Proper Etiquette in the Dugout

On a baseball field, the two dugouts are the sanctuaries for the respective teams to watch the game, cheer for their teams and communicate strategies to win the game. However, there are numerous unwritten rules that help govern behavior in the dugout. Although these rules may not be "official," they aim to maintain respect and civility within the game. All players and other team personnel are expected to adhere to them.

  1. Cheering

    • It is common for players in the dugout to cheer for their teammates. In close games, the cheering in both dugouts can be very loud and intense. However, if one team is winning by a large margin, it is considered bad etiquette for that team to continue to cheer with intensity from the dugout. Because it is clear that they are on the verge of winning handily, continued boisterous cheering is widely seen as disrespectful because it can embarrass the losing team. When this rule is broken, a team may retaliate by "beaning" an opposing batter with a fastball. A team that feels they have been disrespected will also seek retribution in a future match up between the two teams.

    Insulting Opponents

    • While it is common for players in the dugout to cheer for their teammates, there is an unwritten rule that says those in the dugout should never insult, antagonize or ridicule members of the opposing team. Thus, players in the dugout shouldn't shout insults at the other team's players, whether they are in the field or at bat.

    Plays in the Dugout

    • When a ball is popped up in foul territory near the batting team's dugout, a fielder from the opposing team may reach into the dugout to catch it. Although Major League Baseball has a rule prohibiting fielders from entering either dugout to make a play, they can legally reach or lean into the dugout to make the catch. When such a play occurs, players in the dugout are not obligated to move out of the fielder's way, but it is an unwritten rule that players in the dugout try to grab him and protect him from injury once the play is over.

      (CE: See References 1, 2 and 3)

    No-Hitters

    • When a pitcher is throwing a no-hitter, it is proper dugout etiquette for his teammates to refrain from speaking to him in the dugout. This unwritten rule is partly based on superstition, but it also assures that the pitcher's concentration is not disrupted. In the late innings of a game, a pitcher working on a no-hitter usually sits alone at the end of the dugout to watch his team's at bat. His teammates know not to speak to him for any reason, unless the pitcher initiates the conversation.