Broken bat - Whatcha got?

[sdix00]

No one on, no out, no count. The batter is jammed, and hits the ball down the

first base foul line, breaking his bat in two pieces. The barrel end of the bat

goes flying down the line as well, and strikes the ball near the 45 foot mark

• (a ) in fair territory, knocking the ball so it caroms off the bag at 1B then in to the dugout
• (b ) in fair territory, knocking the ball directly in to the dugout
• (c ) in fair territory, knocking the ball into Foul territory where it is picked up by F3 before it crosses 1B.

The BR has not yet reached 1B.

Call it.

Cite it, if possible.

[Umpy]

a, b, c) I've got a youtube video or sportscenter highlight.

[Rich Ives]

No one on, no out, no count. The batter is jammed, and hits the ball down the

first base foul line, breaking his bat in two pieces. The barrel end of the bat

goes flying down the line as well, and strikes the ball at the 45 foot line

• (a ) in fair territory, knocking the ball so it caroms off the bag at 1B then in to the dugout
• (b ) in fair territory, knocking the ball directly in to the dugout
• (c ) in fair territory, knocking the ball into Foul territory where it is picked up by F3 before it crosses 1B.

The BR has not yet reached 1B.

Call it.

Cite it, if possible.

Play the bounce? a) 2 base award. b&c) foul ball.

Rule 6.05(h) Comment: If a bat breaks and part of it is in fair territory and is hit by a batted ball or part of it hits a runner or fielder, play shall continue and no interference called. If batted ball hits part of a broken bat in foul territory, it is a foul ball.

[grayhawk]

No one on, no out, no count. The batter is jammed, and hits the ball down the

first base foul line, breaking his bat in two pieces. The barrel end of the bat

goes flying down the line as well, and strikes the ball at the 45 foot line

• (a ) in fair territory, knocking the ball so it caroms off the bag at 1B then in to the dugout
• (b ) in fair territory, knocking the ball directly in to the dugout
• (c ) in fair territory, knocking the ball into Foul territory where it is picked up by F3 before it crosses 1B.

The BR has not yet reached 1B.

Call it.

Cite it, if possible.

Pretty evil Dix. Assuming OBR: The closest I can find is 6.05 (h): After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory.

However, 6.05 (h) Comment: If a bat breaks and part of it is in fair territory and is hit by a batted ball or part of it hits a runner or fielder, play shall continue and no interference called. If batted ball hits part of a broken bat in foul territory, it is a foul ball.

Notice that the comment refers to the ball hitting a broken bat, whereas your question pertains to the broken bat hitting the ball a second time. I choose to follow the comment because it specifically addresses a broken bat, so:

(a ): I have a dead ball and BR is awarded 2nd base. 6.09 (e): A fair ball, after touching the ground, bounds into the stands, or passes through, over or under a fence, or through or under a scoreboard, or through or under shrubbery, or vines on the fence, in which case the batter and the runners shall be entitled to advance two bases.

(b ): Foul.

(c ): Foul.

EDIT: Don't think that this can only happen in a wood bat game. A 13 year old kid broke his alloy bat last weekend when he hit the ball on an iside pitch. The grip tape held it together though.

[mstaylor]

I'll stand back and watch for a while. Should make a good discussion.

[noumpere]

Treat it just as if the ball had hit a helmet or something. If it is in foul territory then it is a foul ball. If it is in fair territory then the ball is still live but it is not yet fair.

So in the first play the ball becomes fair when it hits the base and then when it goes in the dugout it is a ground rule double

In the next two plays the ball becomes foul when it hit somethings in foul territory.

That is if I am reading it correctly the same as grayhawk has.

[sdix00]

I agree with all those who have said

a.) Fair

b.) Foul

c.) Foul

HOWEVER, something in my new WUM is troubling me. Focus on the Blue text. The rest is there for context only.

