why is this so confusing to so many umpires?

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by greymule

The play you describe is a dead ball strike in every code on earth, including that of the Yemeni Slayer-of-the-Infidel Federation (YSIF).

However, sometimes the contact has an obvious metallic sound, but the batter also reacts in pain. You have to determine whether the ball hit hands (dead ball strike) or metal (batted ball) first. In those cases, if the ball travels like a batted ball, I usually consider it such.

If I were able to differentiate whether it hit the metal first and then the hand, I would have a foul ball, never fair.

So your response should either be hit the hands (dead ball strike) or metal (batted ball but foul) first.

Rita