We need so much help on the Satellite field and we spent a lot of money on it as well.
4 1/2 hours were spent on the field Saturday for play on Sunday, including soaking the infield, pulling weeds out of the basepaths, cutting the IF grass, working the mound, batters boxes and lining the field. We dragged the infield before the Yanks-Giants game and watered the skin as much as time would allow and lined/dragged the IF before the Marlins-Reds game as well. The skin was still very dusty. We're still working on it, hoping to get the right mix and eliminate the dust. Cook Park does a great job; perhaps we need to tap into their approach to getting it right.
But unless we get more guys to chip in and do this work at the Satellite, that field will have been a wasted effort - especially for the 20 or so guys who came up to spread dirt in the OF for 8-9 hours on Saturday in late June. Not to mention, the school was supposed to cut the OF grass, but stopped in early July. It's not fun spending three hours on a 42-inch cut riding mower cutting grass on what amounts to a battle field. Felt like a Smart car on a war-torn road in Beirut. Even the mower got tired of it and shut down before it was all said and done.
Guys, we are trying. We bought a riding mower and it was a lemon. Had to return it and get our money back. My rider broke down twice. What we are looking for is a rig to not only cut grass and drag the IF, but one strong enough to dig and turn over the dirt and mix it with the clay that only 2-inches below the top. Anyone got one for sale, we're all ears.
We know we need to replace the OF. It's full of crab grass and that stuff ain't easy to kill. Plus, we're hamstrung by the school. We can't use pesticides on the field. The field wasn't put there for adults; it's for youth ball. Voor. wasn't or has no plans to bring it up to our expectations. It will never be used for varsity baseball, let alone ball played by former college and pro players.
Yes, the fence is a mess now, too. Anyone know where we can get a portable, yet durable fence that we can put up and take down on a moments notice when the school asks? Plus, the people to do it. Scott busted his butt to do that for us.
I agree, John, it's not a playoff calibre field. But I get pissy when guys can see weeds growing in the basepaths and can't be bothered to bend over and pull them out. If both teams lined up along the basepaths before a game, the weeds would have been gone in 5 minutes. One person doing it took almost an hour.
Personally, I don't mind guys pointing out problems with the field. Not that we don't know the obvious. I'm not a groundskeeping pro, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn express last night, but what we need is help, expertise and equipment. The fight to get the field like we want is a tough one for sure. But once we get it to our expectations, it will be as good as any we play on. If we don't get the help, then we might as well cut our losses and move on. But if we do that, remember, cost will go up because Voor. gives us that field on the cheap.
-- Edited by sfgiants on Monday 26th of August 2013 04:27:13 PM
45 GM'S - every effort needs to be made to find another field for the playoffs to replace the satellite field. Having played there yesterday, the field is just not ready to host playoff games. Although the mound and plate areas are very nice, the rest of the infield, as well as the outfield is just unacceptable, not to mention the rag-tag fence with all its holes. Cook park could be an option, b or c diamond, hayner's field in half moon? We need to do better..
Thanks for the early heads up on the play off schedule.Only one question..why don't we alternate fields???Seems only proper that all teams share the better field during playoffs..especially during playoffs???seedings should have nothing to do with what you field you play on. Mark Braves
2 Statements as a follow up to these posts ..... although i suppose i will make it 3 statements and start with the fact that i emailed scott bonanno who is out of town to alert him to these discussions
1 - Mark - i don't disagree with your statement ..... part of it may have to do with the fact that scott is on a lower seed and is trying to make sure no one thinks he is favoring his team
2 - Jonny - the 45 fields are all paid as a lump sum and the fields for all of our playoff games have been paid for .... so if we go and schedule 10 games at Cook park that is $750 or whatever that has not been included in the budget and needs to come from somewhere.
My suggestion is rather than deal with this stuff on the bulletin board it should be addressed by the GM's via email .... Scott has been right on top of things all year and i am sure will address all of this stuff promptly.
Please allow me to clarify: My post was not an indictment on Jonny Martin or any individual on a personal basis.
Simply to let everyone know that we need help for that field to be playoff quality, which the OF is not at this time. But, as John Corrigan advises, the field is already paid for so moving the games will cost additional revenue.
Being an idealist, my hope is that in the spring we have every member of CDMSBL come out to tear up the OF and reseed, cover with hay and set up a watering system thru sprinklers on timing mechanisms.
Being a realist, I'm hoping to get half that many bodies.
