Rules Question
 

Simple question (hopefully), is the hand part of the bat? I had a person who is one of the leaders of the youth baseball league that my daughter plays in tell me that the other day. She told me if a pitched ball hits a batters hand, it's a foul ball, all the time. I looked in the rule book and I didn't see it that way. From what I gather, if a pitched ball hits the batter anywhere, he is awarded first base unless he is attempting to swing at the pitch. Does anyone have a good answer?

EDIT: I did a little more digging. I missed one. If the pitch hits the batter in the srtike zone, it's also a foul ball. It appears to really have nothing to do with the batters hands. The lady is just flat wrong.

Re: Rules Question
 

You are correct. Unless you are swinging, or bunting, the hand is yours, not the bats. Where would she come up with this? Probably every other day in MLB someone gets hit in the hand.

The only thing that makes sense with her argument is that she is thinking of basketball where your hand is considered part of the ball when it is on it.

Re: Rules Question
 

I actually hear this line of thinking alot. You'd be surprised how many people actually believe "the hand is part of the bat".

Re: Rules Question
 

You really should set her straight; show her the rule if you have to, because she's teaching these children something that flat out wrong and will carry into their ball-playing futures. Their next coach may get it right and then the kids will be thoroughly confused (and possibly confrontational).

Re: Rules Question
 

My guess is that people hear it a lot from broadcasters when someone bunts, and the ball hits their hand and is a fair ball. In that case, it is part of the bat, and that is probably where it is seen most often.

Re: Rules Question
 

You're right. I should and plan to the next time I see her. She was a T-ball coach last year but I don't know if she has a team this year.

I sent an email to one of the guys that runs the teams in a different town (same league though). I want to make sure this "guidance" isn't coming from the top though I can't imagine that it is. I think it is simply a few people's misinterpretation. My team of 7-9 year old's certainly know the rule because we talked about it last night at BP. :)

Re: Rules Question
 

I think if it hits the bat and your hand at the same time, it's considered the bat?

Re: Rules Question
 

I am an umpire, I am not sure about your leagues rules. But as far as I know she is wrong. The only way the hand is part of the bat is if the batter is swinging, then it's a foul ball. But that doesn't sound like the situation you are talking about.