Sunday, June 10, 2012

Case Plays: Ball Hits Bat Twice (Part 2)

This Case Play has been completed. Congratulations to UEFL League Members BrooklynUmp, kickersrule, MSN_UMP, nwsquid, Penwhale, tt49, Turducken, ump_24 and fan SJR for correctly answering one or both parts of the posted scenario. The correct response is:

(a) and (b): The ball is dead and no runners may advance at the moment of unintentional second contact by the bat while the batter is in a legal position within the batter's box (Rules 6.05[h], 6.03). The ball is foul; R1 is returned to first base and play proceeds with two outs and a two strike count on B1.

Points Distribution
+2: BrooklynUmp, nwsquid, Penwhale, tt49, ump_24
+1: kickersrule, MSN_UMP, Turducken

Thank you for participating in this Case Play and stay tuned for further Case Plays. The original Case Play post has been reproduced below.

Pursuant to UEFL Rule 4.f., this Case Play is open for 48 hours from the time of this post (6/8/12 at 4:00PM). During this time, all Case Play responses will remain in moderation (screened or invisible) until the 48 hour submission period is closed. To receive full point(s) credit, you must answer the following scenario correctly. Though rules citation is not required, it is strongly recommended to safeguard against missing out on points due to an unclear or erroneous explanation.

Video: Ball strikes bat twice during one pitch

During this recreational softball game featuring the Balco Beefcakes, batter B1 swung at and hit a ball once, before contacting the ball again with his backswing. Assuming that during both instances of contact, the bat and points of contact were located directly over home plate and prior to this play there were two strikes on B1 with two outs and a runner on first (R1) who was running with the pitch, using MLB Rules/OBR, deduce the following: After the second point of contact, the ball caroms backwards, as in this video, and (a) the catcher (F2) catches the ball on the fly and throws to first base in advance of R1 returning to the base or (b) the catcher (F2) drops the deflected ball. For each scenario, determine how this play shall be adjudicated and how play shall proceed. (1 pt for [a], 1 pt for [b]).

Consult the UEFL Rules Book for further information regarding Rule 4-6 and Case Plays.

16 comments :

Angus S-F said...

If both hits were over the plate (IOW in fair territory), IMHO it doesn't matter what the catcher does. The batter is out and the ball is dead per rule 6.05(h):
"6.05
A batter is out when --
(h) After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance. "
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/batter_6.jsp.

Anonymous said...

Unless I am missing something here, part (a) and part (b) would have the same result.

I am excising the rule 6.05 (h) in conjunction with rule 6.03. The video clearly shows the batter is in legal batting position (thus meeting the requirements of rule 6.03) at the point of contact. Furthermore, when the batter makes second point of contact he is still in the act of hitting and has not lost protection from rule 6.05(h) where, as long as the batter had no intention to interfere with the batted ball (for example running out of the box and interfering then), and should he or the bat strike the ball a second time, the ball shall be declared a foul ball.

Thus my final answer for part (a) immediate foul ball, runners return (no action afterwards) and part (b) immediate foul ball, runners return as well.

Thank-you.

-TT49

MSN_UMP said...

In both cases the ball was hit a 2nd time while in fair territory (directly over home plate). This case is covered by OBR 6.05(h). Assuming there was no intent to interfere (which it sounds like there wasn't) the ball is ruled foul. In situation (a) since a foul fly was caught by the catcher the batter is out and since there were 2 out the inning is over. If the "hit" was deemed to be a foul tip, the batter would still be out as it would be the third strike. Since the batter is out in either scenario the actions of the runner are insignificant. In situation (b), since the catcher drops the ball it is simply ruled foul and the runner shall return to 1st base.

cyclone14 said...

Rule 6.05h: After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance.
Therefore, for in both cases the batter is out and R1 is safe at/returned to first.

Turducken said...

[a] Under Rule 6.05(H), in the umpire's judgment, if there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, a batted ball that strikes the batter or his bat should be ruled a foul ball. As F2 catches the ball legally under rule 2.00(catch), and throws the ball to first base in advance of R1 returning to the base, he would be deemed out under Rule 7.08(D).
[b] Under Rule 6.05(H), in the umpire's judgment, if there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, a batted ball that strikes the batter or his bat should be ruled a foul ball. The count remains 0-2, with two outs, and R1 on first.

Anonymous said...

A) batter is out on strike 3. Inning is over on the 3rd out.

B) Foul Ball

Tony Hendrix said...

tonythered

The a and b cases are a red herring. In both cases the batter is out and the ball is dead. End of half inning. rule 6.05(h)

nwsquid said...

In either case the ball is dead and the runners return to their base at TOP. The batter returns to bat with 2 strikes in the count.

A)The result can not be a foul tip (and stay alive) even if caught, because the ball has not traveled sharply and DIRECTLY to the catcher. Rule 2.00

A) & B) 6.05(h):...If the batter is in a legal position in the batter’s box, see Rule 6.03, and, in the umpire’s judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, a batted ball that strikes the batter or his bat shall be ruled a foul ball;

6.03 The batter’s legal position shall be with both feet within the batter’s box.
APPROVED RULING: The lines defining the box are within the batter’s box.

SJR said...

In both cases a) and b), the ball is dead immediately on the second contact by the bat 6.05(h) "...If the batter is in a legal position...a batted ball that strikes...his bat shall be ruled a foul ball." The count remains two strikes and R1 returns to 1st.

Penwhale said...

In both (a) and (b), the ball is immediately dead [ball struck twice in fair territory, rule 6.05(h)]. As such:
Part (a): Either B1 out due to 6.05(h) or foul ball called. Ball is dead, and R1 may return to base safely in either case.
Part (b): Like in (a), B1 can either be called out or the pitch called foul.

BrooklynUmp said...

In both cases, the ball is foul.

The rule covering this play is:
6.05 (h) After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance. If the batter-runner drops his bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory and, in the umpire’s judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, the ball is alive and in play. If the batter is in a legal position in the batter’s box, see Rule 6.03, and, in the umpire’s judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, a batted ball that strikes the batter or his bat shall be ruled a foul ball;

Anonymous said...

a) foul ball
b) foul ball

Continue with 0-2, 2 out, R1

-ump_24

Tony Hendrix said...

I think you're missing the exception, "If the batter-runner drops his bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory."
That did not happen in this case. Given the circumstance you describe, the call is laid out on the first part of 6.05(h) "A batter shall be out if: After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance."

Lindsay said...

The following is the full text of 6.05(h). Bear in mind that the Playing Rules Committee added the specific Rule 6.03 exemption to OBR prior to the 2010 season:

After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance. If the batter-runner drops his bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory and, in the umpire’s judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, the ball is alive and in play. If the batter is in a legal position in the batter’s box, see Rule 6.03, and, in the umpire’s judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, a batted ball that strikes the batter or his bat shall be ruled a foul ball;

Anonymous said...

As you can see from the posts, the double hit out myth is alive and well in many minds. While MLB rewrote the rule other codes which use OBR such as LL have not. While it was a common interpretation to call the double hit foul even before the rule was changed, many people did not know of that interp and then even now still call it an out.

jgoomster said...

IT IS AN OUT. you guys are all quoting 6.05(h)without remembering that 6.05 is .... "a batter is out when -" a... b... c... and (h) "After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance." it is only foul when it hits the batter or his bat in FOUL TERRITORY when he is still positioned in the box. If a fair batted ball hits the batter or his bat in fair territory (unless he has dropped his bat and the ball rolls against it, and in the umpire’s judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball) the batter is always out.
Angus Knows, Tony Knows. It's pretty clear. He is out. Period.

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