Rule Myths

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My other thread got me thinking that it is time to bring this up again.

40 Rule Myths

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica](ASA Rules)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]1. The hands are considered part of the bat. If a batter is hit with a pitch on the hands, it is simply a dead ball and the batter is awarded first base. Remember that anytime a batter is hit, it is ALWAYS a dead ball. If the batter is swinging and the ball contacts her hands first, we have a DEAD BALL/ STRIKE. If the ball contacts the batter in the strike zone?same result ? if it is the third strike in either of these cases ? the batter is out. See ASA 7-4-G trough I, and 8-1-F[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]2. The batter-runner must turn to her right after over-running first base. The runner is protected back to first base regardless of which way they turn as long as they don?t make an attempt or feint towards second base (umpire judgement). Merely turning to the left, and/or being in fair territory, does NOT put the runner in jeopardy of being tagged out unless they make an attempt to advance to 2nd. See ASA 8-7-H and 8-8-I. Also ASA POE#32[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]3. If the batter breaks her wrists when swinging, it's a strike. The umpire?s first priority on this play is (a) was the pitch in the strike zone?if so, it is merely a strike. If not, the umpire must then judge did the batter attempt to hit the ball (did she offer at it). If in the umpire?s judgement, she offered, then the umpire should rule a strike. Coaches, remember that sometimes catchers stand up and block our view, if we don?t see a swing and the ball is out of the strike zone?we are calling a ball. If asked by the catcher or pitcher, most umpires will check with their field partner. If I was blocked and not sure?I will usually ask my partner without an appeal. See ASA POE#9 and ASA Umpire Manual ? Check Swing Situation Page 206.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]4. If a batted ball hits the plate first it's a foul ball. Home plate is in fair territory and a ball that first hits the plate it is fair/foul based upon where it settles or is first touched?not by where it first hit the ground. See ASA Definitions ? Fair Ball/Fair Territory/Foul Ball in Rule 1.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]5. The batter cannot be called out for interference if she is in the batter's box. A batter is safest from being called for interference by staying in the batters box and doing nothing out of the ordinary (or intentionally interfering with a throw by the catcher) UNLESS there is a play at the plate. When there is a play at the plate the batter must vacate any space necessary for the fielders to make a play. See ASA POE #28-B.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]6. The ball is dead on a foul-tip. The term foul tip is often used incorrectly to denote any pitched ball that is hit sharply off the batter?s bat in foul territory. The definition of a foul tip is a ball that is hit and goes ?sharp and direct? from the bat to the catcher?s glove and is caught in flight. There are some intricacies that I will not go into here, but a true foul tip remains alive and runners are free to advance at their own risk. If the foul tip is strike three, the batter is out and the ball remains alive. See ASA Rule 1 Definitions ? Foul Tip and Rule 7-4-D.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]7. The batter may not switch batter's boxes after two strikes. The batter may switch at any time in the count as long as she does not switch sides once the pitcher is on the rubber taking her signs. See ASA 7-3-D[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]8. The batter who batted out of order is the person declared out. The batter who should have been at bat is the person declared out. Example: Able, Baker, Charlie due up. Baker bats in the place of Able and gets a base hit. Charlie then comes to the plate. The defensive manager calls time and points out to the PU (plate umpire) that Baker batted out of turn before the next batter receives a pitch. The PU will then declare Able out, remove Baker from the bases and it is now Baker?s time at bat again. Once Charlie receives a pitch (legal or illegal) Baker?s time at bat is now legitimized, making Charlie the correct batter. Able will now have to wait until her next time to get to bat again. This one can get very complicated when you have multiple batters go out of order. See ASA 7-2-A through E.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]9. The batter may not overrun first base when she gets a base-on-balls. The batter may overrun first but may be in jeopardy to be put out by either a tag by the first baseman if she makes an attempt to advance to 2nd base after she has passed 1st or if she is guilty by the ?Lookback rule? Please read POE #29. This is a very misunderstood rule. Here is a very basic breakdown of the rule. The runner may continue to run the bases while the pitcher has the ball in the circle (even though the pitcher may not be making a play) and she can stop ONCE to find the ball........once she has stopped, she must IMMEDIATELY decide to either (1) advance or (2) return. The only caveat about the stop made by the runner is that once they have stopped ON a base.......they may not continue.....they are pretty much tied to the base. If she jukes at all during this stop......she is out. If she lingers too long during the stop.....she is out. Look also in ASA 8-8-H and 8-8-T.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]10. The batter is out if she starts for the dugout before going to first after a dropped third strike. In ASA a batter is only declared out when leaving the baseline to avoid a tag or if they have entered their team area (dugout). Simply not advancing to first base does not make the batter out. Example: Batter swings for 3rd strike with nobody on base and the catcher drops the ball. Batter gets about ? way toward her dugout and realizing that it was a ?not caught third strike? situation runs directly to 1st base before she is tagged by the catcher or F2 throws to F3 for the out. This is LEGAL?the batter would not be declared out by the umpire until she entered her ?team area?. See ASA 8-2-D

