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I have had this come up in the SBR Squirt Final and again last night and would like clarification (and to put this out there for those with hardball/baseball background). The Okotoks coach in the U16 game told me that they were told that you have to bring the bat back when NOT intending to offer at a pitch – when bunting. To my knowledge – the bat can stay across the zone and as long as it does NOT MOVE – it can be and should be called a ball (which is softball specific) for a ball out of the strike zone. Please clarify.
From my knowledge and experience the bat can stay in the strike zone as long as there is no intent (bat movement) to make contact with the ball. Intent is up to the umpire’s judgment.
Mark is correct. I do the rules presentation at the CMSA coaches orientation clinics. I tell the coaches that I prefer the baseball rule that the bat must be pulled out of the strike zone so there may be a misunderstanding there. It may be best that I don’t reference the baseball rule in the future.
Probably best not to cite that version of the baseball rule, since the baseball rule requires that the pitch must be offered at in order for a strike to be called (unless it was in the strike zone anyway). A stationary bat in the zone with no intent to “offer” at the pitch on a ball outside the zone is a “ball” in fastball and baseball. The mechanic when they “offer” is “He/She offered” and the arm signal for a strike (I point at the bat/batter when I make this call). When they do not offer, stay down, call “Ball” (I use the number: “Ball two”) and leave it at that.
Believe it or not, in most Baseball including MLB the requirement to pull the bat back is also a Myth. Google “top 40 baseball myths”. Also see this from the official MLB site:
The batter squares to bunt as the pitch is made. He leaves his bat over the plate, but does not make an effort to lay down a bunt. If the pitch is not in the strike zone is it considered to be a strike, if the batter does not attempt to pull his bat back from over the plate?
— Jerry KnowlesThere is no restriction about the batter holding his bat over the plate. In order for the umpire to rule a strike, the batter must attempt to “strike” at the ball (see Rule 5.03 and the definition of “Strike”). We often say the batter has “offered” at the pitch if he attempts to hit it.
From: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/umpires/feature.jsp?feature=qa3
I believe that the rule started at Little League so there was less confusion on whether the batter “offered” at the ball or not. Keep in mind that some leagues DO have this rule in place, but it is not a typical national level rule.
P.S. The Top 40 myths was posted last week on our CMSUA news area. I quote below that interpretation:
Myth #10 If the batter does not pull the bat out of the strike zone while in the bunting position, it’s an automatic strike.
A strike is an attempt to hit the ball. Simply holding the bat over the plate is not an attempt. A bunt is a batted ball not swung at, but INTENTIONALLY met with the bat and tapped slowly. The key words are “intentionally met with the bat”. If no attempt is made to make contact with the ball outside the strike zone, it should be called a ball. An effort must be made to intentionally meet the ball with the bat.Yeah, I think that’s what I said.
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