Never Seen This Happen Before — What's The Ruling?

[BretMan]

I'm just kind of amazed that someone could be around this game for 40 years and never have seen a batter get hit by a pitch while swinging at it.

It's not like it happens a lot, but I might see this once or twice a year (though my typical year is 100+ games of umpiring). It just seems like the odds are that it would come up at least once...

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by BretMan

I'm just kind of amazed that someone could be around this game for 40 years and never have seen a batter get hit by a pitch while swinging at it.

I agree...

2 seasons ago I had a girl (bottom of the order and all that implies) square around to bunt against what was normally a VERY good pitcher. Ball gets away from pitcher though and heads straight for the batters box. Batter tries to bunt it anyway (perhaps in self defense, but the attempt to hit the ball with the bat was obvious to all), she misses for strike 3 and the ball hits her in the NECK.

After 10 minutes of the coach dealing with her, he tells her to go on to first base. It was quite painful to have to explain that not only did she not get first, but that she was out.