The rest can be found at...[/FONT]


DMSUA.COM

 

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Lol

 

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Don't forget the throwing the bat myth. I've heard umpires warn batters for throwing the bat, informing them that if they do it again they are out. There is nothing in the rule book saying that if you throw your bat you are out.

 

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Hey Klump, You are right about nothing in the rule book about throwing the bat. But, I did have an umpire tell me that it would be considered un-sportsmanlike conduct and that they could be called out for that. What do you think?

 

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There is no standard rule book that has an out as a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The penalty for unsporting play is an ejection, not an out. Some local leagues do add a rule about a batter being out for throwing the bat. But that is not a standard rule for any softball sanctioning body.

As with many othe rrules, there is some variation in how different organizations handle this. They all pretty much agree that intentionally throwing the bat, as in anger, is unsportsmanlike and cause for an ejection. The umpire has the discretion to either warn or eject depending on the severity of the infraction.

If the bat slips from the hands or is carelessly discarded after a hit, most rule sets have no penalty.

High school rules are an exception. Their rules mandate the umpire to issue a team warning for a carelessly discarded bat. A second offense by the same team results in the player being restricted to the bench. But still...no out is recorded.

 

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how about hitting the catcher with the bat? any rule here? Thanks!

There is no standard rule book that has an out as a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The penalty for unsporting play is an ejection, not an out. Some local leagues do add a rule about a batter being out for throwing the bat. But that is not a standard rule for any softball sanctioning body.

As with many othe rrules, there is some variation in how different organizations handle this. They all pretty much agree that intentionally throwing the bat, as in anger, is unsportsmanlike and cause for an ejection. The umpire has the discretion to either warn or eject depending on the severity of the infraction.

If the bat slips from the hands or is carelessly discarded after a hit, most rule sets have no penalty.

High school rules are an exception. Their rules mandate the umpire to issue a team warning for a carelessly discarded bat. A second offense by the same team results in the player being restricted to the bench. But still...no out is recorded.

 

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Rule Myth #11 is not entirely accurate- which could in fact actually create another rule myth!

Back a few years ago, NCAA softball changed their definition of a bunt attempt. It used to be that there had to be some attempt or movement of the bat toward the ball to be considered an offer. They changed it to say that merely holding the bat in the strike zone (no movement necessary) would be considered as an offer. The batter is now required to withdraw the bat to discontinue the bunt attempt.

High school softball followed suit and changed their rule to match a couple of years later. Some other associations have also changed since then. But they haven't all changed! For instance, in ASA ball movement of the bat toward the ball is still required for a bunt attempt. Simply holding the bat in the strike zone is not an automatic strike.

 

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There is also the rule myth that upon rounding first base on a continuous walk, if you stop you are out. In reality, you can stop one time and either proceed or go back, you just can't dance around and stop more than once. You can run until you are 5 feet from 2nd base if you'd like and stop, as long as you choose your direction and continue with it.

 

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how about hitting the catcher with the bat? any rule here? Thanks!

If it was an accident, because the bat slipped or the batter just let go of it after hitting the ball, that's considered a carelessly discarded bat. No penalty in ASA, team warning/bench restriction in high school ball.

