HS BASE: New rule relegates coaches to dugout

A new Southern Section rule has mandated that coaches must be in the dugout during "live play," meaning only base coaches can can be out of the dugout -- makiing it a lot harder for head coaches to forward signs to the catcher.

"It should be really interesting," Saugus coach John Maggiora said. "I know with our field, Valencia's and worst of all Burroughs, it will be next to impossible to not only fit everyone in a dugout, but it will also slow up the game considerably. I'd like to hear CIF's reasoning behind this because if you read the rule book, the way it is written really leaves it up to interpretation what 'live ball' means."

The consequences for breaking this rule are a warning and then immediate ejection.

-- Gerry Gittelson