3/3/2014
Just Dirt? What is Your Infield Mix Made of and Why Does It Matter? WASBO Facilities Certification Continuing Education By: Rob Johnson & Dena DiVincenzo Waupaca Sand & Solutions
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You Will Learn…
• What is infield mix? • How do you evaluate different mixes? • How do you find the best mix for your field? • How can you fix a subpar field? • What are best practices for maintaining your field?
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1 3/3/2014
Why is Infield Mix Important? • 70% of the game is played on the infield • Infield conditions determine if a game is cancelled or played • Fields (and field managers) are judged on the quality of their infields
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What is Infield Mix? Two Basic Types:
Crushed Aggregate: Sand/Silt/Clay Mix: • Limestone, granite, etc • Majority of infields • In the minority • Most major & minor • Generally not tested league infields • Inconsistent make‐up • Better performance • “Cheap” quality & price • Easiest to work with
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2 3/3/2014
Gravel ‐ > 2mm Sand ‐ 2mm to .05mm Silt ‐ 0.5mm to 0.002mm Clay ‐ < 0.002mm
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Sand • Should be largest component (by %) • Particle size matters • Medium sand provides structure • Beware of fine sand
Silt • Feels slick, silky, smooth, chalky • Not sticky or tacky • Unstable when saturated • Fluid or viscous when wet
Clay • Glue that holds everything together • Cohesive • Feels sticky or tacky • Absorbs the most water
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3 3/3/2014
Infield Mix Composition & Field Performance
• We try to find the correct balance of sand, silt, and clay in an infield mix. • How do fields perform when that balance is off?
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Characteristics of a High Clay Field
When Wet: • Holds the greatest amount of moisture (stays wet longer) • Sticky (clings to shoes) • Maintains firmness (most stable)
When Dry: • Very hard, difficult to work • Dusty • Surface cracking
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4 3/3/2014
Characteristics of a High Silt Field
When Wet: • Slick, slippery, greasy • Not as stable • Holds moisture
When Dry: • Also hard, difficult to work • Dusty, powdery surface • “Moon dust” • Chunk‐outs
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Characteristics of a High Sand Field
When Wet: • Holds least moisture • Least stable/cohesive • Soft, mushy underfoot
When Dry: • Not as hard • Loose surface • Not as stable • Not as dusty
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5 3/3/2014
Finding the Proper Balance
Silt/Clay Sand
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Characteristics of a Field in Balance
• Better playability • Safety • Proper drainage • Dry faster • Not slippery when wet • Not too hard when dry • Easier to prep for games & maintain
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6 3/3/2014
Level of Play and Maintenance Determine Proper Balance
Daily/Routine Maintenance Water Source/Irrigation
Some Regular Maintenance Water Source/Irrigation
Limited Maintenance No Water Source/Irrigation
Very Limited or No Maintenance No Water Source/Irrigation
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What Are Infield Mix Standards?
• Recreation‐level field: 65‐75% sand, 25‐35% silt & clay • Higher‐end fields: 55‐65% sand, 35‐45% silt & clay
• Mostly agreed‐upon by industry experts, turf managers, manufacturers, academics, labs • Industry is leaning toward national infield mix standards • Moving from art to science
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7 3/3/2014
Infield Mix Test Data
• We encourage you to get your field tested!
