- Checked swing
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A.J. Pierzynski of the Chicago White Sox checks his swing on a low pitch.
A checked swing is a type of swing in baseball. A checked swing occurs when a batter starts to swing for the ball, but stops the swing in order to allow the ball to pass without hitting it. Initially, the home plate umpire must determine If a swing was checked or not checked. An appeal can be made by the catcher or his manager, and the home plate umpire can then make a request to either the 1st or 3rd base umpire to make the call as to whether or not the swing was indeed checked. (The 1st base umpire makes the call for right-handed batters, and the 3rd base umpire for left-handed batters.) To indicate a checked swing, the umpire will make a “safe” gesture with his hands; to indicate a full swing, he will clench his fist as if to signal “out”.
If a ball that passes the batter is in the strike zone, it is a strike even if a swing is checked. If a ball is hit during a checked swing, it is in play as long as it is not ruled a foul ball.
The Major League Baseball rulebook doesn't contain an official definition for a checked swing; it is the decision of the umpire presiding. Generally, factors such as whether the bat passes the front of the plate or the batter pulls his wrists back are considered in the ruling. Some umpires prefer to use the "breaking of the wrists" as the method to decide a checked swing.
Under Official Playing Rule 3.13, the home team manager is responsible for announcing the Ground Rules, none of which may conflict with Official Baseball Rules. However, Major League Baseball is working with a group of umpires to standardize Ground Rules, to make them easier for teams and umpires.[1]
A checked swing sometimes results in an unintentional swinging bunt, where the ball hits the bat and rolls a short distance, although the batter apparently stopped his swing.
Check-swinging can also be used in some warm-up exercises, such as the game pepper.
References
- ^ Leppard, Tom. "Umpires". http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/umpires/feature.jsp?feature=qa4. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
Categories:- Baseball terminology
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