Why are baseballs not used dirtY?

Answer 1

Let's start by defining dirt. Clay is dirt, particularly if you live in a state like Ohio where most of the soil contains a lot of clay. If I take a sample in my back yard it's mostly clay. I suspect you live in a state like Florida where most of the soil is very sandy, so dirt to you is more sandy. All infield mix contains some amount of clay. We like to keep it in the 30 to 40 percent range. A lot of fields use a mix that is has to much clay, and that makes them very hard. The reason for having clay in the mix is to keep the surface firm, and allow the ball to bounce correctly. If the Baseball dirt is to sandy the ball stops to quickly, and it makes for a boring game. When you say clay you might also be asking about the course material that many field have on top that is normally red. That is brick dust, calcined clay, limestone, or shale. These materials keep infield surface loose in dry weather, and provide better footing after a rain. I'll include a link to my page. I talk about all these things in great depth there.

Answer 2

In the majors, dirty balls can heavily affect the way the pitchers and fielders throw. So dirt can make it slip out to easily, affecting their grip