Section 9.2 Runner's Interference

It is interference by a runner when:

• His whole bat, either in or out of possession of the batter-runner, hits a fair ball a second time in fair territory, or it is thrown and interferes with a fielder attempting to field or throw a ball [6.05 (h)].
• The umpire should immediately call "time." He will then call out the batter-runner, and return all other runners to their bases at the time of the pitch. If the bat is in fair territory and the ball rolls against the bat, there is no interference and the ball is left in play. If, in the umpire's judgment, the bat strikes the ball, the ball is dead immediately and the batter is out.
  • If a part of his broken bat hits a batted ball over fair territory, there is no interference. The ball becomes fair and it is left in play. If the broken piece of bat hit the batted ball over foul territory (before it becomes fair) the ball is foul. If part of the broken bat interferes with a fielder attempting to field a ball, there is no interference and the ball is left in play [6.05 (h) Comment].

The WUM aligns itself with the rule a little better in the original form of this case play P388.. However, it is impossible to come up with the correct answer until you actually read the ruling and you get more information.

P388: No one on, no out, no count. The batter is jammed, and hits the ball down the

first base foul line, breaking his bat in two pieces. The barrel end of the bat

goes flying down the line as well, and strikes the ball (a) in fair territory (b ) in

foul territory, knocking it down the right field line. The BR reaches second base

safely.

Ruling: In either case, since the BR has no control over a broken bat, there is no

interference. In (a), the ball becomes fair when it is hit by the bat, and when

the ball is deflected to the outfield; it is alive and left in play. In (b ) the ball

is foul as soon as the broken piece hits the ball in foul territory.

I read it several times, and I literally could not figure if the WUM was telling me that a ball hit by a broken bat in fair territory instantly becomes fair. As far as I can tell, it does NOT. However, when I read these two passages, especially the first one, I had to stop chewing my gum so I had enough brain power to process it.

I have found other examples of inexact writing and each time, I have to stop what I am doing and re-read the section.

PS - I altered the original case play for a reason. I wanted anyone who agreed with the literal text in the WUM to bite on the possibility of a fair ball in b ) and c ), and explain it to me. Apparently, no one thinks that these could be fair balls.

[noumpere]

I seem to recall in discussions with other umpires who have been to pro school that one of the schools teaches that the ball becomes fair when it hits something and the other teaches that it does not become fair until its touched or goes to the outfield or otherwise meets the requirements in the defintions. I know that was not very clear and I am sure there is some difference between the play posted here and what we (meaning me and the other umpires) were discussing but this might be one area where even the teachers dont have the same answer and that might account for the confusion in the book you quoted.

[ukce1861]

You also have to read the definition of a Fair and Foul Ball.

They almost mirror each other, but there is one distinct difference.

A foul ball is a batted ball that:

• Settles on foul territory between home and first base,
• [settles on foul territory] between home and third base,
• bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory,
• first falls on foul territory beyond first or third base,
• while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or player, or any object foreign to the natural ground.

The bolded phrase is not in the definition of a Fair Ball, so there is nothing in Situation b that makes it fair - therefore, it's foul. In Situation a, the ball touches first base, which makes it fair. Summing it up for my own convenience, if the broken bat is in fair territory and hits the ball, nothing's happened yet - you have to keep playing to see what the ball becomes. If it's in foul territory, the ball has touched an object foreign to the natural ground - play's over; Foul Ball!

[kylejt]

Out, out, and, ah, out.

The bat hit the ball in fair territory. What am I missing here?

[Rich Ives]

Out, out, and, ah, out.

The bat hit the ball in fair territory. What am I missing here?

It's a piece of a broken bat - different rule.

[kylejt]

Out, out, and, ah, out.

The bat hit the ball in fair territory. What am I missing here?

It's a piece of a broken bat - different rule.

Is it a judgement call on how big a piece it is?I mean, if a chip comes off the bat, but 99.9% of it strikes a batted ball, then what? What if the ball has black paint on it from the bat?

Yeah, I don't agree with whatever ruling that's coming from. That doesn't mean I'm right, I just don't agree with it.

[Guest]

Out, out, and, ah, out.

The bat hit the ball in fair territory. What am I missing here?

It's a piece of a broken bat - different rule.

