Leaning over the plate

[celebur]

Originally Posted by Rufus

Different/follow-on question - If a batter is struck by a ball while leaning over the plate is that a hit-by-pitch or strike? Seems to me the responsibility for the contact is on the batter in that case, but now I'm not sure.

If it's in the strike zone, it's a strike, time, and the batter continues to bat (unless it was strike 3). Unfortunately, the only way (within the rules) for you to move the batter back is to have your pitcher throw strikes on the inside corner. And at that age level, the other team's coach is banking that your pitcher can't do that, which is why he's coaching his kids to do this.