That’s one way to try to earn a walk.
One Little League World Series player squatted down in the batter’s box during the Mexico-Venezuela game Tuesday, but the umpire wasn’t buying it.
In the top of the fifth inning with a 1-0 count, Mexico second baseman Santiago Hernandez stepped up to the plate and immediately sat down to shrink the strike zone, with his bottom nearly grazing the dirt inside the white lines.
Venezuela pitcher Adrian Soto threw a strike, and the announcers calling the game had fun with the viral moment.
“Now he’s sitting down, and that’s a strike regardless of your stance,” one broadcaster said.
Another announcer wondered if Hernandez had practiced this tactic beforehand.
“I tell you what, they must have practiced this too because I hope they tell him it’s not going to change the strike zone,” he said. “I love every second of it.”
The umpire then appeared to tell Hernandez to adjust his foot.
“He’s basically standing with his front foot on home plate as well,” the announcer said, while the other added, “All you have to do is keep your foot on the white line.”
The Little League rules address players’ batter’s stance in determining the strike zone.
“The umpire shall determine the strike zone according to the batter’s usual stance when that batter swings at a pitch,” according to the current edition of Little League’s Rules, regulations, and policies.
“The most important part of that definition is ‘over home plate’ meaning that the strike zone will always remain over home plate, and it doesn’t matter where in the batter’s box the batter stands.”
Mexico beat Venezuela, 3-1, on Tuesday to advance to the fourth round.
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