Hands & Bat

[fredhjr]

USSSA Baseball, 14U Batter (not swinging and not in the strike zone) is hit on the hands by a pitch. Ball goes into fair territory where it is fielded and thrown to 1B. Batter is called out. I did not understand this and asked the plate umpire between innings if the batter had swung on a third strike and was hit. "No", he replied, "he was thrown out at 1B."

The ball should have been dead and the runner should have been awarded 1B, correct?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by fredhjr

USSSA Baseball, 14U Batter (not swinging and not in the strike zone) is hit on the hands by a pitch. Ball goes into fair territory where it is fielded and thrown to 1B. Batter is called out. I did not understand this and asked the plate umpire between innings if the batter had swung on a third strike and was hit. "No", he replied, "he was thrown out at 1B."

The ball should have been dead and the runner should have been awarded 1B, correct?

Why didn't you ask at the moment? Why didn't you protest?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by fredhjr

USSSA Baseball, 14U Batter (not swinging and not in the strike zone) is hit on the hands by a pitch. Ball goes into fair territory where it is fielded and thrown to 1B. Batter is called out. I did not understand this and asked the plate umpire between innings if the batter had swung on a third strike and was hit. "No", he replied, "he was thrown out at 1B."

The ball should have been dead and the runner should have been awarded 1B, correct?

As described, yes.

Maybe the umpire had something different. Maybe he fell for the "hands are part of the bat" myth.

[fredhjr]

The umpire did not say the "hands are part of the bat", but I suspect that was the thinking.Why did I not protest? I was a fan, not a coach. Although this was a grandson's team, I am not personally acquainted with the coaches. Also, it was an inning or so after the action that I got the explanation.

[thumpferee]

Seems like something that has happened, at least, 10 times in my games this season. Twice as many times than I've seen in my whole career. And, 5-6 times the ball was fair!

Could this be the case here?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by fredhjr

The umpire did not say the "hands are part of the bat", but I suspect that was the thinking.Why did I not protest? I was a fan, not a coach. Although this was a grandson's team, I am not personally acquainted with the coaches. Also, it was an inning or so after the action that I got the explanation.

Go to the next game. Let him know what to do next time.

[Middleman]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

As described, yes.

Maybe the umpire had something different. Maybe he fell for the "hands are part of the bat" myth.

And maybe the umpire ruled that the pitch hit the knob of the bat, not the hand. Maybe?

[thumpferee]

Originally Posted by Middleman

And maybe the umpire ruled that the pitch hit the knob of the bat, not the hand. Maybe?

This is what I was hinting to!