in or out of batters box...

...when is the batter considered out of the batters box? not the lefty slappers who run forward to slap. but, the right handed hitters who move up to the plate to try and crowd the pitcher. are they out of the box when their foot is on the line? halfway across the line? or does their entire foot (or feet) have to be across the line?

seen several games now where pitchers have hit batters who have had their heels on the line. umpires have told the coaches long as the batters heel is touching the batters box line, they can be standing on the plate.

any thoughts? is there a rule? what is the rule?

 

if the pitch is a strike the rule says its a strike even if it hits the batter

 

Since you didnt ask regarding a specific organization...
NCAA:

The lines are inside the box, so any part of the line is inside the box.
The batter must have both feet completely inside the box at the time of the pitch.

At the moment of ball contact the batter must not be touching homeplate and neither foot can be touching the ground completely outside the box. Violation is an Dead ball Out.


Also:
I have seen many boxes drawn short with regards to the front of the box. The front edge of the box should be 40 inches in front of the front of the plate.

Trivia: A batter CANNOT call time by raising their hand after situated in the batters box and the pitcher has separated their hands for the pitch. A pitch delivered is LIVE and called.

 

If you're standing on the plate and make contact with the ball you're out.

 

is this the ncaa or high school rule?

the umpires have stated on several occasions that if the right handed batter attempts to swing at the inside pitch and it hits the batter, as long as one heel is touching outside line of batters box, then it is a strike.

...if the right handed batter turns towards the catcher and does NOT attempt to swing and even though the screwball catches the corner of the plate, it is a HBP as long as the batters heel was touching the batters box and there was no attempt to swing.

Coach asks the question does one heel or two heels have to be touching the line. couple umps say one heel, others say both heels.

 

...sorry, meant to address the high school rule.

...Meant to address high school rule.

 

If a batter's body is hit anywhere inside the strikezone, it is NOT a HBP.

Umps dont make the rules, they are supposed to follow them. A coach worth his money should know the rules and how to argue the rules. There is a definite technique to winning the rule fight with an UMP, and it does not involve yelling or belittling the ump.(this part was not directed at you)

I dont have the HS rules but most rules like this are generic through the different organizations.

 

thats the HS rule for both baseball and softball. spirit of the rule is to move batters away from the plate.
same as the "dont try to move, dont get first base" was

 

...I don't know if you're right (most likely you are), but with a post as well written as this by CMMPal, its gonna be real hard to dispute his statement.
Fishman