Baseball Field Maintenance Blog

Mar 10, Baseball fields gone bad - 7 case studies

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:57:24 GMT

Baseball fields gone bad - problem, impact on players and what you can do to fix it.

Mar 8, The player with a winning baseball field - part 1

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:29:28 GMT

The story of a young man from T-Ball to MLB. See how baseball field quality affects a player's potential.

Mar 7, Baseball Field Maintenance & Renovation for Youth, Collegiate, and Pros

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:06:00 GMT

Use this 'how to' baseball field maintenance guide to make your baseball field safer and more playable.

Mar 7, Fix lip buildup on your baseball field

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:32:33 GMT

Fix lip buildup at edge of your baseball field grass. Make it safe and playable.

Mar 5, baseball field turf maintenance checklist

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:06:30 GMT

A great 10 step baseball field turf maintenance checklist

Mar 4, Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:23:10 GMT

Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook: Secrets to Your Own Winning Baseball Field. Baseball Field Maintenance Made Easy!

Mar 3, Baseball Project - Spring turf maintenance for the baseball field

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:36:17 GMT

Need an example of spring turf maintenance project for a high school baseball field? Look here.

Mar 3, Getting Rid of Weeds in the Dirt!

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:22:49 GMT

getting rid of weeds

The most common problem we face right off is, "how do I get rid of all those weeds in my infield dirt, my base paths, and on the warning track?"

Many of you have asked me this question.

Of course you can use weed killer.
But what if you aren't allowed to? Then what?

Here are three options that work depending on how thick and how mature the grass or weeds are in the dirt areas:

1. Use a hula hoe and hoe them off at the ground; then rake up the grass. This works best if the ground is not muddy, and the grass is spotty and not too thick or mature yet - more like seedlings. This could be a lot of work - put the players to work on it if needed.

2. Use a sod cutter and set it as shallow as it goes - something like half an inch. This works on both young scattered weeds as well as thick grass. Either roll up the weed sod after using the sod cutter or use a bow rake or three prong rake to break up the dirt and grass. Then use a field rake to drag out the grass from the dirt. The sod cutter is a good option because you can also use it to edge your grass at the same time you get rid of the weeds or grass in the dirt path.

3. Use a spike drag or a nail drag over and over on the path until the grass is tore up and dragged to smithereens. Or until you can rake it up. But you may need to put heavy weight on the drag for this to really work and you need a tractor to pull it around. This option works best if the grass in the path is spotty and not thick like a lawn and the ground is not muddy. It can be fairly most, just not muddy.

By the way... watch this video and see how you can prevent lip build up on your baseball field. Not only do you want to remove the weeds in the dirt, but you also need to keep the grass edges flat with the ground.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIVXSuJWp_g&fmt=18

Mar 2, Article archive - a treasure of baseball field articles

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:13:54 GMT

Visit the article archive for a treasure of field care tips and hints

Feb 27, Turface Rebate Offer!

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:01:41 GMT

Spring 2010 Turface Rebate Offer

Many of you use Turface on your fields. Great stuff. I recommend it.

Turface has a special spring offer for you as a subscriber to my newsletter and quick tips. Head on over to my website to check out the rebate form.

You might also enjoy the Turface educational resources at turface.com

Click here for the Turface Rebate Form

Feb 27, Getting more done in less time

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:54:45 GMT

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™

Feb 25, How to roll baseball field turf so it is level

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:25:54 GMT

How to roll baseball field turf to make it level and get rid of the lumps and bumps

Feb 24, Learn from baseball field projects and case studies

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:57:05 GMT

Need baseball field projects to learn from? Here's a visual guide of many different projects.

Feb 21, Baseball field maintenance newsletter tips and hints

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 08:11:36 GMT

Baseball field maintenance newsletter - tips and hints for dirt and turf renovation

Feb 19, Conversation with Baseball's Turf Manager of the Year

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:37:04 GMT

Want to improve your baseball field? Check out this conversation with the turf manager of the year

Feb 18, Your Baseball Mound - best way to tamp and maintain

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:42:00 GMT

Tips and hints to tamp your field's baseball mound

Feb 17, Are you making these sod installation mistakes?

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:57:19 GMT

sod installation mistakes

This year I've seen several sod installations go bad.

There are several reasons for this.

