The Little League Batter

Beginning of Inning

In Little League only the first batter of each half inning is allowed outside the dugout between half innings.

On Deck Batter in LL:

In LL there is no such thing as an On Deck Batter

A player cannot swing a bat if he is not in the batters box

There is no on deck batter in LL.

The first batter up in an inning is OK to swing because he is considered the batter.  Next guy up cannot swing.

Batters Box

The batters box includes the chalked line.  It is ok for the batter when he takes his stance to have his toe or any part of his foot on the line.  However, any part of the batters foot cannot be on the ground over the line.

One Foot in Batters Box

The umpires are to enforce the batter keeping one foot in the batters box at all times unless he has to vacate for a play at home or backing away from a pitch.  The umpire will give the batter ample time to get his signals from his coach but he is to stay in the batters box while getting the signal.

Hit Batter

If a pitched ball touches a batter or the batters clothing while in a legal batting position.

Ball hitting the dirt then the batter

If the ball first hits the dirt then the batter the hit batsman gets 1st base

Are the Hands Part of the Bat?

If the batter is hit in the hands while holding the bat while batting (Not Swinging) he gets first base.

If the batter attempts a swing and  gets hit in the hands it is a DEAD BALL and it is a strike.

Foul Tip

A foul tip is when the batter swings and tips the ball and the catcher catches it.  The  ball is alive! and runners can advance.

Batter Throwing his Bat

If a batter throws a bat first warn the manager and say the next batter who throws a bat will be REMOVED!   Note: Throwing the bat is not an ejection but removing of a player. There is a difference. The difference is a removed player can play in the next scheduled game but an ejected player cannot and he also cannot come to the ballpark.

Batter Throwing Bat at Ball

If a batter throws his bat at the ball and hits it a second time the ball is  dead and the batter is out.  E.g. The batter lays down a bunt and while throwing his bat down it hits the ball.  Batter is out!

The Batter is Out when:

Hitting the ball with one or both feet on the ground entirely outside the batters box

Stepping from one batter’s box to the other while the pitcher is in position ready to pitch.

Interfering with the catchers fielding or throwing by stepping out of the batters box or making any other movement that hinders the catchers play at home base.

When hitting or bunting a ball the bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory.  The ball is dead and all runners return.  If the batter drops the bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory and in the umpires judgment there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, the ball is alive and in play.

The Batter

If a batter refuses to get into the box, call a strike

The batters feet must be in the box.  The box includes the lines.

If the batter swings and hits the ball and the ball comes back to hit him in the batters box it is a foul ball.

If a batters foot is entirely out of the box and his foot is on the ground when hitting the ball he is out.

If the batter changes from left side to right side and the pitcher is on the mound the batter is out.  Alright to change sides if the pitcher is not on the pitching rubber.

If the batter makes no attempt to avoid being hit by a pitched ball it is called a ball.  The batter does not get first base

Batting Out of Order

Two fundamentals to keep in mind:

When a player bats out of turn the proper batter is the one called out.  Example. A player who is hitting out of turn hits a home run   The player who should have batted is the one that is called out.  The home run is taken away.

If an improper batter bats and reaches first base or is out and no appeal is made before a pitch to the next batter or before any play or attempted play the improper batter is considered to have batted in the proper turn and establishes the order that is to follow.

Situations:

If an improper batter is realized before the 1st pitch the batter who should have been batting is called out.  If after the 1st pitch is thrown and it is noticed a batter is batting out of order the correct batter can bat with the count as it is.

If an improper batter completes his time at bat and before the next pitch or play the opposing team appeals that they were batting out of order.  The player who was suppose to bat is called out.  Any advance or score made due to a hit, error, base on balls or hit batter is nullified.

If a runner advances while the improper batter is at bat due to a stolen base, passed ball, wild pitch, etc it is legal

Catcher drops ball on 3rd Strike or Passed Ball

When a batter becomes a runner on a third strike not caught and starts for the bench or his/her position , that batter may advance to first base at any time before entering the bench.  To put out the batter out, the defense must tag the batter or first base before the batter touches the base.

The batter can only run to 1st base on a 3rd strike when the catcher drops the ball or there is a passed ball/a if 1st base is not occupied or there are two outs.