hello

coach comes over too umpire and ask if his ace hitter can take the bat too every base with her after hitting the ball. she has a problem of slinging the bat after she hits the ball, so they have trained her too hit and run with the bat. can the batter carry that bat too any base as long as it does not interfere with the play? just wanna know if this can be done,and we are using nfhs rules in this situation just couldnt find anything on it, because in slo pitch softball this can happen.


timothy

Are you kidding me?

Sure, hold on to the bat a while longer if you have a problem with accidentally slinging it. But why can't she just discard the bat when she's halfway to 1B?

Although I believe the ASA rule or case book does say that a batter who carries the bat to 1B but does not interfere is not guilty of an infraction, obviously we don't want somebody running the bases carrying a bat. Tell the coach no.

We could spend the day thinking of crazy things that fielders, batters, and runners might do that are not specifically banned by the rule book.

"After she hits the ball, my sixth hitter likes to take practice swings with the bat as she is running to 1B. As long as she doesn't interfere or hit anybody, is that OK with you?"

Don't bother looking in the book for it. "Just say no."

You need to get your "o" key oiled - it's sticking. :cool:

Greymule, while I understand your answer is probably based on a safety issue, I don't believe you could back up the answer to the coach with a rule. I'm not sure you could use the guidelines provided to stop him. If a runner wants to slow herself down by carrying a bat, go for it, she's not going too far. If the batter wants to take practice swings on the way to 1st, she'll probably be out and learn the lesson quickly. Or else, you'll be able to call some cheap outs, more than likely.

If the runner did actually run with the bat in a dangerous fashion, I'd call dead ball, invoke a interference rule and call her out. Then I'd have another talk with the coach and say that ain't gonna happen again.

[Edited by TexBlue on Feb 22nd, 2004 at 11:38 PM]

Bottom line, Yes. As long as she doesn't interfere with anyone.

As I said, not banned by the rule book.

I suspect that the ruling allowing the BR to carry the bat to 1B stemmed from cases of batters who would hit a long fly and trot down to 1B carrying the bat, assuming the ball would be caught. They needed a ruling that you're not out for doing that.

But running around the bases with a bat? You can bet that if carrying the bat around the bases ever became an issue, ASA would institute a rule prohibiting it.

Speaking ASA.

A BR/R can carry the bat as far around the bases as they please as long as it is not used to interfere with any play.