Ball hits bat dropped in fair territory

[MT 73]

Can you give us any rule, interpretation or guideline that says a discarded bat shouldn't be in fair territory?

What if...batter hits a high pop up behind the plate, discards the bat in foul territory, then the catcher trips over it in foul territory?

ASA 8-2-F-5:
BATTER-RUNNER IS OUT when the batter-runner interferes by discarding their bat in a manner that prevents the defense from making a play on the ball.

You are correct--it does not say that.
However, this is a judgement call.
From a practical standpoint, and with rare exceptions, unless a bat is flung it will not wind up in fair territory.
As far as I am concerned ( and the rule allows for my interpretation) if it is well into fair territory and a fielder trips, or is struck with the bat, I am calling an out on interference.
Ditto if the catcher is struck by a flung bat while trying to record an out.
I would even do so on a bunt if the bat lands several feet in front of the plate.--because bats do not belong on the (fair) playing field
As to your question--unless the bat was flung and winds up near the backstop ( and even then it would really be a HTBT situation) I would have a tough time calling the batter out if she merely dropped the bat properly on her way to first.

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

ASA 8-2-F-5:
BATTER-RUNNER IS OUT when the batter-runner interferes by discarding their bat in a manner that prevents the defense from making a play on the ball.

Does the above apply in the scenario presented by the OP?

I would think (and have seen it called) that because the digarded bat in fair teritory disrupted the path of the ball it would be interference. If not why not always drop the bat in front of a bunted ball to prevent it from going foul?

 

[BretMan]

ASA 8-2-F-5:
BATTER-RUNNER IS OUT when the batter-runner interferes by discarding their bat in a manner that prevents the defense from making a play on the ball.

You are correct--it does not say that.
However, this is a judgement call.

Your judgment needs to be grounded in what the rule actually says or doesn't say.

I would even do so on a bunt if the bat lands several feet in front of the plate.--because bats do not belong on the (fair) playing field.

Again, you are applying a self-imposed standard that doesn't exist in the actual rule.

A batter in the front of the box will be standing partly in fair territory. When exiting the box (from the RH side) the batter-runner will normally cross in front of the plate, in fair territory. If the batter started out in fair, then started running to first in fair, wouldn't they have to sling the bat to get it over into foul ground? Whereas, if they just drop it where they're standing or running it will be in fair ground.

 

[Comp]

Bats end up in fair territory all the time without being "flung". On bunts the bat almost always ends up laying in fair territory, slappers again the will typically end up laying in fair territory without being flung. Its just the nature of the mechanic of the at bat. Bunters are typically up in the front of the box completely in fair territory. If they drop the bat where is it likely to end up? Same with slappers, the are usually in the front of the box in fair territory when contact is made. When they drop the bat it is most likely going to be in fair ground. The bat by rule is allowed to be on the field, either fair or foul. If the batter doesnt throw the bat or obviously attempt to drop the bat in a manner to interfere with the defense I dont see where a batter just dropping the bat could be construed as discarding it in a manner that interferes.

 

[Momo'sDad]

ASA 8-2-F-5:
BATTER-RUNNER IS OUT when the batter-runner interferes by discarding their bat in a manner that prevents the defense from making a play on the ball.

You are correct--it does not say that.
However, this is a judgement call.
From a practical standpoint, and with rare exceptions, unless a bat is flung it will not wind up in fair territory.
As far as I am concerned ( and the rule allows for my interpretation) if it is well into fair territory and a fielder trips, or is struck with the bat, I am calling an out on interference.
Ditto if the catcher is struck by a flung bat while trying to record an out.
I would even do so on a bunt if the bat lands several feet in front of the plate.--because bats do not belong on the (fair) playing field

I would have a tough time calling the batter out if she merely dropped the bat properly on her way to first.

I like your conviction, but I don't know where the rule book specifies the 'proper' way to drop a bat.

The bat of a slapper or bunter often ends up in fair territory, so I'm not sure how that's considered a rare occurrence.

 

[jacman]

Only if the bat hits the ball. If the ball rolls into a discarded bat in fair territory it's just a live ball play on. The batted ball will be ruled fair or foul once it stops or is touched by a player i.e. just like any other batted ball.

The OP sounds more like the latter; blue got it right. F1 will have to be happy with one-hitter win.

She's happy. I'm the one struggling with getting that close to the no-hitter, not her. This little bunt hit happened with two out in the last inning. (sigh...)

 

[jacman]

I would think that if the rulemakers wanted this to apply to only instances where the bat was discarded to intentionally prevent or hinder the defense from making a play, they would have used "intentional" as they have in other parts of the book. I think the rule was meant to cover those scenarios where a catcher has to evade a thrown bat while trying to make a play on the ball. Thrown bats could be intentional or unintentional, thus they didn't include the word "intentional" in the rule. However, the way it is written may leave it open to interpretation. Rule Supplement #17 states "official equipment which may be in live ball territory with no penalty includes the batter's bat..." So that one tells us that it's ok for the bat to be there.

There's more here than I expected. Thanks for some really thoughtful replies. To add a bit of detail that may be helpful: the opposing batter bunted the ball from the RH side, and simply dropped the bat on the way to first. I do not believe there was any intent to interfere. The bat was dropped. Not slung or thrown. It was stationary almost the moment it touched the ground. The bat fell and stayed in a position that was about 4-5 feet from the plate along the 1st base side, and was virtually parallel with the baseline. The batter really jabbed at the ball more than she bunted it, so that it popped about 6 ft or so into the air, and hit the ground about 2 ft inside the bat (about 3 ft from the baseline) and backspun into the bat.

I'm intrigued by the fact that Rule Supplement 17 (allowing the bat to be official equipment in live territory) and ASA 8-2-F-5 (a discarded bat can't interfere with the defender making a play) seem to contradict each other. It seems that Blue does have to make a judgment call here.

In the actual play, the catcher was definitely caught up in the bat as she tried to pick up the ball which had rolled into the bat. I suppose, however, that since our catcher can't seem to pick up a bunt properly, turning her body to create a throwing lane inside the base line, and since she approached the ball straight from home and with shoulders squared directly toward 1st, one could ask whether the bat interfered with her, or she interfered with the bat.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

I would even do so on a bunt if the bat lands several feet in front of the plate.--because bats do not belong on the (fair) playing field

Yet, the applicable rule to OP's title question specifically allows the bat to be in fair territory. smh

 

[SoCal_Dad]

I would think (and have seen it called) that because the digarded bat in fair teritory disrupted the path of the ball it would be interference. If not why not always drop the bat in front of a bunted ball to prevent it from going foul?

The applicable exception for this also says "in the umpire's judgement, there was no intent to interfere with the ball." Some coaches will teach players to drop the bat in a spot that may help them out, depending on where the bunt goes. That's legal. What the player can't do legally is place the bat after seeing where the ball is headed.

 

[Comp]

ASA 8-2-F-5 (a discarded bat can't interfere with the defender making a play)

That is not what the rule says. The rule says discarding in a way that prevents the defense from making a play. Merely dropping the bat on the ground is not discarding it in a way that would interfere with a play.