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exo
5 Posts |
 Posted - 08/29/2010 : 19:25:15
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| Just want to see if I am the only person that can't stand a fake mound. I don't understand with all the money these tournaments make why a real mound cant be built before tournaments start. We got to stop it some way some how. They are dangerous, no kids like them, players falling off of them, pick offs become harder because they fall off the sides, etc..............on and on. It's time to hold these parks that make the killings off the tournaments accountable for giving the kids a real mound. Okay, the mound is easy, it's replaceable, etc......Humm, middle school don't have them, high school don't have them, big leagues don't have them. Oh, but our 11 year old boys have to use them. Let's keep some old school stuff around. I say bring the real mound back. Get rid of the lazy mans mound. Let's take care of our kids folks. What's the census everyone...Real mound-Fake mound? |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 08/29/2010 : 21:34:42
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| I of course would rather have all dirt mounds at every field, but different ages play from different distances and I think these mounds are the best we are gonna get. I have seen some portable mounds that are tiny and almost fall off behind the rubber, and have also seen really good mounds with plenty of room. I think as long as the portable mound is a quality piece we are gonna have to make due. |
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MadSkills
128 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2010 : 09:40:26
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| Spartan is right, some of these parks have as many as 3 age groups playing on the same fields. 8's are 40', 9 &10's @ 46' and 11's are at 50ft. While dirt mounds are great, I've rarely seen one that didn't have a huge whole where the lead comes set as they pitch. The expensive portables are fine, those little ones are rough though. |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2010 : 11:13:18
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| Yea when posting last night I didn't even factor in maintenance on the real mounds. Some pitchers really dig in and I think tourney costs might even be a little higher if there was one man at the tourney just to put clay on the mound between every single game. |
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oldschooldad
203 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2010 : 20:06:23
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fake mounds are here to stay. The best are the large clay colored ones with ATPP. They are much better than some of the natural ones around. It takes a really skilled grounds keeper to make one and keep it in good shape for a few games let alone an entire tournament.
The small turf colored mounds with the abrupt step off the front are very dangerous. I've seen many kids nearly fall or twist an ankle. |
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Whitlow
211 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 00:28:17
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quote:
Originally posted by MadSkills
Spartan is right, some of these parks have as many as 3 age groups playing on the same fields. 8's are 40', 9 &10's @ 46' and 11's are at 50ft. While dirt mounds are great, I've rarely seen one that didn't have a huge whole where the lead comes set as they pitch. The expensive portables are fine, those little ones are rough though.
We have only been to a few tournaments that used real dirt mounds after a few games they had holes dug in them 4-6 inches deep. The kids were really struggling to pitch on them and no maintenance was done between games. I'd rather have artificial mounds than go though that any day. I have seen a few instances where the artificial mounds become slick due to the dirt/sand on them, but for the most part I think is it a better option for wear and tear. |
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chip
20 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 08:43:14
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| I could not disagree more. Fake mounds in general are steep and narrow and do not simulate pitching off a real mound nor prepare kids for pitching at a higher level. These mounds are not only bad for pitching but make itharder for a pitcher to field his positions. I have also seen balls deflect off these fake mounds leading to base hits- Sorry-thats not real baseball. |
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MadSkills
128 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 09:47:19
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quote:
Originally posted by chip
I could not disagree more. Fake mounds in general are steep and narrow and do not simulate pitching off a real mound nor prepare kids for pitching at a higher level. These mounds are not only bad for pitching but make itharder for a pitcher to field his positions. I have also seen balls deflect off these fake mounds leading to base hits- Sorry-thats not real baseball.
That's fine and dandy but how do you propose Triple Crown run tournament when say 3 different age groups might play on the same field? I saw one park try to have a 40 ft, 46ft & 50ft dirt mound, it looked like very silly out there no to mention confusing for the pitcher.
Even those fields with 2 pitching rubbers 46' & 50' have had confusion, heard one 10U game last year was played at 50' because they didn't know any better. I think we would prefer dirt mounds if kept up no doubt but it's not practical when playing tournaments. |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 11:16:48
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| I am pretty sure we were involved in that game MadSkills!!! But then again we also played a game with the wrong bases twice last year too!!! And Chip, I'm not a huge huge fan of ATPP (mainly the officials who feel the need to show who is in charge) but their mounds are by far the best portable mounds we play on. I agree that the small plywood mounds present some problems, but I would much rather mine throw from a high quality portable piece than a real mound that hadn't been taken care of. I think it is Larry Bell I could be wrong but that park is a nice place but the boys that pitch from 46 aren't even elevated(unless they changed it) a portable mound would fix that problem. Bottom line is they are here to stay and hopefully every TD around see's this thread and makes sure our boys only pitch from the best portable mounds around. |
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coachtony
236 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 12:43:08
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Personally, I like real mounds....who doesn't, right? But one thing I found is that the more the coaches and parents talk about it the more it gets into the boys heads. I simply tell them this....the other team has to pitch from the same mound! Whether its blazing hot, or raining, or the fields in horrible shape, or whatever I always tell the boys the same thing....the other team is playing on the same field so lets see which one of us can overcome it and still play our best!
--T
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tae281
447 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 14:15:57
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| Anybody play at Barnett Park 2 yrs ago on the little field in back? During one of the Triple Crown tournaments, they built a real mound and it was literally 2 foot high and wasn't right at all. It was scary watching a kid trying to pitch off that thing, we played Midway on that night and I'm sure Jim would agree with me on that. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 15:43:58
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I hate when parks turn on the sprinklers to keep the dust down and also wet the artificial mound making it slick. For the first inning or two, the pitchers front foot from both teams are sliding as they come down on it. I've found tennis shoes to be the cure for this.
East Cobb and West Forsyth both run the sprinklers, so if you're playing there, bring an old pair of sneakers. If you expect rain, bring the old sneaks too. |
Edited by - bmoser on 08/31/2010 18:08:59 |
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BatChipper
52 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2010 : 18:55:09
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We played on a field last year with a dirt mound but they were able to move homeplate back with plugs for the bases to match how the plate moves.quote:
Originally posted by MadSkills
quote:
Originally posted by chip
I could not disagree more. Fake mounds in general are steep and narrow and do not simulate pitching off a real mound nor prepare kids for pitching at a higher level. These mounds are not only bad for pitching but make itharder for a pitcher to field his positions. I have also seen balls deflect off these fake mounds leading to base hits- Sorry-thats not real baseball.
That's fine and dandy but how do you propose Triple Crown run tournament when say 3 different age groups might play on the same field? I saw one park try to have a 40 ft, 46ft & 50ft dirt mound, it looked like very silly out there no to mention confusing for the pitcher.
Even those fields with 2 pitching rubbers 46' & 50' have had confusion, heard one 10U game last year was played at 50' because they didn't know any better. I think we would prefer dirt mounds if kept up no doubt but it's not practical when playing tournaments.
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oldschooldad
203 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2010 : 09:26:55
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quote:
Originally posted by BatChipper
We played on a field last year with a dirt mound but they were able to move homeplate back with plugs for the bases to match how the plate moves.
Did they re-line the field each game after moving the plate? |
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BatChipper
52 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2010 : 17:46:22
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Really dont know. Just noticed plugs in the dirt behind homplate, that matched the four foot pitching difference between 9/10 and 11/12. Im sure it wouldnt be hard to do though, just drag it and give it new racing stripes.quote:
Originally posted by oldschooldad
quote:
Originally posted by BatChipper
We played on a field last year with a dirt mound but they were able to move homeplate back with plugs for the bases to match how the plate moves.
Did they re-line the field each game after moving the plate?
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