Another question about last nights game

[Dukat]

I had one batter that had no intention of actually trying to hit the ball that would come up and get right on the plate. At that point there were no drawn box and if I had to estimate it, the back of her foot might be on the front of the line. Except call the strike if it hits her in the strike zone, is there any other remedy you can, by rule, use? I have actually seen umpires tell batters that they felt were too far up in the box to get back before the pitch which I feel is wrong as it is not the umpires job to coach them but if they hit it with a foot "completely" out of the box to call the out. What say ye?

BTW: This was a FED game but I would be interested in any and all interps as I call ASA, FED, NSA and USSSA.

[Rachel]

If I were the catcher I'd call for an inside corner.

If I felt she were out of the batters box I would tell her to get in the batters box before allowing the pitch.

I will ask the catcher to get back I feel the bat may strike her.

[Edited by Rachel on Apr 1st, 2005 at 06:06 PM]

[Dakota]

Originally posted by Dukat
Except call the strike if it hits her in the strike zone, is there any other remedy you can, by rule, use?

Speaking ASA, Rule 7-3-A says that the batter must be completely within the lines of the batter's box prior to the start of the pitch. This is your authority to order the batter into the box and to hold up the pitch until she complies (or call a strike if she doesn't within 10 sec.

I can't find an equivalent rule in Fed. The closest seems to be 7-3-1, but that is more the equivalent of ASA 7-3-B & 7-3-C. It still seems, though, that with this rule you should hold up the pitch until the batter is in the box, and with NFHS, calling the strike if she is not in the box within 20 sec.

I have no problem in making sure the batter's feet are inside the box prior to the pitch. What she does after that is up to the batter.

[kellerumps]

Speaking NCAA....If a batter gets hit with 1 foot completely outside of the batters box, then we have........NO PITCH.........and do-over. Doesn't matter if it was a gut shot.

Thank you for taking one for your team, but you are staying right here.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by kellerumps
Speaking NCAA....If a batter gets hit with 1 foot completely outside of the batters box, then we have........NO PITCH.........and do-over. Doesn't matter if it was a gut shot.

Thank you for taking one for your team, but you are staying right here.

Not a NCAA oriented umpire, but would that not only be if the pitch never reached the front of the plate?

If it reached the plate, it is possible that the ball had entered the strike zone.

[debeau]

This situation is very common in the womens game here in New Zealand .
Rachel has it right as far as the defense goes . Call inside and the batter will soon move .
As an umpire with no batters boxes marked , well you are guessing if the batter hits the ball and you call them out if you THINK they were out of the box .
Dakota
Rule is the same as ISF
If the batter does get hit and the ball is in the strike zone . Dead ball and a strike on the batter.
We do not have the same liability as to injuries etc the you in the states have so I am thinking this affects out thinking on many areas of the game .
At present all the liability is on the players .

[IRISHMAFIA]

Well, other than Dakota, no one is on the correct ruling.

This has nothing to do with being hit by a ball in the strike zone, hitting the ball with a foot out of the box or anything else.

Dukat was questioning the rules demanding where a batter may set up prior to the pitch. Tom has it right for ASA and I would assume most, if not all, others have the same requirement.

The inside edge of the batter's box is 6" off the plate. Since many fields do not have this defined for very long, if at all, after the game starts, it is purely the umpire's judgment as to what constitutes the batter being complete in the box prior to the umpire allowing play to continue.

If there are no lines, you will get some coaches complaining. However, you simply are not the ground crew and your judgment is the only thing that counts in this instance.

[Rachel]

The college world series a couple of years ago had a batter called out for hitting the ball with one foot out completely of the batters box. I believe Cat O. was pitching. They decided this was the incorrect call after the game. The umpire should have waited til' she was in the box before allowing the pitch. He had told her to get back in and she did not listen.

[scottk_61]

Originally posted by Rachel
The college world series a couple of years ago had a batter called out for hitting the ball with one foot out completely of the batters box. I believe Cat O. was pitching. They decided this was the incorrect call after the game. The umpire should have waited til' she was in the box before allowing the pitch. He had told her to get back in and she did not listen.

I don't remember this exact instance but I do know that all ASA national schools in addition to the Advanced School and ISF, we have consistently been told NOT TO ALLOW a batter to start out in an illegal position.

IOW preventative umpiring can control this situation to a point.
Don't let them start out illegal, hold up the pitcher until the batter is legally within the box.
If they ask where the lines are, just tell them to keep moving until you say they are ok.

Persoanlly I have found this to be more of a problem with slow pitch "bubbas" than in fast pitch but it does happen there too