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A A N O W A L K R U L E
One key goal of AA ball is to give younger players as much experience as possible to help prepare them to play at the next level. In AA ball, pitchers are generally not able to throw pitches in the strike zone on a consistent basis. As a result, there are many walks in AA and the GFLL believes that this overabundance of walks greatly reduces the actual “ball in play” experience necessary for batters, base-runners, and fielders to improve their skills. It also results in AA games becoming so-called walk-fests, which makes the AA experience tedious and causes player and parent dissatisfaction. As a result, the GFLL has adopted a local rule for its AA program, as follows:
- No Walks: Each at-bat will begin normally and strikes and balls will be called by the umpire as normal. If the batter is hit by a pitch before the count reaches ball four, the batter will be awarded first base as usual. Similarly, if strike three is called before the count reaches ball four, the batter will be called out. However, if the count reaches ball four and the batter has not been hit by a pitch or called out, the batter will not be awarded a base on balls.
- Ball on Batting T: Once the count reaches ball four, the umpire will place the ball on a Batting T on home plate. The umpire, catcher, and all other players will man their positions as usual. The pitch count will carry over, thus, a batter with a count of 4 balls and 1 strike, still has two more strikes to go before being called out. The batter will strike at the ball with a full swing until the batter:
- puts the ball in play;
- strikes out swinging by missing the ball on the Batting T. If a batter hits the tee, but misses the ball, the umpire will call this a swinging strike regardless of where the ball goes. The batter will be deemed to have struck the baseball if any part of the ball is hit by the bat, i.e., both tee and ball are struck at the same time by the batter. This is a judgment call by the umpire; or,
- is called out by the umpire for attempting to bunt the ball or just tap it lightly with the bat. This is a judgment call by the umpire.
Foul balls off the Batting T will be called as normal foul balls.
Once the ball is put in play by the batter, the umpire will remove the Batting T from the plate area.
- The Batting T: The home team is responsible for ensuring that a Batting T is present before the game begins. The game may not start without a Batting T present. When not in use the Batting T will be placed next to the back stop (NOT in a dugout) and will be considered as part of the field, i.e., not a dead ball area. No interference will be called if a thrown ball or a passed ball from the pitcher hits the Batting T. Also, if a live, in-play ball strikes the Batting T, the ball will remain live and in play.
© 2007 Great Falls Little League, All Rights Reserved
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