Hitting the catcher with a carelessly discarded bat in itself isn't penalized any differently than if the bat didn't hit the catcher. They both fall under the same discarded bat rules. However, if it hit the catcher and prevented the catcher from making a play (stealing runner, fielding a bunt, etc) then it could be ruled as interference and the interference rules would apply.

 

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There is also the rule myth that upon rounding first base on a continuous walk, if you stop you are out. In reality, you can stop one time and either proceed or go back, you just can't dance around and stop more than once. You can run until you are 5 feet from 2nd base if you'd like and stop, as long as you choose your direction and continue with it.

Forgive me if I am reading to far into this one and you just didnt elaborate further but you can get in a pickle and do not have to run into an out once a play is made on the batter/runner trying to advance on a continuous walk even if they have stopped once and decided to try and advance. And from the way I understand it that includes a pitcher just flinching at the batter/runner? at least HS rules correct? Not as 100% familiar with other bodies but believe they all the same on this one.

 

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If the pitcher attempts to make a play or makes a play on the runner than the runner can move all they want, including getting into a pickle. What I stated before is only if the pitcher doesn't make any attempt on the runner.

 

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One rule I have seen played 10 different ways is thunder / lightening. Is it either or. Some say both some say thunder. Asa cs NSA...whats the real deal?

 

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We had a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGGGG delay at the Cinderella Classic due to thunder. It seemed like 45 minutes but I can't say for sure how long it actually was.

 

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One rule I have seen played 10 different ways is thunder / lightening. Is it either or. Some say both some say thunder. Asa cs NSA...whats the real deal?

The proper guideline is to treat thunder and lightning both exactly the same. There can be no thunder without lightning! If you hear thunder, that means there was a lightning discharge, even if you didn't see it.

The first sign of thunder or lightning means the field must be cleared for a minmum of 30 minutes. Each subsequent thunder/lightning strike means that the 30 minute clock is reset and starts over.

 

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How about having to keep 1 foot in the batters box at all times inbetween pitches. I see this one a lot.

 

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We had a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGGGG delay at the Cinderella Classic due to thunder. It seemed like 45 minutes but I can't say for sure how long it actually was.

Since I was the TD, I can tell you that the delay was 17 minutes. I pushed up the clock from 30 minutes since the lightning/thunder was not over us, but over the lake. We could barely see clouds on the horizon.

 

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I was at the Cinderella classic too and I agree with klump. It seemed like forever....lol

 

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What about batter hit by pitch? It was my understanding that a batter longer has to make an attempt to move out of the way in order to be awarded 1st base on a hit bt pitch. And is it the same in asa as well as usssa?

 

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How about having to keep 1 foot in the batters box at all times inbetween pitches. I see this one a lot.

Some rule sets require it, others don't. For instance, this is an ASA rule, but it's not a high school rule. The rule is intended as a "speed up" rule, to prevent time from being wasted between pitches.

Umpires are usually instructed to not be over-zealous about enforcing this. If the batter steps out briefly and doesn't cause a delay, you can give some leeway. The penalty is a charged strike to the batter, but that should only be used as a last resort. Before it gets to that point, the umpire should just tell the batter to get in the box and remind them to keep a foot in there.

Umpires should not use this rule as a "got ya" to go out of the way to call penalty strikes. Warn if necessary, then enforce if it continues or delays the game.

By the way...the rule doesn't say that batters have to keep a foot in the box at all times. There is a list of exceptions. The rule doesn't apply if the batter swings at the pitch, is forced out of the box by the pitch, on a wild pitch or passed ball, if there is a play at the plate, if time has been called, when the catcher is throwing to a base, if the pitcher leaves the circle or if the catcher leaves the catcher's box.

With all of the exceptions, the only time the batter really has to keep a foot in the box is on a non-swinging ball or strike call!

 

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What about batter hit by pitch? It was my understanding that a batter longer has to make an attempt to move out of the way in order to be awarded 1st base on a hit bt pitch. And is it the same in asa as well as usssa?

This was a new rule in NCAA softball last year. It applies ONLY in college ball and then ONLY if the pitch is inside of the batter's box.

As of yet, this rule has not been adopted by any youth softball organizations.