What's this? - Page 2

blue · #16 (**permalink**) Wed Sep 13, 2006, 02:07pm

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.

BretMan · #17 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 14, 2006, 12:36pm

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!

CecilOne · #18 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 14, 2006, 01:40pm

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

BretMan · #19 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 14, 2006, 02:25pm

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!

Big_Mike · #20 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 14, 2006, 02:27pm

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

BCCanuck · #21 (**permalink**) Thu Sep 14, 2006, 07:37pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Robertson

I'm assuming when you wrote "backswing" you meant the action of a player who has already swung at a pitch and is now bringing the bat back.

If this is the case, I can't call it a foul ball. It's a swinging strike followed by a bit of unintentional interference by the batter. If it's strike three, the batter is out and the ball is dead. If runners are attempting to steal on the play, you might have a good case for calling interference too.

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.