New rule: Foot on Batter Box line.

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Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
I saw this called half a dozen times over the weekend.... Not slappers, all bunts. Couple were righties. It really had me wondering what the purpose of it was. What "problem" is being solved, what advantage there is to a bunter.

The lines were completely gone in one game and that dude just kept calling it. It was awful.

In another game I thought a rather well known female coach was going to chew the face off of some twerp kid of an umpire who honestly had no business calling a game like that.

This is a really dumb rule. It screws up games. It has all the fans trying to watch wondering what the call is. Get rid of this thing NOW. Our sport is getting more coverage than ever but these are little wtf? type moments that turn spectators off and there is NO reason for it.

It seems to me like it's also much, much easier for an umpire to call "completely out of the box" than "a centimeter of her baby toe was possibly out of the box if the lines were still there." You can make that first call even if the lines are gone (in some cases). In the latter situation, it can be difficult to tell even when the lines are pristine.

It's a bad rule that solves a nonexistent problem by adding a layer of difficulty to an already difficult job.

Edit: This part of the explanation is especially stupid "Also, ensures slappers do not gain an unfair advantage that other batters do not have by being allowed to contact the ball while outside of the batter’s box."

There was previously no rule that said any other hitter couldn't have a foot partially out of the box. A right-handed hitter could, on her stride, have a toe over the line.

I really wonder if this rule is designed entirely to discourage slapping. I don't think it will do that, but I wonder if there's some kind of anti-slapper agenda at work here.
 
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Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
Coach you bring up a great point- and the team I was rooting for has a right handed hitter who hits in the front of the box and I watched closely to see if she would stride onto the line. I couldn’t tell but she was close to the line.

In reading my original post, it wasn’t correct, I DID see a couple slippers called but it was mostly bunted which I thought was odd. It really messed up the flow of some fun to watch softball in perfect weather. I’m back in the snow today. What a bummer.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
The rule as I understood it, was any part of the foot that is outside the chalk (even as little as 1" over) at contact, the batter will be out.
On the chalk... OK, 1" or more over the chalk....OUT

In most cases this weekend, I saw a good job by the HPU, however there were a couple that were excessive. The line was completely gone and she's just a smidge close to where it used to be.... OUT!
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
The rule is only in NCAA and if they were saying the foot couldn't touch the line then they had no idea what they were talking about. The line is part of the box, the foot cannot extend past the line at contact with the ball.

Again, this is NCAA only.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
The rule is only in NCAA and if they were saying the foot couldn't touch the line then they had no idea what they were talking about. The line is part of the box, the foot cannot extend past the line at contact with the ball.

Again, this is NCAA only.


Correct!
However, the rule change this year is SHE MUST HAVE BOTH FEET COMPLETLEY INSIDE THE BOX (OR ON THE CHALK).... IN YEARS PAST, THE BLUE WOULD ONLY CALL IT IF HER ENTIRE FOOT WAS OUT OR IF SHE STEPPED ON THE PLATE.
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
The rule is awful in practice and it gives umpires who want to be part of the show an opportunity to be the center of attention.

And the front of the box chalk was completely gone by the 4th. Make the box bigger, rechalk, whatever. Interpretation of this rule is changing the game.
 
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Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
Want to know why the rule was changed? Because umpires were not calling batters who were obviously completely outside the box at contact. Same with the change in the illegal pitch rule in NCAA, umpires wouldn't call them because it advance runners, so they changed to rule to try and actually get the umpires to enforce the rule. Will have to see if it actually works in the upcoming season.
 
Apr 24, 2017
203
28
Georgia
My slapper is DEF going to get called out more this year. Her left foot is always on the chalk as she makes contact with the ball. Rarely is her foot across the chalk but it happens sometimes and she gets called occasionally. I have to agree, they should have just enforced the old rule. I knew about the rule change but after seeing the effects this weekend, I am not looking forward to seeing it applied in TB.

EDIT: I know it is NCAA only right now, but anticipate it trickling down to TB. And since the goal is to play NCAA ball, we need to adjust how she hits now so she doesn't need to be retaught later on.
 
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Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
Comp- Some cops won’t enforce laws that they feel carry an unfair penalty so I understand exactly what you mean by that.

I have a feeling that implementation of this rule has been identified as an issue already. I hope they smooth this thing out quickly.
 

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