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Online now: 2 members: Doonie, JohnO28; 9 anonymousDiscussion: Batter Box Rule
| Posted | Discussion |
| March 28 garyheifner 652 posts | Sorry if this is a repeat-will make it shorter I stand with my back foot clearly behind the front edge of the plate and in the marked box. On the swing, I lift my leading knee and push off the back foot. I take a long stride and my front foot lands in front of the front edge of the plate but clearly inside the marked box. Am I OK or now out??? |
| March 28 k man Men's 65 332 posts | In order to be out BOTH feet have to be in front of the plate when you make contact in order to be called out |
| March 29 SSUSA Staff 3591 posts | garyheifner ... k man is correct ... As your hypothetical is stated, you are NOT out ... If you have both feet inside the batter's box at the start of the pitch per Rulebook §7.3 A. (on page 41) AND your back foot is not in front of the imaginary line that runs across the front edge of home plate and the strike mat when you make contact, you are good to go ... This is a pretty simple set of criteria to meet ... Good luck! ... |
| March 29 mad dog Men's 65 4189 posts | what i want to know,why is it that your punishing a batter who can keep both feet in the box,regardless of where you end up in the box.....always thought ya keep both feet in and your supposedly safe...but now if you go ahead of the plate with your back foot ,regardless if you stay completely inside the box,your gonna be out.........sounds like a bunch of bullcrap to me..... |
| March 30 DJ12 25 posts | This is a tough one for sure. This rule makes no sense as histircally since the inception of the batters box rule you were ok as long as both feet stayed in the box. Either do away with the batters box or stay with the rule that's been in place for centuries (I exaggerate) |
| March 30 DieselDan Men's 75 608 posts | One of the keys to the discussions about old or new batter box rules is the plate umpire. Since the majority of plate umps do not go in front of the plate on ground balls to get a better view of first base, it wouldn't take more than 1.345 seconds to take a look down to the batters back foot on contact to see if it's legal. They still have plenty of time to track the ball/throw/catch if that's what takes place. If the hit ends up going upward, hell, you can check the batters back foot, see if base runners are touching the next base, and still move out, pick up the ball, and get in position for another play. The ball can take care of itself, it's all the other possibilities that umpires need to focus on. |
| March 30 garyheifner 652 posts | Thanks guys. Just did not want an issue at my 1st tournament. Speaking of rules. Ck out the new NFL kick off rules. Talk about change!!! Enjoy |
| April 1 Katzy63 Men's 60 24 posts | I hate this new rule, and I'm sure to get called out a few times in Vegas by it. Since the only use of home plate is for pitching and force outs, and it seems as if we have chimpanzees chalking lines, why don't we have throw down mats for the batters areas? This would be a simple fix, batters boxes would never get wiped out, and even the blind umpire would be able to make that call. When I officiate games, I would always let the coaches know the batter box rule and to not be surprised and yell at me like a child when I enforce it. Batters boxes have been the same for eternity and we've all tailored our hitting with it since Little League. This rule makes sense in the USSSA strike zone type of play, but not in the senior game where decades of learning a craft has to be changed over night. Maybe if the umpires would call the rules as written, batters wouldn't get that extra 6" to 18"? Maybe if an umpire tossed a batter who walked up and erased the line in their at bat preparation it wouldn't have come to this. God I need my meds!!!!! |
| April 1 nickname36 106 posts | "EXACTLY" I agree with DJ12, keep the batters box rule the way its been since day 1 or just do away with it completely.. |
| April 1 MurrayW Men's 65 222 posts | Katzy63, really? "decades of learning a craft has to be changed overnight"? If you have figured out how to stay in the box for decades with the old rule, how does this rule change anything for you? Are you saying that you have perfected having your back foot in front of the plate and not striding to stay in the box? |
