Treatment for Wet Soil in a Baseball Infield

Water needs to be quickly drained from a baseball infield.

Heavy rains can do tremendous damage to a baseball field. While a little rain helps keep a field moist, too much rain can cause standing water to accumulate. It is important to adequately drain an infield before starting a baseball game.

Using Sunlight

Wait for the rain to stop. Do not begin working on the field while it is saturated. You will sink into the mud and only make the field worse. Allow the sun to dry the infield as long as you can before walking onto the infield.

Standing Water

Use a roller to push the water off the field. Use a roller instead of a rake or push broom because rakes and brooms remove too much dirt with the water and cause depressions on the field. Use buckets or hand pumps to help remove extremely large puddles of standing water. Dig a drainage trench only as a last resort, as this will damage the field.

Applying a Drying Agent

Spread a drying agent onto the worst areas of the infield. You also can use cat litter in an emergency situation. Allow the drying agent to soak up water for several minutes. Spread the damp material into any shallow depressions or gullies with a rake to help level out the playing surface of the field.

References

• MLB Network: How to Maintain a Baseball Infield
• NCYBA: Getting Fields Ready After Rain