Lining a Baseball Field

Clubhouse Gas Casey: You always here that baseball is a game of inches whether it’s the pitcher’s mound and its 60 feet 6 inches or a ball that was fair or foul by just this much or maybe a pitch misses the outside corner by just an inch. What about this measurement? I guess that really does make it a game of inches. We’re going to explore this and a whole lot more today on Clubhouse Gas. It’s my pleasure now to be joined by Jim Lloyd. Jim thanks for joining us. Jim: It’s a pleasure to be here how about you Casey: How about you start off by telling us how long you’ve been involved with youth athletics. Jim: I started coaching with my son as a sort of as a dad helper in 1980 and became an official coach in 1982 Casey, became a manager in 1993. Casey: So you’ve been a manager for 14 years and that’s pretty good math and you’ve been involved in coaching for what 27 years now. Jim: Absolutely. Casey: A lot of what we’re talking about today though doesn’t have to do with coaching baseball; it has to with maintaining the facilities with the baseball. How long have you been doing that? Jim: I’ve been doing that about 9 years. Casey: What do you enjoy, do you enjoy getting out there and getting the fields up or coaching and working with the boys? Jim: I like coaching and working with the boys more but there’s a certain affinity for doing those fields to that once you start doing that and getting those ready for those boys to come play on it gets in your blood. Casey: When you see them out there playing and having a good time on something that you work so hard on it has got to be a real blessing to your heart. Jim: You know more than that you mentioned, more than that, I remember the first time I stepped on a prepared baseball field, the magic of that and I tried to give that to the kids because everybody has that first time when you step out there and its green and the lines are perfect and the mound is there and it’s brown and the grass is green and the sand is smooth or the dirt whatever you’re playing is smooth, there’s nothing quite like that. Casey: Obviously as a coach traveling to different ballparks and you see how other people prepare their fields. There’s got to be something that’s a pet Peewee urge when you see it and you go oh maybe that wouldn’t happen to my part. Jim: Well absolutely because when you’re a perfectionist it’s a curse and I would go to another park and I’ll see if those lines don’t meet where they are supposed to meet and those batters boxes on there right away, the guy didn’t know what he was doing. Casey: [Laughs] Jim: And I feel a little sense of pride. Casey: Now the rumor around here had a chance to talk to a few of your colleagues and the rumor on here coach is when you’re team is playing it never rains and all your bunts stay fair. Is that true? Have you have anything to say to those coaches you told me earlier? Jim: Casey, I’ll tell you what you go back and tell those comedians let them get themselves out there and try to get a field ready to play. Casey: Alright you heard that guys. Coach Lloyd says you go out there and give it a shot, what do you say you get out of here and you show me some tips and maybe I’ll help you out in the field a little bit. Jim: You know its hot today and I do need some help, would you mind helping me. Casey: I could use to sweat of a couple of pounds. Jim: Good deal. Let’s do it. Casey: Let’s do it. Alright coach so we’ve talked about this at great length and I think that I’m ready to help you out you’re lucky you got a lot to get done today because— Jim: I need a little help today Casey would you mind lining off with side for me today. Hey not a problem. Casey: Hey not a problem. Jim: Alright fantastic. Casey: You take that. Jim: Alright good. Now that’s your traditional lining machine right there, it’s used all over the country it’s a combination machine that you can use either baseball or football but for the most part yup those down there, for the most part I just use that one right there. If you’ll open that trap door, their alignment playout and you can line her off. Casey, try to stay on a straight line now. Left Casey; left more left Casey. That’s better good. Good job Casey good job. You notice I have a positive influence. Casey: Coach I’m real sorry I know you trust me do that line, it was kind of crooked, I apologize. Jim: You know what I played a little joke on you Casey. I’ve got a tool here that makes the job a whole lot easier so we’re going to try it one more time using the tool. Casey: Alright redo. Jim: This is a cord reel you got this little stake on the end we put it down right here at the home play and I’m going to run it out there to first base and the you can run a straight line down there, okay. Casey: Theoretically, alright coach. Well today we’ve learned from Jim Lloyd that keeping the field looking good is not all that easy but it’s extremely important so these boys can come out and lay in the dirt I’m going to get out of here and work it for them and smooth it out. I’ll see you guys here tomorrow on Clubhouse Gas. I’m Casey Bass. See you everybody.