Quote:
A batter will be awarded first base if “a pitched ball is entirely within the batter’s box and it strikes the batter or her clothing. No attempt to avoid being hit by the pitch is required; however, the batter may not obviously try to get hit by the pitch.”
Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials education and staff liaison for softball, said this rules change clears up the gray area of whether the batter made an attempt to get out of the way of the pitch.
“Since a batter is penalized for prohibiting a pitch from entering the strike zone, the committee thought there should be a penalty when the pitcher hits a batter when the pitch is completely inside the batter’s box,” Wynns said.
|
No problem with the change, just think the reasoning is off.
Quote:
In Rule 6-1, the committee approved the following exceptions to the penalty for an illegal pitch:
1) If the batter reaches first base safely and each other runner advances at least one base, the illegal pitch is nullified. All action stands and the illegal pitch is canceled.
2) If the batter does not reach first base safely or if any base runner fails to advance at least one base, the coach of the team at bat shall have the option of the result of the play or the penalty of the illegal pitch.
3) If the batter is hit by an illegal pitch out of the strike zone, the batter is awarded first base and each base runner is awarded one base.
4) If ball four is an illegal pitch, the batter is awarded first base and each base runner is awarded one base.
|
Wouldn't 4 be covered by 2? Or should I say, logically covered by 2?
Quote:
|
A change was approved by the Softball Rules Committee regarding the color of gloves/mitts. As a follow-up to the change last year that required the color of all softballs to be optic yellow, the committee revised language in Rule 1-4-1 to state that gloves/mitts must not be entirely optic yellow or have that color of marking on the inside or outside of gloves/mitts that would give the appearance of the ball.
|
I have always thought this rule ridiculous for any org., but wonder if the interpretation will be a tight as ASA's
Quote:
|
The final rules change was Rule 3-6-10, which will allow stopwatches to be used in the coach’s box.
|
Good, they can time the one minute between innings and now understand why their pitcher who insists on being the last out of the dugout doesn't get all five pitches
