Batter have to move on hit by pitch?

[Guest Matt]

Under official baseball rules, does the batter have to make an attempt to move?

 

What about under high school rules? 

[grayhawk]

OBR:  The batter must make an attempt to avoid being touched by the ball.

 

Fed:  The batter cannot permit the ball to touch him.

[bleacher_bum]

OBR: 6.08.b

6.08 The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put

out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when—

(a) Four “balls†have been called by the umpire;

Rule 6.08(a) Comment: A batter who is entitled to first base because of a base on balls must

go to first base and touch the base before other base runners are forced to advance. This applies when

bases are full and applies when a substitute runner is put into the game.

If, in advancing, the base runner thinks there is a play and he slides past the base before or after

touching it he may be put out by the fielder tagging him. If he fails to touch the base to which he is entitled

and attempts to advance beyond that base he may be put out by tagging him or the base he missed.

(b) He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (1) The ball

is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (2) The batter makes no attempt

to avoid being touched by the ball;

If the ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, it shall be called a strike,

whether or not the batter tries to avoid the ball. If the ball is outside the strike zone

when it touches the batter, it shall be called a ball if he makes no attempt to avoid

being touched.

APPROVED RULING: When the batter is touched by a pitched ball which does

not entitle him to first base, the ball is dead and no runner may advance.

FED: 7-3-4

SECTION 3 BATTING INFRACTIONS – A BATTING SHALL NOT:

ART. 4 . . . Permit a pitched ball to touch him.

PENALTY: The batter remains at bat (pitch is a ball or strike) unless pitch was a third strike or ball four.

[umpstu]

Does the pitch hit the batter or does the batter hit the pitch?  If it's a crappy pitch in the zone, and freezes the batter,  I will probably send the batter on his way to first.  If it's a 20 mph curve that I could have taken a nap and still came out in front of the plate and caught, and the batter could have moved, I will keep him in the box.

[JaxRolo]

Use your better judgement. You should be able to tell if he froze or got hit on purpose.

 

Some say the ball does not belong in the batter's box. So award the base.

[basejester]

What's the difference?  Can anyone describe a situation that would be an award under one ruleset and not the other?  

[JaxRolo]

What's the difference?  Can anyone describe a situation that would be an award under one ruleset and not the other?  

In FED he doesn't have to try to move out of the way. He just can't let it hit him. Maybe a case were he just froze.

[grayhawk]

What's the difference?  Can anyone describe a situation that would be an award under one ruleset and not the other?  

 

There is no difference.  The wording is different, but the application is the same.  NCAA is different, however:

 

A.R.—If the batter freezes and is hit by a pitch that is clearly inside the vertical lines of the batter’s box, the ball is dead and the batter is awarded first base.

 

They make it clear that if the pitch is in the batter's box, the batter will be awarded first unless the batter moves into the pitch, or unless he offered at the pitch and is hit.  This means they can stand like a statue and allow the pitch to hit them in the box - even if it's a slow curve ball.

[TheGeneral]

Many rule sets for fast pitch softball changed the rule that you don't have to make any attempt to move out of the way last year.

Some coaches heard that and assumed/tried to fool the umps in baseball recently.

But that's a new softball ruling, not baseball.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[millerforrest]

Do NOT split hairs on this issue. That's what will unnecessarily open up a can of trouble.

[Jocko]

Question: If everyone on the planet is expecting a curve and F1s pitch just doesnt break quite enough to miss the batter, are you gonna keep him in the box? For arguments sake, F1 has been or is know for throwing benders for strikes. And the batter stands stock still.

[Jocko]

Some say the ball does not belong in the batter's box. So award the base.

@JaxRolo - 99 times out of 100, this is me