The original post had a swing an a miss, so i have strike. If it happens to be strike 3, then batter out. 3rd strike occurs before the hit ball, so i've got strike 3, dead ball.

An interesting dilema. And here is an odd twist...

I don't have a 2006 book handy, but I do have the 2005 book on CD with me now.

For the 2006 rule, is the above quote from "blue" accurate? Does the "NOTE" associated with 7-4-E really say that a ball hit on the backswing is ruled as "...a strike and a DEAD BALL"?

My 2005 book reads that it is "...a strike and a FOUL BALL".

A subtle editorial change? A misquote from "blue"?

If this is an editorial change, it is one that would have a profound effect on how this rule is enforced. It almost looks like someone caught this inconsistency, slipped the editorial change in the new book, but forgot to make a corresponding change to the conflicting rule (7-6-K-3).

In other words, it looks like somebody already tinkered with this, but they just didn't tinker enough!

Yes, the 2006 ASA 7-4 NOTE-E-F says "strike and dead ball.

So, between the 2005 and 2006 book somebody DID make a concious effort to clarify this rule.

Trouble is, they missed one more conflicting rule that would also need modified to totally set thing straight! :confused:

Poe 24
 

Let POE 24 be the tiebreaker... dead ball / foul ball.

Hi John. I found the same situation in the S.C. Casebook. Rule 7 case 66. Their interpretation is to treat this as an unintentional double hit while in the batter's box - i.e strike on the swing or hit, dead ball on the backswing contacting the ball. Like you I can't find anything specific in the rulebook.