NFHS Baseball R1-S2-A3 (On-deck Circle)

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

but when it comes to summer baseball and fast pitch softball, my partners and I have been getting a lot of grief from coaches, parents, and leagues/tournaments when we require on-deck batters to warm up on their team’s dug out side of the diamond.

Softball, other than rec-ball house leagues and I'm not sure about U-Trip the only orginazation I know of that allows the ODB to warm up on either side is NSA.

[DG]

As an umpire I would refuse to give in to the 12' behind the batter mentality. It's not safe there, 37' away may not be either but it's better than 12' behind the batter.

As a Coach I would have my batters warm up behind the dugout if 12' behind the batter is the tournament rule.

[umpduck11]

Originally Posted by DG

As an umpire I would refuse to give in to the 12' behind the batter mentality. It's not safe there, 37' away may not be either but it's better than 12' behind the batter.

As a Coach I would have my batters warm up behind the dugout if 12' behind the batter is the tournament rule.

I'm curious as to why the rules set the minimum distance at "37 feet", if any closer would be safe, as the rest of the rule would imply. 12 feet surely isn't very safe.