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My JV baseball team was playing an away game last week and it started to rain. They added fresh dirt to the mound for their pitcher in the beginning of the inning. Our pitcher took the mound as the rain continued to poor and they did nothing to the mound. Once again, the home team began Doctoring the mound and then began to do maintenance around where the catcher plays. Is there a rule in most states at the high school level that determines when a home team can do maintenance to the field. It was obviously giving their pitcher an advantage. When they began the field maintenance we were winning 4-2. After the 2 innings that they performed the maintenance they were winning 7-4. It is suspended until they come to play us at our field and we are only going to play to the 5th inning and we were in the beginning of the 4th. What is the general rule and what should I do. I want to approach my athletic director about it, but could not locate my rule book. Thanks for the help.
Brad Farr
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quote:
Originally posted by Coach Sr.:
My JV baseball team was playing an away game last week and it started to rain. They added fresh dirt to the mound for their pitcher in the beginning of the inning. Our pitcher took the mound as the rain continued to poor and they did nothing to the mound. Once again, the home team began Doctoring the mound and then began to do maintenance around where the catcher plays. Is there a rule in most states at the high school level that determines when a home team can do maintenance to the field. It was obviously giving their pitcher an advantage. When they began the field maintenance we were winning 4-2. After the 2 innings that they performed the maintenance they were winning 7-4. It is suspended until they come to play us at our field and we are only going to play to the 5th inning and we were in the beginning of the 4th. What is the general rule and what should I do. I want to approach my athletic director about it, but could not locate my rule book. Thanks for the help.
Brad Farr


Did your team request work be done on the mound? Did the home team refuse that request?

In games I work, I permit work be done when it is needed for the safety of the players. That is the only criteris. If the mound was unsafe for your pitcher and you pointed that out and you were refused the attention to the mound necessary, we would have an issue here.

On the other hand, if only the home pitcher requested work be done...I see no issue.
Last edited by Jimmy03
You shoudl have said something to the PU as he can and shoudl dictate when field maintenance is done, if you felt the mound needed work prior to your pitcher taking it he should have complied with your request and instructed the Home team maintenance staff to work. If they refused he could have declared a forfeit and you get the win.
To make conditions equitable these type things are generally accomplished at the top of the inning. I'm speaking more of turning on lights, but I suppose needed work on changing field conditions could fit the same category.

So I'd give em the benefit of the doubt (that's assuming there is doubt)and they just weren't homering you)..

From the umpires view as long as the field is safe for both teams. If grooming at the top of ea. inning is doing the trick to keep the game going, then that's that.

If the field is digressing sooner, then the umpire should be making the call, fix it or come back another day. If the umpire isn't making the call then F1 and or your coaching staff should be bringing it to the umpires attention.

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