Sliding Pit dimensions?

The way you asked the question, I got the idea you plan on using different materials for those areas.

No... our field is all grass with only cutouts for the base areas, mound, and plate, like the old multipurpose stadiums from the 70s.

 

So you want to have an infield that looks like the Air Force Academy diamond above?

Yes... just need the proper dimensions for the sliding pits and we will be on our way

I doubt there's a proper dimension for that because it's not a way that very many fields are set up.  Anyway, the field linked below is a HS field that's turf with dirt cut outs.  Using the known dimensions between the bases, you can figure that the cut outs go about 18' in either direction from the bases.

 

(must be a real pain to keep the dirt out of the turf and the rubber pellets out of the dirt)

 

link

 

edit -- actually I think i am misremembering that. It's been a couple years since I was there.  Looks like only the mound is dirt.  But something like 15' to 18' sounds good to me!

 

 

Thank you for the responses... I'm not a fan of the sliding pit configuration with a natural grass field but it is what I have to work with since the AD wants it that way to "reduce rain outs"

So going by the areial view and using Google Earth.. I measured it to be 27'x27 on the straight sides and then 13' to the cut off corner from each straight side and then 17' to connect those two parts. It seems kind of big to me but I know Google Earth is pretty accurate.

 

OK, now it makes sense to me.

Originally Posted by Coach_Sampson:

Thank you for the responses... I'm not a fan of the sliding pit configuration with a natural grass field but it is what I have to work with since the AD wants it that way to "reduce rain outs"

 

I think what your AD is going to find out, and it shouldn’t take too long, is that cutouts on a grass field is going to cause other problems beside too many rainouts. The soil grass needs isn’t infield dirt, and because of that will hold water much more than standard infield dirt. So if there’s a rain and you decide to play, it won’t take very long before the baselines turn into mud where the fielder’s play, and where the running traffic is. When that happens, you’ll have a lumpy field that will cause bad bounces and very likely twisted ankles.

 

The best way to stop rainouts because of the infield dirt, is to have a tarp. After that, make sure there’s good drainage under it, and that’s a good draining material is used, and there shouldn’t be many problems unless the dirt isn’t level.

Well it has been this way for a few years now. I've asked them if they roll the infield area. He said no. I asked if they push mow the infield.  He said no. I'm concerned about bad hops for our infielders.
I have a feeling that the baseball program is at the very bottom of the totem pole as we were given a $1500 budget for the season. We have to buy all new baseballs since the previous coach took all of the ones from last year. They left the atec pitching machine in a shed and the wheels melted off... it is a Charlie Foxtrot at times. I would just prefer if they turfed the infield.

Coach_Sampson,

 

Here’s a little story you might find useful.

 

About 10 years ago some doofs decided to allow one of those traveling carnivals to set up on our big kommie kickball field and the outfield of our big field. With all the big rigs and other trucks, tractors, and whatnot driving all over the place, needless to say, things got pretty well torn up.

 

We had a medium sized tarmac roller that vibrated we’d rented for some street repairs, so I asked if we could try it on the fields. With nothing to lose, we watered the fields so they were DAMP, not WET, and off I went back and forth. It did a pretty good job on the kommie kickball field and the outfield, but the big surprise came when I decided to try it on the infield.

 

Our infield was hybrid Bermuda we mow to 3/8^ths of an inch. After soaking it pretty good, I started with the roller on it. The thing came out like a table top after 10 passes or so. There was some “springback”, but for the most part it was absolutely amazing. What we did for several years after, was to run the tractor with the aerator on in before the sprinklers were turned on. That let the water get down deeper, and pretty much stopped the spring back.

 

So, if you want to give it a shot, I say go for it! You can rent a roller for a half day pretty reasonably, and if you do it right you can prolly get the time donated.

Everything I've seen lists the dimensions on a high school field for cutouts around the bases as a 13 foot radius from the center of the base.  If you google baseball field dimensions you'll get plenty of images that show field layout.