hit by pitch

high school rules 7-3-4

quote:

Originally posted by jeff1234:
13 and 14 year old playing high school rules.
pitch is on the way batter does not move just lets the ball hit him. i tell him to come back to the box. it is a slow ball that u can tell is going to hit him butn he does not even turn. did i make the right call.

Sounds like it.

quote:

Originally posted by dash_riprock:

quote:

Originally posted by jeff1234:
13 and 14 year old playing high school rules.
pitch is on the way batter does not move just lets the ball hit him. i tell him to come back to the box. it is a slow ball that u can tell is going to hit him butn he does not even turn. did i make the right call.

Sounds like it.

agreed....what makes you unsure?....sounds to us as if you had it covered

well the umpire i was with told me they changed the rule a couple of years ago this is my first year back after taking 3 years off so I was just wondering. I thought i was right untile he said something after the game. but I looked it up in the rule book and case book and I was right.

outstanding....the best part of uncertainty is that it can force you into the rule book. good job on looking it up.....

Years ago I was working with my local rules guru...and we had a question on an award...TOP/TOT....I was uncertain and he was adamant....we went with his call....and we were wrong...

from that point on, I've efforted to study more so I wouldnt second guess myself again.....its not that I wont be wrong ever again, but study drives uncertainty away......

good luck, and welcome to the board....

Good call on your part, jeff1234. Oftentimes I see some of our "brothers in blue" either simply grant the batter first base just to avoid confrontation with team managers/head coaches, or, assume that this action is automatic.

In this scenario, the batter remained still. Had the batter made "some type of movement", you, as the umpire, still have to "judge" whether the pitch was "avoidable". My personal rule of thumb: If I observe that the batter's movement is (even in the slightest) "away from the pitch/opposite direction" I may award him first base. If I observe a batter's movement is toward/into the pitch; he stays put, and, I rule ball or strike accordingly. Per rule, whether or not a batter's action is intentional is irrelevant.

The rules are clear and specific. You armed yourself with knowledge. At the moment you trusted the input from your partner. Then you went home and verified the validity of his input. Trust, and then verify is agood habit. Never accept someone's advice just for the sake of it.

Now, if only more managers/coaches would do the same (actually read the rule book and gain clear understanding) we would have fewer rhubarbs over hit by pitch situations. I'll get off the soapbox now.

I forgot to add this small part of the "judgement" process. There are times when a pitch is coming in hard and fast, and, you may determine that the pitch was unavoidable; that there was no way, in your common sense judgement that a battercould have avoided. This type of scenario, to me, is a no-brainer. No doubt, award the batter first base.

I actually enjoy this forum. The guy who got this up and running is a genius. Reading multiple points of view is interesting, enhances everyone's knowledge, and, is oftentimes theraputic. Thumbs up!

HWK34BB,
Sounds like a good rule of thumb. Nice job.

quote:

Originally posted by HWK34BB:
The rules are clear and specific. You armed yourself with knowledge. At the moment you trusted the input from your partner. Then you went home and verified the validity of his input. Trust, and then verify is agood habit. Never accept someone's advice just for the sake of it..

Excellent post...excellent advice....welcome to the forum HWK34BB

I've been reading this website for a couple of years now and I really enjoy the knowledge I have accumulated. Thanks to everyone.

I've never wanted to post but I had a hbp situation come up in one of my games a few weeks ago worth mentioning.

Close high school varsity ballgame late innings, bases loaded, 3-2 count and the batter fouls off 2-3 pitches. I'm watching him move closer to the plate with each foul and his final stance is legally in the box as far close to the plate as possible. I can see it coming but I'm hoping the catcher sets up out side, nope, he's coming right on the inside corner. Then I'm thinking maybe he drills him and it's a no brainer, nope. Here comes the next pitch and the genius drops his left elbow right in the strike zone and "takes one for the team". He drops his bat and heads to first. I proceed to call him out and I'm waiting for the hc. Of course he comes in yelling and screaming that's there's no way his batter can be out on a hbp. I let him yell for a few seconds before I calmly explain to him that he purposely dropped his elbow in the strike zone on a pitch I would have called a strike, he's out, end of story. He continues to scream that he couldn't have leaned over that far from where he was in the box and draws a line in the dirt where he thought he was standing. I tell him maybe he can get a better angle on the next one from the bus, go find a seat.

Thanks again everyone.

Sounds like a good call and a good ejection.

agreed....good calls...

drops the elbow into the pitch in the zone...dead ball strike...

yelling and screaming?..and draws the line?....definate ejection worthy