Quote:
Originally posted by DG
There is a difference between batter stepping out of the box and coach stepping out of the box. One carrys a defined penalty by rule, the other does not. The stepping out of the batter's box penalty is one that is routinely ignored by everybody I know. I have never seen it called. However, everybody I know is going to tell the batter to keep one foot in the box if he steps out when one of the exceptions does not apply. The original poster wanted to know how to handle this situation. Unless he wants to be an OOO he will keep batters in the box also, and save the penalty for an extremely rare situation.
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The comparison with the coaching box was just an analogy. Of course there's a difference. The
point was not that the rules are the same, rather, that many people
treat them the same; i.e. don't sweat it unless it becomes an issue.
I think telling the batters to keep a foot in the batter's box without assessing them a strike is fine and workable. It just sounds like a lot of unnecessary work (and badgering) for something that probably isn't affecting the game one iota. In other words, you're "fixing" something that's not broke.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN