The batter's box

[baldgriff]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

If you are a BU and make that call, your car better be running in the parking lot.

In SP I have made it as PU. 95% of my games are done 1 man. I am not saying it cant be done, just that from what I was seeing on TV recently, it wasnt in those instances.

[mcrowder]

I'm not saying that NO ONE steps out of the box... but it is definitely true that MOST of the time, what appears to be out of the box is perfectly legal. One poster above posts that someone is stepping in FRONT of the plate. I cannot imagine being able to step in FRONT of the plate and still be heading toward first - seems you'd entirely lose the speed advantage gained by this hitting tactic if you were heading toward shortstop on the first step.

TIVO this and look at it frame by frame. You may find one or two that are actually out. Most aren't. Most of them, the first step is the left foot coming way forward in the box, but easily still in the box - the next step is the right, heading down the line from the planted left foot, but almost never is this foot actually down before contact is made (it's hard to reach a ball that's actually over the plate if you've already taken your 2nd step in the right direction.)

My Dad and I were watching these games and he had the same complaint - so we TIVO'd it and watched it frame by frame. We never found one that was actually out of the box AND touching the ground when the ball was hit.

[tcblue13]

When a batter hits the ball are we supposed to look down at her feet at that instant?

I am not trying to be funny or a smart aleck but I am trying to figure out how to see this as the PU. I posted a thread on this last week referring to getting help from the BU and everybody poo pooed that idea. But when I am in the slot and I am focused on pitch location and then following the batted ball, removing the mask (with my left hand) and getting into position for a possible call, I don't know when to look at a batter's feet. Please help.

[baldgriff]

Again my experience is SP. The ones I have called have been so obvious that I could not miss it. In FP from what I have observed and with facemask on... I cant see how you would be able to see it.

I do think this is a call that the BU (expecially 3b in most cases) should be looking for and calling when necessary.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

When a batter hits the ball are we supposed to look down at her feet at that instant?

I am not trying to be funny or a smart aleck but I am trying to figure out how to see this as the PU.

In SP, it is easy as the pitch is literally bringing the umpire's eye down with the pitch. In FP, the feet are not the priority. The ball, and zone, are your priority.

In either case, this isn't something you call unless you are damn sure it happened, not that is just seemed like it happened. This call is probably made more often when it is so obvious, it grabs the umpire's attention to the point it cannot be ignored.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

When a batter hits the ball are we supposed to look down at her feet at that instant?

I am not trying to be funny or a smart aleck but I am trying to figure out how to see this as the PU. I posted a thread on this last week referring to getting help from the BU and everybody poo pooed that idea. But when I am in the slot and I am focused on pitch location and then following the batted ball, removing the mask (with my left hand) and getting into position for a possible call, I don't know when to look at a batter's feet. Please help.

Check my emphasis added to your message.

This is exactly where your focus should be. That means that you are seeing the battter's feet with your periphial vision (the corner of your eye). You better be d*a*m*n sure that the batter's foot is on the ground outside of the box prior to contact.

I do recall a HS game a few years ago where I called one of the slappers for being out of the box. She was facing a pitcher that was not good and had very little speed. The slapper would start her run in the box, but because the ball was coming so slow, it threw her timing off and she ran literally two steps in front of the box before she hit the ball. Easy call.

[Rick Vietti]

The slap hitters are a challenge in fastpitch. I did notice the gal that stepped in the front of the plate. Again this is shown through the angle of the camera from behind the pitcher, so it is tuff to be certain.

The only way for this to change is to change the rule. Both feet entirely inside the batters box (meaning no part of the foot outside the line but could still touch the line) and then the batting will be fairer. Still a judgement call and could be easily missed or argued.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Rick Vietti

The only way for this to change is to change the rule. Both feet entirely inside the batters box (meaning no part of the foot outside the line but could still touch the line) and then the batting will be fairer. Still a judgement call and could be easily missed or argued.

It doesn't make any difference what the rule is or how it is applied, as long as it is done equally across the field, no one has an advantage, thus it is as fair as it can possibly be.