Bunt hits batter!!!

[WayneG]

Had this situation in a C-team game the other night. R1, batter attempts bunt, ball strikes in front of plate, comes straight up and hits batter-runner as he's leaving the box. I immediately call foul ball. Head coach of defensive team comes out to challenge the call. I immediately give him the stop sign to wait as I feel that I need to ask for help from my partner help. I ask my partner and he tells me that the batter was half in-half out of the batters box. With this information, I change my call to batter-runner out. Now I have the other head coach coming out, I tell him that the batter was hit out of the box and says that there is no way my partner can help with this call because of his location. "B" position. After the half inning, his assistant, who claims to also be an umpire where he lives, claims that there is a little rule that states that as long as the batter still has one foot in the batters box, he is considered to still be in foul territory, making it a foul ball. I don't agree with that, couldn't find it in the Fed. rule book. Just looking for some insight from y'all. Thanks.

[btdt]

Half in half out to me means he had one foot in the box when the bunted ball bounced up and touched him. One foot in equals foul ball.

[ozzy6900]

1/2 in 1/2 out - you don't need a rule book for that! FOUL BALL!

[bob jenkins]

FED 8.4.1B could be read to imply that if the batter has one foot out of the box, the batter is out of the box.

[bossman72]

Generally speaking, when the batter is hit with the ball in this manner and he is partially in the box, you call it foul.

[blewthatone]

You can really save yourself a lot of grief by calling foul ball. If the batter is partly in the box just call foul. Unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure he is out of the box, then call him out. As far as my partner, I tell him during pregame if you see it hit him and are sure come up yelling foul.

[Eastshire]

By rule it is where the ball is when it hits him. If the ball is in fair territory, he's out. By tradition, any ball striking the batter who is still in the box is foul.

Originally Posted by Eastshire

By rule it is where the ball is when it hits him. If the ball is in fair territory, he's out. By tradition, any ball striking the batter who is still in the box is foul.

WRONG - Try 7-2-1f

SECTION 2 STRIKES, BALLS AND HITS
ART. 1... A strike is charged to the batter when:

f. a batted ball contacts the batter in the batter's box (foul ball).

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by blewthatone

As far as my partner, I tell him during pregame if you see it hit him and are sure come up yelling foul.

If the BU sees the B/R get hit with the a batted ball he should call "time". You'd have a lot of explaining to do if he called "foul" as you were declaring the B/R out for being hit with a fair ball.

[DG]

Part of the front corner of each box is in fair territory so if he is struck in the box it is foul, even if the ball was in that front corner in fair territory. If he is struck by a batted ball that is in front of the plate and either foot is on the ground outside the box as it would likely be if he is trying to run to 1B and I have an out. If he inadvertently kicks a fair ball in front of the plate while coming out of the box I have an out. Contact was made with a fair ball while not in the box. If he had one foot out of the box on the ground when he bunted the ball he would be out so I don't see why he wouldn't be out if contact is made with a fair ball that is in front of the plate with one foot in and one foot out.

[blewthatone]

Originally Posted by waltjp

If the BU sees the B/R get hit with the a batted ball he should call "time". You'd have a lot of explaining to do if he called "foul" as you were declaring the B/R out for being hit with a fair ball.

Maybe I should have clarified that if I have not come up with anything yet on the play and BU sees it to call it.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by waltjp

If the BU sees the B/R get hit with the a batted ball he should call "time". You'd have a lot of explaining to do if he called "foul" as you were declaring the B/R out for being hit with a fair ball.

This is all overrated. If I call "foul" from the bases, plate umpire steps up and says, "no, no, no, he was out of the box, he's out" there's really precious little to explain, really.

[TwoBits]

Originally Posted by WayneG

I immediately call foul ball. Head coach of defensive team comes out to challenge the call. I immediately give him the stop sign to wait as I feel that I need to ask for help from my partner help.

Why? You called foul ball. The play is dead, and you can't change it.

[FTVMartin]

I say he is in the box until he is completly out of the box. Foul Ball.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by FTVMartin

I say he is in the box until he is completly out of the box. Foul Ball.

Correct.

I believe that Wayne was mistaking the bunted ball coming up and hitting the batter while one foot was out of the box, with hitting the ball with one foot outside the box, which would be an out if it was obvious enough to call. It is the only explanation that makes any sense other than he just didn't know the rule.