Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeStrybel
I may be wrong but according to PBUC;
It would stand to reason that if PBUC demands an umpire be aware of intent for this case, they would want an umpire to be aware of a batter who deliberately steps out in order to contact the ball. Right?
Jim preaches to watch the ball into the mitt. That means that an umpire is looking forward and most often, down.
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Yes he does. The question becomes what is your first responsibility after the ball has been bunted and that would be to do a quick check of the feet.
In the case in point, it is clearly and completely obvious that the batter could well be outside the box. B is having to reach well across the plate, his left hand is past the outside corner, F2 has cleared to catch an outside pitch and fer Crissakes B's foot is within inches of the PUs foot. What was he doing, how can he miss this call?
I have to think that PU isn't trained to make this call (Jenkins claim this isn't called in MLB) or he is so totally stunned by the squeeze he forgets wtf he is doing.
Let's take this to another level. If MLB umpires do not make this call, then how far can B go outside the box to bunt? Across the plate? 5 feet into the infield? Where is the limit?