Strike or foul?

[Sweet Lou]

Player swings and ball hits hand while on the bat and goes foul. Is this a strike because it did not hit the bat or a foul because the hands were on the bat while swinging?

 

[knightsb]

RULE 10. DEAD BALL - SUSPENSION OF PLAY
Sec 1. The batter is awarded 1st base and all base runners advance one base (if
forced), when a pitched ball, not struck at and not called a strike, touches any
part of the batter's person or clothing (if not loose garment). The ball may
strike the ground before it hits the batter.
EXCEPTION: If the batter makes no effort to avoid being hit, the hitting of
the batter is disregarded. The ball is dead immediately and is a strike or ball
depending on location of the pitch.
Note:
1. It does not matter if the ball strikes the ground before hitting the batter.
2. The batter’s hands are not considered part of the bat.
3. If a batter swings and the ball hits his hands which send it into fair or foul
territory, the ball is dead immediately; A strike is called on the batter;
and if it is the third strike, the batter is out.

 

[BretMan]

The hands are never, never, never, never to be considered as part of the bat.

Did I forget to say "never"?

The hands are part of the batter and whenever the pitch touches the hands, the pitch has touched the batter. This can't be a foul ball because you can't have a legally batted ball off of the batter!

That the hands are part of the bat is perhaps the longest held and most commonly repeated rule myth. But it's just that- a myth.

 

[JAD]

BretMan - if you read the rule, as posted by knightsb above, you will notice that the hands are NOT considered part of the bat if the batter does not swing at the pitch, but the hands ARE considered part of the bat if the batter swings.....

 

[Comp]

BretMan - if you read the rule, as posted by knightsb above, you will notice that the hands are NOT considered part of the bat if the batter does not swing at the pitch, but the hands ARE considered part of the bat if the batter swings.....

If that were true, then a ball hitting the hands while swinging would either be fair or foul depending on where the ball ended up on the field. That is not the case, the ball is always dead if it hits any part of the batters body. If they happend to be swinging at the pitch it is a dead ball strike, if the batter has 2 strikes, it is dead ball strike 3.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

What is always interesting is when a kid (mostly in LL) swings and hits his hands and wants to take his base. Um, no. I even saw it at D1 last year. The girl was trying to protec herself, but she went around and was hit in the hands. Strike 3. You're out.

 

[Coach JV]

When swinging the bat, you are putting your hands into the path of the pitch
attempting to put the ball in play, I have seen batters hit in the hands during
the swing plenty of times, some are awarded 1B, most are not, I agree dead ball strike

 

[Sweet Lou]

FWIW this was in 8U rec and it was her first ever AB. She took it like a trooper, it was us confused coaches and parents in the stands that were well confused. We're straight now. And yes we coaches understand she has a casting problem that we are going to work on correcting.

Honestly I can't recall the last time I saw a player hit in the hands on a swing. I have seen both girls and boys get hit with a pitch while swinging, just not the hands. That's probably why I bought in to the stupid "hands are part of the bat" myth. I have seen players get hit in the hands not swinging and sometimes the ump calls "foul" and sometimes the ump calls "HBP" I guess that is some of my confusion though deep down I do know in that situation hitting the hands and not the bat or nob of the bat should always be HBP if no swing. Unless the batter somehow had her hands IN the strike zone when they were hit which I'm having a hard time even imagining but I suppose anything can happen.

As they say you learn something new everyday or you may see something you've never seen before anytime you go to the ball park. So at least I'm better educated now.

 

[MTR]

BretMan - if you read the rule, as posted by knightsb above, you will notice that the hands are NOT considered part of the bat if the batter does not swing at the pitch, but the hands ARE considered part of the bat if the batter swings.....

The hands have never been considered part of the bat. Let me say that again, the hands have NEVER been considered part of the bat.

No "what if", "but..." or "well, I saw...", the hands were not in the past, nor are they now considered part of the bat.

 

[Ken B]

I think it's easier for me to decide first if the pitch is a strike (called or swung at.) If it is a strike, then I don't think it matters what part of the body is hit--automatic dead ball regardless of the ball falling fair/foul. I think the rule slightly confuses things in 3. by specifically mentioning the hands.