Never thought I'd see this one...
 

Oh my, what a play.

Runner on 1st, 0-2 pitch. The ball slips out of the pitchers hand and starts rolling in...

I was ready to call balk (didn't look like it was getting to the plate), but somehow it rolled into the box. All the while the runner on 1st has taken off for second.

The batter just stands in the box as the ball rolls into his foot. His foot was in fair territory. I say "Dead Ball". Now what, I'm thinking to myself.

a) Balk? (the ball stopped in fair territory) Award the runner 2nd (which he was getting anyway).

b) HBP? (technically the rule says that the batter can not move and get hit by the pitch)

c) Dead Ball - ball (the batter intentionally got struck with the pitch, even though he didn't move, the ball was rolling in there, a turtle could have avoided). But then what do I do with the runner? I'm guessing I would put him back to first.

I chose dead ball HBP and awarded the runner 1st. R1 awarded 2nd. Luckily everyone was smiling enough to where the only person that was ticked was the defensive coach. He wanted a dead ball strike :confused: - coaches never cease to amaze me.

I think I made the correct technical choice per the rules, which is all I can do. I'm not interested in killing the play as the ball is rolling in and calling a balk for game managment purposes. Not my job. I called what was in the rules I believe, (I looked it up and think I got it right). I just couldn't believe what I saw though! Thats the great thing about baseball, everyday, you could see something you'll never see again.

I would have to go with dead ball, call the pitch a ball, and send R! back to first. It is clear that BR made no attempt to get out of the way. The pitch was not in the strike zone, therefore it is a ball.

I disagree with your assessment. From your description the batter made no attempt to avoid a slow rolling pitch. No HPB. Call time, batter remains at bat and now has a 1-2count. R1 returns to first.

So he made no attempt...

But can we interpret that as an attempt to get hit? Remember, a batter is allowed to freeze in the batters box, no?

Oh no, I got NCAA confused with FED. Say it ain't so! YUCK! Oh gosh, how could I do that. Maybe its time we consolidate rule books and just use one, because my brain can't jump from rule book to rule book evidently.

Gosh darnit!

In no book can he freeze on a slow rolling pitch.

It's entirely your judgment whether he intended to get hit or just froze. The batter bears the burden to attempt to get out of the way for the most part, however, if you feel he didn't have sufficient time to react then it's a HBP. Garth is right, as usual, and there's just no way this batter didn't have time to react to a ball slowly rolling at him.

Tim.

Slips
 

In particular, why did the runner return to first?

What was in the rulebook?

HBP is the reason. If batter is awarded first then runner advance 1 base from where he was at time of pitch if forced. If batter not awarded first, which in this case no way he should be, then he returns to first because that is where he was at the time of pitch. That is in all rule books.

I'd put this into the "common sense and fair play" category and call the pitch a ball on the dead ball pitch. He could have avoided the pitch but chose not to. Common sense would tell ya that on a normal pitch that's sailing toward him, it's not quite as easy to avoid being hit, at least not nearly as easy as standing there watching the ball roll into your foot.

Ball in the dirt.
 

Pitcher tosses a ball in the dirt. The batter makes NO attempt to get out of the way. I don't have a clue what the catcher is doing. It plunks batter hard --> HBP, award first base. It plunks him softly --> Dead Ball, get out of the way, ball. The runner goes into 2B standing. Considering common sense and fair play, do you always make the runner return to first?

The OC coach doesn't like my call and tells me that I shouldn't be partial. I let the pitcher get away with a balk and penalized his runner. I need somebody to bail me out? I request a group huddle to figure out what I should tell the OC. Please be kind cause the coach really doesn't like me and I may have to toss him.

OK, my question is why do several people say send runner back to 1st? He had every right to go to 2nd as far as I can see. IMO (humble) br should have no effect on what to call as far as the pitch goes.

If you rule the ball dead, and the BR isn't awarded first, other runners return to the base occupied TOP.

Huh? If it's an NCAA game and that slow-rolling pitch is inside the batter's box, I'm awarding first. It's a pitch, it's inside the lines of the batter's box, and the batter didn't intentionally move into the pitch.

Pitch hits the batter, thats a dead ball, regardless of whether the pitch bounces in or is a 90mph fastball. Now, whether to award first on the HBP is a judgement call. FED 8-1-d (exception) If he makes no effort to avoid being hit...