Coaches' Box

It's a place to keep an obnoxius coach during the game.
It's like a "time-out" corner for little kids.

Although it really is the required place for base coaches to be, we umpires...most often ignore it.....until someone complains, then we enforce the coaches box requirement.....

then how come its only a half-box?

quote:

Originally posted by Bubble Butt:
then how come its only a half-box?

it is supposed to be complete, (by definition, a 2 dimensional box has 4 sides) but baseball convention has allowed it to become 3 sided. The thought was, who cares how far the coach stands from his runner as long as he doesn't get too close to the plate ot the field of play, thus the back line is usually missing.

I worked the NABF regional the other week and I had a coach complain about the other third base coach not being in the box. There was no lines on the field at all. He was about 25 feet down the line but well away from the line. I told the manager he was fine as far as I was concerned unless he was doing something more than just coaching. His contention was he was moving down the line as the pitcher started getting in his periferal vision. First of all the pitcher was right handed so he was facing the coach the whole time. Second the coach wasn't doing anything overt. And last these are adults that have been doing this a long time and should be used to any shenanigans by now. I left it alone.

We were in East Cobb and they had the most obnoxious coach I have ever seen at the 14U level. As the pitcher would start his delivery he would almost run towards home screaming to try to distract the pitcher and the ECB umps would do nothing. I have heard ECB umps are the worst homers but Im not sure but I also recently heard they got rid of the coach.

When a coach does something like your case, I'm getting rid of him. First time I explain his error in judgement, then any repeats gets him an early exit.

Picked this up from the NFHS website under rules changes for 2007:

Rule 3-2-1 was revised to state that one player or coach may occupy each coach's box while his team is at bat. A coach or player occupying the coach's box shall remain in the box from the time the batter enters the batter's box until the release of the ball by the pitcher. If the coach or player steps out of the box during this time, regardless of who violates the rule, the head coach will be restricted to the bench/dugout.

Beauty, eh?

There are some other interesting changes in store for 2007 also.

All I know is that alot of times with certain kids at bat, I am not real comfortable in the location of the coaches box and will back up and move down the left field line.

pilsner;

I hope this is a proposed change, and not approved. Once again, NFHS makes a rule that is absolutely ludicrous.

As an ump, there is enough things to be observing, balks, balls and stikes, etc. let alone the coach in the box.

I have the solution -3-man crew.

Pirate Fan,

This rule change was approved at the June 16-17 meeting in Indianapolis by the NFHS Board of Directors. It relates to base coaches leaving the boxes (most often toward the plate) and distracting or disrupting the pitcher.

As far as the 3 man crew goes it won't happen in my area. Something to do with a minor issue called money.

quote:

Originally posted by pilsner:
As far as the 3 man crew goes it won't happen in my area. Something to do with a minor issue called money.

and the number of qualified umpires!

You can't just take 3 good umpires trained in the 2 man system and tell them to do 3 man, it just doesn't work like that. It is a whole new learning process, and it takes time. IL is finding that they just don't have enough qualified 3 man umpires. They have gone to using larger crews on most rounds of the playoffs and there are constant mechanical problems.

The 3-man crew was a joke.

The real question, is how will a 2-man crew be able to watch the 3rd base coach.

Plate ump is focusing on calling balls and strikes, base ump is looking for check swings, balks, steals etc.

Unless the guy is overthere flapping his arms and causing a comotion, I find it difficult to focus on this.

This is another silly rule that NFHS has implemented.

Coaches should stay in the box while the pitcher delivers whenever possible. If there's a monster in the batter's box, the coach should be ablt to move farther from the plate but no closer to the field as a safety precaution. If a coach is trying to impact the game via distraction or steal signals, the umpire should eject him immediately.

If you are doing what you are supposed to be doing the BU is watching the pitcher deliver to see if he balks. If the coach is causing a distraction then you should be able to see it, at least in "B"
In "C" it will be tough. I don't see this as a big problem but maybe it is somewhere in the country. They usually don't make rules unless it's caused a problem somewhere.

One to share with ya. I was working an adult league softball game, my first year by the way. I knew both teams as I've also played for many years.
One of the team coaches was "one of my coaches" back when I played in LL (that's more than a couple years ago) scary to say but nearing 40 years ago.
At any rate "coach" was coaching 3B, after he'd arrived late, probably 3rd or 4th inning. I'd tried to give a wave or whatever to say hello, at near 80 I guess he didn't recognize me? So I'm running around busting my butt (one man) a big inning comes along for "coaches team" and there's a close play at 3rd. Coach is about 20ft. down the line towards home as he was trying to stop the runner rounding 3rd. He was too late, "OUT" I say's.

Coach is grumbling and chewing on the base runner for not watching him.

I say in my biggest umpire voice; "COACH, IN THE BOX". The look on his face and the puff of his chest as he spun on me, was more than I could take, I busted up. He stood there in his karate pose for several seconds before he realized who I was. "Hey coach" I say's, "that was for being late, your lucky I didn't make you run". All he could do was sputter something about, what the .... are doing here? Ah, the horns still show now and then.