DIY Network

*Marathon Special: Youth Baseball Field Maintenance From "Major League Remodel Marathon" episode DMLR-M1

Cal and Bill Ripken give helpful advice on how to maintain a youth baseball field.

Former Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken, Jr. and his brother Bill Ripken share some tips on how to maintain a youth baseball field.

It takes teamwork to keep a community baseball field looking good and safe for the players. A good playing surface is essential when teaching kids to play baseball.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F

• Young players can develop confidence more readily when they know they won't run into obstacles while they're playing. However, most leagues don't have the resources to hire professionals to maintain a smooth field and keep the grass cut (figure A).

• To keep the field mowed and free of large "lips" of grass and other obstacles, set up a mowing schedule among parents and coaches to keep the grass at a low enough level (figure B). It won't matter if the field is weedy as long as it stays well mowed.

• Infield wear-spots that develop over time can be corrected using a nail-drag or chain-drag pulled behind a mower (figure C). Using one will make a big difference.

• Coaches can involve the kids in field maintenance by calling practice 10 minutes early, and having rakes available to help condition and smooth out the infield.

• The two areas that typically receive the most wear are the pitcher's mound and batter's box. If these are not kept level and flat they can present opportunities for injury. It's particularly important to keep the area around the pitcher's mound rubber well maintained. If there's too big a hole in front of the rubber, the pitcher can't use it as a push-off tool towards home plate (figure D) and ankle or foot injuries could occur. Similarly, surface of the batter's box should be maintained to prevent injury.

• Quality and proper placement of bases are other areas that need attention. Clean the dirt out of the hole beneath each base before placing and anchoring the bases(figure E).

• Bases take a lot of punishment and may move during play. Avoid having the base sticking up to create a non-steady obstacle that the player may trip on (figure F).

Hopefully these ideas may help get your community and kids motivated to keep their baseball field safe and well maintained.