Batter stands like a statue & is hit by a fast ball

[greymule]

Some HBP are tough to decide, especially when a not-so-fast pitch hits a girl who doesn't move, but she falls and starts crying anyway. You know she simply froze, and you know she's not faking, though maybe surprise and not pain are causing the tears. Of course, these cases usually occur at the lower levels.

In general, I don't allow HBP if the ball has significant arc (over the batter's head) or takes a couple of bounces before rolling into the batter. Of course, a genuine fastball three-bouncer is another story.

As with Little League boys, the girls don't react like semi-pro baseball players, so what looks like failure to make an attempt to move can sometimes be simply freezing in stark fear.

And when do these situations arise? Inevitably after a pitcher has walked five straight but has 0-2 on the batter.

I admit I'm often not sure what's fair in these situations.