Dead Ball Strike?

[SamRam]

This past weekend one of my players was hit with a pitch in her right forearm, and upon tossing her bat to take her base the umpire called a dead ball strike and called her back into the batters box to complete her at bat. Two things, I know that recently they changed the rule that you no longer have to avoid being hit by a pitch, but this is the first I've heard a the dead ball strike called. Maybe I missed something and I don't recall reading about his in the new rules.

I assume this rule was implemented to avoid having hitters lean into pitches that are over the plate, but this particular at bat, the ball grazed my batter, and the catcher happened to catch it off the bounce off of her arm. Obviously this is a judgment call by the umpire as to whether it would have been a strike.

I find this a very difficult call especially with the pitcher we were facing who was a hard throwing pitcher with a lot of movement on her ball.

Can anyone elaborate on the rule for me and how often does the really get called?

Thanks!

 

[canyonjoe]

If he felt the ball was in strike zone when it hit the batter, it's a strike.

 

[Comp]

What rule set were you playing under? Some rule sets have gone to the batter does not have to avoid a pitch inside the batters box, others have not. If you were playing under ASA, TCS or NSA rules the batter must still attempt to avoid the pitch. NCAA, USSSA and FED have gone to no attempt is required if the ball is in the batters box.

And as has been mentioned, if the pitch was judged to be a strike by the umpire it is still a strike if it hits the batter.

 

[SamRam]

Thank you!! We were playing USSSA 16A.

 

[BretMan]

A batter hit by a pitch can be a dead ball and a strike if...

- The pitch hits the batter in the strike zone.

- The pitch hits the batter in front of the plate and that prevents the ball from entering the strike zone.

- The batter is swinging at the pitch, or attempting to bunt it, when hit by the pitch.

 

[Greenmonsters]

A batter hit by a pitch can be a dead ball and a strike if...

- The pitch hits the batter in the strike zone.

- The pitch hits the batter in front of the plate and that prevents the ball from entering the strike zone.

- The batter is swinging at the pitch, or attempting to bunt it, when hit by the pitch.

Or, possibly as what happened in the OPs case, the umpire doesn't see the ball hit the batter and the ball ends up in the catcher's mitt looking like it passed over the plate.

 

[riseball]

Keep in mind that the body of the batter does not need to be in the strike zone. The ball just needs to pass through the strike zone and hit the batter. I have gotten this call quite a bit with batters up on the plate in the back of the box. Throwing screwballs inside will often result in dead ball strikes.

 

[FPump]

thank you!! We were playing usssa 16a.

usssa 7.5.b

 

[BretMan]

Or, possibly as what happened in the OPs case, the umpire doesn't see the ball hit the batter and the ball ends up in the catcher's mitt looking like it passed over the plate.

Then you would have to wonder why he called a dead ball if he didn't see it hit the batter.

Something's not adding up here. Either the umpire is blowing the call big time or there is some piece of information we're not getting.