[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by Manny A

We never set a dead ball area/line for the rest of the outfield that wasn't fenced in, so why should we have done so with the woods? Safety, the field itself should be a relatively even and level surface with little to no variation in consistency or texture of the ground. The area beyond the field may vary in ground level, texture, and even inhabitants. Do we really want players, especially young players running into the woods to get a ball and not paying attention to where they are stepping or what they are stepping on? The last thing an umpire needs from a legal standpoint is to say the rulebook says we don't have a line, so a child runs into the woods, steps on a tree root/branch, ect or a wild animal, and becomes injured. By stopping play so the player may slow down and safely enter the area to retrieve the ball, we are helping to create a safer environment for the participants.

And I've seen both in baseball and softball fields where there is no fence in the outfield, and we play all-you-can-get if the ball just goes and goes. This is fine is the field is relatively level in terms of playing conditions. If there is no fence, but you have 600 feet to an obstruction (have a JV field I've work like this in right and center fields, left field fence is the baseball diamond fence, at about 150 and sloping away from the softball diamond), then the situation is simply, chase it until you can't chase it anymore. The only time this can't be used is when there is a potential safety hazard to the participants.

Most rule sets I'm familiar with set no max limit on how far a fence can extend from home plate (ASA is an exception). Most books list a recommended distance. Even OBR says fences can be "XXX feet or more". So if a field has no fence, why the need for a line?Again, safety for the participants. The line should designate a condition which would be unsafe for the participants.

Personally I have an issue with saying that a ball hit into the woods 350 feet from home plate would be a GRD, when the batter-runner may be at 3rd base before the ball gets there. I feel it should be the umpires judgment where would the batter runner have advanced to had the obstruction not been in place.