interesting day
 

Interesting day: two HS games, none of the pitchers particularly sharp, but generally in control along with very good defense. Enough so that only 8 runs scored between all 4 teams. Both games were decided by walk-off home runs; bottom of the 7th and bottom of the 8th.

A question came up. The "new" rule says that a batter does not have to avoid if HBP within the batters box. The batter, while trying to avoid the pain anyway, moves the bat forward. Do we count that as an attempt to hit or does the "in the batters box" rule take precedence?

I think we discussed this before, but I can't figure out what to search for.

Was she making an attempt at the pitch? Just moving the bat forward while avoiding being hit doesn't necessarily constitute an attempt.

Rita

If she is trying to avoid being hit then she cannot be considered attempting to strike at the pitch.

MTD, Sr.

This.

Moving the bat forward or just holding the bat in the strike zone are condidered strikes. Even saw a similar situation this week-end in college ball. The field umpire called the strike after the coach asked for help.

Wrong. Go back to the definitions. If the ball doesn't hit the bat (a definition of a strike) and the bat enters the strike zone, it is not a strike if the batter's objective (oh no, you have to conclude she is trying not to get drilled with the ball) is to avoid being hit by the pitch.

Made the call
 

I made the call the other day.
Batter squared to bunt, ball was inside, looked to me like the batter was still trying to bunt the ball, but she missed and the ball hit her.
Dead Ball, strike. ... coach questioned me, didn't agree with me, but accepted the answer.
After the game, both partners agreed that she was attempting to bunt even though the ball was coming at her.

In a sitch like this, you'll know it. it's that "protection" bunt, as she's fully squared around and the ball is a screwball or riser that's tailing in toward her head or chest.

Bottom line, did the batter attempt to hit it? If so, strike. I'd tend to give the benefit of the doubt to the batter IF the ball is coming at her and there is any movement. Was the movement of the bat done specifically to hit the ball?

Hard to sell that when she's got a welt. Not impossible, but you'll know it when you see it.

And as Esq said, the batter does NOT have to pull the bat back (unless you're talking USSSA fast pitch, which is the only rule set that I'm aware of that you do).

You do in NCAA and NFHS, to name two.

My fault. NCAA does. You're right. I don't do NFHS so I didn't know that. My apologies.

I'm referring to coaches saying this due to their knowledge of the "other" ball game, not a well-versed knowledge of the differing softball rule sets.

Baseball does not require the bat to be withdrawn from the strike zone to abort a bunt attempt. That's a rule myth in that game.

OK I give up.