Situation:
16U, ASA rules.
Batter is hit on the leg by a moderate fast ball - not a screamer, but still a fast ball. She makes no attempt at any motion - doesn't turn, doesn't flinch, doesn't back up, nothin'... (This kid had already hit a fast ball from this same pitcher 200+ feet into left field - so reaction time is not her problem.) I call "dead ball," batter drops bat and starts trotting to 1st. I call her back - "dead ball, ball three, batter made no attempt to avoid the pitch."

Coach goes ballistic - see my other post on "should I have ejected."

My question, here, is not a rules question, but a judgment question. I know, by rule, my call was correct.

My second guessing was because it was a fast ball pitch.

What do you think? Have you ever ruled the batter made no attempt to avoid on a (moderate) fast ball? 16U.

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.

Just my humble opinion here, but in a 16U game, the players should know the rules and what is expected of them. I say that in this case, you definitely nailed the call, and should be satisfied with it. Coaches tend to go ballastic on such matters because many of them are just not rule savvy. Chances are that this guy had no idea that the batter has to make an attempt to avoid getting hit.

Scott

Nothing in rule 8.1.F about the speed of a pitch which strikes a batter. For that matter, it doesn't say anything about an attempt to avoid being hit being intentional. Therefore, even those with "deer in the headlight" syndrome could possibly be ruled to have made no attempt to avoid the pitch.

I know it would go over like a lead balloon, but it could happen :)

Dakota,

I have had times in college where a girl made no attempt to get out of the way. IMHO you made the right call.

Bob

The batter's box is for the batter. The pitcher should not throw a pitch through the batter's box, if they do and the batter gets hit, give em the base.

Welcome, bushfire. As "fair" as that might sound, you'd have a hard time finding support for that position in the rule book.

So, I guess if the pitcher throws a truely wild pitch that goes behind the batter & outside the box, and the batter, attempting to avoid the pitch, backs out of the box and into the pitch, then there is no award, since she was out of the protected zone of the batters box? ;)

If she didn't move, flinch, fall down and cry, too bad, ball 3 and I would'nt care what the coach said. 'Course if he continued to rant after I had a quiet talk with him, he could finish the rest of the game in the parking lot. I don't care if it is fastpitch.
Welcome Bush, but check your rule book! :)