HBP?

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Dec 18, 2016
163
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Howdy.....so playing at our 12U USA State tournament and one of our batters gets hit....she takes her base. Immediately the opposing coach comes out and talks to HU. A few innings later, another one of our girls get hit. The ball bounced up and hits her in the leg mind you....she doesn't move. Starts to take her base and the HU brings her back and give her a ball. So, my question is...is it a rule that the batter has to make an effort to get our of the way of a pitch? She's not in the strike zone....the ball is in the batters box. Our HC asked for clarification from the UIC and she stated the batter has to make an effort to get our out of the way. I don't think I've ever heard of a player being put back in the box after a legit HBP. What say all the UIC's out there?
 
Jan 11, 2015
78
18
Howdy.....so playing at our 12U USA State tournament and one of our batters gets hit....she takes her base. Immediately the opposing coach comes out and talks to HU. A few innings later, another one of our girls get hit. The ball bounced up and hits her in the leg mind you....she doesn't move. Starts to take her base and the HU brings her back and give her a ball. So, my question is...is it a rule that the batter has to make an effort to get our of the way of a pitch? She's not in the strike zone....the ball is in the batters box. Our HC asked for clarification from the UIC and she stated the batter has to make an effort to get our out of the way. I don't think I've ever heard of a player being put back in the box after a legit HBP. What say all the UIC's out there?

I say welcome to USA softball rules :)
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
That's a USA Rule, they have to make an attempt to get out of the way. Mind you while I've never seen a HPB when the ball was in air called a ball, but as an umpire, this year I called a ball on a pitch that bounced three times and gently hit the batter on the foot, I explained that rule to the coach. USSSA rules you do not have move out of the way of any pitch, but you cannot lean into a pitch.

USA Rule 8-F: When a pitched ball, not swung at nor called a strike, touches any part of the batter's person including the hands or clothing. The batters hands are not part of the bat.
Effect:
1-The ball is dead
2-The batter is awarded first base
Exception:
If no attempt is made to avoid being hit, the batter will not be awarded first base unless it is ball four.

USSSA Rules:

Batter Hit by Ball Any time a pitched ball or batted ball hits the batter, it is a DEAD BALL.
It does not matter that the pitched ball hits the ground first.

If the batter is swinging, Dead Ball; Strike
If the ball is in strike zone or is prevented from going through strike zone, Dead Ball; Strike.
If ball is out of strike zone and hits the batter, Dead Ball; Batter is awarded first base.

The batter does not have to make an effort to avoid ball. However the batter can not move to get hit by a ball. Dead Ball and a ball or strike.
 
Last edited:
Dec 18, 2016
163
28
That's a USA Rule, they have to make an attempt to get out of the way. Mind you while I've never seen a HPB when the ball was in air called a ball, but as an umpire, this year I called a ball on a pitch that bounced three times and gently hit the batter on the foot, I explained that rule to the coach. USSSA rules you do not have move out of the way of any pitch, but you cannot lean into a pitch.

USA Rule 8-F: When a pitched ball, not swung at nor called a strike, touches any part of the batter's person including the hands or clothing. The batters hands are not part of the bat.
Effect:
1-The ball is dead
2-The batter is awarded first base
Exception:
If no attempt is made to avoid being hit, the batter will not be awarded first base unless it is ball four.

USSSA Rules:

Batter Hit by Ball Any time a pitched ball or batted ball hits the batter, it is a DEAD BALL.
It does not matter that the pitched ball hits the ground first.

If the batter is swinging, Dead Ball; Strike
If the ball is in strike zone or is prevented from going through strike zone, Dead Ball; Strike.
If ball is out of strike zone and hits the batter, Dead Ball; Batter is awarded first base.

The batter does not have to make an effort to avoid ball. However the batter can not move to get hit by a ball. Dead Ball and a ball or strike.


Thank you! Not sure I agree with it, but rules are rules. I guess next time we'll have them lift their back leg to "attempt" to get out of the way of the ball! (lol)
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
That is actually one of my favorite USA Softball rules.

