Swtich hitting

[klp3515]

Can a batter start on the right side and switch to the left side during his time at bat. After a pitch and before the third strike.

[Thom Coste]

Originally posted by klp3515
Can a batter start on the right side and switch to the left side during his time at bat. After a pitch and before the third strike.

The batter may change boxes one time during an at-bat, provided that the pitcher is not in position ready to pitch.

If the batter steps from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch, the batter is out for illegal action.

[bluezebra]

"The batter may change boxes one time during an at-bat, provided that the pitcher is not in position ready to pitch".

What rule says only one time?

Bob

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Thom Coste

The batter may change boxes one time during an at-bat, provided that the pitcher is not in position ready to pitch.

The aforementioned is not true.

Sitch: F1 (righty) starts the inning, B1 (a switch hitter) is up at bat. Manager decides to change F1's and brings in a Lefty. B1 may now switch and bat right handed if he so chooses.

The relief pitcher must pitch to at least one batter EXCEPT if he gets injured. Suppose after one pitch F1 threw his arm out or sustained another type injury and could not continue pitching. The coach now brings in a righty.

If we go by your rule above, B1 could not switch hit again which is not true. As long as F1 is not in his pitching motion, B1 can change sides.

Pete Booth

[Thom Coste]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
Originally posted by Thom Coste

The batter may change boxes one time during an at-bat, provided that the pitcher is not in position ready to pitch.

The aforementioned is not true.

It was a straightforward answer to a straightforward question. No bullhockey about changing pitchers, yada yada, etc. Simply "Can the batter change boxes?" My answer is correct for that circumstance.

As for bluezebra, I confess I took some license from the NAPBL interp on Ambidextrous pitchers. The batter is expected to come to the plate and "take his position in the batter's box promptly ..." If he wants to change his mind once, so be it. But I'll not allow him to make a travesty of the game by switching back and forth from box to box, pitch after pitch. Make a choice and play the game.

To quote one authority, "This is very rarely done in the modern game." Don't make more of than it is. If you want to challenge my answer with nits, well then, have a ball.

Merry Christmas.

[Gee]

Your right. You gave a straight forward answer to a straight forward question but the answer was incorrect. You supplied the correct answer concerning an ambidextrous pitcher but there was no mention of an ambidextrous pitcher in the original question. Learn from it. G.

-------------------------------------

Originally posted by Thom Coste

It was a straightforward answer to a straightforward question. No bullhockey about changing pitchers, yada yada, etc. Simply "Can the batter change boxes?" My answer is correct for that circumstance.

As for bluezebra, I confess I took some license from the NAPBL interp on Ambidextrous pitchers. The batter is expected to come to the plate and "take his position in the batter's box promptly ..." If he wants to change his mind once, so be it. But I'll not allow him to make a travesty of the game by switching back and forth from box to box, pitch after pitch. Make a choice and play the game.

To quote one authority, "This is very rarely done in the modern game." Don't make more of than it is. If you want to challenge my answer with nits, well then, have a ball.

Merry Christmas.

[bluezebra]

Originally posted by Thom Coste

It was a straightforward answer to a straightforward question. No bullhockey about changing pitchers, yada yada, etc. Simply "Can the batter change boxes?" My answer is correct for that circumstance.

As for bluezebra, I confess I took some license from the NAPBL interp on Ambidextrous pitchers. The batter is expected to come to the plate and "take his position in the batter's box promptly ..." If he wants to change his mind once, so be it. But I'll not allow him to make a travesty of the game by switching back and forth from box to box, pitch after pitch. Make a choice and play the game.

To quote one authority, "This is very rarely done in the modern game." Don't make more of than it is. If you want to challenge my answer with nits, well then, have a ball.

Merry Christmas.

You still haven't quoted the rule.

Bob

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Thom Coste

Originally posted by PeteBooth
Originally posted by Thom Coste

To quote one authority, "This is very rarely done in the modern game." Don't make more of than it is. If you want to challenge my answer with nits, well then, have a ball.

We are not challenging your answer with "nits" but with RULES

There is no RULE against switching boxes in any of the 3 MAJOR rule books. The only rule book that your scenario COULD BE be valid and it is a REAL stretch is in FED where a batter must keep one foot in the box, however, that rule has been modified to include if B1 DELAYS the game, so as long a B1 is not delaying the game but moving from one box to another there is NO rule against it.

I'll agree with one part of your answer "This is very rarely done in the modern game." Everyone is entitled to an opinion but when it comes to baseball, the opinion should be supported by rule or an authoritative source. Your answer was neither.

Pete Booth

[Rich Ives]

The OBR rule quote:

"6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when_ b) He steps from one batter's box to the other while the pitcher is in position ready to pitch;"

Note that it does not limit it to one time per at bat.

Note that it does say it can not be done when the pitcher is in position ready to pitch.

