ASA - Carrying bat to first base (2024)

cjangeloni1986 said:

I thought I read that the batter can carry the bat with him while running the bases. I usually carry the bat down with me as I run and drop it right before I touch first base. My friends who umpire were telling me you cannot touch a base with the bat in your hand and if you do then you are out. I know it is a bad habit but is there a rule preventing or allowing such actions? Thank you in advance. This is ASA and just rec league.

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USSSA has such a rule for when the ball is live.

ASA has no such rule. In fact, here's part of Rules Supplement #52:

There is no penalty when a player carries a bat to first base or any other base. Should the player use the bat to prevent a defensive player from making a play, then interference should be ruled.

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cjangeloni1986 said:

I thought I read that the batter can carry the bat with him while running the bases. I usually carry the bat down with me as I run and drop it right before I touch first base. My friends who umpire were telling me you cannot touch a base with the bat in your hand and if you do then you are out. I know it is a bad habit but is there a rule preventing or allowing such actions? Thank you in advance. This is ASA and just rec league.

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In ASA, you can carry the bat all around the bases, if you want. As long as it is not used to prevent any play on you by the defense. In other associations, this is not true and you could be called out if you touch first base with bat in hand.

Ha ha...couple weeks ago I hit a weak grounder to P...started to trot to first to make a halfass show of effort. Ball skipped up at the last second and pitcher whiffed, then booted it so I haul ass and beat the throw. "Hey," 1B coach says, "don't let go of that bat!" Everyone was laughing, I had carried it all the way to base!

Seemed funnier as I typed...I guess you had to be there.

I don't know if NSA has changed their rules in the last decade but, years ago you could not carry the bat to 1B.

I learned this in a tourney when someone hit a HR and touched 1B with the bat still in their hand. You didn't have to run HR's but, if you did so with the bat, you were called out.

I'd carry it to the bag, throw it in the air, touch the bag and then catch it....just because I was that guy. :mod:

joncon said:

I don't know if NSA has changed their rules in the last decade but, years ago you could not carry the bat to 1B.

I learned this in a tourney when someone hit a HR and touched 1B with the bat still in their hand. You didn't have to run HR's but, if you did so with the bat, you were called out.

I'd carry it to the bag, throw it in the air, touch the bag and then catch it....just because I was that guy. :mod:

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Rule still exist in NSA........my team had a guy called out on a walk to end a game in an NIT for it

joncon said:

I don't know if NSA has changed their rules in the last decade but, years ago you could not carry the bat to 1B.

I learned this in a tourney when someone hit a HR and touched 1B with the bat still in their hand. You didn't have to run HR's but, if you did so with the bat, you were called out.

I'd carry it to the bag, throw it in the air, touch the bag and then catch it....just because I was that guy. :mod:

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See Also

BATTER INTERFERES WITH CATCHER - Baseball Rules Academy

It's still in there. Rule 8-7-j.

And joncon, your way of getting around the rule wouldn't work. NSA says "legally reaches or touches." Once you've crossed 1st base, you've reached it, and if you catch the bat after, the rule would apply.

Same would apply for USSSA, though they phrase the rule differently.

NCASAUmp said:

It's still in there. Rule 8-7-j.

And joncon, your way of getting around the rule wouldn't work. NSA says "legally reaches or touches." Once you've crossed 1st base, you've reached it, and if you catch the bat after, the rule would apply.

Same would apply for USSSA, though they phrase the rule differently.

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That interpretation makes no sense. So you can't pick up your bat after you touch 1st base? What if you go toward first, drop it, touch first, and pick it up. Why wouldn't the same interpretation apply? I'm no reading anywhere the difference between the bat in the air and the bat on the ground...?

I guess you could if you could toss it high enough to step on the bag, step off and catch it but you would have to be a drum major or something. It seems like the intent of the rule is to not be holding the bat on the bag or while running bases.

I'm kind of curious to see what EA says now. If you could get called out on a walk for touching the base with the bag, I don't see why being on the bag with the bat, even if it slipped out of your hand for a second and you caught it again would not be out also.

It seems like what it is, a way to try to circumvent a rule intended for you not to be on the bag with the bat.

SevenBizzos said:

That interpretation makes no sense. So you can't pick up your bat after you touch 1st base? What if you go toward first, drop it, touch first, and pick it up. Why wouldn't the same interpretation apply? I'm no reading anywhere the difference between the bat in the air and the bat on the ground...?

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If you are now a runner, why would you want to leave the base to pick up a bat? That makes no more sense than what you are questioning.

irishmafia said:

If you are now a runner, why would you want to leave the base to pick up a bat? That makes no more sense than what you are questioning.

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The reply was in reference to joncon's description of hitting a HR and touching 1B with this rule in place.

sjury said:

Seriously, just drop the f'ing bat before first base, there is no reason to have it in your hands.

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You just never know when a fight will break out.

Illegal pitcher said:

You just never know when a fight will break out.

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LOL... OK, then carry the bat when you shoot middle and want the pitcher to know it.... :bigok: