Main Body
2. Terminology
Altered bat– a bat is considered altered if the structure of the physical bat has been changed, or if an illegal bat or non-approved bat has been presented as a legal bat. Examples are: painting a bat, changing the handle, inserting material inside the bat or compressing the bat. Effect/Ruling- the ball is dead, the batter is out, and base runners may not advance. The batter is ejected for using an altered bat.
Appeal play– a play in which an umpire cannot make a decision until a request is made by a manager, coach, or player. The appeal must be made before the next legal or illegal pitch, or before all infielders have left the field.
Approved bat- a bat becomes “approved” when a bat manufacturer submits the bat to an official association (like ASA, NSA, etc…) after it has been through a special testing facility and met the requirements of that association’s “legal bat” rule.
Ball- refers to a ball that doesn’t enter the strike zone while in flight to the catcher and is not struck by the batter, or a ball that doesn’t meet pitching regulations.
Ball rotation- a pitcher will have a choice of balls at the start of each half inning, with an exception occurring if both balls do not get into play in the first half inning. The pitcher, in the bottom of the first inning, must pitch the unused ball. Thereafter, every third out, the ball in play must be returned to the pitcher’s plate; and before the first warm up pitch, the pitcher has the opportunity to choose a ball. The pitcher must stick to this ball unless the ball goes out of play.
Base- refers to the four objects that a runner must touch in order to legally score a run. The term makes reference to the bags marking designated spots.
Base on balls- when a batter is awarded first base without liability to be put out because umpire judges four pitches to be considered “balls”. In slow pitch, the pitcher can put a batter intentionally on first base by simply telling the umpire that they want to intentionally walk a batter.
Base path- a direct, imaginary line that is between bases and that extends in width of three feet on both sides, which a runner must stay in or will be called out by the umpire.
Base runner- is a player that has finished his at bat and has reached first base without being put out.
Batted ball- is a pitch that has been hit, intentionally or not, and is in foul or fair territory.
Batter- refers to the offensive player that enters the batter’s box with a 0-0 count who can draw a walk with either 3 or 4 balls and can strike out with 2 or 3 strikes depending on rules adopted by league.
Batter’s box- the area in which the batter is limited to while batting. The player must have both feet entirely within the lines of the box prior to the pitch (the lines are considered to be within the box).
Batter runner- is the batter, who has finished his at bat, and has not yet been put out at first base.
Batting order- is the official lineup of offensive players, listing the or