Fans of the sport are really very enthusiastic; they follow and care about everything about their favorite team, and baseball is no exception. Fans keep a record of each and every ins and outs. Recently, a few fans of the Detroit Tigers asked me about the home team’s dugout side.
Therefore, today I want to clarify all the facts and nuances about this matter. Having said that, which dugout is the home team?
In most cases, the home team’s dugout is at first base. However, this is not determined by any rule of the baseball Rulebook. It has been a tradition for the home teams to sit at the first base side dugout.
The power to choose the dugout is entitled to the home teams and they choose the dugout according to their preference. There are several anecdotal factors that work behind the choice of the dugout.
This is only the overview of the whole explanation of which dugout is the home team’s. The subsequent section is all about comprehensive elaboration.
In Which Side’s Dugout Does the Home Team Sit In Baseball?
The first base side’s dugout is considered to be the home team’s in baseball from a traditional context. Even though there is no certain rule in the Rulebook to clearly specify it, some people still treat it like a rule.
Nevertheless, abiding by this customary convention, the home team generally sits in the dugout on the first-base side of the field. This tradition has historical origins that date back to the early days of baseball when most players were skilled with their right hand.
By situating the home team on the first base side, coaches were afforded a clear view of the at-bat, given that most batters at that juncture were right-handed.
It is crucial to acknowledge that there exist exceptions to this tradition. The Chicago Cubs, for instance, elect to dwell on the third-base side at Wrigley Field. Conversely, the Boston Red Sox inhabit the first base dugout at Fenway Park.
Ultimately, positioning the home team within the confines of the dugout is a matter of choice and can fluctuate from one stadium to another. Teams may select their favored dugout based on factors such as:
- Caliber and dimensions of the dugout,
- Orientation of the sun during a game
- Team’s preferences.
Hence, while tradition encourages the first base side, it is not an unyielding rule, and teams possess a certain amount of latitude in their choice of dugout.
How Do Home Teams Choose Their Dugout Side?
Depending on some crucial factors like choice of home team and location of clubhouse, home teams in baseball choose their dugout. Let’s have a look at the aspects that they consider before choosing a dugout.
Choices Of The Home Team
It has been a custom that the home team chooses their dugout in a baseball game. In this case, a team can consider any factor in choosing a dugout for themselves. It’s noteworthy that there might not be any specific reason for taking one. It can be just for the sake of selecting one for the game.
Advantages In Strategic Planning
Baseball home teams often consider the fact of strategy when they choose the side of their dugout. The viewing angle is one of the very factors that helps the team manager and coach to set the tactical plan.
Also, the home team prefers the side that is convenient for the communication to pass the coach’s plan to the player on the field. This effectively helps to apply the plan according to the game situation.
Apart from this, quick access to the field is another crucial factor in the game situation that really matters in the strategic plan.
Location Of The Clubhouse
To avail better facilities and locker, the home team prefers the dugout side with a better clubhouse. This allows the home teams to access their clubhouse and locker easily. From the latter part of the 19th century, baseball stadiums started to incorporate the clubhouse area.
All the clubhouse of stadiums are not equally equipped. As a result, the home teams always try to get the best-facilitated clubhouse side’s dugout.
Bullpen Location
The bullpen is the area where the relief pitcher warms up before they actually get into the pitch. Sometimes, home teams may consider the location of the bullpen. This lets the team prepare better for the game.
Even though there are two different bullpens for both and away teams, however, both the bullpens locations may not be equally convenient for both the teams. This is why the home teams can choose a dugout that is more conveniently situated with the bullpen.
Weather Circumstances
Weather circumstances are another crucial factor that can influence the location selection of the home team in baseball. If the game is in the afternoon time, the home team may prefer the west side dugout to avoid the direct sunlight on the face, and vice versa for the morning game.
Apart from this, other factors like rain, snowfall, and wind can impact the home team’s dugout selection.
Historical Perspective
Historically it has been a practice home team that always chooses the right side’s dugout. For some teams, the third base also can be a historical choice. This is like a custom that a team follows for years.
