Seeking More Order in the Batter’s Box

Seeking More Order in the Batter's Box

By: John Bennett – Longtime Umpire

Originally Published in Fastpitch Delivery: NFCA

THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE DECEMBER 2014 EDITION OF THE NFCA'S MONTHLY MEMBER NEWSPAPER, FASTPITCH DELIVERY.

Last month we discussed the rule for batting out of order and when to appeal. This will expand on the last topic of that article, "Who is the next batter?" To refresh your memory, here is how the last article concluded:

Who is the next batter?

The effect for batting out of order includes wording to identify who should be the next batter after the appeal - and this may be the most confusing part of this rule.

• If properly appealed, the next batter is the batter who follows the proper batter (who has just been declared out for failure to bat).

• If not properly appealed, the improper batter's at bat is now official and the next proper batter is the player who follows the player who batted out of order. Bullet one is relatively straightforward and an example for this is listed further down in this article as scenario 1. Bullet two above is a bit more complicated, so let's explain it step-by-step:

The batting order is A, B, C, D, etc.

• C bats instead of A, completes her turn at bat and B steps into the batter's box.

• Defense does not realize this until after a pitch (or pitches) to B (now standing in the batter's box), and now the defense appeals the batting out of order.

• Since C's at bat is now official (whether she made an out or safely reached base) the batting order picks up with the player batting after C

• D should be the current batter. If any other player is in the batter's box, that batter is now batting out of order. Here are two additional parts of the rule that we did not include in last month's article:

• No base runner shall be removed from the base she is occupying to bat in her proper place, except the improper batter who may be on base and is removed because of the appeal; she merely misses her turn at bat with no effect and the player listed after her in the batting order is now the proper batter (see #5 and #6 below)

• If the improper batter's at-bat results in the end of an inning, the appeal must be made before all infielders have left fair territory and the catcher vacates her normal fielding position, except in NCAA where the appeal must be made immediately after the third out.

• If the improper batter's at-bat results in the end of the game, the appeal must be made before the umpires leave the field, except in NCAA where the appeal must be made immediately.

Reading the following six scenarios and their answers should help a coach to understand who the correct batter is at the plate after a batting out of order is appealed. For each of these scenarios, decide who should be the next proper batter. The answers are in the box at the bottom left of this page.

Different scenarios for "who is the next batter"

Same batting order: A, B, C, D, E, F, G

1. G bats instead of F and gets a hit. It is properly appealed. Who is the proper batter?

2. D bats instead of C and gets a hit, C is now in the batter's box. After one pitch, the defense appeals that D batted out of order. Who is the proper batter?

3. D bats instead of C and makes the third out to end the half-inning. After all the defensive players enter the dugout, the coach now goes to the plate umpire to appeal the batting out of order. Who is the proper batter at the beginning of the next inning for this team?

4. F bats instead of G and gets a hit. It is properly appealed. Who is the proper batter?

5. It is D's turn to bat but C bats in her place and makes an out. D steps into the batter's box and the pitcher commits an illegal pitch. Who is the proper batter?

6. C and A are told by the coach they are switching spots in the batting order, but the coach gives the wrong lineup to the umpire and opposing coach with the order as listed above. In the first inning C thinks she is the leadoff hitter so she bats and doubles. B strikes out. A thinks she is batting in the third spot in the lineup today, so she comes to the plate and a pitch is thrown. Now the defense appeals that A should have been the first batter according to the official lineup, but C batted and is now standing at second base. The umpire determines that the coach is correct and C batted out of order.

Who is the proper batter?

There is a discussion among umpires as to how much guidance should be given to a coach who may be completely confused as to who the next batter will be after a complicated batting out of order appeal. Situation 6 would certainly qualify as that.

Some advocate that we tell the coach, such as in situation 6, "Coach, E should be batting now." But contrarian argue that we are coaching instead of umpiring and perhaps disadvantaging the defense. The offensive coach may select the wrong next batter and there might be another appeal for batting out of order.

The consensus is for a middle ground and to use the rule book as our guide. We can tell the coach which player was the last official at-bat and say nothing else, then hope the coach puts the batter following her into the batter's box. I would be interested in your opinion on this.

If you have any questions or opinions about this article, send an email to bennettjoh@sbcglobal.net.

ANSWERS

1 - F is declared out for failure to bat and G's at-bat is nullified. G is the next batter; she is removed from base to bat.

2 - D's at-bat is now official because a pitch has been thrown. The appeal is made too late to get an out. The proper batter is E. The coach should replace C with E in the batter's box.

3 - D's at-bat is now official. The coach should not bring this to the attention of the umpire, as there is no penalty now. Wait to see who bats first for the opposing team in its next half-inning. If it is not E, then that team is batting out of order again.

4 - G is called out for failure to bat and F's at-bat is nullified; H is the proper batter.

5 - It is too late for the appeal, as the appeal must be made before the first pitch to the next batter, whether it is a legal or illegal pitch. C's at-bat is now official, D is the proper batter.

6 - C's at-bat is official after the first pitch to B. B's at bat is official since a pitch was thrown to A. The batting order continues with the player after B, since she is the last official batter. So the proper batter is now C. Since C is on second base, she must remain there and D is now the proper batter.