Pitch hits batter's hands

quote:

Originally posted by RPD:

Pitch hits batters hands (while he's holding the bat) -- and not taking a swing at the ball
A. Hands were in the strike zone
1. Ball goes fair
2. Ball goes foul
B. Hands were not in the strike zone
1. Ball goes fair
2. Ball goes foul

What would the correct ruling be in these cases -- and where is it found in the rulebook?

Thanks!

A1: Strike and a dead ball

A2: Strike and a dead ball

B1: Dead ball and award batter 1B as long as he tried to avoid being hit

B2: Dead ball and award batter 1B as long as he tried to avoid being hit

I don't remember the specific rule number, but it is part of "the batter" rule where it says the ball is dead and the batter is awarded 1 base when struck by a pitched ball.

The contention that the hands are part of the bat is a remnant of LL coaches teaching something wrongly, it just isn't true. The best proof of this is in rule 1 where a legal bat is defined; there is no metion of the hands being considered part of the bat.

fvb has them all correct. This is a long time baseball myth that never seems to die. Another is the ball is foul if stops on top of the plate. Ahhh, NO.

Thanks to both of you! The Myth-busters!!

This happened to us with our with an 11U allstar team. Batter was trying to get out of the way of a wild pitch and nearly ended up with a broken finger. Unfortunately the ump was also a believer in the myth and called it a foul ball (strike).

That's what got me thinking as to what would have happened had the ball gone fair.

The topic of baseball myths might make for an interesting thread. If you know of others I would encourage you to post them.

Thanks again.

RPD, I had something similer happen to a team of LL player's I was coaching. The other team's batter put his arm up in front and over the plate to Block a pitch that was high inside.
If batter would have turned properly away from throw.
Throw would not have hit his Hand.
Ump give's him first base on HBP.
My feeling is he caused the hit by putting his hand up.
Anyway I let it go, not worth argueing about.

It takes a very bold and experienced ump to call HBP correctly. Most umps will award 1st and be down with it.

The other thing you can run into is the ball that hits both the bat and the hand. That is, may hit at the "seam" between the knob and the bottom hand, or where the top hand ends and the bat neck becomes exposed.

Generally, a batter who is hit by a pitch at which he swung does not get first base, it is a strike and a dead ball.

So, if the ump believes the ball hit both batter and bat, is it a foul and a dead ball? What if the ball rolls fair?

If the batter swings and the ball hits both the bat and the hand as you described the umpire must judge that it hit one or the other first.

I know that this may seem to be virtually impossible to discern but he has to make his call one way or the other. If he judges bat first then hand it's a foul ball. If he judges hand first then bat it's dead ball and strike.

Either way, with a swing, the ball is dead so it can't be a fair ball.

Without a swing if the ball hits the bat first it's a foul ball and if the ball hits the hand first it's hit by pitch; award first base.
(this is discounting the batter letting the ball hit him or having his hands in the strike zone)

the hands are part of a person's body. if a pitch hits the batter's hands,the ball is dead:if he swings at the pitch,a strike is called(not a foul). if he was avoiding the pitch, he is awarded first base.rules; 2;00 person,touch,strike.7-2-1 and 7-3-4

There are all kinds of baseball myths. Mnay thing it's a balk to take signs off the rubber. In HS it is but anywhere else it's a don't do that.
Many think it's balk if all infielders aren't completely in fair territory. All he has to do is be touching a line to be legal. If he isn't simply call time and make sure he complies.
There many others but I'll let some others play.

what if hes trying to bunt and it hits his hands??

and of course, the parent's cureall-- "He's Out!"

Michael -- very interesting. I'm not an ump, but I love these details.

Last year I watched s game where the batter (RH) was known for pulling the ball, so the LF stationed himself in foul territory. Ump saw it and told him to get back into fair. (as you indicated in your post).

What's interesting is that in sec 4.03 of OBR, in one sentence it says the fielders shall be "... ON fair territory" and later it says "... anywhere IN fair territory."

I guess if you have one foot ON it, then you're IN it.

RPD,

Your player was fortunate, my son took fastball that tailed into him on the hnad last year. It cracked one the bones in his hand (We were a bit lucky, it only cracked it, no displacement or pulverizing of the bone).

Initially the umpire ruled the ball hit the bat. After taking off his batting glove and showing the ump the stitch pattern, he was awarded first base. He took the base, and the next batter ended the inning. After he could not put on his glove to go back into the field he realized there was probably something more than a bruised hand involved.

It proved to be a "fun" day as my in-laws were there that day to see him play and we all ended up at the ER.

Another myth I love is when a lefty pitcher is throwing and someone complains when they pick someone off, that they went past "the plane." Their view (incorrect) that the plane is the back leg or front of the pitching plate.

quote:

Originally posted by hsballcoach:
Another myth I love is when a lefty pitcher is throwing and someone complains when they pick someone off, that they went past "the plane." Their view (incorrect) that the plane is the back leg or front of the pitching plate.

I agree! I don't believe I've ever seen a pitcher break the "plane" unless he was making a throw/feint to second base. It requires incredible flexibility to get your entire non-pivot foot to pass completely behind the back edge of the rubber! It would upset a pitcher's balance so badly that I can't imaginge any coach teaching it either.