Batter bails out of the box

[CPEM]

You protested a rec game? In 8u?

By ASA rule, the umpire was mistaken, however, when all is said and done, a 'strike' is anything that the umpire says it is and it's my opinion that it's never too early for softball players - and coaches/parents - to learn this. As Marriard noted, though, it's common for umpires to expand the strike zone when a batter bails out, so I'm never surprised at a strike call when they do.

Sorry to say, but he had me fired up with the "automatic strike" thing at an 8u rec game. The protest means nothing in this situation, we aren't going to replay the game or anything, just a method to point out something to the other league. As I noted previously, had he said it entered the strike zone, no argument from me, let's keep the game going. However, he made it a point to say that the reason he was calling it a strike was because she stepped out. That tells me he's taking the lazy way out and not trying to call the game the way it should be.

 

[Momo'sDad]

At least you're owning your emotions on this. The interleague factor indicates that you did do the right thing in letting the other league know this umpire's mistake. Since stepping out of the box is something a lot of players do, that 'automatic strike' is a myth that umpires for youth games ought to be aware of so there's no confusion.

I wouldn't say the umpire was being lazy, though. When I ump 8u games, there are no conversations at all with the coaches.

 

[MTR]

There is no rule forbidding a batter from stepping out of the box, ANYWHERE. There are ramifications and entitlements removed by doing so, but no restriction from do so.

IMO, those rule sets that have an automatic strike are CS and very likely driven by coaches who have been burned because THEIR pitcher cannot concentrate and hit the zone.

 

[MT 73]

When asked for clarification, he said it is an automatic strike anytime a batter steps out of the box during a pitch,

If that is the case the pitcher would not have to pitch.
The umpire may have been confusing the stepping out penalty with the refusal to get into the batter's box at the umpires insistence.
Then again, in an 8U game the umpire needs to stop being a rule Nazi and gives the kids/coaches some latitude.

 

[Eric F]

Then again, in an 8U game the umpire needs to stop being a rule Nazi and gives the kids/coaches some latitude.

This! ^^^^^

 

[Umpire]

They shouldn't have umpires in 8u rec.

 

[eddieq]

They shouldn't have umpires in 8u rec.

We don't generally have "real" umpires until 12U rec around here. The 10U pull a parent to call balls and strikes. We have the district commissioner give a parent umpire clinic to get the basics down and it is what it is. There are strike outs but no walks (coach pitch after 5 pitches) 8U is all coach pitch/put it on a tee if you can't hit it, so there are no umpires at all there.

 

[Umpireernie]

As pointed out in ASA the umpire is still to judge if the pitch is a ball or strike. Not automatic as Herr Blue Nazi called.

Speaking for myself Im sure the zone expands simply because I no longer have the batter there to establish where the zone is based on her stance at the plate. Under these conditions I am going to give the pitcher the benefit of the doubt; she didn't bail out.