Baseball Will Check Atlanta Catcher’s Box

Atlanta Brave broadcasters are back where they belong. The question: Are Brave catchers?

The commissioner’s office is investigating suspicions that the Braves routinely widen the catcher’s box at Turner Field to broaden the strike zone for their pitchers.

A catcher set up off the plate but still within an altered box conceivably could create the illusion of an outside strike, particularly with a pitching staff whose reputation was built on control of the outer corner.

“We’re aware of it and investigating,” a baseball official said Tuesday.

Frank Robinson, baseball’s director of on-field operations, has been assigned the case.

He did not respond to a message left at his office. Messages left for Brave General Manager John Schuerholz and assistant Frank Wren also were unanswered.

The discrepancy was discovered in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night, when Brave catcher Fernando Lunar was called for a balk by plate umpire John Shulock for setting up outside the lined catcher’s box.

TBS subsequently aired videotape that proved the box was five inches narrower than it was the previous game, when Brewer officials complained that Brave catchers were aligned illegally. As a result of the tape, four team announcers were banned from Monday’s charter flight that took the club from Atlanta to Montreal.

On Tuesday, after a meeting between Brave President Stan Kasten and Turner Sports President Mark Lazarus, announcers Don Sutton, Joe Simpson, Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren were told they were welcome on future team flights.

“It was a family spat and hopefully it’s been settled,” Sutton said.

According to a statement from Turner Sports, “They are in complete agreement on how the relationship will work. The long-standing, warm relationship between TBS and the Braves will continue as before.”

The Braves and TBS are owned by Time Warner.

A league official said that the commissioner’s office, which routinely sends reminders to clubs regarding field specifications, including the 43-inch catcher’s box, raised the possibility that there might have been a mix-up with grounds personnel for the Braves. Ed Mangan, field director at Turner Field, could not be reached for comment.