Bunting?

[B. Amish]

I always thought that if you stepped out of the batter's box to swing, you were out. However, almost everytime someone tries to bunt for a hit, one foot is way out of the box.

What's the deal?

[PierBridge]

If one foot is entirley out of the box before the batter makes contact he should be out!

The batters box is pretty big are you sure?

[bassNspear]

thats correct, if one foot is out, or you step on the plate, you are out.

[Gary Crichton]

If his leg still in the air as he is bunting, its legal. A lot of batters stand back in the box and can tak a couple of short steps to get to front of the box, giving the impression they are out.

G.C.

[Scott K]

I see alot of batters do this, and they do step out, it just isnt called very often!

[PierBridge]

If his leg still in the air as he is bunting, its legal. A lot of batters stand back in the box and can tak a couple of short steps to get to front of the box, giving the impression they are out.

G.C.

I just watched a few of our bunts in slow motion from recent games and your right they are not technically out of the box but in full speed it looks they are.

The batters box is a lot bigger then you think also.

I love Tivo!

[Gary Crichton]

Good catch Pierbridge, however it is more difficult to lay down the bunt when your "doing the dance" as I used to call it. Also you get to far out in front to try for that extra step, the ball will find you and not the bat.

G.C.

[B. Amish]

Punto just put down a sac bunt in the 6th inning. If his foot wasn't out of the box, I must be blind.

[dan z]

If I were carlos Gomez and thier is someone on first I would bunt till the second srtike ever time up. bunting is for advancing a runner and hoping for a confused defense so both can be on base.

[PierBridge]

Punto just put down a sac bunt in the 6th inning. If his foot wasn't out of the box, I must be blind.

Yep! your blind!....

I hope your not referring to his foot behind the plate because you will never get that call!.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Pier,

I believe the batters box is a rectangle, no? So unless it curves around the plate, you have just given us visual proof of the Twins cheating the system. His left foot is clearly out of the batters box, ergo, he should be called out! LOL

Windy

[DrKen]

I umped baseball and softball for 18 years and the rule reads the foot must be in contact with the plate or completely outside of box in contact with the ground at the time of contact with the ball. This is a plate ump call but unless the pitch is low and they step on plate or in front of plate you cannot see it. A plate ump is watching the ball and the first defense to a bunt is a high fastball. I've made the call a couple of times when they have stepped on plate to bunt low pitch but beyond that the catcher will usually block your view. In the majors they allow more leeway with this and balks. If the box lines have been wiped out then there is huge leeway.

[PierBridge]

I highly doubt it has anything to do with the UMP not seeing where Punto's left foot is.

The umpires are looking for Bunters being out in front or the side of the batters box creating an advantage.

[riverrat56]

This is one of those rules that unless you grossly violate it, it doesn't get called. Like DrKen said, the plate ump has alot to focus on, if someone complains about a batter being out of the box he probally won't even look.

As for Gomez, I feel he trys to bunt to much, but he also swings at too many bad pitches so.....?