fair ball/foul ball

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally posted by Chess Ref
I am the PU, had read threads about balls in batter box. Batter drops a bunt stops dead in front part of the box and the thread pops in my brain "hey thats a fair ball ". I point fair we have kids and dirt flying and then from out in the neverlands """"foul ball""" .The BU saw the ball in the batters box and insisted that is a foul ball.

Really no point other than these threads really,really have helped me in this SITCH and in others.

Maybe he (the BU) was thinking (but still misapplying) the mechanic for a BR that is contacted by the ball in the batters box. In that case, we do rule a foul ball, no matter that they may be in the fair portion of the batters box.

But, the proper mechanic for a base umpire is to call "dead ball", not foul ball. The decision on "in the box equals foul" versus "out of the box equals out" belongs to the plate umpire.

Other than that, the BU was not only wrong is his rules knowledge, he was totally wrong on his mechanics; if that ball was 5' foul, it still isn't his call unless you lost it and asked for help after the play.