Silly coach

[refump10]

Had the back end of a V/JV dh on the plate yesterday.  JV ball tends to be relaxed around here with open substitutions, extended batting orders, etc.  Anyway, H F1 warming up between innings and V B4 is a lefty and starts to come around the plate to get to the first base side of the plate to time the warm-up pitches.  I just gave him a friendly wave and told him to stay over there on the third base side and back up near the on-deck circle.

 

The first base coach was making his way around the back of the plate to the coaches box and questioned me about it.  "But he's left-handed!"  A discussion ensued about how he thought that wasn't fair to the left-handed batters to not be able to go around to the first base side.  "Yeah coach, but their righties don't get to go around to your side, either."  He said he had never heard of that before with that faraway look in his eyes and you could just see the wheels spinning.

[Thunderheads]

ok, I'll bite .... why can't he go over there?

 

go over between pitches ...what's the big deal?

[maven]

NFHS 1-2-3:

"The on-deck circle should be to the side and away from home plate, 37 feet if space allows. Neither team's players shall warm up in the other team's on-deck circle. The on-deck circle does not have to be occupied, but if a player wishes to warm up, he shall do so only in his team's on-deck circle, provided the on-deck circle is located safely away from home plate."

 

A batter in Kansas or somewhere was "warming up" too close to the plate and took a warm-up pitch in the ear a few years ago. Prevent needless stupidity (there's enough of the other kind).

[Thunderheads]

good lord

[maven]

good lord

 

Jeff, I appreciate the sentiment, but you need not address me in that formal fashion.

[Thunderheads]

 

good lord

 

Jeff, I appreciate the sentiment, but you need not address me in that formal fashion.

 

   

[SteveJ]

ok, I'll bite .... why can't he go over there?

 

go over between pitches ...what's the big deal?

My main concern is that he is standing in front of the opposing teams dugout.  That could greatly increase the opportunity for an exchange of "unsportsmanlike" words or a physical altercation could break out. Then I have to hold up my game and resolve the issue(s).  It can be a real mess!

 

Plus it's against the rules!

[noumpere]

ok, I'll bite .... why can't he go over there?

 

go over between pitches ...what's the big deal?

It's the same in all rules.

 

And I do recognize that some local leagues have rules / customs where the ODB goes "behind" the batter -- but that doesn't apply to the OP anyway since this was between innings.

[refump10]

Had a college game eons ago; conference game & bad blood between the two teams.  Had a pitching change with a double switch involved.  I was turned around to the press box to communicate the change and I hear from the Home team's dugout: "hey get him outta there!"  I turn and see the next batter about 8 feet outside the batters box timing the warmup pitches, and the ball whizzing by his ear hole.  Dugouts cleared, punches thrown, the whole barrel of fun. 18 ej's later we resumed the game. 

 

Moral of the story:  keep on-deck hitters away from the plate area and on their side of the field.

[ALStripes17]

Theres no reason for the first batter of the inning to leave the area of his team's dugout. You don't see that anywhere at the upper levels (College and Pro). You can time pitches just as well from both sides.

[JaxRolo]

Rules are rules. Enforce them always. Not just when its convenient!

[blue23ll]

 

ok, I'll bite .... why can't he go over there?

 

go over between pitches ...what's the big deal?

It's the same in all rules.

 

And I do recognize that some local leagues have rules / customs where the ODB goes "behind" the batter -- but that doesn't apply to the OP anyway since this was between innings.

 

In some youth leagues, they want the on deck batter on the same side as the batter (behind the batter), so for a lefty batter, the on deck hitter is on the left side. The first time I saw that I sent the on deck hitter back to his circle and got the 'look' . It's supposedly a 'safety' issue.

[ALStripes17]

ok, I'll bite .... why can't he go over there?

go over between pitches ...what's the big deal?

It's the same in all rules.

And I do recognize that some local leagues have rules / customs where the ODB goes "behind" the batter -- but that doesn't apply to the OP anyway since this was between innings.

In some youth leagues, they want the on deck batter on the same side as the batter (behind the batter), so for a lefty batter, the on deck hitter is on the left side. The first time I saw that I sent the on deck hitter back to his circle and got the 'look' . It's supposedly a 'safety' issue.

Correct. OP does not address within the inning.

OP addresses before the inning starts.

[blue23ll]

 

 

 

ok, I'll bite .... why can't he go over there?

go over between pitches ...what's the big deal?

It's the same in all rules.

And I do recognize that some local leagues have rules / customs where the ODB goes "behind" the batter -- but that doesn't apply to the OP anyway since this was between innings.

 

In some youth leagues, they want the on deck batter on the same side as the batter (behind the batter), so for a lefty batter, the on deck hitter is on the left side. The first time I saw that I sent the on deck hitter back to his circle and got the 'look' . It's supposedly a 'safety' issue.

 

Correct. OP does not address within the inning.

OP addresses before the inning starts.

 

Well they end up there before the inning starts as well.

[ALStripes17]

Pretty sure this is post is under 'High School' category anyway Even so, with safety in mind, there is no reason to cross behind HP while pitcher warms up. Not a major issue honestly, and it's not like the coaches have any clue (dads or HS - or both)

[LMSANS]

 

good lord

 

Jeff, I appreciate the sentiment, but you need not address me in that formal fashion.

 

At least he used lower case letters...