Daily Field Maintenance Instructions.
(HOME TEAM’S RESPONSIBILITY IS THE POST-GAME WORK)
Raking / dragging the dirt areas.
v Pitcher’s mound
v Batters box
v Infield area
v Baselines
v Watering the Field
(VISITOR’S TEAM’S RESPONSIBLITY IS THE PRE-GAME WORK)
Lining the field.
v Base and foul lines
v Batters boxes
Contents of each field box
3 bases
score book
dig-out tool
hose (to water the field)
dirt tamper
chalk machine
Line reel with hammer
Infield rakes are hanging on the dugout fences.
Batters box templates are behind the field boxes against the fences.
Metal 6’ x 18" drags are rolled up against the dugout fences.
Hoses and the bases need to be put away after the last game.
Extra chalk is located in the blue 55 gallon drum next to the Consession Stand and inside the bullpen located at the Juniors Field.
1. Using the aluminum rake, rake all displaced dirt away from the grass edges.
a. Never rake the dirt towards the grass.
2. Fill in any low spots created by the pitcher using the rake.
a. Pay special attention to the front of the pitching rubber and the landing area (front foot plant).
3. Use the tamper to compact the dirt in the area’s noted in “2a”. Adding a small amount of water will help with the compaction. The holes created during the game should be even with surrounding soil and compact.
4. Water generously after completed. Use a smaller amount of water if there is a game following yours.
Maintaining the batter’s box after the game.
1. Using the aluminum rake, rake all displaced dirt away from the grass edges.
a. Never rake the dirt towards the grass.
2. Fill in any low spots created by the batters using the rake.
a. Make sure that the dirt is level with home plate.
3. Use the tamper to compact the dirt if needed. Adding a small amount of water will help with the compaction.
4. Water generously after completed. Use a smaller amount of water if there is a game following yours.
Maintaining the infield area.
1. Remove the bases and put them in your field box if your game is the last game of the day. If not, remove them and reinstall them after you complete the steps below.
2. Using the aluminum rake, rake all displaced dirt away from the grass edges. Generally this only needs to be done around 1st and 3rd bases.
a. Never rake the dirt towards the grass.
3. Use the rake to fill in any low areas around the bases.
4. Using the drag, drag the entire infield area. Make sure you overlap when you change directions.
a. The drags are usually rolled up against one of the dugout fences.
5. Water generously after dragging is completed. Use a smaller amount of water if there is a game following yours.
Chalking the base and foul lines.
Complete after the batter boxes
1. Get the chalk machine “CM” from the field box. Make sure the bin is full of chalk.
2. Drive a spike into the ground behind home plate (the point in the back of home plate.
3. Drive a spike at the foul pole on the foul line in left field.
4. String the line from spike to spike.
5. Pull the string taunt so it allows the string to become straight. Now lay the string down on the dirt or grass.
6. Locate the CM above the line. The CM will put down a 2” wide strip of chalk on the ground. You want the edge of the chalk applied on the string line and extend into the field of play. Try to follow the line as close as you can. If not, you will stand back and say to yourself “man that line is crooked”. You will also notice that the line will go over the outside of the 1st and 3rd base.
7. Repeat the steps above for the right field line.
8. In time, the grass foul lines will have accumulated enough chalk. Re-chalk the grass foul lines on a need to basis.
Chalking the batters boxes.
Complete before the base/foul lines
1. Retrieve the batters box template “ 3’x 6’ PCV pipe rectangle” from behind the field box.
2. Lay the template down with the 4” tab against the side of home plate in the dirt. The 6’ dimension of the template should be parallel with the imaginary line from the center of home plate and center of the pitching rubber.
3. Gently step along the entire pipe template. This will leave an impression in the dirt.
4. Follow that impression left in the dirt with chalk machine. Center the chalk on the impression.
5. Place the chalk machine back into the field box.
Dragging the base lines.
1. Using the aluminum rake, rake all displaced dirt away from the grass edges.
a. Never rake the dirt towards the grass.
b. The rakes have been cut down to fit inside the base paths.
2. Starting from home plate using the drag, drag each base line back and forth until uniformly flat. Make sure that no dirt piles up against the grass. If so repeat step #1.
Watering the field.
1. Retrieve the hose from your field box.
2. Behind each pitchers mound there is an 8” round green plastic cover at dirt level. Remove that cover and expose water pipe.
3. Lift the small metallic cover on the pipe to expose the female connection. On the end of the hose there is a male quick coupler.
4. Insert the male side into the pipe in the ground. Align the small locking tab on the male end with to groove in the female coupler.
5. While keeping downward pressure on the male coupler, grab the small bar handle that’s on the side of the male coupler on the hose and turn the coupler clockwise about 180 to 270 degrees. This will turn the water on.
a. When turning the water on and off you will want to have the spray end turned on. If the pressure has no where to go it will blast you right in the face.
6. Roll up the hose and put it away.
a. When rolling up the hose make sure you drain the water out of it. If not done correctly the water will drain inside the field boxes and prematurely rot the field boxes out.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
All hose water used at the Fields is reclaimed water. Please use caution when using this water. Spraying water against the wind and/or breathing the atomized droplets of water is “Hazardous To Your Health”.
Do not let any child use or be involved with the hosing down of the infields.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you put hose away after using it.
DPLL has been given permission by Goleta Water District to use their reclaimed water on our fields. If GWD finds any hose not put back in the field boxes, GWD will confiscate the hose and take away our right to use their water on our fields. We all know how hard and dusty the infields get without water. So please be responsible and put the hoses away when you are done with them.
