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Originally Posted by hags7
2 questions on tough rules:
1. Are the hands "part of the bat" when a batter is hit by a pitch? I haven't been able to find it in the rulebook.
2. What is the proper procedure for an appeal to a base? Is it required that the pitched step back on the rubber then step off to appeal, or can they just go straight to the appeal?
Thanks.
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Number 1 has already been answered.
Number 2 has two answers:
For games played under FED rules the players can make a live ball appeal by stating intention and throwing the ball to the base. Or, any player, or the coach can make a dead ball verbal appeal. Most of the smart coaches have figured this out so when they want to appeal they ask for a time out, and then verbally appeal. The granting of time out makes the ball dead, and no runners can advance and no throws are necessary.
For games played under OBR rules the ball must be live to make an appeal so the purpose of going to the mound to toe the rubber is only after the ball has become dead for some reason. The batter gets in the box, the catcher his box, the pitcher steps to the rubber, the umpire says "Play" and then, the pitcher can step back off the rubber legally and make the appeal by stating intention and throwing the ball to the base.
If the ball is still LIVE there is no reason to go the mound to make an appeal in FED or OBR. Just state your intention and throw the ball to the base. Or you can tag the runner who missed the base. When stating intentions you must identify the correct runner, and the correct base, you can't just say "I'm appealing the runner who missed 2B" if there was more than one runner who could have. If the umpire saw a miss he knows which runner missed the base, and you must correctly identify.