Quote:
Originally Posted by jcm1932x
The NFHS Rules Committee at its June 8-10, 2014 meeting added some changes that were added to be consistent with language elsewhere in the rules book. One of the changes was the addition of rule 2.16.1.f, "a foul is a batted ball that hits the batter in the batter's box." See Slide 8 of the PPT. The batter has his front foot completely outside the batter's box. Doesn't the slide contradict rule 7.3.2 and Case Book 7.3.2 SITUATION C?
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If you're referring to sub-situation (c) within that situation which states:
"B1 strides forward when making contact with the pitched ball. His front foot (c) is on the ground entirely outside the line of the batter’s box." Ruling: ... in (c), the batter is out for making contact with the pitched ball while being out of the batter’s box.
Here's how I'm thinking of the situation from the power point slides...
There is a brief period between when the ball is struck and when it strikes the batter again. During that period, the batter's foot which was off the ground at the time of initial contact returned to the ground, and was resting there when the ball struck him.
If it is possible that the foot was off the ground when he made initial contact, then this is still a foul ball.
If I am
absolutely certain that his foot was on the ground at the moment of initial contact, then I will call him out for "out of the batter's box".
Since I can't guess the batter out on such a play, if it looks like a normal batter's stride during the swing, I will rule a foul. If he was making a running bunt attempt, or had taken his stance with the foot outside the box at the time of the pitch release, then I would rule an out. In my few years, the only time I ruled an out for "out of the batter's box" was when the batter stepped on home plate to reach across, and I still asked for help from my base umpire on that one.