Under Appreciated Jobs in Baseball part 4 of 5

There are few things more exciting for a die hard baseball fan then to stand on a professional baseball field and just enjoy the moment.  For the last two summers I have been given the opportunity to do just that on an almost daily basis.  Although over those two seasons I grew used to walking onto the field to some extent I still get that little rush of excitement and joy as I feel the grass.

This past season I was given a great opportunity to become a bit more active in different areas around the field.  I took photos of the players, some used for baseball cards, I helped shag balls during batting practice (which is more fun then I will ever admit), I even took some batting practice of my own on a few occasions, but the best part of this past season was getting to work with the 2nd most under appreciated job in baseball.

Second Place Goes To

We all see the field. We all enjoy the beauty of the green, neatly cut grass, and the perfect flow of the dirt in the infield, but we never stop to think ‘dang the grounds crew is really good.’  It is the grounds crew that puts in countless hours, from early morning, through the heat of they day, and some times late into the night making sure that the field is in the best possible shape for each and every game.

Fans only see the field, but I can tell you right now when I see a well kept field I see hard work and a lot of love for the game of baseball.

Perks of Grounds Crew

Now I’m not going to paint this picture as all doom and gloom.  There are some nice perks to being a part of the ground crew.  First off you get to work on a baseball field every day, and since baseball is a summer sport most of the days outside are pretty nice.

Second, you get to interact and get to know the players.  The grounds crew strives to make the field fit how the players want it.  Some infielders like the dirt a little dry, while others like it soaked before a game.  The daily interaction between players and grounds crew members allows for a good job to be done well and allows for relationships to be built.

Along with talking with players the grounds crew gets to talk with the coaching staff.  I have to admit that listening to Tom Trebelhorn talk about the different ballparks that he coached in and some of the different players he coached while in the major leagues is a baseball memory I wont soon forget.

Not So Happy Parts of the Job

Despite there being some great parts of the job there are a few things that aren’t so great and I think the best way to show these are to just list them as fast as possible.

• Every bad hop gets blamed on you.
• Every player who is too clumsy to walk and chew gum at the same time and slips going around first base is your fault.
• Every brown spot of grass in the outfield makes the fans think your lazy even though the temperature had been 95 degrees for fifteen days straight with no rain and a bunch of players scratching at the areas with their cleats.
• Having the opposing coaches complain about the bullpen mounds because they don’t have the angle of steepness that they so desire during their three game series.
• Every time an opposing coach complains because their dugout is flooded. (Okay so this may be a legitimate complaint but it can still get annoying)
• The worst is trying to take care of a field during a Babe Ruth Tournament.  Four games a day for a week straight is bad on a field, but add in the fact that its 14 and 15 year old players just makes it that much worse.
• Plus much, much more that would just take to long to list.

People may not realize it but the grounds crew can have a great deal of influence on a game for both the fans and for the players. Fans love to see a beautiful field and when they see one it helps them get into the mindset that this is baseball.  For players a well kept field can allow for the home team to trust how the ball will bounce, take advantage of knowing where to bunt a ball and how hard, and can even be a piece of the enjoyment that they get from playing.