I think he made that comment based on the knowledge of a batter being hit by a pitch while swinging. Listen to it again and it sounds like he was trying to say that it doesn't matter if he was hit if he struck at the ball. I once had a partner, an excellent umpire who frequents this board, who said something similar and got away with it during a blow out game. We got a good laugh in the locker room after. He said that he was trying to say that the hands aren't part of the bat but it came out too fast and the coach was too slow.
