Runner Hit by Pitch

[blueump]

The dead ball chart in the FED rule book awards a baserunner 1 base for being hit by a pitch. Can anyone give me a situation where this would REALLY happen?

The only thing I can imagine is if a runner is stealing home and crosses the plate just as the ball does. Would that constitute interference on the baserunner? Would the ump call a ball or strike? Is the ball then dead? How about catcher obstruction?

Any other situations where a runner could be struck by a pitch???

[DG]

The case you mention is the one that came to mind immediately. Without getting out my rulebook I would imagine that the runner is awarded home, and the batter has a ball or strike called on him, depending on what it was, and the ball is dead so no other runners can advance I also imagine it was most likely a ball, because I can not imagine a runner going in standing up, with a batter in place to swing. At the higher levels the pitcher may also realize the runner is stealing and throw an inside right handed batter) to give the catcher a good chance at the tag. He may even throw so far inside that he hits the runner, before he reaches the plate. This is another one of those situations that I have never seen.

[LDUB]

So if the pitch is coming in, and it is right down the middle, so it will be a strike. But the runner slides and hits the pitch before it enters the strike zone. This would be a ball correct? Because the ball never entered the strike zone when it was live.

[TwoBits]

Originally posted by LDUB
So if the pitch is coming in, and it is right down the middle, so it will be a strike. But the runner slides and hits the pitch before it enters the strike zone. This would be a ball correct? Because the ball never entered the strike zone when it was live.

Rule 6-1-4: Each legal pitch shall be delcared by the umpire as a strike, ball, fair or foul hit or a DEAD BALL.

Sounds like we've got neither a strike nor a ball if the pitch doesn't reach the plate.