ASA Rules Changes??

[BretMan]

Just thinking out loud...

Say we have the offensive team in the first base side dugout and a right-handed batter at bat. The OD batter wants to use the opposite OD circle. Do we call time to allow her to run over to the other side of the field?

What if you have a switch hitter who switches in the middle of an at-bat? Do we need to call time to let the OD batter switch sides, too?

Anectdotal tale...the worst OD batter injury I ever saw happened when the OD batter was on the batter's "back" side. So much for it being safer...

[Dakota]

This is only how I handle it...

Originally Posted by BretMan

Just thinking out loud...

Say we have the offensive team in the first base side dugout and a right-handed batter at bat. The OD batter wants to use the opposite OD circle. Do we call time to allow her to run over to the other side of the field?

I hold the pitcher, but not formally say "TIME".

Originally Posted by BretMan

What if you have a switch hitter who switches in the middle of an at-bat? Do we need to call time to let the OD batter switch sides, too?

See above... same.

Originally Posted by BretMan

Anectdotal tale...the worst OD batter injury I ever saw happened when the OD batter was on the batter's "back" side. So much for it being safer...

"Safe" is different from "safer."

As I said above, I am ambivalent regarding the rule. It may, in fact, convey a false sense of safety.

But, in the flow of the game, in the management of the game, in the umpiring of the game, it is not a big deal.