[greymule]

As far as OBR goes, I always believed that the batter could switch batter's boxes without limit. He could switch after every pitch, the only restriction being that he couldn't do so while the pitcher was in ready position. Of course, a pitcher who saw such maneuvering as an attempt to bait or humiliate him might have his own way of dealing with it.

As we all know, managers and players can do many disruptive things that aren't specifically banned by the book. A manager can switch left and right fielders after every batter. A pitcher can throw to first indefinitely to "keep a runner close." Ultimately, the players themselves find a way to put a stop to "shenanigans."

When I pitched, I couldn't have cared less whether a batter made several switches (though none ever did). In fact, I'd figure he was putting himself at a disadvantage.

I don't remember any limit on switching in Fed, but I no longer do Fed so I haven't kept up. I don't know about NCAA or LL. In ASA softball, they tell us not to allow "travesty"-type switching, though I don't think there's an actual rule stating the number of permitted switches.

[Bfair]

Originally posted by greymule

As far as OBR goes, I always believed that the batter could switch batter's boxes without limit. He could switch after every pitch, the only restriction being that he couldn't do so while the pitcher was in ready position.

I believe Thom was referring to the following NAPBL passage:

6.14 AMBIDEXTROUS PITCHERS
In the rare occasion of an ambidextrous pitcher, the pitcher and batter may each change positions one time per at-bat. For example, if the pitcher changes from right handed to left-handed and the batter then changes batter's boxes, each player must remain that way for the duration of that at-bat (unless the offensive team substitutes a pinch hitter, and then each player may again "switch" one time).

No doubt this passage is intended to avoid a merry-go-round of offensive and defensive switches in the event of a switch hitter and an ambidextrous pitcher. Interestingly enough, however, it doesn't specify who must make any commitment first as to their handedness. So, I guess you need to be alert to see if the batter enters the box before the pitcher engages the pitching rubber.

Regarding ambidextrous pitchers, Tom Lepperd noted on MLB.com:

Ambidextrous pitchers are rare but do exist. An example was Greg Harris, who pitched with the Boston Red Sox. When such pitchers pitch in the Major Leagues, they must pitch with the same hand during a batter's entire at-bat. [my emphasis] Such pitchers may change pitching hand for the next batter, but again must continue with that arm for that batter's entire at-bat.

So, Lepperd addresses the issue slighlty different than NAPBL in that he does not allow any switch by the pitcher whereas NAPBL allows the pitcher to change handedness one time during an at bat. NAPBL also restricts the offense to one change of handedness when facing an ambidextrous pitcher whereas Lepperd does not address that issue. I'd therefore consider Lepperd's statement an open issue that the batter could switch as often as he desired assuming he did so between pitches and not when the pitcher was preparing to pitch. Other than the above quoted NAPBL passage, I've seen no limitations anywhere on a batter's frequency of changing handedness when batting.

Fed rule coincides with LepperdÂ’s statement in that the pitcher must decide which hand he will pitch with and remain that way for a batter's entire AB. The batter is not restricted as to which side he must bat from.


Just my opinion,

Freix

[gsf23]

I had this happen once when I was coaching my high school varsity team. We had a freshman pitcher on the mound and the batter, a senior, was one of the better hitters in the state. He was a righty and had taken this freshman deep once already. Anyway..he gets into the box, takes one pitch for a strike, then steps over to the left-handed batters box. My pitcher gives a little chuckle and then plunks him square in the back on the next pitch.

Needless to say, I was proud of my little freshman for not letting this guy show him or our team up.

[GoCamels]

Glad to see this was addressed. Last night, OBR, Cal Ripken Major. Batter switched LH to RH with a 2-0 count. I (PU) allowed one pitch (strike), then called time to confeer with BU to remind myself if that was allowed or not. We decided to tell B1 to go back to the LH box, even though its NOT IN THE RULES.

Told coach after the inning its NOT in the rules, but its one of those "unwritten" rules and reminded him that if this had been "The Show" the next pitch would have been at the batters head.

Yeah I know its NOT IN THE BOOK, but you have to remind these coaches sometimes there are certain things that ARE NOT BASEBALL.

Glad I only call that group once a week. Rest of the time its 13-15...which has its own set of headaches!!!

[Rich Ives]

"Last night, OBR, Cal Ripken Major. Batter switched LH to RH with a 2-0 count. I (PU) allowed one pitch (strike), then called time to confeer with BU to remind myself if that was allowed or not. We decided to tell B1 to go back to the LH box, even though its NOT IN THE RULES."

You're lucky the manager didn't know the rule. He should have protested. He would have won the protest.

Your job as an umpire is to administer the rules, not make them up as you see fit.

[thumpferee]

One question about this situation.

Can the batter step ACROSS home plate to switch sides, or does he have to go behind the catcher?

I was told batter cannot step across home plate during play!