I understand what NCAA, NFHS, and USSSA were trying to accomplish (box belongs to the batter, plate belongs to the pitcher, remove any “judgment” by the umpire), but I believe it really has NOT served its purpose. Instead we have seen the baseball effect — players coming up wearing “battle armor” and deliberately getting hit for a cheap base or to mess with a pitcher.

I am liberal with what “an attempt” is, but I have absolutely no qualm bringing a batter back. I don’t buy into “she didn’t have time to move“ or “she was paralyzed by fear.” If that is the case, your team is playing over their head.

I wish baseball umpires would get off their lazy decision making and start properly enforcing the rule. Most baseball rulebooks say something to the effect of the batter ”may not permit the ball to touch him.” I have seen very few baseball umpires enforce that. I remember one time when I did ... HS Varsity game and the coach argued ”He’s too fat to get out of the way!” My response was “I didn’t put him on your roster, coach.”
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
I am liberal with what “an attempt” is, but I have absolutely no qualm bringing a batter back. I don’t buy into “she didn’t have time to move“ or “she was paralyzed by fear.” If that is the case, your team is playing over their head.

I've seen this happen a lot. Dozens of times at the HS level even. I've seen girls get hit in the head and make no move to get out of the way (and, often, they don't know to even take their base).

I actually hate the USA rule. Why should batters have to try to get out of the way of a terrible pitch?

What bothers me is how many batters get hit by a pitch that's not in the box and they're still awarded first. I've seen quite a few pitches that were probably strikes not called as such because they hit the batter, who happened to be hanging out way over the plate.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
I actually hate the USA rule. Why should batters have to try to get out of the way of a terrible pitch?

Why do we allow pitchers to throw anything other than lobs over the heart of the plate?

Do we recall homeruns that are hit on pitches outside of the zone?

What about a pitch the pitcher leaves over the heart of the plate? That was a terrible pitch to her, why should she have to live with that?

What about a batter who didn’t mean to hit a ball? Bring her back and make her do it again?

Like I said, I understand what they are trying to accomplish with the in/out of the batter’s box rule. I just think it isn’t worth the result (lots of cheap free bases and a booming economy of battle armor for batters).

More importantly, why are we encouraging players to try to get hurt?
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Why do we allow pitchers to throw anything other than lobs over the heart of the plate?

Do we recall homeruns that are hit on pitches outside of the zone?

What about a pitch the pitcher leaves over the heart of the plate? That was a terrible pitch to her, why should she have to live with that?

What about a batter who didn’t mean to hit a ball? Bring her back and make her do it again?

Like I said, I understand what they are trying to accomplish with the in/out of the batter’s box rule. I just think it isn’t worth the result (lots of cheap free bases and a booming economy of battle armor for batters).

More importantly, why are we encouraging players to try to get hurt?

For me it's simple: The batter should not be obligated by rule to help the pitcher. Forcing the batter to get out of the way of a bad pitch is helping the pitcher.
 
Jun 3, 2021
157
28
So earlier today we were playing three games. First game we came out of the gates so weak it was embarrassing. Coaching first with visiting team on the first base line. My player appears to get hit in the helmet. Umpire calls foul ball. I question it while looking at the opposing coaching staff. My player says it hit my bat coach! I stood down and asked the other coaches if they saw it different. They said that ball hit her in the helmet. We had a last at bat rally of six runs to win that game. Loved the girls spirit! Want to play ball! At least 75% of the time. Working on that 110% that I grew up with.
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
So earlier today we were playing three games. First game we came out of the gates so weak it was embarrassing. Coaching first with visiting team on the first base line. My player appears to get hit in the helmet. Umpire calls foul ball. I question it while looking at the opposing coaching staff. My player says it hit my bat coach! I stood down and asked the other coaches if they saw it different. They said that ball hit her in the helmet. We had a last at bat rally of six runs to win that game. Loved the girls spirit! Want to play ball! At least 75% of the time. Working on that 110% that I grew up with.
I guess you are saying that your player says it hit her bat since she wants to hit? What age group is this?.....I only ask because as an umpire if I'm not sure if a batter was HBP, I'll ask her, and they always seem to be honest, especially the younger ones.
 

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