Players standing in the dugout openings
 

The last couple of years, there has been an increase in this particular item, but this year during our HS Season it seems to have really increased....

Several umpires are making a point of addressing this in either the pre-game or during the game. I heard of one umpire that stopped the game four different times during an at-bat to tell players not to stand in the opening to the dugout.

Is this happening anywhere else? I'm trying to figure out where this came from.

Where the players stand in the dugout is not our concern...their conduct in the dugout could be, but that is a different issue.....

I'm just curious if this is a local thing or not...and it only seems to be an issue during the HS season. We do have a good portion of our HS umpires that only do HS for the three months of the year, so that could have something to do with it....

I will often point it out to a coach, certainly not stopping the game or any pre-game comment. No, it is not a rule and not our jurisdiction; but prefer to avoid any delay of the game for an unneeded injury. (Or blood on the field :eek:)

Why go out of your way and make up rules and for some?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Enforce them... Not 'for some'.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Andy, has been going on for years and has only been getting worse lately. As you know I personally ran into a partner who made a fit about the on deck circles having to be 45' from home plate and stopped the game several times to yell at players in the dugout openings and for being in the on deck circles he attempted to erase.

Another game I worked this year my partner on bases stopped play to tell the girls to get out of the dugout opening, only problem was both dugouts only had 3' tall fences and the players were all lined up along the fence cheering. What difference does it make if they were in the opening or not when the fence is only 3' tall?

Few years ago I was a spectator at a game and the plate umpire actually called no pitch after the ball had already been released by the pitcher to yell at a girl in the dugout opening. Now how the heck is he actually tracking the pitch if he was looking at the dugout to see a player standing there??????

I know it's been going on for years here...you and I have discussed it....

I'm trying to figure out if it is more than just local....

The big issue around here lately has been the coach sitting on the bucket outside the dugout/bench area - to the point where we reminded of it SEVERAL times during our meetings.

Actually its about one PITA assistant coach, who has been a nightmare for about 10 years, starting at the middle school level.

Unless they are standing or "leaning" into/over playable territory, the umpire is out of line. Don't know if they do that around here simply because it isn't the umpires concern.

I work with a few guys who always say "it's all about the girls safety" and continuously tell/warn players to get away from the dugout opening. My only response is "tell me the rule that covers that".

Then they should be coaches

I've been around a couple of these guys in the past 8 or 10 years. They're usually very "large" individuals. I always felt sorry for the bucket. :D

Did I miss something in this discussion? Where is there a rule that prohibits players from standing at the dugout opening, completely inside the dugout out of live ball territory? It's not our job to ensure players are out of the potential line of fire. There are all sorts of dugout configurations that put players in harm's way; are we supposed to tell those players they need to leave the dugout and go behind it?

Geez, talk about getting involved in something that isn't our business. We don't force pitchers and infielders to wear face masks. We don't direct on-deck hitters to pay attention in the circle and not swing the bat to warm up. We don't advise base runners to stop sliding head first because it's more dangerous than feet first.

Don't get me wrong; I'm concerned about player safety. But those concerns are born out of enforcing the rules about safety. We don't insert ourselves to push agendas that aren't aligned with the rules. If the girls want to stand in the dugout opening, that's on them and their coaches.

As I said, NO RULE, NO GAME STOPPAGE; just my caring for players and others, plus the game progress. I do believe in rapport with teams, not adversity.

I mention it when they are on the field. It always seems that they want to get further and further out onto field but still be by the dugout. Especially when there is a step up, always have players wanting to sit in edge with feet in live ball. That is a problem.

And face masks for infielders is coming boys. Next year or year after it will be required for corners and pitcher according to our local rules folks.

Manny....my point exactly. I'm just trying to find out if it is more widespread than just here.


I've already heard of some local areas and state HS associations requiring them. It won't happen from a national standpoint until there is a safety standard established similar to the NOCSAE stamp for batting helmets. Last I heard, NOCSAE hasn't even been asked to start developing a standard....