• % Sand • Sand gradation • % Silt + Clay (& SCR ratio) • % Gravel
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Reading Test Results
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8 3/3/2014
Samples from Wisconsin & Illinois
SAND SILT CLAY SILT/CLAY RATIO 53.5 39.4 7.1 5.6 36.4 49.1 14.5 3.4 51 35.8 8.2 4.4 73.6 10.3 2.1 4.9 39.7 40.2 7.4 5.4 47.8 39.5 10.3 3.8 50.6 37.1 8.4 4.4 46.7 43.3 10 4.3 38.2 46.8 15 3.1 48.2 36.9 9.3 4.0 55.1 30.1 10 3.0 37.6 48.9 11.7 4.2 29.7 52.9 13.4 4.0 45.1 39 11.6 3.4 21 64 8.4 7.6 66.6 22.5 6.4 3.5 28.6 58.6 11.3 5.2
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Infield Comparison –by type of organization
Big League ‐ MLB Collegiate Fields
Sand Silt Clay SCR Sand Silt Clay SCR
Avg 60.1 18.7 21.2 0.9 Avg 66.2 21.2 12.5 4.27
Range 50.3‐ 9.6‐ 15.7‐ .048‐ Range 61.0‐ 8.9‐ 1.0‐ 0.53‐ 70.7 26.1 24.8 1.38 78.2 38.7 27.1 20.9 AAA, AA, Training Facilities Schools and Parks
Avg 63.6 18.6 17.8 1.05 Avg 65.1 27.9 7.0 4.9
Range 52.5‐ 9.3‐ 4.0‐ 0.65‐ Range 38.0‐ 14.1‐ 1.9‐ 0.7‐11 80.0 34.7 20.3 8.68 77.2 42.5 19.8
Slide from “Infield Mixes –The Science Behind the Art” – Dr. Norm Hummel (STMA National 2013)
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9 3/3/2014
How to Fix a Subpar Field • Remove/replace • Cap • Amend
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Removal / Replacement
Pros: • Full fix, not band aid • Baseline tests
Cons: • Expense • Field out of play • No guarantee of a perfect or maintenance‐free field
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10 3/3/2014
Capping
Pros: • Mid‐range price • Good homogeneous playing surface
Cons: • Need good grading contractor to perform correctly • May still need to incur expense of removing some mix • Bringing up “old” mix from below • Further studies need to be done
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Amending
Pros: • Most affordable • Can be done over time, tweaked as needed • Regrading is benefit
Cons: • Results may not be seen immediately • May not fully fix core problem • Not homogeneous field
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11 3/3/2014
Field Amending Process
1. Sample & Test 2. Analyze
3. Calculate & Decide 4. Install
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How Do You Find the Right Infield Mix?
• Know how the infield mix is made (yes, it matters) • Ask for test results • Look at installations
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12 3/3/2014
Harvested
• Dug out of the ground – used as‐is • Could be a topsoil, loam, clay, dirty sand, etc • Is it screened? • Benefits: cheap • Drawbacks: inconsistent, low quality
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Byproduct
• Byproduct of sand & gravel manufacturing • Dewatered “slop pile” • Benefits: cheap • Drawbacks: inconsistent, silt & clay too high
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13 3/3/2014
Engineered
• Designed before manufacturing begins (sand, silt, clay balance) • Laboratory tested • Mechanically blended for homogeneous mix • Benefits: consistent mix, reliable playability characteristics, quality control
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Why Are Engineered Mixes Best?
• Higher expectations for baseball fields • More games = more revenue • Safety
• Evolution of sportsturf industry • Managers becoming more educated • Testing of infield mix becoming commonplace
• In the past, nobody knew what materials were being installed on infields. Now, having infield mixes engineered, manufactured, and tested to adhere to proper specifications is the norm.
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14 3/3/2014
How to Maintain Your Field
• Getting the infield mix correct is extremely important • But, no mix is maintenance‐free • Follow maintenance basics to get the most from your field
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Most Important!
Grade Water Management
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15 3/3/2014
Preseason
• Remove debris including grass clippings, weeds, garbage, etc. • Edge turf areas. • Check grade of field. Regrade and roll if necessary. • Nail drag field to loosen the surface if too hard. • Add conditioner as needed & mat drag to finish. • Perform mound & batters box maintenance.
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Pregame (Moisture Management) • If field is too dry, water until moist. • If field is too hard, water and drag until field is playable. • If field is too wet, let the infield dry naturally for as long as possible. When the field is dry enough to work without causing damage, nail drag the field only once and allow air to dry the infield. • Do not nail drag a field while it is raining or prior to an expected rain event. • If field has puddles, remove them • Use drying agents sparingly.
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16 3/3/2014
Pregame (Other)
• After the field is at the proper moisture level, add conditioner if needed. • Mat drag field, keeping the drag at least one foot away from turf areas. • Hand drag the skin along the edges of the turf. • Vary the starting and stopping points each time you drag. • Drag baseball baselines by hand lengthwise from home to first or third. • Install bases and line field.
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Postgame
• Perform mound & batters box maintenance. • Use a rake or hose to move infield mix off of the turf areas and back onto the infield to prevent lip build‐up. • Remove bases and mat drag infield. • To prevent puddles from forming, fix low areas on the infield.
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17 3/3/2014
Postseason
• Remove any lips that formed during the season. • Make any necessary repairs to the mound and batters boxes. • Add infield mix if field has gotten low. • Nail drag field as deeply as possible or till top three inches of field. • Regrade field and roll to compact.
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Thank You! Questions?
Rob Johnson Dena DiVincenzo 715‐258‐8566 715‐340‐3746 [email protected] [email protected]
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