Foul Ball? or?

[WestMichBlue]

Any rule set. LH or RH batter, swinging or bunting. Ball hits plate and bounds up in air. B-R starts for 1B. B-R is mostly out of box, but trail foot is still in box or on line when ball comes down and hits B-R.

Foul ball? Or Interference?

WMB

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by WestMichBlue

Any rule set. LH or RH batter, swinging or bunting. Ball hits plate and bounds up in air. B-R starts for 1B. B-R is mostly out of box, but trail foot is still in box or on line when ball comes down and hits B-R.

Foul ball? Or Interference?

WMB

I thought we resolved the "in or out" issue as either foot in the box counted as in the box. That would mean foul ball.

[justmom]

Originally Posted by WestMichBlue

Any rule set. LH or RH batter, swinging or bunting. Ball hits plate and bounds up in air. B-R starts for 1B. B-R is mostly out of box, but trail foot is still in box or on line when ball comes down and hits B-R.

Foul ball? Or Interference?

WMB

I'd have to say interference, since she started for 1B. I really think it would be a difficult argument to say she was "within" the box per FED definition of Foul Ball if she only had the trail foot on the line.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by WestMichBlue

Any rule set. LH or RH batter, swinging or bunting. Ball hits plate and bounds up in air. B-R starts for 1B. B-R is mostly out of box, but trail foot is still in box or on line when ball comes down and hits B-R.

Foul ball? Or Interference?

WMB

Speaking ASA

Where does it hit the BR? If on part of the body still in the box, foul ball. If on part of the body out of the box, INT.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Speaking ASA

Where does it hit the BR? If on part of the body still in the box, foul ball. If on part of the body out of the box, INT.

I used to interpret that way, too; that the issue should be the location of the ball when and where the touching occurs, same as fair versus foul, and in the running lane versus out of the running lane. Seemed the intent of the rule, and consistent.

Then, someone pointed out that the actual wording of the definition of a foul ball (F) states "Touches the batter ... while the batter is within the batter's box." With that language, it seems to make the position of the ball or the touching moot. After all, wouldn't a rule intending to say what you and I believe it to mean say "touches the batter .... while the ball is located in or over the batter's box"?

[greymule]

Batter attempts to bunt. Bat over the plate. Ball bounces straight down and comes up and hits the batter's forearm, also over the plate. Both feet still in the box.

The ball may be out of the box, but I'd sure prefer to call that a foul (and I do).

However, ball rolls out in front of the plate, and the batter kicks the ball as she starts toward 1B. One foot still in. I call that an out, because the batter made the contact and the ball was out of the box. But I guess I've been inconsistent, because if the batter had one foot out and still had the other foot in, and the ball bounced up and hit her, I've been calling that a foul. Sort of "ball hits batter, foul; batter hits ball, out," though of course that's not substantiated by rule.

I guess "within the batter's box" has to be defined more clearly.

Good question.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

I used to interpret that way, too; that the issue should be the location of the ball when and where the touching occurs, same as fair versus foul, and in the running lane versus out of the running lane. Seemed the intent of the rule, and consistent.

Then, someone pointed out that the actual wording of the definition of a foul ball (F) states "Touches the batter ... while the batter is within the batter's box." With that language, it seems to make the position of the ball or the touching moot. After all, wouldn't a rule intending to say what you and I believe it to mean say "touches the batter .... while the ball is located in or over the batter's box"?

Steve,

If the ball hits the batter's foot in the box, is that batter not in the box? Sort of like calling a runner out for missing 2B when the runner is standing on top of 2B. Then there is the standard question of the other foot being in the air. The question is when is the batter considered to have left the batter's box for the purpose of any violations based on this information.

When dealing with the 3' lane on a play at first, do we not rule based on what part of the body causes the interference and whether it is outside the lane as opposed to the location of both feet?

The interpretation I have always worked by was as I noted. I've never heard any other interpretation to the contrary, so I'll stick with what I've been told.

[MNBlue]

I think the definitions for fair/foul and in/out of the box are clear, the call comes down to judgement. Lead foot down and out of the box. I want to be 100% sure the batter is out of the box before I take that out, just the same as I want to be 100% sure she is out of the box on a slap hit before I take that out. I don't want to 'guess' outs. But by the same token, I don't want to leave outs on the field.

Foul ball unless I am sold that she was out of the box, then I have an out.

[greymule]

Sort of like calling a runner out for missing 2B when the runner is standing on top of 2B.

In ASA, that can happen.

[WestMichBlue]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Speaking ASA

Where does it hit the BR? If on part of the body still in the box, foul ball. If on part of the body out of the box, INT.

It almost appears that this interpretation fits the described play. We have an extreme situation where the majority of the batter's body is out of the box except the trail foot which is on the line.

Take it to the other exteme - a RH batter is still fully in the box, except as she starts to run her lead hand is over the plate and is hit by the bouncing ball. Seems like interference might be a hard call to sell.

Both ASA and NFHS definitions of Foul ball say "ball hits batter." Doesn't say where! It does say where the batter is - "in the box." Is not the batter still in the box when one foot is still in or on the line?

Either way, I think that FOUL is the "safe" call. Kill the play, and it diffuses everything immediately!

WMB