Field Maintenance
Pre-Game
- Remove any garbage or debris from dugout
- Walk the infield looking for low spots, wet spots, debris, or large rocks. If there are grass or weed growths, please pull/pick these out of aglime. Our goal is to keep edge as straight as possible.
- If low spots in aglime, take rake and try to level and smooth from surrounding areas. If spot is still low, go to aglime bin and bring pails of aglime to field, dumping in low spot and smoothing until level.
- If wet spot, take squeegee and try to push water toward infield grass or foul territory. If spot is still wet, use quick dry sand from storage closet. Quick dry is applied to wet spot and allowed to absorb water. Then rake in quick dry and apply additional dry aglime if necessary.
- Hand Rake areas around each of the bases to ensure aglime is evenly spread. Often times there will be build-up or low spots around bases due to runners and sliding. Ensure these areas are level.
- Hand rake edges/lips of infield and outfield grass. Raking towards the field pushing aglime into infield. If there are buildups or lips you may need to take a normal garden rake and rake the grass bringing aglime back toward infield. Pick up any grass or other debris you bring onto infield.
- Remove the home plate tarp/cover. Fold cover and drag/carry into foul territory and place along fence line, just outside of the field. Keep cover close to field but do not leave inside the fence during a game.
- Hand rake the batter’s box. Level any low spots and add aglime as necessary. Once level, start with rake next to home plate and rake around home plate in a circular manner. Circling home plate each time, expanding your circle each go around until the entire batter’s box is raked in a circular pattern.
- Now that infield is dry, level, and free from debris, the field is ready to be dragged. Drag entire infield in alternating directions each time. On fields with no base path foul territory grass you can drag the entire infield in a circular motion as if running the bases. Remember to reverse direction of drag in post game.
- If playing on a field with base paths (grass sections in foul territory) you will need to rake the base paths. Base paths (1st and 3rd) need to be raked vertically (from base to home or home to base). NEVER rake base paths side to side. Low spots may require additional aglime leveling.
- Now it is time to prep the batter’s box and baselines. Use baseline marker to provide a guide. Place spike just behind home plate point and run line down base path making sure line lies directly center of the base plug and is straight with foul pole.
- Take chalk liner from storage and make sure bin is full of chalk. Wheel to the field and lay down ¼ line of chalk along baseline. If preparing batter’s box and your field has a template, place template over base and make impressions. Then take chalk liner and lay down ¼ inch chalk for boxes. Hand rake areas around box where you have walked or made impressions around box and baseline. Return chalk liner to storage.
- Once infield is fully prepared it is time to prepare the pitching mound. Remove the pitching mound cover and fold up and drag/carry to fence and place outside of fence, where you placed the home plate cover/tarp.
- Raking the mound: Take rake and level any low spots. Level from infield grass towards the pitching rubber. Pay attention to low spots next to pitching rubber. You may need to add and pack some clay into this area. If applying clay you need to wet area and put clay into hole and pack/tamp down. Then apply a light coat of aglime over top. Most times there is enough clay/aglime on mound it just needs to be pushed back up mound toward rubber.
- Remember: when raking the mound we must always rake toward the rubber. Rake upward toward the rubber going around mound in a circular fashion.
- Now it is time to remove the base plugs and place in the bases. Remove plugs and use trowel to clean out the base peg. Place the plugs on top of the pitching mound and batter’s box cover/tarps.
Post-Game
- Follow pre-game instructions in reverse. Starting with bases and then mound.
- Remove bases and replace with base plugs. Always place the plugs in the pegs. Return bases to storage
- Rake level mound/replace cover.
- Rake level home plate/batter’s box and replace cover.
- Rake base paths in proper direction.
- Rake and level infield low spots, especially around bases. Add aglime if necessary.
- Make sure to push any aglime in grass edges back onto infield.
- Drag infield in opposite direction of pre-game.
- Make sure dugouts are free from garbage and debris
- Return all tools to storage areas and lock storage up. Remember to return keys and lock any doors/locks you opened.
Pitcher's Mound Maintenance
Recommended Equipment
- Specialty Packing Clay
- Pick
- Tamp
- Broom
- Water Can (filled)
- Landscape Rake
- Tarp
Mound Repair
Because of the abuse a pitcher's mound takes, it must be repaired everyday. This simple process should only take a few minutes at the end of the day.
- Begin by sweeping dry, loose materials off worn areas to expose the mound clay and remove from the mound (don’t sweep into the grass). If topdressing remains on old clay, new clay will not bind and will tear out.
- Loosen the worn areas with a sharpened iron rake (sharpen the teeth on a grinder) in preparation to add new specialty packing clay.
- Now water the loosened areas lightly and add Turface® Mound Clay® or shredded softened MoundMaster® blocks.
- Tamp new materials until firm.
- Once firm, lightly moisten these areas again.
- Shave the high spots down with a sharpened iron rake. Use your rake to pull dry material over wet material.
- Lightly rake, moisten and cover with your tarp.