June 2, 2007
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Rain Delay Ramblings
Column By Rod Williamson
I thought I was signing up for easy duty. An internal call went out for volunteers to work the tarp crew in the event of a rain episode during the NCAA Baseball Tournament. We’re in the midst of a drought in Middle Tennessee; I assumed this would be a non-functioning committee.
Wrong!
Despite game operations personnel monitoring the radar minute-by-minute in the pressbox, the thunderstorm and high winds that struck about 3:25 p.m. came as a surprise.
If you have never pulled on a 170-foot by 170-foot tarp in a driving storm you haven’t lived. Everyone’s only thought is to get the infield covered as quickly as possible. Afterward, you realize how much energy you just expended – heart pounding and breathless.
The improbable duty gave us a chance to visit with the professionals on this week’s grounds crew – a 16-man team from Southern Athletic Fields, based in Middle Tennessee. Vanderbilt hired this top-rated company to insure its field was in immaculate condition.
Bill Marbet is in charge. In the past month, his Southern Athletic Fields has worked the National Junior College Tournament, the TSSAA Championships, the Ohio Valley finals and last week’s Southeastern Conference Tournament. They will work a Super Regional next week here, should the Commodores advance.
Marbet informs that it takes about 16 men to put down a tarp under normal conditions but after the water accumulates on the tarp, it requires at least two dozen guys to remove it.
The field at Hawkins Field is new, installed by Southern Athletic several years ago, so drainage is outstanding. Marbet said shortly before play resumed in the Austin Peay-Memphis game that after about an hour’s work the field was actually in better shape than just before the rains came.
NCAA Curfew
If you are curious about the schedule after the rain delay, it essentially comes from the NCAA. It has a standard policy that no game can begin after 11 p.m. local time. It takes 50 minutes to get the field ready and teams warmed up between games so the AP-Memphis game would have to end before 10:10 p.m. in order for the nightcap to begin.
Souvenir Sales Soar
The Vanderbilt Bookstore’s booth just outside the Hawkins Field main gates is doing a booming business with baseball merchandise. The hottest sellers are the SEC champion cap and t-shirt although the Under Armour inventory is dwindling, too.
You’ve heard those radio advertisements for the Tim Corbin instructional DVD. They are now in their third reorder, being sold to parents, little league coaches and fans who just want to understand the game better. Like all he does, Corbin put his best effort into making this a helpful teaching tool.
If you are coaching a sandlot team or have children or grandkids that are learning the game, think about this as a good stocking stuffer later in the year or something that could benefit them immediately.
A Tough Draw
There was some media chatter about what a difficult opening draw Vanderbilt received in Austin Peay, especially since the Commodores’ No. 1 national seed usually receives one of the weakest No. 4 seeds. That is one of the perks of being No. 1.
Arkansas, for instance, as a No. 7 national seed, opened with Albany and was able to post an easy win throwing its No. 3 pitcher. Had Coach Corbin tinkered with his pitching rotation, as some suggested, we could have ended up like eighth-seeded San Diego did – a loser when it didn’t pitch its ace in the opener. Not throwing David Price was never in Corbin’s thinking.
The Governors weren’t kidding when they said they felt insulted they were not seeded higher. Austin Peay was assigned to this regional more for its proximity to Nashville than the quality of its team. The Govs had beaten a good Mississippi State team in Starkville this year among some other impressive victories.