speaking asa is their a rule restricting players to their teams on deck circle, if so does anyone know the number.

ASA Rule 7 Section 1B clearly states where they belong.

"speaking asa is their a rule restricting players to their teams on deck circle, if so does anyone know the number."

You're ASA certified, and don't know how to look up a rule?

I know, the question was for ASA, however, AFA requires
the batter to be in the on-deck circle <u>behind</u> the
batter. A safety thing? How? You can get hit standing
in either position.

You're ASA certified, and don't know how to look up a rule

you are right i am asa certified, however i had to find the rule very quickly as a coach in a tournament was balking at the rule. I was looking for it simontainsioly when i posted my question, my apoligies to anyone i offended by asking a simple question.

ref5678,

I am sure Bob meant no harm. Have a suggestion. Use
the Caps key now and then. It helps when reading posted
questions.

I guess I kinda lost my cool, had a hard tourney today. By the way thanks for pointing out the things with the caps

The theory is that there are more late swingers than pull hitters. What this doesn't address is the potential friction caused by being near the oppositions dugout.

Speaking ASA J.O. girls fastpitch...

The restriction of the ODB to the circle on the same side as her bench, assuming it is for the reason of avoiding opponents bench harrassment, is not necessary most of the time, and when the harassment occurs, there are ample tools in the USC area for the umpire to deal with it.

A local rule allowing the ODB to use either circle is very common, and IMO, ASA should officially allow it for JO play.

No, I don't think so. A team selects or is assigned a dugout. With that dugout comes the "on deck" circle. That is your side of the field. If the field meets specs, there is plenty of room. If not, only if it is a safety issue is an ODB permitted to move elsewhere.

But there are more issues than that. To begin, coaches certainly are not going to scream across the field to give their hitters last second instructions. But one of the biggest issues as to why there is an ODC is so that there is a designated area to which the ODB is restricted. This way, an ODB cannot get nearer the plate and try to get familiar with the timing of the pitch. Apparently, this is a big thing and has lead to serious injuries in stick-and-ball games at many levels.

Of course, you would also have the chatter and then the defensive coach complaining that the catcher cannot see the coach's pitch signal if they get in the way, etc, etc, etc.

It is real simple and a matter of organization. A place for everyone and everyone in their place.

Mike Rowe posted:

<i> This way, an ODB cannot get nearer the plate and try to get familiar with the timing of the pitch.</i>

Being behind the batter in the ODBC would put batter in
same distance from plate as being in the ODBC on other
side of the plate. No advantage as far as being nearer
the plate. Or are you just stating the reason for the
ODBC?

That's all I stated. If I remember a year or two ago, there was some college baseball game, and I believe it was repeated in a military game (or maybe that was just an episode from JAG), where the first batter of the inning walked near the plate during the pitcher's warm-ups and took a few practice swings trying to time the pitch.

Apparently, the pitcher took exception and the college player ended up in the hospital with serious damage to his head after the pitcher drilled him with the ball.

Gotcha, I figured you were referring as to why there was
an ODBC and not to the fact that batter was in front or
behind the hitter.

Dixie also requires that the on deck batter stand in the batter circle behind the batter. They claim that it is a safety thing.

Skaht - where do you see that rule... can't find it.