MLB HP erasing inner batter box lines.

[BLWizzRanger]

Went to the Pirates vs Braves game last night and the HPU erased the inner lines to both boxes at the start of the game.

 

Any idea why he would do this?

 

Sent from my SM-F721U1 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Velho]

I've known some (non-MLB umpires) who erase the inner box lines because they find it distracting to calling their zone

[Velho]

For the record HPU was Mike Muchlinski on Aug 9.

[834k3r]

I've done it once because the ground crew did a horrible job chalking the boxes before a game where I was PU. I kid you not:  the boxes were 10 degrees off the plate lines (instead of parallel).

[BLWizzRanger]

For the record HPU was Mike Muchlinski on Aug 9.

Thanks. I just didnt have time to look at the boxscore to see who it was.

<>Looks like you had better seats than us poor chumps in the cheap seats. <>



Sent from my SM-F721U1 using Tapatalk

[Lou B]

Where's the batter? 

[Velho]

49 minutes ago, Lou B said:

Where's the batter? 

HPU erased him too. Makes things easier. (Thank you. I’ll be here all week)

[Senor Azul]

I found an interview of Dodgers groundskeeper Jordan Lorenz posted at a website called UniWatch. Apparently the batter's boxes at Dodgers Stadium use chalk lines much narrower than the foul lines.

Foul lines in MLB ballparks are usually 4 inches wide and the boxes are chalked to match. But at the Dodgers ballpark the boxes are only about an inch wide. So that's why a groundskeeper was interviewed.

The reason given for starting to use the narrower box lines is some player complained about the thicker lines being a distraction while he was trying to concentrate on the pitcher.

Mr. Lorenz stated that the Dodgers have been doing their boxes (including inside lines) like that since about 2008-2009. He said that was when MLB mandated that the inside lines were to be included. 

Apparently before then it was the norm for MLB to not chalk inside lines for the boxes--just the perimeter. 

Perhaps a batter requested no inside lines or perhaps the plate umpire remembers a time when no inside lines were used.

[Velho]

Reminds me of anecdote I read (don't remember the source) about a MLB or Minors Manager who was so annoyed at visiting batters wiping out the back box line to illegally be further back he had a white painted 2x4 buried in place. When a batter unsuccessfully kept trying to wipe out the line HPU saw it and had the grounds crew dig it up.

[Jimurray]

51 minutes ago, Senor Azul said:

I found an interview of Dodgers groundskeeper Jordan Lorenz posted at a website called UniWatch. Apparently the batter's boxes at Dodgers Stadium use chalk lines much narrower than the foul lines.

Foul lines in MLB ballparks are usually 4 inches wide and the boxes are chalked to match. But at the Dodgers ballpark the boxes are only about an inch wide. So that's why a groundskeeper was interviewed.

The reason given for starting to use the narrower box lines is some player complained about the thicker lines being a distraction while he was trying to concentrate on the pitcher.

Mr. Lorenz stated that the Dodgers have been doing their boxes (including inside lines) like that since about 2008-2009. He said that was when MLB mandated that the inside lines were to be included. 

Apparently before then it was the norm for MLB to not chalk inside lines for the boxes--just the perimeter. 

Perhaps a batter requested no inside lines or perhaps the plate umpire remembers a time when no inside lines were used.

OP seems to indicate and show line debris swept back into the box on purpose. I've done that with badly done lines but I doubt the stadium had a bad template. Maybe PU or catcher was used to painted lines and had issues with chalk kicked up by pitch.

[Jimurray]

7 minutes ago, Velho said:

Reminds me of anecdote I read (don't remember the source) about a MLB or Minors Manager who was so annoyed at visiting batters wiping out the back box line to illegally be further back he had a white painted 2x4 buried in place. When a batter unsuccessfully kept trying to wipe out the line HPU saw it and had the grounds crew dig it up.

Most of the time MLB PUs and me and others will let batters drift back to an illegal position in the box because it usually stays as a legal position to bat the ball. Joe West did borrow a batter's bat to draw a back line because that teams batters were pushing how far they could be back. He actually used the bat to measure from the point of the plate and drew a line and handed the bat back to the batter.

[BLWizzRanger]

OP seems to indicate and show line debris swept back into the box on purpose. I've done that with badly done lines but I doubt the stadium had a bad template. Maybe PU or catcher was used to painted lines and had issues with chalk kicked up by pitch.

They PU started erasing the lines as soon as the umpires broke from home plate to take their positions. Not even warm up pitches were thrown yet.

I can see if rec league boxes were bad but these were 'perfect' boxes.

Just found it interesting...



Sent from my SM-F721U1 using Tapatalk