First let me say I called my last FED rules HS game for the year last night. This was my first year calling with TASO, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I start a month and a half of Dixie League, God be with me.

On to the question.

Batters in the box, pitch comes in way inside, from the moment it left the mound you could see it coming inside. He steps back a half step to avoid, but as he does, puts out his front hand and the ball hits his hand and arm, he amost caught the ball I think. I call dead ball, he trots to first. Defense coach comes out, questioning can he put up his arm like that to deflect the ball, Coach felt he was intentionally reaching to get hit. I tell him I think he tried to move, it was inside, he gets first, lets play ball.

So, if the pitch is coming for the batter and he sticks his arm to deflect instead of just jumping out of the way, do you call it a ball, leave him at bat or is this more a judgement call based on the situation?

Let me add in this situation, batters team was up 13-1 in the 4th, batter had already hit a triple and a grandslam earlier in the game. He didn't need to take one for the team.

Your judgment
 

Its your judgement as PU. If you felt he did someting intentionally then leave him in the box.

It doesn't sound like that's the case here so he gets the base.

I'm not going to reward the pitcher for a horrible throw. And this sounds like younger kids so its just natural for them to try and knock the ball away.

Again, if you thought he did it intentionally then penalize. Any other play, rule it a HBP.

Thanks
David

This was a 1A varsity game and the pitcher was a sophomore who was having a hard time getting it within the vicinity of the plate, let alone over it.

Ended up 14 to 2, not as bad as I thought it would be.

Worst I know of this year was our hometown team, beat another 2A school, 22 to 3, was 22-0 after 2 innings, and yes, the hometeam was ahead. Apparantly it was a debacle of a baseball game.

You made the correct decision. From your description, the actions of the batter sounds like a defensive move.

I disagree, but admit this is extremely HTBT.

If this batter was already out of the way, and reflexively stuck his hand out forward (toward the plate) and hit the ball, I have a Dead Ball-Ball. No HBP.

If I've misread this, and he was putting his hand out toward the PITCHER and it hit his hand, yeah - that's a HBP.

Hand went toward the pitcher. He had started to move away from the plate when the hit occured.

Mmmmm,
 

It was obvious to me that it was a defensive move.

It is obvious to me it was a Hit by Pitch.

It is obvious to me that kids seldom think fast enough to "make sure they get hit."

Hit batter, pretty simple.

had this last year where kid "stiff armed" ball. I made him stay in box. I told coach he placed his hand in the path of the ball and if he had not done it the ball would of never hit him. After later reflection, however, I wish I would of granted the base. I realized that the kid was only doing it as a defensive move. Live and learn.

I stand corrected then. A stiff arm toward the pitcher is reflexive, and the kid would have gotten hit anyway.

I just won't call HBP when the batter's already out of the way and sticks a hand forward (and it DOES happen), getting hit when he otherwise wouldn't have.

Yep,
 

" . . . won't call HBP when the batter's already out of the way and sticks a hand forward"


I agree whole heartedly on that -- I never took your post to say you wouldn't have a HBP if the move was purely defensive in nature.

JMO
 

If the batter had time to stick his hand out to block the pitch, he had time to get away from the pitch. I have a dead ball, ball/strike on the batter. He stays put, all runners go back to base at TOP.

I know I'm starting things up again!

Maybe a HTBT play!?

Re: Yep,
 

If he does intentionally reach for the ball as stated here, what would be the correct call? Would it be different if there were runners on base, or if the runners were stealing?