What's the Call?
 

ASA
Batter with 3-0 count during an intentional walk situation.
Batter does not want the next pitch to be Ball 4.
Pitchout on the way, way off the plate.
Batter throws the bat at the ball and makes contact with the ball that settles in fair territory. (Bottom line, bat is not in batter's hands at time of bat contact with ball).

What's the call?

Nothing in the ASA definition of batted ball says the bat must be in the batters hands at the time of contact. Its simply a pitched ball that has hit the bat and lands in fair or foul territory.

As long as the batter did not have a foot completely outside the batters box at the time the bat contacted the ball, legally batted ball.

Perhaps...
 

but I think I'd have unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing the bat. The batter would be ejected and I'd be looking for a sub. If no sub is available then we have another ruling to make.

For attempting to hit the ball? :eek: Good luck with that.

Yeah, I don't think I'd go that far. I'd probably tell the batter to knock that crap off, but I don't think I'd eject her for USC.

Fair Ball.

id congratulate her and shake her hand if she could pull that move off.

just out of curiosity for the OP, how did the batter throw the bat? did she let go during a normal swing and the bat helicoptered? did she sorta square to bunt and toss the bat towards the other batters box?....

Standard answer.

If no rule makes 'x' illegal, it is legal. Apply rules that exist.

There are definitions for "Batted Ball" and "Illegally Batted Ball"; there is an entire Chapter (Rule 7) addressing "Batting". Nothings says that is anything but a batted ball in fair territory.

There is only one call, already made by MnBlue; point fair and proceed.

Oh Dear God.

That's worse than you pulling a player out of the dugout to explain a call to last week.

If you're kidding, it didn't come across that way.

Really? Why - what did the batter do that is illegal or even unsportsmanlike. I would suggest you not go running around telling players to "knock off crap" that is not, in fact, against the rules.

No, but it's engaging in a potentially and highly unsafe behavior on the field.

Mind you, I wouldn't use the same "knock that crap off" phrase to the player or coach.

Highly unsafe??????
We must be picturing something completely different.


I guess with that kind of thinking, we better remove the hit and run from the playbook!

:eek:

That could be.

I'm picturing the batter kind of "chucking" the bat out a ways.

We now have a bat that, upon impact with the ball, is completely out of anyone's control near the catcher (and possibly me), probably spinning wildly.

With your limited experience with fastpitch I'm guessing you have yet to see a batter bunt by completely giving up the bat? It is more common for older, speedy left handed hitters to use this type of bunting tactic. It isn't a common bunting style, but not completely unheard of.

I didn't see this happen this past weekend - but sure used to see it regularly in men's ball. Almost an "unfair" advantage for a quick left-handed batter.

Hmmmmm - maybe that's where the USC thought comes in...........:rolleyes: