Rules Question

• darbypitcher22

  

  Ok, Player A is struck by a pitch thrown by Player B, but makes no attempt to move out of the way. Umpire tells batter to stay in the box, but then proceeds to call the pitch a ball.
  
  Why is it that most of the time when a kid sticks and elbow or something out over the plate and gets hit and umpire refuses to call the pitch a strike when most of the time it is?
• BlueDevil11

  

  Never have understood this rule. If the batter makes no attempt to get out of the way, then it is their fault, and it should be called a ball. If the batter attempts to get out of the way, but is hit anyway, then they should get first base. If a batter leans into the ball, it should be called a ball or strike depending on the location of the pitch.
• thePITman

  

  If the batter doesn't attempt to get out of the way or leans into a pitch, most of the time it was going to be a ball anyway. On very, very rare occasions will you see a batter start close enough to the plate to have a chance to lean over and be hit by a ball that would have been a strike. It's very, very difficult. I've seen it called once, but normally when a batter is hit, even if they're leaning in, it would have been a ball.
• Altor

  darbypitcher22 wrote: Why is it that most of the time when a kid sticks and elbow or something out over the plate and gets hit and umpire refuses to call the pitch a strike when most of the time it is?

  Back in my pony league days, we had an umpire call a pitch a strike when it hit the batters elbow. Neither the batter nor his coach even argued.
  
  That was a long time ago though.
• Wooball

  

  I hate this rule. I feel the batter should be able to stand his ground, and if he gets hit, he should get 1st base whether he made an attempt to get out of the way or not. Now, if the batter "leans in" on the pitch to get hit that is a different story. But if the pitcher can't command the zone enough and hits the batter, why should they have to make an attempt to get out of the way?
• Quint

  

  I was hit by a pitch in the middle of my triceps muscle one time. I turned away but didn't really move, and I never crowded the plate. Umpire called called it a strike, and it just so happened it was my third. The ball was nowhere near the strike zone. That was the closest I ever came to getting thrown out of a game, because I was a catcher and I gave him a piece of my mind when I got back out there.
  
  I think the batter should get the base if he is hit regardless of an attempt to get out of the way. However, if he leans into it, the umpire should call it a ball or strike accordingly.
• joebaseball

  

  I was talking to a veteran umpire (does DI college games, etc.) and the way he described it to me was if the ball hits you then you get the base if you hit the ball you are staying here.
• Bigdogg

  joebaseball wrote: I was talking to a veteran umpire (does DI college games, etc.) and the way he described it to me was if the ball hits you then you get the base if you hit the ball you are staying here.

  You do understand that the rules are not the same for college as they are in high school?
• darbypitcher22

  

  ^^^^
  
  This.
• Fred Flintstone

  Bigdogg wrote:

  joebaseball wrote: I was talking to a veteran umpire (does DI college games, etc.) and the way he described it to me was if the ball hits you then you get the base if you hit the ball you are staying here.

  You do understand that the rules are not the same for college as they are in high school?

  I know the umpire that joebaseball spoke with quite well. He was a state rules interp. guy for Ohio and Darby I think you may have had him as a teacher in HS.
• darbypitcher22

  

  Yah I probably did. He umped college games as well, so he's a knowledgeable source
• canofcorn

  What about when a curveball/breaking ball doesn't break. The hitter is picking up the rotation and waiting for the break - if he doesn't move and gets hit, he should get the base...happened last night during the DeSales/Watterson game - kid gets hit on the ankle by a breaking pitch that didn't break enough but really made no effort to move - umpire made him stay there - called the pitch a ball - kid ended up flying out.
• Fred Flintstone

  canofcorn wrote: What about when a curveball/breaking ball doesn't break. The hitter is picking up the rotation and waiting for the break - if he doesn't move and gets hit, he should get the base...happened last night during the DeSales/Watterson game - kid gets hit on the ankle by a breaking pitch that didn't break enough but really made no effort to move - umpire made him stay there - called the pitch a ball - kid ended up flying out.

  This situation is most likely why the veteran umpire mentioned above explained it the way he did.
• irish_buffalo

  In HS if you get hit you are heading to first base.
  
  Only in Little League have I ever seen an umpire make a kid stay at the plate (when hit by a 30mph fastball) after making NO attempt.
• thePITman

  

  This happened last night to us. Leadoff batter in the top of the 1st. It was the 2nd pitch of the at bat, our best hitter and starting pitcher/ace, and it hit our batter in the middle of the side of the ribs. He did not get first base.
• joebaseball

  

  Bigdogg wrote:

  joebaseball wrote: I was talking to a veteran umpire (does DI college games, etc.) and the way he described it to me was if the ball hits you then you get the base if you hit the ball you are staying here.

  You do understand that the rules are not the same for college as they are in high school?

  I'm well aware that high school and college baseball are different. I have coached hs baseball 8 of the last 10 years and played 4 years of college baseball. Thanks...
• Bigdogg

  joebaseball wrote:

  Bigdogg wrote:

  joebaseball wrote: I was talking to a veteran umpire (does DI college games, etc.) and the way he described it to me was if the ball hits you then you get the base if you hit the ball you are staying here.

  You do understand that the rules are not the same for college as they are in high school?

  I'm well aware that high school and college baseball are different. I have coached hs baseball 8 of the last 10 years and played 4 years of college baseball. Thanks...

  Yes I hear that a lot. Always wanted coaches to prove it to me though. Here is your chance to demonstrate your knowledge. Please answer for both NFHS and collage separately. I will provide the answers later.
  
  In each of the following, you are given a situation and at least two possible answers. You are to decide which answer or answers are correct for NFHS, NCAA or pro rules, which might vary. Solutions appear below.
  
  1. Which of the following are true about a pitcher’s glove?
  a. The glove may be multicolored, as long as it does not contain any white or gray.
  b. A glove with only the piping in white or gray is legal.
  c. A glove that is legal may still be declared illegal by an umpire if he or she deems it to be too distracting.
  d. A batter’s request for a pitcher to change gloves must be granted.
  
  2. The home team is using a nine-player lineup. F1 struggles with his control in the top of the first inning and asks to go to his bullpen to warm up and work out the mechanical difficulties. He is due up third in the bottom of the first. To enable F1 to continue to work in the bullpen, the team sends up pinch-hitter S1.
  a. Legal substitution.
  b. Illegal, each hitter must bat once before being replaced.
  c. F1 may still pitch in the second inning.
  d. F1 is done for the game and cannot return to the mound.
  
  3. With fewer than two outs and R1 on first, B4 hits a ground ball to the third baseman. F5 throws to second base in an attempt to retire R1.
  a. If R1 slides, he must slide directly into the bag.
  b. R1 does not have to slide.
  c. If R1 does not slide, he must attempt to avoid the fielder or the play.
  d. If R1 slides, he must be able to reach the bag with his hand or foot.
  e. If R1 is ruled to have violated the slide/interference rule, B4 is also automatically out.
  f. B4 is out only if he would have been out on the normal force play.
  
  4. If a ball declared to be an infield fly is intentionally dropped:
  a. The ball is dead immediately.
  b. The infield fly provisions take precedence.
  c. The intentionally dropped fly ball provisions take precedence.
  d. The umpires will declare the batter out on the infield fly and the lead runner out because of the automatic out for an intentionally dropped ball.