SMLLA Field Prep Manual 2.19.13

   

 

 

San  Mateo  Little  League  American    Field  Preparation  Manual   MANAGERS/COACHES/PARENTS:  The  following  field  preparation  and  maintenance  instructions   will  be  followed  before  and  after  every  game.  They  apply  for  both  sets  of  coaches  (Home  and   Visitor)   and   for   all   games   and   practices.  All   teams   are   responsible   for   removing   all   garbage,   water  bottles  and  miscellaneous  items  from  the  dugouts,  surrounding  areas  and  field  after  each   game  or  practice.  Please  make  sure  the  park  is  cleaned  up  before  you  leave.     Home  Team  is  responsible  for  field  prep  before  each  game.  After  the  last  game  of  the  day,  the   Home   Team   is   responsible   for   dragging   the   field   and   emptying   garbage   cans   into   the   Gray   Recology  Waste  Container  at  Trinta  Park.       Batting  of  any  kind  is  prohibited  against  any  backstop  or  fence.       Please   use   this   information   to   educate   yourself   AND   your   parents   who   help   out   before   and   after   games   and   practices.   Make   sure   they   understand   the   proper   steps   toward   good   field   maintenance.  Ultimately,  our  number  one  goal  is  to  provide  the  safest  playing  surface  possible   to  ensure  maximum  injury  reduction,  along  with  having  great  eye-­‐appeal.  Pre  and  Post-­‐Game   Field  Preparation  is  hard  work,  but  the  benefit  is  better  and  longer  lasting  fields  for  our  kids  to   play  on.     THANK  YOU  IN  ADVANCE  FOR  HELPING  KEEP  TRINTA  PARK  IN  GREAT  SHAPE.         Step  1  -­‐  Arrive  at  your  field  early!!!    Rake  the   heavy  traffic  spots  around  all  the  bases  to   prevent  puddles,  especially  on  mound  and   batter's  box.  If  needed,  fill  in  low  spots  with   Infield  Mix  only,  and  rake  and  tamp  down  as   necessary.    If  it  is  raining  or  has  rained  and   the  high  traffic  areas  are  wet  as  you  approach  

game  time,  you  may  apply  Turface  SPARINGLY  to  assist  with  drying  out  the  wet   area.    Concentrate  first  on  the    pitching  area  and  the  batter's  box,  then  move  to  around  the   bases.    If  the  areas  are    not  drying  out,  then  it  may  not  be  safe  to  play  and  the  game  should  be   called  off.    Please  work  with  the  opposing  manager  and  umpires  to  determine  the  best  course   of  action.       Step   2  –  Use  a  rake  to  erase  chalk  lines  on   the  dirt  infield.  Then  drag  the  infield  with  a   coco   mat   if   dry   or   a   field   dragger   if   damp.   Start   at   3B   and   go   around   the   entire   diamond,   home   plate   and   baselines   includes  a  least  three  times.  The  remainder   of   the   drag   can   be   just   the   infield   dirt   arc   between   the   infield   and   outfield   grass   areas.     Stay   outside   of   12   “   away   from   the   grass   areas   when   you   drag   the   field.   Don't   get  too  close  to  the  edge  of  the  grass.  Make   sure  you  do  not  push/pull  any  dirt  onto  the   lip  of  the  infield  and  outfield  grass.  This  will   create   a   long-­‐term   problem   with   drainage   and   kill   the   grass   or   create   a   lip   that   will   cause   unpredictable  bad  hops.           Step   3   -­‐   As   the   fields   dry   out   later   in   the   season,   spray   the   infield   down   with   water.   This   prevents   it   from   getting   too   dusty   for   the   players   as   well   as   softens   the   infield   for   more   consistent   hops   and   bounces.   This   will   help   somewhat   alleviate   tough   hops   that   could   cause   injury  to  infielders.       Step  4   -­‐   Place   the   appropriate   sized   batter's   box   template   next   to   home   plate   with   the   handle   touching   the   edge   of   home   plate.   For   T-­‐ball   through   Majors   use   the   3'x6'   template.   For   50/70,   please   use   the   4'x6'   template.  Use  a  large  nail  to  scribe  a  line  on   the  outside  of  the  template.                  

