Quote:
Originally posted by Ump20
I'm just wondering what you mean by "...out of the box by much more than is normally tolerated". Since we don't call the coach out of the box except by "request" of the opposing coach [exception the coach is much too close to the batter putting himself in what I determine to be harm's way] are we not saying that the coach is not where "you would typically expect him" rather than the distance away from the so called coach's box?
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It is important to offer a few salient facts before I try to explain what I meant by that phrase. Carl's explanation was certainly correct, but perhaps didn't go far enough. Then again perhaps mine will go too far.
1. The coach's box is 20' x 10', 15' back from the foul line and starts at a point directly opposite the base.
2. The casebook comment for OBR 4.05 says that coaches can be tolerated with one foot out of the box, standing astride or "slightly" out of the box. Given a normal stride, that probably adds about 2-3 feet, up to 5' at most, to the distance toward home from 3rd base, or toward the foul line, for example.
So on the occasions where, by rule, we "may" (not "must") ignore the coach's standing with one foot outside the box until the other coach complains, the coach can be as much as 22'-25' "down the line" toward home plate, and as close as 10' to the foul line. True? Now, as Carl points out, tradition has umpires allowing coaches even more latitude when signalling to a runner. That usually means a pace or two at most. Therefore a coach could reasonably be as much as 30' "down the line", or 1/3rd the distance toward home plate. All of this is tolerated. No further encroachment on the foul line should be permitted, even for signalling.
What would NOT be tolerated is a coach (a) running toward home plate with his back to the outfield and mimicing a runner, (b) being more than 1/3rd the way down the base line toward home plate, (c) being any distance up the base line past 3rd base, (d) being any closer to the foul line than about 10', (e) making noises or signals in the direction of the pitcher during a pitch in order to induce a balk, and (f) physically placing himself in the path of a base runner.
The coach in Jim Porter's scenario was well beyond the pale by virtue of extending (b), (d) and (f). He "moved down the line", which I took to be more than expected for merely signalling, and he deliberately put himself physically "in the runner's basepath". He deliberately induced the collision and he did it by being somewhere much further out of bounds than would normally be expected if signalling were his only goal. That's what I meant by "
...out of the box by much more than is normally tolerated".
When that happens during live action, there is nothing the umpire can do to prevent what follows. The die has been cast, and if the circumstances favour the offensive runner in either acquiring or re-acquiring a base, the interference penalty from OBR 7.09(i) should apply. This deliberate offense could also get the base coach ejected under OBR 4.05 Penalty. Even if the coach remained within the normal bounds, being outside the box would not be tolerated in any circumstances where it also interfered with the play in any manner. In short any time a coach is out of the box and in so doing collides with his own runner in circumstances where a play is being made on that runner, he has interfered with the play and a penalty could follow - even if the effect of that interference is detrimental to his own runner.
Cheers,
[Edited by Warren Willson on Mar 3rd, 2001 at 10:43 PM]