hit batsman or no?

[s3weaken]

11-12 year olds. OBR

Batter lines up close to the plate. Pitch comes and its about 3 inches (approx) inside towards the batter. The batter instead of diving backwards out of the way like most people would, he instead turned his back to the ball to avoid being hit in the shoulder/front side. Tbe ball hits his eblow as he is turning his body to avoid the ball. Should he be charged with a ball for not diving out of the way or should it have been a hit by pitch and he gets to take his base?

I am probably wrong -- but I called it a hit batter and he got his base. If the batter wouldn't have moved at all it probably would not have hit him -- but close. The question basically is -- is it okay for the batter to turn his back to the ball to avoid the hit or should he have dived out of the way?

[scumpire]

http://www.umpire.org/vb/showthread.php?t=7464

[bobjenkins]

I am probably wrong -- but I called it a hit batter and he got his base. If the batter wouldn't have moved at all it probably would not have hit him -- but close. The question basically is -- is it okay for the batter to turn his back to the ball to avoid the hit or should he have dived out of the way?


It sounds to me as though you judged that the batter *attempted* to avoid being hit. That's all that's needed -- send him to first.

[carolinablue]

Just wanted to point out that the diving back out of the way as you put it is actually the improper way for a batter to avoid a pitch and the turning inward is the correct way, it hides the front side from the ball. You will see more of that in higher level games where there is less reaction time and if a younger player has already learned to do this than that's great.

[s3weaken]

The key thing here that I was worried about was that the ball probably would not have hit the batter if he had not moved. He turned his back towards the ball, therefore his elbow came in a little bit and the ball hit his elbow. That being said, I did say that the batter tried to avoid the hit and sent him to first. I was just worried that this could be said to be leaning into the pitch.

[postman]

It is your judgement to make the call - batter has to make attempt to move out of the way. But I have seen plenty of umps say batter "leaned in by turning the shoulder" to get hit and not award the base. Others instances it is awarded first. It seems as though the higher level you get the less the call is made about awarding first if the turn leads to the batter getting hit - but that could easily just be my perception. I have also seen the ball strike 'loose hangind jersey's' and get awarded first base.

But one thing for sure, if batter makes zero attempt (no movement at all) and stands there like an oak tree - he should not get first base awarded.

See, I learn too....

[mr umpire]

But one thing for sure, if batter makes zero attempt (no movement at all) and stands there like an oak tree - he should not get first base awarded.

See, I learn too....

Good boy. Can you sit too? :)

[postman]

yea, I can sit. But it depends on who is asking....

[Fritz]

The key thing here that I was worried about was that the ball probably would not have hit the batter if he had not moved. He turned his back towards the ball, therefore his elbow came in a little bit and the ball hit his elbow. That being said, I did say that the batter tried to avoid the hit and sent him to first. I was just worried that this could be said to be leaning into the pitch.

S- I would definitely watch the "leaning in" move. Some batters will do as you saw and actually get the ball to hit them by turning in such that their arm will end up getting hit. Normally this happens on slow breaking pitches because it is a planned move not an involuntary "holy crap I am about to get drilled" move. If I think the pitch would have missed the batter without the turn in move, and they had time to understand that it would miss them, I keep them at home and call the pitch a ball.

Every now and then a coach might belly ache a bit, but I tell them the pitch would have missed the batter if he hadn't moved and that settles it pretty quickly.