If you’re going to excel at baseball and play the game right, you need superb equipment that helps you perform. That includes balls, bats and gloves, obviously, but your field also needs to be outfitted with the right gear.
Primarily, that means a pitching rubber and bases. Team them up with a portable pitching mound that doubles as a regulation pitching mound, and you’ve got everything you need to practice and win games.
What is a Pitching Rubber?
Simply put, a pitcher’s rubber is a rectangular rubber slab. In the context of the game of baseball, the field dimensions, and pitching and batting, the pitcher’s rubber is where all the action starts.
So let’s start by outlining the dimensions. The pitching rubber has to be exactly 24 x 6 inches, and it has to be placed so that it’s exactly parallel to the front edge of home plate, which must be 60 feet, 6 inches away. Finally, the top of the rubber must be exactly 10 inches higher than home plate.
Those dimensions change at the lower levels, of course. In Little League the pitching rubber is 18 inches long, and the mound heights change from Little League to youth league baseball as well.
The width of the pitching rubber remains at six inches at all levels, though, so pitchers are able to establish a consistent delivery as they learn the skills of the game.
To further standardize things, the same size pitching rubber is also used in fast-pitch softball, although the pitching distances change in softball according to the ages and skill levels of the players.
The composition of the pitching rubber is also strictly mandated according to the rules of baseball. It has to be made of a hard white rubber compound that gives pitchers a firm enough grip to execute their delivery, and this compound is standardized at multiple levels of baseball.
History of the Pitching Rubber
So how did we get here? Specifically, how did baseball evolve to the point where a rubber slab was deemed necessary as the point of origin for every pitch in a given game?
Think standardization. If you take a deeper dive into the history of the game—we’re talking pre-World War II here—pitchers were allowed to start their delivery from any point on the mount, which led to all kinds of cheating and shenanigans.
Enter the pitching rubber. Making the mound dimensions standard and introducing a fixed pitcher’s rubber leveled the playing field when it came to cheating.
It also made the game more consistent. Pitchers were able to develop their skills to a higher level by practicing with the pitcher’s rubber and starting their deliveries at different angles.
Why You Need a Removable Pitching Rubber
Today’s baseball equipment has become specialized, and a removable pitcher’s rubber is a key component of that specialized equipment.
In addition to being a vital part of the field that will be used on game day, many baseball sports programs use portable pitching mounds that make it much easier to set up and organize a typical practice session.
But manufacturers like Victory Mounds that make this equipment know that pitching rubbers will eventually wear down and need to be replaced, especially if they’re used frequently.
As a result, removable pitcher’s rubbers have become standard equipment in the baseball industry. The swap out is quick and the replacement rubbers are inexpensive, so there’s no reason not to make the switch and go with a brand new removable pitcher’s rubber.
Quality Bases are Important Equipment
Now let’s talk about bases. To the uninitiated, they basically look like markers on the diamond that work mostly as boundaries to the field of play.
But there’s a lot more going on when it comes to their size and the materials that go into making them.
We’ll start with first, second and third base. They all have to be the same size, with a matching length and width of 15 inches.
Beyond that, there are three types of bases:
o Removable bases. A removable base is held in place by a metal anchor attached to the bottom of the base. This anchor is usually eight inches long, and the design is such that the base can absorb the impact of a hard slide.
Removable bases can also be taken out for daily cleaning. Their only downside is that they tend to be more expensive than the other two types of bases.
o Permanent bases. These bases are bolted in when they’re anchored, which makes them more secure. The fact that they’re permanent makes them harder to clean, though, and it does take some extra work to replace them when the time comes to do that.
o Mats. Mats are made of a rubber material that bends. Home plate is typically made of this material, but in a pinch you can use mat bases all around the diamond. They will make sliding tougher, but they’ll get the job done.
Mats are inexpensive, and most can be rolled up to transport. They’re also weather resistant, but they’re not as durable as permanent or removable bases, so you may find yourself replacing them more frequently.
Get the Right Equipment for Your Field: A Removable Pitching Rubber
So how do you know whether a removable pitching rubber is right for you? And what kind of bases do you need to buy? There are several factors that play into these decisions, so let’s touch all the bases and run them down.
o Budget. Many baseball programs operate on a tight budget, especially at the lower levels like Little League or youth league.
That dictates some of the decisions, but many coaches are surprised at the quality level of the equipment that’s available at an affordable price.
Don’t assume you can’t afford quality bases and removable pitching rubbers just because of your budget—you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.
o Quality level and materials. If you have the budget to invest in a portable pitcher’s mound, a removable pitcher’s rubber and high-quality bases, then you should make the investment.
You’ll be rewarded on the field when you see your team’s performance improvements, and your practices will be better organized.
You’ll also save some time on maintenance, and over time you’ll save money on replacement costs as well. Products from companies like Victory Mounds are built to last, so they’re worth every penny.
The Victory Mounds Pitching Rubber Solution
Rewrite for rubber and bases, mention tennis, track, football programs and team, order.
We’ve been making quality baseball equipment and removable pitcher’s rubbers for years, so we have a lot of expertise. We’ve been dealing with coaches who handle baseball, football, tennis, track, and so on, and we value our role as part of their team.
When you contact us, we’ll answer your questions, ask a few of our own about your program and needs, then recommend the appropriate product.
The process starts when you go to VictoryMounds.com to learn more about our products, then call us at 800 835 9460. If you’d prefer to email, you can contact is at info@victorymounds.com.