Quote:
Originally posted by SAump
Windy, You and PETE and a few others are claiming that a batter who throws his bat and unintentionally strikes a baseball released by the catcher standing behind the batter is out for offensive interference. Its hard enough for the batter to hit a baseball thrown by the pitcher in front of him. How the hell would you penalize a batter for unintentionally hitting a ball thrown by the catcher standing behind him?
I don't think the game is meant to be played under those rulez. Next your going to tell me the batter who may hit the ball, may run the bases, or may slide to avoid an out; is OUT for offensive interference because he interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play on him.
NOPE, I don't think so. There is something fundamentally wrong with both of these scenarios. YOU all are only adding to the sick illusion. Count me out of this FOOLISH group. I'm not going behind the barn with you guys anymore.
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Name calling doesn't impress most umpires.
Your first paragraph asks how I penalize a batter who throws his bat in front of a catcher who is trying to complete a play -Rule 6.05 (h) handles that. A few people are itent on making Windy/WWTB look bad for trying to qualify intent. Unless the batter is running to first for his BOB award and tosses his bat backwards and it affects the play, we have inteference. The original play did not say that happened. I also agree that intent is a difficult thing to qualify and one of the toughest things to prove in court. How can you say that the batter didn't intend to interfere with the play? The runner was stealing, most batters just drop the bat or slide it along the ground. Tossing it at throwing level in front of a catcher who is trying to make a play is simple interference.
As far as throwing a bat to interfere with a player in the field, Bobby Bonds was covering third on a steal attempt when a bat was purposely thrown at him. It hit him in the glove hand and knocked the ball away. So, that's how!
I can't believe you are an umpire. Name calling and not knowing the rules are big mistakes.