ASA HBP Rule - need some help

[Axe]

10U Rec All Stars Tourney this weekend playing ASA rules. My DD throws a very slow changeup which goes right at the batters leg. Not only does she not try to move she tries to catch the ball with her left hand (don't ask me to explain why she would do this). Umpire awards 1st base.

Explanation from Blue was that under 2012 ASA rules the batter owns the box and doesn't have to make an attempt to get out of the way. I knew that NCAA had made this change but this was the first time I'd heard it in ASA play and certainly wasn't how it was called in the 50 games I've coached this year. He told me that the other umpires we've had this year were wrong.

Was it the right call?

 

[Comp]

That is not the rule in ASA. It is 8-1-F and still specifies the batter must make an attempt to get out of the way of the pitch. Now, that being said, there have been rules clarification which have come out which state the benefit of the doubt should be given to the batter. The pitch does not belong in the batters box, and when you have a pitcher throwing 65 mph it gives very little time for the batter to react. But, slow arcing change up, yes the batter needs to make an attempt to get out of the way. Especially if she had the time and presence of mind to try and catch the ball.

 

[PGSAKen]

Comp is correct.

The batter has to make an attempt to get away from the ball. Now what an attempt is subjective and up to the umpire and therefore not appealable.

 

[marriard]

Ump been watching too much CWS and not bothering to break the spine on the actual ASA Rule Book.

In ASA and most other codes this is now a dead ball/called 'ball'.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Wow. So, every little girl and her parents, now think that they will be awarded a base for doing that.

 

[David Carter]

The fact that the pitch was a change up does not mean much; batters are more likely to freeze in the box on a change up than any other pitch. The fact that she stuck her hand out seems much more obvious that she did not even think about avoiding contact, in fact if you think about it she is actually initiating contact, almost but not as bad as leaning into it. I am really big on giving the girls getting hit the benefit of the doubt but that probably goes to far....I think dead ball "ball" is the correct call.

 

[MTR]

The fact that the pitch was a change up does not mean much; batters are more likely to freeze in the box on a change up than any other pitch. The fact that she stuck her hand out seems much more obvious that she did not even think about avoiding contact, in fact if you think about it she is actually initiating contact, almost but not as bad as leaning into it. I am really big on giving the girls getting hit the benefit of the doubt but that probably goes to far....I think dead ball "ball" is the correct call.

Let's take this a step farther. If there was a runner moving on the pitch and the B reaches for the ball as defined in the OP, this is INT. The batter would be out and the runner returned to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.

 

[Ajaywill]

Another thing to consider.

I was not there to see this particular incident, but I will give the benefit of the doubt to a player trying to defend herself in the batter's box. If she sticks a hand out to try to deflect a ball from hitting her, I may consider that an "attempt to avoid" the ball.

I'm not saying that is what happened or did not happen in this case, just another thought.

 

[MTR]

Another thing to consider.

I was not there to see this particular incident, but I will give the benefit of the doubt to a player trying to defend herself in the batter's box. If she sticks a hand out to try to deflect a ball from hitting her, I may consider that an "attempt to avoid" the ball.

I'm not saying that is what happened or did not happen in this case, just another thought.

But that is not the case here. The OP clearly stated the batter tried to catch the ball. I know you see it in SP a lot, right up until the batters started getting called out for INT. It wouldn't be any different in the FP game.

 

[Axe]

It was a very strange play as I mentioned in the OP. If Blue had said that she somehow defended herself by trying to catch the ball I probably would have given him a quizzical look and so "okay". It was the fact that he cited a mystery rule that caused my confusion.