Hands part of bat

[FLORIDA UMP]

Are hands part of the bat? When applied to a hit batter.I've not been able to find a rule. Thanks.

[Rich Coyle]

This thread seems to cycle through on a regualr basis... be prepared for the c*** to follow.

The hands are part of the BATTER, not part of the bat. All of the rules regarding a hit batsman still apply.

[Rich Ives]

Florida!

See Rule 2.00 PERSON

"The PERSON of a player or an umpire is any part of his body, his clothing or his equipment"

or, as the Little League case book says, "The hands are part of the body. Check any anatomy book."

[greymule]

Another wrinkle in this play is the batter who swings at an inside pitch and the ball hits his hands and rolls into the infield. Rare at high levels, common at lower levels. (I've seen them swing and get hit in the head, too.) Wherever the ball goes, it's a dead ball and a strike.

I've had a hundred coaches claim the hands are part of the bat. I don't know why that misconception is so persistent.

[Jackie W.]

The hands are a part of the BATTER. That is the best way I've heard it put. That gives any one who has a hard time remembering a good word picture. I think I'll pass that on.
Too bad there can't be simple analogies for all the rules!

Jackie

[ozzy6900]

Okay I'll treat you like I do coaches that ask that.

Let's call over the batter. Okay son, please hold your hands out in front of you, palms up. Alright coach, do you see any bats growing out of those palms?

Get my point???????????

[jicecone]

I always ask, "When was the last time you bought a bat with hands attached"?

[ENelson]

Think about this....

You are in a Little League All Star game. District championship game. (If Game)

Top of the 6th. Visitors are behind by 1. There are two outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd.

There is a 2-2 count on the batter.

The pitch is tight at the batters head. He is swinging as he is moving away from the pitch. The ball hits his knuckes. As he completes the swing. The ball bounds fair. The catcheer fields the ball and throws to first. It sails over the 1st basemans head. Runner from 3rd scores. Runner from 2nd comes to the plate and there is a close play. The plate umpire comes up with a huge Safe call.

The Batter gets to 2nd. His knuckles are bleeding. He is a Hero.

Or is he? Who wins? Who is going to make this call? What are you going to do?

I had it happen. I did the right thing. Home team one and the visitors hate me.

[Rich Ives]

ENelson

I have a HBP (batter was bailing away - the "swing" was a defensive move, not an attempt) - dead ball - batter to 1B.

Did you have that or a "K"

[ENelson]

It was a definite swing. Even though it was high and tight hw woofed at it.

[Alan G]

Plate umpire didn't see it the way you did? How did the call get changed? Did he ask you for help?

[Marty Rogers]

From ENelson's description of the play, batter SWUNG at the pitch (not bailing out of the way). Pitch hit batter as he took a swing. Ball immediately dead, strike 3, batter out.
Game over. Am I missing something here?

[Rich Ives]

Marty: Ed Nelson's description said: "The pitch is tight at the batters head. He is swinging as he is moving away from the pitch."

He was defending himself. HBP.

[Marty Rogers]

Rich: Sorry I misinterpreted ENelson's words when he twice wrote that the batter swung at the pitch. In my experience, a batter usually hits the deck (goes down quick on his butt) when trying to dodge a pitch at his head. This rarely would include a swing, even by accident. BU could be asked for help on if batter went or not.

So if it is a SWING (offer at the pitch), strike 3, batter out. If it Isn't a swing, then HBP, one run scores.

This, like many plays, needs to be seen to really know what happened. (I'm still siding with ENelson).