Bowa broke the rules

OAKLAND - There are all kinds if rules this year pertaining to coaches. Not only do they have to wear helmets, but they also have to stay within the confines of the coaching box when the batter is up.

Dodgers' third base coach Larry Bowa was tossed out of the game by Ed Montague Tuesday when Bowa argued where he could stand. Bowa kept creeping up toward the batters box while the batter was up and Montague kept telling him to stay within the lines.

Vice president of umpires Mike Port reviewed the situation today in New York and felt the rules were enforced properly.

Port said that they require umpires to stay within two of the three lines in the box - the one closest to the batters box, and the one closest to the foul line. A coach is able to roam toward the outfield side of the box.

Port said because his time was spent reviewing the Bowa incident in the Major League Baseball office in New York, he was unable to get to Jason Varitek's controversial call in Tuesday's game where it looked as if he hit a home run to right field, but umpire Wally Bell ruled a double.

By the way, watching Sox coaches, first base coach Luis Alicea alternates from compliance to non-compliance. Sometimes he's outside the box and close to the foul line, and other times he's safely outside the box and positioned toward the outfield. Third base coach Seems to straddle the line in the coaches box closest to the foul line, which is OK.