Batters boxes?

[CEJ1972]

Why is it not a Tssaa rule that batters boxes are required to be chalked out before a game and that the foul lines are clear and unbroken,even in the dirt?

[putboobieincoach]

Why is it not a Tssaa rule that batters boxes are required to be chalked out before a game and that the foul lines are clear and unbroken,even in the dirt?

Because umpires dont really care if the batters are in them or not

[glock22]

OK, say you have pristine batter's boxes when the game starts.  The first batter wipes out one box and the second the other.  What's the difference?

[DiamondDad]

You start that and then 15 mins before game time a team realizes that they're out of chalk/paint, what do you do then?  Force a team to forfeit? Wait til someone goes to a hardware store putting you back 30-45 mins at a minimum with a JV game to follow? It'll happen. 

 

I agree teams SHOULD have boxes, but if you say you can't start a game without them then you're in for trouble in some of the lesser funded areas.  

[putboobieincoach]

I think then at least it will give the umpire an idea of where the line was, and also if an umpire was to call a batter out for being out of the batter's box (the olympics are more frequent than this being called) then his defense would be the fact that the batter seen the lines before they were scratched out. If you start the game without a box the umpire will never be able to call a batter out for being out of the batter's box, because techincally, there never was a batter's box. (I will say it one more time just for fun; it never gets called anyway)

[MLREB]

I think then at least it will give the umpire an idea of where the line was, and also if an umpire was to call a batter out for being out of the batter's box (the olympics are more frequent than this being called) then his defense would be the fact that the batter seen the lines before they were scratched out. If you start the game without a box the umpire will never be able to call a batter out for being out of the batter's box, because techincally, there never was a batter's box. (I will say it one more time just for fun; it never gets called anyway)

 

 

Well...yes it is called but very very seldom because it is seldom that it occurs. If you want to watch players leaving the box go watch some girls softball. If that was called regularly it would change the game as it exists now.

[putboobieincoach]

Well...yes it is called but very very seldom because it is seldom that it occurs. If you want to watch players leaving the box go watch some girls softball. If that was called regularly it would change the game as it exists now.

A rule is a rule. Players purposely wipe out the lines, especially fast runners so they can get up in the box on drags. The bigger issue I really have would be batter making contact with the batted ball outside of the box. How can you call that without a box? You cant.

[skydogg25]

I think then at least it will give the umpire an idea of where the line was, and also if an umpire was to call a batter out for being out of the batter's box (the olympics are more frequent than this being called) then his defense would be the fact that the batter seen the lines before they were scratched out. If you start the game without a box the umpire will never be able to call a batter out for being out of the batter's box, because techincally, there never was a batter's box. (I will say it one more time just for fun; it never gets called anyway)

At the Silverdale/South Pitt game Monday it did get called for an out:}

[cocheese]

I'm just curious, but does anyone on here know the actual rule? When do you call a batter out for being out of the box? Is it one foot? both feet? Is it where the foot is when contact is made? What if no contact is made? What if the toes are out and the heel is in? What if the batter takes his stance with his back foot on the chalk line(assuming there is one)? Just curious to see the answers, I bet we get a lot of different ones. When I umpired, this was the one thing that fans would yell and scream about constantly, all the freaking time. I'm standing a foot away, I can see very clearly if he is out or in, and yes I called a batter out for this infraction on two separate occassions. It was actually the same player, but two different games and actually two different seasons. Let's hear those answers!

[DiamondDad]

Just to be clear, and I think it's usually a bit misunderstood, the foot has to be completely outside of the box and not at all touching the line.  I think most assume that it's if any part of the foot is crossing the line then they're out of the box and that's just not true. Also contact has to be made for it to be an out. 

 

When i was coaching when my kids where coming up, I inquired to the umpire about a kid being out of the box on a pitch that was a good bit outside.  He asked me, "do you want me to watch his feet or watch the ball and swing?" I said both and we had a laugh but in thinking about it, I would assume that's a pretty tough call on most of the guys back there.  It's gotta be pretty egregious I bet.

[CEJ1972]

I guess I see it as part of the playing field. If there are rules surrounding it then they should be in place. Just like coaches boxes and foul lines. If you hosting a region championship game these things should be painted or chalked. The foul line in the dirt at 1st and 3rd base needs to be there. Not a painted line in the grass that was painted two days before and mowed the day of the game. Now neither one of these things had a bearing on the outcome of the game. Just a pet pev!!

[putboobieincoach]

Yeah, the foot has to be over the chalk completely to my understanding. And I also agree that it is hard to ask the home plate umpire see the batter out of the box on the swing. The other umpire in the field can watch this as well though, but might not be close enough to see for sure.

 

 My main concern is the ball hitting the batter while he is out of the box, which should be seen by both umpires. But, like I said earlier, if the box isnt there, you cant call anything as an umpire.