| Aug. 5 Fuzz 25 posts | It seems obvious to many players that the reason the rule change doesn't make sense is because it was adopted from other leagues/associations where pitches that hit the plate/mat are NOT strikes. No matter how many times we (players) have explained this, SSUSA has not acknowledged the new rule is flawed and "deflects" to stating rule changes are only made via the annual rules meetings. Apparently there was not player feedback prior to this rule change. Bottom line, it's unfortunate that common sense player feedback doesn't merit an immediate reversal in the best interest of the game. My previous threads have been deleted by SSUSA and this one will probably be as well. A special thanks to all of you for keeping on trying to get this fixed. |
| Aug. 6 Taltos 1 posts | Isn’t this rule going away next year? |
| Aug. 6 DirkPitt 37 posts | If you've played at Field of Dreams in Vegas then you know those boxes are not marked with SSUSA dimensions (at least they were not the last few years). They are almost a foot short at the front and MANY players have been called out for stepping out of the box and MANY games were impacted by these short boxes. For those that say they can have both feet in front the plate and still be inside the box at those fields - good luck, you either have no stride whatsoever or your 5' tall. For most of us, putting your feet shoulder width apart with both feet in front of the plate on thoese fields means the front foot is out of the box as marked. If you don't believe it, look up the USSSA batters box slow pitch dimenions vs. SSUSA. They are 18" different front to back and 12" shorter at the front of the box. Here is USSSA: The batter's box shall be 5-1/2 feet long, extending 3 feet forward and 2-1/2 feet toward the rear, measured from the center corner of home plate. The batter's box shall be 3 feet wide, thus forming a rectangle of 5-1/2 feet by 3 feet. The lines marking the batter's box are considered to be part of the batter's box. You can find the SSUSA dimensions in their rule book - which happens to be identical to the USSSA fast pitch box dimensions. The new rule is a good rule as you don't need to worry about front box dimensions. The old rule was a good rule if the boxes were properly marked all the time. In either case the umpire has to look "down" to see where your foot is and most don't have the time unless the batter gives them reason to be looking. If you give them reason to be looking - that's on you, not the umpire. Adapt and play on. |
| Aug. 6 Benji4 Men's 55 292 posts | Here is my experience with the new batter's box rule as an umpire and a player. The rule is fair. Most hitters are only called out when they walk up to hit the short pitch that is usually a ball anyway. I will say in my experiences this season that the better umpires call batters out when their back foot is in front of the mat, and the mediocre umpires can't watch multiple things so batter's aren't called out. If you like to be in the front of the box, place your back foot even with the front of the rubber and don't move your back foot and you will never get called out. Simple. |
| Aug. 7 k man Men's 65 332 posts | Benji, its been my experience that by telling batters who stand up front not to move their back foot, you are punishing those batters who look to go opposite field, who on an outside pitch tend to swivel and that back foot swings around ending up in front of the box but is well within the batters box. If the intent of the rule is to protect the pitcher on batters running up, opposite field hitters have lost a valuable tool. Also if that anchored foot must remain and the pitch is a short outside pitch which would hit the front of the plate the most likely place the batter will hit it would up the middle. |
| Aug. 7 yankeesfan12 42 posts | Just go back to the original batters box, it worked just great for decades and decades and nobody bitched about it and nobody complained about it. Why is senior softball changing something that was never broken in the first place????? The one thing senior softball did right and was needed was putting in the orange extended base at first even though I still get my foot stepped on from time to time, a whole freaking base and guys still step on my foot amazing. |
| Aug. 9 Eazy Men's 50 9 posts | This rule in intended for guys like me that run up and hit the ball. Since the new rule I start at the back of the batters box and only take one step now ensuring my back foot doesn't pass the front of the mat when I strike the ball. I haven't been called out yet. If batter don't move in the box this rule shouldn't have any effect on your game. Sorry that me and all the other movers in the box created this issue. |
| Aug. 12 stick8 1993 posts | I ump for One Nation and we have a similar rule. Back foot cannot be in front of the front edge of home plate when making contact. They can drag the back foot however. I’ve called a few outs on these. Even if it’s a foul ball it’s still an out. |
| Aug. 12 DaveDowell Men's 70 4409 posts | stick8 ... Same with SSUSA ... At the moment of bat/ball contact, the back foot must be down on or behind that line, and if not, it's an out ... Fair or foul following contact is irrelevant ... |
