FieldTurf Baseball: Innovation Meets Tradition

FieldTurf is far and away the industry leader in artificial turf systems for baseball – whether for professionals, colleges, high schools, or municipal parks. FieldTurf fields deliver a stable surface to ensure fast, grass-like ball bounce and long-lasting performance. What better proof than the reduction of error rates? Both the Louisville Cardinals and Washington State Cougars reduced their fielding errors by over 50% after switching to FieldTurf.

FieldTurf Baseball System Innovations

• FieldTurf patents protect the firm sand/rubber infill mix that features a special top layer of rubber
• Without FieldTurf’s proprietary formula, which encapsulates the infill, rooster tails will follow any ball as it rolls over the surface
• Our outfield surface and warning track have different tangible properties, which alert the outfielder to the proximity of the fence
• FieldTurf has also created a unique “Convertible Tray System” for removable infields
• FieldTurf infields and basepaths are created from proprietary fibers for added durability, consistent ball bounce, and optimal sliding    

Baseball Firsts

• First infilled turf system to host a World Series (2008)
• First infilled turf system installed in an MLB Stadium
• First infilled turf selected for a college stadium
• First infilled turf product to play host to the World Baseball Classic
• First infilled turf used for an NCAA D-1 Baseball Tournament

 

University of Texas, Disch-Falk Field

Who’s Playing on FieldTurf?

Here is just a small sample of some of the high-profile organizations that play and/or practice on FieldTurf baseball turf:

	Minnesota Twins Toronto Blue Jays Tampa Bay Devil Rays Tokyo Giants Yokohama Bay Stars University of Cincinnati Columbia University Cornell University University of Illinois Kansas State University		Kent State University University of Louisville University of Michigan University of Minnesota Naval Academy Oregon State University University of Texas Washington State University University of Washington

 

World Baseball Classic

The World Baseball Classic is a baseball event that features many of the best players in the world competing for their home countries. FieldTurf fields in various countries, such as Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico and the Tokyo Dome in Japan, have hosted over 30 games in the tournament over its two editions.

 

The Ripken Experience, Myrtle Beach, SC

The Ripken Experience

Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother Bill created The Ripken Experience-Myrtle Beach, a $23-million facility in South Carolina that is as close to a dream complex as middle school players might have. There are six FieldTurf baseball fields at the complex to provide a safe, yet aesthetically beautiful setting, while recreating the magic of a traditional baseball field. The fields are modeled after three of baseball’s most historic parks -- the Polo Grounds (New York), Old Comiskey Park (Chicago), and Forbes Field (Pittsburgh). The facility represents the #1 venue in the country to host a baseball tournament. FieldTurf was selected for the nationally acclaimed facility because it replicates the play of good natural grass better than any other surface and has the best record for long-term safety and durability in the industry.

Evaluating Baseball Field Surface Quality

Jim Brosnan, a doctoral candidate in Crop and Soil Sciences, traveled the country gathering data for a study evaluating baseball field playing surfaces as part of the Penn State Turfgrass Research Project. The study compared the characteristics of skinned, natural, and infilled synthetic turf surfaces at all levels of play - from little league to the NCAA to Major League Baseball.

The study concluded that infilled synthetic turf surfaces exhibit strikingly consistent ball bounce across the playing surface. Regardless of whether the ball struck in front of home plate, on the third base line, or down the left field power alley, the ball response was the same. Small differences were found when comparing infill systems to natural turfgrass. Balls striking those surfaces lost 48% and 53% of their speed after the first bounce, respectively.

Research done by Jim Brosnan and Dr. Andrew McNitt.