|
Working plate in men's SP game, maybe high D level. Runner comes barrelling around third and I see the throw coming. I'm thinking this guy is so dead out, they should start digging the grave now.
Well, the throw beats him by 3 steps, but handcuffs the catcher. Nonetheless, the ball has gotten between the runner and the catcher, therefore obstruction is not available. The ball goes from in the glove, out of the glove and bounces off the catcher's chest, back into the glove and out of the webbing. As the catch stabs at the loose ball, he swats it off the runner's chest still more than a stride away. Okay, I figure I have a fustercluck here at the plate. Now comes the problem. With his last stride, the runner raises and crosses his forearms in front of his body and drills the catcher.
Bad news for the team is that I eject him for malicious contact. Worst news for the team, they have no substitutes available. Of course, here comes the "we'll just play shorthanded" from the manager. This is one of the great myths in ASA slowpitch. "Sorry, coach, but you cannot go shorthanded by ejection"!
What a shame. They were undefeated and ahead by about 8 runs in the third.
I must say that even though they didn't understand, I got very little argument once I explained the call to the manager. In fact, four or five of the players on the team told the guy he deserved it and to shut up. Wow, that was different. They 20-runned the team after 4 innings of the second game.
__________________
The bat issue in softball is as much about liability, insurance and litigation as it is about competition, inflated egos and softball.
|