Dragging Field

[SCflashes]

I am now in charge of upkeep of my field. It looks like some coaches have dragging the infield down to a science; it looks nice and smooth. Is there a certain pattern to use in dragging the field rather than just going around in circles? Thanks.

 

[Lrgmouth]

I am in charge of 2 high school fields and 3 softball fields and here is what I found works the best for me.
I first remove the bases and drag around home and up and down the base paths first, making a couple passes.
Then I start at the pitching rubber and make circles. Just keep going in circles bigger every time until you have reached the grass.
Evevn though you will be going over the same areas a couple times those areas are from the pitching rubber towards home plate.
I have found since the pitching rubber is sort of the focal point of the infield, having circles from that point out seems to be the most appealing to the eye when finished.
Replace the bases and chalk the base paths, running lanes pitching circle, batters boxes, cathers box and PLAY BALL!
Hope this helps.

 

[jazz10NE]

You should go from the outside to the middle in a circle. This will help restore the material that washed to the outside with rain return back to the middle. If you keep going inside out you will loose your crown.

 

[Hoover's Dad]

I take care of a very nice high school field. I have several things that I have made to use as drags that work very well.

I drag the field inside- out one day, then out-inside the next. Gamedays I go from inside to out,I get a better look that way. With the shape of our infield and dugouts and fences, I start about 10 ft or so behind the pitching rubber with my circles and it works our perfect when I get to the edge. Each field is different, but you can firgure out you starting point in one or two draggings.

I use a V shaped drag with 4" long spikes when getting up grass or when trying to tear up the infield after a rain so it dries quicker. The shape runs true behind the infield tractor. The whole thing probably weighs 75lbs, and will it ever tear up some grass clumps that I miss when spraying with RoundUp.

My second drag is just a standard 5' chain type drag that most every one in the country uses, but I have a piece of old carpet that is 6' wide attached to the back of the drag.

My third drag is a 6' pull type broom that you pull by hand. I really like this one when I am really trying to impress another school with our infield, the infield will be as smooth as a pool table if you go over it with one of these after using the heavier drags. I have even gone as far as going back and dragging out footprints after I line the field with the broom drag.

I fight rain water run off with our field all the time, every time it rains I have half of my infiled in the outfield grass. A fire hose is the best thing in the world for keeping lips down around the infield. I blast our infieild lip 3 or four times a year with a fire hose.

Your infield material has alot to do with how good a field can look, I despise infields that are all brick dust. I prefer 50% red clay, 40%sand and remainder is topsoil/silt. It doesnt clod up after a rain and will dry fairly quick and it is not a dust bowl that you have to water every 75 minute game.

I would rather talk about infield upkeep than actuall softball!!!

 

[Coach661]

I am now in charge of upkeep of my field. It looks like some coaches have dragging the infield down to a science; it looks nice and smooth. Is there a certain pattern to use in dragging the field rather than just going around in circles? Thanks.

Try here, lots of stuff on grass and dirt, rebuilding and maintaining. He sells some sort of book/guide but alot of stuff appears to be available to read on the site.
Baseball Field Maintenance & Renovation for Youth, Collegiate, and Pros

 

[Chris O'Leary]

I am now in charge of upkeep of my field. It looks like some coaches have dragging the infield down to a science; it looks nice and smooth. Is there a certain pattern to use in dragging the field rather than just going around in circles? Thanks.

I go outside in from the grass and then inside out from the pitching mound to the base paths.

That gives the base paths 2 passes but keeps too much material from migrating out to the edges.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Your infield material has alot to do with how good a field can look, I despise infields that are all brick dust. I prefer 50% red clay, 40%sand and remainder is topsoil/silt. It doesnt clod up after a rain and will dry fairly quick and it is not a dust bowl that you have to water every 75 minute game.

I would rather talk about infield upkeep than actuall softball!!!

I'm also trying to get our infield to 50/50 sand and clay.

Just had 50 tons of medium sand delivered today and am going to work it in tonight.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Guys, Why sand? I don't want any on the softball field. Sometimes, the wind blows it all towards the backstop and I remove it.

 

[quincy]

Depends on the age of the players, I have seen some very nice castles.

 

[Hoover's Dad]

The clay holds the mix together and gives the pretty orange or red color. The clay gives you the traction. The sand gives the mix the ability to handle water. To much clay and all you will have is a sloppy mess after a rain. To much sand and the players feel like they are running on the beach, and bunts will stick where they hit the ground.


Most commercial infeld mixes are clay, sand and silt, with about 50-60% being Clay and the rest is sand and silt.

People would be amazed at how much infield material they loose in a year due to wind.

Amy, not actually seeing the material that you are removing, but I would guess that it is just fine dirt that is wearing off very hard infields from foot traffic and blowing to the fence. I would try to work it back in to my infield if at all possible.