Turf Pitching Mat on Dirt Field - which shoes?

[BrianTx01]

You in Plano? My DD damn near broke her ankle on those stupid mats. She's 6' so she's got a longer stride then most and she landed right at the end of them. The dirt is piled up under there like a pond dam (from other pitchers landing short of the end) with no way to smooth it out because you can't lift the darn mats up. The other pitcher (also 6') rolled hers so bad she left the game and had to go to the hospital for XRays.

Plano would be the problem location. Email the head of parks and rec https://www.plano.gov/752/Staff

 

[Gambler Bob]

I always thought that pitching mats on the field would be a good idea. I have never seen a tournament use a pitching mat unless it was an indoor tournament. There are some legitimate complaints that may be changing my mind if that would be a good idea.

 

[El Oso]

I always thought that pitching mats on the field would be a good idea. I have never seen a tournament use a pitching mat unless it was an indoor tournament. There are some legitimate complaints that may be changing my mind if that would be a good idea.

It would be good if they solved 2 current problems.

1. They need to be longer. They only go to the edge of the circle and some pitchers will stride out to the edge or past that and it creates a dangerous uneven surface.

2. They need to be installed on a hard surface, wood or fiberglass, THEN the whole thing placed in the circle so the surfaces are even with the infield where they meet. Not just laid on top of the dirt. By itself, it's not thick enough to keep the dirt underneath them from still being "dug out" in the landing area. If you don't put them on a hard surface, then you absolutely need the ability to lift them, repair the dirt under, and lay them back down. Shorter pitchers create a dug out spot in the dirt under the mat where they land, like they do when it's just dirt. Difference being, with only dirt, a longer striding pitcher can repair the landing area so it suits them. They can't do that with those mats because you can't lift them up. So you get what happened to us, 2 starting pitchers both put out of the game in the 2nd-3rd inning of a Tier 1 Super Regional Series in the TFL championship. Not good.