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Has this ever happened in one of your games?

Rob KremerRob Kremer1,000+ posts
Curious:
What would prevent an enterprising batter from getting on base in a close game by swinging at a two-strike obvious wild pitch just so he can get on base?

How late can the swing be before it is not a swing? If the batter were a quick enough thinker, he might see the ball was going to get past the catcher, make a swing and run to first.

Has anyone ever tried this on you? Isn't a "swing" defined as an intent to hit the ball? And so if a batter was just swinging to take advantage of the wild pitch, that wouldn't by definition be an attempt to hit the ball.

Ever seen this?
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EH Emanski's Heroes1,000+ posts
This wasn't exactly the same situation you talk about, but I saw something similar this past weekend watching UVA play in the Irvine regional. I believe Keith Werman was batting (against Steven Strasburg if I recall correctly), and had two strikes against him.

He checked his swing on a breaking ball that turned out to be a wild pitch. As he saw the pitch bouncing toward the backstop, he took off for first. I thought the checked swing wasn't close to being called a swing, so my first thought was "two strikes against Strasburg, that's probably his best chance to get on base". Looking back, he probably just figured there was no reason to take a chance on being rung up and not running, so it may have been a natural reaction rather than trying to "steal" his way on base (and I admittedly have no clue as to Werman's intentions).

It turns out it didn't matter, as the third base ump ruled no swing. It's one of the few times where the defensive team would come out to argue that the batter didn't swing and that there should not have been a srike out. But it made me think of the same question you ask. Could a hitter get on base this way?
Last edited by Emanski's Heroes
Jimmy03Jimmy031,000+ posts
I remember one such instance in MLB. A batter with a 1-2 count took a swing at a wild pitch two to three feet over his head and then made it to first safely. The umpire, Doug Harvey, I believe, ruled the swing was not an attempt to hit the pitch and brought the runner back.

I don't know of a specific ruling in High School, but I would use the same logic if I ran into a similar situation.
D dash_riprock1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Emanski's Heroes:
This wasn't exactly the same situation you talk about, but I saw something similar this past weekend watching UVA play in the Irvine regional. I believe Keith Werman was batting (against Steven Strasburg if I recall correctly), and had two strikes against him.

He checked his swing on a breaking ball that turned out to be a wild pitch. As he saw the pitch bouncing toward the backstop, he took off for first. I thought the checked swing wasn't close to being called a swing, so my first thought was "two strikes against Strasburg, that's probably his best chance to get on base". Looking back, he probably just figured there was no reason to take a chance on being rung up and not running, so it may have been a natural reaction rather than trying to "steal" his way on base (and I admittedly have no clue as to Werman's intentions).

It turns out it didn't matter, as the third base ump ruled no swing. It's one of the few times where the defensive team would come out to argue that the batter didn't swing and that there should not have been a srike out. But it made me think of the same question you ask. Could a hitter get on base this way?


I didn't see it, but in this situation (if there were runner(s), the proper mechanic would be for PU to IMMEDIATELY go to the appropriate BU and ask "DID HE GO?" without being asked.
D dash_riprock1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by TRhit:
A swing is a swing---you umps are now making decisions outside the rules---is not an attempt to swing the same as a swing?

All codes define a strike as (among other things) a "pitch which is struck at" and missed. I think we can tell the difference between a batter striking at a pitch and one trying to cheat his way on base. Nevertheless, if I ever, by some odd chance, get to do one of your games, I'll be happy to call it your way and ring up batters on their practice swings.

BTW - I sent you a PM a while back. Did you not receive it or just choose not to respond?
C critterump17110+ posts
dash he not cheating is way on. In fact the catcher could of easily block the pitch and thrown to first be to retire the runner. This didn't happen. He swung if he swings its a strike if the ball is in the strike zone its a strike. If he foul the ball off its a strike if he foul tips its a strike in else there are two strikes he is out. This is no rule saying a batter cannot swing for a ball.

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