas Charlie, Regarding your plan. It will work. There are 'rules of thumb', but you know a fellow told me that the abbreviation is ROT. So, not all rules of thumb need to followed to a T.
Rolling compacts the soil as it flattens. Core aerating afterwards helps the turf get some air and moisture pathways. Sanding before rolling can be like using sandpaper on the turf. It might hurt. Something to consider adding to the plan is after you fertilize and topdress, drag the metal mesh drag along to push it into the core holes as well as level out the sand and any cores still on the ground. More info on using sand here: http://tinyurl.com/y93baoc
If your lips are not bad, then make a simple 2-3 inch deep trench next to your grass edge before you roll the turf. The roller will flatten by pushing the high spot to the side. On using a steam roller check here: http://tinyurl.com/ydkegas
The sod cutter really is a great device when first fixing major lips or cutting back grass that is far past its place. But once you've done that, you may not need to use the sod cutter again. It can actually cause more problems. So, once a field is flat and the edge just needs a trim, I use a three wheel gas powered lawn edger. Works like a champ. That's what many pro teams use. Here's a fun photo story about edging a field: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug9KxB6oe9Q
So, have a great spring season! You're doing an awesome job! If you have any other questions, let me know. best regards, Jim. Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://tinyurl.com/modf5q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Make your sports field do the talking, Jim Reiner Copyright, 2010, The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Jim Reiner or The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide. http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com
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January 17. 2010 Dear Baseball Insiders, Take a look at last year's best -- and plan ahead for 2010. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Top 10 Most Viewed Content in 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Get insights from our most popular content. Specific answers to your problems and questions. View now the top 10 (and nine other goodies I threw in) http://tinyurl.com/yaz4p4g best regards, Jim. Do your coaching efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We have the handbook "How to Transform Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field" and an eight week money back no hassle guarantee. Be a hero. Knowledge is power. Use your power to make a difference... Just click on the link below. (Email me if you have a question) http://tinyurl.com/modf5q
February 4, 2010 BETTER FIELDS FOR BETTER PLAY
If you hate the bad hops on your field - can’t stand the poor footing - and are just plain embarrassed when others see your playing fields - - now you can have better play more often using the same field maintenance tips and techniques the pros use. Now is the time to start getting ready for the spring season! The complete Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook. Check it out. Decide if this handbook is for you and your players. You could be making improvements right now! best regards, Jim Reiner Jim@Ultimate-Baseball-Field-Renovation-Guide.com p.s. This edition of the handbook also includes a bonus that could be worth hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for your baseball or softball program. http://tinyurl.com/modf5q Have a better baseball experience. The complete Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook: http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/baseball-field-maintenance-handbook.html February 8, 2010 Dear Baseball Insiders, 80% of the game is played on the infield dirt. So, grooming the dirt is of one of the most important things you can do. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Add the nail drag and bolt drag to your arsenal of tools - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There are some basic steps for proper baseball dirt maintenance. Most of the infield action happens on the dirt area. Attention to the dirt areas provides players with the best footing as fielders and runners. We're continuing to build out the specific answers section of the website. More to come as we get ready for the spring season. All about the nail drag and bolt drag (aka spike drag): http://tinyurl.com/ybmt4sa best regards, Jim February 11, 2010 Dear Baseball Insiders, This is one of my favorite things to do in the spring for a baseball or softball field. The results are great and you'll get lots of compliments. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Complete turf maintenance process for spring ball - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This process is ideally done 3 to 4 weeks before your spring season starts. You can also do this before summer tournaments and in late fall when you are done for the year. So, here’s what you do: Once your field is dry enough, start your baseball turf maintenance by mowing your turf. In the early spring and fall, cut it a bit shorter than you normally do. That allows for 3-4 weeks of growth. Next, mark your sprinklers so you don’t hit them when you aerate and edge your turf. This is followed by adding topdressing if possible. Usually a dirt mixture that includes sand is best. Then over seed the turf. Now the magic steps. Drag the turf to blend the seed and dirt, to smooth the surface, and to force materials into the aerification holes. After the above process has been completed, fertilize the turf and start watering. After about 2 weeks spot seed any areas where there is thin growth. Once the turf has grown to 2 to 3 inches, it is time to start regular mowing. Each step is described here including bonus tips & hints as well as common mistakes to avoid: http://tinyurl.com/ndkacv
And here's a couple other resources you might want to take a look at too: over seed bare spots in baseball sod http://tinyurl.com/yekl3fv fix a dead spot in the grass http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US2Tcb4tlIw best regards, Jim Do your coaching efforts stand out?
