Check swings
Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 12:43 am
by asif9t9
Something that's always bugged me. Why do they still use the foul-line camera to show us replays of check swings. I just saw Tejada get called for a strike. They showed that angle that looks up the third base line. That angle has nothing to do with whether it was a strike!!!
Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 3:18 am
by belowtherim
A check swing isn't determined by whether the bat crosses a magical plane or anything. It's strictly a judgement call by the umpire on whether he felt as if the batter made an attempt at hitting the ball.
The angle they show as far as I know is just so you can judge for yourself if he made an attempt.
The rule book doesn't really mention it in depth, it's under rule 9.02(c) if you're interested.
Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 4:12 am
by OldNo7
Every check swing is originally an intent at the ball and then the batter changing his mind. If the bat crosses the front of the plate its a strike, thus the overhead view would be the best to determine for sure. I agree with the OP that the current cams dont help.
Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:41 am
by asif9t9
I thought there were two posts by the same guy......same avatar.
I don't have the rule book, but I also always thought a check swing means the bat didn't cross the front of the plate.
The Skydome used to have that overhead camera, which was good for check swings and for seeing if a strike was over the plate. I think there was actually a cameraman up there.
Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 10:01 pm
by belowtherim
whosthebosh? wrote:Every check swing is originally an intent at the ball and then the batter changing his mind. If the bat crosses the front of the plate its a strike, thus the overhead view would be the best to determine for sure. I agree with the OP that the current cams dont help.
Actually, that's wrong, that's not how umpires determine whether a check swing is a strike or not. At the moment, what is taught is that if in your judgement (as the umpire) you feel the batter made an attempt at hitting the ball you call it a strike. If you feel he stopped his swing early enough, you call it a ball.
The rule you're referring to is an NCAA rule, MLB has no such rule (they need one).
Section 2.0 of the 2007 NCAA Official Baseball rulebook states: A checked swing shall be called a strike if the barrel head of the bat crosses the front edge of home plate, or the batter
Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 3:52 pm
by asif9t9
The problem with the check swing rule is you can almost always say the batter didn't mean to swing. I mean, if the batter does that silly check swing where he holds his wrists but his body turns.....can't you say he didn't mean to swing?
And why do they give that call to the 1st and 3rd base umpires, who are so far away?
Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 6:52 pm
by Chach
Basic rule of thumb is if the batter controls the head of the bat, it's a check swing and a ball (if the ball is out of the zone, of course. If it's in the zone it doesn't matter). That's why they show that side angle, so you can see if the head of the bat stays behind the batter's hands and if the barrell crosses the front plane of the plate. If it crosses that plane or the barrell extends past his hands, he doesn't have control of the bat and it is a strike. That's why on check swings, they always check with the ump who has the view of the batter's front (as opposed to his back). mahalo
~Chach~