Slapping Rules (College vs Travel / High School)

[Fastpitch86]

Playing in a 14U fall league for our team to get reps in between our tournaments. We have 3 slappers on the team and are getting called out because ump is saying that they are out of box. First off, our team is a young 13U team and seems like they are calling strikes about 2 balls off the plate...as a result our slappers are pretty short (about 5' tall) and about 1/3 of their foot is out of the box *they are stepping on the line).

Just here trying to find the specific rules for both college and travel / high school ball. Its my understanding that in college the entire foot must be in the box but in travel / high school the entire foot must be out of the box.

Want to make sure that our coaches, parents, players as well as umps are on the same page so to speak. TIA

 

[radness]

First off, our team is a young 13U team and seems like they are calling strikes about 2 balls off the plate...

Off the plate...Is that your guesstimation as a coach watching from the dugout/ sides of the field, or from behind the plate?
* the strike zone is what the Umpire is calling
that is most relevant.

as a result our slappers are pretty short (about 5' tall) and about 1/3 of their foot is out of the box *they are stepping on the line).

* they are stepping on the line. Height has nothing to do with where they are stepping.

Just here trying to find the specific rules for both college and travel / high school ball. Its my understanding that in college the entire foot must be in the box but in travel / high school the entire foot must be out of the box.

Want to make sure that our coaches, parents, players as well as umps are on the same page so to speak. TIA

Good questions and conversation for readers!

 

[Lance Steckler]

several problems i see here. some are out of your control.

unless it's the first inning, batters box lines are a guess at best. Especially, when you get older and the slapper girls 'innocently" start scraping that inside line by the plate away. Ump is more likely seeing stepping in front of or onto Homeplate. Or way out the front of the boxes toward pitcher.

And yes, it is supposed to be entire foot out, versus the NCAA rule.

sometimes you will get an quick trigger ump and your line up will need to adjust. Just like strike zone adjustments.

And it does zero good for parents to ride ump like a dirty diaper. Have head coach ask exactly what was the call and move on.

 

[flash277]

Playing in a 14U fall league for our team to get reps in between our tournaments. We have 3 slappers on the team and are getting called out because ump is saying that they are out of box. First off, our team is a young 13U team and seems like they are calling strikes about 2 balls off the plate...as a result our slappers are pretty short (about 5' tall) and about 1/3 of their foot is out of the box *they are stepping on the line).

Just here trying to find the specific rules for both college and travel / high school ball. Its my understanding that in college the entire foot must be in the box but in travel / high school the entire foot must be out of the box.

Want to make sure that our coaches, parents, players as well as umps are on the same page so to speak. TIA

USA/USSS A the entire foot has to be outside the box to be called out both fair and foul ball.
As for.strike zone, I went to state umpire school last.month, they taught the strike zone is one softball wide on the inside of plate, two baseballs wide on the outside of plate

 

[Lance Steckler]

great they are instructing umps with an imaginary strike zone. and they wonder why umps catch hE77 with ball and strikes

 

[radness]

great they are instructing umps with an imaginary strike zone.

All strike zones are imaginary.
Just saying it doesn't matter what dimensions are applied to the strikes zone area. Mentally/ visually umpires are imagining those dimensions.

imo it's good for batters to understand this.
The zone is not what the coach or batters think the strike zone is.
It is not what is written in a book says the strike zone is.
It is what the umpire 'that game'
is calling,
*is what it is.

 

[Lance Steckler]

completely agree with needing to adapt to what the ump calls. But umps should be instructed with the ball at least crossing the plate, not 2 balls off the plate.

 

[radness]

completely agree with needing to adapt to what the ump calls. But umps should be instructed with the ball at least crossing the plate, not 2 balls off the plate.

There have been some good conversations about umpire training on the Forum. Unfortunately there's not much training provided. And there's not much assessment of active umpires.

When there is training the probability is that those training opportunities will differ from each other.

 

[The Man In Blue]

completely agree with needing to adapt to what the ump calls. But umps should be instructed with the ball at least crossing the plate, not 2 balls off the plate.

Parent when their kid is at bat: "Every umpire should always call a Major League strike zone!"
Same parent when their kid is pitching: "Come on, blue! You got to help us here!"
Other parents: "Oh my god! Call a strike or we will be here all year!"



As for the OP ...

As of a few years ago NCAA changed the rule to require the batter be entirely INSIDE the lines. That means touching any ground outside the line is NOT inside the lines.

NFHS, USA, USSSA and I don't know how many others still declare the batter is IN the box as long as some part of their foot is touching the line.

NOW ... here is the kicker ... if your umpire is calling the NCAA rule, are they applying the correct penalty? (HINT: If they called the batter out, the answer is NO.)

NCAA 11.2.5 At the moment of bat-ball contact, the batter may not contact the pitch when any part of their body is touching home plate or the ground outside the lines of the batter’s box.

EFFECT—Delayed dead ball is signaled. The coach of the defensive team shall choose either the result of the play or the standard effect for illegal contact, which is a strike on the batter and all base runners must return to the base legally occupied at the time of the pitch. If it is the third strike, the batter is declared out.
Notes:
1. The batter’s hands may leave the bat before bat-ball contact.
2. In cases in which there are no batter’s box lines evident, good judgment must be used, and the benefit of any doubt must go to the batter.

 

[CoachJD]

completely agree with needing to adapt to what the ump calls. But umps should be instructed with the ball at least crossing the plate, not 2 balls off the plate.

And with left-handed hitters, that often becomes 4 balls off the plate, especially on low pitches. Lefties get absolutely hosed by umpires. Turns out part of that is actually being instructed.