Hit By Pitch and the college game

[Comp]

How wide is the chalk line?

Cant find it in the ASA book at the moment, FED suggests it be 2 1/2". But, it doesnt matter how wide the chalk line is. The edge of the batters box is suppose to be 6" away from the edge of the plate. If the ball is 6" away from the edge of the plate, it is entirely within the batters box.

[MTR]

How wide is the chalk line?

Cant find it in the ASA book at the moment, FED suggests it be 2 1/2". But, it doesnt matter how wide the chalk line is. The edge of the batters box is suppose to be 6" away from the edge of the plate. If the ball is 6" away from the edge of the plate, it is entirely within the batters box.

Absolutely, and since the discussion is on the hit batter, that would mean the contact with the batter would have to be 10" away from the plate to qualify for the automatic award of the base which I believe was where this thread started.

[PDad]

How wide is the chalk line?

Cant find it in the ASA book at the moment, FED suggests it be 2 1/2". But, it doesnt matter how wide the chalk line is. The edge of the batters box is suppose to be 6" away from the edge of the plate. If the ball is 6" away from the edge of the plate, it is entirely within the batters box.

Absolutely, and since the discussion is on the hit batter, that would mean the contact with the batter would have to be 10" away from the plate to qualify for the automatic award of the base which I believe was where this thread started.

This is HeyBucket - it doesn't matter where the thread started.

What matters is what you quoted and that was ball position relative to the plate - especially AC's notion that a pitcher has to miss by 10+ inches. Nice try on changing it to batter's position after the fact.

[jonriv]

How wide is the chalk line?

Cant find it in the ASA book at the moment, FED suggests it be 2 1/2". But, it doesnt matter how wide the chalk line is. The edge of the batters box is suppose to be 6" away from the edge of the plate. If the ball is 6" away from the edge of the plate, it is entirely within the batters box.

ASA or FED do not matter- this is NCAA

[Comp]

ASA or FED do not matter- this is NCAA

NCAA specifies 2-4" And it still doesnt matter how wide the line is, the box starts 6" from the edge of the plate and that is the closest the chalk line should be to it.

[MTR]

But when was it ever called?? Most umps gave the hitter the benefit of the doubt(not that they always should have) It has long been a pet peave of mine(even in baseball) Now umps don't have to pretend they have any disgression. Right now, unless the batter is in the strike zone- an ump is not going to call anything but "take a base" and coaches are telling their players just that

It was called when it was obvious. But the issue is now different. Before the change, there was a requirement to attempt to avoid no matter where the ball was, even through the center of the box. IMO, it became harder to see the obvious as the talent in the game became diluted. All of a sudden, you had batter's @ 10U "freezing" and this became a mantra among coaches' arguments that permeated throughout softball and to the highest level as THE excuse for the player not attempting to avoid the pitch.

It became harder to see the obvious? In what parallel universe does this make sense?

What am I missing here? Can someone explain this to me?

It used to be easy seeing the player attempt to move or move into the ball when the "talent" pool was more restricted, or smaller if you prefer, prior to every parent deciding their kid was going to college via softball. This, IMO, reduced the average level of ability to play the game with some level of talent.

[ontheblack]

I still dont understand the logic here. Are you saying that its too difficult to see when a batter gets hit when the ball is either in the strike zone or down the river? Or are you saying that the rule is such that regardless of the location of the pitch, as long as the batter makes an attempt to avoid, they get the base because its too tough to tell if the batter actually made an attempt?

[MTR]

I still dont understand the logic here. Are you saying that its too difficult to see when a batter gets hit when the ball is either in the strike zone or down the river? Or are you saying that the rule is such that regardless of the location of the pitch, as long as the batter makes an attempt to avoid, they get the base because its too tough to tell if the batter actually made an attempt?

No, I'm saying the players were more athletically inclined and were deliberate in their moves as opposed to now you have kids that probably would not have made the team 20 years ago. And if you don't think it is that different, why the necessity to change the rules that have worked for over 80 years?

[ontheblack]

I still dont understand the logic here. Are you saying that its too difficult to see when a batter gets hit when the ball is either in the strike zone or down the river? Or are you saying that the rule is such that regardless of the location of the pitch, as long as the batter makes an attempt to avoid, they get the base because its too tough to tell if the batter actually made an attempt?

No, I'm saying the players were more athletically inclined and were deliberate in their moves as opposed to now you have kids that probably would not have made the team 20 years ago. And if you don't think it is that different, why the necessity to change the rules that have worked for over 80 years?

The rule change only applies to HS and NCAA correct?

[Battle]

I still dont understand the logic here. Are you saying that its too difficult to see when a batter gets hit when the ball is either in the strike zone or down the river? Or are you saying that the rule is such that regardless of the location of the pitch, as long as the batter makes an attempt to avoid, they get the base because its too tough to tell if the batter actually made an attempt?

No, I'm saying the players were more athletically inclined and were deliberate in their moves as opposed to now you have kids that probably would not have made the team 20 years ago. And if you don't think it is that different, why the necessity to change the rules that have worked for over 80 years?

You don't think it has anything to do with what the coaches are telling them now compared to then?