Assessing a strike for looking back?

[grayhawk]

11U AAU League game (OBR). Batter steps into the box and as the pitcher is taking signs, the batter looks back toward the catcher. Plate ump calls time and gives the batter a strike for stealing signs. He actually did it twice - once to each team. In one case, the batter claimed that all he was doing was looking at his hands to align his knuckles.

Has anyone ever heard of this?

The only time I can think of where an umpire can assess a strike on the batter (other than the normal way) is if he refuses to get into the batter's box. Even then, the pitch is delivered but it's called a strike whether it passes through the zone or not.

[JamesC]

WOW! What was this guy thinking? Never heard of doing that, nor would I ever considering calling that a strike. Have seen my share of batters doing it though. I was a catcher, so I had enough sense that when I was giving signs I would always look at the batter while doing it. If I caught him looking I would call time and get a new pitch. Most of the time though, if the catcher is paying attention he is aware whether the batter is looking or not. I definitely would never give the batter a strike for doing that though!

[Mike Prince]

OBR has no references to it (that's all I have at work). While it is an unsportmanlike act, the umpire has no jurisdiction in this situation to call anything.

[moblue]

Is this an AAU-specific rule possibly? I've never heard of it.

[grayhawk]

Is this an AAU-specific rule possibly? I've never heard of it.

They use OBR and it's not in the local rules.

[mstaylor]

It is not a rule unless some idiot BOD wrote one. This is a rule pulled from a rather smelly orifice.

[UmpTTS43]

The penalty strike for refusing to get in the batter's box no longer requires a pitch to be thrown.

[spiritump]

if you have to warn on a balk--why not strike for looking back???????? :)

[txump81]

Wow. If I were the coach, I might protest. There are many ways to "solve" the problem by the players. If I were the pitcher or catcher, I wouldn't require the umpire's help.

[Rich Ives]

They use OBR and it's not in the local rules.

AAU uses NFHS (FED)

but it's not a strike there either.

[jjb]

Not in the rules, but he's gonna need a screwdriver to get the ball out of his earhole.

[grayhawk]

AAU uses NFHS (FED)

but it's not a strike there either.

Hmm, I was told this league uses the Sporting News rules, which I thought was OBR.

[Rich Ives]

Hmm, I was told this league uses the Sporting News rules, which I thought was OBR.

The "Sporting News Rules" would be OBR - but if you visit the AAU web site you'll see AAU uses FED. So either the league is NOT AAU or they're out of touch.

BTW the Sporting News rules were so named because they published the OBR book for MLB - but it was just OBR. They no longer do the publishing. Just another case of folks not getting it as far as rules go.

[carolinablue]

Wow. If I were the coach, I might protest. There are many ways to "solve" the problem by the players. If I were the pitcher or catcher, I wouldn't require the umpire's help.

It's called putting an inch of fear into the batter, but we are talking about 11 year olds here.

[Stan W.]

This is the definition of being OOO......to the point of inventing a rule and penalty....

[Umpire in Chief]

Not in the rules, but he's gonna need a screwdriver to get the ball out of his earhole.

My only intentionally hit batter came in an adult league after the batter looked in. I knew it was coming, the batter should have too.

It was a slow pitch in the thigh, I only gave a warning.

[Guest]

My only intentionally hit batter came in an adult league after the batter looked in. I knew it was coming, the batter should have too.

It was a slow pitch in the thigh, I only gave a warning.

What level?

To me, speaking in terms of highly competative men's ball (think Canadian equivilent of US college) this is necessary self-policing, and I would just let the batter take his medicine.

Then, if we had some retaliation, I'd go right after the pitcher followed with the warnings.