Fastpitch on grass infields?

[Wooahhhh]

grass infields

A modified baseball diamond was used this June for an ASA National qualifier at Walt Disney World in Orlando. It was terrible. Bases put at 60' on a 90' basepath. Infielders played on grass, outfielders played on the baseball fields clay infield. An attempt at a clay circle was made halfway between the pitching mound area and the cut-out for second base. Second base wasn't even centered in the clay, it was wrong, all wrong. Why did this happen- because Walt Disney World did not want to rent softball fields (off property) and lose the revenue from people being onsite and spending money at their restaurants and concession stands. Florida ASA caved into Disney's demands not to rent other SOFTBALL complexes. I can't believe Florida ASA had the nerve to let teams from Alabama travel down and play on a baseball field, without telling them. No, softball fields don't have grass infields. Two different games, two different fields. How difficult is this?

 

[Texarkana]

We used to play a few on grass at 8U. Have played maybe once on grass since then. We practice on my neighbors grass infield occasionally when we are using his cage. It is better than the crappy weedy dirt at the church field we have access to. Now that league is over we get the "real" softball fields to use. The grass seems like it makes more girls not "stay down" on the ball. If I knew a tournament was on grass, I'd look for somewhere else to play. As for synthetic, we must be too backwoods for me to have ever run into any. I really want to skin an infield behind my house, but just killing the grass is only the beginning. It's all about the right soil properties, and I don't want to haul in a bunch of infield mix even if I knew where to get it locally.

 

[D.G. OutLaws 16u]

Grass?...um...NO! That game is called baseball.
My experience with indoor turface isn't that bad. Played a winter tourney indoors and the surface was very quick. I liked the true hops and smoothness. Its a good thing for a casual winter tourney indoor but thats about it. Play a week long 7 gg...Absolutely NOT...No Thank You.

 

[LAdad]

A few high schools in our area play with grass infields (real or artificial). These are often .500 teams: they win all home games and lose all away games. That's a good indication of how the game is affected by grass infields.

 

[redhotcoach]

Play on grass infield? No. I doubt any associations would back a tourney on it.

On turf? Don't know, never tried it.

7 game week long tourney. Only if it's in the neighborhood. That would take up most of our travel funds in one event. Take that down to 7
in 2-3 days, sure.

 

[3sDad]

My .02

Softball isnt played on grass...grass infields=we arent coming....
Turf fields....Birmingham Thunderbolts have a complex with 2 fields completely covered in turf...brown turf for infield, green everywhere else...SWAC Championships were played there...We've played there before...
Pros: No such such thing as fields being to wet to play on
CONS:...Sliding leaves major carpet burns...Its FRIGGIN HOT!!!!...Blistered my kids feet...cleats dont like it...neither do tennis shoes...
Overall....I dont like it....
7GG...Maybe on a weekend....

 

[ICMTM]

$0.02

There is a field in Reno, NV that is field turf. There is a national tournament happening soon that will use the facility. I personally don't like field turf for any sport because things bounce and don't stop rolling on them. It plays faster than dirt.

Grass...I would love to see a grass softball field. The problem with grass is the correct type of grass is too hard to maintain by a park & rec. The grass you see in parks is that thick fescue style grass (In California anyway). You need bremuda mixed with something else. It goes dormant and brown in the winter. If you use the correct grass it will play the same speed as dirt.

So I'd use whatever you thought would work for your facility. If you're building a softball only park where the base cutouts will be made for the sport of fastpitch only it can be a real beautiful park.

Again the problems even brought up here are:

*Wrong type of grass
*Facility used wasn't designed for fastpitch

Pros:

*The prep work between games would be quicker
*The playing surface is cooler. Dirt is hotter
*You would have a unique facility
*It's easier to make the field multi use with soccer

Cons:

*It would raise water consumption.
*People want dirt
*metal spike usage (16U and up) could tear up the field faster?
*Overall maintenance would be higher.

To put the proper dirt down is more expensive than laying sod in my region. I was on the little league board and we were considering skinning a baseball diamond so it could be used for both softball and baseball. To do it right dirt isn't cheap.