Minnesota vs Northwestern last night on the BTN. Northwestern pitcher hits Minnesota batter on the finger. The batter is not awarded first base. BTN announcer stated that since the ball hit her hand and that the hands are considered part of the bat the batter was not awared first base.
Is this a true statement for NCAA? ASA? High School?
My answer would be no to all three, but I'm not an umpire. (or a TV announcer)
TV did not show the umpire's call but the batter was very close to the plate and she moved her hands toward the ball. It looked like the umpire could have ruled that the batter swung or that she was hit by a pitch that was a strike.
The Umpire Corner
Hands are not part of any bat I've ever seen, regardless of rule set.
It is more likely the umpire could not tell that the ball hit the hand so the batter was not awarded 1B. The idiots in the announcer box interpreted that to be a "hands are part of the bat" call. If it was a swing or the batter was in the strike zone those would be other reasons to not award the bag.
It is more likely the umpire could not tell that the ball hit the hand so the batter was not awarded 1B. The idiots in the announcer box interpreted that to be a "hands are part of the bat" call. If it was a swing or the batter was in the strike zone those would be other reasons to not award the bag.
ASA, NCAA, NFHS
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wadeintothem - Posts: 1726
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:44 pm
I was watching the game (being in the heart of Big Ten country and all) and, if it's the same play you're talking about, it looked like the ball hit the knob of the bat. If it touched the bat first, then the hand, it's just a plain old regular foul ball.
That can be a tough call. If the pitch hits both the hands and the bat, determining which it hit first can be the difference between awarding the base or not. It is a split-second occurance and often your view will be blocked by the batter. But the umpire doesn't have the luxury of "thinking it over". You have to call something and you have to call it on the spot. All you can do is process whatever evidence you get in that split-second- which might be what your eyes saw, the sound you heard or even how the batter reacted- and make the best ruling you can.
In any event, NO, the hands are not part of the bat! The hands are part of the batter.
That can be a tough call. If the pitch hits both the hands and the bat, determining which it hit first can be the difference between awarding the base or not. It is a split-second occurance and often your view will be blocked by the batter. But the umpire doesn't have the luxury of "thinking it over". You have to call something and you have to call it on the spot. All you can do is process whatever evidence you get in that split-second- which might be what your eyes saw, the sound you heard or even how the batter reacted- and make the best ruling you can.
In any event, NO, the hands are not part of the bat! The hands are part of the batter.
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Bretman - Posts: 316
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:50 pm
Mick wrote:Minnesota vs Northwestern last night on the BTN. Northwestern pitcher hits Minnesota batter on the finger. The batter is not awarded first base. BTN announcer stated that since the ball hit her hand and that the hands are considered part of the bat the batter was not awared first base.
Is this a true statement for NCAA? ASA? High School?
My answer would be no to all three, but I'm not an umpire. (or a TV announcer)
You would be correct. The hands are NOT part of the bat.
- umpinva
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