Step  5  -­‐,  Use  the  lining  machine  (with  chalk)   to   lay   a   2”   line   over   the   line   scribed   in   the   field   material   around   home   plate   and   form   a  batter’s  box.                     Step  6  -­‐  With  the  nail  at  the  back  corner  of   home  plate  and  someone  holding  the  other   end  of  the  string,  chalk  the  baselines  to  the   outfield   foul   pole.   The   string   should   be   positioned  about  1"  in  from  the  impression   of   the   base,   so   that   the   outer   edge   of   the   line   aligns   with   the   base.   Please   ALWAYS   use   the   string   provided   to   assure   nice   straight  lines.  NEVER  wing  it  and  try  to  free   draw   a   line   or   draw   over   the   previous   drawn  line.                               Step  7  -­‐  Ideal  bag  and  baseline  alignment.                  

Step   8   -­‐   Using   the   2"   setting,   chalk   in   the   coaches   box   at   1st   and   3rd   base.   You're   ready  to  play  ball!                             Step   9   -­‐   Please   make   sure   you   drag/rake   the   infield   after   your   game   or   practice.   Rake   the   baselines   as   to   avoid   chalk   build   up.   This   makes   it   easy   for   the   next   team   to   lay   down   a   new   clean   baseline.   Fill   in   any   holes   in   front   of   the   pitching   rubber   and   in   the   batters   box.   Lightly   watering   the   area   and   tamping   down   will   create   a   better   playing   surface.   Don't   forget   to   remove  all  of  the  equipment  from  the  field  of  play  and  return  to  the  appropriate  storage  area.     *T-­‐Ball,  Single  A  and  California  League  require  hash  marks  drawn  half  the  distance  between  1B   and  2B,  between  2B  and  3B  and  between  3B  and  Home  Plate.     **Single  A  and  California  League  will  use  a  temporary  pitching  rubber  that  will  be  set  42  ft.  back   from  the  tip  of  home  plate.       Step  10  –  Last  game  of  the  day:  Plan  accordingly.  This  is  not  a  rush  –  rush,  hurry  up  and  get  out   of  here  kind  of  thing.  It  is  the  Home  Team’s  responsibility  to  make  certain  that  fields  are  to  be   dragged,  base  lines  raked  and  eradicated  and  garbage  cans  in  both  dugouts  dumped  into  the   grey  Recology  Dumpster.  It  is  also  required  that  everything  on  the  field  be  put  away  in  the  right   place  and  locked  up  to  prevent  theft.  It  requires  time  and  diligence.       New  Knaack  Boxes  on  Trinta  North  &  South:       1. Do   not   store   chalk   or   turface   in   the   new   Knaack   boxes.   Trinta   North   has   a   low   boy   Knaack   Box   to   store   extra   turface   and   chalk.   Trinta   South   does   not.   Excess   bags   of   chalk   and  turface  for  Trinta  South  should  be  stored  in  the  green  cargo  container.   2. Rakes   and   Push   Brooms   are   expensive   and   are   professional   baseball   grade   equipment   that  must  be  stored  after  the  last  game  of  the  day.  The  field  rake  and  push  broom  for     Trinta  North  shall  be  stored  in  the  green  cargo  container.  The  field  rake  and  push  broom   for   Trinta   South   can   be   stored   in   the   locked   passageway   on   the   first   base   side   of   the   field.   There   are   hooks   to   hang   the   rake   and   broom   immediately   behind   the   first   base   dugout.   3. Knaack   Box   Locks   are   not   yet   broken   in.   From   time   to   time   the   lock   mechanism   and   tumbler  may  require  a  short  spray  of  WD40  (can  in  place  in  each  Knack  Box).    Making  

certain   that   the   lock   is   indeed   locked   can   be   tricky.     Before   closing   the   doors   to   the   Knaack   box,   reach   inside   to   the   lock   bay.   Push   the   lock   in   ever   so   slightly   so   that   the   pin   just   slips   inside   the   hole   of   the   lock   (not   too   far   or   the   mechanism   will   be   locked   and   you’ll  have  to  start  over.  Close  the  door  gently.  Press  the  lock  in  all  the  way  and  check   that  the  doors  are  indeed  locked.  

  Always  leave  the  field  in  better  shape  than  how  you  found  it!      

  Need  a  Refresher:  Watch  Our  Field  Prep  Video    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayifz5vmlOk