Finally!

Called my first game of the season yesterday afternoon. HS game. 10th grade team, but hey, I was on the ball field! Besides, since this is my first year officially registered for HS ball, I'm willing to "pay my dues" before varsity assignments come my way. (Been "pure" ASA up until this year, with just a season of Jr Hi games 2 years ago as a favor to the local school.) ASA doesn't start for another 5 weeks or so.

Nice warm & sunny afternoon, just a bit windy. A well played game - finished in 6 1/2 innings, 3-2 final score with the final out on the visitors having already scored 1 run in the 7th and with runners on 2nd and 3rd - ended in a strike out. Took about 1:20.

The only remotely unusual call was a nice dribbler of a bunt that just barely moved in front of the plate, batter dropped the bat right in front of the plate and hit the ball. I ruled batter out, since the "drop" seemed to me to be intentionally placed.

Dakota,
The "bit windy" was just put there to keep you humble.
Dunno, if I'll ever get an outdoor game.

Of course, I didn't see the bat dropped, but it <i>seems</i> to me that since the drop only <i>seemed</i> to be intentionally placed, that may have been quite a tough decision that you had to make in 0.2 seconds.
mick

Have my first game of the year in about three hours. It is a HS VAR scrimmage. It is a balmy 49 degrees with 9-10 MPH winds. Like you say though, at least I can get out on the field and start calling.

We have been working since late Feb.

Anyway, since we don't call HS ball, what is the difference in rules about the "Bat Hitting the ball"? The NCAA rulebook(11-15),


In/Out of box - Bat out of hands - Bat hits Fair Ball - Out
In/Out of Box - Bat out of hands - Ball hits Bat during a fair ball - Live Ball

I don't have a ASA book handy but am curious about that one as well.

That is sort of funny because I called my last game of the HS season Tuesday. Playoffs start this weekend but I doubt very seriously that I will get any because there are too many others in our Assn with many years seniority on me but at least I still lave the Private schools who are playing Slow Pitch for a while longer and then ASA starts 1st of May.

The NFHS rule is different. It says...

Actually had a 7 inning freshman game finish in 100 minutes yesterday, in spite of only 1 good pitcher, many substitutions, and working solo. No inning limits were reached and only three base calls were close. Of course, three fly ball "double-ups" helped.

The NCAA rulebook also addresses this

Fair or Foul ball Bat hits ball Intentionally - Batter is out.

I understand you ruled that the drop was intentional. No problem....but what is the ruling if the it was NOT intentional but the bat still hit the ball?

If a bat is dropped or thrown in a direction where it can hit the ball I will call that intentional.

WMB

kellerumps,
Without intention that ball has to be live, that is our only alternative choice.

I have to see, and believe, the intention.
For example, dropping a bat 24" in front of the plate,
having the ball hit the bat, and stopping the ball "for the catcher", would not seem intentional to me.
Whereas, dropping the bat between the catcher and the 12" bunt, with bat and ball contact, may well seem intentional.

In the original case, the batter dropped the bat on the ball creating a potential hazard/distraction for the catcher. Fine! Let's make the batter go away, for ignorance if for nothing else. All runners go back.
mick

Dakota started the thread speaking of Jr. High ball (JV to me) as a place to "pay dues". I agree that overall Varsity has the best action but to tell you the truth I love JV ball. You see tomorrows' stars and the attitude hasn't kicked in yet. I do them both and kind of enjoy the last glimpse of innocence (if you will) before these girls hit the big time.

For a bat hitting a batted ball you can also invoke Fed 7-3-6
"...If a whole bat is thrown and interferes with a defensive player attempting a play, interference shall be called."

No intention is required. You can even declare 2 outs if it prevented a double play.

Roger Greene

Did you have another game on the 8th Tom?

Yep, if the ball hits the bat, it's a live ball. If the bat hits the ball, it's a dead ball, batter's out. Now, if you see the bater chunk the bat at the ball and it stops, then the ball rolls into it, I'm still calling dead ball. To me, that's clear enough for me to call it intentional.

<i> Originally posted by Roger Greene:

__________________________________________________ _________
"...If a whole bat is thrown and interferes with a defensive player attempting a play, interference shall be called."
__________________________________________________ _________
</b>

Just wondering, do you see many "not whole" bats up North? Down here, they just dent from the heat, after about the middle of February. Just curious.