Batters box

[Roger Bridges]

About 15 minutes left in a 12u game,home team has BEEN WORKING HARD to kick the dirt around to remove all traces of the chalk,obviously coached to do it,PU (me)gets bat from batter and draws batter box as best as possible home team coach announces hes protesting because the box is too small!its about 11 p.m.,i dont think his protest would have been upheld,but thinking quickly i remember the grounds keeper is STILL THERE,so i get him to restripe the batters box,negating the protest,and everyone was happy.It only took about a 5 minute delay. Handled properly or improperly?Keep in mind,i had only called about 50 games previously.

[SWFLguy]

delay of game--- 5 yard dead ball penalty
---- oops wrong sport---

I probably would not have had the grounds crew
re-line the box---
was the batter crowding the plate, standing too
far back in the box, or a slap hitter moving forward
too far ??

I would likely only draw a line with the bat
where the problem existed:

i.e. front of box, edge of box along the plate,
or back of the box

typlically the only situation where you'd
be calling a batter out would be if they
had their foot on the plate when hitting--
or right in front of it as when reaching to
hit an outside pitch

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by Roger Bridges
About 15 minutes left in a 12u game,home team has BEEN WORKING HARD to kick the dirt around to remove all traces of the chalk,obviously coached to do it,

No problem. If the pitcher is ready, direct the batter to enter the box. 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, Strike!

PU (me)gets bat from batter and draws batter box as best as possible home team coach announces hes protesting because the box is too small!its about 11 p.m.,

Two things here:

1. Never take a bat from the batter to draw lines (with one possible smart-*** type exception), not your job and it makes what is your job more difficult. If they choose to erase the lines, it makes your judgment calls on this level less arguable. What is a coach going to say, "her foot was right were the line was?" Umpire's response: "Coach, if your batters hadn't obliterated the lines, I would have had a much better visual aid to make that determination."

2. Smart-*** type exception (not recommended): If the batter chooses to draw lines in an attempt to show you up, feel free to take the bat and draw and arrow toward the dugout and out the gate to the parking lot

i dont think his protest would have been upheld,but thinking quickly i remember the grounds keeper is STILL THERE,so i get him to restripe the batters box,negating the protest,and everyone was happy.

Nope, don't do it. Next thing you know, the teams will want you to redo the circle, 3' lane, etc. If it isn't done for every team in every game of that tournament, it shouldn't be done at all

It only took about a 5 minute delay. Handled properly or improperly?Keep in mind,i had only called about 50 games previously.

You'll learn. Good luck.

[Dakota]

I won't draw lines with a bat or anything else.

If lines are present I will use them. If lines are not present, I'll use my judgment.

When batters obviously try to scrub out the lines, I declare "batter up" and begin the countdown in my head.

If they don't get the hint, I might suggest you call TIME, order the batter away from the box and go have a very brief discussion with the coach - something like this...

"Coach, the batter's box lines help me judge the proper position of the batter. Without those lines the size of the box is purely my judgment and I've noticed that I have a tendency to make the box smaller."

[Roger Bridges]

All very good responses,thank you! I especially liked the one about drawing the arrow! Actually they SEEMED to all be crowding the plate,coachs idea for getting some kind of an advantage i guess. However i wont draw the lines again

[Roger Bridges]

The scary thing is im starting to understand Mikes humor!

[whiskers_ump]

Roger,

If doing NFHS in 05, deilberate removal of field markings
by coaches and players is not permitted. Unmakred fields
jeopardizes safety and the integrity of the game. However,
this new ruling by NFHS will be a problem. Most schools in
this area play two games. JV, then varsity. Can't see a
coach marking fields between the two games, and I definiately
am not drawing or linning batter's box are any other field
markings.

[bkbjones]

There is one more smart-*** type response, which I have used more than once. I don't recommend it for everyday use, and it ain't for everybody, but it darn sure makes a point. Learned it from an old umpire in the last millennium.

Called a strike on a batter on a pitch that was on the outside third of the plate. Batter took exception, reached across the plate and drew a line about six inches from the plate on the other side.

I briskly hustled (of course!) out from behind the plate and cleaned the dish. The dish didn't need cleaning, but got cleaned just the same. On my way back, I dragged a foot about another four inches outside the line drawn by the batter.

Got back in there and wanted to say play ball, but the catcher was laffin so hard that we had to wait a few extra seconds. Batter was not amused but got the bat off the shoulder...

[Roger Bridges]

So in nfhs or asa,its tuff asking someone to please not kick the dirt on the lines! Whats the best way to handle it?

[Roger Bridges]

john: Quick thinking! I like it when the catcher is laughing! I dunno,but when calling the plate,the catcher and i seem to always have a great time! I love it!

[DNTXUM P]

Sweeping the plate when clean is good, except while I am sweeping, I tell the catcher that the the batter has just drawn her new strike zone(actually anywhere close will do).

[SC Ump]

I was not aware of the new "don't remove the lines" rule that is coming out. In the past, when the lines were either erased or just disappeared on a sandy, unmaintained field, I will redraw them with my foot if I find that a player is not in the batter's box when they are initially getting ready for the pitch. For the batter that steps out of the box while hitting a pitch, we can only use our best judgment.

I would not have the ground's crew redraw the batter's box, because I know the dimensions perfectly.

Interesting note... in SC NFHS, we are instructed to insure the catcher's box is also drawn. This was tough to get the teams to do the first year it was required, but they are okay with it after a couple of years. I bet it will take a couple of warnings to make them stop wiping out the lines as they have in the past.

[whiskers_ump]

Originally posted by DNTXUM P
Sweeping the plate when clean is good, except while I am sweeping, I tell the catcher that the the batter has just drawn her new strike zone(actually anywhere close will do).

Good, another Texan on the boards. Mike will love it.

Welcome DNTXUM P - Where you located?

You can always use NCAA's version of the rule. Call a
strike on the batter.

[3afan]

i just tell the batter - "hey, thats my line, please leave it alone.". that has always worked ......