Not doing any planning or preparation BEFORE the sod is delivered.
Leaving the sod out in the sun for half a day before attempting to use it - it dried up and died.
Not soaking it after laying it - the roots had little water; the grass died.
And the worst of all - not watering it regularly after installation to ensure it takes - again, no water equals dead grass.

But I've also seen two installations that went very well and were ready for competitive play within three weeks.

[Note: If you are considering sod for your field, then you need to be aware of decisions you need to make and tips and hints for successful sod installation.]

Feb 16, Baseball websites with good info for your baseball field needs and interests

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:07:53 GMT

Interested in more good baseball websites for more field maintenance info? Check these out.

Feb 14, Products that help your team play better

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:51:12 GMT

Spring Package 2010 - 2 valuable handbooks

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

Feb 13, Contact me with comments or questions

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:53:49 GMT

leave comment s or questions

Feb 13, Find your baseball field diagram, measurement, and specification here

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:10:39 GMT

Find Your Official Baseball Field Diagram, Measurement, and Dimension Here

Feb 10, Complete Turf Maintenance for Spring Ball

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:16:06 GMT

spring tuf maintenance magic

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.

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Complete turf maintenance process for spring ball
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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:

Best baseball turf maintenance program there is

And here's another resource you might want to take a look at too:

How to fix a dead spot in the grass

Feb 8, All about nail drag and bolt drag for a baseball field

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:27:55 GMT

How the nail drag and bolt drag fit into your arsenal of baseball field maintenance tools

Feb 5, Special Report - Seven Field Maintenance Secrets

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:24:53 GMT

FREE Special Report - Seven Field Maintenace Secrets to turn your baseball or softball field into a winning field

Feb 4, Announcing: Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook now available

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:03:24 GMT

Baseball Field Maintenance Handbook now available!

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.

Have a better baseball experience.

Feb 1, Announcing: New Section for Specific Answers to Baseball Field Questions

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:59:19 GMT

Specific Answers for Baseball Field Questions

We're starting a new section on the site. We'll be adding hundreds more pages in the next month. In this section you get specific advice from me and my hand picked team of field experts.

Specific Answers
Field maintenance strategies, plus Q&A

Baseball field questions and specific answers

Jan 31, Easy way to remove lip build up when rolling your baseball field

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:30:34 GMT

where to measure the bases

If you are rolling your baseball field this spring, then take advantage of the opportunity to remove lip build up at the same time.

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Easy way to remove lip build up when rolling your turf
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Your ball field may benefit from using a heavy roller such as a 1 ton steam roller. A roller this size is great for flattening and leveling the infield dirt and the baseball turf.

So, take advantage of the opportunity to remove lip build up too.

dig a small 3 inch trench next to your turf edge
roll the turf and dirt; lip flattens into the small trench
rake to smooth the dirt and turf edge
no more lip!
ready to edge

You haven't seen flat until you have done this. We now have a new webpage with a nice set of photos to show you how to do this.

So, here you go:

How to remove lip build up when rolling your baseball field

Jan 30, Project for Little League basball field turf and lip removal

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:43:58 GMT

Need to fix lip build up on your little league field? Find out how we did it with our project

Jan 28, Where to measure the bases

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:08:20 GMT

where to measure the bases

Joe asks:

When measuring home to 1st base, do I measure from the apex to front of 1st base?
A where-to-measure-from diagram would be very helpful from home to every base. Thanks.

Hi Joe,

When measuring home to 1B or 3B, you measure from the back point of home plate to the back of the base. The measurement for home to 2B goes from the back point of home plate to the center of 2B. Right where the peg goes.

Have a great spring season!

Here's a diagram showing you where to measure the bases:

Jan 24, 3 Ways to Mark Cutouts and Edge Your Ballfield

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:31:29 GMT

3 Ways to Mark Cutouts and Edge Your Ballfield

"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 our 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?

This is one of my favorite tips. You can upgrade your field quickly and be a real hero to everyone who sees and uses your field.

I'll show you how to do this job, describe mistakes to avoid, and give you some tips and hints for a professional looking job.

So, here you go:

3 Ways to Mark Cutouts and Edge Your Ballfield

best regards,

Jim

Do your coaching efforts stand out?
Are your players at peak performance?

