Umpire Mechanics

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

No more so than if they had been playing with regulation batter's boxes marked. Again, totally my judgment as to whether or not they made contact with the ball outside of the box.

If the lines are wrong or non-existent, it boils down to the umpire's best judgment as to whether or not a batter is in the box. Best way to handle it is to make it clear in the pregame conference that you know the boxes are wrong, and that the lines will not be used to judge whether or not a batter's in the box.

Last night, I was calling on a field where the crew chalks only the outside and back lines to the box. The front line and line closest to the plate are always missing, so it's my judgment as to whether or not they're beyond the lines.

One guy decided to get cute with me about it and stepped into the box with one foot about an inch or so from the plate. I told him to get back. He fussed and grumbled. Long story made very short, his attitude and attempt to show me up afterward earned him the first ejection of the year.