February 13, 2010 Dear Baseball Insiders, It's Valentine's Day (also my anniversary - easy not to forget!) and it's snowing in 49 states! It finally quite raining enough here to get the ballparks ready. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Products that help your team play better - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Look, this is what I've got. It's availalble to you now. It works. I've proven it to you by giving you lots of free information, samples, and answering your questions. Now's the time to make the decision to go for it.
Spring Package 2010– 2 Valuable Handbooks The formula for transforming your field fast. The only thing that can ruin your son’s chances of reaching his full God-given potential is a career-ending injury. It doesn’t have to happen when you have access to the latest research and information. The results are undeniable, and I guarantee that our products will help you establish the techniques required to improve your ballpark so you maximize safety and playability.
Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook 132 page Handbook. Fully researched reference with practical examples so you can immediately use the material. Includes: Develop a Sports Field Improvement Plan That’s Right for You, Turf Maintenance Made Easy, Baseball Dirt and its Conditions, Using Proven Equipment, Using Quality Materials. Packed with checklists, samples, and step-by-step instructions. And more! How to Fund Your Baseball Field Improvements 55 page Handbook. Marketing principles applied to sports. Real examples. Proven results. Includes: How to Develop Your Fund Raising Message, Concepts for Getting Money and Support for your Baseball Field Projects, Getting donations and discounts, Pursuing a grant: the process and case studies. Packed with successful, real life sample letters, forms, and examples. 8 week no-questions asked money back guarantee. Spring Package 2010– Find Out More February 26, 2010
Getting more done in less time Fellow Baseball Insiders, March is almost here ... and the players and coaches are anxious to hit the fields. YIKES! If you’re like me, there are some major baseball and softball field projects you'd like to finish before the season starts ... ... time to get busy. We need to plan our projects, budgets, and schedules. There are some things I have personally found work best for me to get myself in “the productive zone” ... including cutting my field maintenance efforts in half and getting my supplies at steep discounts. Click here to keep reading …and discover how you can turn even a mediocre sports field into a championship field and enjoy a better baseball experience... in just a few weeks -- and at virtually no extra cost. Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™
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To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL... http://ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21122165.1555599.8227bf019f73c98a447681d0efaef04a (If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.) February 7, 2010 The Player With A Winning Baseball Field Dear Baseball Insiders, The steroid-taking disciples of Jose Canseco would have despised this young man. True enough – baseball is a team sport with individual performances. And for this young man his passion indeed was to excel in baseball. It wasn’t until later he realized just how much baseball was building his lifelong habits for success as well as providing an outlet for fun and competition. Let us now follow this young man from childhood to his MLB tryout. We will focus as much on the player on the field as on the ball field itself. Click here to keep reading... Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™ March 28, 2010 What You Need to Know About MLB Tryouts Dear Baseball Insiders, The player with the winning baseball fields completed ten years in little league, four years of high school ball, and now four years of college baseball. What are the odds of making to pro ball? Harder than you might think. We'll show you some data. Our player describes two tryouts. And he includes a bonus - tips from a MLB catcher that you probably will never hear in little league or high school. Click here to keep read ... Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™ March 30, 2010 Is the Success of a Child Worth $3 to You? A ballfield that is most safe and playable is really only three things: 1 - good footing when running or fielding, 2 - true and consistent bounces from the ball, and 3 - a ballpark in good condition - base pegs, fencing, bases, etc. Now, If you: - hate the bad hops on your field, - can’t stand the poor footing, and - don't want to be embarrassed by your ball field, Then you need to use the same field maintenance tips and techniques the pros use. Some people have all the info they need by surfing the web. Others need a plan that tells them what to do and how to go about it. That's why I wrote a 132 page handbook filed with diagrams, examples, and pictures that tells you specifically how to do this. And I throw in a 45 page fundraising book for free. You need money. This book gives you proven methods to get what you need. Here they are: Transforming Your Baseball Field into a Winning Field, and How to Fund Your Baseball Field Improvements. Last year this handbook sold for as much as $69. Available now for $39. Many of the spring teams around me have 14 players. That means for less than $3 a piece you can get your hands on the best and most complete handbook for improving your field and level of play. Well worth the small price for making a better baseball experience for everyone using your ball park. Now is the time to make your spring season the best it can be! Here's three more reasons you should give your players their best opportunity to excel: Dave C. NY: Great advice! I forward your columns to groundskeepers and LL folks and suggest they sign up. Joe G. in NJ: Love the book and have been using the info to upgrade our 3 Little League fields with great success. Jason T. in St. Louis: Jim...I can't tell you how much I appreciate this information. This is totally what I need. Thank you so much!! Check it out. Decide if this handbook is for you and your players. You could be making improvements right now! The Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook
p.s. Still not sure about this? Then just read this article about baseball fields gone bad if you want to see just how players are impacted by bad ballfields that are not safe and playable.
Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™ April 6, 2010 The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do For Your Turf This Spring Dear Baseball Insiders, Is your baseball turf struggling to get going this spring? Or is your turf thin and tired out looking? Over used? Languishing and weak after players use it? Here's the single most important thing you can do for your turf. I met with another groundskeeper at one of the local parks the other day. We looked at the three infields. They were all struggling to get going this spring. What to do? Aerification is the most important turf maintenance practice. It helps loosen compacted soils so air and water can get to your root zone. It is part of a good overall turf management program. Aerification tips and hints: 1. locate and/or mark your sprinklers, 2. run a core aerator, such as a lawn aerator, in an X pattern, 3. don't remove the core plugs, instead let them dry a couple hours 4. pull your drag over them to break them up and help level your field 5. aerate spring, summer, and fall. Click here: aerating step-by-step to see how to aerate, tips and hints, and mistakes to avoid. Hey, while you're at it you might want to consider the complete 10-step baseball turf maintenance program here: baseball turf maintenance program Do your efforts stand out? Are your players at peak performance? Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™
April 14, 2010 Resources to Prevent Injury and Keep Your Grass Edge Level and Playable Dear Baseball Insiders, If you're like me, you don't want a player getting hurt because your ball field is the pits. You want to prevent the bad hop to the face and prevent the twisted ankle injury. I couldn't believe it when my son came back from his high school game limping. He twisted his right ankle so bad he could hardly walk. Here's what happened. He plays third base. His team traveled to another school to play. Their infield had a 4 inch lip at the grass edge and the infield dirt. He charged a grounder down the line and hit the edge with his foot. His ankle rolled. Instant pain. Now he has to wear an ankle brace to play. Here are three resources for you. Either as a reminder or for those who desperately need this information now. 1. Fixing lip buildup. Dirt gets on the grass edge from dragging or from play. A ridge or lip builds up and causes bad bounces. You need to fix this.
