hags7,
Here are the relevant rules from OBR on the "hands part of the bat" question:
Rule 2.0
A BALL is a pitch which does not enter the strike zone in flight and is not struck at by the batter. If the pitch touches the ground and bounces through the strike zone it is a "ball." If such a pitch touches the batter, he shall be awarded first base. If the batter swings at such a pitch after two strikes, the ball cannot be caught, for the purposes of Rule 6.05 (c) and 6.09 (b). If the batter hits such a pitch, the ensuing action shall be the same as if he hit the ball in flight.
IN FLIGHT describes a batted, thrown, or pitched ball which has not yet touched the ground or some object other than a fielder.
The PERSON of a player or an umpire is any part of his body, his clothing or his equipment.
A STRIKE is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire, which_
(a) Is struck at by the batter and is missed;
(b) Is not struck at, if any part of the ball passes through any part of the strike zone;
(c) Is fouled by the batter when he has less than two strikes;
(d) Is bunted foul;
(e) Touches the batter as he strikes at it;
(f) Touches the batter in flight in the strike zone; or
(g) Becomes a foul tip.
TOUCH. To touch a player or umpire is to touch any part of his body, his clothing or his equipment.
Rule 5.09
The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when_ (a) A pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing, while in his legal batting position; runners, if forced, advance;
Rule 6.05
A batter is out when_ ... (f) He attempts to hit a third strike and the ball touches him;
Rule 6.08
The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when_ ... (b) He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (1) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (2) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball; If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a strike, whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball. If the ball is outside the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a ball if he makes no attempt to avoid being touched. APPROVED RULING: When the batter is touched by a pitched ball which does not entitle him to first base, the ball is dead and no runner may advance.
OBR stands for Official Baseball Rules, which are the rules which govern play for Professional baseball and are the "foundation rules" for most youth baseball, including Little League, Pony, USSSA, etc. High School (aka FED) and College (aka NCAA) have their own rule codes which differ in some respects, but in none of them are the hands considered part of the bat.
If you're playing Cricket, on the other hand, it would be different:
3. Hand or glove to count as part of bat
In these Laws,
(a) reference to the bat shall imply that the bat is held by the batsman.
(b) contact between the ball and
either (i) the striker's bat itself
or (ii) the striker's hand holding the bat
or (iii) any part of a glove worn on the striker's hand holding the bat
shall be regarded as the ball striking or touching the bat, or being struck by the bat.
That's why I don't like the explanation that goes along the lines of....take hold of the bat, drop it...now where are the hands?
It's really just a choice of the rulesmakers as to whether, within the context of the game, they are considered part of the bat. In baseball, they are not. In cricket, they are.
In terms of appeals (assuming you are referring to an appeal by the defense of a baserunning infraction by the offense - rather than a checked swing appeal, a batting out of order appeal, or an appeal to an umpire to correct his misapplication of a rule), the basics are that:
1. The ball must be "in play".
2. The defense must make it "unmistakeable" to the umpire what runner and what infraction they are appealing.
3. They must tag either the base where the infraction incurred or the runner who committed the infraction.
4. They must do so before the first pitch or play after the continuous action of the play during which the infraction occurred has ended.
Except under High School (aka FED) rules - FED allows "verbal appeals" (i.e. no tag required) and allows them to be made while the ball is dead.
The business with the pitcher and the rubber is typically about making the ball "live" and in play. If the ball became dead during the continuous action of the play in which the baserunning infraction occurred, the defense must subsequently meet the requirements for making the ball "live" again prior to appealing (except in FED). The rules say that the pitcher must have the ball and be in contact with the rubber before a "dead" ball is made "live" again by the umpire. Once the ball is made live, the pitcher may throw from the rubber or step off prior to throwing as his inclination (and the game situation) dictates.
JM
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