Is it legal for an MLB hitter to carry the bat to first base?  Is there an official rule against it?
336922
YES, IT IS LEGAL, provided it does not cause some form of interference (like a throw hitting it).\n\nThere is no prohibition in the Official Rules against carrying the bat.\n\nSome leagues may have local rules against it, and I know some softball codes forbid it.  However, there is nothing prohibiting taking the bat with you under the Offical Rules of Baseball...
1172345
No! After he contacts the ball, one or both feet can come crashing down on the plate provided neither foot was touching the ground outside the batters box during his hitting of the ball.\n\nMLB rule 6.06\nA batter is out for illegal action when --\n(a) He hits a ball with one or both feet on the ground entirely outside the batter’s box.\nRule 6.06(a) Comment: If a batter hits a ball fair or foul while out of the batter’s box, he shall be called out. \n\n\nIf a batter, batting from the right side of the plate, steps on home plate to intentionally interfere with the catcher attempting to make a play on his hit ball, the batter will be called out for interference, not because he stepped on home plate but because he caused interference by not running directly to first base.\n\nIf you are asking a trick question, :) the answer is still no, stepping on home plate to complete an inside the park home run is required.
184219
If I remember correctly from my umpiring days, if a defensive player throws any part of his equipment at a batted ball and it makes contact, the batter and runners are awarded 3 bases, (It's the only 3 base award, and the most  severe) but the ball is still alive, and the batter can try to take home on his own if he/she wishes.  It doesn't matter on the park or the league, it is not an individual ground rule.\n\nFrom the baseball rule book:\n\n7.05\nEach runner including the batter runner may, without liability to be put out, advance...(b) Three bases, if a fielder deliberately touches a fair ball with his cap, mask or any part of his uniform detached from its proper place on his person. The ball is in play and the batter may advance to home base at his peril;  c) Three bases, if a fielder deliberately throws his glove at and touches a fair ball. The ball is in play and the batter may advance to home base at his peril.
178312
I've always though the standard was a waist high bat and have the kid hold the bat straight out. If he can't hold it straight it is too heavy.
1102448
Yes you can steal in softball, as soon as it leaves the pitchers hand you can go. In baseball you can go whenever. others have mentioned the innings. However the person commenting that the ball is not as hard obviously has never held or been hit by a "soft"ball. there is nothing soft about it. Also, intentional walks are not allowed in softball like they are in baseball and if the pitcher is going to in both sports they have to throw 4 balls, nothing stopping the batter from hitting or swinging at a bad pitch. The other thing is that there is not requirements for an arch unless you are playing slow pitch.
248835
Baseball rules are tricky because there are so many ways to itterpret them. This is what I've figured out so far...\n\nIf the ball bounces infront or is nowhere near the plate, it is considered a wild pitch (And believe me, there are jokers out there who will swing at something like that if they think it'll get em to first).\n\nIf the ball is caught by the catcher, the batter is just out. If the catcher drops the ball, it is considered just a passed ball *UNLESS* it is a third strike and results in a base. In that case, it is indeed an error on the catcher.
461151
As long as the player does not leave the lineup, he can play anywhere the manager puts him.  He can go play first base for one batter, for example, and then come back and pitch to the next batter.  He just can't be taken completely out of the game and then re-enter it.
538292
It's not a run unless the bases were loaded.\n\nIn which case the player on third would score the run, not the batter getting the walk.
452897
There are several reasons why someone would pull the ball or hit to the opposite field. If a hitter hits to the opposite field, it could be that his timing was off and he was late on the pitch or if the pitch was outside you would get more power by hitting to the opposite field. That is what they mean when they say go with the pitch. \nIf your early on the pitch you will pull it, or if the pitch is inside you will turn on it and take it to the pull field. If someone is injured in the hips or knee's and has a hard time turning their hips or knee's they wont be able to turn on a ball and pull it as well as just to take it to the opposite field and swing with more arms than body.
1111631
According to the NCAA rulebook, no.\n\n\n4.a In the act of delivering the ball, the pitcher must push off with the pivot foot from the pitcher's plate and take one step/stride forward towards the batter and inside the 24-inch length of the pitcher's plate.\n4.b The rear, pivot foot must remain in contact with the pitcher's plate at all times before the forward step.\n...\n4.d.2 ... Once having lost contact with the pitcher's plate, the pivot foot may trail on the ground but may not bear weight again until the pitch is released.\n\nIf I read this correctly, the foot can come off the rubber but the pitcher can't plant the foot to get a second push before the ball is released.\n\nI watched some of the NCAA women tournament and they certainly didn't keep their foot on the rubber.
238207
I'm pretty sure there's no rule regarding this.\n\nThere are, however, rules on the composition of the bat, and what types of wood are legal.\n\nUsing a longer bat only helps a hitter with plate-coverage.  After a certain point, it just slows the progression of the bathead through the strikezone, which would make it MUCH harder to hit, and impossible to hit for any power.
625228
No hits and no walks (intentional or not)Simply, nobody gets on base.\nNo hits only is "a no hitter" (Walks are allowed)
253723
The article below, An Asterisk Here, "An Asterisk There, Jimmy Foxx and Hank Greenberg the Homerun Kings?", \non home run records claims that baseball's "No corked bat policy" comes from the discovery of the discovery that Ruth used one.  However, this article quotes "tricked bat" and interprets the phrase as "corked", while that is clearly debateable.\n\nhttp://blogs.foxsports.com/tkesaint521/MLB?page_no=2\n\nOn the other hand, it's doubtful that the use of a corked bat matters much (at least now). Please see the physics of baseball:  \n\nhttp://library.thinkquest.org/11902/physics/bats.html
1122294
It goes to the first pitcher, in this case, but not always.  The official rule is 10.18(h):\n\nA relief pitcher shall not be held accountable when the first batter to whom he pitches reaches first base on four called balls if such batter has a decided advantage in the ball and strike count when pitchers are changed.\n\n(1) If, when pitchers are changed, the count is\n2 balls, no strike, \n2 balls, 1 strike, \n3 balls, no strike, \n3 balls, 1 strike, \n3 balls, 2 strikes,\n\nand the batter gets a base on balls, charge that batter and the base on balls to the preceding pitcher, not to the relief pitcher.\n\n(2) Any other action by such batter, such as reaching base on a hit, an error, a fielder's choice, a force out, or being touched by a pitched ball, shall cause such a batter to be charged to the relief pitcher.
547889
Basically, it's to prevent unfair play by the infielders.  Without the rule, an infielder could intentionally allow the ball to hit the ground, requiring the runner(s) on base to move forward.  It would then be easy to get a double play.
683569
I say no he can't once the batter makes contact with the ball.\nthe ball is in play. and the runner will have to return to the base.
717619
By rule, if the catcher fails to catch the first strike, the runner may attempt to advance to first base and must be thrown or tagged out. Occasionally, if the ball gets behind the catcher, the runner may make it to first. If so, he is safe at first just as if he walked or got a base hit.\nThe exception is when first base is occupied at the time -- then, the above rule does not apply and the batter is out.