Batter switching sides

[Bailey8]

Can a batter switch boxes during an at bat? For example: B1 hitting left handed has a count of 0-2, batter asks for time and switches to bat right handed on the next pitch, legal?

Had this asked before the start of a Pony league game.

[jnazz]

yep

[Rich Ives]

Can a batter switch boxes during an at bat? For example: B1 hitting left handed has a count of 0-2, batter asks for time and switches to bat right handed on the next pitch, legal?

Had this asked before the start of a Pony league game.

Legal

[Umpire in Chief]

He can switch between pitches, but once the pitcher is ready to pitch he's locked in his box.

[HokieUmp]

Batters changing sides in the middle of the game??!? Traitorous swine!!

Oh. Wait. You mean sides of the plate.

Never mind.

[LMSANS]

:wave:

Batters changing sides in the middle of the game??!? Traitorous swine!!

Oh. Wait. You mean sides of the plate.

Never mind.

:rollinglaugh::rollinglaugh::rollinglaugh::rollinglaugh:

[Big Red]

Can a batter switch boxes during an at bat? For example: B1 hitting left handed has a count of 0-2, batter asks for time and switches to bat right handed on the next pitch, legal?

Had this asked before the start of a Pony league game.

Bailey,

In short, yes...as long as it's before the pitcher is in position ready to pitch...if not, ball is dead and batter is out.

For both PONY baseball and softball, here are the references:

Baseball, which uses OBR:

OBR 6.06(

"A batter is out for illegal action when--

(

He steps from one batter's box to the other while the pitcher is in position ready to pitch;"

Softball, from 2010 PONY Softball Rules & Regulations:

Rule 8, Section 1 b

"The batter shall not step directly across in front of the catcher to the other batter's box while the pitcher is in position, ready to pitch.

EFFECT: The ball is dead, the batter is out, and baserunners may NOT advance."

[D62 blue]

Bailey,

In short, yes...as long as it's before the pitcher is in position ready to pitch...if not, ball is dead and batter is out.

For both PONY baseball and softball, here are the references:

Baseball, which uses OBR:

OBR 6.06(

"A batter is out for illegal action when--

(B) He steps from one batter's box to the other while the pitcher is in position ready to pitch;"

Softball, from 2010 PONY Softball Rules & Regulations:

Rule 8, Section 1 b

"The batter shall not step directly across in front of the catcher to the other batter's box while the pitcher is in position, ready to pitch.

EFFECT: The ball is dead, the batter is out, and baserunners may NOT advance."

i had a rh batter do this today LL juniors , the count was 2-1 , then he went lh batter . perfectly legal , pitcher wasnt even on the mound yet . no one said anything . this is the first time i have seen this . i dont think this very common

d62 blue

[tjthresh]

I had this yesterday in an 11U travel tournament.

The batter started out lefty and tried to bunt with R1.

Batter missed the bunt, and R1 stole second.

Then the batter switched sides for the plate, and I initially stopped him. Of course the coaches weren't happy with me.

I had some time to run it through my head before the pitcher was ready, and then changed my mind.

It was the first time I'd see that, and it sort of threw me for a second.

I came home and checked my rule book, and found I was half right. The pitcher wasn't ready to pitch.