2. Edging your field like a pro. A photo story shows how you can have perfectly straight lines just like MLB teams.
3. Using a sod cutter A versatile tool to cut lines, remove sod and lip build up.
Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation April 15, 2010 How To Improve Your Sports Field With Limited Revenue Dear Baseball Insiders, Joe in California writes: Our league is looking to bring our fields up to a safer playing condition. But we have limited revenue. Please advise what we can do! Thanks. ---------------------- Hi Joe, A ballfield that is most safe and playable is really only three things: 1 - good footing when running or fielding 2 - true and consistent bounces from the ball 3 - a ballpark in good condition - base pegs, fencing, etc. So, you need to work on these three things. Here's what to do to get started. Check this link. It tells you what to do to begin. Getting started with baseball field improvements Some people have all the info they need by surfing the info at this link. Others need a plan that tells them how to go about it. I wrote a handbook that tells you specifically how to do this. Here is a link to a handbook I sell for $39. And I throw in a fundraising book for free. You need money. This book gives you proven methods to get what you need. Planning and funding your baseball field improvements Many people come to your ballpark day after day, see the problems, but walk away wishing someone would fix it. Be a hero! Make a plan. Follow it. Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™ April 24, 2010 My Biggest Mistake of the Year. Dear Baseball Insiders, I blew it. I admit it. I chopped off the top of two sprinklers with a sod cutter by accident. Yikes! I should have followed my own advice to mark your sprinklers before edging or aearating. I was using a sod cutter to get rid of a speed-bump-like lip around the perimeter of the infield skin. But I didn't find the exact location of the outfield sprinklers. I measured 95 feet from the pitcher's rubber, but went just a few feet more to get rid of the lip. Well, I hit two sprinkers. It wasn't evident until I noticed that every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday the second base area was mud. So, I went to the park at 6:15am when the sprinklers went off to mark the exact location. Then I told the park and rec folks about my accident and they were kind enough to replace the tops. Baseball field maintenance lesson for today: (Someone else's big mistake!) This was sad to see. Last fall a well meaning groundskeeper worked on adding seed to a little league field that was just plain worn out. Last summer and fall most of the grass behind homeplate and in foul ground between home and the dugouts was worn down to dirt. So, late fall is a good time to overseed and get it going for the spring. He put out compost and threw seed on top. And then he let it set for the rains to water and settle it. The seeds started to sprout in early February. Then we had a day of very heavy rain. The rain came down so hard it ran off the field in a stream and washed out most of the grass seed behind homeplate and the third base dugout. Heavy rain washed it back down to the bare dirt! Here's what he could have done to prevent most of this problem. Back in the fall, if he had aerated the field, then put out the topdressing and seed and followed it by dragging with a mat drag, I don't think it would have lost so much of the seed. It would have taken root farther down and would have been packed a bit more. Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide April 25, 2010 5 Tips and 7 Resources for Maximum Player Performance Dear Baseball Insiders, Whether you are preparing for all-stars, tourneys, or fall ball, you probably want the same thing I do. You want your mound and batter boxes to stand up to intense competitive play. Here are 5 tips and 7 resources that your players need in a batter box and a mound for maximum performance. I felt I really needed to share these with you now so you can help your players be as successful as they can. And successful players are happy players! Whether you are preparing for summer tourney games or looking for improvements, Here are 5 tips for better mounds and batter boxes: 1. Build a solid base, 2. Align the mound properly, 3. Use topdressing, 4. Use your most important maintenance tool - water, and 5. Ensure you have a table top for your mound. A little more about the mound table top: A mound is not supposed to look like a bump or a hill on the field. It needs a large flat area at the top and then gradual sloping to the grass. Otherwise the thing is actually dangerous for a pitcher. For example, a high school size mound should have a top that is 3 feet by 5 feet and level. A little league field should have a table top that is 2 feet by 4 feet wide. Two quick stories about the impact of bad mounds (and the impact of a good one): First story: my high school son pitching. He takes a step back and then explodes forward to deliver the ball. Some call this a momentum delivery. He doesn't step sideways like a lot of players these days. Why step sideways when you want to deliver the ball straight ahead? He started using this delivery last year and increased his speed 5 mph and increased his strike ratio to 69 percent. By the way his high school team won the CA state Div 7 section title May 