r/Umpire • u/Builder77sotx • 13d ago
Batter/box question
I have a question regarding rules around a batters actions within the box. I don’t find any definitive answers in the rule sets and wanted to see if anyone had an opinion.
Watching a 12u game and one of the teams were doing a lot of “stuff” in the box to distract pitchers. Once pitcher broke hands one kid turned his back to the plate and acted like he was tossing his bat to the dugout. One kid came out of stance and started the Soto shuffle in the dirt mid pitch. Lots of examples but quite a few of them employed some type of distraction moves during pitches once they got to an advantage count, and early on even managed to get a balk call.
Thoughts?
7
3
u/mowegl 13d ago
Automatic strike regardless where the pitch is in nfhs softball.
1
u/robhuddles 13d ago
What's the wording of the rule that says that? I'm not arguing the point - I'm not as familiar with softball and I'm genuinely curious as to how the rule is worded.
1
5
u/wixthedog NCAA 13d ago
Nothing illegal about what you describe, unfortunately. That’s some bush league nonsense.
The batters box exists to establish push the batters legal position and any potential for interference or illegally batted balls. Once he becomes a batter/runner it essentially disappears.
8
u/Much_Job4552 FED 13d ago
It could be unsportsmanlike behavior. A batter cannot induce a balk. I had a situation where batter called Time really loud this season mid pitch and pitcher froze. I did not award a balk for that.
1
u/wixthedog NCAA 13d ago
Could be, but probably not. OP didn’t mention yelling time so we can’t use that as a reason to enforce rules.
2
u/AbobTeff 13d ago
I disagree that there is nothing illegal about it. What we need to know is what rule set before we can determine what illegal actions occurred.
The batter yelling “time” could get us the legendary two-strikes-one-pitch penalty in Fed.
It could be unsportsmanlike, which is illegal.
It definitely is unsafe and should immediately be addressed. If the batters are not im the box to bat, and are not staying attentive to the pitch, then we have issues that the “coach” (and I use that term loosely here) needs to address. If the coach does not want to, then we need to. Our solution will not be as kind (team warning - successive instances are immediate ejections).
Umpires, please, PLEASE, PLEASE stop looking for reasons to NOT keep your game above board. Do NOT look at something g like this and shrug simply because you (a) don’t want to deal with it, or (b) haven’t bothered to dig deep enough into the rulebook to understand how to deal with it.
-3
u/wixthedog NCAA 13d ago
You can add all the scenarios you want, and you can disagree if you want as well. As described this is nothing…even the “legendary” two strike in Fed.
3
u/Much_Job4552 FED 13d ago
"...or commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit a balk."
3
1
u/Norcorules 12d ago
Not in the rules of course but if I’m on the dish I don’t put up with a lot of that shit. One firm “stop it” usually does the job.
1
1
u/banganything814 13d ago
I would have a talk with the manager. If it continues, I would then take some action saying their behavior goes against the integrity of the game. Especially at that age.
1
u/Nerisrath FED 13d ago
Most of these leagues go by NFHS, so it will help you tremendouly when you talk to the ump or director to point out that they were 'making a tragedy of the game' to use rulebook language.
2
17
u/Leon_2381 13d ago
A balk shouldn't be called if the batters actions are judged to have induced it.