Bunter Hit By Pitch

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by GeeBee
R2 and no outs. The left-handed batter squares in the box and has his bat over the plate in a sacrificing manner. The ball "rides in on him" striking him on the arm. The PU was somewhat blocked in his observation, and ask the BU, who is in C position, for assistance. Both agreed that he was HPB, and that he did not offer at the pitch. Naturally, the defense objected because he had the bat over the plate. We know that from the Top 40 Baseball Rules Myths and the NFHS Casebook ruling 7.2.1. SITUATION B that the mere holding of the bat in the strike zone is not an attempt to bunt. Can anyone expound as to the "advantage-disadvantage" philosphy involved with this rule??

If merely holdiong the bat over the zone was a "swing", then it would be impossible for the batter to bring the bat back and have it judged to not be a swing (you can't "undo" a swing). Since the batter can bring the bat back, it must not be a swing merely to hold the bat out.