Is it a judgement call on how big a piece it is?I mean, if a chip comes off the bat, but 99.9% of it strikes a batted ball, then what? What if the ball has black paint on it from the bat?

Yeah, I don't agree with whatever ruling that's coming from. That doesn't mean I'm right, I just don't agree with it.

You're missing the entire rule.

When the bat breaks, the batter is responsible for the portion of the bat left in his hand after it breaks.

So that means if a wood chip off the bat or the entire barrel (that has snapped off leaving the batter with a splinter of a handle in his hand) hits the ball, play the bounce.

Its a simple concept that makes perfect sense. Not sure what there is to disagree with here.

[BigUmp56]

You're missing the entire rule.

When the bat breaks, the batter is responsible for the portion of the bat left in his hand after it breaks.

So that means if a wood chip off the bat or the entire barrel (that has snapped off leaving the batter with a splinter of a handle in his hand) hits the ball, play the bounce.

Its a simple concept that makes perfect sense. Not sure what there is to disagree with here.

+100

I don't think the intent of the rule can be explained any better!

Tim.

[sdix00]

2012 Wendelstedt Rules and Mechanics Manual Revisions

Errors

An error in previous editions referred to batted balls that touched foreign objects over fair

territory as “fair.†This is in contradiction to the OBR. This correct interpretation is that any

batted ball that strikes a foreign object should be treated in the following manner:

• A whole bat that hits a batted ball over fair territory is interference and the ball is

· dead.

• A broken bat that hits a batted ball over fair territory is neither fair nor foul yet, and

· should be left in play. It will then be judged as fair or foul based on the definitions of

· fair and foul balls.

• A ball that rolls against a bat in fair territory is neither fair nor foul yet, and should

· be left in play. It will then be judged as fair or foul based on the definitions of fair

· and foul balls.

• A helmet that hits a batted ball over fair territory is neither fair nor foul yet, and

· should be left in play. It will then be judged as fair or foul based on the definitions of

· fair and foul balls. If, however, an offensive player intentionally throws a helmet at a

· ball and contacts it, it is interference and the ball is dead.

Affected Areas – Sections 1 (Fair Ball , 9.2, P338)

[Haid D' Salaami]

this is easy...LOL

[Replacematt]

• A broken bat that hits a batted ball over fair territory is neither fair nor foul yet, and

· should be left in play.

• A helmet that hits a batted ball over fair territory is neither fair nor foul yet, and

· should be left in play.

Hmmm...bats and helmets can be fair or foul?

:smachhead:

[yawetag]

Hmmm...bats and helmets can be fair or foul?

Sure. If it falls off the batter or a runner, it could land in fair territory.

[BretMan]

This is a rule that I've had to apply exactly once in one of my games. And it was a strange one...

Batter (using a metal bat) hits a grounder toward F6. The ball goes straight toward the fielder- and so does the bat that has flown out of the batter's hands on the swing. Ball, bat and fielder all converge in one spot. F6 needs to take evasive action to avoid the bat and that let's the ball shoot past him.

Base umpire kills the play and calls the batter out for interference (he had started out in "C" and the play was right in front of him).

Sounds good so far...until the batter starts back to his dugout and shows me that he is still holding the knob of the bat in his hands. The rest of the bat had come loose from the knob and that is what caused it to fly free.

I ruled that this was a broken bat and placed the batter-runner on first base, which he had reached easily with no play being made. And, yes, this took some explaining to the defensive coach...

After the game, the kid's dad passes me in the parking lot and wants to ask about that play. That's when he tells me, "I can't believe that happened. We've had to weld the knob back on that bat twice already!". I advised him to junk the bat and buy a new one.

[Astrosdawg07]

If the bat breaks it's a live ball, fair foul will be decided where the ball comes to rest or is touched. However, if the contact is made in foul territory, it is an automatic foul ball.

[noumpere]

I have found other examples of inexact writing and each time, I have to stop what I am doing and re-read the section.

Yes me too. Apparently you dont have to be a good writer to be a good umpire. And thats good news for me. lol.