Quote:
Originally posted by Lonewolf986
Can somebody explain how they (you personally) call the check swing and ask for help? I had one partner who told me, "I can't see it from B or C position, only when im down the line"
I told him that "if the catcher jumps in front of my vision right when I see the Batter 'flinch' then I need your help"
What do you think?
What is the exact definition, and what do YOU look for? Broken wrist, bat comes around, body twists, etc...?
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The only approved criterion for deciding whether a batter offered at the pitch or not on a half swing - aka checked swing - is contained in the NAPBL/PBUC Umpire Manual Section 1.12 and says:
The umpire's decision on a check swing shall be based entirely on his judgement as to whether or not the batter struck at the pitch.
That clearly lets out such arbitrary criteria as the bat breaking the plane at the front of the plate, the batter's body rotating or the batter's wrists uncocking (I prefer that term to "breaking his wrists" - that has other connotations for me. *grin*)
If you need some guidelines I would suggest the following:
- Did the bat and ball arrive together over the plate at the same point in time?
- Did the bat and ball pass by in proximity to each other BEFORE the forward motion of the swing was halted?
- Did the batter begin to withdraw the bat BEFORE the ball arrived over the plate?
- Was the bat motionless over the plate while the ball passed by well removed from proximity to the bat?
If the answer to BOTH 1 and 2 is "Yes", then I'd adjudge that the batter has
failed to check his swing. If the answer to EITHER 3 or 4 is "Yes", then I'd adjudge that the batter has
successfully checked his swing.
In order for the batter to have offered
at the pitch, as required for a judgement of "
Yes, he did swing", then the bat, ball and plate must all be in proximity to one another at roughly the same time.
- If the swing is obviously late, say well after the catcher has gloved the pitch, then even though the batter may have failed to check his swing he clearly didn't offer at the pitch.
- If the ball was 3 feet outside the batter's swing arc and in the dirt when it went by the plate, the batter may have failed to completely check his swing but he surely wouldn't have offered at the pitch
- If the batter's body rotated through 160 degrees, but the bat remained on his shoulder the whole time, then he clearly hasn't offered at the pitch
It is a judgement call, but save your judgement for the single question "Did the batter strike
at the pitch" rather than worrying whether the bat broke the plane, the wrists uncocked or the batter's body twisted like a corkscrew.
BTW, you might want to consider reading my 3-part series entitled
Help of a Half Swing, archived at Officiating.com, for a more detailed analysis of the check swing appeal, its limitations and applications. There are certain occasions, identified in those articles, when it is entirely appropriate to ignore or refuse a checked swing appeal, despite the clear requirements of Rule 9.02 Note.
Hope this helps.
Cheers