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Originally posted by SC Ump
I do not certify with ASA, but I presume that there are certain circumstances which give a batter the liberty to step out of the batter's box. If one of those circumstances has occurred, then I think it would be the duty of the coach to offer any coaching advice to the batter. The umpire stating, "step out, batter" would seem to me to be a directive and I'm not sure an umpire would have that authority if not calling time.
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Of course he would. He's telling the batter that no pitch is going to happen right now, so relax. The batter is obligated to keep one foot in the box between pitches as a means to avoid delaying the game. If the umpire's attention is on a runner between bases, the batter is hardly delaying the game if s/he steps out.
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If the umpire is out of position and if the pitcher were to deliver a legal pitch to a batter that is legally in the batter's box, then as far as I know the results of that pitch would stand... ball, strike, out, hit, whatever. In this case, as least in NFHS, the book states that the result of the pitch is a no-pitch, with the runner returning.
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If I'm standing up watching a runner, and the pitcher is silly enough to try a pitch, I'm sure not "calling" the pitch, or letting any result stand. If necessary, I'll use ASA Rule 6FP-10D to call a "no pitch."