Lake Point turf mounds

A significant number of MLBers wear molds. They're lighter than metal. A tarp can saturate through in a torrential downpour. A mound can get wet while playing in rain. A mound can get wet in an instant in a downpour before the field crew can get the tarp out. A turf mound can have the water vacuumed off. PG has to keep the games rolling as fast as possible. I don't think Indiana University said, "20 million dollars for a stadium and we have stink'n turf mounds."

It's the first year at the facility. I'm sure they will assess everything to see what worked and what didn't.

Considering that most teams will play only a game or 2 on turf, it's not the end of the world.

It's all about the money, not baseball... baseball should be played on grass and dirt... if you get rained out, you get rained out.... look foward to tomorrow...

How about the money teams have to spend on entry fees/travel/hotels to only get in 2 or 3 games because of the weather?  That's a bigger issue that is has its impact lessened by having the turf fields.

Ultimately, it's a consumer market. Nobody is forcing a team to play at a PG event. If the team is bothered by the prospect of having to play a game or two on turf they can simply play elsewhere.

I can understand a facility like PG's needing to be able to bounce back quickly from rain; you have teams (and hopefully recruiters and scouts) coming in from all over, and more coming in every week. So games need to proceed as close to schedule as possible. Rain-outs should be rare and this calls for all-turf fields with serious drainage.

The turf mounds, however, are a really disappointing decision. Pitchers are coming there to show what they can do. Turf mounds will effect that by varying degrees depending on each pitcher. Turf fields with dirt mounds is how it should be.

I can see that turf fields would help in keeping games from being rained out.... but changing the playing surface changes the game... the turf give a different bounce,  there's no warning track, the mounds are too difficult to pitch off of, but hey if it means more money , by all means change the game..... and that is what is happening the game is being changed for money.... 

scouts and recuiters will get who they want whether is rains or not.

I hope that more teams refuse to play on turf, but they won't , they are being sold a dream of playing college and pro baseball, but the fact is only a fraction will . 

IMO much ado by parents about nothing.  Pretty sure there are plenty of pitchers on plenty of teams that will gladly line up to take the ball on a turf mound anywhere at anytime. 

My kid would throw in a swimming pool if asked.  Pretty sure he is not alone.

It's not me that does not prefer the little league mound it's about 25 pitchers that I have talked to about it.  When our summer coach told the players they were pitching on turf , they were not happy..... I have to ask how old is your son

My son is a 2016 and will be there in two weeks for the 17s.

My answer was a bit tongue in cheek but in all sincerity players take their cues from us parents and their coaches.  Make it an issue if you want and your kid will as well.  Just my opinion.

Solution seems pretty simple.  If you or your son don't want an outing on turf refuse the ball and pitch somewhere else.  My guess you are going to find lots of eyeballs watching those games at that site.  Guess each individual has to evaluate the risk vs. the potential reward.

Last year our 17s sat in a hotel room waiting for a call for a week and played 3 games I believe.  I welcome any attempt to get more games in if I am traveling 15 hours to play at a site.

So your son is in the mist of the recruiting season... I get it.... mine is 18 has graduted signed and moves Aug 17th  so I guess I do not have the same take on it this year as I would have last year...  Good luck to your son.

Soylent Grunt will be throwing off of said mounds at PG in a couple of weeks as well.  I agree with Backstopdad that as a player/prospect you do what you have to do... No whining.  But turf mounds are still a poor choice by PG anyway you slice it. I also agree with Bacdorslider that these are basically "little league mounds", although I have to admit that I didn't realize IU's new yard features a turf mound, per RJM's post above. Had to check this to belive it but there it is. Still think this stinks personally, but just one guys opinion.  There are a lot of turf HS fields around Dallas, but all feature dirt mounds as far as I know.

My son has pitched on them the last couple of years in Regionals and never said anything about them. Actually I never even thought about it. Come to think of it I am not sure if he used his turf's or metal cleats. I will ask him just for kicks.

Non issues as far as I am concerned. 

Have the people complaining pitched off one of these turf mounds. Not all turf mounds are created equal. Just because people have experienced some bad turf mounds in LL this does not mean that these will be bad.

My Son's Conference Tournament is played in The Chillicothe Paints Veterans stadium. Guess what it has a turf mound.

http://community.hsbaseballweb...efty-vs-case-western

He has not had a complaint about it. I would suggest going in with an open mind, you may be surprised.

I to prefer, watching baseball with a Dirt mound and grass. This is a big part of their summer but will only play a few games from the turf mounds. If your son is playing here only a few games will be at this facility, and unless your son is going to pitch every game the chances are he will not have to pitch off of the turf.

I am sure if their are issues with the mounds it will get addressed if need be down the road.  

I should stay out of these debates, but would it be possible to first play there before making comments Good or bad?

First let's take the turf fields, since that has been addressed as well as the mounds. We have done events in Major League Stadiums that have turf fields.  Would someone refuse to play on those fields? Does anyone really think turf fields are all about the money?  Please understand just how expensive it is to put in turf fields.  Just in the first 4 fields we would have saved more than $2 million by not turfing.

The mounds... Indiana University has the same mounds.  They have produced first round pitchers and  players and they were in the College World Series in 2013. We did a lot of research before going with turf mounds.  In fact, I was the most vocal against turf mounds.  There are actually many advantages.  No more different mound from one to another. No worry about the holes that sometimes develop during a game that can actually throw a pitch off.  Less down time during rain.  

The mounds are first framed into the ground, concrete is formed to exact specifications. Material us added to replicate the feel of a perfect MLB level mound as far as specs and feel.  MLB mounds are very hard!  Then special turf is used with the ability to replace the pitching path when needed.  These mounds were very expensive.  Yes, they will save time and money to take care of them, but it will take 5 years to recoup the difference.  So if anyone is saying this is all about money, they are certainly barking up the wrong tree.  Then again, guess it is about money... Lots of it!  Anyone who sets foot on the complex will understand that immediately. Everything could have been done cheaper if that were the main thing.

So far, we have already made some changes.  We have not noticed any difference among the pitchers we have a history on.  No one has complained about slipping that I know of.  We haven't seen any pitcher slipping.  If and when this becomes a problem, we will change the mounds.  

The most important thing for us is playing games.  We do not give refunds if teams miss games. Truth is we actually save money when games are not played.  So how is building expensive fields, most expensive turf, most expensive lights, digital scoreboards, biggest scout tower in baseball, etc., save money.  Many of our tournaments draw teams, scouts, college coaches, agents, etc., from coast to coast.  It costs a lot of money and time for these people to sit in their hotel room for days. Not to mention they are not very happy about it.

Last point... If your team actually doesn't want to play at the complex simply tell us and we won't schedule any of your pool games there.  However, if you make the championship round you will have to play there.  There are many fields we use so it is easy to schedule games at other sites with normal fields and dirt mounds. Personally, I think that teams would not be happy with that decision. Many unhappy players and parents.

Our goal is to make this the nicest baseball complex on earth.  If changes are needed, changes will be made.  We have already made some changes to improve things. Many colleges have already signed up to play there next spring.  

PG staff, that's blasphemy.  It's Indiana University (not university of). 

For the record... I was completely against going with turf mounds.  Both from the cost standpoint and because I am old school. Ai was persuaded by many who have experienced the turf mounds. This included some very experienced college coaches.

These are not Little League mounds!  They are the same mounds that Indiana University and other colleges use.

I too love the real grass and all the old standards.  However, with the number of games we play the grass would disappear after a couple weeks.  

I ask that people wait until they have actually been there before complaining about things.  And it truly pisses me off when people say it is all about money.  Of course, we want to make money, we have lots of families to feed.  But if this were all about money, this complex would look much different. You will understand that in a hurry once you are there.

Golfman,

That is embarrassing, I need to edit.

Again let's be critical of anyone we don't agree with.

the comments like don't come or let us know and we ll let u play elsewhere r unnecessary. This man has a legit concern. Maybe he ll change his mind after personal exp there but he has a right to express his issues

as a parent I have never commented of a turf mound. Personally my son played on a nice one recently, but it had rained earlier and said he was slipping. Tried changing into molded shoes, but it didn't help much.Some pitchers don't use lower body as much and they may not have problems w slipping.  If it's a problem for say 25% of pitchers then it's a problem. 

Turf has both good and bad  Issues.

lets all have this discussion again in the Fall after we have all been there

My son will be there in two weeks also.  I have no idea if he'll pitch on the magical, mystical turf mounds.  If he does and one of these "Lakepoint PG Mound" threads is still around (and I really hope they're not), I'll give an honest assessment.....of one person's experience.  Hardly imperical data, but it will be the boy's opinion.  He's pitched in a lot of places with a lot of different mounds (and yes, he LOVES the MLB "hard" spring training mounds), so I'll trust his judgement.

If a college is interested and sees a pitcher "having an issue" with the mounds, you can bet they're not going to write the player off over something that petty.  If they did, they wouldn't be there for long.  Recruiting coordinators and MLB scouts get paid to evaluate talent.  That talent shows and is seen by them....even when a player is having a bad day, for whatever reason.

PG, your organization does a lot and you and yours are entitled to make a profit.  Geez people, calm down.