ASA Fielder shifting during at bat

[BigSam]

Last night a left handed batter comes to the plate. Pitcher is set, and the SS takes off across the field to "shift" on the batter as the pitch is delivered. I tell him to stop that as I'm fairly certain fielders aren't allowed to act in a way to distract the batter. Can't find the rule though so I thought I'd post it.

Next pitch the SS shifts over before the pitcher sets up and the batter switches L to R hand. SS asks if the batter is allowed to do that... "yes." Batter takes a ball, switches back. Nothing illegal there, just shenanigans.

A bit later in the game the other team's 3B is taking small steps towards the female batter. No call there. He wasn't charging the batter or anything, just subtle movement. Pretty sure that is okay.

 

[Joker]

is there a question?

 

[bndawgs]

i'd shoot middle.

 

[BigSam]

is there a question?

Is that the right call on the SS shift? I couldn't find the rule.

 

[Country469]

Middle men shift on the damn pitch all day long in conference usa. Its ****ing slow pitch, how would anyone doing anything in the field affect a batter enough to warrant any rule for this?

 

[Joker]

 

[Country469]

awesome I'll never make an out again! Saw a fielder so I'm good.

 

[Joker]

or you could use common sense

 

[Country469]

sort of like shifting with the pitch isn't deliberate unsportsmanlike intent?

 

[Country469]

because if thats the case, a pitcher moving after he releases the ball would highly illegal

 

[Joker]

Moving with the intent to distract is not the same as moving with the pitch

 

[Country469]

"Pitcher is set, and the SS takes off across the field to "shift" on the batter as the pitch is delivered"

sounds to me like he was moving with the pitch

 

[Country469]

its ****tily worded rule, and if someone is doing enough to cause ejection then its gonna be so over the top and egregious there would be no argument about it

 

[LIKEUCM]

I believe the intent of this rule is to prevent defensive players to intentionally distracting batters in an unsportsmanlike way, such as charging at the batter while slapping their glove. A defensive shift does not fall into this category. Although the batter may notice this while the ball in in flight from the pitcher, we can not require the infielders to remain stationary during the pitch. They must have the freedom to adjust as they feel necessary to be in the best defensive position.

 

[irishmafia]

Had this during a Central Atlantic SP Regional. As the pitcher was starting his motion, F5 sidled across the infield flapping his arms like a bird trying to take off while screaming, "hey, hey, hey". It was easy, "No pitch, 3rd base ejected. Coach, need a sub."

 

[JabNblue]

Last night a left handed batter comes to the plate. Pitcher is set, and the SS takes off across the field to "shift" on the batter as the pitch is delivered. I tell him to stop that as I'm fairly certain fielders aren't allowed to act in a way to distract the batter. Can't find the rule though so I thought I'd post it.

Next pitch the SS shifts over before the pitcher sets up and the batter switches L to R hand. SS asks if the batter is allowed to do that... "yes." Batter takes a ball, switches back. Nothing illegal there, just shenanigans.

A bit later in the game the other team's 3B is taking small steps towards the female batter. No call there. He wasn't charging the batter or anything, just subtle movement. Pretty sure that is okay.

If it shows intent to distract the batter yes it is illegal. But shifting as a pitch being thrown to anticipate where the ball is going is hustle. Hard to pull off in the infield ...easier as you see outfielders doing this a lot.

 

[NCASAUmp]

its ****tily worded rule, and if someone is doing enough to cause ejection then its gonna be so over the top and egregious there would be no argument about it

Don't know why it's a ****tily-worded rule. It's pretty clear what the intent is - if you deliberately attempt to distract the batter, you watch the rest of the game from the parking lot. How is this in any way unclear?

 

[Country469]

Because "a fielder shall not take a position in the batters line of vision"


anyone playing 5 man would be subject to automatic ejection

 

[SevenBizzos]

I have 20/20 vision and I can pretty much see the pitcher, the mid, the SS, and the 2B when I'm batting, and their all in my line of vision, so I guess they'd all be ejected.

Fielders move all the time. It's part of the game.

 

[DeputyUICHousto]

I think the important thing here is the intent of the rule. Why don't we focus on that?

 

[Joker]

are umpires supposed to interpret the intent of the rule are call it as it is written?

 

[irishmafia]

are umpires supposed to interpret the intent of the rule are call it as it is written?

The umpire should call the game as directed. Far too many "umpires" have their own idea what the intent is when in reality, some aren't even close.

 

[Country469]

hence why I said before this was a poorly worded rule imo

 

[NCASAUmp]

hence why I said before this was a poorly worded rule imo

If you're judging the wording of a rule based on the amount of confusion surrounding it, I can come up with a whole laundry list of simply-worded rules that people still screw up. Infield fly, anyone?

The rule is fine. I've never seen this be an issue before.

 

[Country469]

Well like I said earlier, if its that egregious to warrant ejection, its pretty cut and dry at that point and no one is going to argue much. The line of sight thing is what I have a problem with, and probably needs to be changed/removed imo.

Couple good ones from my first time playing a tourney in years yest;

players out of dugout get hit with thrown ball, not even called dead,
Catcher 10 feet up the line without the ball forcing a contact situation for no reason, not ejected.

So yeah, I agree, the wording is a minor issue in terms of actual execution of rules.

 

[Joker]

ASA rule book covers both fastpitch and slowpitch. a fielder in the line of sight has more effect on the fastpitch game than slowpitch. that is why it is included

 

[fuzzy2651]

I wasn't aware that you could switch from L to R batting during an at bat. I thought once you set yourself in the box, you had to bat from that side the rest of the AB

 

[NCASAUmp]

ASA rule book covers both fastpitch and slowpitch. a fielder in the line of sight has more effect on the fastpitch game than slowpitch. that is why it is included

Was just about to say this. Good call, Joker. In fast pitch, the corners will often come up to cover the bunt. If they get too close to the pitcher and start getting in the batter's view, then we'll have a problem.

 

[Country469]

10-4 I was not aware of that, very good point.

 

[Bobby Buggs]

I play short, second or middle, Our pitcher will tell us where he is going on some hitters, with that Im on the move during every pitch based on the pitch and what hitter shows. I dont want to move before the pitch and open a spot, giving away my trying to get a jump on the potential direction I expect the guy to hit. I dont want the guy to notice my moving so I dont make a scene. No one has said anything to me. Now that I think about it, when Im up I dont see any infielders once the pitch is in the air. If someone was hopping around doing clown crap I would call time and address that with the Ump