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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)

Baseball field maintenance handbook

Jan 23, Baseball Dirt: How to add and level it

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:05:26 GMT

Step by step guide to successfully add and level baseball dirt to your infield

Jan 20, Quick fix to baseball field maintenance problems

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:14:09 GMT

Field maintenance: the quick fix or short cuts to consider

Jan 17, Look at last year's best -- and plan ahead for 2010

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:07:49 GMT

Jan 16, Baseball field checklist for field maintenance and pre-season audit

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:07:03 GMT

If you're looking for baseball field checklist and audit ideas, here are the best ones to develop a proper maintenance routine for your baseball field

Jan 16, Fixing common problems with mound clay

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:06:29 GMT

Untitled Document

Mike in San Diego writes:

Hi, Great site.

I am installing an indoor mound and we want to use clay. We started with about 6 inches of good infield dirt packed it down good and then added another 6 inches or so of clay.

When we rake the new clay it gets very clumpy.
Why is that happening? How can we keep the clay from clumping?

Thanks

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Hi Mike,
Regarding the clay getting lumpy:
a couple thoughts on this.

This can happen if the clay was very dry and powdery when you added it.
If so, keep working with it and over time it will settle down and be nice to groom and pack. It could take 5 or 6 groomings for it to become right. I had this happen with a little league mound last year.

And if it started out as solid clay chunks or blocks, you might consider adding just a bit of soil conditioner such as Turface in either the MVP size or the quikdry form. These will help condition the clay so it grooms better.
I had this happen with a high school and a college field a couple yers ago.
Adding the soil conditioner instantly fixed it.

Here is some info on calcined clay soil conditioners like Turface.
http://tinyurl.com/ych3ppp

Glad to hear this site is helpful for you.

And here's photo story about adding clay bricks to a mound:

Jan 14, Why you should aerate after rolling turf, not before

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 06:02:37 GMT

Untitled Document Texas Charlie writes:

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.

But have a question:

I read that you said roll before aerating, 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

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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:

So, have a great spring season!
You're doing an awesome job!

Jan 13, Edge turf on your baseball field

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:31:02 GMT

Edge turf to reduce lips, increase field safety and playability. And it looks nice.

Jan 8, Baseball field funding ideas for your baseball field maintenance projects

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:02:04 GMT

Need some ideas to get baseball field funding for your projects when you don't have much money? How can you get funding?

Jan 5, Baseball field products and suppliers for your field maintenance needs

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:45:43 GMT

Proven baseball field products and suppliers who know what a baseball field requires

Jan 4, Baseball field newletter tips and hints

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:08:57 GMT

Baseball field maintenance newsletter - tips and hints

Dec 30, FAQs: baseball field questions about ballpark maintenance

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:43:36 GMT

Ever have baseball field questions about field maintenance? Here are some that are frequently asked.

Dec 29, Proper baseball dirt maintenance for true, consistent, and good footing

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:25:14 GMT

If you're looking for ideas and techniques for baseball dirt maintenance, then this is the page for you.

Dec 24, Only the best: Turface for your baseball field

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:17:07 GMT

Condition your field with turface to improve drainage, reduce compaction, and absorb excess water

Dec 20, Sports Field Care - the most important skill you'll ever learn

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:44:03 GMT

Sports Field Care - Learn the one thing you need to focus on to be successful

Dec 20, The best baseball turf maintenance program there is

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:57:17 GMT

Looking for baseball turf maintenance tips and hints the pros use? Find them here. and make all your bounces dependable.

Dec 18, Dirt Maintenance Project Proposal for a Sr. Little League baseball field

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:43:59 GMT

This is a project proposal to upgrade the dirt area for a sr little league baseball field

Dec 16, Baseball field maintenance video gallery

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:21:54 GMT

baseball field maintenance video gallery - lots of how tos for you

Dec 6, Here is the best sod cutter for edging ball fields

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:57:27 GMT

Does your ball field need some serious edging and lip removel? Then read about this sod cutter and how it can make your field stand out.

Dec 5, 21 Baseball Dirt Maintenance Blunders to Avoid

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:00:41 GMT

21 Baseball dirt maintenance blunders and goofs to avoid

Nov 30, Baseball Field Maintenance Newsletter for January 2009

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:03:16 GMT

Baseball field maintnenance monthly newsletter with tip, hints, and best practices