Wiping out field lines
 

Regarding the new ASA rule for 2006 about warnings/penalties for either the offense or defense wiping out chalk lines on the field - Has anyone had this come up in a game yet, and have you called it? Are the coaches aware of this new rule? I was told by my board not to be 'nit-picking' and go looking for it, yet I only learned of the rule at my board's pre-season mandatory rules clinic.

I thought this was a high school (NFHS) rule change. Not ASA

David

Nope, not ASA.

The players can do whatever they want to the lines as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, Fed coaches are aware because it can get them restricted to the bench on the 2nd violation

Nothing in high school ball this year. I had 2 partners call this in college games.

If I see it, it's getting called.

It's a NF rule this year. Of course I would probably call it if they get rid of the lines before I do . . .:D

For FED, it was emphasized at a preseason clinic for coaches. We were told to call it (penalty strike or ball and warning.) It might have been emphasized because everyone around here did it.

In a high school tournament, we did call it on the lead off batter of a private Christain school that was not used to playing under NFHS rules.

Get this...

My wife is an assistant coach for a local high school team. She told me that the head coach told the girls the new rule at the beginning of the year, and told them to take out the lines during pre-game warm up instead! Lines that they leave unwiped (that may later be a problem to him) are erased when he shuffles up at the pre-game conference at home plate. That way the girls don't get a warning, and he is safe.

I could easily take care of that (and I WOULD) by telling the coach he needed to put the boxes back down before we start . . .

Actually, what I would do is thank the coach for making the boundaries of the boxes to be entirely my judgment so that there will be absolutely no complaints about my calls.

Haven't tossed anyone at the pre-game in a long time :)

I'm with Tom. That makes EVERYTHING concerning the BB my judgment.

I actually saw a batter do this twice in the same at bat. Or so I thought.

She was in the BB, and was kicking out dirt to make a hole and some of the dirt oblitered part of the BB line on two occasions.

I would have likely called it, but I'm not the umpire :D

The Fed rule says that the player must 'intentionally remove the lines'. If a player is rearranging the dirt to make the batters box suitable for her at bat and it covers up a line, I'm not going to assume that she 'intentionally removed a line'. I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt.

It certainly is gray area in my mind.

Mark,
I don't think you're giving the players enough credit. Of course they are going to make it look like they're just rearranging the dirt in the batter's box. That batter intentionally rearranged that dirt and in doing so, removed the lines - that's intent, call it. They know what they are doing.

Speaking ASA

This is nothing. Welcome the reconfiguration of the BB as a challenge to the umpire's judgment skills ;)