Would just like to get a little clarification on the Batters foot being completely out of the box on contact. Is this considered a Dead Ball (illegally batted ball), or would the runners on base be able to advance?

Here is the rule.

§1.5 • BATTERS BOX and §7.3 • BATTING POSITION – There were multiple proposals presented by both public and committee membership regarding changes to the batters box and batter position rules. For the sake of consistency across all venues where SSUSA plays, the committee adopted, generally, the USSSA Rule 1, section 5, as follows:

“The batter must take an initial position with his back foot no further forward than a line defining the front edge of home plate. The batter will be called out if he hits the ball when the back foot is completely further forward than the line defining the front edge of home plate.

NOTE: All other illegally batted ball infractions regarding the side and rear lines of the batter’s box, along with stepping on home plate, remain in effect.”

If he strikes the ball and the rear foot is further than the front edge of home plate, it would be a dead ball and batter is out. All runners would return to their original bases.

The problem with this rule change, though, is that SSUSA is saying they're wanting to be consistent with the USSSA rule. But the USSSA rule does not allow a ball that hits the plate to be a strike. In fact, it says "a ball will be called if a 'pitched ball strikes any part of the plate.'" (Rule 7 Sec 5 C). Therefore, USSSA's "line" of in front of the plate is 8 to 17 inches (the length of the plate from the side to the point where the ball can hit and be called a strike) in front of their "strike zone." Our line is ZERO inches in front of our strike zone. That doesn't seem "consistent" to me.

Part of the rationale is also that any line may be rubbed out over time. The scoring line was rubbed out and the umpire drew his own line with the end of a bat. That was a good action on his part to make sure he knew where the line was for plays at the plate. I'm thinking that same smart umpire could also mark a line 12 inches (a good solution I think) in front of the plate should the "official" line be rubbed out. That seems to me to a Common Sense response, even though funerals abound for Mr. C. Sense....