Hit By Pitch - New HS Rule

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
I've been told by a couple of umpires that there is a new HS rule that a batter can no longer turn towards the catcher on an errant curveball and take his base via the HBP.

It appears they literally want the batter to duck or jump out of the box.

I think this sounds like one of those rules borne out of desire for no one to ever get hurt. Meanwhile, legitimate HBPs are not being called.

I don't blame the umpires, I blame the rule.

There is no such rule. That said, the rules have always stated that the batter shall not permit a pitched ball to touch him and if he does so, he remains at bat unless the pitch was ball four or strike 3. (7-3-4)

What these "umpires" are spekaing of, I believe is an interp that was a POE, last year, if I recall correctly, that provides that the batter may not increase his profile to the pitch. This is aimed at those batters who stick out their knee or lean into pitches.

Properly executed, there is no prohibition against turning away from the pitch.

Okay, that's interesting. Cause these two umpires told me that they only way they'd let you go to first is if you got a fastball in the ribs that you wouldn't have time to react to.

This leads to too much interpretation to me. I've always taught that when a pitch comes at you, you follow it in to the catcher. If it clips you, then you get the base.

What happens now if you jump out of the way of a curve ball that then catches the inside corner of the zone? I sure hope the umpire would still call that a ball since you were trying to avoid being hit by a pitch.

This is still a judgement call on... if in the judgement of the umpire the batter did not have time or he felt he became a deer in the headlights you can award the base. He does not have to move very much to "avoid" the pitch.

I am going to award the batter 1st most of the time, and will not award them if they stick a wing or knee out.

If a pitcher is thowing a big curve ball right at you and you dive out of the way to avoid but it breaks back over the plate for a strike the batter has to pick up his jock... so if the pitch throws the pitch again and the batter stays in waiting for the curve and it doesn't break and hits the batter, whether he moved or not I will give the batter 1st... why would you award the pitcher... he just threw a curve that did nothing and hit the batter...

TX-Ump, would you please move to IL?

We had one of these on Friday night, Fed rules, RH batter leaned into the RH curve ball working away. He was in the box, but had to keep leaning on the 0-2 pitch to get hit. Blue called him back.

He was the opposition, so we all applauded, but he was also the three hole hitter and the bases were loaded and he drilled the next pitch for a bases clearing double. In hindsight, we were arguing for the HBP...

It was the right call, he clearly was working the HBP with the bases loaded.

This is all very interesting. At a game on Friday night, there were runners on first and second base in a tight game with no one out. The batter turns to put down a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch he sees and gets plunked on the left arm, right above the elbow (Right handed batter). Thinking it was a HBP, the runners on first and second head for second and third and the batter takes off for first. The umpire calls the batter back and refuses to give him first base.

Here is where it seemed strange to us fans. The umpire called the pitch a ball and he did not make the runners return to first and second. They remained at second and third and the batter remained up with a 1 - 0 count. Neither manager left the dugout to challenge any part of this sequence. Something seems off here. Would anyone care to clarify this sequence?

Your umpires are taking a POE to an extreme. In college you don't have to move at all, just don't go after the pitch. HS is the same as Pro, make an attempt to avoid. This is a running difference between me and PIAA, I will keep more in the box the he does but not many. If a batter watches the slow curve come in and let it hit him then he stays, if it looks like it is going to break and doesn't then he gets first.

The ball is dead as soon as it hit the batter and no runners can advance unless forced. Since he decided not to award first base both runners should have been sent back.

quote:

In college you don't have to move at all, just don't go after the pitch.

[Crotchety old man alert]
But that actually isn't the NCAA rule. Here it is:

8-2 The batter becomes a base runner:
....
d. When hit by a pitched ball at which the individual is not attempting to strike;
A.R.—If the batter intentionally gets touched by moving or rolling any part of the body into the pitch, the umpire shall call a strike or ball in accordance with Rules 7-4 and 7-5.
(1) If the batter is hit by a pitch in the strike zone, the pitch is a strike, the ball is dead, no runners may advance and the batter is not awarded first base.
(2) If the batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball and the pitch is out of the strike zone, the pitch shall be called a ball. The ball is dead, no runners may advance and the batter is not awarded first base.
A.R.—If the batter freezes and is hit by a pitch that is clearly inside the vertical lines of the batter’s box, the ball is dead and the batter is awarded first base.

By rule, the batter must attempt to avoid unless the pitch (not the batter) is inside the vertical extension of the batter's box.

I think in actual practice there is more variation among umpires than differences in the 3 rule sets.

I just didn't fully explain myself. I agree that it has to be inside the box for the no move rule to be in effect.
Now correct me if I am wrong but even with-in the vertical lines of the box if he tries to get hit he isn't going to first. For example, the ball is in the bbox but the batter sticks a knee out he is staying.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
I just didn't fully explain myself. I agree that it has to be inside the box for the no move rule to be in effect.
Now correct me if I am wrong but even with-in the vertical lines of the box if he tries to get hit he isn't going to first. For example, the ball is in the bbox but the batter sticks a knee out he is staying.

Correct