Batter's Box.

[Varela]

Hello Everyone, I have done the plate for San Dimas and Gladstone Varsity, both teams seem to love to hug that plate, so to speak, which means any pitch over the plate (inside) the batter is looking to get hit by pitch and a free base.
Incident: On 03/15/05, Bonita vs. San Dimas. Batter's (SD)feet one to two inches from the plate, upper body in the zone, fastball inside, batter turns into the pitch as to sell an avoidance, batter gets hit in rear, I return the batter back to the plate, and award him a strike. Coach comes out arguing, I explain to him if you are teaching your kids to hug that plate then you are teaching them to get injured.
Gentlemen, I cannot coach these kids, wish I could, but my job is to umpire, and to do it with the best of my ability, and to ensure a safe game. The way the kids play is a reflection on the coach and not the umpire.
That is my opinion, thanks for your undivided attention on this matter.

[sjennings]

You did the right thing. You don't even have to tell them, If they coach hugging the plate that kids will get hit. I would just tell them, If your kid wasn't in the strike zone he wouldn't get hit. It was a strike and he is staying right here.

Some coaches try to use everything they can against us and you just have to stay on top of your game. You did the right thing.

[Rick Tully]

To add to this, the Varsity Head Coach at Gladstone has taught his kids for years to turn their shoulder inward towards the plate, and it looks like nothing has changed. We have discussed this in instructor meetings and at the local pizza parlor, that this move is not a move to get out of the way of the pitch, but a move to get hit by the pitch. You need to be aware of this and keep the batter at the plate after being hit. Again judgement as to the true location of the pitch and the speed of the pitch must be taken into consideration as well.