USA: batting position
 

Rule 7.3.a
Prior to the pitch, the batter must have both feet completely within the lines of the batter's box. The batter may touch the lines, but no part of the foot maybe outside the lines prior to the pitch.

7.6.H
When a batter leaves the batter's box and returns to the box and makes contact with the ball.
Effect: ball dead, batter out, runners return...

This subject came up during a review of the USA Umpire's Exam. There was a question about a batter contacting a ball with a foot partially out of the batter's box. While related, it's not specific to the discussion that followed.

In Rule 7.3.a, there is no effect or penalty given if the batter has not complied.

I understand that in most cases, fields don't have drawn out boxes, and it's not a scab I'd pick in a game situation. However, I'm curious as to what should be called if the batter violates and/or refuses to comply. A strike? Batter required to hit pitched ball to violate? An out?

Thanx for discussion.

You should not allow a pitch to be thrown if the batter does not have both feet inside the batters box. If you tell the batter to get their feet in the box and they refuse then I have an ejection for refusing to follow the directions of the umpire.

What is the relevance of 7.6.h? Is it quoted just to show there is a penalty?

Sort of...

Some of our guys claimed we couldn't use that penalty if the batter hadn't yet entered the box. Their point being that a batter would have had to be legally IN the box first before getting out of the box and then returning.

Everybody's mind works a little differently.

That said, I began to wonder why no penalty was listed for the first reference.

A pitch is not allowed.

I would like to think you would enforce 7.3.C before taking such a drastic action as an ejection

My comment is in response to his question of what happens if the batter refuses to comply. Yes, I would initially issue a strike but if the batter continues to refuse to get back into the box I am not going to play that game. I have yet to ever have a batter not comply immediately.

Exactly.

Please get in the box!.............Doesn't = Strike one, Please get in the box!.........Doesn't = Strike two, Please get in the box!..........Doesn't = Strike three! You're out and you won, you didn't have to get in the box when asked. Now go to the dugout......I surely would think a coach would have intervened somewhere during the strike calling episode.

And legally in the batter box at the time of the pitch. :rolleyes:

7.3.C covers it. The batter's position, which he/she must assume within 10 seconds, is with both feet completely in the box. If he/she doesn't comply, the penalty is a dead-ball strike.

I don't recall ever having a batter refuse to put both feet in the batter's box on the very few occasions where I've seen them set up improperly. The only time I've ever seen it is when the batter crowds the plate and there isn't much of a line left on the ground. I can't remember ever correcting a batter who is too far up, back or away from home plate.