Baseball Instruction/Batter out of the box follow up

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Expert: - 6/23/2009


Question
I know that if a batter is fully out of the box when making contact the batter is out and runners return tho their bases. What if the batter is only partially out of the box, does the same rule apply?

Answer
Joe,

The batter is either in the batter's box or out.  There is no partial.  If both feet are within the box (including touching the lines) then the batter is 'in the box.'  If either foot is outside the box, then the batter is out of the box.

That said, if the batter is in the box, then the play is legal.  If they are out of the box, then the batter is out, the ball is dead, and the runners must return to their bases.

Hope this helps!

Brian

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Brian Flaspohler

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Questions about baseball rules, general information about the game, statistical analysis, questions about players, questions about Baseball records. I am a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and a lifelong baseball fanatic. Don't ask me questions about training - this is not my area of expertise.

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