Batter's hands

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by umpduck11

Are you implying that you'd allow a pitcher to wear sunglasses?? That would be dangerous.......

I believe the rules say: The pitcher shall "get himself some cheap sun glasses".

I take it Oakley's would be too expensive then...I think we need an official Fed ruling first though.

Did I really see "travesty of the game" used in relation to a batter's box?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by rngrck

Well I got news for you!! I had a batter extending hands so far over the plate, that the pitcher complained he couldn't see F2's target. Well, I agreed and had the batter back off the hands. In this case, The B1 was deliberately trying to distract the pitcher. Thats was my ruling and I'm sticking to it. LOL.

Sorry for rehashing this, but I can't find any other threads that don't bore me to death. I could not post in the closed thread that's about Ozzy's so-called rude response.

First, just what rule set are you playing by that would allow you to tell a batter where he can place his hands? The pitcher can't see F2's target? Call the waaaaaaaaambulance. Throw the ball at the batter's hands, then.

Second, Ozzy merely questioned where the "crazy questions" (well, it was) come from and did not insult you, and in fact he went out of his way to clarify that he wasn't trying to insult anyone.

Third, rookies should never tell veterans when to retire. It just ain't right.

[canadaump6]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Sorry for rehashing this, but I can't find any other threads that don't bore me to death. I could not post in the closed thread that's about Ozzy's so-called rude response.

First, just what rule set are you playing by that would allow you to tell a batter where he can place his hands? The pitcher can't see F2's target? Call the waaaaaaaaambulance. Throw the ball at the batter's hands, then.

Second, Ozzy merely questioned where the "crazy questions" (well, it was) come from and did not insult you, and in fact he went out of his way to clarify that he wasn't trying to insult anyone.

Third, rookies should never tell veterans when to retire. It just ain't right.

Steve,

I believe it was post number 18 in this thread that rngrack claimed to be out of line.

rngrck mentioned that he had the batter move his hands a reasonable distance from the strike zone because the pitcher couldn't see the catcher's signs. Rule 4.06(a) (3): No manager, player, subsitute, coach trainer or batboy shall...call "time" or employ any other word or phrase or commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit a balk.

If there were no runners on base or I didn't sense any intent on the part of the batter to make the pitcher balk, I would also consider warning the batter to be careful, cause he could end up wearing a fastball on the knuckles.

[bobbybanaduck]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

I would also consider warning the batter to be careful, cause he could end up wearing a fastball on the knuckles.

not your job.

[Rcichon]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

Steve,

I suggest you read post number 18 in this thread before you claim that Ozzy's response was reasonable.

rngrck mentioned that he had the batter move his hands a reasonable distance from the strike zone because the pitcher couldn't see the catcher's signs. Rule 4.06(a) (3): No manager, player, subsitute, coach trainer or batboy shall...call "time" or employ any other word or phrase or commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit a balk.

If there were no runners on base or I didn't sense any intent on the part of the batter to make the pitcher balk, I would also consider warning the batter to be careful, cause he could end up wearing a fastball on the knuckles.

Some questions are less intelligent than others. When an experienced official replies (benignly for Ozzy! ) such as he did, it may be time to review what you think you know.

Sometimes we (you) need more training and/or experience in order to ask more intelligent questions.

Sorry Oz... I know you didn't need a prop up but jeeze! Someone's gotta pick up the slack here now....

/ignore +2..........

[ozzy6900]

Steve, Bobby and Rcichon it's great to see you guys on again! We all seem to agree that it is not the umpire's job to "coach". We also agree that umpires need to officiate by the rules that are already in the books and not "invent" rules on the spot. Let's move on to the next inning and let these "problems" lay where they are. Steve, you take 1st. Bobby, you have 2nd and go out on everything you can, we'll cover you. Rcichon, you have the anchor at 3rd and I have the plate. Let's play two, guys!

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

Steve,

I suggest you read post number 18 in this thread before you claim that Ozzy's response was reasonable.

