Strike or Not

[Mr Umpire]

I have no attempt on this as explained simply by the batter following the ball. He didn't push the bat at it and pulled it back before the ball was hittable and quit tracking it as well. Tracking the ball and actually attempting to bunt it are 2 different things for me.

However, if it is deemed as an attempt at any point during the pitch, it is an attempt. So, if the initial reaction is that it was an attempt based on the OP, then it was an attempt and should have been a strike. But, that may have been worded a little wrong, I don't know. I made my judgment based on the description of the play and I have no attempt.

[basejones]

I say call it a strike. Using your words, "no doubt an attempt at the ball". Yes, he did pull the bat back, but look at it another way. Batter "makes an attempt" on a pitch, but checks his swing pulling the bat back before the ball arrives at the plate. Do you call that a strike or not?

Randy

[Rich Ives]

I say call it a strike. Using your words, "no doubt an attempt at the ball". Yes, he did pull the bat back, but look at it another way. Batter "makes an attempt" on a pitch, but checks his swing pulling the bat back before the ball arrives at the plate. Do you call that a strike or not?

Randy

If he made an attempt then he didn't check his swing. Can't be both.

[spiritump]

Scrimmage game I had a situation...

Batter squares to bunt before the pitcher starts his delivery.

The pitch was a slow breaking ball.

The batter dipped the barrel tracking the ball - based on that alone no doubt an attempt at the ball.

However the batter after realizing it was a dirt ball pulled the bat back well before it was in the proximity of the plate.

I balled the pitch.

My evaluator said I should have called it a strike based on hit initial attempt. In my judgement while he made an initial attempt, I thought he pulled it back in time.

an attempt is no different than a swing(strikes get us outs and outs get us home:)

[Umpire in Chief]

I say call it a strike. Using your words, "no doubt an attempt at the ball". Yes, he did pull the bat back, but look at it another way. Batter "makes an attempt" on a pitch, but checks his swing pulling the bat back before the ball arrives at the plate. Do you call that a strike or not?

Randy

I thought you'd say that

basejones is the evaluator who wanted me to get the strike in the first place.

[SnareDrum]

Ball, at least as you described it. Did he "strike" at the ball, or did he just track it then pull back? That word "strike" means exactly that and is where the baseball vocabulary comes from. A fish doesn't strike at the bait just by swimming by it. I've said it to coaches before, and I'll probably say it tonight on my field: "Coach, he didn't attempt (the word some used earlier) to strike at the ball!" As they pause to figure out what I said, I tell the pitcher to pitch:)