Wobbly chalk lines

[agdz59]

I've seen my fair share - lines that are 4-6 inches from the base, arcs and bulges, lines that stop and start or don't go all the way down the line.

I almost always point out the issue and then say I am calling the chalk.  Any 'best practices' for this out there?

[maven]

Here's what we say in football: every white line is straight.

It works in baseball too.

I don't do softball, so I have no idea.

[Jimurray]

i don't have a cite/reference for OBR but if the lines are not correct you judge fair or foul. I personally will kick any chalk in front or behind or adjacent to 1B or 3B that does not line up with the outer edges of the base when I am the PU. This might be OC because I never had a problem with improper foul/fair lines causing a problem.  Don't get me going when the parks department uses a softball batters box or a reversed baseball batters box implement. I also wipe out inside batters box lines that are too close to the plate. 

[ArchAngel72]

I have seen crooked plates, chalk lines that more bananas than lines, etc etc.  I just tell both coaches the lines are not correct but we will play them both the same for both your teams.  

 

Never heard anything after that about the lines.

 

[noumpere]

14 hours ago, agdz59 said:

  Any 'best practices' for this out there?

Get to the field earlier and line it yourself.

 

Otherwise, what maven and jimmurray and archangel said -- play the lines, but erase them where the line and the base would conflict.

[The Man in Blue]

NEVER use incorrect lines.  That is just lazy.  Yes, they are wrong for both teams, but you know what the foul line is by rule.

That said, do NOT allow those lines to remain in place because now you are putting the players in an unfair position. 

Discuss it at your plate meeting -- "Coach, that line is wrong.  You know and I know what the foul line actually is, so we are going to wipe the lines out and play ball the right way."  Then wipe the lines out and play ball the right way.

[ArchAngel72]

21 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

NEVER use incorrect lines.  That is just lazy.  Yes, they are wrong for both teams, but you know what the foul line is by rule.

That said, do NOT allow those lines to remain in place because now you are putting the players in an unfair position. 

Discuss it at your plate meeting -- "Coach, that line is wrong.  You know and I know what the foul line actually is, so we are going to wipe the lines out and play ball the right way."  Then wipe the lines out and play ball the right way.

 

At my level and locations that is not always possible

At all of my spots here in the town, the town is responsible for doing the lines and etc and they do not allow during the week access to the equipment to do so. So I have been told. But the other times is actually when more of the mistakes happen and at one field the plate is actually off by like 2 degrees which is not bad when you look at the plate but the template they use to make the boxes is then off by 2 degrees also so when you look from the pitchers mound it makes the boxes look like they are facing between the shortstop and 2nd base, more towards 2nd base but you get the idea.

That without spending the time to dig up and reseat the plate is impossible to fix properly.

It also tosses the lines off the plate off just a wee bit but in the end they play the same for both teams don't they so at that point to me its a dillagaf and I will let both teams know. 

The most horrible thing I saw at a district level tourney was they put the line BESIDE the base, so we wiped those away as best we could and played with the lines as they were.. /shrug

To be blunt I have had fields with absolutely NO lines too that I have had to judge on the fly.. It is what it is .. play it all the way thru as if it were live until you hear me yell "FOUL"

 

[Velho]

Do what you have to do. Dechaulk it where you have to (at the bases and horrible waviness) and play ball. 

[SeeingEyeDog]

Wait...the foul lines are supposed to be marked? Like...on the actual field? With...chalk?

~Dawg

[LMSANS]

Multi-purpose turf fields can look like a linear Rorshach test. "Coach, the foul line is the third white one from the left..."

[urout17]

On 6/9/2021 at 10:04 PM, agdz59 said:

I've seen my fair share - lines that are 4-6 inches from the base, arcs and bulges, lines that stop and start or don't go all the way down the line.

I almost always point out the issue and then say I am calling the chalk.  Any 'best practices' for this out there?

I know what you mean....

[Vegas_Ump]

Must be doing a GEICO ad!

[Velho]

6 hours ago, urout17 said:

I know what you mean....

What's wrong with that? The line is straight....

[noumpere]

32 minutes ago, Velho said:

What's wrong with that? The line is straight....

I'm assuming it's one of them old-time baseball games when that was the correct position of first base.

[Mad Mike]

Very impressed they even have the runners lane painted!

[urout17]

1 hour ago, Mad Mike said:

Very impressed they even have the runners lane painted!

This pic was taken at the 16U tournament we worked this past weekend.  And funny you mention the running lane.  The perpendicular lane starting line was only about 20' in front on the bag.

[Velho]

I know! It's a double bag for players with very small feet.