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The Curiosity Correspondent: Getting the Angels baseball field ready is a lot of work

The Angels invite our Curiosity Correspondent to help prepare the field for a game. Little did our correspondent know, it’s actually a lot of work.

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Most people get to the baseball stadium with just enough time to grab a hot dog and drink, and find their seats.

Some, like our Curiosity Correspondent, arrive early enough to watch the field getting prepared.

Chalk lines are made, the pitcher’s mound is cleaned, the dirt raked beautifully even. It looks like work, but not a lot of work, right?

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Our Curiosity Correspondent thought not — and turns out he was very, very wrong.

Off the top, let’s establish how we had no idea it was the Angels’ “Christmas in June” event when we shot this and it was very odd to hear Christmas music all night. Is there one Christmas song you just hate?

I love them all. My mom begins Christmas music the moment Thanksgiving dinner ends, and it doesn’t stop until well after New Year’s. There isn’t a song i don’t know, and I will not hesitate to sing them to you.

Be honest: Neither of us really knew what we were getting into with just how much work this was, did we?

Not a bit. I thought mowing the lawn as a kid would have been more than enough training for this - and it wasn’t. It’s not a leisurely weekend task; there was a surprising amount of pressure to finish, and do it right - all the while thousands of spectators are streaming into the stadium for the game. Extremely nerve-racking.

When you were working on the chalk line, how nervous were you?

For some reason I put an incredible amount of pressure on myself to perform this task well. By this time the stadium was nearly full, there were baseball fans cheering along in encouragement, and I could see how my trembling hands were affecting the integrity of that line. I just didn’t want to disappoint anyone in the front few rows watching me do this. All I had to do was simply push the chalk hopper straight, while following the guide-line. They make it look easy!

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Was there any part of the preparation that surprised you?

The small amount of detail that goes into each and every step, from preparing the mound, to laying out the batter’s box — there were so many things that I just never thought about someone having to actually do that go into making a field ready for game time. Did you see how intricate we had to get for the Angel’s logo on the pitcher’s mound?

How tired were you at the end?

After pounding, raking, pouring, and placing all of the materials for the infield, I was more than happy to retire for the day.

Is this a job you could see yourself doing?

If all I had to do was relax in that incredibly comfortable locker room the team has for the grounds crew? I’d do it forever! I’ll leave all of that other stuff to the professionals.

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The helmet nachos at the end: how much of those did you actually eat, and how did that make you feel?

Please don’t mention the nachos.

To readers: Is there anything you’d like to see our Curiosity Correspondent do? How about audition for the Lakers cheerleaders? Try trapeze school? Let us know in the comments or email mark.potts@latimes.com.

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