The historical reasons for different teams vary based on their historical incident. As per the report, most of the teams consider the historical perspective while choosing the dugout side on their home venue.
Which Dugout Location Better For A Baseball Team?
A better dugout side for a baseball team is considered the first-base one.
However, there are no specified rules in the baseball Rulebook regarding the dugout side. Here, the fact is, predictably, most of the stadiums have better-facilitated dugouts on the first base side.
Mostly, the clubhouse is located behind the first base dugout. Also, the team can have a better viewing angle from this particular side. This is not actually universal. Based on the venue, this may vary.
Therefore, there is no guarantee that the first base dugout is always better for the team. In fact, this depends on which venue you are playing.
Why Is The Home Dugout On The Third Base Side?
The home team’s dugout at the tired base to reduce the walking distance for the third-base coach within innings.
At some point previously, the team manager was considered the third base coach. And for their convenience to shorten the walking distance, the team often used to choose the third base side.
This has been a practice from then for some specific teams. Additionally, anecdotal reasons, like those I mentioned above, also influence the decision to choose a third base.
Nevertheless, there is no universal reason to choose the third-base dugout in baseball. According to the baseball Rulebook, the home teams always get the privilege to choose their dugout side based on their preference.
Here, it’s noteworthy that they select their side entirely for their own benefit.
League-Specific Rules Regarding Dugout Assignments
Various baseball leagues have their own unique guidelines concerning dugout assignments. Here are a few illustrations:
1. Major League Baseball (MLB):
- The first base dugout is designated for the home team.
- The third base dugout is designated for the visiting team.
2. Little League Baseball:
- A maximum of three adults, as listed on the affidavit, are permitted in the dugout.
- Authorized replacements, as indicated on the affidavit, may also occupy the dugout.
3. Rule 9.01(f):
- In the event of an unruly fan, the umpire can suspend play and have both teams relocate to the dugouts.
- A local league board member will handle the situation.
4. AAA Division Baseball:
- Two base coaches are allowed on the field during the game.
- They provide coaching guidance for first and third base.
Remember, these are some of the mention-worthy rules for assigning the dugout in baseball. There might be other rules for different leagues in this regard.
Where Are Home Team’s Dugout Locations in Major League Baseball?
Most of the Major League Baseball teams have their dugout on the first-base side in their home ground. However, big teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, etc., use the third base side dugout.
So, have a look at the table below for a comprehensive list of MLB team’s home dugouts.
| First-Base Side | Venue | Third-Base Side | Venue |
| Atlanta Braves | Truist Park | Arizona Diamondbacks | Chase Field |
| Baltimore Orioles | Oriole Park | Chicago Cubs | Wrigley Field |
| Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park | Chicago White Sox | Guaranteed Rate Field |
| Cincinnati Reds | Great American Ball Park | Cleveland Guardians | Progressive Field |
| Colorado Rockies | Coors Field | Detroit Tigers | Comerica Park |
| Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park | Los Angeles Angels | Angel Stadium |
| Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium | Los Angeles Dodgers | Dodger Stadium |
| Milwaukee Brewers | American Family Field | Miami Marlins | loanDepot park |
| Minnesota Twins | Target Field | Oakland Athletics | RingCentral Coliseum |
| New York Mets | Citi Field | Pittsburgh Pirates | PNC Park |
| New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium | San Francisco Giants | Oracle Park |
| Philadelphia Phillies | Citizens Bank Park | Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre |
| San Diego Padres | Petco Park | ||
| Seattle Mariners | T-Mobile Park | ||
| St. Louis Cardinals | Busch Stadium | ||
| Tampa Bay Rays | Tropicana Field | ||
| Texas Rangers | Globe Life Field | ||
| Washington Nationals | Nationals Park |
Can Dugout Side Actually Affect Winning In Baseball?
There is no straightforward evidence or scientifically proven theory that the dugout side can affect the winning of a team. However, most of the players and coaches admit that the dugout side can be beneficial for the mental game.
This can slightly help in strategic planning as well.
For instance, if the dugout side allows the coach a better viewing angle, then coaches can communicate with players easily. Consequently, a coach can apply the strategy to the game in any situation.