25. Yay! Another pitcher on his team also winds up this way - step back and then explode forward. Their high school mound has a proper level table top to do this. But when they travel to opposing high school fields at least half of them have nothing behind the pitching rubber. It just falls down fast. So their delivery was impacted. They had to go slower to stay balanced and everyone could tell they weren't pitching right. But it was only a few, me included, that could tell why. It was obvious. The mound was not to spec. The guys from the other team step sideways and have a very slow, almost come to a complete stop, kind of windup. The good news is that my son is on his way to a college team and the other excellent junior pitcher on his team probably will be a hot college prospect or get drafted next year. Their field has the proper mound that helped maximized their performance. Second story: my 10 year old in a tournament of champions tourney. His home little league field, of course, had the proper table top on the mound. I made sure of that. He also is an example of a pitcher who switched from the 'step sideways' delivery to a step back and explode forward delivery. A momentum delivery. But this only works effectively with a mound built to spec. Sidebar: just look at pitchers who step back vs sideways and see the overall difference in velocity and strike ratio. It's amazing more pitchers aren't taught to pitch like this. Oh well... Anyway my 10 yr old played three games at a ballpark across town. At the end of the first game he came in to close and had a hard time getting his rhythm. So did the boy who pitched before him. Turns out the mound had nothing behind or to the sides of the rubber. The only way to pitch of that hill was to use the stretch. So, I fixed it. Early the next day after the sprinklers had gone on at night, I raked some of the baseball dirt from the front and front sides of the mound to the back and built a proper table top area. The dirt was moist and easy to shape and pack. The hot sun baked it hard. By game time it was perfect. My son stepped on it to practice and threw and pitch. Then he looked at me and said hey this is the way it's supposed to be. He pitched 6 innings in the next two games and did a great job. Third story. A bonus. My son in college switched to the momentum delivery in 2008. As the closer on his college team he hit 89 mph. He set a school record for saves in a season. He worked hard to get to this point. But, you know, a proper mound makes it possible. And who maintained his college mound to spec? He did it himself. He knew it was a factor in his success. Proper mound and batter boxes provide players with the chance to maximize their performance. How could you expect less? As you probably know, a mound and batter box can be strengthened with similar techniques with a few differences. 7 Resources for you: How to make your pitching mound safe Maintaining your baseball field mound How to keep your batter box from turning into a hole How to use clay bricks to reinforce your mound or batter box The best way to tamp your mound Photo story - Using clay bricks on the mound Baseball fields gone bad - see case study number 7 - mound template
Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner May 2, 2010 Fixing Infield Dirt Problems Dear Baseball Insiders, I'm getting a lot of questions about infield dirt problems. Many of you have infield dirt that is too loose, spongy, or is not level. And quite a few fields are overused, poorly watered, and have lip build up. What do you do? The solutions vary. Some of you need to add 30 tons of clay to the infield skin, mix it in, level it, roll it flat, water it down, and you'll get firmer footing. Others need to soak the infield grass, aerate it, and edge it to solve your problem. And a few of you just need better equipment and tools to care for your field. These are very doable and not really expensive. It just takes your time and effort to make it happen. I encourage you to do it! Be a hero!
Still wonder how to get started? Click here to keep reading... Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™ January 21, 2011 Making A Bad Field Better Dear Baseball Insiders, During 2010 I answered 273 emails from subscribers and others who contacted me. Many told me the were surprised that I not only actually answered their question, but that I also gave them ideas that were practical (did not bust the budget). So, I thought I'd share one as many of us get our fields ready for the spring season. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How to make a sad, bad, neglected infield skin better - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Alan in Aurora had this question: Our lower level field is in sad shape. It is very rocky, has hard areas and then overused areas are dusty holes. I would like to get it in better shape for this year's play. How do I get rid of LOTS of rocks, soften hard areas and tighten up the areas that are overused? This field has not gotten a lot of care in past so some care will help a lot I just want to do the right things to help. Hi Alan, You can probably do some things now to get going on this unless your ground is either frozen or quite muddy. I checked the weather forecast for Aurora and it looks like high 40s, low 50s for a week or so. Then it gets very cold. Or you can wait till the