⚾
🏛️Official — WBSC
Loading OpenSourceSports…
Retaliation for a hit batter (protecting your own)
If a pitcher hits an opposing batter, especially a star player or after a prior incident, the custom holds that the other team's pitcher may retaliate by throwing at an opposing batter to 'even things up.'
Don't admire your home run (pimping)
Batters are expected to run out home runs without prolonged bat flips, standing at the plate, or staring at the ball's flight, as this is seen as showing up the pitcher.
Don't steal a base or bunt when far ahead late in the game
When a team has a large lead in the late innings, attempting a stolen base, bunt for a hit, or otherwise 'piling on' is considered running up the score and disrespecting the opponent.
Don't peek back at the catcher's signs as a batter
Batters are expected not to turn around and look at the catcher's signals to gain an advantage on pitch calling; doing so is considered a form of cheating/disrespect and can provoke a pitch thrown inside as a warning.
Glove: Fielders wear a leather glove or mitt to catch and control the ball; the catcher and first baseman use specially shaped mitts. Glove dimensions are regulated by rule to prevent oversized webbing that could give an unfair advantage.
— Rule 1.09, Rule 1.10, Rule 1.16, Rule 1.17, Rule 1.11
Why people argue about this
People often assume that glove size doesn't matter in baseball, so they argue about why there's a regulation at all. Actually, the rule is meant to ensure fair play by preventing players from gaining an unfair advantage with oversized webbing gloves.
The infield (Rule 1.04–1.06): The playing field is a diamond with four bases spaced 90 feet (27.43 m) apart: home base, first base, second base, and third base, connected by foul lines extending from home plate through first and third base. Home p...
— Rule 1.04, Rule 1.07
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the 90-foot distance between bases is a hard-and-fast requirement for all baseball diamonds, forgetting that it's actually a standard used in Major League Baseball (MLB). They overlook the fact that other leagues and even MLB can adjust base distances slightly to fit their specific playing fields or conditions.
Umpires (Rule 9.01–9.05): The umpire-in-chief and base umpires have authority over the conduct of the game, including judgment on balls and strikes, safe and out calls, forfeitures, and enforcement of rules. Umpires' judgment decisions on the fiel...
— Rule 4.03, Rule 3.03, Rule 9.01
Why people argue about this
People often assume that umpires can only make calls based on what they see with their naked eyes, forgetting that they also have access to video replays if disputes arise. This leads to misunderstandings about how much leeway and authority they truly have in enforcing the rules.
Putting the ball in play: Each half-inning begins with the pitcher delivering the ball to the batter from a legal pitching position — the windup position or the set position (Rule 5.07). A pitch delivered while not in a legal pitching position, or...
— Rule 5.07, Rule 6.02, Rule 5.05
Why people argue about this
People often assume that as long as a pitcher is moving towards home plate in their windup, they're in legal position, but actually, it's crucial for them to be fully set with feet even slightly apart before releasing the ball - otherwise, it counts as an illegal pitch and can lead to challenges by the opposing team.
Runs (Rule 5.06 & Rule 9.02, Official Scorer): A run is scored each time a runner legally touches first, second, third, and home base, in that order, before the third out is made in the half-inning, except when the third out is a force out or the ...
— Rule 5.06, Rule 9.02, Rule 4.10
Why people argue about this
People often think that if a runner gets to home plate before two outs are made, they automatically score as a run, but actually, it's only scored if the third out is not forced due to an error or intentional walk, ensuring the sequence of touching bases in order from first to home base.
Balk (Rule 6.02): An illegal act by the pitcher with one or more runners on base results in a balk; the ball is dead, and all runners advance one base.
— Rule 6.02, Rule 6.01, Rule 6.04
Why people argue about this
People often assume that a balk occurs only when the pitcher steps off the rubber early, forgetting that it can happen if they move their feet in an improper way or pivot improperly, even without leaving the pitching circle. The confusion arises because the specifics of what constitutes an illegal act are not always clearly defined by coaches and players alike.
Hit-by-pitch and collision rules: A batter hit by a pitch while making a reasonable attempt to avoid the ball is awarded first base (Rule 5.05); rules also govern home-plate and base-path collisions, restricting runners and catchers from initiatin...
— Rule 1.16, Rule 1.17, Rule 5.05
Why people argue about this
People often think that if a batter is hit by a pitch while trying to avoid it, they automatically get first base - but actually, the key phrase here is "while making a reasonable attempt to avoid the ball." This can lead to arguments about whether the batter's avoidance was indeed reasonable or not.