Not only that, a preferred dugout dugout can be mentally satisfactory for the players. It can boost the confidence of a team, and that reflects on the performance. This is how a dugout side can impact the winning of a team in baseball.
How Does Dugout Placement Affect Fan Interaction?
The positioning of the dugout in baseball plays a role in how fans engage with the game and their overall enjoyment.
The dugout is where players and coaches sit during the game, and its placement in relation to the seating areas can affect how fans interact with the players. Here are a few ways in which the location of the dugout can impact fan interaction;
Closeness to Fans:
When the dugout is situated closer to the stands, fans get a view of the players. This allows spectators to witness and hear the players and coaches up close, making their experience more immersive.
Fan Conduct:
Conversely, being near the dugout can also influence fan behavior. Rowdy or disruptive fans may have an impact on players, potentially causing distractions or even confrontations that players need to address.
Emotional Connection:
When fans can see players in the dugout, they are more likely to feel emotionally connected to the team. Being able to witness players’ reactions, celebrations, and frustrations in real time can deepen fans’ emotional investment in the game.
Interaction between Players and Fans:
Having the dugout situated close to the fans creates more opportunities for players to engage with them. This could involve signing autographs, tossing baseballs to fans, or engaging in friendly banter. These interactions can create long-lasting memories for fans and a sense of connection with the players.
Fan Engagement:
Dugout placement can influence how engaged fans are during the game. Fans sitting near the dugout are more likely to be active and enthusiastic participants, cheering and supporting the team.
Cases Where The Choice Of Dugout Affected The Outcome
An instance in which dugout decisions had an indirect impact on the outcome of a baseball game is exemplified by the Pine Tar Game. Taking place between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals, with the score tied 4-4 in the ninth inning, George Brett of the Royals hit a two-run home run.
However, Yankees manager Billy Martin disputed the amount of pine tar on Brett’s bat, leading umpires to determine that it exceeded the allowable limit. As a consequence, Brett’s homer was nullified, causing the Royals to suffer a defeat.
Although the decision made in the dugout itself was not decisive, this incident triggered a revision of Major League Baseball rules regarding the use of pine tar.
The Houston Astros’ 2017 cheating scandal stands as another significant incident that reshaped the game. Employing a sign-stealing scheme, the Astros decoded pitching signals and relayed them to batters using unorthodox methods such as banging on trash cans.
This dishonest strategy contributed to their win in the 2017 World Series, but it had far-reaching consequences, undermining the integrity of the sport and eroding public confidence in Major League Baseball.
Although it may appear insignificant, events like the Pine Tar Game and the Astros’ cheating scandal emphasize how external factors can have a profound effect on the outcome of games.
FAQs
Which Side Is The Away Dugout?
There is no fixed dugout for the away teams. This depends completely on the home team’s decision. According to the Rulebook, the home team is entitled to choose the base for them. In this way, if the home team chooses first base then the third base is the away team, and vice versa.
Why Do Tigers Use A Third-Base Dugout?
The Detroit Tigers use the third base dugout at their home ground at Comerica Park as an old custom of the baseball game. In the old tradition of base-ball, team managers used to be considered as the third-base manager. To reduce the walking distance for the third base coach during innings, the Detroit Tigers use a third base dugout.
Why Is A Baseball Dugout Underground?
The baseball dugout is underground to provide the players with a safe place to rest and prepare for their turn to bat. It also protects the players from weather substances like sun and wind. The underground dugout also allows better player-fan interaction.
How Many Stadiums Have Home Dugouts On The Third-Base Side?
In Major League Baseball, 12 teams use the third-base dugout. Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Oakland Athletics, etc., are some of the remarkable teams among those 12 teams.
Wrapping Up
After coming to the end of this discussion, hopefully, you are now clear which dugout is the home team’s. However, the home team’s dugout is not a big factor in the game of baseball. Still, fans are always curious about every little matter. Having said that, the dugout side impacts the fan-player interaction. And this is why everyone talks about this matter.
So, which side’s dugout do you prefer for your favorite team?
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Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.