- May 29, 2015
- 3,826
- 113
Since we have been having a good time debating slap hitting vs. bunting ... Going to go a little off the rails here. I spent the day volunteering my umpiring skills (both good and bad skills!) at Special Olympics. It was slow pitch (which I do NOT umpire).
One easy rule is “no bunting”. Or is it easy?
I was on the bases (C position, but doesn’t matter).
As the pitch is coming in and dropping, the batter leans down with the pitch but does not make any effort to swing. The hands did naturally move towards the ball as the batter leaned over, but it was never even close to any swing attempt (just the batter’s arms moving out as he leaned over).
The ball hits the knob of the bat and rolls about 8 inches in front of home plate. I started laughing to myself because I knew where this was headed.
Sure enough, at the conclusion of the play (all runners safe) the defensive team’s coach started to come out. My partner and I got together first and motioned him off. We both had the same thought ... it wasn’t a bunt. We delivered our ruling and were met with the expected argument. The coach was making the case “he didn’t swing so it had to be a bunt.” My partner again gave our ruling ... “It wasn’t a swing, but that doesn’t make it a bunt.”
What do the masses say?
One easy rule is “no bunting”. Or is it easy?
I was on the bases (C position, but doesn’t matter).
As the pitch is coming in and dropping, the batter leans down with the pitch but does not make any effort to swing. The hands did naturally move towards the ball as the batter leaned over, but it was never even close to any swing attempt (just the batter’s arms moving out as he leaned over).
The ball hits the knob of the bat and rolls about 8 inches in front of home plate. I started laughing to myself because I knew where this was headed.
Sure enough, at the conclusion of the play (all runners safe) the defensive team’s coach started to come out. My partner and I got together first and motioned him off. We both had the same thought ... it wasn’t a bunt. We delivered our ruling and were met with the expected argument. The coach was making the case “he didn’t swing so it had to be a bunt.” My partner again gave our ruling ... “It wasn’t a swing, but that doesn’t make it a bunt.”
What do the masses say?