Cubs third-base coach Quintin Berry feels boxed in with new MLB rules

Quintin Berry says he’s thinking about bringing a glove with him when he takes his place in the Cubs’ third-base coaching box.

With Major League Baseball informing teams that base coaches can no longer stray beyond the boundaries of the box — which for years has functioned as just a general notion of where a coach should park — Berry believes he needs the protection.

Under the new rules, can he pack a leather piece? Berry said he plans to look into it. But now that he can no longer stand beyond the outer boundary of the box — which is just 90 feet from home plate — he and other base coaches fear their jobs have just become expo-nentially more dangerous.

There’s little wiggle room when a 110 mph foul ball is hurtling your way. It would seem only a matter of time that the increase in exit velocities, with all of baseball’s emphasis on launch angles, bat speed and barreling the ball, could result in injuries. There were a few close calls in spring training.

Berry, who played 13 seasons in the big leagues, including eight games with the Cubs in 2015, during which he had one plate appearance and was used primarily as a pinch runner, is in his second season as third-base coach. He came with manager Craig Counsell from Milwaukee, where he had been first-base coach for four seasons.

“It’s funny,’’ Berry said earlier this week, before the Cubs left for Cleveland and a three-game weekend set against the Guardians, “I’ve talked with a couple of third-base coaches about bringing a glove out there, have a glove on just in case, because it’s like you’re never out of harm’s way.

“There’s no rule against it, supposedly. It’s a matter of who’s going to do it first.’’

MLB announced in February it would be enforcing the boundaries in response to complaints that coaches were occupying positions that would allow them a more advantageous view of a pitcher’s grip. If a coach knew what a pitcher was about to throw, he could relay that information to the hitter. Sign-stealing and similar tactics have long been legally part of the game, as long as electronic technology is not employed.

According to The Athletic, before Game  7 of the World Series between the Blue Jays and Dodgers last fall, both teams were warned that coaches had to stay in the boxes.

The matter was discussed among big-league managers during the winter meetings. MLB’s joint competition committee then took up the topic, and the change was announced after the owners’ meetings.

“It’s probably a good thing just to regulate that,’’ Yankees manager Bret Boone told The Athletic at the time. “. . . I knew something was coming. Overall, I think it’s probably a good thing, just for the competitiveness of the game.’’

Umpires have been instructed to first give coaches who are violating the rules a warning. A second warning can result in ejection.

Berry would prefer to focus on staying in one piece. He already wears a batting helmet. He understands the concerns about sign-stealing but isn’t sure the tradeoff is worth it.

MLB has said coaches can retreat backward toward foul territory — the box is not bracketed in the back. But then a coach can’t do his job, Berry said.

“You see our foul territory — we have [the boxes] exactly,’’ he said. “You’re kind of anchored right in there, near the hitters’ box.

“It’s scary, man. I mean, every coach feels like they’re in a bad spot, but we’re trying to get used to it and see what happens.”