weather is nicer. I can tell you here in middle Calif. we have high school and little league starting in mid February. So, even with not the ideal conditions we work the fields in January to prepare. Here it is high 40s to low 50s and foggy or drizzly with some sun. About your field that is in bad shape: I'd work backwards with the idea that you want to end up with a level and firm field that has a consistent dirt mix throughout. So to get this, you need to tear up the field a bit and move dirt around... And get rid of the stones. This is a bit sight unseen, but here are somethings that are common when it comes to fixing something like you describe. Start by handpicking up any obvious stones just setting on the surface. If needed, get players to help with what I call a rock party. Everyone walks shoulder to shoulder across the dirt picking up rocks in their path. This gets rid of a lot of them real fast. Then try to guage whether the infield dirt area has enough dirt. Is it a couple inches lower than the infield grass? If so, part of the solution is adding more infield dirt. If the current dirt area is close to level with the grass, then you probably don't need to add dirt now, just fix what is there. I'd start by checking the grass and dirt edges. Is there a lip buildup there? If so, use a sod cutter to get the edges cut it to spec and level it. Here is a project that involved using a sod cutter if you need an example: http://tinyurl.com/ycepzam
Once you have the dirt area cut to spec, you are ready to tackle it. The goal is to tear it up, get a good consistent mix, and level it out. Depending on your situation here are two ways to do it. Both work best if the ground is moist - not muddy and not dry either. First, pull a spike drag around. (not a nail drag, that is more of a surface groomer) Put weights on the drag if you have to. You want to be digging in 2 inches with the spikes. Drag around in circles, lengthwise, cross wise, etc. Just all over the place tearing up the surface good. An alternative is to use a tractor with a rear tiller. Dig in about 4 inches and till it up as you drive in a similar fashion - circles, X's, lengthwise. This rips it up pretty good. In addition, the tiller also helps with leveling as it works around the dirt. The above link for the softball field was essentially something like this. And this link is pretty helpful too. It shows a project adding dirt and leveling. Even if you aren't adding dirt, the leveling part will be helpful. http://tinyurl.com/msy6c4 Once the field is ripped up 2-4 inches deep you have the equivalent of having just added a couple dump trucks of dirt. So, the next step is to level it out. If you have obviously low and high spots, use a field rake to push and or shovel dirt around. You can continue to go over it with the spike drag or start to drag a metal mesh drag around. This will level as well as bring the stones to the surface. Stones usually accumulate on the mesh drag, so just dump them off to the side and drag it again. You can also go over the field with a nail drag to help collect the rocks. After much work like this, you will have dragged most rocks and stones out. But I imagine if this is like many fields I've worked on you just about can't escape having to remove some of it by hand. I once built a screen to do this also. It was a 2 feet by 2 feet wooden frame with quarter inch metal screen like on a rabbit cage. A couple players could hold this while others shoveled surface dirt with rocks on to it. They shook the dirt through and collected the rocks to set aside. This was effective. Otherwise you are back to another rock party. Players walk shoulder to shoulder across the field and collect rocks. You may have to do this after every practice for a month to finally get it all out. Even when you think it is finally OK, after a rain or more dragging, some rocks will come to the surface. This newsletter I put together last year also has some ideas that might help you and encourage you: http://tinyurl.com/ydyuh53 Last, but not least... it is only dirt. You really can't go wrong starting to improve it. Just about anything you do to dig it up a bit and level it will help. Bonus: you can add some soil conditioner to help get a better dirt mix also. This may be more of a 'nice to have' for you than a must. But many fields benefit from adding a soil conditioner like calcined clay into the top inch or two. It helps with moisture management - fewer rainouts, and it helps keep the field from getting either rock hard or dusty dry. It doesn't take much of this. Here is more about using something like this: http://tinyurl.com/ych3ppp So, after reading this and considering what your field situation is, you might have more questions. If so, let me know. Otherwise, have a great spring baseball season. Hope this helps. Wishing You Every Success, Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide
February 14, 2011 Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook Now Available
Dear Baseball Insiders, If you hate the bad hops on your field - can’t stand the poor footing - and are just plain embarrassed when others see your playing fields - - now you can have better play more often using the same field maintenance tips and techniques the pros use. Now is the time to start getting ready for the spring season! The complete Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook. Check it out. Decide if this handbook is for you and your players. You could be making improvements right now! best regards,
Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™ February 22, 2011 How To Start Using The Baseball Field As Soon As The Snow Melts
Dear Baseball Insiders, You might be pressed into using your ball field as soon as possible - even as soon as the snow melts. Here's a short Q&A that you may find helpful to get you going: Recently Nick wrote in: Hi Jim, I've been following your advice for three years and the field I maintain has transformed into one of the nicest fields in the area. 2 questions: 1) I think I want to try to aerate this spring (I usually just do in fall). Is there any type or grade of sand I should use to fill in core holes--and how much would I need for an infield. 2) Unfortunately, I'll be starting practice for my 7th/8th graders as soon as the snow melts and the field is playable. I'm afraid if I aerate and the plugs are on the infield--that's going to yield some bad bounces....does it make any sense to run the screen drag across the infield lightly after aerating in order to expedite dissolving of the plugs? Thanks
Hello Nick, Isn't it great that baseball season is finally around the corner! Yes, indeed, aerating is one of the very best things you can do for your turf. Even if you don't top dress after core aerating it still is a good practice if you break up the cores. Re: sand - the recommended specs are what is called G8 top dressing sand - the kind used at golf courses when they sand their greens. It is medium size grains of sand. Here's a link with more info about sand: http://tinyurl.com/y93baoc Depending on the situation with your infield (bad shape or pretty decent) you either need 6 yards of sand or you could do a good job with 3 yards. You need more if you are needing to level out some low spots. Re: top dressing in general, this might also help: http://tinyurl.com/4oboqs3 And lastly, you asked about dragging the field after core aerating - this is a great idea. Whether the plugs are frozen or not, dragging with a metal mesh drag will break them up and also help smooth out the field. No bad bounces then. In fact after some initial top dressing applications, I often just core aerate, let the cores dry a bit, then drag to break them up and smooth them out. A little more about dragging after core aerating here: http://tinyurl.com/y65jl65 Bonus: If you are going to aerate and do the dragging it is a good time to seed and fertilize IF your temperatures are hitting at least 50 degrees. Less than 50 and seed/fertilizer are very slow. Need help getting your infield dirt back in working order? I start by spike dragging to break it up, get rid of small weeds starting to grow and to help get it level again. The rains and snow tend to separate the baseball mix. Spike dragging helps mix it back up. More about spike drags, bolt drags, and nail drags here: http://tinyurl.com/ybmt4sa Hope this helps. Let me know if you any more questions. I can help. It's exciting getting ready to play again! Have fun!
best regards,
Jim Reiner Publisher, Editor, & Groundskeeper The Ultimate Baseball Field Renovation Guide™ April 1, 2011 Dear Baseball Insiders, Coach John, a head baseball coach in Washington, writes in: " I am trying to stress the importance of a nail spike drag or an iron spike drag for our baseball field to my administration. Could you explain to me the importance and necessity of having spike drags for daily maintenance of my baseball field? Thanks."
Hi John, At the high school level you are playing a highly competitive game that is very fast moving. Your baseball field needs to be as safe and playable as possible for you and your players to get the most out of what you put into playing the game. So, you need an infield skin that provides firm footing and true bounces. That means for high school play you need to regularly - daily - drag your field. You can use a combination of mat drags, broom drags, or metal mesh drags most of the time. But you will need to use a nail drag at least once a week if not more to help level out the field. This removes the heel impressions and ball bounce marks as well as levels out sliding impressions at the bases. Nail drags are usually made from 4 inch nails that dig into the dirt maybe an inch. They help keep the surface from getting rock hard. I see you are in Washington. If you have regular rains, the I would suggest using the nail drag more often to help level out the moist infield mix. Even with the above, you will benefit from using a spike drag or a bolt drag. These drags use 5-6 inch nails or 4 inch bolts and dig into the dirt maybe 2-3 inches. These really dig it up. You have to follow up use of a spike drag with a nail drag or metal mesh drag to smooth it back out. A spike drag helps keep a consistent mix throughout and help level out areas that the nail dragging couldn't fix. If you get periodic rains, then a spike drag is a must. Rains cause the dirt mix to separate over time. Spike dragging helps return the mix to consistency throughout. I use a spike drag about once a month. Hope this helps. Spike drags and nail drags can be built or bought. Either way it is nice to get a metal mesh drag with a leveling bar on the front also. best regards, Jim
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