Batter Holding Bat Over Plate


With a 1-1 count, the batter (B1) holds his bat, motionless, over the plate in the strike zone. He does not move his bat and the pitch is a bit outside of the strike zone.

Is the pitch called a "strike" because of B1's actions or is the pitch called a "ball" because of the location of the pitch?

Call
When bunting, if the batter purposefully moves the bat toward the ball when it is over or near the plate, then a strike is called. NF case book 7.2.1B says it in a different way, "The mere holding of the bat in the strike zone is not an attempt to bunt".

In the question below, the batter did not "strike" at the pitch -- nor was the pitch in the "strike zone", so a "ball" should be called.