Cal Ripken rule changes???

[mark38090]

I just recieved a call from a coach stating that while attending an umpire clinic, they were told that in all machine pitch, baseball and softball, if a batter squares to bunt and pulls the bat back for any reason they're declared out. There's nothing on the babe ruth website under rule changes, has anyone else heard this?

[SH0102]

8 minutes ago, mark38090 said:

I just recieved a call from a coach stating that while attending an umpire clinic, they were told that in all machine pitch, baseball and softball, if a batter squares to bunt and pulls the bat back for any reason they're declared out. There's nothing on the babe ruth website under rule changes, has anyone else heard this?

That sounds incomplete.  The general safety rule is if you square to bunt, you can not pull it back and then swing.

To imply they must try to bunt a pitch 4’ outside or in the dirt bc they can’t pull it back to take a “ball” is ludicrous

[flyingron]

Fake bunting has been illegal (not just switching from a bunt to swinging away, but pretending to bunt with no intent to attempt to strike the ball, though this is less an issue in this league when stealing isn't allowed, etc...   I'm not sure why you'd do it).  Perhaps this is a new interpretation of what a fake bunt is rather than rule change?

[SH0102]

36 minutes ago, flyingron said:

Fake bunting has been illegal (not just switching from a bunt to swinging away, but pretending to bunt with no intent to attempt to strike the ball, though this is less an issue in this league when stealing isn't allowed, etc...   I'm not sure why you'd do it).  Perhaps this is a new interpretation of what a fake bunt is rather than rule change?

While I don’t think it matters, I see many youth square up on 3-0 obviously taking but trying to crowd plate if you will

[kylejt]

Can someone please post the rule. I'd love to see that wording, and how they define this. 

[Jimurray]

20 hours ago, SH0102 said:

That sounds incomplete.  The general safety rule is if you square to bunt, you can not pull it back and then swing.

To imply they must try to bunt a pitch 4’ outside or in the dirt bc they can’t pull it back to take a “ball” is ludicrous

I think you meant the local yokel rule. But aside from the Rule quoted in the OP being ludicrous, if it did force the batter to keep the bunt posture it would  not force him to offer at the pitch. The mere holding of the bat over the plate is not a strike if the pitch is a ball and you don’t judge an offer in all baseball codes. 

[Senor Azul]

I found the following for Cal Ripken 8-year-old Machine Pitch changes for 2019—

Latest Rule Changes for 2019
Last Updated 12/6/2018

8-YEAR-OLD MACHINE PITCH RULES (Used in Cal Ripken Invitational World Series)

BUNTING – Bunting is allowed in “Machine Pitch.” However, NO FAKE BUNTING IS ALLOWED. If the batter offers to bunt, then the batter must bunt the ball or pull the bat back to take the pitch. If the batter offers to bunt, pulls the bat back, and then swings at the pitch, the batter will automatically be declared out by the umpire.

I was able to find rule changes for 2022 and there was nothing pertinent to this question. So if there were any changes to the bunting rule (and I don’t think there was) it would have to have been for 2020 or 2021. I think Mr. SH0102 is right that this is just a misunderstanding by the clinic attendee.

[mark38090]

Thanks, I'm assuming this was a misunderstanding by the coach attending the meeting. 

[Jimurray]

3 hours ago, Senor Azul said:

I found the following for Cal Ripken 8-year-old Machine Pitch changes for 2019—

Latest Rule Changes for 2019
Last Updated 12/6/2018

8-YEAR-OLD MACHINE PITCH RULES (Used in Cal Ripken Invitational World Series)

BUNTING – Bunting is allowed in “Machine Pitch.” However, NO FAKE BUNTING IS ALLOWED. If the batter offers to bunt, then the batter must bunt the ball or pull the bat back to take the pitch. If the batter offers to bunt, pulls the bat back, and then swings at the pitch, the batter will automatically be declared out by the umpire.

I was able to find rule changes for 2022 and there was nothing pertinent to this question. So if there were any changes to the bunting rule (and I don’t think there was) it would have to have been for 2020 or 2021. I think Mr. SH0102 is right that this is just a misunderstanding by the clinic attendee.

 

3 hours ago, Senor Azul said:

I found the following for Cal Ripken 8-year-old Machine Pitch changes for 2019—

Latest Rule Changes for 2019
Last Updated 12/6/2018

8-YEAR-OLD MACHINE PITCH RULES (Used in Cal Ripken Invitational World Series)

BUNTING – Bunting is allowed in “Machine Pitch.” However, NO FAKE BUNTING IS ALLOWED. If the batter offers to bunt, then the batter must bunt the ball or pull the bat back to take the pitch. If the batter offers to bunt, pulls the bat back, and then swings at the pitch, the batter will automatically be declared out by the umpire.

I was able to find rule changes for 2022 and there was nothing pertinent to this question. So if there were any changes to the bunting rule (and I don’t think there was) it would have to have been for 2020 or 2021. I think Mr. SH0102 is right that this is just a misunderstanding by the clinic attendee.

if you are gonna write that rule for 8U you probably should just eject the coach for teaching it and not knowing the rules. LL has it's deserved critics but most youth baseball can be critiqued as well.

[Velho]

10 hours ago, Jimurray said:

8-YEAR-OLD MACHINE PITCH RULES (Used in Cal Ripken Invitational World Series)

"Cal Ripken 8 year old machine pitch world series" It's a real thing https://www.facebook.com/CR8yearoldmachinepitch/

sigh...... 🙄🤯🥺 [using emojis because I don't have words]

 

[beerguy55]

For the record, fake bunt/full swing should be banned at all levels...and coaches who teach it should be shot and pissed on.

 

[Aging_Arbiter]

Before you know it, someone will want to re-write several rules of a perfectly wonderful game, and just bastardize it.   Oh wait, NFHS already did.........