HIT BY PITCH

[Baseball_North]

Give the batter the base if he makes a reasonable attempt at getting out of the way.

It's a players game.... not an umpires game.... we don't need to showboat by keeping guys in the box after getting smoked by a pitch.

If the guy makes a reasonable attempt to move, he gets the base in my opinion.

[DG]

I go by whether the batter attempted to get out of the way of the pitch and the benefit of the doubt goes to the batter. The pitcher only owns the area over the plate, or within two inches of the plate, given that a baseball is a little over 2 inches wide. Some batters are frozen by fastballs inside, and they get hit. The location where the batter gets hit has a little bit to do with decision also. Nobody wants to get hit in the elbow, lower arm, or wrist. These could be season enders. Shoulder, butt, thigh, these are areas where a batter mightlean into one. If I see an intentional HBP I call it, otherwise, benefit of the doubt goes to batter. Pitcher only owns the area over the plate.

[Baseball_North]

Originally posted by DG
I go by whether the batter attempted to get out of the way of the pitch and the benefit of the doubt goes to the batter. The pitcher only owns the area over the plate, or within two inches of the plate, given that a baseball is a little over 2 inches wide. Some batters are frozen by fastballs inside, and they get hit. The location where the batter gets hit has a little bit to do with decision also. Nobody wants to get hit in the elbow, lower arm, or wrist. These could be season enders. Shoulder, butt, thigh, these are areas where a batter mightlean into one. If I see an intentional HBP I call it, otherwise, benefit of the doubt goes to batter. Pitcher only owns the area over the plate.

Exactly.

[scyguy]

so, even if kid takes part of his body (hand in this case) toward the ball, still award base? Monday night when this happened I was confident with my decision, now I am not so sure. Maybe I need to revisit the way I look at this issue. Thanks

[jicecone]

Did you ever think that mabey the kid was trying to protect another part of his body , using his hand. Not uncommon. It is very natural when something is going to hit you, that you put a hand or arm up for protection.

This is not as complicated a subject as we are making it here. For the most part in all leagues, if you are not 100% convinced that the batter was trying to get hit by the pitch, send him to first. Ive probably officiated in a few thousand games and can almost remember the few times I have kept the player in the box.

[tiger49]

If the batter tried to get hit he stays, if he was protecting himself I give him first. Plus I give benefit of the doubt to the batter on the slow curve to the arm as he has to stay in there in case in drops into the zone. This stops kids from having to do too much to try to avoid getting hit and having a more serious injury, ie turning into a high fastball to take it in the back as opposed to trying to jump out of way and taking it in the ribs.

[mcrowder]

If the batter is trying to get away from the pitch and puts his hand between himself and the ball, he's still trying to get away. HBP

However, I've seen the occasion where the batter is NOT in the path of the ball and the batter reflexively puts his hand up into the path of the ball (that wouldn't have hit him had he not done so). Ball.

[scyguy]

Originally posted by mcrowder


However, I've seen the occasion where the batter is NOT in the path of the ball and the batter reflexively puts his hand up into the path of the ball (that wouldn't have hit him had he not done so). Ball. [/B]

This is what happened!! But is "reflexively" defensive????

There is a difference of opinion of this I know. FROM NOW ON....I am awarding base!! I took alot of grief from the fans Monday and it is still bothering me. If I gave the kid the base, I would of forgot about it four days ago. I was obviously over-officiating by not awarding first.