| Aug. 12 stick8 1993 posts | Dave does ssusa allow the batter to drag the foot in front of the line? |
| Aug. 12 DaveDowell Men's 70 4409 posts | stick8 ... Not prior to contact ... He may "follow through" by dragging the back foot, but at the moment of contact he must be on or behind the front line ... |
| Aug. 13 Fuzz 25 posts | stick8 --- in your association, is a pitch that meets the arc requirements and HITS HOME PLATE considered to be a strike? In my opinion, the key to this new SSUSA rule not being logical is applying a batters foot rule from "home plate is NOT a strike" associations to "home plate IS a strike" associations. |
| Aug. 13 JohnO28 Men's 50 140 posts | Fuzz, as far as I know ALL senior leagues count the mat and plate as a strike. Stick8 One Nation does for sure. |
| Aug. 13 nickname36 106 posts | "EXACTLY" Go back to if the ball hits the carpet its a strike and if it hits the plate only its a ball, pretty simple, you can solve a lot of problems for the player and especially the umpire. |
| Aug. 14 Bruce M Men's 55 137 posts | Again, SSUSA adopted the same rule as in USSSA. So, if you want to criticize the largest softball association in the world's rule, go for it. It is not unique to SSUSA. I am a hitter who drives off of my back foot. This causes a drag of the back foot as I stride into the ball. So, I adjusted. I now stand about six inches behind the front edge of the plate. The adjustment was easy. It also prevents any doubt of where my back foot is at the moment of striking the ball. The largest adjustment I have seen this year is for the "happy gilmore" hitters who like to travel in the box as they hit the ball. That "movement" by the batter usually triggers me as an umpire to take a look at where the feet are at ball strike. Those who plant and drive rarely catch my attention. Keep in mind, the umpire has a bad angle from behind the plate to see where the foot lands. So, it has to be really obvious (for me). I'm still seeing a lot more batters step clear out of the side of the box than in front of it. Yes, they are just as furious when I call them out. But, that isn't new. The sides of the box rule has not changed. Both feet must be in the sides of the box. The suggestion to do completely away with a batter's box brings its own advantages and challenges. It can lead to reduced batting skills. Instead of learning how to hit oppo properly, one can then stand at a 90-degree angle to the pitcher (way off the plate) and "pull" any ball, to the opposite field. Take a look at Ryan Harvey (USSSA star) or Bob O'brien (SSUSA star) hitting oppo. They can do so by staying completely within the box. Of course, there are many others...but those are two examples. |
| Aug. 14 stick8 1993 posts | Fuzz, To answer your question: Yes Pitch must hit the rectangular mat (35”L x 21”W) within the 5ft -10ft from the ground pitching arc to be a strike. This includes home plate. SPA does this but I’m not certain if One Nation has a home plate marked out or painted on the mat or not. It might depend on what’s available!! |
| Aug. 14 nickname36 106 posts | "EXACTLY" The last time I looked SSUSA is not USSSA...... Hitting opposite field the last time I looked was a matter of waiting for an outside pitch and slightly turning your hips and hitting it to opposite field. I don't need to do all the contorting you say you do to just to hit opposite field home runs. I've hit a boat load(which is the same as a lot) of opposite field home runs useing this method. A home run is still a home run whether it clears the fence by 1 inch or if it clears the fence by 50 feet. What do you do when a pitcher can hit the back one inch of the carpet consistently both inside side and out side? |
| Aug. 16 Full Count 59 posts | Considering boxes are not consistent whether dirt or turf, this is an upgrade to the rule in my opinion. Regarding the depth this rule is consistent and doesn't change. Not sure how you can take a proper swing with both feet starting in front of the plate and not go out of the box. I think umps could be calling you out of the box frequently if they desired. Bottom line this rule fits the majority. P.S. Apologies for my poor language in the nationals. I deserved to get kicked out of the game. I would say this is the 2nd. most prestige's tournament of the year. Umps with poor judgment of the strike zone should not be behind the plate. 4' to 5' pitches should be consistently recognized as balls with a warning to the hitter, not to swing. Time, effort and money from both sides goes into these tournaments. I believe players deserve the best umpires ssusa has to offer especially in championship games. Boohoo |
