Unreviewable - Possibility of HBP Key to Replay Review

[Lindsay]

Two HBP/bat-contact plays produced differing replay results on Monday, when umpires in Miami and Houston encountered two attempted Manager's Challenges on plays at the bat. Read along to find out why one play was reviewable while the other was not. MIAMI: With none out and none on in the top of...

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[Dbellyflop]

??

no hit by pitch if the batter swings????? Isn't it still HBP, but a strike?

 

" the only reason the play in Miami was not reviewable is because the possibility of a hit-by-pitch did not exist, since no HBP may occur when a batter swings at the pitch. "

[Lindsay]

47 minutes ago, Dbellyflop said:

??

no hit by pitch is the batter swings????? Isn't it still HBP, but a strike?

 

" the only reason the play in Miami was not reviewable is because the possibility of a hit-by-pitch did not exist, since no HBP may occur when a batter swings at the pitch. "

The precise language is "dead ball strike," or a strike caused by a pitched ball touching a batter under certain circumstances (one of which is the batter swinging at the pitch). A "hit by pitch" (aka "hit batsman") by rule is a pitched ball that touches a batter, which is not a strike, wherein the batter is awarded first base.

[johnnyg08]

20 hours ago, Dbellyflop said:

??

no hit by pitch is the batter swings????? Isn't it still HBP, but a strike?

 

" the only reason the play in Miami was not reviewable is because the possibility of a hit-by-pitch did not exist, since no HBP may occur when a batter swings at the pitch. "

Dead ball strike.

[Dbellyflop]

I understand dead ball strikes, pitch hitting the batter in the strike zone, etc. What i was questioning was the the reasoning that when a batter swings that they can't review if the pitch hit the batter.

The Regulation  G.  Hit By Pitch. Those plays for which there is a possibility that a pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing. See, e.g., Rules 5.06(c) and 5.05(b)(2) (formerly Rules 5.09(a) and 6.08(b), respectively). says that if the pitch possibly hit the batter it is review-able.

Rules cited.

5.06 (c) (5.02 and 5.09) Dead Balls (5.09) The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when: (1) A pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing, while in his legal batting position; runners, if forced, advance;

5.05  (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:

          (2) He is touched by a pitched ball which he is not attempting to hit unless (A) The ball is in the strike zone when it touches the batter, or (B) The batter makes no attempt to avoid being touched by the ball; (2) 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. 

The "Dead Ball Strike" comes from combining the definition of strike and 5.06(c).

So again, I am just asking why they can't review this, when the replay regulation say "Those plays for which there is a possibility that a pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing".... Unless Mattingly just said it wasn't a foul ball....

[Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Dbellyflop said:

So again, I am just asking why they can't review this, when the replay regulation say "Those plays for which there is a possibility that a pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing".... Unless Mattingly just said it wasn't a foul ball....

It is unreviewable due to the title of G ("Hit By Pitch"). There was no possibility for a HBP call here since B1 swung, so the section Hit By Pitch is not applicable; thus, the play is not reviewable. You'll notice that 5.06(c) and 5.05(b)(2) both concern actual HBP situations, and not dead ball strikes, as both rules dole out a base award. The "which he is not attempting to hit" clause was not satisfied, thus 5.05(b)(2) does not apply, and, accordingly, the play is not reviewable.

[Dbellyflop]

2 hours ago, Gil said:

You'll notice that 5.06(c) and 5.05(b)(2) both concern actual HBP situations

5.06 (c) (5.02 and 5.09) Dead Balls (5.09) The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when: (1) A pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing, while in his legal batting position; runners, if forced, advance;

5.06(c) just says the ball becomes dead if it hits the batter in his legal position.

 

[Dbellyflop]

Hit By Pitch. Those plays for which there is a possibility that a pitched ball touches a batter, or his clothing. See, e.g., Rules 5.06(c) and 5.05(b)(2) (formerly Rules 5.09(a) and 6.08(b), respectively). Any doubt as to whether a pitched ball hit the bat (as opposed to the batter or his clothing) should be resolved by the Home Plate Umpire at that moment as hitting the bat and not the batter, and the Umpire should declare a fair or foul ball under the circumstances. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whether the ball was in the strike zone when it touched the batter, and whether the batter made any attempt to avoid being touched by the ball, shall not be reviewable. See Rule 5.05(b)(2) (formerly Rule 6.08(b)).

This should be why it is not reviewable.