Pre-game Conference & Liability Issue

[therefump]

Question: you've got a senior partner who knows baseball. At the pre-game conference the home coach goes around the field. He points left field foul territory and the plate umpire (senior partner) says "no way coach, the foul territory has a batting cage partially in the way. Move the out of play line." Now, the coach objects. The plate umpire then goes into a litany of how the umpires are liable if a player gets hurt. I question it under my breath. Batting cages have been in foul territory numerous times in the lower levels. I don't believe we're responsible.

Does anyone believe we're liable if the home coach sets ground rules that are possibly dangerous to the players? I certainly can see if there's something dangerous we have to change the ground rules. Anybody know about liability issues?

[Mr Umpire]

I wouldn't believe this is a liability issue unless the opposing coach questions it. Then, I can see it becoming one b/c then it falls upon the umpire to make a decision. And, if I am going to have to make a decision, it will be on the side of safety.

However, I don't believe anyone has an argument against this. It is the same thing as having a tarp on the field. Simply cover if the ball is dead or not and move on. As soon as the HC says it is in play or not and the VC doesn't oppose to it, move on with the game.

[mstaylor]

The batting cage can be there and be in play or not. I have a field locally that has a batting cage and a bullpen in foul territory. It has no place to go, we make it dead and it's not an issue. I'd rather have a player hit a net than a steel fence but we never have a problem with them.

[nolanadair]

I don't think that the umpires are responsible. So the senior umpire, is basically saying that we should put doors on all dugouts because of the potential of a playing runner into the dugout and hitting the dugout wall. It just does not make sense. Make the batting cage out of play and go on. THe batting cage probably has no where else to go. Leave it where it is and move on with the ground rules.