bunt/strike

[quiggley94]

12 and under leauge, usssa rules

batter offers a bunt, but dosen't attempt to strike the pitch.
Is that an automatic strike(ie:like a swing), or will it be called by strike zone?

[Rich Ives]

If you mean he took a bunting stance but just stood there and did not attempt to hit/meet the ball, then you call the pitch relative to the strike zone.

If there was any bat movement toward the ball, call the strike.

Your post is somewhat confusing because "offer" is often used to mean there was an attempt to hit the ball.

[BigUmp56]

Originally posted by quiggley94
12 and under leauge, usssa rules

batter offers a bunt, but dosen't attempt to strike the pitch.
Is that an automatic strike(ie:like a swing), or will it be called by strike zone?

quiggley,

There is a difference between "offering" while bunting, and simply "squaring around."

If the batter squares around to bunt as does not move his bat in any way towards the pitch, he has not "offered", and the pitch should be judged either a ball or a strike on it's own merit.

If however you feel that he has moved the bat toward the pitch then you would consider this an "offer" and ring up the strike on this action alone.

Don't get hung up on whether or not the barrel of the bat is extended beyond the front of the plate, or past the batters front knee. If he does nothing the pitch will still call itself.

Tim.

[Dave Reed]

12 and under leauge, usssa rules

batter offers a bunt, but dosen't attempt to strike the pitch.
Is that an automatic strike(ie:like a swing), or will it be called by strike zone?

Quiggley,
Both Rich Ives and BigUmp59 have told you the correct way to handle this.

But if you are asking how umpires actually call it, here is my observations for 12U USSSA ball in Northern California. If the batter takes a bunting stance but does not attempt to strike the ball, two-thirds of umpires will call the pitch according to its location. One-third will call a strike if the pitch is catchable by the catcher. As players get experience, they learn that it is safer to pull the bat back a few inches to convince all umpires that they haven't "offered."

[TBBlue]

Originally posted by Dave Reed
12 and under leauge, usssa rules

batter offers a bunt, but dosen't attempt to strike the pitch.
Is that an automatic strike(ie:like a swing), or will it be called by strike zone?

Quiggley,
Both Rich Ives and BigUmp59 have told you the correct way to handle this.

But if you are asking how umpires actually call it, here is my observations for 12U USSSA ball in Northern California. If the batter takes a bunting stance but does not attempt to strike the ball, two-thirds of umpires will call the pitch according to its location. One-third will call a strike if the pitch is catchable by the catcher. As players get experience, they learn that it is safer to pull the bat back a few inches to convince all umpires that they haven't "offered."

Call it the correct way (the way Rich and Big said). Don't worry about what 2/3rds of a group will call or 1/3rd of a group will call, or what coaches teach batters. That is totally irrellavent to the question asked, and causes confusion.

[BigUmp56]

Originally posted by TBBlue

Call it the correct way (the way Rich and Big said). Don't worry about what 2/3rds of a group will call or 1/3rd of a group will call, or what coaches teach batters. That is totally irrellavent to the question asked, and causes confusion.

TB,

Are you sure you don't mean Big and Rich? <(:>

"Save a Horse ride an Umpire!"

Tim.