While Ozzy's post #18 may have been over the top, it was in direct response to rngrck's post admonishing Ozzy -- after Ozzy's reasonable post wondering from where these questions come.

Not to pick on you (I'm serious about that), but even your post here (
"I suggest you read...") could be considered by some to be inflamatory (and, I'm not saying SDS would take it that way). It's just an example of how what's said and what's read are often different.

Better, perhaps, would be "I don't think Ozzy's post #18 was reasonable."

"I" words instead of "you" words -- see the difference?

.

If there were no runners on base or I didn't sense any intent on the part of the batter to make the pitcher balk, I would also consider warning the batter to be careful, cause he could end up wearing a fastball on the knuckles.

No rules basis for any of this (absent intent to make the pitcher balk -- and hanging the hands over the strike zone is not going to cut it).

[mbyron]

Great advice for newer posters as well as officials, Bob: state your own opinion, report your own experiences, explain your own view. Keeps you out of trouble on the forums.

That's my experience, anyway.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by rngrck

Well I got news for you!! I had a batter extending hands so far over the plate, that the pitcher complained he couldn't see F2's target. Well, I agreed and had the batter back off the hands. In this case, The B1 was deliberately trying to distract the pitcher. Thats was my ruling and I'm sticking to it. LOL.

Tell the pitcher to plunk him. Problem solved.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

Well I AM from Chicago!

(How embarrassing. )

JM

Hey! Watch it there!

[canadaump6]

Post edited as per Bob's suggestion.

I will admit that nowhere in the rules does it state that the umpire is responsible for making sure the batter stays off the plate. However, at younger and less competetive levels of ball, it might be a wise idea for umpires to make sure the batter is not putting himself at risk of being seriously injured (some kids can throw pretty fast from 40 or 50 feet). My guess would be that at higher age levels, crowding the plate is self-policed and if the batter doesn't know enough to back off the plate, the catcher may tell him to do so. Even in more competetive leagues, should an umpire not at least tell the batter that he risks getting hurt? I remember a batter at high school level who would stand about 2 feet outside the batter's box while a pitcher was taking his warmups. I caught him doing it before anything happened, but I can just imagine the pitcher getting a free HBP without having to give the batter first base.

On a related note, I have worked with umpires who will call time and instruct a batter regarding feet placement in the batter's box. One partner even went as far as to take the bat, and use its distance to measure off the back and front lines of the box. Again, this was at younger levels of ball (12 yrs). I still thought it was a bit much to be holding up the game to draw lines on the field.

[bob jenkins]

1) As long as the batter is in the box, I wouldn't tell him where or how to stand.

2) There's a rule requiring the batter to be in the box, so marking the box (esp. at the lower levels) is sometimes required.

3) I have told batters to back off the plate when the feet are too close to the plate -- but never the hands

4) There is a specific rule (at least in FED and NCAA) that the on-deck batter needs to be in the proper spot, not near the plate. So, you were right to move him back. That, though, cannot be extended to the OP

[PeteBooth]

The aforementioned says it all.

You made a ruling on the field, stuck to it so why bother asking a question.

IMO, that's one of the BIG reasons why posters say that there is a "tone" addressed to some of the OP's.

If you ask a question

Read the responses. Take those that offer you value and discard the rest.

However, if you have already made up your mind then what's the point other then to generate "excitement" over nothing.

In the scheme of things what player in their "right mind" is going to lean his exposed elbows/ arms over home plate so that F1 can throw a BBBE that hits him for a strike.

Pete Booth

[mick]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

In the scheme of things what player in their "right mind" is going to lean his exposed elbows/ arms over home plate so that F1 can throw a BBBE that hits him for a strike.

Pete,
I think OP is all about that 12-yr.-old hot shot that thinks/knows he'll mess up the pitcher, just like some may waggle a fake bunt.

[TussAgee11]

As a veteran umpire in my association says,

"That waving fake bunt thing will open up my strike zone by an acre or two."