Ball hits bat after bunt

[Comp]

Yes, what about it?

The batter is protected if the batted ball ricochets back and hits them while in the batters box. Once they hit a fair batted ball they become a batter runner and if they initiate the contact with the ball they are out regardless of where they or the ball is. You will not find mention of the batters box anywhere under the section of the rulebook governing batter runners.

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[Yanko70]

Yes, what about it?

The batter is protected if the batted ball ricochets back and hits them while in the batters box. Once they hit a fair batted ball they become a batter runner and if they initiate the contact with the ball they are out regardless of where they or the ball is. You will not find mention of the batters box anywhere under the section of the rulebook governing batter runners.

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Just that they can hit a fair ball and still both the batter and the runner can still be in the box. Trying to understand the difference between there being protective in paragraph 1 but no mention in the rules of the box providing safe haven in paragraph 2 it's a bit contradictory. Is it a distinction between a ball moving under its own momentum and one of a stationary ball? I guess I'm asking when does the protection end if it's not mentioned in the rules?

Also does it matter if the bat is rolling away from the ball and the ball rolled into it since the ball did not initiate contact? (I think this was discussed on a separate thread)

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[Comp]

A batter and a batter runner are 2 completely different things and are defined in the rules. A batter has not yet completed their at bat and is offered protection under the rules from a batted ball coming back and hitting them. A batter/runner is a batter who has completed their at bat by hitting a fair batted ball or being awarded 1st base by a base on balls, hit by pitch etc. Nothing under the section of the rulebook governing batter runners has any mention of the batters box.

As for the ball and bat, did the ball hit the bat or did the bat hit the ball? Although, there are some that say if the bat is still moving it doesnt matter as the ball is not yet stationary.

 

[Yanko70]

When does a batter become a batter runner? Is it when they leave the box, release the bat? Judgement call by the Ump? Say a batter lays down a bunt that dies in the front corner of the box and then the batter accidentally steps on it.

The ball is the contact initatior, if the bat is rolling away from the ball and without the ball itself moving would have never the made contact.

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[Comp]

I just told you when the batter becomes a batter runner, when they hit a fair batted ball they are now a batter runner. If they bunt the ball and it dies in the front corner of the batters box and they step on it or kick it, dead ball batter is out. They have made contact with a fair batted ball. As I have said numerous times, nothing under the section of the rulebook governing a batter runner makes any mention of the batters box, it offers no protection to the batter/runner. For all intents and purposes the batters box does not exist for a batter runner.

 

[Yanko70]

I think we're talking past each other and I'm not trying to argue. You can hit a fair ball still be in the batters box and have it hit you. The fair ball automatically transitioning the batter to a batter runner is the confusing part to me. Better example would be batter in the front of the box hits the pitch straight off her front foot which is clearly in fair territory, still legally in the box, ball proceeded directly to the circle. Has the batter not made contact with a batted fair ball, or is there another rule that supersedes here, genuinely asking?





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[Comp]

A batter that hits a ball off their own foot has not hit a fair ball, the ball is dead immediately and it is a foul ball. A batter that drives ball straight into the ground and has it come back and hit them in the batters box or hit the bat a second time while still in the batters hands has not hit a fair ball, it is dead and foul immediately. These are not fair balls and the batter has not yet become a batter runner.

A batter that hits a ball that is on or over fair territory has hit a fair ball and has become a batter runner. If the batter is the one that initiates the contact with the ball, the ball is dead and they are out. In your example of the ball coming to rest in the front corner of the batters box and the batter/runner steps on it or kicks it, it is the batter/runner who has initiated the contact and they are out. Batter that hits a ball that bounces off the plate straight up and is over fair territory and as the batter/runner is leaving the batters box runs into the ball, the ball is dead and they are out for making contact with a fair batted ball.

You are not making the distinction between a batted ball that comes back and hits the batter vs a batter/runner that is the one that initiates contact with a fair batted ball.

 

[Yanko70]

That's that's much clearer to me.

Using the word initiates there's a whole nother can of worms but I digress as this isn't a legal proceeding lol.

Thanks for being patient Comp.

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[HighStrung]

That appears to be the wrong result. If the bat is not moving and the ball rolls into the bat, the play stays live and all runners keep advancing at their own risk. As others mentioned, if the bat rolls into the ball, then it is a dead ball and batter is out.

Yep, that's what I've come to realize. I didn't (at the time) know there was a difference between which was moving. I'm not certain that our HC saw that the bat was stationary. Realistically it was a tough call and I had to go back to the video to make sure I saw what I thought I saw, I wouldn't have expected the ump to change his call if it had been argued. It was a showcase/exposure tourney so I guess the result doesn't really matter, however this play very likely decided the game.

 

[CHSUmp97]

Yep, that's what I've come to realize. I didn't (at the time) know there was a difference between which was moving. I'm not certain that our HC saw that the bat was stationary. Realistically it was a tough call and I had to go back to the video to make sure I saw what I thought I saw, I wouldn't have expected the ump to change his call if it had been argued. It was a showcase/exposure tourney so I guess the result doesn't really matter, however this play very likely decided the game.

I wouldn’t expect the umpire to change his call either unless he clearly screws up the rule interpretation, admits he saw the ball roll back into the stationary bat, and says this is still interference. In that case, the head coach can lodge a protest to get the call changed.

But if the umpire says he judged that the bat was still in motion when it contacted the ball, not much you can do with that since you cannot argue judgment calls.


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