Managing Traffic Around a Home Plate Area - Making a Plate Circle Larger

Baseball and softball seasons are in full swing.  Due to this, traffic around a home plate area can be an issue.  How to address this issue?  Consider making the home plate circle larger.  As a rule of thumb, I like to see the plate larger than the BP cage.  In other words, when the cage is on the field, all the players surrounding the cage are on the plate circle.  How is this accomplished?  Let's follow along below as the plate circle was expanded in Whiting a couple season ago.

The task, take a homeplate that had a 26 ft diameter and take it to a 32 ft diameter.  Also, raise the plate to ensure positive drainage while allowing the pitcher's rubber to be 10 inches above homeplate.    So, let's get to it......

First, the new diameter is measured and a line is painted in the turf.

Next, 4 inches of root zone sand was removed.

Then the plate was raised to allow for positive drainage.  Note the string lines set to make sure the plate is square with the pitchers rubber and the foul poles/bases.

4 inches of Dura Edge Collegiate infield mix was added to the perimeter of the plate.  Dura Pitch Mound Clay was installed in the batters boxes and catchers box.

The plate was then leveled with a board.  Positive drainage is ensured due to the laser leveling of home plate.

The plate was worked up and re-leveled with a bunker rake.

Finally, the plate was tire rolled and a finish drag was performed.

Not bad for a days work!

To learn more about Oil City Stadium in Whiting, click HERE.

Click HERE to learn more about DuraEdge products.

Go to j-dturf.com to learn more about J&D Turf.

Play on!
--Jamie