New rule: Foot on Batter Box line.

[Westwind]

I saw this called half a dozen times over the weekend.... Not slappers, all bunts. Couple were righties. It really had me wondering what the purpose of it was. What "problem" is being solved, what advantage there is to a bunter.

The lines were completely gone in one game and that dude just kept calling it. It was awful.

In another game I thought a rather well known female coach was going to chew the face off of some twerp kid of an umpire who honestly had no business calling a game like that.

This is a really dumb rule. It screws up games. It has all the fans trying to watch wondering what the call is. Get rid of this thing NOW. Our sport is getting more coverage than ever but these are little wtf? type moments that turn spectators off and there is NO reason for it.

True- but these were mostly not slappers. It was teams just trying to bunt and move runners. In the early games I saw this called there were also numerous calls on right handed bunters. It was pretty ridiculous overall. My complaint in February was how the rule just seemed to shut games down. Now with April almost upon us it is much better although it continues to be a tough adjustment for slappers.

Im not a fan of slapping but it is an interesting aspect of the game. I hope that this rule doesn’t eliminate an interesting part of the sport.

 

[Ajaywill]

True- but these were mostly not slappers. It was teams just trying to bunt and move runners. In the early games I saw this called there were also numerous calls on right handed bunters. It was pretty ridiculous overall. My complaint in February was how the rule just seemed to shut games down. Now with April almost upon us it is much better although it continues to be a tough adjustment for slappers.

Im not a fan of slapping but it is an interesting aspect of the game. I hope that this rule doesn’t eliminate an interesting part of the sport.

Bunting and slapping are entirely different animals.

A batter that is bunting is usually squared around with both feet on the ground waiting for the ball to come to the bat. It is much easier to get a look at the batters feet when she is standing there stationary. It is very common for a part of the foot to be outside of the lines of the batters box. Up until this year, not a problem. With the rule change, it's now a problem.

 

[dkame]

I've seen an interesting one in HS ball. No batter's box chalked at all (not even remnants of earlier chalking). Lefty drag bunting and base hit. Plate ump calls the batter out for part of foot out of the front of the batter's box. It would have been a marginal call to make, even if there was a box marked. Batter says 1. I wasn't over the unmarked box since I started at the back of the unmarked box and my stride is not that big and 2. My left foot was in the air when I made contact with the ball. Video shows she was right. Ump probably trying to make a statement early in the season so players are aware of the new rule (like in preseason football). Next batter takes her best guess at where the front of the box would be and draws it in the dirt with her bat - to be a little obnoxious. However, it made me think the next rule revision will be "any part of the body crossing the plane extended vertically into space projected from the outside edge of the batter's box, or the umpire's interpretation of where the outside edge of the batter's box would be if not visible...." Good luck disputing the ump on that out call.

 

[Ajaywill]

I've seen an interesting one in HS ball. No batter's box chalked at all (not even remnants of earlier chalking). Lefty drag bunting and base hit. Plate ump calls the batter out for part of foot out of the front of the batter's box. It would have been a marginal call to make, even if there was a box marked. Batter says 1. I wasn't over the unmarked box since I started at the back of the unmarked box and my stride is not that big and 2. My left foot was in the air when I made contact with the ball. Video shows she was right. Ump probably trying to make a statement early in the season so players are aware of the new rule (like in preseason football). Next batter takes her best guess at where the front of the box would be and draws it in the dirt with her bat - to be a little obnoxious. However, it made me think the next rule revision will be "any part of the body crossing the plane extended vertically into space projected from the outside edge of the batter's box, or the umpire's interpretation of where the outside edge of the batter's box would be if not visible...." Good luck disputing the ump on that out call.

FYI...the rule in question was only changed for NCAA play. There has been no change to the rule in HS or USA Softball and the entire foot must be on the ground outside of the box at the point of contact with the ball to have an out.

 

[Gtrips07]

I was watching a few college game this weekend. And a couple of announcers and commentators made reference of the new BATTER BOX RULE. That the batter had to have (I think both) both feet in the batter box when making contact. At no time can the foot or feet touch any part of the Batter Box line. Or the batter was out. Is that correct?

Also, does the rule apply that when a batter makes contact and one foot is off the ground(and out of the batter box) and the other foot is in the batter box. Is the batter out.

I guess I am looking for clarification of the new batter in the box rule.

Watched Alabama at Kentucky, Elissa Brown called for it at least once every game. Then I watched Georgia vs. Tennessee play two games. Even though batters had parts of their foot outside the line, never called once.

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[radness]

Here is the wording for the new rule:
At the moment of bat-ball contact, the batter may not contact the pitch when any part of her foot is touching home plate, even though she may be touching the lines of the batter’s box. In addition, the batter may not contact the pitch when her entire foot is touching the ground completely outside the lines of the batter’s box.

Rationale:
It is increasingly difficult for plate umpires to assure the delivery of the pitch is legal, track the pitch, be aware of the position of the batter in the batter’s box on a hit by pitch and see if the batter has stepped completely outside the box at the point of contact. Also, ensures slappers do not gain an unfair advantage that other batters do not have by being allowed to contact the ball while outside of the batter’s box.

The italicized lines are stricken out text from the original ruling that indicate that any part of the foot touching the line is OK. The foot must be in the batter's box which means that no part of the foot may be across the chalk and into the dirt outside the line. The line is in the batter's box just as the baseline chalk is fair territory.

Here is a link to rule changes: https://sup.arbitersports.com/Groups/104484/Library/files/2018_2019_WSB_Rules_Changes_20170817.pdf

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[Rolling Hard]

I like to see a batter stand flamingo style in the very front of the box and have the ump try to decide if she made contact with the ball prior to or after the foot made contact with the dirt outside the box.
I have an idea! Let's add two special umps for each game. One would only call foot outside the box and the other one would call only illegal pitches. Maybe add some replay protest too.
Just when the game is really gaining some popularity the NCAA shoots its self in the foot again and again. They sabotage themselves.

 

[_MIA_]

Just when the game is really gaining some popularity the NCAA shoots its self in the foot again and again. They sabotage themselves.

This was 4+ years ago..I don't see the popularity of the game going down in flames because of it.

 

[Rolling Hard]

It doesn't matter when the rule was made it matters when they decide to start enforcing it. I believe rules should be enforced by ALL umpires. But on the other hand, I don't like the illegal pitch rule or the out of the box rule or the HBP rule. Let them play ball and keep the game moving.

 

[_MIA_]

It doesn't matter when the rule was made it matters when they decide to start enforcing it. I believe rules should be enforced by ALL umpires. But on the other hand, I don't like the illegal pitch rule or the out of the box rule or the HBP rule. Let them play ball and keep the game moving.

You worry too much about umpires, rules,etc is my take..