Portable pitching rubber?
- Thread starter TDS
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- Jan 15, 2009
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They have pitching rubbers that mount on anchor pegs like bases. We've used those to covert fields between 35 and 40 for several years successfully. Otherwise I'd take out the permanent 40' rubber, move it to 43' and pound in a temporary at 40' when you need it.
You know the pitcher's plates that have 3 screw in pegs? I throw those away and drill a hole in each corner of the rubber. Then, I purchase 6 inch nails called, Texas Tacs. I "nail" the rubber to the ground, and that way it is easy to pull up.
- Oct 28, 2009
- 52
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How about these removable pitching rubbers?
TDS, this system is the best I have seen so far, especially if it is the same person or limited group of people doing the switching. After only a few uses, the plate will become slightly distorted from the pitching force placed on it. That's not a problem. Problems primarily occur when someone unfamiliar with accomdating this distortion attempts to "fix" the plate or attempts to force the plate into the seating arrangement using a hammer.
This system is far superior to the pitching plates that are positioned by nails. Not only does the system last longer, but it guarantees correct distance and correct orientation (assuming you are careful during the installation of the buried portion).
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I agree that the commercial product is superior, but when you have a dozen broken pitching plates around, you might as well use them. How much is that system? Our park district wouldn't pay for that, so the team will have to.
With a field that is used for t-ball, softball (at 35 and 40), and baseball, there are a lot of plugs and markers for pitching. The boys have a fake mound that they pitch off of. The only issue with the 35 plug is that 40 feet pitchers often kick it up and it has to be removed. We have used set in the ground plugs, as well as ones that you have to nail into the ground. I'd suggest the nail in the ground plugs or to go ahead and install a plug for the pitching rubber at 43 ft.
- Jul 28, 2008
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We installed those at our Little League fields back in 2004. As mentioned, it does get a bit bent pulling it up over time. The other issue is landing on the plugs. We had 35' and 40' set for the softball fields. The 35' plugs got landed on. We ended up tossing the rubber plugs and got the sponge type with whiskers on them and then covered it up with infield dirt when not being used. That seemed to work better, but we had to have a couple sets of the plugs because they did get destroyed from being landed on.
I like Amy's idea of the temp rubber and drilling holes and spiking it in the dirt. I will do that with my temp rubber at our city ballfield for practice.
